Pixar Spark Shorts

[D82]

I've noticed that another of the shorts that is nominated alongside Kitbull in the Best Animated Short category, Dcera (Daughter), is available to watch on the Latin American version of Rotten Tomatoes. So now three of the shorts are available online. Here are the links in case anyone's interested:

Kitbull: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZS5cgybKcI
Hair Love: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNw8V_Fkw28
Dcera (Daughter): https://www.tomatazos.com/videos/413442 ... rtometraje

I've seen that the other two, Sister and Mémorable, are available too on Vimeo, but I believe they haven't been officially released. Here's how I think I'd rank the shorts:

1. Sister
2. Dcera (Daughter)
3. Mémorable
4. Kitbull
5. Hair Love

Anyway, all the shorts are really good this year in my opinion, so I'll be OK with the winner whichever it is.

[Sotiris]

Here's how I think I'd rank the shorts:

1. Sister
2. Dcera (Daughter)
3. Mémorable
4. Kitbull
5. Hair Love

Anyway, all the shorts are really good this year in my opinion, so I'll be OK with the winner whichever it is.

Here's my ranking. It was difficult ranking the first three. Hollywood animation really doesn't hold a candle to international and indie work. The difference is quite striking. Foreign filmmakers make challenging films with complex subjects matters told through innovative techniques that take full advantage of the medium of animation whereas their American counterparts still play in the kiddie sandbox with cutsey, sappy, and easily digestible product.

1. Memorable
2. Daughter
3. Sister
4. Kitbull
5. Hair Love

I would be OK if anyone other than Hair Love had won. I found it simplistic, saccharine, and unsophisticated. Not to mention, the animation itself was of low quality despite the appealing character designs. The concept was unoriginal as well as it was based on viral videos of Black dads struggling to comb their daughters' hair, particularly this one. The film barely expanded on it.

[D82]

I said I would be OK with any of these shorts winning, but I was disappointed too when Hair Love was announced as the winner. I personally found it quite charming, but compared to some of the other shorts, which were much more artistic and clearly superior, its victory seemed underserved.

This is only the second year I've seen all the nominated shorts before the awards. I used to think the Academy tended to choose a worthy winner in this category, but now I'm starting to believe it's true that they don't really care about the animation categories. Hair Love is the only one that was released in theaters alongside a big movie and also received much more press, so it was probably the only one most members had seen. That's the only way I can explain it winning over the others.

Here's my ranking. It was difficult ranking the first three.

I found it difficult too. Those three are excellent. My ranking was by order of preference, but if I tried to be objective, I think I would rank them like you as well.

[Sotiris]

This is only the second year I've seen all the nominated shorts before the awards. I used to think the Academy tended to choose a worthy winner in this category, but now I'm starting to believe it's true that they don't really care about the animation categories.

Yes, it's a sad state of affairs. I attribute this to two main factors. 1) In the last few years, there's been an influx of American animation artists who work at big studios to the Academy. These people, if they aren't voting for their friends at the studio they work for, they are voting for their friends at the studio next door. It's a small industry and basically everyone knows each other. These relatively new inductees do not have ties to the European and international animation scene. They've not only been raised on American cartoons but they also work on the same kind of movies on a daily basis. They haven't been exposed enough to indie animation and so they naturally gravitate to the Hollywood-type of storytelling they're most familiar and comfortable with. That's if they even bother watching all of the eligible entries. 2) The category has been opened up to the entire Academy. Previously, only members of the animation branch were allowed to select the winner whereas now everyone does. As one might expect, this has resulted in more popular, mainstream fare winning every year.

Hair Love is the only one that was released in theaters alongside a big movie and also received much more press, so it was probably the only one most members had seen. That's the only way I can explain it winning over the others.

Politics could have played a part as well. The subject of black hair has been heavily politicized in recent years (which is probably why the short received more coverage than the rest of the nominees in the first place), and with another #OscarsSoWhite backlash this year, perhaps members voted for it out of guilt or as a type of consolation.

