Hey everyone. Welcome back to the screenwriting life. I'm Meg Lofove. Lorient can't join today, but I'm thrilled to be welcoming Mike Jones back to the podcast.

Mike Jones has been a writer and story consultant at Pixar Animation Studios since June of 2013 and joined the studio full-time in March of 2017.

He co-wrote Pixar's Academy Award-winning feature Soul and Luca and has served on the

brain trust of many other Pixar films.

Most recently, Mike wrote, directed and executive produced the original series Dream Productions,

which was inspired by the World of Inside Out.

And as the series director, Jones oversaw all creative aspects

of Dream Productions while also directing the series finale. In his capacity as the studio's senior

and creative artist, Jones also works with other directors to develop their story. I worked with Mike

at Pixar when I wrote on the first Inside Out and have been so honored to have him as a friend and colleague ever since.

And you know, when you write at Pixar, one of the best things is going to lunch with other writers in the building who are working in other movies and we'd always end up getting into craft challenges, story math, or some insight into writing or desperately needed insight into writing that we have

have in wrestling our own movies.

So today, we thought it would be fun if we approach the show as Mike and I sitting down

at a Pixar cafeteria and talking story.

We definitely are going to talk about his show Dream Production because I love it so much.

So I do want to pick his brain about it.

But then we're going to get into some specific writing craft talk, especially maybe about how to find a great act three and how that really is ultimately your movie.

So Mike, long intro, just because I'm so thrilled to have you here.

Welcome to the show.

Thank you. It's really great to talk to you. I was to have you here. Welcome to the show. Thank you.

It's really great to talk to you. I was like, when you and I were talking about what we should do,

the idea of just you and I sitting and talking as we usually do, usually with drinks was just such a fun idea. I said, like, let's just record what you and I talk about. Although we usually begin by complaining about something.

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