New month, new releases at Disney+! Some of the House of Mouse’s biggest brands will see premieres in February. The streamer will bid adieu to its animated series “Star Wars: The Bad Batch,” which kicks off its third and final season with three new episodes on Feb. 21. Disney+ subscribers will also get to revisit last year’s “The Marvels,” which will have its streaming premiere on Feb. 7.
From a new installment of the anthology series “Genius” to a collaboration with Kugali Media for the animated series “Iwájú,” check out The Streamable’s top picks for the new additions to Disney+ this February and see everything come to the streamer soon!
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What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Coming to Disney+ in February 2024? “Genius: MLK/X” Premiere | Friday, Feb. 2
The National Geographic anthology series...
From a new installment of the anthology series “Genius” to a collaboration with Kugali Media for the animated series “Iwájú,” check out The Streamable’s top picks for the new additions to Disney+ this February and see everything come to the streamer soon!
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What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Coming to Disney+ in February 2024? “Genius: MLK/X” Premiere | Friday, Feb. 2
The National Geographic anthology series...
- 1/29/2024
- by Ashley Steves
- The Streamable
Ready to cry your eyes out again? Because there’s a new “Up” short film from Pixar that should do the trick.
“Carl’s Date,” a short film produced after the series of “Up”-based shorts called “Dug Days” that premiered on Disney+ in 2021, will get the big screen treatment this June. The short is set to appear before “Elemental,” the new Pixar feature from Peter Sohn (who partially inspired the character of Russell in “Up”), and features Carl Fredricksen (Ed Asner) get ready for his first date since Ellie passed away. It is deeply touching and hilarious and appropriate as a preamble for “Elemental,” which focuses on the love story between two very opposite characters – one made of fire and the other made of water.
“Carl’s Date” was written and directed by Pixar stalwart Bob Peterson, who co-wrote and co-directed “Up” and who wrote and directed the rest of the “Dug Days” shorts,...
“Carl’s Date,” a short film produced after the series of “Up”-based shorts called “Dug Days” that premiered on Disney+ in 2021, will get the big screen treatment this June. The short is set to appear before “Elemental,” the new Pixar feature from Peter Sohn (who partially inspired the character of Russell in “Up”), and features Carl Fredricksen (Ed Asner) get ready for his first date since Ellie passed away. It is deeply touching and hilarious and appropriate as a preamble for “Elemental,” which focuses on the love story between two very opposite characters – one made of fire and the other made of water.
“Carl’s Date” was written and directed by Pixar stalwart Bob Peterson, who co-wrote and co-directed “Up” and who wrote and directed the rest of the “Dug Days” shorts,...
- 3/28/2023
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
I Am Groot was a surprising addition to Marvel Studios’ line-up, but a welcome one. A series of five shorts, each of which was brought to life by breath-taking CGI artistry; the stories were low-stake and focused on the Guardians of the Galaxy member during his younger years, after the events of the first film.
The release of these shorts, which have very clearly been defined as separate entities on Disney+ rather than an ongoing show, has indicated that Marvel is willing to get a little riskier when it comes to the formats in which they tell their stories. There’s surely a place for short films within the context of the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe. What narrative opportunities could occur thanks to the addition of this platform, and are there any benefits to reviving these mini-movies?
The Original Marvel One-Shots
The One-Shot has lived within Marvel as a concept...
The release of these shorts, which have very clearly been defined as separate entities on Disney+ rather than an ongoing show, has indicated that Marvel is willing to get a little riskier when it comes to the formats in which they tell their stories. There’s surely a place for short films within the context of the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe. What narrative opportunities could occur thanks to the addition of this platform, and are there any benefits to reviving these mini-movies?
The Original Marvel One-Shots
The One-Shot has lived within Marvel as a concept...
- 8/22/2022
- by Kirsten Howard
- Den of Geek
Hot off the success of her feature debut “Turning Red,” Pixar director Domee Shi has been promoted to a key leadership role alongside the film’s producer, Lindsey Collins.
Shi has been named a creative vice president at Pixar, joining a creative leadership team that also includes chief creative officer Pete Docter, “Finding Nemo” director Andrew Stanton, “Onward” director Dan Scanlon and “The Good Dinosaur” director Peter Sohn. The team of creative VPs oversees the development of all productions, serving as executive producers and consultants for the studio’s filmmakers. Shi will report to Docter and Pixar president Jim Morris.
