DisneyPlus - Soul : All you need to know about the new Pixar’s masterpiece

By Mulder, 09 december 2020

"This is where it all began. This is where I fell in love with jazz. Listen! The melody is only the starting point. Are you following me? Music is just an excuse to bring out your real YOU. " - Joe Gardner, Soul

Passionate about jazz and music teacher in a college, Joe Gardner (voice of Omar Sy) finally has the opportunity to realize his dream: to play in the best jazz club in New York. But an unfortunate misstep precipitates him into the "Big Front" - a fantastic place where new souls acquire their personality, character and uniqueness before being sent to Earth. Determined to get his life back, Joe teams up with 22 (voice of Camille Cottin), a mischievous and witty soul who has never grasped the value of living a human life. Desperately trying to show 22 how great life is, Joe may well discover the answers to the most important questions about the meaning of life.

What makes you what you are? Pixar Animation Studios' brand new feature film, SOUL, tells the story of Joe Gardner (original voice of Jamie Foxx / French voice of Omar Sy) a college music teacher with a passion for jazz. Director Pete Docter explains, "Joe wants more than anything to become a professional jazz pianist. So when he is offered the opportunity to play with one of the biggest stars, he feels like he has won the jackpot. »

Unfortunately, one false step on the streets of New York City sends Joe into the "Big Front" - a fantastic place where new souls get to acquire their personality, originality and interests before they get to Earth. Pete Docter says the first spark of SOUL was born 23 years ago and it has taken that long to mature. "It all started with my son. He's now 23 years old, but from the moment he was born, he already had his own personality. Where did it come from? I thought we develop our personality through our interactions with the world. And yet, looking at my son, it suddenly became obvious that we are all born with something special and that we are already a unique person".

In this story," continues Pete Docter, "everyone is born with a soul. And these souls do not come to Earth unprepared, they have been formed and endowed with personality and interests. "Yet Joe Gardner doesn't feel that he belongs in this world of new souls. Determined to get his life back, he will team up with a mischievous soul, 22 (original voice of Tina Fey/French voice of Camille Cottin), who has never understood the value of life on Earth.

Sometimes," explains co-director Kemp Powers, "souls sometimes have a little trouble finding the spark they need to access the Earth. The Great Forward Councillors then call upon mentors to inspire them - people who have played an extraordinary role in history, such as Abraham Lincoln. This process works for all souls... except for 22, who is a kind of scowling pre-teen. She has absolutely no desire to go to Earth. »

Joe inadvertently becomes 22's new mentor, and thinks that if he can help him, he might be able to return to Earth in time for his big concert. Producer Dana Murray says, "He thinks all he has to do is help him find his spark, the spark that makes life worth living. He thinks it's easy, that
it's like loving jazz - it's so obvious to him... "

However, in his desperate attempt to show 22 what great things life can be, Joe may well discover the answers to questions about his own existence that hadn't even occurred to him. Kristen Lester, the story's director, comments, "What makes a life matter, what gives it meaning? The connections you have with others? The fact that you are there if you are needed? You can have an exciting discussion with someone and then have a coffee together. Do both of these activities matter? The story of SOUL is not about one side or the other. The human relationships, the feelings, the family... All that matters, it's a whole. »

Co-writer Mike Jones notes: "Whoever we are and wherever we are in our lives, no matter how far we've come, we all wonder if the grass might be greener somewhere else. In an artist, there is always this desire to create something else, this dissatisfaction, this longing for something greater. »

For Pete Docter, this story resonates with his own life. "I've had the chance to work with incredible people and make films that have been seen all over the world. But I've come to understand that as wonderful as these projects are, life has much more to offer than the satisfaction of fulfilling a passion - no matter how fulfilling. Sometimes it's the small, insignificant things that matter most. I remember one day, while riding my bike, I stopped to pick a raspberry. It had been warmed by the sun, and it was the most wonderful raspberry I had ever eaten. I still remember that moment very well - yet so insignificant compared to everything else. Almost any moment in our lives could be a transcendental moment that defines why we are on Earth. This film aims to broaden the idea of a single purpose to reflect more globally on what life has to offer and what we have to offer in return. »

SOUL takes place partly in New York, a vibrant city where jazz flourishes, and partly in the abstract world of the "Grand Avant". The film plays on the contrast between the big city and the cosmic universe. The approach of the filmmakers and the performances of the characters were inspired by two different sources: the work of the English artist and satirical cartoonist Ronald Searle, and the animation of the 1961 Disney studio classic, THE 101 DALMATIANS. Jude Brownbill, Animation Supervisor, explains: "Ronald Searle and THE 101 DALMATIANS influenced the aesthetics and atmosphere of SOUL for almost every department, from the imperfect shape of the buildings, furniture and props to the number of folds in the characters' clothing. For the animation, Searle inspired bold, straightforward poses in clear compositions that guide the viewer's gaze through the scene. The 101 DALMATIANS study reaffirmed the importance in the layout of showing one idea of action at a time and using key poses to help read important moments more clearly. »

These visual choices are complemented by a dual approach to the music. Dana Murray says, "Jon Batiste is a remarkable Grammy Award-nominated singer, songwriter, author, conductor and jazz genius. He is the man behind the jazz pieces that amplify the rugged beauty and character of New York City. When you see Joe's hands on the piano in the film, it's Jon playing. Our hosts have studied filmed images of Jon at the piano to capture every detail of his playing, from the way his fingers move to his breathing. »

The producer adds: "Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross of Nine Inch Nails took on the soul world music. It's an ethereal music that offers a really exciting contrast. It's an unexpected choice for Pixar, it's unlike anything we've done before. I love this combination! "Jamie Foxx (The Path of Justice, P), who won an Oscar and a Golden Globe for his performance in RAY, lends his voice to Joe Gardner in the original version. 22, the new soul, is played by award-winning screenwriter, producer, author and actress Tina Fey. Five-time BAFTA Award winner Graham Norton ("The Graham Norton Show") lends his voice in the original version to the swirling Vendelune with his billboard, and Rachel House (In Pursuit of Rocky Baker, Thor: Ragnarok) offers hers to Terry and his obsession with numbers.

In the French version, Omar Sy lends his voice to Joe Gardner, the actress Camille Cottin lends hers to 22 and Ramzy Bedia to the character Vendelune.

The film also features in the original version the voices of Phylicia Rashad ("This Is Us", Fatal Breakup) as Joe's pragmatic mother Libba, and comedian Donnell Rawlings as Joe's barber Dez; Ahmir 'Questlove' Thompson (Music Director of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Roots) as Joe's former student Curley; Angela Bassett (Avengers : Endgame, Black panther) as jazz legend Dorothea Williams, and Daveed Diggs (the musical "Hamilton", Blindspotting) as Paul, the neighborhood grouch. Alice Braga (Elysium), Richard Ayoade ("The Mandalorian"), Wes Studi ("Woke", The Last of the Mohicans), Fortune Feimster ("Bless the Harts") and Zenobia Shroff ("The Affair") are the voices of the Councillors. June Squibb (Nebraska) lends her voice to Gerel, 106, on his way to the "Great Beyond.

