Kristina Kovacs was two years into her illustration studies at the Columbus College of Art & Design when she discovered “The Art of Finding Nemo.” This book delves into the design work behind Pixar’s 2003 hit, “Finding Nemo.”
“I grew up watching Disney and Pixar movies,” says Kovacs, who hails from a suburb east of Cleveland. Kovacs was recently one of the animators for Pixar’s “Inside Out 2.” “I loved all the Disney Princesses and ‘Toy Story,’ but I never really thought about how those movies were made.”
That vibrant book was a revelation for her.
“That’s when I realized, like, ‘Oh, this is how they do animation—I could DO this,’” Kovacs explains. “That’s when I found out about the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. They even had classes taught by Pixar animators.”
Kovacs, a Hungarian American who attended Trinity High School in Garfield Heights, often spent her childhood at Saint Emeric Roman Catholic Church and various Cleveland Metroparks locations. She moved to California to attend the Academy of Art University.
The Academy of Art University played a crucial role in her career development. “The proximity to Pixar and the opportunity to learn directly from industry professionals was incredible,” she says. “The classes were hands-on, and the instructors brought real-world experience to the table, which was invaluable.”
After graduating, Kovacs worked on the 2020 Netflix film “The Willoughbys” and then for Sony Pictures on “The Mitchells vs. the Machines” (2021), “Hotel Transylvania: Transformania” (2022), and the live-action “Spider-Man: No Way Home” (2021).
“It was really cool to work on,” she says about “Spider-Man: No Way Home.”
Joining Pixar in late 2021, she first worked on “Cars on the Road,” a Disney+ series.
Working on the “Inside Out” sequel was particularly special for Kovacs.
“I’ve been really inspired by Riley as a character, so this was a dream come true,” she says. “The first ‘Inside Out’ came out when I was studying animation at the Academy of Art, so being part of ‘Inside Out 2’ is surreal and wild.”
On any project, animators must “bring the characters to life” from storyboards and puppets called “rigs,” she explains.
“We breathe life into them, give them personality and character, and bring out the director’s vision,” Kovacs says.
She worked on scenes with the newly teenaged Riley (Kensington Tallman) and her interactions with older teen Val (Lilimar). This included Riley’s first encounter with the emotion Ennui (Adèle Exarchopoulos).
“I was getting Riley into a calm place,” she says.
Introducing new emotions like Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser), Anxiety (Maya Hawke), Envy (Ayo Edebiri), and Ennui brings complexity.
“Sometimes the simplest shots are the most complex,” she notes.
The finished product, a visual marvel, has been a box office hit, earning $155 million in its opening weekend in the U.S. and Canada. It’s seen as a return to form for Pixar.
Watching the film was an incredible experience for Kovacs.
“I teared up seeing the Disney logo before the film started,” she says. “It’s amazing to watch it with strangers and feel the shared joy. I’m so proud of everyone’s work.”
Now working on Pixar’s “Elio,” set for a 2025 release, Kovacs isn’t ready to leave “Inside Out 2” behind.
“It’s so rewatchable,” she says. “I already can’t wait to see it again.”
For more information, visit the Academy of Art University School of Animation & Visual Effects.