Shi joined Pixar as a story artist on Docter’s 2015 film “Inside Out” and served the same role on “The Good Dinosaur,” “The Incredibles 2” and “Toy Story 4.” In 2018, she directed the short film “Bao,” which won an Academy Award for Best Animated Short.
Collins, who served as VP of development,...
Shi has been named a creative vice president at Pixar, joining a creative leadership team that also includes chief creative officer Pete Docter, “Finding Nemo” director Andrew Stanton, “Onward” director Dan Scanlon and “The Good Dinosaur” director Peter Sohn. The team of creative VPs oversees the development of all productions, serving as executive producers and consultants for the studio’s filmmakers. Shi will report to Docter and Pixar president Jim Morris.
Shi joined Pixar as a story artist on Docter’s 2015 film “Inside Out” and served the same role on “The Good Dinosaur,” “The Incredibles 2” and “Toy Story 4.” In 2018, she directed the short film “Bao,” which won an Academy Award for Best Animated Short.
Collins, who served as VP of development,...
- 4/5/2022
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
Pixar Animation Studios is promoting “Turning Red” producer Lindsey Collins and director Domee Shi into leadership roles at the company.
Collins has been named into a new position, as senior vice president of development. She will lead the development group at Pixar for features and streaming, where current and upcoming filmmakers originate story ideas and shape them into movies for production. She will report to Pixar president Jim Morris and join the creative VP team which supports chief creative officer Pete Docter in guiding the studio’s creative direction.
Collins joins five other SVPs at Pixar, taking a leadership role in steering the studio’s overall business. She’s a nearly 25-year veteran at the studio, including roles as co-producer of “Wall-e,” producer of “Finding Dory” and vice president of development, where she helped spearhead the studio’s SparkShorts program.
“As I reflect on my 25 years at Pixar, the pride...
Collins has been named into a new position, as senior vice president of development. She will lead the development group at Pixar for features and streaming, where current and upcoming filmmakers originate story ideas and shape them into movies for production. She will report to Pixar president Jim Morris and join the creative VP team which supports chief creative officer Pete Docter in guiding the studio’s creative direction.
Collins joins five other SVPs at Pixar, taking a leadership role in steering the studio’s overall business. She’s a nearly 25-year veteran at the studio, including roles as co-producer of “Wall-e,” producer of “Finding Dory” and vice president of development, where she helped spearhead the studio’s SparkShorts program.
“As I reflect on my 25 years at Pixar, the pride...
- 4/5/2022
- by Adam B. Vary
- Variety Film + TV
On March 9, LGBTQ employees and allies at Pixar Animation Studios sent a joint statement to Walt Disney Company leadership claiming that Disney executives had actively censored “overtly gay affection” in its feature films. The stunning allegation — made as part of a larger protest over the company’s lack of public response to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill — did not include which Pixar films had weathered the censorship, nor which specific creative decisions were cut or altered.
But in at least one case, the statement appears to have made a significant difference.
According to a source close to the production, Pixar’s next feature film, “Lightyear” — starring Chris Evans as the putative real-life inspiration for the “Toy Story” character Buzz Lightyear — does feature a significant female character, Hawthorne (voiced by Uzo Aduba), who is in a meaningful relationship with another woman. While the fact of that relationship was never in question at the studio,...
But in at least one case, the statement appears to have made a significant difference.
According to a source close to the production, Pixar’s next feature film, “Lightyear” — starring Chris Evans as the putative real-life inspiration for the “Toy Story” character Buzz Lightyear — does feature a significant female character, Hawthorne (voiced by Uzo Aduba), who is in a meaningful relationship with another woman. While the fact of that relationship was never in question at the studio,...
