“ There were toys that I remembered from my childhood and it was really nostalgic for me , like I was transported back to childhood . It stuck with me for years .”
— BECKY NEIMAN-COBB ’ 97
“ Finding Nemo was such a loved movie ,” she says . “ I just wanted Finding Dory to speak to the people who loved Finding Nemo so much and make it everything that they hoped for .”
As production manager , Neiman-Cobb oversaw all aspects of the film ’ s production , including working with the director , Andrew Stanton , as well as producers and creative leadership to bring their artistic vision to the screen . “ Our films are broken down into a series of sequences and shots ,” she explains . “ For example , Finding Dory has 32 sequences , or scenes , and 1,226 shots . … I help oversee the order and communicate the overall schedule and inter-departmental workflow , beginning with the art department and ending with the rendering department .”
It ’ s a big job , and sometimes one that includes sharing heartbreaking last-minute cuts or changes . “ It ’ s hard to communicate to the crew that worked super hard on a shot or sequence that it ’ s no longer in the film ,” she says . “ A lot of support , care , compassion and understanding goes into managing people day to day , especially groups of people . It ’ s a lot of what I learned from studying sociology at UC San Diego .” ( Check out the deleted scene , “ Sleep Swimming ” with a sleep-walking Dory on the Finding Dory DVD .)
For Neiman-Cobb , it ’ s all about the stories , characters and environment created by artists that make Pixar films so special . “ It ’ s not that it ’ s realistic , it ’ s believable . You can relate to our characters and feel like you know them , or people like them ,” she says . Pixar ’ s Finding Dory opened in June 2016 to stellar reviews from moviegoers of all ages , as well as box office success . And the unexpected heroine in this splash hit wasn ’ t from the sea at all , but a frazzled , wide-eyed feathered friend , Becky the Loon , named after our very own UC San Diego Triton .
“ Yes , but the similarities end there ,” she says with a laugh .
Finding Dory is now available on DVD .
Redefining the Movie Experience
From making movies to watching them , Tritons are shaping the face of entertainment . Ameesh Paleja ’ 01 has set out to revolutionize moviegoing with Atom Tickets , a first-of-its-kind theatrical mobile ticketing platform and app that combines ticket and concession preorders with the ability to invite friends via social integration .
“ Going to the movies with a group of friends can be a hassle , between picking a day and showtime , finding a theater ,” says Paleja , Atom Tickets CEO and co-founder . “ Our product is designed to make that process easier .”
In the past year the company ’ s momentum has surged thanks to partnerships with Regal Cinemas and AMC Theatres . Now covering 50 percent of the theater industry , Paleja aims to bring Atom Tickets to all theaters across North America , taking on well-established competitors . Yet unlike Fandango and Movietickets . com , Atom Tickets is the only solution that offers personalization , recommendations and social connections that let users coordinate and invite friends without having to pay for them .
KEEPING IN TOUCH “ I met some of my closest friends at UCSD ,” says Neiman-Cobb . " A group of us from our freshman year still keep in touch to this day . About six years after we graduated we all got together for a trip to Tahoe , and decided that we would all get together every year and go somewhere . At first , it was a group of 10 of us , but since then , everyone has gotten married and had kids . So we have partners , kids and dogs … It ’ s almost 20 adults and kids ! It ’ s a tight group . We make t-shirts . It ’ s hilarious .”
“ Those companies are media companies attacking the ticketing problem ,” says Paleja . “ We are a tech company attacking the ticket problem .”
Atom Tickets is a free app , available in most app stores .
– Christine Clark ' 06
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