When the screenwriters, Pete Docter and Mikes Jones, were in the creative process of the film, they came to the conclusion that the main character had to have a passion. They made many versions of the script to get a final one that really convinced them. At first 22 would be the main character, but finally they decided on Joe, who also had different professions, the creators wanted Joe to have a profession with which it was easy to feel identified. So he went from actor to scientist. But none of them seemed to fit. Until they came across a documentary about Peter Archer, who spent his life teaching at a high school and awakened a passion for music in many of his students. A passionate trumpet player, he also dreamed of playing in a professional orchestra. He began teaching while he was waiting for his big break. This is how Peter Archer became the inspiration for the character of Joe. The final decision was that Joe had to be a jazz musician. In fact, the classroom where Joe works is identical to the Queens School where Peter Archer practiced. Not only that, if he was going to be a jazz musician he also had to be African American, because you just can't separate one thing from the other. By this I don't mean that white people can't be jazz musicians, but in a historical context it is reasonable that the character meets these characteristics. Joe being the first African-American to star in a Pixar film.

Cuando los guionistas, Pete Docter y Mikes Jones, se encontraban en el proceso creativo de la película llegaron a la conclusión de que el personaje principal, tenía que tener una pasión. Hicieron muchas versiones del guión para obtener una definitiva que de verdad les convenciera. En un principio 22 sería el personaje principal, pero finalmente se decidieron por Joe, quién además tuvo diferentes profesiones, los creadores querían que Joe tuviera una profesión con la que fuera fácil sentirse identificado. Entonces fue desde actor hasta científico. Pero ninguna les parecía. Hasta que coincidieron con un documental de Petter Archer, quién pasó su vida dando clases en una escuela secundaria y despertó la pasión por la música en muchos de sus alumnos. Un músico trompetista apasionado, que soñaba también con tocar en una orquesta profesional. Comenzó a dar clases mientras llegaba lo que sería su gran oportunidad. Así fue como Peter Archer se convirtió en la inspiración del personaje de Joe. La decisión final fue que Joe tenía que ser músico de jazz. Incluso, el salón de clases donde trabaja Joe es idéntico al de la Escuela de Queens donde Peter Archer ejercía. No solo eso, si iba a ser músico de jazz también tenía que ser afroamericano, porque simplemente no puedes separar una cosa de la otra. Con esto no quiero decir que los blancos no puedan ser músicos de jazz, pero en un contexto histórico es razonable que el personaje cumpla con estas características. Siendo Joe el primer afroamericano en protagonizar una película de Pixar.

But the creators wanted to do things right, they needed someone else, who in addition to being African-American, had grown up in the streets of New York and was closely linked to jazz. That's when Kemp Powers became part of the team. Being a fundamental piece for the depth in the development of Joe's character, so that this would allow to continue advancing. At first he joined only as a screenwriter, but Pete Docter appointed him as co-director of the production. He was also the first African-American to direct a Pixar film. In addition, the original voice of Joe is done by Jamie Foxx and the music was created by the renowned African-American pianist Jon Baptiste.

Pero los creadores querían hacer las cosas bien, necesitaban a alguien más, que además de ser afroamericano, hubiera crecido en las calles de Nueva York y estuviera muy ligado al jazz. Ahí es cuando Kemp Powers, comienza a formar parte del equipo. Siendo pieza fundamental para la profundidad en el desarrollo del personaje de Joe, para que esto permitiera seguir avanzando. En un principio se sumó solo de guionista, pero Pete Docter lo designó como codirector de la producción. Siendo también el primer afroamericano en dirigir una película de Pixar. Además, la voz original de Joe la hace Jamie Fox y la música fue creada por el reconocido pianista afroamericano Jon Baptiste.

Miles Davis on notes in jazz:

"Every note means something different. See, I try to get my saxophonist to understand the problem of phrases. You have to use the phrases the same way you spend the money you've had to work hard for during the day. But he throws them away, he wastes them. It's just like when a boxer makes useless gestures and wastes his energy." (1983)

"Cada nota significa algo diferente. Mira, trato de que mi saxofonista comprenda el problema de las frases. Hay que utilizar las frases del mismo modo que uno gasta el dinero por el que ha tenido que trabajar duro durante el día. Pero él las tira, las malgasta. Es igual que cuando un boxeador hace gestos inútiles y malgasta su energía." (1983)

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The film begins with Joe improvising on the piano while in a class, totally immersed in the music and trying to explain things that for his youthful students are still somewhat complex. Joe, started teaching at a high school because it was a steady job that allowed him to make a living from his profession, but his real dream was to pursue jazz, so for him, teaching would only be for the time being. Or so he hoped. However, that same day at the end of the class, Joe received the news that he would have a contract to become a permanent teacher. This news did not make him very happy because it is not what he wants for his life. But his mother did, because finally her son would have a permanent job with a stable salary and she did not want Joe to live his father's life.

