DVDizzy Forum

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.

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.