The writer apparently had n't heard about the precociously talented John Lasseter , an early enrollee in the character animation department , who won student Academy Awards for two shorts he made at CalArts , including '' The Lady and the Lamp , '' a charming work that foreshadows one of his first forays into computer animation , '' Luxo Jr. '' After graduation Mr. Lasseter joined Disney for a spell before heading off to help make Pixar a juggernaut .