Pixar: Janelle's Wish to be an Animator Fuels Her Creativity

For 18-year-old Janelle, making whimsical animations for everyone to enjoy is her dream job. Although her critical illness affects her motor system, it doesn’t restrain her creative mind from running free.

In her free time, Janelle often draws from her imagination – if she can imagine it, she can draw it. Janelle has a clear vision of what she wants to be in the future, and her one true wish was to visit the world-renowned Pixar Animation Studios to experience what it would be like to be a professional animator.

The next thing Janelle knew, she and her family hopped a plane from Hawaii to San Francisco for an exclusive tour of the famed studio. Encompassing 22 acres, there was a lot for Janelle and her family to see. They explored the main building, met with real Pixar animators and learned about the entire animation process, and even got to take a peek at Pixar’s Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter’s office. At lunch, Janelle shared some of her artwork with the Pixar team and asked lots of questions.

Janelle’s eyes were fascinated by the magic of animation, and she was impressed by the amount of teamwork and time it takes to create such intricately crafted animations! The experience didn’t deter her from becoming an animator ― in fact, it made her even more motivated to pursue her dream job. For Janelle, this life-changing wish experience will hopefully serve as a launching pad to her future as an animator.

Janelle’s wish was granted by Make-A-Wish Hawaii.