CARS 2 Interviews #2: Producer Denise Ream

Last month, I spoke with Ream to discuss her day-to-day role on the movie and life at Pixar more generally - providing a fascinating insight into an aspect of the industry that often goes without comment.

By Robert Beames /

If being a producer is a misunderstood, even maligned, profession then being an animation producer is perhaps doubly so. I'll admit, I didn't know what a producer's role in the making of a Pixar movie would entail, especially in an environment of unparalleled creative freedom in which Wall-E director Andrew Stanton likened artists to "free range chicken". Though it turns out that, even at the Berkeley-based animation studio, the producer's role is that of a tight hand on the reins, ensuring budgets are adhered to and deadlines are met - a job that often involves telling people "no". One person with such a responsibility is Denise Ream - producer of Cars 2. Another of the many Pixar employees to have worked at Industrial Light & Magic, she served as visual effects producer on Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith before working as an associate producer on Up. Last month, I spoke with Ream to discuss her day-to-day role on the movie and life at Pixar more generally - providing a fascinating insight into an aspect of the industry that often goes without comment (at least for those outside of California). Watch the full interview in the video below:Check back throughout the week for the rest of our Pixar interview series, with Emily Mortimer and John Lasseter. If you missed them, we have already published interviews with first assistant editor Kevin Rose-Williams and character animator Jude Brownbill. Cars 2 is released in the U.K. on Friday. Cameraman: Dennis Routledge-Tizzard Editor: Joe Murphy