Stephen Dubner

And here's Bethany Brookshire again.

And here's Bethany Brookshire again.

You may remember the story that Brookshire told us in part one of this series about the temple in India where rats are worshipped.

You may remember the story that Brookshire told us in part one of this series about the temple in India where rats are worshipped.

You may remember the story that Brookshire told us in part one of this series about the temple in India where rats are worshipped.

Coming up, we go back to Jan Pinkova to find out the real mission of the film Ratatouille. Really to help us get along with each other. I'm Stephen Dubner. This is Freakonomics Radio. We'll be right back. When the film Ratatouille was released in 2007, the New York Times critic A.O.

Coming up, we go back to Jan Pinkova to find out the real mission of the film Ratatouille. Really to help us get along with each other. I'm Stephen Dubner. This is Freakonomics Radio. We'll be right back. When the film Ratatouille was released in 2007, the New York Times critic A.O.

Coming up, we go back to Jan Pinkova to find out the real mission of the film Ratatouille. Really to help us get along with each other. I'm Stephen Dubner. This is Freakonomics Radio. We'll be right back. When the film Ratatouille was released in 2007, the New York Times critic A.O.

Scott described it like this, "...a nearly flawless piece of popular art, as well as one of the most persuasive portraits of an artist ever committed to film." The screenwriter and director was Brad Bird, who a few years earlier had made The Incredibles. Bird was also one of three people credited with Original Story. The other two were Jim Capobianco and the man we met earlier, Jan Pinkova.

Scott described it like this, "...a nearly flawless piece of popular art, as well as one of the most persuasive portraits of an artist ever committed to film." The screenwriter and director was Brad Bird, who a few years earlier had made The Incredibles. Bird was also one of three people credited with Original Story. The other two were Jim Capobianco and the man we met earlier, Jan Pinkova.

Scott described it like this, "...a nearly flawless piece of popular art, as well as one of the most persuasive portraits of an artist ever committed to film." The screenwriter and director was Brad Bird, who a few years earlier had made The Incredibles. Bird was also one of three people credited with Original Story. The other two were Jim Capobianco and the man we met earlier, Jan Pinkova.

Pinkova was born in what was then Czechoslovakia. But after the Soviet invasion of 1968, his family moved to England. He was six years old. He was interested in film from early on. When he was 12, he got an eight millimeter camera for Christmas. He won a national competition for young filmmakers run by the BBC. He was good at finding ideas in unusual places.

Pinkova was born in what was then Czechoslovakia. But after the Soviet invasion of 1968, his family moved to England. He was six years old. He was interested in film from early on. When he was 12, he got an eight millimeter camera for Christmas. He won a national competition for young filmmakers run by the BBC. He was good at finding ideas in unusual places.

Pinkova was born in what was then Czechoslovakia. But after the Soviet invasion of 1968, his family moved to England. He was six years old. He was interested in film from early on. When he was 12, he got an eight millimeter camera for Christmas. He won a national competition for young filmmakers run by the BBC. He was good at finding ideas in unusual places.

For instance, watching his grandfather play chess by himself.

For instance, watching his grandfather play chess by himself.

For instance, watching his grandfather play chess by himself.

And yeah, it took a while. Jan Pinkova studied computer science as an undergraduate, and he got a PhD in robotics. This led to a career as a computer animator, and in 1993, he landed a job at Pixar. They were then starting pre-production on Toy Story, and Pinkova was assigned to the commercials group.

And yeah, it took a while. Jan Pinkova studied computer science as an undergraduate, and he got a PhD in robotics. This led to a career as a computer animator, and in 1993, he landed a job at Pixar. They were then starting pre-production on Toy Story, and Pinkova was assigned to the commercials group.

And yeah, it took a while. Jan Pinkova studied computer science as an undergraduate, and he got a PhD in robotics. This led to a career as a computer animator, and in 1993, he landed a job at Pixar. They were then starting pre-production on Toy Story, and Pinkova was assigned to the commercials group.