Rob Gibbs obit

Rob Gibbs, Pixar Director And Story Artist, Has Died

He was not on the list.

Writer and director Robert James Gibbs, a two-decade veteran of Pixar Animation Studios, has passed away. The cause of death and other details were not immediately available. The news has circulated on social media through condolences posted by former and present co-workers. Some of their comments are shared below.

Gibbs directed or co-directed numerous projects at the studio over the years, including Tokyo Mater (which screened theatrically in front of Disney’s Bolt), Air Mater (the first production at the short-lived Pixar Canada), episodes of Mater’s Tall Tales, and the upcoming Disney+ series Monsters at Work, based on the Pete Docter-created franchise.

As a story artist, Gibbs contributed to many of the studio’s most beloved films including Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, Up, and Wall-E. (Note: His IMDB page inaccurately attributes animation credits to him that belong to another Pixar employee, Robb — with two Bs — Gibbs.)

A native of Escondido, California, Gibbs attended Palomar College before transferring to Calarts. After school, he worked for five years in story and visdev at Walt Disney Feature Animation, where his credits included Pocahontas and the “Pomp and Circumstance” segment of Fantasia 2000.

At the time of his death, Gibbs was attached as the co-director of the upcoming Germany/Belgium/Canada co-production Hump, which was to have been his feature directorial debut. He had been working on pre-production for the film, which tells the story of the camel Rami who goes on a journey across the Arabian Desert to reunite with his owner and best friend, Omar, a 10-year-old Bedouin boy. Hump’s producers posted a tribute to him on Facebook earlier this afternoon.

Animation department (15 credits)

 2020/I Onward (animator - as Robb Gibbs)

 2018 Incredibles 2 (second unit, fix & crowds animation)

 2016 Piper (Short) (animator)

 2015/I Inside Out (animation shot support)

 2013 Toy Story of Terror (TV Short) (animation shot support)

 2013 Monsters University (animation shot support - as Robert Gibbs)

 2012 Brave (animation shot support - as Robert Gibbs)

 2011 Toy Story Toons: Hawaiian Vacation (Short) (character designer)

 2010 Mater's Tall Tales (TV Series) (story artist - 4 episodes)

2001 Monsters, Inc. (story artist)

 1999 Toy Story 2 (story artist)

 1997 Loose Tooth (Short) (animation story developer)

 1994 Alapalooza: The Videos (Video short) (cel animator - video "Jurassic Park")

 1992 Cool World (assistant animation coordinator - as Robert Gibbs)

 1992 FernGully: The Last Rainforest (additional animator - as Robert Gibbs)

Director (5 credits)

  Hump (pre-production)

 2020 Monsters at Work (TV Series) (1 episode)

  Tales from Radiator Springs (TV Series) (1 episode, 2014) (co-director - 1 episode, 2017)

  Mater's Tall Tales (TV Series) (5 episodes, 2010 - 2012) (co-director - 6 episodes, 2008 - 2010)

2008 Tokyo Mater (Short) (co-director)

Writer (6 credits)

 2013-2014 Tales from Radiator Springs (TV Series) (story by - 3 episodes)

2009-2012 Mater's Tall Tales (TV Series) (story - 7 episodes)

2008 Tokyo Mater (Short) (story)

 2005 Jack-Jack Attack (Video short) (story)

 2002 Mike's New Car (Video short) (story)

 1995/I Pocahontas (story - as Robert Gibbs)

Art department (12 credits)

  10 Lives (storyboard artist) (pre-production)

 2009 Up (storyboard artist)

 2003 The Proud Family (TV Series) (storyboard artist - 1 episode)

2003 Finding Nemo (additional storyboarding)

 2001 Atlantis: The Lost Empire (additional visual development - as Robert Gibbs)

 2000 The Tangerine Bear: Home in Time for Christmas! (Video) (storyboard artist)

 1998 The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars (Video) (storyboard artist - as Robert James Gibbs)

 1997 The Brave Little Toaster to the Rescue (Video) (storyboard artist - as Robert James Gibbs)

 1996-1997 Life with Louie (TV Series short) (storyboard artist - 2 episodes)

1996 Quack Pack (TV Series short) (storyboard - 1 episode)

1996 The Nome Prince and the Magic Belt (Video) (storyboard clean-up - as Robert Gibbs)

 1996 Toto Lost in New York (Video) (storyboard clean-up - as Robert Gibbs)

Miscellaneous Crew (4 credits)

 2009 Up (story artist)

 2008 WALL·E (story artist)

 2005 Jack-Jack Attack (Video short) (story artist)

 1999 Fantasia 2000 (story development: Pomp and Circumstance - as Robert Gibbs)

Actor (1 credit)

 1986 Boon (TV Series)

Rings

Visual effects (1 credit)

 2012 Brave (character modeling and articulation artist - as Robert Gibbs)