
21. Pete Docter: “What If Monsters Really Do Exist?”
From People I (Mostly) Admire by Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher
May 9, 2026 · 43 min · Episode 21
About this episode
Pete Docter discusses Pixar's history and the filmmaking process with Steve.
He’s the chief creative officer of Pixar, and the Academy Award-winning director of Soul, Inside Out, Up, and Monsters, Inc. Pete Docter and Steve talk about Pixar’s scrappy beginnings, why it costs $200 million to make an animated film, and the movie moment that changed Steve’s life. This episode originally aired on March 26th, 2021.
People in this episode
Host: Steve
Guest: Pete Docter
Topics covered
- Pixar
- animation
- film production
- creativity
- personal stories
Keywords
- Pixar
- Pete Docter
- animation
- film
- Soul
- Inside Out
- Monsters, Inc.
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Pixar
Books & works: Soul, Inside Out, Up, Monsters, Inc.
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