Elemental takes place in Element City, where the four elements of water, air, earth, and fire coexist peacefully. However, they lead separate lives, with Ember, a fiery fire element, and her family running a store in Firetown. When Wade, an emotional water element and city inspector, gets sucked through the pipes and discovers numerous violations, Ember’s family legacy is at risk. Together, they strive to save her family’s store and gradually grow closer, developing feelings for each other. Despite breaking the cardinal rule of element mixing, Wade and Ember’s connection could revolutionize Element City as opposites attract and create something entirely new.
Director Peter Sohn and producer Denise Ream, known for their work on The Good Dinosaur, have teamed up once again to bring Pixar’s latest film, Elemental, to the big screen. The screenplay for Elemental was co-written by John Hoberg, Kat Likkel, and Brenda Hsueh, with Sohn contributing his own life experiences to the story. The film features a talented cast including Leah Lewis, Mamoudou Athie, Ronnie del Carmen, Shila Ommi, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Catherine O’Hara, Mason Wertheimer, Joe Pera, and Matt Yang King.
FilmmakerFocus had the opportunity to speak with John Hoberg and Kat Likkel about their experience writing Elemental for Pixar. They revealed that at one point, the film had a tone reminiscent of the noir crime film Chinatown, and they even considered the possibility of keeping Wade dead. Hoberg and Likkel also shared how their background in writing for multi-cam television helped them navigate the creative process at Pixar.
John Hoberg & Kat Likkel on Elemental
FilmmakerFocus: I love Elemental. I think it’s my favorite Pixar movie in years.
John Hoberg: Wow.
Kat Likkel: That’s great. Oh, I love to hear that.
I walked out of that. And I was like, yes, Pixar! It captures everything I love about Pixar. It’s such a unique story it’s kind of doing what I’ve really learned about Disney recently, where it’s not something where it’s like we’re fighting a villain. That’s the whole goal. So it’s really cool.
John Hoberg: What’s interesting on that subject? Is that was a huge topic of conversation. There was a huge topic of conversation about how do you have an antagonist in the dad, that is not bad. It took a lot of thinking and working to figure that out, because it’s sort of an unintentional antagonist, but he really is her captor without even knowing it, and it’d be the last thing he’d want to be. So it was a it was a challenge, but it was kind of a cool challenge to figure that out.
Kat Likkel: What’s also interesting about the Pixar process, it is so iterative. At one point, there was a villain in this story. You go through so many funny little characters that you remember, at one point, there were two little villains called Singe and Scorch, that were just like these hilarious sort of three stooges kind of idiot villains trying to bring the shop down.
John Hoberg: They were earth elements, who had to set themselves on fire to try to blend in. So they were in pain all the time,
Kat Likkel: At a certain point we’re like, “Is this good imitatable behavior to show in a Pixar movie?” So they went away, that whole storyline went away, but it’s amazing the process you go through with Pixar. To land finally, on the amazing stories they do. You talk with the producer, the director and the animators, these long conversations with everybody sharing stories, and everybody in the mix until you finally find the thing you’re going to ultimately land on.
I love that. Yeah, I have been fascinated with Pixar’s process and storytelling forever. One of the things with this that’s really interesting is I know, this story is really, really close to the director’s heart, because a lot of it is based on his own experiences. What was it like collaborating with him to really nail down what the story is for Elemental?
John Hoberg: It was a lot of talking. So we showed up, I think, January 2020 and we spent six weeks talking about everything and different iterations, but really getting to the core of it. He knew he wanted to tackle this, but I think it wasn’t as personal at first, and it became more and more personal, the deeper we dug.
Kat Likkel: What’s also interesting is there’s such a diverse group of voices at Pixar. The majority of people in America one way or the other have been immigrants at some point in our histories, and so everybody could share, my grandparents came to this country sort of… [text continues]
immersing yourself in the world and figuring it out as you go?
John Hoberg: It was a really fun process. We started with the script and the basic concept of this magical world where everything is made out of water. But as we started diving deeper into it, we realized there were so many possibilities and opportunities to explore. We wanted to create a world that felt both familiar and completely unique at the same time. So we did a lot of research and brainstorming to come up with different elements and locations that would make this world come alive.
Kat Likkel: And it was really important for us to make sure that the world felt cohesive and consistent. We wanted every aspect of it to make sense within the rules we established. So we spent a lot of time refining and fine-tuning the details to ensure that everything fit together seamlessly.