- 3/18/2022
- by Adam B. Vary
- Variety Film + TV
Turns out that Pixar director Domee Shi’s Oscar-winning “Bao” short was truly the appetizer before the meal of “Turning Red,” her animated feature debut (premiering March 11 on Disney+). Both rely on bizarre transformations to express identity crises while growing up as a Chinese-Canadian in Toronto. However, “Turning Red” allowed her to fully explore her awkward tween experience through 13-year-old Mei Lee (Rosalie Chiang), who turns into a giant red panda whenever she can’t control her emotions about boy bands, pop music, her besties, and breaking free from her overbearing mom, Ming (Sandra Oh).
“Where did this wacky story come from? Back in 2017, as I was promoting [‘Bao’], a lot of people kept asking me: Why is Bao a boy? Because I only had eight minutes to tell the story,” said Shi. “For a mother-daughter story, I needed an entire feature film to unpack that. And, luckily, I was soon...
“Where did this wacky story come from? Back in 2017, as I was promoting [‘Bao’], a lot of people kept asking me: Why is Bao a boy? Because I only had eight minutes to tell the story,” said Shi. “For a mother-daughter story, I needed an entire feature film to unpack that. And, luckily, I was soon...
- 2/7/2022
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Since the launch of its streaming service Disney Plus, Disney has been pulling back the curtain to reveal how the magic is actually made on the studio lot. Giving fans unprecedented access into some of the most intimate creative-process moments, the “Gallery” series revealed the elaborate lengths Marvel went to to keep the comic-book effects practical on “WandaVision.” And we’ll never forget witnessing Sterling K. Brown find out, on camera, in “Into the Unknown: Making Frozen II,” that his “Frozen II” song had been cut (a truly anxiety-inducing look at the mound of work that goes into crafting and executing an animated feature).
Next up on the Disney docket, a sneak peek inside Pixar. Variety is debuting the first trailer for “A Spark Story,” a feature-length documentary that takes viewers inside the SparkShorts program — an in-house initiative created to highlight exciting talent among the Pixar ranks and tell new stories.
Next up on the Disney docket, a sneak peek inside Pixar. Variety is debuting the first trailer for “A Spark Story,” a feature-length documentary that takes viewers inside the SparkShorts program — an in-house initiative created to highlight exciting talent among the Pixar ranks and tell new stories.
- 9/20/2021
- by Meredith Woerner
- Variety Film + TV
Aphton Corbin, one of Pixar’s rising Black female story artists, was motivated by professional insecurity to make her debut SparkShort, “Twenty Something,” on Disney+. It’s a clever and funny 2D short about Gia, who imagines herself as a stack of kids hiding in a trench coat during a frantic 21st birthday celebration at a club.
“The original idea stems from me being a 20-something entering the workforce for the first time at Pixar and feeling all of the inadequacies that are coming at you all at once,” Corbin said. “Am I a successful adult or am I bunch of kids running around to make it work? This was fun to visualize [adulting] as a short.”
When approached to direct her first short through the experimental SparkShort program, Corbin immediately started hyperventilating. But she decided to dig deeper into her “imposter syndrome,” which often compels her to draw comics in...
“The original idea stems from me being a 20-something entering the workforce for the first time at Pixar and feeling all of the inadequacies that are coming at you all at once,” Corbin said. “Am I a successful adult or am I bunch of kids running around to make it work? This was fun to visualize [adulting] as a short.”
When approached to direct her first short through the experimental SparkShort program, Corbin immediately started hyperventilating. But she decided to dig deeper into her “imposter syndrome,” which often compels her to draw comics in...
- 9/10/2021
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Aardman Animations’ founder Peter Lord will receive the honorary Chinelo del Año at Mexico’s 10th Pixelatl animation festival, hosted by the city of Cuernavaca. Taking place in an online format, the event runs Sept. 7-11.
Organization has confirmed the attendance of executives from Disney Animation, Netflix, Nickelodeon, Illumination Entertainment, Lucas Films, Bento Box, Titmouse, HBO Max, BBC, Gaumont and Disney Plus, among others.
Conceived as both an exhibition platform and cluster of networking events, talent recruitment programs, masterclasses and workshops, Pixelatl main thrust is to extend the international reach of Mexico and Latin America’s animation industries.
Activities include a conversation with Byron Howard, the co-director of Disney Animation hit “Zootopia”; a workshop given by Sandra Equihua, the character designer – and a key creative influence – on the much-anticipated Netflix title “Maya and the Three”; and sneak previews of Pixar’s SparkShorts program with presentations by two of the selected...