La película comienza con Joe improvisando en el piano mientras está en una clase, totalmente sumergido en la música e intentando explicar cosas que para sus estudiantes llenos de juventud les resulta algo complejo todavía. Joe, comenzó a dar clases en una escuela secundaria porque era un trabajo fijo que le permitía vivir de su profesión, pero su verdadero sueño era dedicarse al jazz así que para él, el dar clases solo sería algo de momento. O eso esperaba. Sin embargo, ese mismo día al terminar la clase, Joe recibe la noticia de que tendría contrato para comenzar a ser profesor fijo. Esta noticia no le generó mucha felicidad porque no es lo que quiere para su vida. Pero su madre sí, ya que por fin su hijo tendría un empleo fijo con un sueldo estable y no desea que Joe viva la vida de su padre.

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However, that same day, Joe received a call from the great opportunity he had been waiting for all his life. A former student called him and told him that thanks to him, he was now a jazz musician, and that he was playing with one of the greatest exponents of jazz at that time and also admired by Joe. They were in need of a pianist for that night. This opportunity was the night of a lifetime. Her time to shine had come.

No obstante ese mismo día, Joe recibe la llamada de la gran oportunidad que estuvo esperando toda su vida. Lo llamó un exalumno que además de decirle que gracias a él, ahora era un músico de jazz, se encontraba tocando con una de las máximas exponentes del jazz en ese momento y también admirada por Joe. Estaban necesitando un pianista para esa noche. Esta oportunidad era la noche de su vida. Su momento de brillar había llegado.

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Until an unexpected accident resulted from an oversight that would lead us to the real conflict of this story. Joe suddenly falls into a sewer and wakes up in another reality in a dimension totally unknown to him, where he is not even in his physical body, accompanied by souls who inform him that they are going to what is known as the great after. At that moment he realizes that he was no longer alive and was about to be born in another physical body. Joe gets upset because that night would be the night of his life and he needed to get there as much as possible. So he manages to escape. He had not prepared his whole life to end up like this. Then he appears in another dimension that could be defined as the place where the souls that have not yet been born meet. The animation team first went through a long process of study and research before creating this concept where souls would be represented as "vaporous" or "ethereal" beings, but not physical, basing their ideas on the definitions of different religions and cultures. In this parallel reality, the first philosophical current is presented to us:

INNATISM

This theory states that the fundamental notions of human consciousness, including abilities, are innate and not through learning. In this sense, their nature was already predetermined long before and not because they develop in the environment in which they live or the conditions in which they live. A theory that would also be refuted later in the film.

Esta teoría plantea que las nociones fundamentales de la conciencia humana; incluyendo las habilidades son innatas y no a través del aprendizaje. En este sentido, su naturaleza ya estaba predeterminada desde mucho antes y no porque se van desarrollando en el ambiente en el que yace o las condiciones en las que vive. Teoría que también sería refutada más adelante en la película.

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Joe ends up as a counselor for souls about to be born. That is how he meets 22. A Soul who has been oriented by Abraham Lincoln, Mary Theresa of Calcutta and even Marie Antoinette who is only shown her head in reference to her death. Joe is mistaken for someone else and is now on a mission to help 22 find the meaning of life so that he can receive the pass and be born. What is convenient for Joe about 22 not wanting to be born is that he helps him get the meaning of life and then 22 hosts his pass so that he can return to earth and fulfill his dream. But this does not turn out to be so simple. For 22, life has no meaning. Why live if we are going to die anyway? He was not interested in anything in particular that would unite him with the earth. They tried many things until they gave up and looked for another alternative so that Joe could return to earth. Thus they go to a reality where lost souls are found and also those souls that can enter a state of meditation capable of reaching a state of elevated consciousness. It is here that a new character, Moonwind, appears. Who helps Joe to return to earth. However, when Joe wakes up he realizes that he is in a hospital alone, but not as he expected. He returned to earth in the body of a cat and who was occupying his body was now 22.

Joe termina como orientador para las almas que están a punto de nacer. Así es como conoce a 22. Un Alma que ha sido Orientada tanto por Abraham Lincoln como María Teresa de Calcuta e incluso María Antonieta a quién solo le muestran su cabeza haciendo referencia de su muerte. Joe es confundido con alguien más y ahora tiene la misión de ayudar a 22 a encontrar el sentido de la vida para que pueda recibir el pase y nacer. Lo que le resulta conveniente a Joe de que 22 no quiera nacer es que él le ayuda a conseguir el sentido de la vida y luego 22 le sede su pase para que él pueda regresar a la tierra y cumplir su sueño. Pero esto no resulta tan sencillo. Para 22 la vida no tiene ningún sentido ¿Para qué vivir si igual nos vamos a morir? no le interesaba nada en particular que le uniera con la tierra. Intentaron muchas cosas hasta que se rindieron y buscaron otra alternativa para que Joe pueda regresar a la tierra. Así se dirigen a una realidad donde se encuentran las almas perdidas y también aquellas almas que pueden entrar en un estado de meditación capaz de alcanzar un estado de conciencia elevada. Es aquí donde aparece un nuevo personaje, Moonwind. Quién ayuda a Joe a regresar a la tierra. Sin embargo, cuando Joe despierta se da cuenta que está en una sola de hospital, pero no como esperaba. Regresó a la tierra en el cuerpo de un gato y quien estaba ocupando su cuerpo ahora era 22.