John Hoberg: And of course, there were moments of discovery along the way. As we immersed ourselves in the world, we would stumble upon new ideas and concepts that we hadn’t initially planned for. It was a collaborative process where we allowed ourselves to be open to inspiration and let the world guide us.
That’s amazing. And it really shows in the final product. The world of “Elemental” is so rich and captivating. It’s definitely one of the highlights of the movie. Now, I have to ask, what do you hope audiences take away from this film?
Kat Likkel: We hope that audiences walk away from this film feeling inspired and uplifted. “Elemental” is ultimately a story about family, love, and the power of connection. We want people to see the importance of embracing their own unique qualities and finding strength in their relationships.
John Hoberg: And we also hope that the film sparks conversations and discussions about generational differences and the impact they have on our lives. It’s a universal theme that everyone can relate to, and we hope it encourages empathy and understanding.
Kat Likkel: Overall, we just want people to leave the theater with a sense of joy and a renewed appreciation for the magic that exists in the world around us.
“What do the animators and artists contribute to the film?”
John Hoberg: They bring their creativity and exploration to the table. At Pixar, we had a unique team consisting of the director, the writers, the head of story, and the story artists. These story artists were not just storyboard artists, but they actively contributed to the story development process. One of our story artists, Jiun, would present his ideas to the group, sparking two hours of brainstorming and exploration. For example, Jiun came up with the idea of Ember riding a motorcycle, which added depth and research to the story. This collaborative process allowed us to create ideas that we wouldn’t have come up with on our own.
Kat Likkel: It was similar to being in a writers room for live action television. We would all sit together, including the animators, the director, and the producer, and bounce ideas off each other. It was a fun and dynamic collaboration, where we would share personal stories and the artists would visually interpret them in real time. It was incredible to see our words come to life through their drawings. This back and forth of ideas was truly inspiring.
John Hoberg: And this collaboration continued throughout the entire process. We would turn in pages for a sequence, and then the story artists would add their own creative touches to it. They had the freedom to bring in new ideas and perspectives, which often led to unexpected and exciting developments. It was a constant process of exploration and adaptation, where we had to be open to change and willing to rewrite. Nothing was set in stone, and that’s what made the process so dynamic and rewarding.
Can you recall any scenes that went through significant changes or were ultimately cut from the film?
John Hoberg: We went through multiple versions of the film. When we first started, there were already a few versions done by another writer. We ended up doing eight versions in total. One of the early versions had Wade’s mother as a villain, trying to take over sections of Firetown for real estate development. She would send these little fire creatures to infiltrate the town. It was a dark and different storyline, but the ending remained the same. We eventually decided to take a different approach to reach that ending.
Kat Likkel: What’s interesting about Pixar is that they encourage open discussions and feedback from everyone in the company, from the top animators to the support staff. We would have meetings where rough drawings were shown, and everyone would provide their thoughts and critiques. It was a collaborative process of finding what worked and what didn’t. Surprisingly, some ideas we thought were insignificant resonated with the team, while others we thought were crucial didn’t receive the same response. However, one thing that remained consistent from the beginning was the ending with the flood. It was a pivotal moment for us when the top people at Pixar approved it.
Pete Sohn, the director, was particularly nervous about the ending, but when the team gave their approval, it was a significant milestone for all of us. It showed that we had found the right conclusion to our story.
The most important thing in storytelling is finding the perfect ending. The journey leading up to it can vary, but once you discover that ending, you know you have your story. I vividly remember the excitement of that moment when they walked in and said, “You’ve got your ending!”
One scene that stands out to me is when Wade took Ember to a dance club. It was like the stadium scene, with massive fans blowing everyone up in the air as they danced. It was Ember’s first taste of true freedom in the city, spinning in the air like fire, surrounded by other elements. It felt like a throwback to the old musicals of the 20s, with elements dancing all around. It was an incredible sequence, but unfortunately, it didn’t fit into the movie.
You can still catch a glimpse of that feeling in Ember’s dream, where she fantasizes about being with Wade. That’s how it ended up. It was a road we explored but didn’t work out, yet the essence of it remained.
I find it fascinating how you guys tell such a deep and human story while infusing it with fantastical elements. I absolutely love it. What surprised you the most about working on an animated movie, coming from the live-action TV world?
John Hoberg: Thank you! We love it too.
