Pixar started as part of an American film and television production company.
Pixar ( [ ˈpɪksɑr ] ) , also referred to as Pixar Animation Studios , is an American computer animation film studio based in Emeryville , California that is a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company . Pixar began in 1979 as the Graphics Group , part of the Lucasfilm computer division , before its spin-out as a corporation in 1986 , with funding by Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Jobs , who became the majority shareholder . Syco Entertainment , often known simply as Syco , is a British entertainment company established by British entertainment mogul Simon Cowell .