Pixar vice president and creative director Peter Sohn will talk about his new animated film “Elemental” at the VIEW Conference in Turin, Italy, which runs from Oct. 15-20. Sohn will attend the conference in person to discuss the creative journey he took to bring the story to the screen.
“I’m so excited to welcome Peter Sohn to VIEW Conference 2023,” says conference director Maria Elena Gutierrez. “Peter is a true force of nature – a multi-talented storyteller, film director, animator, actor; you name it. In bringing his unique energy and wisdom to VIEW Conference, he is certain to leave our global audience feeling energized and inspired.”
Sohn has been with Pixar since 2000, working on such Pixar classics as “Finding Nemo,” “The Incredibles” and “WALL-E.” He directed the 2009 short film “Partly Cloudy” before making his feature directing debut with “The Good Dinosaur” in 2015. In addition to working in the art, story and animation departments, Sohn has also voiced a number of Pixar characters, including Emile in “Ratatouille,” Scott “Squishy” Squibbles in “Monsters University” and SOX in last year’s “Lightyear.”
Each October, the VIEW Conference brings together an array of industry professionals, thought leaders and enthusiasts to share insights about the fields of animation, VFX and games. The conference features speakers, presentations, workshops and masterclasses from some of the biggest names in the business.
Other speakers set for the conference include writer-director Henry Selick, who has helmed “Coraline,” “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “James and the Giant Peach” and last year’s “Wendell & Wild.” Seleck will deliver an onstage presentation and preside over a workshop at the event.
Also participating are Lucasfilm VP and executive creative director Doug Chiang who will discuss his work overseeing designs for the “Star Wars” franchise across films, theme parks, games and new media, and Industrial Light & Magic animation supervisor Hal Hickel, who will talk about his work on the Disney+ series “The Mandalorian.”
Gutierrez is excited that these first four confirmed speakers are attending in person, after the pandemic made the conference a virtual, then a partly-virtual affair for a few years. “With their incredible suite of presentations and workshops, Henry Selick, Doug Chiang and Hal Hickel will bring a special magic to VIEW Conference and give everyone who attends the event a unique opportunity to meet their heroes. And this is just the beginning. I can’t wait to announce some of the other legendary masters who will be speaking this October in beautiful Turin.”