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Joe and 22 begin to experience life through each other. On the one hand, 22 held the firm conviction that she did not want to be born and only intended to help Joe. She had had many teachers in her life that led her to realize that she could not be good for anything on earth and being born would be meaningless. To her surprise, everything changed when she experienced the simple reason to exist. It is here that the theory of innatism is refuted and a new theory appears, put forward mainly by Paul Satre:

EXISTENTIALISM

"Life has no meaning a priori... It is until you give it meaning and value; it has no more meaning than the meaning you choose."

“La vida no tiene sentido a priori… Es hasta que ledas un significado y valor; no tiene más que el significado que elijas”.

"Man is condemned to be free; for once he is thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does."

“El hombre está condenado a ser libre; porque una vez que es arrojado al mundo, él es responsable de todo lo que hace”.

It means that existence precedes essence. Man as a free being chooses his own path and affirms himself in his experience.

Quiere decir que la existencia precede a la esencia. El hombre como ser libre elige su propio camino y se afirma en su experiencia.

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22 discovered in a few hours in Joe's body that the simple fact of existing was a wonderful thing. Breathing, walking, eating pizza, enjoying treats, appreciating each other's company, listening. He had no idea what he wanted, but living was good for him. Meanwhile, Joe learns through living his life in his body that he is so immersed in his ideals that he ignores the most important things. He realizes how inconsiderate he is of those around him and even how little he cares about it. Being a selfish person who only talks about jazz and therefore himself.

22 descubrió en pocas horas en el cuerpo de Joe que el simple hecho de existir era algo maravilloso. Respirar, caminar, comer pizza, disfrutar de golosinas, apreciar la compañía del otro, saber escuchar. No tenía idea de lo que quería, pero vivir se le daba muy bien. Mientras, Joe aprende a través de 22 viviendo su vida en su cuerpo que está tan inmerso en sus ideales que ignora las cosas más importantes. Se da cuenta de lo poco considerado que es con quienes lo rodean e incluso lo poco que se interesa por esto. Siendo una persona egoísta que solo habla de jazz y por lo tanto de sí mismo.

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Thus the creators take the viewer to a state of reflection about existence itself. The simple reason for existing is that we are alive. How long have we really lived? In the film we can also see how fragile life can be that in a matter of seconds you can no longer exist on earth. Moreover, we live clinging to things as fragile as life. Years go by and we continue to think that it has been a failure because we have not achieved our purpose and we can even adopt a state of depression because we think that our existence has no purpose.

Así los creadores llevan al espectador a un estado de reflexión acerca de la existencia misma. Planteando que la simple razón de existir es que estamos vivos. ¿Cuánto es lo que hemos vivido realmente? En la película podemos ver también lo frágil que puede ser la vida que en cuestión de segundos puedes ya no existir en la tierra. Además, vivimos aferrados a cosas tan frágiles como la vida. Pasan los años y seguimos pensando que ha sido un fracaso porque no hemos alcanzado nuestro propósito e incluso podemos adoptar un estado de depresión por pensar que nuestra existencia no tiene ningún propósito.

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As there were several scripts until the final version was reached, several endings were also proposed, including one where 22 goes to earth and Joe does not return to his body but is ready for the big after. But to the creators it seemed a kinder ending to give Joe a second chance to come back and fulfill his dream leaving a rather realistic story ending where Joe goes to fulfill his dream, but after playing like never before, life remains exactly the same. He's still a lonely musician who returns home and everything is exactly the same. Except Joe, what happens next? We ask ourselves, but this has nothing to do with Joe anymore.

Como existieron varios guiones hasta alcanzar la versión definitiva, se plantearon también varios finales, incluso uno en el que 22 va a la tierra y Joe no regresa a su cuerpo sino que está preparado para el gran después. Pero a los creadores les pareció un final más amable darle una segunda oportunidad a Joe para regresar y cumplir su sueño dejando un final de historia bastante realista donde Joe va a cumplir su sueño, pero después de tocar como nunca antes, la vida sigue siendo exactamente igual. Sigue siendo un músico solitario que regresa a casa y todo es exactamente igual. Excepto Joe. ¿Qué ocurre después? Nos preguntamos a nosotros mismos, pero esto ya no tiene nada que ver con Joe.

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You realize that a movie is good because it makes you rethink aspects of your life that you may be ignoring. If you haven't had a chance to see this movie yet, don't think about it. It is worth every minute. It's a gem that you'll even need to watch more than once.

Te das cuenta que una película es buena porque te hace replantearte aspectos de tu vida que puedes estar ignorando. Si todavía no has tenido la oportunidad de ver esta película, no lo pienses. Vale la pena cada minuto. Es una joya que necesitarás incluso ver más de una vez.

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Finally, I conclude this review by thanking you for taking the time to read.

Finalmente, concluyo esta reseña agradeciendo por tu tiempo para leer.

Disney Pixar's 'SOUL': Existential Ideas to Life [En/Es]

"Life has no meaning a priori... It is until you give it meaning and value; it has no more meaning than the meaning you choose."

"Man is condemned to be free; for once he is thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does."

Finally, I conclude this review by thanking you for taking the time to read.