SOUL is directed by Oscar-nominated director Pete Docter (Vice-Versa, La-haut) and produced by Oscar-nominated producer Dana Murray, p.g.a. (producer of the short film Pixar "Lou"). Kemp Powers (One Night in Miami) co-directed the film and co-wrote the story and screenplay with Pete Docter and Mike Jones. Dan Scanlon and Kiri Hart are executive producers. The jazz compositions and arrangements are the work of Grammy-nominated world-renowned musician Jon Batiste, while Oscar-nominated musicians Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (The Scoial Network) composed the original score for the film.

Pete Docter comments, "We wanted the characters to be as authentic and realistic as possible. I'm an amateur musician and I really identify with Joe, but I'm not African-American. I didn't grow up in this culture. Having Kemp Powers with us has been invaluable in that regard, and the cultural consultants and musicians we've worked with have provided invaluable knowledge. We could not have made the film without their help and support. "Cultural and musical consultants included Dr. Peter Archer, Jon Batiste, Dr. Christopher Bell, Terri Lyne Carrington, Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole, Daveed Diggs, Herbie Hancock, Marcus McLaurine, George Spencer, Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson and Bradford Young. Certified PG in the United States, SOUL, Pixar Studios' new animated film, will be available exclusively on Disney+ from December 25, 2020.

SOUL travels between New York City, with its dense and cosmopolitan population, and the "Big Before", a world populated by a wide range of ethereal inhabitants from the imagination of the artists and technicians at Pixar animation studios. The dichotomy between these two worlds allows us to present many characters who are uniquely connected to each other while belonging to radically different worlds.

SOUL is also the first film from Pixar studios to present numerous black and brown-skinned characters. The filmmakers have taken particular care to ensure that all skin types are represented in all their variety and authenticity. The artistic director of the shading, Bryn Imagire, says: "I pay a lot of attention to the issue of skin color. We wanted to represent a wide range of African-American characters, and it was important to me to do it right. »

The filmmakers conducted extensive research, including consulting with renowned cinematographer Bradford Young, who was nominated for an Oscar in 2017 for his work on the film PREMIER CONTACT. He confided: "I probably made a more philosophical than practical contribution to the production of the film... They were already way ahead in terms of visual texture! I simply encouraged the teams to be aware of things that could resonate a little better and advised them on how to make certain elements more solid, more three-dimensional, but their work was already excellent. »

SOUL's Character Gallery brings together talented musicians, an assertive mother, new souls, Counselors, and a cat, among others - all of which lead Joe Gardner to a realization he didn't foresee but which will change his life.

Joe Gardner is a music teacher who teaches at a college for a living but whose real passion is playing jazz. And he's good at it. He dreams of becoming a professional pianist and has been hoping for a chance for a long time. Director Pete Docter explains, "Joe is holding on to his dream as best he can. A few embers are still glowing, but he has to supplement his income by teaching. He always thought it would be temporary, until he got a full-time job. »

Co-writer Mike Jones says, "When we meet Joe, he is at a turning point in his life. He has to make a decision that he has long avoided. His principal informs him that funds have been made available so that he can take up his full-time teaching position. To him, this sounds like a death sentence... He tells himself that he will have a retirement, but that he will die without ever having accomplished the true purpose of his life. »

Kristen Lester, responsible for the story, points out that Joe's journey is not unlike that of many Pixar employees. "I come from an artistic background and I am passionate about art, so I feel in tune with Joe's motivation, the goal that his whole life is about. He believes that if he doesn't achieve the one thing he aspires to, then he is worthless. »

The filmmakers sought to illustrate Joe's inner conflict through his appearance. Animation Supervisor Bobby Podesta explains that he got his inspiration... from director Pete Docter. "If you look at Pete when he's playing something as Joe, you realize that he and the character most likely have the same anatomy, the same physical proportions, with long limbs that can go either way. »

Host Frank Abney says the team was also inspired by jazz pianist Jon Batiste. "Joe has Jon's slender build and long fingers. We also observed Roger's character in THE 101 DALMATIANS, who has a similar body structure. When Roger or Joe sit at the piano and play, the space around them seems a little too small to contain them! »

But once Joe plays, when he gets lost in the music, he is in his true place. These moments were so important that the filmmakers made sure every note played was authentic. Jude Brownbill, Animation Supervisor, explains: "To recreate the swirl of Jon Batiste's fingers on the keys, we had to shoot reference images using several camera configurations. We also needed new technology to illuminate the keys of our piano according to the music Jon was playing. We wanted to make sure that every note played by Joe on the screen would be the same as the one played by Jon in the studio. "Jon Batiste also helped the hosts by visually embodying the joy a musician feels when he plays the way he does. He says, "I was playing, doing my thing and they 'captured' me in a masterful way. Seeing what Joe exudes and how he embodies it all is amazing. These people are geniuses! »

Jamie Foxx, who lends his voice to Joe, fully understands the character's exhilaration. He says, "His biggest dream is to one day play with jazz legend Dorothea Williams. It's like a basketball player wanting to play at Madison Square Garden. I was born with that same spark, I first got noticed by singing and telling jokes! »

Pete Docter confirms: "Jamie Foxx never stops. He's a go-getter, and we wanted Joe to be one too. Like Jamie, Joe is not the type to just give up. He keeps chasing his dreams. "Jamie Foxx says, "I want to be remembered for the joy I was able to offer. I attended an orientation day at my daughter's school where I introduced myself as a 'sunshine bringer'. I bring smiles and joy. »

Likewise, Joe devotes himself tirelessly to his dream: he lives alone in his Queens apartment, immersed in his music, and when he ventures outside, he spends most of his time talking about jazz. But just when his dream is finally about to come true, everything changes. Producer Dana Murray explains: "He falls into a manhole, but he decides he's not done with life yet - especially not now! He manages to cross several kingdoms and finally lands in the "Big Front". »

Joe is on an unexpected journey that will open his eyes. He who thought he had all the answers finds himself charged with showing a new soul why life is worth living. Of course, Joe's appearance changes when he arrives in the world of souls, but the filmmakers wanted to preserve his essence. Like the other mentors, Joe's design in the Soul World has some of the characteristics he had on Earth. Jude Brownbill elaborates: "Although they are very different in size and shape, there is a visual connection between Joe the Soul and Joe the Human, not only in the proportions of his face and the characteristic presence of his hat and glasses, but also in the breadth of his gestures and their particularities, strongly inspired by Jamie Foxx. We wanted the audience to be convinced that it is the same character, even though he appears in two different forms. »

