OVERLAY REPORT

In the film *Monsters, Inc.* (2001), the plot is set in motion by a specific chain of events occurring at the end of a standard workday. While the film opens with world-building—establishing the "scream" energy crisis and the monster world's irrational fear of human children—the narrative's true momentum begins with the following specific actions: ### 1. Mike’s Negligence At the end of the shift, **Mike Wazowski** is in a hurry to leave for a birthday dinner with his girlfriend, Celia Mae. In his rush, he neglects to file his paperwork. His rival, **Randall Boggs**, goads him about it, but Mike leaves anyway, assuming he can finish it the next morning. ### 2. Sulley’s Act of Kindness **James P. "Sulley" Sullivan**, Mike's best friend and top scarer, notices that Mike left his paperwork behind. To help his friend avoid getting in trouble with the stern administrative manager, **Roz**, Sulley returns to the "Scare Floor" after hours to retrieve and file the documents for him. ### 3. The Discovery of the "Illegal" Door Upon returning to the dark, deserted Scare Floor, Sulley discovers a single active closet door that has been left in its station—a violation of factory safety protocols, as doors are supposed to be returned to the "vault" after shifts. * **The Specific Detail:** Thinking a scarer might still be inside or that someone forgot to "close out" the door, Sulley investigates. He peeks inside the room but finds no one. However, when he pulls his head back out, he unknowingly allows a toddler (later named **Boo**) to cling to his tail and enter the monster world. ### 4. The Accidental Introduction of Boo Sulley’s immediate reaction is one of pure terror because of the monster world's belief that children are "toxic" and that a single touch is fatal. * **The Catalyst:** He tries several times to put the girl back through the door, but she views him as a giant "kitty" and refuses to stay put. When he finally manages to get her back into the room, he realizes he has accidentally brought a piece of her equipment (a stuffed animal or a sock) back with him, and she soon follows him out again. * **The Complication:** Before he can return her, he hears Randall returning to the floor. Sulley hides and realizes that **Randall** was the one who brought the door down secretly to conduct "illegal" overtime. Afraid of being caught with a child and realizing the door has been sent back to the vault, Sulley is forced to hide Boo in a gym bag, effectively starting their journey to return her home. ### Summary of the "Starting Actions" The plot moves from a "normal day at the office" to a high-stakes adventure because of **Mike's laziness**, **Sulley's helpfulness**, and **Randall's secret cheating**. These three distinct character choices converge to allow a human child to breach the barrier between worlds, triggering the conflict with the CDA (Child Detection Agency) and uncovering the corporate conspiracy involving Henry J. Waternoose.