In Your Dreams director Alex Woo discusses the film’s inspirations, powerful message, and working with the incredibly talented Cristin Milioti.
Director Alex Woo’s new animated film, In Your Dreams, takes audiences on an extraordinary adventure through the surreal landscape of a child’s imagination. Premiering on Netflix on November 14, the film follows siblings Stevie and Elliot, who, in a last-ditch effort to keep their family together, journey into their dreams to find the Sandman.
It explores the complexities of family and hope, particularly for children navigating the emotional turmoil of divorce – something I have, myself, experienced, which allowed me to truly resonate with and relate to this beautiful film.
Mama’s Geeky recently spoke with Alex Woo, who shared his vision for the story, the deliberate creative choices made along the way, and the joy of working with a talented cast and crew.
A Powerful Message About Hope & Family
Alex Woo explains that he intentionally left the film off on more of an ambiguous note, emphasizing that the bond between the family remains.
“I mean, hopefully it doesn’t give people false hope,” he explained. “I think the ending is a little bit ambiguous. We don’t know what’s gonna happen, what’s in store for them.”
“The message of the movie, hopefully it comes through, is that no matter what happens, you’re always going be a family. The love is always gonna be there. It might manifest itself in a different way or a different form, the love’s always gonna be there. And especially the bond that Stevie has with Elliot. She can’t divorce her brother. He can’t divorce her, so they’re always gonna be together.”
Cristin Milioti Is A Dream To Work With
Fans will recognize the voice of Cristin Milioti, who plays Mom. Her involvement was a “dream come true” for Woo. He describes her performance as a private concert, marveling at her talent and range.
“It really was a dream come true to have her in this movie and perform. When she recorded that original song, it was like I was getting a private concert because every time she performed it, she was so good. She is so talented. I mean, she got nominated for an Emmy for The Penguin.” Yeah. I think,I hopeFingers crossed she wins. She wins. I think she won a Grammy for once.”
Note: Since the interview, Cristin did indeed win the Emmy for The Penguin.
Alex Woo Reveals The Importance Of Carefully Placed Objects
During the interview, Alex Woo shared one of the more absurd moments from the film’s production. There was a long discussion about how to handle a scene with the character Elliot, who appears naked after shedding his dream self. The team debated various methods of censorship, from a black bar to carefully placed objects.
“It was super fun to have those discussions,” Woo laughed, “but at some point I’m like, this is crazy that this is my job.”
Be sure to watch In Your Dreams when it heads to Netflix on November 14.
NEXT: Bringing Dreams to Life: A Deep Dive into the Animation of In Your Dreams
About In Your Dreams
Stevie and her little brother Elliot journey into the wildly absurd landscape of their own dreams to ask the Sandman to grant them the perfect family.
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. On Camera personality and TV / Film Critic with 10+ years of experience in video editing, writing, editing, moderating, and hosting.