Two of the filmmakers behind Pixar’s Turning Red, producer Lindsey Collins and director Domee Shi, have new roles at Pixar. Turning Red, Pixar’s latest animated feature, tells the story of a 13-year-old Chinese-Canadian girl named Mei who turns into a giant red panda every time she experiences intense emotions. The movie was released directly to Disney+ and has been incredibly successful on the platform; Turning Red broke Disney+’s premiere viewership record.
According to Variety, Collins has been promoted to senior vice president of development, and Shi has been promoted to vice president of creative. Collins has worked at Pixar for nearly 25 years, and during her time at the studio, she co-produced WALL-E and produced Finding Dory. The senior vice president of development role she’s stepping into is brand new. Shi has worked at Pixar for over a decade, starting as an intern in 2011. She also directed the 2018 Academy Award-winning short film Bao.
In the years following these promotions, it will be interesting to see how these leaders will shape the decisions made at Pixar. As of right now, Pixar’s Lightyear starring Chris Evans is the only forthcoming movie the studio has confirmed. Pixar viewers will certainly be able to see the impact Collins and Shi will have on future Pixar movies. Hopefully, Shi will also direct another feature for Pixar. It’s likely that her new position at the company as well as the success of Turning Red will allow her to direct another feature for the studio, as many of the executives at Pixar also direct.
