Joe Ranft 1960—2005

One of the reasons Pixar consistently kicks everyone's ass in the animated film department is not just the brilliant, homebrewed software that made Sulley's million+ hairs possible. It's simply how good the stories are. Pixar (including—ahem—their CEO) understands that a movie has to be good before making it pretty. Form follows function, and Pixar movies function to entertain and inspire. One of the engineers of that inspiration has died tragically.

Moment of silence for Joe Ranft.