In Inside Out we were given a glimpse inside of Riley’s mind when Joy and Sadness were trying to get back to homebase. During their adventure, we saw how Riley’s (Kensington Tallman) dreams were created and the characters that prepare these dreams. Dream Productions is a look into how Riley’s dreams come to be and all that goes on to prepare the dreams. In only 4 episodes, Dream Productions manages to capture that magic that not only pulls you in but has you invested in the characters until the final moment. 

The show follows director Paula Persimmon (Paula Pell) and her crew a la The Office. We see her talking to the screen and telling the audience about her history with Riley and the many dreams she has created. She is one of many directors that work on Riley’s dreams. There is a director for nightmares, sports related dreams, silly dreams, etc. Paula is a veteran at this and as Riley is growing up the studio heads feel that she is becoming out of touch with the dreams she is creating. This leads to one of the major plot lines of the series. 

Since this show takes place in Riley’s head, we do see her throughout the series. There is a dance coming up at Riley’s school and she is not sure if she wants to go or not. The decision to attend is another plot of the series and one that can be solved depending on the type of dreams she has. While this plot seems trivial, it is interesting to see how it plays out throughout the series. 

Paula comes across some situations that forces her to take a new assistant director named Xeni (Richard Ayoade) who has thoughts of what kind of dreams Riley should be having. Xeni used to be a daydream director and now they want to show what they can do no matter what it takes. The conflict between Paula and Xeni is a great thing to see because everyone can relate to not getting along with your classmate or co-worker. Dream Productions shows us how we can work together and in Riley’s case, make dreams that are amazing and hopeful. 

Dream Productions is a fun look into how dreams are created and the politics behind the scenes. Through the show we learn how communication and trust are important for the crew to make the best dreams possible for Riley. Within its 4 episode timeframe, the show manages to get you invested and possibly be crying during the final episode. With a stellar voice cast and that Pixar magic, Dream Productions is all that we could have dreamed for and more!

Taking place in between the events of “Inside Out” and “Inside Out 2” is Pixar Animation Studios’ “Dream Productions,” an all-new series about the studio inside Riley’s mind where dreams really do come true—every night, on time and on budget. Riley is growing up and when her memories need some extra processing, Joy and the rest of the Core Emotions send them to Dream Productions. Acclaimed director Paula Persimmon (voice of Paula Pell) faces a nightmare of her own: Trying to create the next hit dream after being paired up with Xeni (voice of Richard Ayoade), a smug daydream director looking to step up into the big leagues of night dreams.