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But Domee had to learn how to own her unique creative voice with all eyes on her, which meant embracing her inner weirdo. When her film, the Oscar-nominated Turning Red, was released in 2022,...
- Chapter 1: She Eats The Dumpling
- Chapter 2: I Draw My Way Out
- Chapter 3: Preparing The Pitch
- Chapter 4: The Pitch
- Chapter 5: What We Knew from The Start
- Chapter 6: That “Awooga!” Feeling
- Chapter 7: Ripped from My Life
- Chapter 8: Try, Try Again
- Chapter 9: It Had to Work
- Chapter 10: We Figure Out How The Movie Ends
DOMEE SHI:I remembered this line that my mom would always say to me: “Oh, Domee, I wish I could put you back in my stomach, so I knew where you were at all times.” And I’m like, “Aw, that’s sweet, but creepy.” And I wanted to explore that sweet, creepy relationship that moms have with their kids. So I decided I’m going to try to make my own short f...
What if you get stuck before you start? Let your inner weirdo guide the way. DOMEE SHI:The president of Pixar, Jim Morris, invited me into his office. First, he said, “Congrats on the short. It’s amazing and weird and cool, and we want to see more from you. Would you want to pitch some ideas for a feature film?” And I said, “Yes.” I was like, “Than...
How do you give yourself the best chance at success? Grab coffee with everyone you can, then pitch the most interesting idea in the world. DOMEE SHI:The Pixar process is like, you pitch three ideas to the panel of creative execs. I had worked for months practicing the three pitches, getting the timing right. I tried to get them all under 15 minutes...
DOMEE SHI:It was literally Halloween 2017. I woke up early because I couldn’t sleep that well, and then I was debating if I should put on a costume because it was Halloween. And Pixar is playful, and they lean into their goofiness and weirdness. But then I decided not to, last minute, because I didn’t want to be a distraction from the stories. So I...
DOMEE SHI: In the 90s, I just remember obsessing over this anime TV show called Sailor Moon,which is about these middle school, high school girls who by day went to school like everyone else, but then, by night, they donned super cute costumes, and they would fight monsters and bad guys. The show was about the power of friendship, which I thought w...
DOMEE SHI:There’s a chase sequence through Toronto. Mei has first poofed into a panda at school, and she’s so distressed. She’s like, “I got to get home and hide.” And she’s running through the city. She stops in her tracks, and she sees Devin, the cute convenience store boy. And then she just stares at him and then just taps her foot Bugs Bunny-st...
DOMEE SHI:Mei and her mom are super, super tight in the beginning of the movie. They’re two peas in a pod. They make dinner together. They, like, fold dumplings and watch Chinese soap operas on TV. Mei is an only child, and so am I, and I think that makes our moms more overprotective than your average mom.A lot of beats in the movie were literally ...
What if you know your idea isn’t working? Commit to it anyway, and mine the gold you find along the way. SHI:Mei needs a clear, solid goal. She needs a drive. She needs to be working hard towards something that the red panda disrupts. There were at least 8 screenings that we did. After the first screening, her goal was: She wanted to get into a spe...
How do you convince others that a weird idea is worth it? Prove it. SHI:This is a story about an adolescent girl. There has to be some mention of a boy band, and let’s create our own. 4★Town started off as just almost like a joke. The whole, why are they called 4★Town if there’s five of them? It was just going to be a one-off thing where you see Me...
How do you set the right emotional tone if you’re not an emotional person? Find yourself a story therapist. SHI:What is a satisfying ending for this movie? I remember some notes for some of the screenings being like, “Oh, why doesn’t Ming say I love you to Mei?” Emotion is not something that I’m that intuitively good at. I’m not the most touchy-fee...
Mar 14, 2022 · Director Domee Shi walks us through her inspirations from pop culture and personal life for the new Pixar movie, 'Turning Red.'
- Esther Zuckerman
When Pixar asked Domee Shi to create a feature film, she ran to her friend’s office and rolled on the floor with joy. It was a dream come true. But Domee had to learn how to own her unique creative voice with all eyes on her, which meant embracing her inner weirdo.
Jan 9, 2023 · Go on the journey of how Domee Shi took her own personal experiences - even the weirdest ones - to create Pixar's Golden Globe-nominated 'Turning...
Feb 7, 2022 · Rona and Patty, you each worked with Domee on the Bao short. What did you learn about working with her from that experience, and how did that evolve on this?
When Pixar asked Domee Shi to create a feature film, she ran to her friend’s office and rolled on the floor with joy. It was a dream come true.