Organization has confirmed the attendance of executives from Disney Animation, Netflix, Nickelodeon, Illumination Entertainment, Lucas Films, Bento Box, Titmouse, HBO Max, BBC, Gaumont and Disney Plus, among others.
Conceived as both an exhibition platform and cluster of networking events, talent recruitment programs, masterclasses and workshops, Pixelatl main thrust is to extend the international reach of Mexico and Latin America’s animation industries.
Activities include a conversation with Byron Howard, the co-director of Disney Animation hit “Zootopia”; a workshop given by Sandra Equihua, the character designer – and a key creative influence – on the much-anticipated Netflix title “Maya and the Three”; and sneak previews of Pixar’s SparkShorts program with presentations by two of the selected...
- 9/7/2021
- by Emilio Mayorga
- Variety Film + TV
More experimental short films to enjoy! Disney has launched a "Season 2" collection of five short films as part of their experimental program Short Circuit, similar to Pixar's SparkShorts program. Short Circuit 2 features five new shorts each with unique visual and storytelling styles: Dinosaur Barbarian - Battling evil is all in a day's work, but what about taking out the trash? Sometimes even a superhero needs to clean up his act. Going Home - About growing up and the meaning of home in which a young adult repeatedly visits his hometown, but with every new arrival he starts to face the inevitable: change. Crosswalk - A law-abiding citizen must find his inner strength to cross the street at a light that won't change. Songs to Sing in the Dark - Creatures living in the depths of a dark cave engage in a battle of acoustic one-upmanship. As things escalate,...
- 8/9/2021
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Pixar just announced two new SparkShorts are on their way to Dinsey+, along with a feature-length documentary about the SparkShorts filmmaking process. If the name SparkShorts looks familiar, it’s because you’ve likely already seen some films in the series. It’s a Pixar Animation program designed to discover new storytellers and uplift their voices through creative animation […]
The post Pixar Reveals New Sparkshorts Coming to Disney+, Including Hand-Drawn Short ‘Twenty Something’ appeared first on /Film.
The post Pixar Reveals New Sparkshorts Coming to Disney+, Including Hand-Drawn Short ‘Twenty Something’ appeared first on /Film.
- 7/21/2021
- by Shania Russell
- Slash Film
On Wednesday, Disney+ announced three new film projects from Pixar Animation Studios’ SparkShorts Program, which will debut on the streamer in September.
Two of the films are shorts: Director Aphton Corbin’s Twenty Something, and director Louis Gonzales’ Nona. The third, A Spark Story, is a feature-length documentary from directors Jason Sterman and Leanne Dare.
Created using hand-drawn animation, Twenty Something examines the challenges and insecurities of ‘adulting.’ Some days you’re nailing it, while other days, you’re just a stack of kids hiding in a trench coat, hoping no one notices. The film’s protagonist is Gia, who finds herself in this exact scenario the night of her 21st birthday. Twenty Something is produced by Erik Langley and will debut on Disney+ on September 10.
Nona centers on a grandmother who plans to spend her day off by shutting out the world to watch her favorite TV show, E.
Two of the films are shorts: Director Aphton Corbin’s Twenty Something, and director Louis Gonzales’ Nona. The third, A Spark Story, is a feature-length documentary from directors Jason Sterman and Leanne Dare.
Created using hand-drawn animation, Twenty Something examines the challenges and insecurities of ‘adulting.’ Some days you’re nailing it, while other days, you’re just a stack of kids hiding in a trench coat, hoping no one notices. The film’s protagonist is Gia, who finds herself in this exact scenario the night of her 21st birthday. Twenty Something is produced by Erik Langley and will debut on Disney+ on September 10.
Nona centers on a grandmother who plans to spend her day off by shutting out the world to watch her favorite TV show, E.
- 7/21/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
"I want to tell Jimmy I'm half-vampire." Disney has debuted six individual trailers for their new short film series steaming on Disney+ called Launchpad. We featured one teaser last month, but get a closer look at each one of these below. Bold new storytelling from six new filmmakers with unique perspectives in Disney's Launchpad, arriving in May. The series will feature six different shorts at launch - titled: American Eid, Dinner is Served, Growing Fangs, The Last of the Chupacabras, Let's Be Tigers, and The Little Prince(ss). Much like the Pixar SparkShorts series, they want to tell us stories that we don't usually hear - from a diverse set of voices, about underrepresented people trying to be themselves. Most of them are about teens or kids - one of them is about a half human / half vampire, one of them is about a Mexican-American struggling to carry on her traditions,...
- 5/25/2021
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
"For the first time, I didn't feel so alone..." Disney has released an official trailer for a new short film series steaming on Disney+ called Launchpad. "Discover the magic that connects us." Bold new storytelling from six new filmmakers with unique perspectives in Disney's Launchpad, arriving in May. The series will feature six different shorts at launch - titled: American Eid, Dinner is Served, Growing Fangs, The Last of the Chupacabras, Let's Be Tigers, and The Little Prince(ss). Much like the Pixar SparkShorts series, they want to tell us stories that we don't usually hear - from a diverse set of voices, about underrepresented people trying to be themselves. Most of them are about teens or kids - one of them is about a half human / half vampire, one of them is about a Mexican-American struggling to carry on her traditions, one of them is about a 7-year-old Chinese kid who loves ballet.
- 4/14/2021
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
On her Oscar-nominated animated short Burrow, writer and director Madeline Sharafian wanted to create a film based on overcoming the fear of showing ignorance in new environments. With the help of producer Michael Capbarat, Sharafian was able to make her dream into a Pixar SparkShort.
Burrow follows a rabbit as she tries to dig a burrow to create her dream home, without any knowledge of how to do so. “Rabbits in burrows were a visual that I was always interested in,” says Sharafian, “but the story comes from my first couple of years at Pixar and really feeling like I had to prove that I deserved to be there.”
As the rabbit digs her burrow, she meets her neighbors and becomes embarrassed by how intricate and grand their burrows are. Rather than request help, the rabbit digs herself further down and away to create her burrow entirely by herself. “I...
Burrow follows a rabbit as she tries to dig a burrow to create her dream home, without any knowledge of how to do so. “Rabbits in burrows were a visual that I was always interested in,” says Sharafian, “but the story comes from my first couple of years at Pixar and really feeling like I had to prove that I deserved to be there.”
As the rabbit digs her burrow, she meets her neighbors and becomes embarrassed by how intricate and grand their burrows are. Rather than request help, the rabbit digs herself further down and away to create her burrow entirely by herself. “I...
- 4/12/2021
- by Ryan Fleming
- Deadline Film + TV
As the longer-than-usual Oscars race stretches into a marathon, there’s more time than ever to delve into some of the more obscure categories. Though certainly frowned upon, voters may not always have made time to view every nominated short film in previous years, which makes predicting these categories something of a wild goose chase. With the added time this year, Academy voters have little excuse not to do their due diligence. They will find a rich array of socially-conscious short form narratives, from the traditional to the experimental.
The five animated short film nominees vary widely in tone, visual style, and storytelling approach. Pixar and Netflix, which dominate the Best Animated Feature category with two films apiece, both landed a single nominee among the shorts. The other three, two from outside the U.S., blur narrative conventions to offer poetic moments of social critique. Their perspectives range from playful to fatalistic,...
The five animated short film nominees vary widely in tone, visual style, and storytelling approach. Pixar and Netflix, which dominate the Best Animated Feature category with two films apiece, both landed a single nominee among the shorts. The other three, two from outside the U.S., blur narrative conventions to offer poetic moments of social critique. Their perspectives range from playful to fatalistic,...
- 4/7/2021
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
Those who typically scope the Academy Award-nominated shorts programs hoping to win the Oscar pool will have a particularly tough time of it with this year’s animated roster, as the options are wide-ranging but lack a clear front-runner. A few of the talents have ties to Pixar, though only one short was actually developed at a studio, while the other four are far more personal, independent expressions with little in common, least of all technique. Compared with past editions, this is a relatively weak year, though it’s always a treat to survey the range of offerings, released in theaters and on demand by ShortsTV.
Madeline Sharafian’s adorable but basic bunny toon “Burrow” was developed within Disney/Pixar’s SparkShorts program, a creative sandbox for up-and-coming voices, which also produced previous nominee “Kitbull.” Choosing hand-drawn techniques over the studio’s traditional hyper-polished 3D rendering, the film boasts an old-fashioned,...
Madeline Sharafian’s adorable but basic bunny toon “Burrow” was developed within Disney/Pixar’s SparkShorts program, a creative sandbox for up-and-coming voices, which also produced previous nominee “Kitbull.” Choosing hand-drawn techniques over the studio’s traditional hyper-polished 3D rendering, the film boasts an old-fashioned,...
- 4/3/2021
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Ahead of the Academy Awards, we’ve reviewed every short film in each category: Animation, Documentary, and Live Action.
Animation
Burrow | USA | 6 Mins
I said it two years ago with Kitbull and will say it again now: it’s weird to watch a Pixar production utilizing a two-dimensional, hand-drawn style after so many years of computer animation. Madeline Sharafian’s Burrow continues that trend within the Disney+ Sparkshorts series and her tale of a young rabbit looking to dig out her dream home in the dirt. There’s a Little Golden Books appeal that hit me with a ton of nostalgia as her unwavering joy is shattered by not one, but two neighbors popping their heads through the walls separating her from their more ambitious abodes. One look at what they’ve each created sends her enthusiasm levels down to zero—her blueprints of a single room habitat a pale comparison conjuring only embarrassment instead.
Animation
Burrow | USA | 6 Mins
I said it two years ago with Kitbull and will say it again now: it’s weird to watch a Pixar production utilizing a two-dimensional, hand-drawn style after so many years of computer animation. Madeline Sharafian’s Burrow continues that trend within the Disney+ Sparkshorts series and her tale of a young rabbit looking to dig out her dream home in the dirt. There’s a Little Golden Books appeal that hit me with a ton of nostalgia as her unwavering joy is shattered by not one, but two neighbors popping their heads through the walls separating her from their more ambitious abodes. One look at what they’ve each created sends her enthusiasm levels down to zero—her blueprints of a single room habitat a pale comparison conjuring only embarrassment instead.
- 3/31/2021
- by Jared Mobarak
- The Film Stage
This Pixar short - a result of their SparkShorts program that gives their directors six months and a limited budget to make their film with the aim of fostering new talent - should have screened before Soul in a Covid-free world, but made its way to Disney+ instead. It's sweetly old fashioned, both in its style, which made me think of my own childhood picture books - Sharafian has said she was inspired by the likes of Richard Scarry - and its theme of someone building a new home.
Bunny is in the business of burrowing, blueprint in paw. Her plan is a simple one, involving a bed and, potentially, a bit of a disco... but then the neighbours start dropping in. Embarrassed by everyone else's deluxe dwellings - and the way she hugs her plan close to her says it all - the bunny finds herself digging deeper, with plenty of slapstick along.
Bunny is in the business of burrowing, blueprint in paw. Her plan is a simple one, involving a bed and, potentially, a bit of a disco... but then the neighbours start dropping in. Embarrassed by everyone else's deluxe dwellings - and the way she hugs her plan close to her says it all - the bunny finds herself digging deeper, with plenty of slapstick along.
- 3/15/2021
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
It’s no surprise Pixar Animation Studios has landed two animated shorts on the Oscar shortlist.
With such films as “Inside Out” and “Up,” Pixar can tell stories like no other. Each tale delivers a warm emotional punch. And that comes from the notion that many of the studio’s stories start from a personal perspective.
It’s no different with its contenders from its SparkShorts program, “Burrow” and “Out.” SparkShorts allows animators six months to develop and produce a short.
Madeline Sharafian has always loved bunnies, her childhood nickname was “Rabbit,” and while going through sketchbooks from her college days, she had found a sketch of a burrow. When the opportunity to create a SparkShort came up, Sharafian jumped at the chance.
Animation supervisor Benjamin Su was immediately attracted when he saw Sharafian’s “Burrow” presentation. “The characters, the message behind the film and the designs were so charming,...
With such films as “Inside Out” and “Up,” Pixar can tell stories like no other. Each tale delivers a warm emotional punch. And that comes from the notion that many of the studio’s stories start from a personal perspective.
