Pete Docter’s new Pixar movie

While appearing on “The Charlie Rose Show” recently, Pixar head honcho John Lasseter said this:

Pete Docter, from Monsters Incorporated and Up, is doing a new film that takes place inside of a girl’s mind, and it is about her emotions as characters. And that is unlike anything you’ve ever seen.

So instead of “Herman’s Head”, perhaps Hermione’s Head? Sounds like a fun concept. And if it gets anything into terrain the aforementioned TV series did, vying parts of Herman’s psyche, should be an interesting story, too. But of course, this being Pete Docter, we would expect that!

Another thing: Along with Brave [2012], it looks like another Pixar movie with a female Protagonist. And if you include Ellie from Up, that story’s central character who continued to impact every scene even after she died, that is three Pixar films out of seven [Up, Wall-E, Cars 2 and the next four to be released] with a strong female perspective.

I doubt this is a sign Pixar has decided on some mandate to promote female characters. Following them as I have and having talked with Mary Coleman, head of their story department, that is not how they operate. They follow their instincts into each story. More likely Docter came up with the idea based on the fact he has a daughter Elie [she was the voice of Young Ellie in Up who I believe is 13 years old] — and honestly is there anything more mysterious than the mind of a girl? I can just imagine Pete sitting around the house one day after having had yet another confounding conversation with his daughter and muttering to himself, “Wow, sometimes I wish I could just get inside her mind…” Light bulb! Cut to new Pixar movie!

To see John Lasseter on “The Charlie Rose Show,” go http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/12024">here.

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