However, Joe's appearance in the "Big Before" is only temporary. He and 22 find their way to Earth in a rather unconventional way, which marks the true beginning of their common adventure. Co-director Kemp Powers comments, "Joe Gardner is you, it's me, it's all of us. Everyone can be concerned with the question: am I really doing what I was meant to do? At what point do I have to give up this project that I have been pursuing for so long? »

As it turns out, the lesson to be learned from this whole adventure may not be, after all, that you have to realize your dream at all costs. Producer Dana Murray says, "We didn't want to make a film that would make people feel that everyone has to have a big goal in life. SOUL is for all of us, we can all feel concerned and touched by what it's about. »

22 is a mischievous soul who has spent hundreds of years at the "Who Am I" workshops, where new souls have to meet several conditions before they can go to Earth. Like all the souls before her, 22 has passed through the "Pavilions of Personalities", which explains her sarcastic humor, quick wit and occasional mood swings. She met all the criteria to go to Earth, except one. Despite her many visits to the "Grand Bazaar Général" and the number of enlightened minds that have mentored her, she has not found the spark she needs to get to Earth. However, this suits her very well, because in truth life on Earth does not interest her at all. Will Joe be able to convince her?

Pete Docter points out: "22 has had an impressive list of mentors like Archimedes or Gandhi, while Joe is just an ordinary little guy from Queens. Rather than a long list of his accomplishments, he only has to show her a few miserable moments in class and a lot of failed auditions. As a result, 22 is intrigued. For every person who feels they were born to accomplish something, there is one who feels like they don't really know what they're doing here or what they're supposed to be doing with their life. »

Producer Dana Murray notes, "22 is cashing in more than she's willing to let on. Seeing all the other souls leaving her to go to Earth, I think she thinks there's something wrong with her. She tries to be cynical and make fun of it, but deep down she is afraid. »

Tina Fey, who lends her voice to the character in the original version, thinks that it is precisely this fear that makes 22 so endearing. "Her cynicism and fears make her very close to us. Life is sometimes scary and it hurts. Everybody knows those moments when you feel overwhelmed. »

Pete Docter appreciated Tina Fey's intuitive understanding of the character. "Tina is incredibly smart and funny. I feel like she's always at least 15 steps ahead of me because she's so fast and lively. Her humor has taken 22 to the next level! »

The design of the character began with its visual aspect, similar to that of the other new souls of the "Great Front". The artistic director of the shading, Bryn Imagire, explains: "We studied the refraction of light, prisms, all the ideas in this area and applied them to the soul characters. There is a gradation within their bodies that suggests the idea of light passing through a translucent object and scattering through it. »

All the new souls, 22 included, look alike as their personalities are being formed. To differentiate the main character, the artists have given 22 half-closed eyelids, which nothing impresses, and rabbit teeth. According to Character Supervisor Junyi Ling, it was also important that 22 be able to clearly express their emotions - a challenge when dealing with a volumetric character. "Where we would normally have surface shaders that make objects more tactile, the volumes that make up the new souls are thin, making facial features more difficult to decipher. The artists and technicians worked together to transfer geometric information from the surface to the volume, which is unusual, so we are able to read the mouth and lips, even if they are transparent. »

The animators found fun and unique ways to enhance the character's personality. According to Jude Brownbill, Animation Supervisor, "New souls don't have arms or legs, but we imagined that 22 had been around so long that after so many years and so many mentors, she has learned to get legs or arms whenever she feels like it. She can have little mitten hands, or if she wants to point, she can generate fingers. But she is also lazy and insecure, so when she doesn't want those extra limbs, she brings them in herself. »

Although the story is about Joe's journey of self-discovery, executive producer Kiri Hart explains that 22's trip to Earth may well change this new cynical soul as well...". As a result of unusual circumstances, 22 have the opportunity to live temporarily on Earth and get an idea of what it really means. She then realizes that this is not at all what she expected. »

Libba Gardner, Joe's mother, is his biggest fan and also the person who tells him the truth with kindness. She is a proud woman who has owned a successful sewing shop in Queens for years. Her late husband, Joe's father, was a musician who had a hard time finding work, so the family lived mostly on what Libba earned. She knows that life as a musician can be very hard, so she encourages Joe to have a backup plan, which he interprets as a lack of support. But if she is pragmatic, Libba loves Joe above all else and wants him to be happy.

Kemp Powers, the co-director, explains, "Libba doesn't want to see Joe struggling to survive like his father did. As a parent, I understand her. We all want to encourage our children's hopes and dreams, but sometimes that impulse comes up against our desire for them to do well when we're gone. »

Producer Dana Murray adds, "Libba just wants the best for her son. Phylicia Rashad is really perfect as Libba's voice; she is strong but comforting. »

Phylicia Rashad explains that the filmmakers encouraged her to take ownership of the character. "Working with the people at Pixar was amazing. It was very fluid, natural and collaborative. They wanted to hear a particular quality in the voice - it was up to me to find out what it was. I had always wanted to do the voice of a character in an animated film. This is my first one, and I really liked it! »

According to animation supervisor Jude Brownbill, the animators used Phylicia Rashad's performance as an actress to define the character. "Phylicia brought something special to the character. Libba has a lot of energy, especially when she's trying to convince Joe to take the teaching job so he can have a stable life. »

Libba is an example of the strong female characters that populate SOUL, and the filmmakers wanted to portray these powerful women in a way that rings true. They turned to Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole for guidance. She says, "We spent a lot of time talking about the portrayal of black women. It was important to me that these women - Libba, Dorothea - not be stereotypically portrayed in any way. »

Some members of the team have compared Libba to Dr. Cole, and she fully understands why. I'm very close to Libba in many ways," she says. She is strong and has depth. And while she is protective of her son, she finally accepts that he follows her passion. »

The artists behind the character's design wanted to make sure that Libba looked confident. Her costumes were particularly important because the character has a sewing workshop. The artistic director of the shading, Bryn Imagire, wanted Libba's clothes to feel that they were of excellent quality. "You'll notice that her costumes all have an incredible woven texture. We used a technique that computer weaves the fibers to form the fabric. »

The filmmakers also chose strong colors for Libba's wardrobe. "She dresses in really saturated colors. I like to use similar colors like magenta red and coral. It's subtle, but it helps to convey her strong personality. »

Dorothea Williams is a world-renowned jazz legend. She is one of the greatest. Confident, strong and composed, she is a saxophonist of immense talent. Dorothea exudes absolute confidence on stage and cannot tolerate amateurism or stupidity, whether in jazz or in life. Her real family is her group of musicians, and she gives very few chosen ones the honor of being part of it. It's not easy to impress Dorothea, but it's worth a try.