It’s no different with its contenders from its SparkShorts program, “Burrow” and “Out.” SparkShorts allows animators six months to develop and produce a short.
Madeline Sharafian has always loved bunnies, her childhood nickname was “Rabbit,” and while going through sketchbooks from her college days, she had found a sketch of a burrow. When the opportunity to create a SparkShort came up, Sharafian jumped at the chance.
Animation supervisor Benjamin Su was immediately attracted when he saw Sharafian’s “Burrow” presentation. “The characters, the message behind the film and the designs were so charming,...
- 3/4/2021
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Onward and upward! Disney + Pixar have uploaded another of their SparkShorts to YouTube for everyone to view for free called Wind, written and directed by Edwin Chang, who usually works as in simulation at the studio. Pixar's SparkShorts program for experimental & innovative short films launched in 2019 and after posting half of them on YouTube, Disney stopped allowing them to be seen for free and saved the rest of them for Disney+ only. This short also debuted back in 2019 but is now available for YouTube viewing, along with this message: "Pixar Animation Studios and the SparkShorts filmmakers of Wind are in solidarity with the Asian and Asian American communities against Anti-Asian hate in all its forms. We are proud of the onscreen representation in this short and have decided to make it widely available, in celebration of what stories that feature Asian characters can do to promote inclusion everywhere." The story...
- 2/28/2021
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Filmmakers behind Pixar’s SparkShorts “Burrow,” “Out,” “Float,” “Loop” and “Wind” will discuss their work in a free online PreVIEW talk presented by the View Conference, beginning at 10 a.m. Pt on Friday, Feb. 26. “Burrow” and “Out” are on the Academy’s shortlist for Oscar nominations.
The SparkShorts program was begun by Pixar in 2019 as a way for the studio’s staff to work on personal projects with limited studio oversight while exploring unique story ideas and storytelling techniques and testing new workflows.
“The Pixar SparkShorts program has already proven itself to be an inspiring way to nurture talent,” says View Conference director Maria Elena Gutierrez. “I am thrilled that these five talented directors will be joining us at our special View Conference PreVIEW event to talk about their work and offer further inspiration to aspiring artists and professionals alike.”
Madeline Sharafian, story lead on Disney-Pixar’s “Onward” and storyboard artist on “Coco,...
The SparkShorts program was begun by Pixar in 2019 as a way for the studio’s staff to work on personal projects with limited studio oversight while exploring unique story ideas and storytelling techniques and testing new workflows.
“The Pixar SparkShorts program has already proven itself to be an inspiring way to nurture talent,” says View Conference director Maria Elena Gutierrez. “I am thrilled that these five talented directors will be joining us at our special View Conference PreVIEW event to talk about their work and offer further inspiration to aspiring artists and professionals alike.”
Madeline Sharafian, story lead on Disney-Pixar’s “Onward” and storyboard artist on “Coco,...
- 2/22/2021
- by Terry Flores
- Variety Film + TV
It’s been a little more than 25 years since the CG breakthrough of “Toy Story,” and Pixar still continues developing new animation tech. And that includes utilizing its vaunted shorts program as a training ground for testing new techniques and launching new directing careers. But, with the recent launch of the more indie-minded SparkShorts program (including the Oscar-nominated “Kitbull”), artists are freer to experiment with different formats and more personal, socially-conscious storytelling.
This Oscar season, two SparkShorts landed spots on the shortlist for Best Animated Short: “Out,” about a man whose accidental body-swap with his dog helps him come out to his parents, and “Burrow,” an adorable and lovely 2D work about a rabbit who dreams of building a cozy home below ground but then runs into a logistical nightmare.
The two shorts hail from creators at different ends of the Pixar spectrum: Steven Clay Hunter, a veteran animator whose...
This Oscar season, two SparkShorts landed spots on the shortlist for Best Animated Short: “Out,” about a man whose accidental body-swap with his dog helps him come out to his parents, and “Burrow,” an adorable and lovely 2D work about a rabbit who dreams of building a cozy home below ground but then runs into a logistical nightmare.
The two shorts hail from creators at different ends of the Pixar spectrum: Steven Clay Hunter, a veteran animator whose...
