 The smash success of Docter 's 2009 film Up encouraged those at Pixar to allow Docter to create another film with a more sophisticated story . Inside Out is the first Pixar film without input from co @-@ founder and former Apple CEO Steve Jobs , who died in 2011 . It also lacked extensive input from John Lasseter , who was more focused on restructuring Walt Disney Animation Studios in Los Angeles at the time of its production . Executives at Disney and Pixar were positive at the proposal of making Inside Out , but acknowledged it would be difficult to market . 
