12 Secrets of Pixar Storytelling

Choose the idea that has lot of potential.

Anybody can cook — Ratatouille

Anybody can try anything — Zootopia — bunny becoming cop

Everything in your screenplay should relate to your core idea. This is economy.

In cars, the core idea — There’s lot more to racing than just winning.

Find the flaw of your character and push your character to the extreme where he confronts the flaw.

In Finding Nemo, Marlin has to confront his fear of vast ocean.

Strong caring comes from strong opinions and they create dramatic conflict.

In Toy Story, Woody is much concerned about Andy.

Create characters with opposing opinions; and opinions should come from painful experiences.

In Finding Nemo, both father and son have strong opinions.

Desperate motivation leads to terrible things.

Desperate motivation for any character is good, that’s what makes the character interesting because they always land in trouble.

It’s just not enough to know what your characters want but why they want.

Give the reasons for wants, not just the wants; gives credibility to the story.

Characters have flaws; but among those flaws you will almost never find defeatism. Even it happens, it’s just for a moment, not permanent.

In Finding Nemo, Marling is seriously in fear of crossing the ocean but never gives up.

Characters journey isn’t measured in miles but in pain.

The journey is all about how much pain they take not how many miles they travel because pain transforms.

Not what they want, but what they need ultimately matters

Concentrate on the needs not desires for the character. The paradox is in the process of achieving what they want, they get what they need.

Quality of the conflict in your script is measured by the believable changes it propels in your characters.

Character has to change in the due course of the film and they should be believable.

Worst fear comes true at the end of the film.

Let your characters face the worst fear and how they face it tells a lot about that character and also a good tool to show the character arc.

KAMAL SUCHARAN BURRI