Danielle Feinberg

Danielle Feinberg began her career at Pixar Animation Studios in February 1997, and since then, she has contributed to numerous Pixar films including “Toy Story 2,” “Monsters, Inc.,” “Finding Nemo,” “The Incredibles,” “WALL•E,” “Brave,” and “Coco.” At the age of 23, her first role at Pixar was as lead render technical director on “A Bug’s Life.” Feinberg's early experiences with lighting on this film quickly established it as her preferred domain due to the unique blend of technology and art it offered.

Throughout her career, Feinberg has taken on progressively challenging roles, including master lighting artist on “Toy Story 2” and “Monsters, Inc.,” and lead lighting artist on “The Incredibles.” She served as the ocean unit CG supervisor for “Finding Nemo,” managing the team responsible for some of the most memorable underwater scenes. Feinberg's expertise in lighting was further recognized as she became the director of photography for lighting on “WALL•E,” “Brave,” and “Coco”—all films that received Academy Awards® for their achievements.

In addition to her technical roles, Feinberg has been an influential voice in the animation community, delivering talks on the intersection of art and technology in filmmaking. Her discussions emphasize the importance of storytelling and the role of technology in enhancing narrative depth. She has shared her insights internationally, including a notable TED Talk in 2016 as part of the PBS “Science and Wonder” presentation, which was recognized as one of the top TED Talks of that year.

Feinberg's latest achievement includes her work as the visual effects supervisor on “Turning Red,” released in March 2022, a role that marked her as the first woman to hold this position at Pixar in 20 years. Offscreen, she is dedicated to inspiring the next generation, particularly encouraging teenage girls to explore careers in math, science, and coding. With a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science from Harvard University, Feinberg combines her education and passion to advocate for the integration of STEM subjects with artistic pursuits, highlighting how they collectively contribute to creating impactful animated stories.