Executive producer Kiri Hart explains: "Dorothea is a thoughtful woman, she knows exactly what she wants and who she wants to see in her band. Joe has always admired her from afar, so it's very important for him to be given the chance to play with her. »

Pete Docter explains that they needed someone who could embody Dorothea's aura, poise and authority, while at the same time eliciting sympathy. Angela Bassett was perfect. The director says, "Angela has such strength inside her... You feel it the moment she walks into the room. When she talks, you listen to her. We were able to tap into that strength and pass it on to the character. »

Animation supervisor Jude Brownbill explains: "The animators showed Dorothea's confidence in an unexpected way: by restricting her movements. They did an incredible job: her power is reflected in her almost total lack of gestures, through her posture. You can feel it in the way she blinks or makes eye contact. She is intimidating. But such restraint is difficult to maintain when it comes to animation. We tend to want to move the characters. We want to have fun and give them new poses. For Dorothea, we had to reduce a lot of things, suppress a blink or a change of expression, because the impression of power that she gives off comes from her near immobility. »

Angela Bassett's powerful interpretation underlined Dorothea's love of jazz. The actress said she was inspired by the story: "It was wonderful to work with our directors, Pete and Kemp. It's a long process, it takes several years to make a film like this. Every time I came back to record, their enthusiasm was contagious, I could feel their passion for the story as strong as ever. »

The actress continues: "I was intrigued by the fact that it's a story about the soul, about the spirit, about who we really are deep down inside, about what we hope to do with our lives. It's really unique. I love jazz, I wish I could play the piano, the guitar or any other instrument, so I was thrilled to play this character. »

Vendelune experienced the "awakening" of his forties, a real awakening: he changed his name and his job to finally find happiness. He now happily flips a billboard on a Manhattan street corner, and this activity makes him happy, gives him a sense of existence and allows him to travel mentally and spiritually to a mystical place close to the "Great Before" called the "Astral Plane", where he saves lost souls from their stressful and uninspiring lives.

According to producer Dana Murray, there is a good reason why Vendelune knows so much about lost souls. "He was a lost soul himself in the past when he spent too much time playing video games. But he left all that behind to seek true meaning in his life with a group called Mystics Without Borders. They find lost souls in the fields of dreams and help them reconnect to their bodies. »

Graham Norton lends his voice to Vendelune in the original version. Animation supervisor Jude Brownbill recalls, "He was a tremendous inspiration to us all. Graham is an actor of great intensity and we wanted to convey that in his earthly form and when we see him in the 'Astral Plane'. He is a little softer in the world of souls, but he keeps the same personality. »

Brownbill adds that the presenters studied hundreds of videos of sandwich men twirling their billboards to achieve the spectacular Vendelune number. You'd be surprised how many videos there are," she laughs. It's amazing to see! »

There are several "Grand Avant" advisors, all of whom are called Michel. Cheerful, optimistic, omnipresent and almost omniscient, these Counselors lead the "Who Am I?" a bit like summer camp counselors, gathering and guiding dozens of new human souls, assigning them unique personalities and helping them find their spark and get their pass to Earth. Each Michel is a unique expression of the universe, and each displays patience, good humor and passive-aggressive tendencies in varying proportions. But all show boundless enthusiasm for their metaphysical mission.

Co-writer Mike Jones explains: "They are like kindergarten teachers filled with infinite patience to guide these souls through the chaos of 'Who am I? »

The visual appearance of the Advisors was not easy to design. According to animation supervisor Bobby Podesta, their description of themselves set the bar very high. He explains, "They describe themselves as 'the universe being made dumber than it is so that humans can understand it. We started by looking for inspiration from dozens of sources such as Swedish sculpture, nature and event lighting. The art department then began to imagine and explore, drawing innumerable shapes until a form emerged that could be recognized as a character yet malleable enough that almost anything could emerge from it. Incredibly enough, these characters consisted of a single line - a living line! »

The storyteller Aphton Corbin says that this idea was born in the "story room" of the film, during a brainstorming session. "We were talking about characters in both two and three dimensions. I made these sketches: what if their faces looked different depending on the angle from which you look at them?"

Pixar artists Deanna Marsigliese and Jerome Ranft created a 3D version of the linear image to show what the characters might look like from different angles and with varying shapes. Bobby Podesta says, "Just as the art department explored the possibilities of what the Advisors could be, the animators did the same on their side. Our animators drew on their experience as artists to create a visually stunning performance. »

Character Supervisor Michael Comet explains that to help animators execute these unique characters, his team created additional animation variables. "We've developed new technology that creates a new type of curve and allows the animators to turn each individual control point on or off. They can get these very smooth shapes, add a hand or a thumb, or all fingers, and have controls that allow them to refine or add an angle. »

Bobby Podesta quotes a Pixar mantra often heard in the studio: "Art defies technology and technology inspires art. »

Executive Producer Dan Scanlon comments: "The end result is a great example of the power of teamwork and how Pixar continues to surprise viewers - me first! »

"The team has gone to great lengths to create characters that defy logic while at the same time being full of charm and personality. The first time I attended a screening of the film that featured the linear characters of the 3D animated "Who Am I", we all shouted a shout of surprise! I've never seen this type of 2D animation treated in 3D like this, and seeing something I've never seen before is the very reason why I want to discover a movie. »

There are five Councillors, all named Michel. The voices of the Michel's are those of Alice Braga, Richard Ayoade, Wes Studi, Fortune Feimster and Zenobia Shroff.

Terry is a special member of the "Big Before" team: she is responsible for counting those who enter the "Big Beyond". Each Michel does his or her best to tolerate Terry, whose obsession with "The Count" is sometimes painful. So when Joe Gardner unexpectedly finds himself in the "Big Before", Terry is determined to make things right.

Co-director Kemp Powers comments, "Terry takes himself way too seriously. She was supposed to be a Counsellor, but the Michel's didn't want anything to do with her, so they gave her this very special job to keep her busy. »

Rachel House lends her voice to Terry. Producer Dana Murray says, "I'm thrilled with her! She is the perfect antagonist. »

Curley is a former student of Joe Gardner who nurtured his own passion for music and earned a coveted spot in Dorothea Williams' jazz quartet. An accomplished drummer, he has never forgotten his favorite teacher and jazz pianist, so when the opportunity arises to hire a pianist, Curley gives Joe the audition of a lifetime. Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson lends his voice to Curley, but his work on the film doesn't stop there. Producer Dana Murray explains, "Questlove made a great contribution to the music. She's a real encyclopedia in this field. "Questlove explains, "One of the things I'm most proud of is that they asked me for music advice. My answer, as always, is to make playlists. I compiled playlists of songs that I thought could be played in the background. "He continues: "For the barbershop scene, I wanted a hiphop classic from the 90s. The owner of an establishment like this could be in his 30s or 40s. They tend to stick to what they liked to listen to when they were between 15 and 23. So when you walk into these establishments, you hear music from 20 or 25 years ago. I'm the king of nostalgia. For me, all the reasons are good to make a playlist: I'm always up for it! »

Dez is Joe's hairdresser and barber. He's known him for ages and, in addition to his warm smile and sense of humor, he also listens to him. Dez is happy to let his client talk about anything he wants to talk about - Joe's favorite subject, of course, being jazz. Trevor Jimenez, who is responsible for the story, says, "Dez is someone who can be happy no matter what he does. He puts all his artistic talent into his hairdressing, and he brings joy to others. "onnell Rawlings lends his voice to Dez. He's quite a comedian," says Dana Murray. We loved his slightly hoarse voice. It fits the character's profile very well. »

Paul is the neighborhood's cynical grouch. He is usually seen at the local barber shop. Although he mostly attacks Joe, Paul often has something unpleasant or sarcastic to say about most people who walk into the store - although someone has to pay attention to what he says. Daveed Diggs is Paul's voice and was also a cultural consultant on the film. "I was one of the many people who came to see the very first versions of the film and give their opinion. The people at Pixar had long discussions with us, and every word was noted. Then they asked many questions. They made sure they heard from a wide range of people. It's impressive to see the care they put into making this film. "They tried to make Joe very real," says Daveed Diggs. All the characters in this movie could be real people. There are so many ways to be black... In animation you can very quickly fall into caricature and say that's what being black is all about. But in this film, there's a real diversity of experiences. »

Mr. Matou is a therapy cat who spends his days purring, cuddling and comforting patients in their hospital room. This comforting cat's mission is to help Joe Gardner when he is hospitalized after his fall. But even though he does his job well, Mr. Matou finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time, which propels him into an unexpected adventure.

Animation supervisor Bobby Podesta says that Pixar invited a specialist to come and talk about the anatomy and locomotion of cats. "We learned that they are extremely flexible and can do many things with their paws and wrists. In the film, Mr. Matou never moves like a cat would. It was important for us to anchor the character in reality. "One of the difficulties with Mr. Matou was to simulate this cat in a hospital environment. According to Tiffany Erickson Klohn, supervisor of the simulation, the hospital sequence - with moving cables, curtains, blankets, a pillow and a cat and its fur - was complicated to achieve. "The scene was stylized, it wasn't meant to be neat: the blanket is crumpled and messy, and a cat is walking on it. We combined volumetric simulation, skin, fabric and hair to make these elements interact, and we added a little belly movement. »

The New Souls have an innocent face and big purple eyes, and they are full of curiosity - they are blank slates in search of identity. By passing through the "Personality Pavilions" and the "Great General Bazaar", the New Souls acquire the characteristics that will become theirs on Earth. Finding their spark is for them the last step before they get their pass to the earthly world and begin their lives as human beings. For some, however, finding that spark is easier said than done ... Chief decorator Steve Pilcher explains: "The new souls are freshly born from the Universe, so they are the smallest. They're designed to look like babies, with less distinct characteristics than soul mentors because they haven't experienced life on Earth in a body. They have a simple, bulbous shape and do not have permanent arms or legs. "However, the simplicity of this concept is deceptive," says the chief decorator. All the souls are semi-opaque, with a slight blurring effect, to suggest an ethereal, gentle, vaporous, transcendental and spiritual nature. Although they are simple in their design, they are quite sophisticated in their surface, lighting and effects. »

The filmmakers didn't want the characters in the "Big Front" to look like ghosts. Cinematographer Ian Megibben teamed up with Steve Pilcher and several artists to determine what they would look like and how to achieve this. Megibben explains, "More than ever, technical directors from different disciplines - effects, character department, set and lighting - came together to make these characters work. We saw rainbows and prisms, rocks and minerals, and opalescent glass. "The end result is a prismatic character that fits well into the world he inhabits. Steve Pilcher comments, "When light is intercepted by the shape of the figure, the warm colors - red, orange, yellow - pass through and meet the cold side, the shadow, which is a deep ultramarine blue.

When the colors meet in the middle, they mix wonderfully. "One difficulty, however, arose because of the blurred contours of the characters. The filmmakers realized that there were circumstances that needed to improve legibility. Michael Comet, Character Supervisor, explains: "We developed a new technology that allows us to detect edges. The animators had animation controls to display the contours of the hand if it was in front of another character or came into contact with an object. »

The crowd control team also faced challenges. Michael Lorenzen, technical supervisor of the crowds, says, "We had to figure out how to handle large groups of these volumetric characters. A lot of technology had to be developed to make it all work. The volumes are much heavier to render, they require a lot more computing time. We've made some internal changes in the way they're processed. »

Mentors are called into the "Big Forward" to help new souls find their spark. For generations, Counselors have been connecting Mentors with new souls. Trevor Jimenez, who is responsible for the story, explains, "The Mentors have worked with people like Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, Aristotle, Copernicus, Marie Antoinette, and many others. They can take them to the "Theater of Your Life," where these mentors show their lives to new souls to inspire them. "In general, mentors, with all their wisdom and life experience, are able to bring new souls safely and happily to Earth. But one of these new souls, 22, is not as cooperative, despite the help of a host of mentors. When Joe Gardner found himself in the "Big Before," he was mistakenly mistaken for a mentor and was eventually associated with "We usually chose a few distinguishing features, like the shape of the hairstyle or something they wore on Earth, to distinguish the mentors from the new souls. A mentor's experience during his or her earthly life also gives him or her the color of his or her eyes, arms and legs. »

Lost Souls wander the "Astral Plane" as their earthly selves struggle to free themselves from their obsessions. Director Pete Docter says, "Some people devote themselves to things that are not necessarily harmful like cooking, playing video games or painting. But if you put your heart and soul into it to the point where you forget about everything else, you may well become a lost soul. "Co-director Kemp Powers adds, "When a lost soul is healed and reconnected to its body, the person on Earth has, in essence, a revelation. It's like a new emotional lease on life. "According to Steve Pilcher, the aspect of lost souls symbolizes the psychological prison that one imposes on oneself. "They are wrapped in dark blue, sand-like stardust, which constitutes the "Astral Plane". The soul is enclosed in a shell-like shape, larger and slower, which prevents it from expressing itself freely. "Junyi Ling, Character Supervisor, says they worked with the set and lighting crews to develop a "sand shader" for lost souls. "The material is slightly translucent and shimmering, making it feel like it's from another world. It is a question of transluminescence of light in a translucent surface. We wanted this kind of spark to be visually coherent. »

SOUL takes place in two very different worlds, each existing coherently in its own dimension: New York, teeming with life and activity, and the ethereal and entirely imaginary world of the "Great Front". Producer Dana Murray explains: "In many ways, we've created two distinct films. Each had to be fully developed and have its own style. These two worlds are completely different - a big, bustling city and an imaginary ethereal land - and yet they will take your breath away! "For the first time, director Pete Docter opted for the 2.39 cinema format. Director of Photography Matt Aspbury says, "Pete was excited about the compositional possibilities and cinematic breadth that the widescreen format offered him. He felt that the vast expanse of the 'Big Front' would be better showcased in this way. »

The filmmakers wanted to situate SOUL in a recognizable city in order to install this part of the film on a realistic basis. Director Pete Docter says: "As soon as we chose jazz, we thought about New York. Although jazz wasn't born there, New York is now the jazz capital of the United States. It's a cultural crossroads with a diverse population from all walks of life and influences from around the world. It's a rich and dynamic place to locate a movie. "According to co-director Kemp Powers, the Big Apple has a very strong relationship with jazz. "Jazz is a typically American art form, and New York City has always been closely associated with this music - some of the world's most famous musicians are known for their performances in New York City. »

Kemp Powers, who grew up in this city, continues : "However, our film is not only about this music, it's about the dynamism of this world. SOUL is about the meaning of life and the connections we make with each other. In New York City, people literally bump into each other. Diversity is visible in each of its countless streets. There is really no place in the world that looks like this city. "Kemp Powers says that the way New York City is represented and the locations chosen for the action were important to him. "You can be universal and yet be special. It was really important that New York was seen as the great melting pot that it is, but it was equally important that Joe could live in predominantly black neighborhoods: I thought that would contribute to the cultural authenticity of the character and give weight and a lived dimension to the whole story. »

The filmmakers wanted New York buildings to look authentic, which meant they couldn't look brand new. According to chief set designer Steve Pilcher, the human world had to faithfully portray the New York experience. "It's a solid world, with presence, lots of reflections and urban colors. It's a tactile world that expresses its past, its history, through the passage of time and life. Buildings, gates and sidewalks are worn, damaged by the weather and the passage of many people. Nothing is truly perfect in this world. It's very organic, very interesting. The contrast between the Earth and the world of souls was the guiding principle for all our visual decisions. »

The artistic director of the shading, Bryn Imagire, wanted the age and history of the city to be perceptible. "We talked about how to visually translate the age of a building, how many layers of paint it might have had during its existence, mineral deposits, pigeon droppings - all of this adds dimension. It's about Joe's life and the passage of time. It was really important to translate that feeling into the sets. »

The texture, the raw realism and the aging present a strong contrast with the "Grand Avant". Director of photography Matt Aspbury kept this contrast in mind from the beginning of production. "We knew we wanted to film the two worlds differently. We were inspired by the 1970s long-focus films for the New York footage, with their distortions and visual aberrations. We really liked the feel of it. "New York has so much detail, with a very tactile quality," says Aspbury. So we shot a lot of shots with longer focal lengths and a shallow depth of field to make sure the focus was on our characters. »

Matt Aspbury's team used an assortment of anamorphic lenses to replicate the aesthetic of the live-action films that inspired SOUL. The cinematographer and his team used chaotic camera movements in the footage of Joe running through the city and shots that highlight the noisy and busy streets. The people of New York are indeed one of the key elements in the city shots. Michael Lorenzen, technical supervisor of the crowds, explains: "A city like New York City requires a large number of people who all move in a particular way. We imagined little stories about what's going on in the background. »

Guillaume Chartier, Crowd Animation Supervisor, added: "We wanted our crowds to reflect the diversity of New York City in all its aspects. "The large number of characters in the background required a large wardrobe. According to Tiffany Erickson Klohn, Simulation Supervisor, "These are the most complex garments we've ever made for the crowd characters. We have 208 adult crowd characters, 16 teenagers and four children. We've created about 60 different garments that are arranged to make over 100 unique combinations. We have characters dressed in clothing layered with t-shirts, hooded sweatshirts, long jackets, scarves, long hair... It's huge! »

The filmmakers also instilled a bit of "New York attitude" into the crowd characters. Guillaume Chartier explains: "There is a sequence at the beginning of the film where Joe runs to get to his audition. He has to dodge a lot of people. I asked Pete Docter if he wanted people to react, and he said, "No, they're New Yorkers, they don't mind. »

However, according to the artistic director of the shading, Bryn Imagire, many of these scenes were meant to convey the notion of disorder and haste. "Even though New Yorkers often wear a lot of black, we really tried to introduce a lot of color into the costumes. I think it gives the movements of all these people something musical. »

Kemp Powers, the co-director, says, "There is no more culturally authentic place in the black community than the neighborhood barber/hairdresser's shop. In many ways, it is the nerve center for men of color. It's where all men from all walks of life come together. "The filmmakers visited several barber shops and hair salons to get a sense of what they look like and what the atmosphere is like, which allowed them to make several observations about this symbolic place. Hair salons tend to be very cramped because space in New York City is limited," says Artistic Director Paul Abadilla. We also observed one thing that distinguishes barbers from ordinary hairdressers: when they work, their clients don't face the mirror, they are turned to the next clients waiting. This is conducive to engaging in conversation and strengthens the sense of community. »

For Kemp Powers, the scenes at the barbershop also represent a technological milestone. He recalls: "Pixar animation studios have rendered some pretty amazing things in CGI throughout their history, from fur in Monsters & Co. to water in Nemo's World. But from a personal point of view, the idea of depicting a magnificent assortment of black beards and hair, with so many incredible textures and shades, was too seductive not to make it a prime piece of the film. »

The relationship between Joe and his mother takes on its full dimension in her sewing workshop. This key environment was to reflect who Libba is and highlight the fact that her store once provided food for the whole family, when the musician father was between jobs. Chief decorator Steve Pilcher points out: "There's the weight of their whole history in this. Libba's love of color and fabric work is evident everywhere, as is her attachment to tradition and family. »

Jun Han Cho, decorations supervisor, adds: "We wanted to make sure that the look of his store made cultural sense. Rich colors, rolls of fabric, mannequin shapes? This place should also say who Libba is, so it's a warm space. Libba has been here for a long time, her friends come to see her and spend some time at the workshop. There is a beautiful sofa and so many things that if we wanted to gather all this decoration for real, it would take several years! »

Research is an essential step in the creation of Pixar studios' films. It leads the studio teams to visit a wide variety of locations, from landfills to Scotland.... SOUL asked for research work that everyone agreed to place among their best experiences. Chief decorator Steve Pilcher says: "We visited a number of jazz clubs. The Half Note is fairly typical of a typical New York jazz club by its size. We didn't want to break the tradition, history and richness of the clubs. The atmosphere is authentic but contemporary. It was a pleasure and an honor to create portraits of jazz greats to decorate the walls of the club. »

