Elemental aims to achieve new heights for Pixar
“As Pixar animators, creating emotionally truthful performances is our top priority. And on Elemental, we had a new layer to weave into these emotional performances, timing the energy of an emotion directly to the physical property of an element,” Enderoğlu said, describing how every team took inspiration from the various forms that water and fire take, from the stillness of a serene pool or a flickering flame, to a raging waterfall or explosive fire. “We referenced how real elements evoke human emotion depending on their energy. We relied on a kind of fake science to create consistency and logic for our choices throughout the film. A change in brightness could help sell the intake of oxygen for a fiery laugh. Or we could increase or reduce the speed of Ember’s flames to match her emotional energy. At first, these ideas were a little tricky for the animators, but by the end they were on fire. It was important for us to strike the right balance between the elemental emotion and the clarity of the acting so that the audience always connects with Ember and Wade.”
