Internships with Pixar
Pixar is a computer animation studio that was founded by Steve Jobs, of Apple fame, and is currently owned by The Walt Disney Company. You’ve probably enjoyed their film portfolio, which includes 13 feature films, with hits like Toy Story, Cars, The Incredibles, Wall-E, Up, Finding Nemo, and Brave. Their films are creative masterpieces that appeal to all ages.
Based in Emeryville, California, Pixar has produced over $7 billion since it was founded in 1986. Several films have ranked in the top 50 highest grossing films of all time. It is an exciting and creative place to work especially if you want to contribute to the creation of high quality animated movies.
Interning at Pixar
All Pixar internships are paid positions and take place in Emeryville, CA. Interns must be eligible to work in the US and must be enrolled in university or within one year of graduating. Be sure to apply for internships well in advance, as positions are highly competitive.
Internships typically last 12 weeks to 6 months and are offered during the Summer, Fall, and Winter semesters. In the summer there are about 60 to 80 interns and in the winter only 15 to 30. During the internship, interns choose to work in one of a variety of departments such as:
- Animation
- Story
- Art
- Technical Direction
- Production Management
- Marketing
- Engineering
- Research
- Media Systems
- Finance, or
- Editorial
At Pixar, interns work as part of the team and are treated like equals in the office. They have the opportunity to work with some of the top talent in the industry. Interns are offered many perks like fitness center access, cafés, theaters, screening rooms, guest lectures, and classroom settings to learn important skills. Pixar even offers housing.
Pixar does offer some 12-month residencies that are reserved for new graduates.
How To Apply
Pixar has multiple pages dedicated to internship opportunities including FAQs and an Intern Life page. From their Career Page, click on Available Internships, then Visit Internships. A list of different departments will come up. Pick a department to see open positions under See Open Jobs. Click the internship position to learn details and apply. Every internship has specific instructions on how to apply. Read the details carefully.
For some internships, a demo reel and/or portfolio may be needed to be supplied with your application.
Learn more about Pixar Internships at: