What you say about story telling is quite true. But I expect that the writers at Dreamworks and Disney and Universal et al know the same things and likely went to the same classes and have probably read McKee more than once.

So what's the difference between Dreamworks and Pixar? They make about the same money because for a time people were going to see CGI animation just because it was the new thing.

Could it be, management? Ego? Less nepotism?

Yeah, Management and the company culture have a lot to do with it. Dreamworks makes some good stuff, though I think the Shrek movies, while well executed have been uneven. And Antz was eh. Kung Fu Panda was excellent. And 20th Century Fox animation has been OK. But Pixar is generally better than the others. For one thing, their stories tend to be more original over all.

Management. That would be John Lasseter, wouldn't it? Probably the same guy who set up the company culture since he was in it from the beginning.