Pixar Post Podcast 057: Sit Down with Coco's Filmmakers - Lee Unkrich, Adrian Molina & Darla K. Anderson

In episode 057 of the Pixar Post Podcast, we bring you to Pixar Animation Studios for the Coco press event and we dive into our experience at the two-day event. We also share the full audio from the 30-minute filmmaker roundtable discussion with Lee Unkrich (Director), Darla K. Anderson (Producer), and Adrian Molina (Co-Director). Note that there are some light spoilers in the podcast — nothing about the plot is revealed, but insights into the film and its creation are discussed. (Read below for a summarized view of the questions answered in the session.)

Listen to the Podcast using the player embedded below or directly on YouTube. Be sure to subscribe and enjoy directly on iTunes, Stitcher, or Overcast.

SHOW NOTES:

• Kicking off the show we start with our discussion highlighting Julie's trip to Pixar, noting the highlights from visiting the studio (including the store), her thoughts on the 35-minute screening, and our feedback on the roundtable interview.

Summary of questions asked during the roundtable

1. How many references are there to The Shining in Coco?
2. What other movies influenced how the afterlife was depicted in Coco?
3. How would you like Mexican communities and cultures to view the film?
4. Was there any concern with the number of characters in the film?
5. What is Miguel's character arc? (Not answered)
6. Will people feel left out since there are moments of untranslated Spanish throughout the film?
7. Are there Mexican historical figures in the film?
8. Where did the idea for the film come from and were there concerns since you're not Latino?
9. What role did the cultural consultants play that you brought on?
10. Will John Ratzenburger still lend his vocal talents to the film (even though it's an all-Latin cast)?
11. Much like other Pixar films, are there still subtle lighting cues which signify struggle and success even though the film contains a lot of darkness?
12. The film is elaborate in size and scale, did the studio ever say "no" to something on the film because it was too expensive?
13. Were there a lot of new programs which had to be created to accommodate the film's production?

Be sure to let us know your thoughts on the podcast by leaving a comment on iTunes, writing a comment below or sending us an email — we'd love to hear from you.

Pixar Post - T.J. & Julie