John Hoberg: One of the most surprising things was the amount of rewriting involved. In TV, we’re used to rewriting, but in animation, it’s on a whole other level. We had to generate scene after scene, knowing that they might not even be used. But then we learned from another writer, Jason Headley, that it’s like sketching. You don’t have to make it perfect, just enough to convey the idea. Our superpower as writers is being able to do that with pages.
Kat Likkel: It was a merging of styles and languages. They use the language of art with pen on paper, and we use pen on paper with words. It was a fun and collaborative process that sparked so many ideas we wouldn’t have come up with otherwise.
John Hoberg: Another shocking thing was the early start time at Pixar. As writers, we’re not used to starting at 9 in the morning. On the first day, I jokingly asked if we were farmers or creatives. But it was all part of the unique experience.
Kat Likkel: Especially during the pandemic, when everything had to shut down, it was a crazy but incredible journey.One day, we walked into the office and heard whispers about someone being sick. It turned out that one of our colleagues had caught something while in China for a premiere. We were taken aback and started to realize the seriousness of the situation. But Pixar acted swiftly and within just a couple of days, we were all sent home with the necessary equipment to continue working on the movie from our living rooms.
It was truly miraculous how everything fell into place. The animators received their big animation equipment, including printers and computers, right at their doorstep. We had a brief downtime of two days, and then we were back on Zoom, continuing our work. We managed to complete about 75% of the movie from the comfort of our own homes, all thanks to technology.
Wow! That’s insane.
I remember it was a week after Tom Hanks tested positive for COVID-19 that everything became real for us. Once he got sick, we knew we had to shut down. It’s interesting to note that this movie had very few in-person screenings. Instead, we watched it on our laptops, missing out on the full theater experience.
Usually, we would watch the hand-drawn versions of the movie in theaters to gauge the audience’s reaction. It was a valuable experience to see how people responded and whether they were engaged. But this time, our first theater experience as a crew was during the audience preview. It was a unique situation, but we still learned a lot from it.
Yeah, that would be nerve-wracking for me.
I remember the first time a joke landed and we heard laughter. It was a relief to know that our humor was still effective, even though we couldn’t hear the audience’s reaction in person.
Can you talk about incorporating aspects of the actual elements into the characterization?
There were many discussions about this aspect of the movie. Pete, our director, was adamant about staying true to the elemental nature of the characters. While we had our own ideas about how Ember and Wade should be portrayed, Pete reminded us that they are fire and water elements, respectively. Their personalities and traits are influenced by their elemental nature. Wade, for example, is a go-with-the-flow kind of guy, but he also misses out on important things in life because of it. Ember, on the other hand, has a fiery and defensive nature, which can be dangerous if you get too close. These characteristics are deeply ingrained in their characters.rewrite the text to make it more engaging while keeping the HTML tags unchanged:
During the creation of the Elemental characters, we had so much fun brainstorming different elements like Earth, Air, Water, and Fire. We were curious about what these Earth elements would look like. When the animators and story artists started presenting their characterizations, some of them were absolutely hilarious and wonderful. However, not all of them were suitable for the film. It was incredible to witness the imagination, creativity, and artistry of these talented artists. I wish there was an online gallery where everyone could see all the different versions of the characters and the journey they went through. Being a part of this process was truly amazing.
One funny and weird idea that didn’t make it into the final cut was when Wade got sucked into the pipe and encountered a little earth element. The story artist had him save the earth element’s life by throwing him to the side. Later, when Wade and his family were in a hot air balloon, they saw the little guy again, who thanked them and had dandelions floating above his head. This scene appeared multiple times throughout the movie, even during Wade’s heartbreak. It was a delightful concept, but it didn’t fit the rules of the story.
Another interesting aspect of the film was the game Wade and his family played, where they tried to make each other cry. It reminded me of Ernest Hemingway’s challenge to tell a story in six words. We had discussions with Pete about creating these moments that would genuinely make the characters sad without making the movie too depressing. We even referenced the windshield wiper butterfly half a butterfly story that Pete came up with, which made us laugh so much. It was fascinating to think about what the happiest and most emotional people in the world would consider sad. It was a relatable experience for us, as we could understand the overwhelming love and emotions that Ember’s family portrayed. Sometimes, it was even awkward for me to be in John’s family’s house because of the intense affection. We had to take breaks to process it all.
