Film

Inside the Pixar Brain Trust: Meg LeFauve on Crafting 'Inside Out 2'

By Rhys Dunbar, Film EditorJune 18, 20241 note

Meg LeFauve reveals how Pixar’s collaborative process shaped the emotional sequel, emphasizing vulnerability and new storytelling terrain.

Pixar’s ‘Inside Out 2’ marks a significant return for Oscar-winning writer Meg LeFauve, who rejoined the studio for its latest sequel after her initial work on the original. Speaking with IndieWire, LeFauve explained that the creative challenge was to craft a story that felt sequel-worthy while exploring new emotional landscapes. She emphasized the importance of delving into personal and vulnerable themes, pushing beyond familiar territory to keep the narrative fresh and meaningful.

The process at Pixar involves a unique collaborative engine: the Brain Trust. Led by Pete Docter, the Brain Trust is an ever-evolving group of top animators and directors who provide feedback at every stage of development. LeFauve described it as a “living thing,” where the lineup shifts as new talent joins and current members take on different projects. This open, iterative approach allows Pixar to refine its stories through multiple creative voices, helping to identify blind spots and deepen emotional resonance.

Director Kelsey Mann’s pitch was rooted in personal experience, focusing on the character of Anxiety, which LeFauve notes as a story about adolescence and self-discovery. Mann shared childhood photos to illustrate how the character's journey mirrors a universal coming-of-age arc—an emotional honesty that LeFauve says is central to Pixar’s storytelling philosophy. This personal vulnerability is what keeps Pixar’s animated films grounded despite their fantastical worlds.

Pixar’s emphasis on emotional authenticity is especially evident in its storytelling process, which often involves exploring complex feelings like Schadenfreude and Procrastination Land—ideas that LeFauve mentions as left out of the sequel but integral to understanding human nature. She highlights that the studio’s goal is to avoid superficial fixes, “the Band-Aid Monster,” by digging into what truly makes characters tick and how those truths can resonate with viewers of all ages.

PixarInside Out 2Meg LeFauve