Is journalism the best training ground for screenwriting? Two-thirds of the writers of Pixar’s “Soul” have backgrounds as reporters: Mike Jones and Kemp Powers.They wrote “Soul” with director Pete Docter; Powers is also co-director of the film, which debuts Dec.
25 on Disney Plus and seems a likely contender for Oscars and other film awards.Jones and Powers join a stellar list of newsmen who became screenwriters.
Many went on to win Oscars, including Mark Boal (“The Hurt Locker”), Cameron Crowe (“Almost Famous”), William Monahan (“The Departed”), Emeric Pressburger (“The Invaders”) and, of course, Herman Mankiewicz, Ben Hecht, Charles MacArthur, Ring Lardner Jr.
and Billy Wilder.Jones has been with Pixar since 2013; in 2016, he had a meeting with Docter, who was fascinated that his son was born with a personality that seemed completely his own.
“Pete wanted to set a movie in a place beyond place and time, where souls are given their personalities,
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