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.W.W. Smashdown Wrestling. However, when her five-year-old granddaughter Renee is unexpectedly dropped off, Nona is caught between her two favorite things. Renee wants to play, while the normally-doting Nona wrestles with wanting to watch the Smashdown, leading to a decisive showdown between the two, and a loving compromise. The film, produced by Courtney Casper Kent, launches on the streaming service on September 17.
The final project, A Spark Story, is a co-production of Pixar and Supper Club (Chef’s Table). The doc offers an intimate look at Pixar’s SparkShorts filmmaking process, honing in specifically on the processes of Corbin and Gonzales, as they strive to bring their deeply personal visions to the screen. Jason Sterman, Brian McGinn and David Gelb produce. The film premieres on Disney+ on Sept. 24.
Clindor wrote:But I still think the designs are unworthy of both the Disney and Pixar label. I see what they tried to do using the Paperman idea: models in CG, then textures in 2D. But here, it just doesn’t pay off the same imo. Especially for the serious moments and talks when the camera lingers on a character’s face.
Wasn't Paperman hand drawn 2D converted to 3D? Not starting with 3D models?
And why aren't more people talking about the first gay Disney/Pixar short?!! It was great!
I just watched "Twenty Something"- I really loved it! I love the look of it, and I definitely could relate to Gia. Very well done! Looking forward to Aphton Corbin's feature.
^I also loved it. The idea the director had to get the short's theme across was really clever. I definitely related to the protagonist as well. I've felt like that many times in the past, and I still do. I can see this short competing for awards. I'm already excited for the director's feature film debut too.
Pixar's VFX team created a non-narrative short titled Automaton. It is not part of the SparkShorts program, but I figured this is the most relevant thread to post it in.
Pixar’s SparkShorts program is a series of shorts designed to find new filmmakers, discover new storytellers, explore new storytelling techniques, and experiment with new production workflows. Shorts range from the critically acclaimed Purl to the heartwarming Nona. And while most of the shorts tested new storytelling techniques and animation technology, Searit Huluf’s SELF reminds fans of the visual storytelling medium why stop motion animation is very special.
SELF follows a wooden puppet who desperately wants to fit in makes an ill-fated wish upon a star, sparking a journey of self-discovery. Her desire to blend in with her peers leads her down a harmful path, challenging her perspective of both who she is and where she belongs.
Pixar features to push the boundaries of animation and storytelling by using groundbreaking technologies to create something extraordinary. And the SparkShorts are unlike anything ever done at Pixar, and it provides an opportunity to unlock the potential of individual artists and their inventive filmmaking approaches on a smaller scale than the studio’s normal fare. And that’s no different with SELF, which has echos of WALL-E with its non-dialogue storytelling and blends computer animation with stop motion animation to create beautiful.
SELF if scheduled to debut exclusively on Disney+ on February 2, 2024.
Just saw it. It was cute. Could have been a bit more memorable and meaningful if the puppet would have died from jumping off the roof to complete her new body part to show that she would willingly risk her life just to fit in or to mentain those Beauty standards. People really die from Beauty fillers
𝖲𝗈𝗇𝗀𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗌𝗅𝖺𝗉 𝗋𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍 𝗇𝗈𝗐:
1. When did you get hot? (Sabrina Carpenter)*new
2.House Tour (𝖲𝖺𝖻𝗋𝗂𝗇𝖺 𝖢𝖺𝗋𝗉𝖾𝗇𝗍𝖾𝗋)*new
3. Tears (Sabri- Carpen-)*new
4. Sugar talking(...𝖲𝖺𝖻𝗋𝗂𝗇𝖺 𝖢𝖺𝗋𝗉𝖾𝗇𝗍𝖾𝗋!) *new
5. 9 to 5 (Dolly Parton)
6. 𝖩𝗎𝗇𝗈 (𝖲𝖺𝖻𝗋𝗂𝗇𝖺𝖺𝖺𝖺) 7. 𝖧𝖺𝗋𝖽 𝗍𝗈 𝗌𝖺𝗒 𝗂𝗆 𝗌𝗈𝗋𝗋𝗒 (𝖢𝗁𝗂𝖼𝖺𝗀𝗈)
8. 𝖢𝖺𝗋𝗂𝖻𝖻𝖾𝖺𝗇 𝖰𝗎𝖾𝖾𝗇! ( 𝖡𝗂𝗅𝗅𝗒 𝖮𝖼𝖾𝖺𝗇)
9.𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝖶𝗂𝗇𝗇𝖾𝗋 𝗍𝖺𝗄𝖾𝗌 𝗂𝗍 𝖺𝗅𝗅 (𝖡𝖠𝖡𝖡𝖠)
10. Upside down (Diana Ross)
(Sabrina Carpenter)