Pixar's Hoppers Followed 'Pond Rules' on Set and in Story

Hoppers, Pixar's 30th film directed by Daniel Chong, follows a young girl who teams with scientists who developed technology to transfer human minds into robotic, lifelike animals. The film has earned a 93% critics score and a 94% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

The production leaned on a concept the team called "pond rules," which shaped both the story and the workplace culture. Beavers, bears, deer, birds and other wildlife appear alongside human heroes and villains, and Chong emphasized knowing everyone on the crew and connecting over stories of encounters with nature as part of that approach.

Producer Nicole Grindle said one of the production's priorities was taking care of people's basic needs, and she praised Chong's discipline and the studio's creative leaders for helping move the work forward. Chong described the film as being about connection and coexistence — a reminder that humans are part of the same ecosystem.

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