‘Inside Out’ co-director Ronnie del Carmen’s animated project with Netflix will focus on Philippine mythology and lore
Jumping from the studios of Pixar to the streaming giant Netflix is Filipino animator and writer Ronnie del Carmen. Far from his works on films like “Inside Out,” “Up,” and “Finding Nemo,” Ronnie’s future animated feature on Netflix will center on Philippine mythology and lore.
“My story starts in a group of islands, in a region that I’ve now traveled back to many times over. Each time I wish I could stay and relearn what I missed. Now I feel the pull of figuring out the beginning. The parts that I use to make movies began there. So on this new journey I go where these stories will thrive,” Ronnie says in an interview with Cartoon Brew. “I carried these tales to Netflix, and when they heard my story they asked me to tell it here. So this is where I’m growing and nurturing these stories that have never been told, in an arena they deserve to belong to.”
Ronnie’s journey in the movie industry is a dream for many aspiring animators or filmmakers. Starting his career in the halls of the University of Sto. Tomas, the Cavite-born creative had the pleasure of working with famed film director Francis Ford Coppola in his movie “Apocalypse Now.” Prior to his stint at Pixar, Ronnie shared his talents on animated features “The Prince of Egypt” and “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron” for Dreamworks, and “Batman: The Animated Series” under Warner Bros.
Much like his works in Pixar, which showcases different cultures and characters that go beyond just the human or animal form, Ronnie is inspired by the diverse group of creators and storytellers, “telling tales that are windows into their own worlds,” in Netflix.
“I’m hopeful about seeing how all these stories will help fuel change and bring us all a little closer to understanding each other,” he says. “That’s my next threshold. I’m where I need to be.”