Set supervisor Jun Han Cho adds, "We wanted to capture the intimacy of jazz, of those really cool basement clubs where you go down into a small space to feel close to the music. "During Joe's audition at the Half Note, he slips into what he calls "The Zone. The filmmakers had to imagine what it would be like. Effects Supervisor Bill Watral says, "It's extremely subjective. We relied on images and paintings to find the aesthetics. "Bill Watral details, "The base notes generate dark blue shapes in the background, and all the arpeggios he plays with his right hand are represented by smaller pink geometric shapes that twirl around him. »

The design and decoration of Joe's apartment was dictated by the character himself. Set supervisor Jun Han Cho comments, "Joe's apartment is all about his love of music. He obviously needed a piano, and we built the rest of the apartment around it. There are record shelves, but no television. "Bryn Imagire imagined that Joe's mother had helped him with the decorating, adding cushions printed with animal motifs. "It evokes something wild and mysterious. And the cushions take up a pattern that we see in Dorothea's dress: it's someone he wants to imitate. »

While the filmmakers were able to tap into real life to capture the energy of the city when it came to the scenes in New York, they had to create the "Big Front" from scratch. Director Pete Docter says, "It's a lot of fun to create worlds like this, and it's also very exciting because they can become absolutely anything you want them to be. It was extremely important that it was a reflection of the main character and the story we are telling about him. Joe is convinced that he was born to be a musician, so this world was designed to amplify his belief system: souls are given personalities and interests. "Michael Fong, Visual Effects Supervisor, explains that filmmakers first used terms like "impressionist" and "ethereal" to describe this world. "At first, we didn't really know what it meant or what the world would look like. It took a lot of experimentation and exploration. Then we discovered that we could create impressionistic and ethereal environments by generating soft, slightly blurred shapes from combinations of volumes, particles and lines. The filmmakers loved the way the blurred edges of the objects seemed to blend into each other. »

Chief decorator Steve Pilcher explains that the key to the aesthetics of this world is a special kind of softness. "Almost everything has a certain degree of blur. There's something that looks like grass, without really being grass. It's soft as feathers, almost translucent in movement. Everything is soft and ethereal, translucent or transparent. It's mainly a palette of fairly desaturated pastel tones. »

Executive Producer Dan Scanlon notes, "Pete Docter's characteristic imagination is fully illustrated in this world. His previous films like La-haut and Vice-Versa show that he loves animation and loves to push the limits of what can be done with it. With SOUL, Pete and his team have strived to go further than ever before. With "Who Am I", they wanted to show the public a world that no one had ever seen before. And for them, showing something new was based more on a principle of restraint than on flashy overbidding. This world is deceptively simple, with large, beautiful, bold forms, abstract buildings that look like nothing you can see on Earth. It takes courage to try to imagine and communicate your ideas in a stripped-down way, but if you do it right, it can tell you so much more...".

According to Set Supervisor Jun Han Cho, having to start from scratch to build a whole world is both exciting and overwhelming. He recalls, "If we wanted a hill, we had to start by asking what it was made of. We couldn't rely on the grass or the earth, it had to be made of something else, and we had to find out what it was made of. Was it going to be brilliant? And what color would it be? It was like inventing a whole new language. »

At the same time, the filmmakers wanted to make this world subtly recognizable to the viewers. Jun Han Cho comments: "We have our own versions of the trees, the buildings, the lawn. This sense of familiarity allows people to better understand what this place is supposed to be. "Unlike the New York footage, cinematographer Matt Aspbury used an assortment of spherical lenses for the "Big Front. The camera movements were also choreographed in order to
to reinforce the feeling they wanted to convey. "Pete Docter wanted it to be very serene, to be in a controlled and ethereal environment. It's all calm and gentle. The camera reflects this by giving the impression of floating, of having almost no weight. »

The filmmakers consulted with renowned cinematographer Bradford Young. He explains: "I encouraged everyone to create a visual tribute to music through the use of the camera. You had to be free and sensitive. "According to cinematographer Ian Megibben, the lighting was inspired by the new souls themselves. "We try to evoke the idea of the dawn of a new day. It feels like a perpetual early morning, with very bright and cheerful pastel colors. "This world is composed of materials that have no hard surface. Everything is soft. So we used a mix of different rendering techniques to achieve this ethereal volumetric aspect. "Also known as "Who Am I", the "Great Before" is the home of the Counselors who work diligently to arm new souls with everything they need to go to Earth. This place offers a multitude of destinations for new souls to visit. "Over here is the "Enthusiasts' Pavilion". It's up to you four! The five of you, keep quiet. And you two, too! »

The "Personality Pavilions" are individual buildings where new souls go to find their personality. Paul Abadilla, the artistic director of the decorations, explains that each pavilion is the abstract representation of a personality trait. "We leave some of them open to interpretation - there are so many possibilities... But our main pavilions have iconic shapes. The "Distant Pavilion", for example, looks like a nose up in the air. We make a quick reading of the image which is supported by the interpretation of the characters. »

It is in the "Theatre of Your Life" that mentors can share their stories and life stories with new souls. The environment is designed to mimic a museum, with images and vignettes depicting key moments in a mentor's personal story.

The "Grand Bazaar General" brings together everything on Earth that can inspire new souls in search of their spark. Steve Pilcher explains: "We have toned down the colors in the Grand Bazaar General, the place where souls go to interact with possible interests. Everything there is recognizable, identifiable, but without color - unless a soul interacts with it. "Michael Fong, Visual Effects Supervisor, says, "It's supposed to be the interpretation of what the Advisors think about the human world. »

Adjacent to the "Who Am I", the "Astral Plane" is the place where the "Mystics Without Borders" strive to save lost souls. The artistic director of the sets Paul Abadilla says: "The terrain is inspired by moving sand. Everything in the world of souls is made of this sparkling particulate matter. While the "Who Am I" is mathematically constructed, the "Astral Plane" is more organic. »

The astral sand had to move in a specific way, especially when the Vendelune ship passes through it. This is where effects supervisor Bill Watral and his team came in. "The idea is that this place is a mental construct, a representation of what you think it looks like when you go through it.  So it can be anything. When the boat pushes the sand, it moves in a way that is not based on physical reality and then freezes into the shapes of the surrounding environment. We carefully control the locations of sparks in this world. »

Director Pete Docter notes: "If you look at some of the earliest sound animation films, you'll notice that they had a strong connection to jazz. They were rhythmic, interesting to listen to, with something very real. It's always a great joy to hear something and see it perfectly synchronized with the image at the same time. I think that's what appealed to some of the early animation artists in jazz: they realized how much this music was in sync with what they were trying to do visually. »

When Pete Docter and the teams at Pixar Animation Studios first developed SOUL, they weren't yet sure what Joe was going to do with such passion. The director recalls, "We needed Joe to do something that held the promise of life, something we would all like to do, something that spoke to everyone. Could he be a scientist, or a businessman? And then almost by chance, we came across this video of an online Masterclass by jazz legend Herbie Hancock. »

