As the whimsical sounds of Disney’s Peter Pan float across the front porch of the multi-use room at Young Actors Theatre Camp, Pixar’s Jeanette Penley-Marker takes time out of promoting of beloved animated films and teaching monologue classes, with her husband and two adorable daughters, to discuss her journey to Pixar, one of the most unique studios in the animation industry. In jeans, a cotton blouse, and sneakers covered in the red dust that seems to permeate the entire area, Penley-Marker is the epitome of business creativity, working her way from acting, which she still pursues with passion, to every native San Franciscan’s dream: Pixar.
“I wanted to be an actress,” says Penley-Marker, as we settle in the metal folding chairs out of the …show more content…
After working for almost seven years with a prominent organization in San Francisco, Penley-Marker felt a strain between working and spending more time with her first daughter – and left the organization. By the time she wanted to work again, she knew she wanted something different, something still within the entertainment industry… And then she discovered that Pixar, creator of some of her favorite movies, was based in the Bay Area. It became “an obsession,” and, soon, an accomplishment as she became an important member of multiple departments within …show more content…
Pixar, with over 1200 employees, is unique in its emphasis on inclusion and family. The studio is a closed campus, not open for public tours, often hosts families, connected fans and friends, and class fieldtrips; for Penley-Marker, this means her daughters are the coolest kids in their class. “You know, it’s so funny whenever anyone comes to the studio and they’re like “Whoa,”” Penley-Marker explains, recalling a class fieldtrip she helped organize for her daughter’s class. One of the highlights was Pixar’s extensive cereal bar, featuring the Penley-Marker kids’ favorite, Cocoa Puffs, which are a requirement for every visit. “They still love to come to
“I wanted to be an actress,” says Penley-Marker, as we settle in the metal folding chairs out of the …show more content…
After working for almost seven years with a prominent organization in San Francisco, Penley-Marker felt a strain between working and spending more time with her first daughter – and left the organization. By the time she wanted to work again, she knew she wanted something different, something still within the entertainment industry… And then she discovered that Pixar, creator of some of her favorite movies, was based in the Bay Area. It became “an obsession,” and, soon, an accomplishment as she became an important member of multiple departments within …show more content…
Pixar, with over 1200 employees, is unique in its emphasis on inclusion and family. The studio is a closed campus, not open for public tours, often hosts families, connected fans and friends, and class fieldtrips; for Penley-Marker, this means her daughters are the coolest kids in their class. “You know, it’s so funny whenever anyone comes to the studio and they’re like “Whoa,”” Penley-Marker explains, recalling a class fieldtrip she helped organize for her daughter’s class. One of the highlights was Pixar’s extensive cereal bar, featuring the Penley-Marker kids’ favorite, Cocoa Puffs, which are a requirement for every visit. “They still love to come to