Rydstrom is a 25-year veteran of Pixar Animation Studios, contributing to the sound design of the studio’s groundbreaking short film “Luxo Jr.” His credits include a variety of Pixar shorts—“Lifted,” “Red’s Dream” and “Tin Toy”—and feature films, including “Toy Story,” “Monsters, Inc.” and the Academy Award®-winning “Finding Nemo,” among others. “Toy Story 3” won the Academy Award® for Best Animated Feature Sunday night, February 27, 2011. Randy Newman earned an Oscar® for Best Original Song for the film’s “We Belong Together.” Pixar, which has earned 29 Academy Awards® and seven Golden Globes®, celebrates its 25th Anniversary in
2011.
Set in new owner Bonnie’s bedroom, “Hawaiian Vacation” features Woody (voice of Tom Hanks) and Buzz (voice of Tim Allen) and the rest of the favorite “Toy Story 3” toys as they create the ultimate Hawaiian vacation for Ken (voice of Michael Keaton) and Barbie (voice of Jodi Benson). It seems Ken badly miscalculated their travel arrangements, so the gang has to create a dream getaway in Bonnie’s Midwestern bedroom—in the middle of winter. “Hawaiian Vacation” also features the voices of Joan Cusack, Wallace Shawn, Don Rickles, Estelle Harris, Blake Clark, Bonnie Hunt, Timothy Dalton, Kristen Schaal, Jeff Garlin and John Ratzenberger.
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR – GARY RYDSTROM:
Seven-time Academy Award® winner GARY RYDSTROM joined Pixar Animation Studios as an animation film director in 2003. His directorial debut for the studio was the Academy Award®-nominated short film, “Lifted.” Rydstrom has been a part of the Pixar family since 1986, when he contributed his sound design talents to the studio’s groundbreaking short film, “Luxo Jr.” He subsequently lent his skills to a variety of other Pixar shorts, including “Red’s Dream,” “Tin Toy” and “Knick Knack,” and the studio’s feature films “Toy Story,” “A Bug’s Life,” “Toy Story 2,” “Monsters, Inc.” and the Academy Award®-winning “Finding Nemo.”
His most recent short film, “Hawaiian Vacation,” will be released with “Cars 2” on June 24, 2011.
Prior to Pixar, Rydstrom was director of creative operations for Skywalker Sound, a division of Lucasfilm Ltd., where he oversaw the creative and technological direction of the company. During his two decades there he contributed his extensive sound design and mixing expertise to a multitude of critically lauded feature and short films, and theme park attractions.
Rydstrom was honored with his first two Academy Awards® in 1991 for Best Sound and Best Sound Effects Editing on the film “Terminator 2: Judgment Day,” and has been awarded five additional Oscars® for sound on acclaimed films such as “Titanic,” “Jurassic Park” and “Saving Private Ryan.” He has been nominated for a total of fourteen Academy Awards®.
ABOUT CARS 2:
John Lasseter returns to the driver’s seat to direct this follow-up to his 2006 Golden Globe®-winning “Cars.” “Cars 2” is co-directed by Brad Lewis, producer of the Oscar®-winning film “Ratatouille,” and produced by visual effects industry veteran Denise Ream (associate producer, “Up”; visual effects executive producer, “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith”). The film hits the track on August 25, 2011, and will be presented in Disney Digital 3D™.