In this video, the famous jazzman confides: "I had my greatest experience working with Miles Davis. That time I played something that was, arguably, technically bad. It was in the middle of a concert that had been the best of the tour so far. We were having a great time. And in the middle of one of the songs, a Miles song, I played a very bad chord. I immediately told myself that I'd screwed up, that I'd blown this big night to pieces. Miles took a breath, he played a few notes, and he straightened my chord. And I couldn't figure out how he did it, it sounded like magic! It took me years to figure out what really happened. Here's what happened: I had judged and condemned what I had played. Not Miles. He just accepted it as something new, something that had just happened. And he did what every jazz musician should always try to do, which is to try to turn everything that happens into something of value. »

Pete Docter continues: "When we heard that, we thought it was not only a great story, but also a perfect metaphor for life. We found that jazz was really the perfect representation of it. Joe must have been a jazz musician. "Even though music has always been an important part of Pixar movies - think of Randy Newman and the TOY STORY or COCO, a true declaration of love in Mexico - it instantly became part of the story that SOUL tells.

The filmmakers, anxious to portray this much-loved musical genre in an authentic way, called upon professionals from the jazz world, including Herbie Hancock, Daveed Diggs, Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, and Terri Lyne Carrington, American jazz drummer, composer, producer and teacher. Carrington recalls: "The script was already so rich and so right when I joined them... I really wanted the film to reflect the joy of the music, the joy of the musicians. Pain and struggle are often associated with blues, jazz and even modern black music, so it was so nice to see that their perspective on the subject really paid tribute to its joyful dimension. "The two worlds of SOUL called for two distinct styles of music that help shape and define each world. World-renowned Grammy Award-winning musician Jon Batiste wrote the original compositions and arrangements for all of the jazz music. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (The Social network), Oscar-winners and members of Nine Inch Nails, wrote the original compositions and arrangements for all jazz music composed as for them an original music which evolves between the real world and that of the souls.

Director Pete Docter says, "I grew up with the Peanuts' cartoons and the music of Vince Guaraldi. It's like it ran through my veins. SOUL's music is kind of our version of it. Jon Batiste is a fantastic musician - he's a historian, but he's able to push the music further, into the future, bringing the richness of multiple influences to his compositions. I sincerely hope that the jazz music in SOUL will inspire a whole new generation. "Jon Batiste confides that he wrote the music in that spirit. "The compositions are nourished by much of what has been generated by more than a century of jazz, which gives the listener many points of reference. It's a subtle way of paying tribute to the music while introducing a whole new audience to the genre. "Jon Batiste was the musical director of a multi-generational group of musicians spanning four generations and including living legends such as 95-year-old drummer Roy Haynes, who played with Charlie Parker and Louis Armstrong, among others, as well as some of today's hottest young musicians. He says, "Putting the band together in this way was important to me because it gives the sessions a special flavor, a richness born of his lineage and a mythical depth. It's a kind of passing of the torch. »

Co-director Kemp Powers found this "old-fashioned" approach attractive. "Some may consider jazz to be an ancient art form. What I like about Jon Batiste's attitude is that when you talk to him about jazz, he says it's the newest of the musical genres. You literally create jazz by playing it, and there's nothing newer than that! "Jon Batiste naturally felt close to the main character. "As a human being who is intrinsically musical, I'm constantly listening and analyzing my environment from a musical perspective, even when I'm not playing. Joe has that quality too. He will eventually learn that there is more to life than music. It speaks to me: I remember how important it was for me to understand that when I was a young musician. It made a big impression on me and influenced me a lot. The music we play is the music of life, and we must know how to savor life so that it can flow from our instruments. "When the time came to record, Jon Batiste's talent shone through. Editor Kevin Nolting says, "He was playing something that for some reason wasn't quite right. Pete would talk to him, and within seconds, he would pick up the same tune and make it perfect for the movie. »

This is the first time Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross have composed music for an animated film, but their approach was not unlike their work on other films. Trent Reznor explains: "Our first step is always listening to try to understand where the filmmakers are, where they come from and where they want to go: what do they see, what do they imagine? We spent a lot of time talking about what it is supposed to feel like when you first discover the world of souls. Then Atticus and I went back to our studio, which is filled with a lot of real, imaginary and synthetic instruments, and we started by spending a long time experimenting with different arrangements and different instruments to see what we felt was emotionally right for us to create the fabric of the soul world. "Atticus Ross says they wanted to help differentiate the regions that make up that world. "There's the 'Big Before', the 'Big Beyond', the 'Astral Plane', the 'Who am I? Each place needed to have its own identity. "To find the right sound, artists turned to synthesizers, but treated everything as if it were traditional instruments. Trent Reznor explains: "We recorded them on several tracks as if we were playing with an orchestra. Over the years we have developed techniques that produce sounds that are not necessarily from this Earth, but are warm, organic and natural."

According to Pete Docter, their unique approach was exactly what the film needed. "We wanted SOUL's music to be different from any other Pixar film. We looked forward to working with Trent and Atticus because we knew they would take us to musical landscapes we had never been to before. Their unique approach to music and their special creative thinking made them a true source of inspiration. "Jazz is such an important aspect of SOUL that the filmmakers wanted to ensure that all musical performances would be authentic. It took the collaboration of several departments and hundreds of hours of work to achieve this in order to get the approval of the jazz musicians. A large number of real images were filmed for reference purposes, from a variety of angles, including close-ups of the musicians' hands playing on the piano keyboard and saxophone keys, as well as the bass strings and the various elements of the drums. Matt Aspbury, Director of Photography, explains, "For each of the shots, many of which are thousands of images, we provided a significant amount of material for the editing department to cover. "Producer Dana Murray says, "The authenticity we were able to achieve with Joe on piano and Dorothea on saxophone is one of the highlights of this film. You immerse yourself in the musical performances, you get totally lost in the music. In many ways, that's what the film is all about. »

Synopsis :
Just when Joe thinks his dream is now within reach, an unfortunate step sends him to a fantastic place where he is forced to rethink the meaning of having a soul. It is there that he befriends 22, a soul who doesn't think life on Earth is as good as it seems?

Soul
Directed by Pete Docter, Kemp Powers
Produced by Dana Murray
Written by Pete Docter, Mike Jones, Kemp Powers, Tina Fey
With the voices of Jamie Foxx Tina Fey, Questlove, Phylicia Rashad, Daveed Diggs and in French version of Omar Sy, Camille Cottin and Ramzy Bedia.
Music by Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross
Production: Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar Animation Studios
Distribution: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Release date: December 25, 2020 (Disney +)
Photos: Copyright The Walt Disney Company France

(source: press release)