Pete Docter studied Miyazaki's use of ma — the Japanese concept of emptiness, of silence as presence — to understand how to pace emotional films. The quiet moments in Inside Out where Joy and Sadness simply exist together are learned from watching Miyazaki let moments breathe. Docter cites Miyazaki as foundational to his understanding of animation as medium for feeling. Both My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away are on Criterion Channel.
Films That Influenced Inside Out
