"Part 2: Out of Body" is the second episode of the Disney+/Pixar series Dream Productions.
Synopsis[]
Paula and her new assistant director Xeni struggle while Janelle's debut dream is a huge hit.
Plot[]
Paula, who is at a new office, is recapping about what she learned after the incident that accidentally occurred about the Mermaid Unicorn prop, explaining that without an assistant director, it would be difficult to film a dream. She also recaps that even though she made a mistake regarding about the Mermaid Unicorn incident, Jean still believes in her, just as she recaps that she personally recommended a new assistant director. Outside, Paula finds her assistant director Xeni (who prefers to be called a co-director), much to her surprise.
Paula urges Xeni to get out of her office, while the latter plans to inform his aunt Jean which he describes to Paula as the head of the studio. Xeni shows Paula his own art which he plans to add his own aesthetic to night dreams showcasing the depths of his vision. He then critiques to Paula that the art is supposed to subvert the audience's expectation, telling her about the subversion. Paula then shares her story to Xeni that she makes good dreams for Riley and that she wants her to wake up feeling refreshed and happy, as well as recapping that she saw his daydream and think that Riley would ever like this idea as in a script page, worried of Xeni not having an idea of what Riley wants, although she hires him to be a dream director. He then asks Paula if she helped her last assistant director Janelle get promoted, which she tells him she did.
Meanwhile, Paula and her pet dog Melatonin are at the Commissary diner, narrating that everyone at Dream Productions has a juicy topic, which Paula is curious of what Riley would wear to the dance party, explaining hat the movie she is about to make would be a success like what happened in her previous film Farewell My Paci which she and Melatonin drive across the street and unawarely crashing into various props and Mind Workers. Paula then hopes that her next film would be a success at the studio, unawarely hitting a prop of the Grim Reaper, much to Xeni's shock and worried that he made it for a film, which Paula tells him that this prop should not be used, explaining to him that he is an assistant director and the only thing he directs is the assistance he gives to her, much to Xeni's frustration.
Meanwhile at Emotion Headquarters at Riley's mind, Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, and Fear are watching a movie about Riley's mother putting on a dress for her daughter while Riley in the real world sheepishly comments about her dress before getting a call from Grace just as she tells Riley that her sister went shopping and received a dress for the dance party. This resulted a mixed emotion with the colors of green and purple to be added to the Headquarters, much to Anger, Disgust, and Fear who are feeling disappointed about this result. Back with Paula, she tells Xeni that she did research and hired the writers to write a script with mature elements planning for it to be a hit as she plans to hire Rainbow Unicorn, but revealed that she was very busy at the moment. Paula approaches Rainbow in her room, feeling furious that she was injured during the filming from last night, which she suggests to rehearse for the script. She then reports to Xeni that rainbow would do it based the script she showed to her.
Meanwhile, Paula and Xeni approach the Dream Productions team, telling them about a hit movie they would be making, much to Noriko and Naseem's worry which Paula introduces Xeni to them. Xeni introduces himself to the crew, explaining to them that they will not be using any fancy equipment like lights, only for Paula to enlighten himself about his job, as she explains to him that her former assistant Janelle would stand at the spot on the other side of the camera and that when the crew would start filming, Janelle would listen to what she would say, telling him to practice role playing with her. However, Xeni does not follow Paula's direction as he grabs the camera representing Riley and carelessly harasses the crew and causes a mess in the studio, which she explains to him that Ziggy runs the camera and it is for him, not Xeni. As Paula tells Xeni that the crew is making a darker daydream, Noriko passed by and reminds her that they will film in fifteen seconds which Naseem tells Paula that Rainbow looks powerful for the scene while the latter tells Xeni to observe. As footage from the film plays, Xeni shows Paula footage from her past film Forest Dance Party albeit without the color effect, just as she tells him about the glitter effect needed for the film.
Later, a bathroom was converted into an office reserved for Paula as she tells Xeni that the film they made was not bad, which he thought the film was uncool, only for Rainbow (who is very angry) to approach the two as she gives them the reviews the audiences and critics gave about their recent film via magazines, showing them that the film they made was met with negative reviews, which Paula finds out that this dream was a bad idea. Paula tries to apologize to Rainbow Unicorn, but she refuses to accept her apology about the poor performance of the previous film. She then returns to Xeni and fires him from his career for the negative reviews she received from critics and audiences about the previous film, explaining to him that he was supposed to support his vision for the project as an assistant director. Paula convinces Xeni to take her best friend Paula as an example, which Xeni refuses, retroactively resigning from his job.
An unemployed Xeni comments in an interview that bear friends are for children and golden retrievers as well as Paula while Rainbow Unicorn angrily reacts in an interview about the latest movie she starred in having negative reviews. Amongst one of the items Paula finds is a VHS tape labeled "Riley Hit Dreams" showing a flashback of her and Janelle excited that Riley's dreams are a success in their studio while Mel hands her owner the same memory orb from her flashback, just as Paula realizes that she and Janelle were friends, planning to get her back. Paula and her pet dog arrive at the area where Janelle is talking to Jenna just as Janelle is happy to see her friend Paula back. Just as they see Mel talking to a member of the studio who gets put to sleep upon petting her.
While planning to get ready, Janelle suggests to Paula to check out the set, which she replies to her that it may need to add more interesting elements like Bubblegum Fairy or the Cupcake Twins. Jean Dewberry arrives at the spot where Paula and Janelle are standing, unaware that a spotlight on the set falls down while some Mind Workers alert Janelle that there is a safety issue with the wires according to Charlie just as Mind Workers continue to overwhelm her while Jean leaves. Paula explains to the crew about the safety issues about Janelle running a closed set, telling them to give her a full copy of the script, a red marker, and a latte, while explaining to Janelle that they do their best working together. As Paula attempts to hire Janelle as a co-director, the latter refuses, recapping that she hired her as an assistant director who would always see her this way, claiming that it was her fault. That night as Riley falls asleep, Janelle commands the crew to add fog effects to the scene and a mirror, followed by Riley's mother being added in the scene. As Paula watches footage of Riley wearing a dress in a movie titled Hey Look It's Me, Janelle commands the crew that they finished filming, causing them to celebrate.
The next day, nightmare director Gigi, comments in an interview that Janelle's dream refined the medium, showing a dislike against her. As Paula reads a newspaper about Janelle going further than her, Jean approaches Paula who plans to thank her for hiring Xeni, explaining to her that he and Paula were getting warmed up while she asks her if she saw Janelle's latest film last night which had a real impact on Riley's life. She then explains that movies that Janelle made can be the sort of confidence boost the Dream Productions crew can provide. After sharing her story, Jean suggests to Paula to replace one director. However, Paula feels unsure about this.
Cast[]
- Paula Pell as Paula Persimmon
- Richard Ayoade as Xeni
- Ally Maki as Janelle Johnson
- Maya Rudolph as Jean Dewberry
- Kensington Tallman as Riley Andersen
- Quinn Minichino Eakins as Young Riley
- Grace Lu as Grace Hsieh
- Diane Lane as Mrs. Andersen
- Liza Lapira as Disgust
- Ace Gibson as Ziggy
- Tony Hale as Fear
- Amy Poehler as Joy
- Lewis Black as Anger
- Phyllis Smith as Sadness
- Maya Aoki Tuttle as Noriko
- Grey DeLisle as Pilar
- Sumayyah Nuriddin-Green as Bree Young
- Giancarlo Sabogal as Naseem
- Kimberly Woods as Gigi