- 2/19/2021
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
When Pixar Animation Studios discovered their feature shorts were becoming a limited means to discover talent and explore new subject matter, the Walt Disney Studios subsidiary created the SparkShorts program. This allowed independent filmmakers from within the studio to apply for grant funding and create their own shorts while keeping their day job. Watch two-time Oscar winner Andrew Stanton (“Wall-e” and “Finding Nemo”) moderate a panel of five SparkShorts directors who helmed Pixar’s latest Oscar-eligible animated shorts above.
Madeline Sharafian (“Burrow”), Bobby Alcid Rubio (“Float”), Erica Milsom (“Loop”), Steven Clay Hunter (“Out”) and Edwin Chang (“Wind”) join Stanton to discuss their individual processes for creating each film and how they conceptualized their stories. Below is a synopsis of each of the animated short films discussed in this exclusive panel discussion from Pixar.
See‘Soul’ director Pete Docter explains how jazz helped shape the spirit of the film and not...
Madeline Sharafian (“Burrow”), Bobby Alcid Rubio (“Float”), Erica Milsom (“Loop”), Steven Clay Hunter (“Out”) and Edwin Chang (“Wind”) join Stanton to discuss their individual processes for creating each film and how they conceptualized their stories. Below is a synopsis of each of the animated short films discussed in this exclusive panel discussion from Pixar.
See‘Soul’ director Pete Docter explains how jazz helped shape the spirit of the film and not...
- 2/2/2021
- by Denton Davidson
- Gold Derby
A slew of new animated shorts featuring iconic Pixar characters are slated to debut January 22 on Disney+.
Disney announced on Tuesday that the shorts, collectively titled “Pixar Popcorn,” would feature characters from acclaimed films ranging from “Toy Story” and “Soul,” to “The Incredibles” and “Cars.” The company also announced the names for the shorts on Tuesday:
“Dancing with the Cars, “Unparalleled Parking, “Soul of the City, “Cookie Num Num,” “Chore Day: The Incredibles Way,” “Dory Finding, “A Day in the Life of the Dead,” “To Fitness and Beyond,” and “Fluffy Stuff with Ducky & Bunny”
“Pixar Popcorn” will mark Disney+’s first original animation release of the year. Animation has been a key component for Disney’s streaming service, which launched in November 2019 with the well-received “Forky Asks a Question” animated series. Disney+ has premiered a handful of animated titles since then, including “Short Circuit,” “SparkShorts,” and the seventh and final...
Disney announced on Tuesday that the shorts, collectively titled “Pixar Popcorn,” would feature characters from acclaimed films ranging from “Toy Story” and “Soul,” to “The Incredibles” and “Cars.” The company also announced the names for the shorts on Tuesday:
“Dancing with the Cars, “Unparalleled Parking, “Soul of the City, “Cookie Num Num,” “Chore Day: The Incredibles Way,” “Dory Finding, “A Day in the Life of the Dead,” “To Fitness and Beyond,” and “Fluffy Stuff with Ducky & Bunny”
“Pixar Popcorn” will mark Disney+’s first original animation release of the year. Animation has been a key component for Disney’s streaming service, which launched in November 2019 with the well-received “Forky Asks a Question” animated series. Disney+ has premiered a handful of animated titles since then, including “Short Circuit,” “SparkShorts,” and the seventh and final...
- 1/20/2021
- by Tyler Hersko
- Indiewire
"Why would you make a toy with three heads!?" Disney has unveiled an official trailer for a new collection of short films titled Pixar Popcorn, debuting right away later this week on the Disney+ streaming service. These 10 new short films from Pixar Animation Studios are all brand new, never-before-seen "mini-shorts". Disney has been creating series like this with 90 second shorts for all kinds of franchises - now it's Pixar's turn to have fun with all of its characters. The collection of 10 mini-shorts features characters from Pixar favorites like Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Cars, and The Incredibles, in all-new, bite-size stories created by Pixar's talented animators. The only one we're missing is Wall-e! Bring our yellow pal back again, please and thank you. A few years ago, Pixar debuted a set of shorts called SparkShorts, made by filmmakers telling unique stories about their own experiences. These were some of the best shorts Pixar has ever made,...
- 1/19/2021
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
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