Pete Doctor on Bringing the ‘Soul’ to Pixar

This holiday season Disney and Pixar take us on a journey to “The Great Before” in Soul directed by Academy Award winner Pete Doctor (“Inside Out,” “Up”), co-directed by Kemp Powers (“One Night in Miami”), and produced by Academy Award nominee Dana Murray (p.g.a.). 

Soul tells the journey of a musician named Joe (voiced by Jamie Foxx) who has lost his passion for music and is transported out of his body after an accident. Joe has to find a way back to his body and does so with the help of an infant soul  (voiced by Tina Fey) learning about herself.

Production of Soul began a few years ago however, the concept for the film has been a long process in the making explained director Pete Doctor. “Well, if you really calculate back about 23 years because my son I was watching him, he got married last year and recognizing there are elements of his personality that were there from when we brought him home from the hospital,” he said. “The moment he was born and kind of depositing how and why that possible that’s what led to the idea.”

“More specifically though I guess we started this after Inside Out so sometime late 2015 or early 2016,” said Doctor “It was a little faster than usual it was about four years as opposed to the usual five.”

Co-director Kemp Powers spoke to the magic of working on his first Pixar film.“It’s hard to quantify I mean it’s my first Pixar film,” he said. “It feels very personal to me of course having characters that will be part of the process of bringing characters who look like me to the screen in a Pixar film for the first time.”

Additionally, Powers spoke on the power of representation in film and the responsibility he felt during the filming process. “So I feel like an immense sense of responsibility and also I don’t know Pixar has a mystic about it within the industry, not just animation but just Hollywood,” said Powers. “In general, there have been books and articles that have been written about it.”

“When you become a part of that process it kind of gets demystified because honestly, it’s just a whole bunch of people are trying to help you make the best film possible,” added Powers.

“It’s a  whole bunch of idiots who don’t know what the hell they’re doing either.” jokingly interjected Doctor.  

Producer Dana Murphy commented on whether or not parents needed to prepare their children before watching the film. “It’s funny I have two children and I don’t ever set them up I just press play,” she said jokingly. “I think it’s a special time the holidays but the holidays are different this year and it might even feel like a little bit of a gift if people choose to spend their day watching,” she said. The film feels timely and we’re just excited for that but I don’t think I would set them up. Just press play.”

Soul featuring the voices of Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey will be streaming exclusively on Disney+. starting Christmas Day. 

Written by Michael Taggart