Sonoma Film Festival

Process Talk. This last weekend we did a longer version of "Trust the Process" talk at the Sonoma Film Festival. Mark Andrews, Jim Capobianco, Jason Katz and myself had done a shorter version of this talk before at the Screenwriters Expo. We were guest speakers because our big boss, John Lasseter was being honored there.

For the past decade, the Sonoma Valley Film Festival has heard the refrains of "You've Got A Friend In Me" from John Lasseter, the creative force behind Pixar.

Now the festival is turning the tables and planning quite a bash April 11-15 in recognition not only of its 10th anniversary but in tribute to its friend and one of the region's most beloved filmmakers.

In addition to screening some 75 films from 12 different countries, the festival is hosting a day chock full of events honoring Lasseter, an animator, director, producer and the vice president of Pixar. When the Walt Disney Company purchased Pixar in 2006, Lasseter also became chief creative officer of Walt Disney Feature Animation and principal creative adviser for Walt Disney Imagineering, the division responsible for creating theme park attractions.

"It is our tremendous honor to pay tribute to John Lasseter, the world’s premier storyteller,” said Marc Lhormer, executive director of the film festival. “A longtime Sonoma Valley resident and a supporter and friend of the festival over our 10 years of incredible growth, John is a legendary creative force inspiring a whole generation of filmmakers."

Jim and I drove up together with Tess and Gerin. When we got there we were met with very familiar faces and wonderful energy of celebrating films. Mark Showed up wearing a kilt,"Why wouldn't I be wearing a kilt? It's national tartan day!" (it was that, but on April 6th. I guess that makes it tartan month). John introduced us to a very welcoming crowd and we launched into the joys and sorrows of being a story person making animated features. John himself was right in front and he joined in, expanding on the history of story at Disney, Joe Ranft, and general story work.



Thanks to the organizers of the Sonoma Film Festival for the honor and though my family and I couldn't stay for the rest of the day's festivities we had a grand time.

Sonoma Film Festival tribute to John Lasseter