The visual style of Inside Out 2 took inspiration from a 2019 Adam Sandler movie. When released in 2015, Inside Out was met with critical acclaim and proved to be a box office hit. In 2022, a sequel to the successful first film was announced. Inside Out 2 will see the return of Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, and Fear, and will explore the beginning of Riley’s teenage years, as newly personified emotions emerge, including Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, and Ennui.

While speaking with Animation Magazine, director of layout photography, Adam Habib, discussed the importance of Anxiety in the new Pixar film, and how the Sandler-led Uncut Gems greatly influenced Inside Out 2‘s visual style. The use of shaky cinematography in Uncut Gems visually translated the anxiety of its story. Habib and Inside Out 2‘s animation team adapted this approach by building static sets during production and later placing the digital characters inside these sets. A virtual camera was then placed inside the sets and used akin to a live-action camera, maneuvering to experiment with various angles and shot setups.

Anxiety Will Be The Key To Inside Out 2’s Success

Along with generally being recognized as Sandler’s best dramatic performance, Uncut Gems is known for its anxiety-inducing cinematography. It being a source of inspiration for Inside Out 2 emphasizes how important Anxiety is to the sequel. While Anxiety is one of four new emotions entering the Headquarters of Riley’s mind, the Inside Out 2 marketing has teased that it is Anxiety who will be making the biggest impact, and the one suppressing Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, and Fear as Anxiety takes over Riley’s mind.

Much of Inside Out’s widespread appeal was rooted in the way the original emotions were personified, communicated in amusing and clever ways that viewers of all ages could relate to and understand. In order to live up to the original film, the sequel needs to personify the new emotions just as effectively, and the visual language portraying the characters is an essential part of that. With Anxiety seemingly being the leader of Inside Out 2‘s new emotions, it is particularly important to depict her in a distinctive way that embodies the complexity of such a common and difficult emotion.

Building off one of the best anxiety-inducing movies in recent years is not only a smart approach, but demonstrates the cutting-edge nature of Pixar’s animation. Designing static sets and placing digital characters inside them, and using virtual cameras similarly to live-action cameras shows how the studio’s animation has evolved, and how they can use these techniques to personify Anxiety and other emotions in a way that likely would not have been possible if the sequel had been made years earlier. The animation team’s visual and narrative approach to Anxiety is enticing and makes Inside Out 2 one of June 2024’s most anticipated movies.

Source: Animation Magazine