Deadline sat down with the filmmakers of Inside Out 2 to discuss how they expanded Riley’s mind for the upcoming Pixar sequel.
Inside Out 2
What’s Happening:
- With the upcoming release of Disney/Pixar’s Inside Out 2, Deadline interviewed filmmakers Kelsey Mann and Mark Nielsen on “opening new doors in the world” of Riley’s teenage mind.
- Inside Out 2 will continue following Riley Anderson and her personified emotions as she hits puberty. As new emotions join the team, Riley will struggle with anxiety, envy, ennui, and embarrassment.
- Mann did extensive research into how the brain changes during puberty to authentically create new story points for the sequel.
- Mark Nielson, associate producer on the first film, loved working on the original Pete Docter directed hit. Now partnering with Kelsey Mann, the two have found joy in this expanded emotional journey together.
- Mann, through his extensive research on changes of neuron pathways during puberty, was inspired by construction sites to represent the huge changes that occur in our minds. He states “I remember reading stuff like how neuron pathways are being torn down, new ones are being formed, and they’re not even quite connected yet, so I just got this idea of construction. I was like cranes, construction crews, demolition… And then I was like, a wrecking ball needs to come through headquarters and then workers come in and just start tearing the place up.”
- Mann promises that Inside Out 2 is a great sequel, and being able to expand the emotional depth, world, and characters of the first film gave them an opportunity to make a really impactful piece of cinema.
- Mann spoke about the new ideas by saying “It’s about opening new doors in the world that you didn’t know were there, but were just around the corner. Those are my favorite sequels. So, I wanted to do that with this movie.”
- In addition to expanding the emotions we meet throughout the sequel, Mann wanted to expand their view of Riley’s mind by introducing a belief system. Mann worked with production designers Jason Deamer and Ralph Eggleston to figure out how a belief system should be portrayed. He described the moment they landed on sound waves by stating “we all automatically felt something and we got the idea of a wavelength sound and somebody came up with the idea of plucking a guitar string and seeing a waveform. We could do a waveform that’s beautiful, and we can also do a waveform that’s very chaotic that will give you an emotional reaction based on the belief that you’re hearing.”
- As two male filmmakers working on a movie about a 13-year-old girl, the two immediately brought on Meg LeFauve as writer. Eventually, the story team was over half women, which was a first for Pixar. Mann and Nielsen wanted the female heavy character list to be authentically portrayed.
- However, both promise that the film doesn’t expect viewers to know what it’s like being a 13-year-old girl to connect to the movie. Nielsen emphasized “It’s really for everyone who’s ever felt feelings.”
- You can read the full Deadline interview here.
- Inside Out 2 releases in theatres June 14th.
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