Kelsey Mann Talks Making His Directorial Debut With ‘Inside Out 2’
Directing a sequel to a film as beloved as Pixar’s Inside Out would be a daunting task for almost anyone.
For Inside Out 2 director Kelsey Man, however, the job also just so happened to be his time directing a film.
Photo: Disney
“I really wanted to direct Inside Out 2 because I felt like there was more story to tell,” Mann said. “At the end of the first film, Joy asked the audience a question. She says, ‘after all Riley is 12 now, what could happen?’ Well, I wanted to answer that question.”
Mann’s Goal For the Film
According to Mann, his goal when crafting Inside Out 2 was to “tell a story that made some teenager’s lives that much easier.”
Photo: Disney
“It’s all about navigating those different emotions,” Mann noted. “A lot of it is me trying to connect to myself as a teenager and all the changes that I went through at that time that helped me get through all the changes I’m going to go through as a director.”
Learning From Pete Docter
Luckily, as he went through the process, Mann had Pixar CCO Pete Docter to lean on. Not only is Docter a Pixar veteran who has been around since the beginning, but he also directed 2015’s Inside Out.
Photo: screenrant.com
Docter explained the ins and outs of the world of Inside Out to Mann. Additionally, he also talked to the new director about leadership.
Photo: Disney
“Pete taught me so much about really relying on your crew, giving them the direction that they need, trusting them to make the best decisions, and just get out of their way and watch the magic happen,” Mann said.
Expanding Riley’s World
For Inside Out 2, Mann not only wanted to explore new Emotions inside RIley’s head, but he also used some movie magic to relay how the young girl’s world was expanding.
Photo: Pixar
“Riley is a teenager, and her world is expanding. She’s adding new emotions at the console. I thought, why not expand the aspect ratio?” Mann explained. “So, we did that for this film because it’s something that Riley’s going through and also because I love going to the theaters and seeing a big wide aspect ratio up on the screen.”
As a longtime fan of the movies, Mann cannot wait for audiences to come along for the ride when Inside Out 2 premieres on June 14.
Photo: Pixar
“I love going to the movies. In fact, I would say one of my first core memories is going to the movies,” he said. “I was sitting in the front row with my dad watching Star Wars when I was five years old, and that really cemented my love of cinema and going to the theaters.”
Thanks for visiting MickeyBlog.com! Want to go to Disney? For a FREE quote on your next Disney vacation, please fill out the form below. One of the agents from MickeyTravels, a Diamond level Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, will be in touch soon! Also, Thanks for reading!