There was a moment during the film involving the butterfly story that caught some audience members off guard. We wanted people to find it ridiculous, just like you did, but we knew it would come back at the end. At a test screening, there was a woman in front of us who was initially shocked by the scene but eventually laughed along with the rest of the audience. It was a great moment of connection.
Yes, there was consideration given to Wade being gone forever in an earlier version of the story. It would have given the main character the courage to live a different life. However, we ultimately decided to bring Wade back, allowing him to play a significant role in Ember’s journey of self-discovery and her conversation with her father.
a delicate balancing act. We wanted to make sure that the audience was emotionally invested in the story, but also had moments of lightheartedness and humor. It was a challenge, but ultimately we found a way to strike that perfect balance. And let me tell you, when it all came together, it was truly magical. The characters, the animation, the story – everything just clicked. It’s moments like these that remind me why I love working at Pixar. We have the ability to create these incredible worlds and bring them to life on the big screen. So, if you’re wondering if we ever found a way to get him to come back, well, you’ll just have to watch the movie and find out for yourself. Trust me, it’s worth it.Rewriting the text to make it more engaging while keeping the HTML tags unchanged:
Creating this film was really tricky. It took a long time to find the right tone, where we could balance the suspense of “Oh, is somebody going to die?” with the essence of a love story. We didn’t want to go too far in either direction. So there was a lot of correcting and adjusting involved.
I absolutely love that it’s a love story because while we’ve seen a little bit of that in Pixar’s Wall-E, this film really dives deep into it in a way we haven’t seen before. So what was it like to blaze a new trail for Pixar?
Kat Likkel: It was both a joy and a little intimidating. We believe it’s the first real love story for Pixar, although someone might argue otherwise. But that’s how it feels to us. It’s a bit intimidating because it’s not just a simple story, it’s emotionally complex. Finding the right balance was challenging. We didn’t want it to become a mushy romance. But what I love about it is the moment when the two characters finally come together and kiss.
That cut, cut, cut of the kiss is such a Korean cinema thing. It’s something you see in those movies. When Pete put that in, we all exploded with excitement. It was the perfect culmination of the story in a very grown-up way that you don’t usually see in a Pixar movie. We were curious about the audience’s reaction, and from the very first screenings, people were roaring with excitement. It’s been like that in every screening since.
John Hoberg: It was a little intimidating. We kept going back to Pete being Korean and marrying an Italian woman outside of his culture. Kat and I also have different cultural backgrounds in our families. We drew from our own true love stories. There’s a moment at the end where Wade lists all the reasons they can’t be together. That came from a story Kat and I told, and Anna Benedict, one of the story artists, figured out how to make it work.
When Kat and I were dating, we logically discussed the reasons why our relationship wouldn’t work and almost broke up. But at the end, we realized we didn’t want to break up. We shared that story, and Anna suggested having Wade show up and list all the reasons it doesn’t work, but with one reason that it does – they changed each other’s chemistry. It gave us chills. It was perfect. So we drew from our personal experiences to make it feel real.
I love that speech. It wasn’t just a pick-me-up type of thing. It was about acknowledging that it shouldn’t work, but they need to do something about it.
Kat Likkel: That’s one of the truest things about love – it’s a mystery, a magical mystery. The whole opposites attract concept is real. I love the tagline “opposites react.” It’s that chemistry between people in relationships – friends, parents, and all those connections. It’s that unknowable chemistry that brings us all together. It’s what makes love special, friendship special, and human relationships special.
John Hoberg: One of the scariest things about doing a love story is putting your heart on its sleeve. As filmmakers, you can’t be cynical in a love story like this. So there was some apprehension, but we had to be sincere and put our hearts out there. It was a vulnerable place to be, but it was also incredibly rewarding.
About Elemental
In Element City, where air, fire, earth, and water live together, Wade, a water element, and Ember, a fire element, become an unlikely pair. As they work together to try and save Ember’s family shop, they slowly begin to fall in love and ask the question, can fire and water ever be together?
Check out our other Elemental interviews here:
- Leah Lewis and Mamoudou Athie
- Peter Sohn and Denise Ream
Elemental is now playing in theaters.
In Element City, where air, fire, earth, and water live together, Wade, a water element, and Ember, a fire element, become an unlikely pair. As they work together to try and save Ember’s family shop, they slowly begin to fall in love and ask the question, can fire and water ever be together?
Check out our other Elemental interviews here:
- Leah Lewis and Mamoudou Athie
- Peter Sohn and Denise Ream
Elemental is now playing in theaters.
