皮克斯公司的标志

1985年夏天,乔布斯在苹果地位不保(losing his footing at Apple),经Alan Kay的介绍,他认识了在乔治·卢卡斯的电影制片厂负责电脑技术的Ed Catmull(running the computer division of George Lucas' film studio)。两年后,1987年乔布斯成功收购Pixar,以投资1000万美元的投资(for his $10 million investment),获得了公司70%的股份(own the 70% of the company)。公司开始运作之际,控制欲极强(controlling instincts)、语言表达极具蛊惑力的乔布斯,将有如何的表现呢?而他的新员工们,又会有怎样的对策?

【英语原文】

For a while Jobs let Catmull and Smith run Pixar without much interference. Every month or so they would gather for a board meeting, usually at NeXT headquarters, where Jobs would focus on the finances and strategy. Nevertheless, by dint of his personality and controlling instincts, Jobs was soon playing a stronger role. He spewed out a stream of ideas—some reasonable, others wacky—about what Pixar’s hardware and software could become.And on his occasional visits to the Pixar offices, he was an inspiring presence.“I grew up a Southern Baptist, and we had revival meetings with mesmerizing but corrupt preachers,” recounted Alvy Ray Smith. “Steve’s got it: the power of the tongue and the web of words that catches people up. We were aware of this when we had board meetings, so we developed signals—nose scratching or ear tugs—for when someone had been caught up in Steve’s distortion field and he needed to be tugged back to reality.”(Chapter 19 Pixar: Lucasfilm's Computer Division)

【沪江译文】

有那么一段时间,乔布斯让卡特穆尔和史密斯掌管皮克斯,不干预他们的工作。每隔一个月左右,他们会进行一次董事会,一般是在NeXT的总部。乔布斯总把焦点放在财务和战略上。然而,由于个性和控制本能的驱使,他很快就变成了强势角色。针对皮克斯公司软件和硬件的未来,乔布斯提出了一堆想法,有的合理,有的古怪。虽然他只是偶尔到访皮克斯办公室,但每次现身都能使人心潮澎湃。“我从小就加入了美南浸信会,那时我们常和生活腐化却极具蛊惑力的牧师一起开培灵会。阿尔维·雷·史密斯说:“乔布斯显然深谙此道:他深知人们会陷于语言的力量和词语的网络。开会的时候,大家也意识到了这个问题,为此我们发展出一套信号:抓鼻子或拽耳朵。如果有人陷入了史蒂夫口中扭曲的现实,我们会用这一招把他拉回现实。

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【翻译笔记】

1. interference n.干扰, 妨碍 v. interfere

interfere with 干扰,干涉;妨碍;触动或弄坏;乱动;与……抵触    interfere in vt. 干涉,干预

Her mother's interference exacerbated the difficulties in their marriage.
她母亲从中干预使他们的婚姻雪上加霜。

Her interference was not warranted.
她干涉得毫无道理。

Both partners now resent your interference; that's what you get when you fish in the troubled waters of marital strife.
现在两方面都对你的干预不满,那是对你的婚姻冲突中趁火打劫的报应。

2. mesmerize vt. 1.对...施催眠术 2.迷住;迷惑

mesmerize这个单词的词根是mesmer(幻术师),mesmer 来源于人名:奥地利精神科医师麦斯麦(Franz Anton Mesmer),他是历史记载中的第一位催眠师,现代催眠术(hypnotism)之父,他的治疗方法同样名声大噪,被称为麦斯麦术(Mesmerism)。

There was something about Pearl that mesmerised her.
珀尔身上有什么东西吸引住了她。

I sat mesmerized long after the fairground closed.
露天游乐场关门许久之后,我还痴迷地坐在那里。

She has a mesmerising smile.
她的笑容令人着迷。

3. catch up 赶上, 很快拾起

Old age and infirmity had begun to catch up with him.
他开始显出年老体衰的样子了。

Staff must stay behind after hours to catch up on their work.
下班后工作人员需要留下来把工作赶完。

She walked too slowly to catch up with us.
她走得太慢,跟不上我们。

4. recount vt. 详述, 列举, 重新计算 n. 重新

The motion was passed on show of hands, although voting was close and the opposition asked for a recount.
大家举手表决通过了这项提议,然而表决的结果近乎相等,反对派要求重新计数。

She recounted her adventures.
她讲了她的冒险经历。

The defeated candidate demanded a recount.
落选的候选人要求重新计算选票。

5. Pixar

皮克斯动画工作室(Pixar Animation Studios),于1986年正式成立,至今已经出品十二部动画长片和超过三十部动画短片。可以称为是一家继迪士尼公司之后,对动画电影历史影响最深远的公司。公司于2006年被迪士尼收购,成为其全资子公司。公司的代表作品:《玩具总动员》(1995年);《虫虫危机》(1998年);《怪物公司》(2001);《海底总动员》(2003);《汽车总动员》(2006)等。

【皮克斯的关键词】

跳跳灯(Luxo):皮克斯的标志,也是他们第一部正式的动画作品。这个形象代表了皮克斯的特质:可爱、顽皮、聪明、活泼、富于技术感和艺术风格。
  
故事(Story):皮克斯的电影故事都经过了长期打磨,精心设计,看起来简单,但非常清新流畅、别具一格,而且意蕴深远。   

技术(Technology):皮克斯原来是由像素(pixel)和艺术(art)两个词组合而成,每年都有上百项的技术专利,总是走在技术的最前沿。“艺术挑战技术,技术启发艺术”,皮克斯每部作品都是艺术与技术的精妙结合。    

创意(Creative):皮克斯不喜欢走别人走过的路,他们总喜欢自己去创造全新的世界,不断追求新鲜有趣的东西。这让皮克斯25年来始终创造力十足。他们每部动画的故事背景上天入地,充满神奇感,像是在讲一个小时候你模糊听到过或幻想过的故事。

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