A Bug’s Life was for me probably the most difficult story to tame and get working correctly. Why? Well, hindsight is 20-20. And looking back, I’ve come to understand a crucial factor that at least for me I need when I’m writing a story. And at some point in your tumultuous journey in screenwriting you need to uncover your key image.

And what I mean by that is, your touchstone. This is not a rule; this is just me. But — and it could come from anywhere. But something that epitomizes the emotional core of your story. It reminds you what it’s about, of the value trying to be expressed. It keeps you on track.

For Toy Story it was the simple imagery of an old favourite toy on the bed, being knocked off and replaced by a brand new favourite toy, all the jealousy and insecurities that would naturally be stirred up by that [garbled] evoked.

And Toy Story 2 was Woody at the crossroads of his toy existence, looking down that ventilation shaft that elicited the fear and anxiety of facing death.

For Monsters Incorporated it was the simple image of a giant furry paw holding the tiny hand of a little girl. It was an actual sketch. I couldn’t find it so I used this clip. It conjured up the childhood issues of overcoming your fears and the trials of an adult adjusting to parenthood.

For Finding Nemo it was the discovery of a sole surviving fish egg in the sand. It represented the moment your child is born and you hold it and you’re barraged with a sea of overwhelming conflicting emotions: love, sadness, joy, but most of all, fear.