One of the creative forces behind Pixar’s critically acclaimed film Wall-E, Jay Shuster, has said that he believes in the innovative potential of Medellin, Colombia’s second-largest city.
Shuster, who was attending the “Campus Party” technology festival in Medellin, told newspaper El Tiempo that it was “exciting” to see a city that was “getting up and growing,” especially after witnessing so many industries leaving his hometown of Detroit.
He said that the situation within a city influences the creative process because of its ability to attract talent.
Canadian animators Pipeline Studio have recently opened a production studio in Medellin, attracting filmmakers who hope to increase the city’s standing in the world of film production.
Shuster is currently an Art Director at Pixar. He was the Production Designer for the short animated film The Blue Umbrella, which premiered in February 2013 at the 63rd Berlin International Film Festival. The short received a wide release in front of Pixar’s feature Monsters University.
In 2012, Medellin was ranked as “the world’s most innovative city” according to a popular vote published in the Wall Street Journal. However, the city is plagued by massive inequality, with a UN report this week calling it Colombia’s most unequal city.
MORE: Colombia has most unequal cities in Latin America: UN
Sources
- Director de arte en Pixar habla sobre Medellín (El Tiempo)
- Jay Shuster Interview (Lavin)