Stephen Dubner

After a few years, he made an animated short called Jerry's Game about an old man who plays chess against himself. Jerry's Game earned Pinkova an Academy Award and a chance to pitch a feature film to the Pixar Brain Trust.

After a few years, he made an animated short called Jerry's Game about an old man who plays chess against himself. Jerry's Game earned Pinkova an Academy Award and a chance to pitch a feature film to the Pixar Brain Trust.

After a few years, he made an animated short called Jerry's Game about an old man who plays chess against himself. Jerry's Game earned Pinkova an Academy Award and a chance to pitch a feature film to the Pixar Brain Trust.

Just because it's so time intensive and expensive, yes?

Just because it's so time intensive and expensive, yes?

Just because it's so time intensive and expensive, yes?

So what happened then? I mean, I know the end of the story, but just give me the shortish version of what happened over the next couple of years between the full prototype, let's say, and the film being released.

So what happened then? I mean, I know the end of the story, but just give me the shortish version of what happened over the next couple of years between the full prototype, let's say, and the film being released.

So what happened then? I mean, I know the end of the story, but just give me the shortish version of what happened over the next couple of years between the full prototype, let's say, and the film being released.

Was there rat research as well? Yeah, there was rat research. Was that something that you were personally involved in or were you having researchers feed you information? And what was the information? Was it the biology, the history, the personality of rats?

Was there rat research as well? Yeah, there was rat research. Was that something that you were personally involved in or were you having researchers feed you information? And what was the information? Was it the biology, the history, the personality of rats?

Was there rat research as well? Yeah, there was rat research. Was that something that you were personally involved in or were you having researchers feed you information? And what was the information? Was it the biology, the history, the personality of rats?

Okay. And that was a piece of real rat biology you chose to not include in the film.

Okay. And that was a piece of real rat biology you chose to not include in the film.

Okay. And that was a piece of real rat biology you chose to not include in the film.

What's it like to see a film like this have such great success, knowing that you gave birth to it and you raised it, but weren't around to, let's say, see it graduate?

What's it like to see a film like this have such great success, knowing that you gave birth to it and you raised it, but weren't around to, let's say, see it graduate?

What's it like to see a film like this have such great success, knowing that you gave birth to it and you raised it, but weren't around to, let's say, see it graduate?

Pinkova left Pixar soon after, and he worked on a few other features and shorts, but none have achieved as much acclaim or prestige as Ratatouille or the other projects he worked on at Pixar. And where is Jan Pinkova today?

Pinkova left Pixar soon after, and he worked on a few other features and shorts, but none have achieved as much acclaim or prestige as Ratatouille or the other projects he worked on at Pixar. And where is Jan Pinkova today?