Ken Burns Rejects Apple Endorsement, Takes $1M Worth of Tech Anyway

KEY POINTS

•In 2002, Steve Jobs called Ken Burns to discuss naming a new iMovie feature after his signature photo-panning style.
•Ken Burns initially refused, stating he didn’t do commercial endorsements and was unfamiliar with computers.
•Jobs negotiated a deal giving Burns $1 million worth of Apple equipment and software, which Burns mostly donated.
•The 'Ken Burns Effect' launched with iMovie 3 in 2003 and remains a popular feature on Apple devices today.

In a plot twist Steve Jobs probably didn’t see coming, legendary documentarian Ken Burns nearly told Apple's genius CEO no when pitched to name iMovie's signature photo-panning feature 'The Ken Burns Effect' in 2002. Burns — a proud Luddite who didn't even use computers before the deal — initially shot down Jobs' commercial proposal. Eventually, Jobs sweetened the pot with a $1 million gift of Apple computer equipment and software, which Burns mostly donated (except for one or two machines that mysteriously remained alive). This timeless effect, born of historical artistry and Silicon Valley charm, still haunts iPhones at weddings, bar mitzvahs, and those awkward vacation slideshows you can’t skip.