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About Andrew Gordon
Andrew Gordon spent 20 years at Pixar Animation Studios helping bring to life A Bug’s Life, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles and Presto. He was the lead animator for Pixar’s most popular character, Mike Wazowski of Monsters, Inc., and animated characters including Remy in Ratatouille, Gill in Finding Nemo, Edna Mode in The Incredibles and Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story. His work on Finding Nemo was honored with a Visual Effects Society Award in 2004.
After Pixar, Gordon served as head of animation at DNEG in London, contributed as a co-director on Minions: The Rise of Gru and executive produced and co-directed the feature Out of the Nest, a Thai-Chinese animated hit. Today he is Chief Storyteller at EyeTell, a platform started by YouTube founder Chad Hurley that lets anyone use AI to tell their story. He continues to develop film and television projects, with a new animated short due out in 2026.
Andrew's Keynote Topics
Greatness isn’t achieved by avoiding failure, it’s built by embracing it. In this candid and inspiring talk, Andrew Gordon draws on his 20 years at Pixar and mentorship from studio founder Ed Catmull to share a behind-the-scenes look at how Pixar cultivated one of the most admired creative cultures in the world. Audiences learn how psychological safety, the “Braintrust” model and a relentless feedback process transformed setbacks into breakthroughs. Attendees will discover why films fail, how to mine crises for insight and what an effective notes session really looks like. This keynote is ultimately about trusting the process, creating a culture where honest feedback fuels innovation, and where teams feel empowered to take risks that lead to excellence.
Discover why unforgettable stories aren’t born – they’re built. In this keynote, Andrew Gordon pulls back the curtain on the creative engine behind Pixar’s golden age, sharing insights from two decades spent shaping some of the world’s most beloved films. Audiences will learn the hidden mechanics of crafting stories that resonate: how to captivate from the first moment, how to create deep emotional alignment by placing viewers inside the characters’ shoes, and how to respect your audience by inviting them into the narrative. Gordon will explore Pixar’s famed iterative process – how “breaking” a story is the essential step to rebuilding it into something extraordinary – and reveal the secret sauce behind making any idea unforgettable.
Data informs, but stories transform. In this session that was originally designed for Deloitte Digital, Andrew Gordon shows how sustainability messaging becomes far more powerful when grounded in narrative. He guides participants through real sustainability stories, deconstructing why some inspire action while others fall flat. Using Pixar’s time-tested framework and an accessible iteration method, attendees will collaborate, experiment and ultimately leave with a compelling sustainability story of their own. This talk empowers organizations to move beyond statistics and craft narratives that change minds – and the future.
Artificial intelligence is reshaping creativity, but the heart of storytelling remains human. In this session, Andrew Gordon dives into the craft of narrative using today’s cutting-edge A.I. tools, drawing from his experience creating 75 short films with emerging technologies. Participants will learn what A.I. enhances, what it can’t replace and how to avoid the pitfalls that lead to “content slop.” From premise to structure, from character to controlling idea, from tool selection to telegraphing narrative beats, this is a masterclass in building meaningful stories in a world overflowing with generative content. Attendees walk away knowing how to turn A.I. from a gimmick into a genuine storytelling partner.
The metaverse and web 3.0 are upon us. How we are represented in a new 3-D space will be important to us in the future, says Andrew Gordon, master storyteller, award-winning animator and film director. In this talk, Gordon focuses on the work he’s done with metaverse and digital avatar company Itsme. For audiences looking around the corner to what’s new and next, Gordon reveals how he applies the storytelling principles learned from 20 years at Pixar to create another 3-D world. Gordon also touches on NFTs as well as some of the rising issues in the new, uncharted world of virtual identity.
Articles by Andrew Gordon
Andrew in the Media
Arturo Hernandez and Andrew Gordon Talk ‘Out of the Nest’
‘Out of the Nest’: A Challenging Production Turns Into a Thai-Chinese Animated Hit
Pixar Vet Andrew Gordon Discusses the Character Design Process for His New Series ‘Good Morning Kevin’
Passion Pictures Teams With Pixar Vet Andrew Gordon for Social Media Series ‘Good Morning Kevin’
Fantasy Animated Drama ‘Hawkmaster’ in the Works at Fox From Ex-Pixar Pair Mark Andrews & Andrew Gordon & Oded Turgeman
Iron Maiden Drops Biblical Epic ‘The Writing on the Wall,’ First New Music in 6 Years
New Avatar-Based Social Network, Itsme, Raises $15.2 Million From Alexis Ohanian, Others
Focus Your Story for Impact
Andrew’s presentation and story opened a window into a world that most people never hear about, the world of animation and movies, and how that world functions. He did this with great audience engagement; his storytelling ability is equally as good as his animation skills. We really enjoyed his presentation and at the same time learned a lot. His presentation was exemplary of innovation and creativity in action.
Elizabeth B. DavisFormer Dean, USF School of Management
Thanks so much for the outstanding keynote at our first Glint Summit Europe (and for the wonderful drawing of Edna Mode)! I heard so many great comments from our attendees that were inspired by your sharing insights from Pixar Animation Studios and on storytelling overall. On behalf of everyone at the event and the team, thank you!
Jim BellChief Marketing Officer, LeanData
Really enjoyed the session and took two things away in particular. First, we tell stories every day to our teams, our peers, our board, and external partners and investors. While not all elements of the process we used yesterday apply in every case, crispness and clarity of messaging, holding the attention of the audience, and energy in delivery all matter. It was a good refresher on how a little extra effort in prep to tighten the storyline can help us do better work and cover more ground efficiently. Second, the open feedback process spurred creativity and engagement from the group. I plan to emphasize that approach in meetings to draw out constructive ideas more broadly from the team.
Pinterest
Andrew blew away the crowd, got them inspired and returned them to their childhood dreams of becoming their own super heroes. The workshop afterward was so inspiring and informative, people talked to us about it for weeks to come, a truly incredible experience left behind for the Dubai community.
Ramy AlawssyFounder, -ing Creatives Dubai
It’s rare that you come across world class talent like Andrew Gordon. I’ve been fortunate enough to work with Andrew to learn storytelling skills and invest in the Salesforce Ignite teams culture of feedback. During story workshops, Andrew is able to listen deeply and coach creative teams to breakthrough levels of creativity and collaboration. What makes working with Andrew most satisfying is that he is fueled by feedback. The learning and impact from our teams work with Andrew grows with each new session.
Scott JorgensenFormer Executive VP, Ignite Innovation Program, SalesForce
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