Some of the best works of fiction pull in elements of reality, and Elemental proves this to be accurate as it is based on a series of authentic stories. The director of the film, Peter Sohn, is a long-time employee of Pixar who has worked on a number of some of the best Pixar movies, including Finding Nemo and Up. His dedication and work as the director of Elemental helped to solidify its place as one of the most stunning and emotional Pixar movies.
Many creatives pull from their own life experiences to create raw and real pieces of art. Peter Sohn did not shy away from doing the same, as he pulled from his life and relationship with his parents to create the latest chapter in the Pixar movie timeline. The emotional nature of the stories he used as inspiration translated well on-screen, as it created a movie that resonated with audiences across the world.
Elemental Draws From The True Immigration Story Of Its Director
Peter Sohn’s family immigrated to New York City from Korea in the late 1960s. When he was learning about the periodic table of elements in school, he realized that, to him, it looked like the apartment complexes he saw around the city with all the different elements living on top of one another. Later on this childhood thought came to life in the form of Elemental. He also used another thing that he observed in New York City as inspiration, the large amount of diversity.
Peter noticed that going through the five boroughs, a person could experience a myriad of different cultures. He also took note of the fact that many of the immigrants who settled in NYC had the motivation to do well for themselves, their families, and their children. This inspired the juxtaposition of the different, unique elements all living in Element City, and Ember’s family’s desire to create a better life for themselves.
Firetown’s Convenience Store Is Based On The Sohn Family Stores
It’s clear that Sohn relied heavily on his lived experiences to create the stories that unfolded on-screen in Elemental. For example, the convenience store in Firetown that Ember’s dad runs is based on the two stores that Peter’s own father owned. Peter also drew from the fact that his dad was very business-minded and was unsupporting of Peter’s desire to pursue the arts. He wanted him to follow in his footsteps and go into something more practical, which can be seen in the way that Ember desires to pursue glassmaking but is afraid to tell her parents about it. Ultimately, Elemental‘s happy ending realizes her dream.
The Importance Of Fire Marrying Fire Is Based On Sohn’s Lived Experience
Although Elemental is not meant to serve as an autobiography, there are definitely pieces of Peter’s life reflected in Ember’s. The dynamic between Ember and Wade is inspired from the pages of his own life. He pulled from his relationship with his parents and his relationship with his wife, who is not Korean like himself. This created a clash that is represented through Bernie’s opposition to Ember and Wade’s relationship. In fact, Peter’s grandmother’s last words were “Marry Korean“. This inspired a line in Elemental, where Ember’s dying grandmother tells her “Promise me one thing… Marry fire“.
Pixar’s Elemental Honors Sohn’s Parents And Their Sacrifices
When the family store brought in extra money, Peter’s mother would take him and his siblings to the movies. When they went to go see the animated Disney film, Dumbo, Peter noticed it was the first time that his mother did not need him to translate for her. He felt inspired by the power of animation to tell stories that people could fully connect to just through visuals. This experience of seeing his mother so touched coupled with his love for drawing led him to animation.
The catalyst for creating Elemental was him winning an award for his work on The Good Dinosaur. Seeing his parents get emotional in the audience as he received the award made him recognize how many sacrifices they made for him to get to this point. Through conversations with other Pixar employees, Peter came to the conclusion that he wanted to create a movie that celebrated and addressed the differences between first generation and second generation family members.
Unfortunately, both of Peter’s parents died during the creation of the movie and did not get to see it in its completion or the success it acquired. In his grief, the movie became much darker but as Peter began to work through it, he was able to make it the more light-hearted movie it is today. Although his parents did not get to experience Peter’s labor of love, it has touched the hearts of many as they are transported to the stunning world of Elemental and get to experience the beautiful story that feels rooted in reality.
