BCC lecture focuses on stunning visuals

Pixar is renowned for paving the way in vivid computer animation, pushing the boundaries of technology to new, beautiful, stylized heights.
From “Toy Story” to “Inside Out,” Pixar films are always well-received and beloved. A whole lot of work goes into creating the stunning visuals that draw in major audiences time and time again. 
That might be why, when Danielle Feinberg gave a lecture at BCC on Oct. 21, the seats were packed with people of all ages, excited to hear from the Director of Photography for Lighting at Pixar Animation Studios. 
Feinberg’s lecture, “To Infinity and Beyond: The Math and Science Behind Pixar Films,” gave the audience an in depth behind-the-scenes look at the work that goes into making computer animation look real and alive.

The enthusiastic presentation included animated slides depicting the often painstaking steps taken to give life to a character’s eyes, find just the right bounce to add to a head of hair, or uncover the perfect combination of dust and water opacity in streams of light.
One of the most impressive achievements outlined by Feinberg was Pixar’s “Wonder Moss,” a code made of dozens of complicated mathematical equations.
The Wonder Moss code creates elaborate, life-like vegetation, not strictly limited to moss, with any number of variables to enhance different textures.
Fienberg worked with the creator of the Wonder Moss code, Iñigo Quilez who now works with Oculus, and referred to him as a genius. Together they spent more than three years working on Pixar’s Brave, studying Scottish foliage to shape the Wonder Moss code. Feinberg jested, in reference to the her now in-depth wisdom on the trees of Scotland, “I have very strange pockets of knowledge, thanks to Pixar.”
After 18 years and counting of working at Pixar, Feinberg had a lot to share about the science behind the business, and she also spoke about her introduction to animation as a young child. At just eight years old she combined her love of computers and art when she first programed a Logo turtle to create images. 
Feinberg’s fire for animation led her to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science from Harvard, and eventually to work for Pixar. She is dedicated to encouraging young women and girls to pursue math, science, and code through the artful beauty of computer animation. 
“To Infinity and Beyond” was part of the “Not on the Test: The Pleasures and Uses of Mathematics” series presented by BCC and the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute, with the support of the Simons Foundation, and each lecture is free and open to the public.