[D82]

I attribute this to two main factors. 1) In the last few years, there's been an influx of American animation artists who work at big studios to the Academy. These people, if they aren't voting for their friends at the studio they work for, they are voting for their friends at the studio next door. It's a small industry and basically everyone knows each other. These relatively new inductees do not have ties to the European and international animation scene. They've not only been raised on American cartoons but they also work on the same kind of movies on a daily basis. They haven't been exposed enough to indie animation and so they naturally gravitate to the Hollywood-type of storytelling they're most familiar and comfortable with. That's if they even bother watching all of the eligible entries. 2) The category has been opened up to the entire Academy. Previously, only members of the animation branch were allowed to select the winner whereas now everyone does. As one might expect, this has resulted in more popular, mainstream fare winning every year.

Those two reasons make a lot of sense. I think I didn't know that only the members of the animation branch were the ones who selected the winner before, that must certainly be one of the main reasons why the shorts that are winning now are the most popular and mainstream ones.

Politics could have played a part as well. The subject of black hair has been heavily politicized in recent years (which is probably why the short received more coverage than the rest of the nominees in the first place), and with another #OscarsSoWhite backlash this year, perhaps members voted for it out of guilt or as a type of consolation.

I hadn't thought of that. Yes, that may have had its influence in the voters too.

[Farerb]

Politics could have played a part as well. The subject of black hair has been heavily politicized in recent years (which is probably why the short received more coverage than the rest of the nominees in the first place), and with another #OscarsSoWhite backlash this year, perhaps members voted for it out of guilt or as a type of consolation.

I hadn't thought of that. Yes, that may have had its influence in the voters too.

In my opinion, that's the reason why Zootopia won as well.

[Sotiris]

Videos.

• Did You Know: SparkShorts
• SparkShorts Directors 'Pass the Phone' Challenge

[Sotiris]

The next SparkShort is called "Out" and it's being released on May 22, 2020. The dog's head looks weird, but at least there's a Wheezy Easter egg in it!


Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLrFf-T2ef4

[blackcauldron85]

^ Yay!!!! He's/She's adorable. I still haven't watched all the Spark Shorts yet, but I like the ones I've seen. Kitbull was my favorite of the last batch that I saw so I welcome any dog shorts!!!

[Sotiris]

Float has been nominated for a Peabody Award.


Source: https://twitter.com/Pixar/status/1258064334334259200

[UmbrellaFish]

Disney has published a teaser for the Spark Short “Out” on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/disneyplus/status/1 ... 0299019269

My eyes went like this when I realized the title didn’t necessarily refer to taking “out” the dog.

[blackcauldron85]

^ Yes, that is awesome! I bet some people might use this as a way to communicate with their loved ones.

[Clindor]

My eyes went like this when I realized the title didn’t necessarily refer to taking “out” the dog.

I was not expecting that either! Didn’t see it coming..

This bad the designs look so awful imo. The comedy sounds good though (I like the idea of the dog feeling as anxious and nervous as the master... ^^)

Is the story supposed to take place in Canada?

[Sotiris]

Too bad the designs look so awful imo. The comedy sounds good though (I like the idea of the dog feeling as anxious and nervous as the master...

Ditto. The style chosen looks cheap and unappealing. It's just unpleasant to look at. The story seems cute though. I also liked the comedy with the dog.

I wonder if the Pixar name boosts its chances of an Oscar nomination. The lack of a brand name is probably the reason why the similarly-themed "In a Heartbeat" didn't make the cut.

[Sotiris]

Poster.


Source: https://twitter.com/disneyplus/status/1 ... 9615574018


Soundtrack.


Source: https://disneymusic.co/OutScore


Videos.

Trailer
The Making of Out

[Clindor]

I saw the short today. There is some good storytelling. As the trailer implies it, the comedy is there! Plus a twist I also didn’t see coming around the dog which explains why he behaves the way he does in the trailer. It does feel like a LGBT short.

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.

NB: stay until the end of the credits for those who mind to see the last joke!

NB: I wonder if there’s going to be some kind of backlash from protective parents left perplexed that the short ends up on Disney+. On the other hand, its addition to the platform has been rather discreet compared to other new shorts I think.

[RyGuy]

NB: I wonder if there’s going to be some kind of backlash from protective parents left perplexed that the short ends up on Disney+. On the other hand, its addition to the platform has been rather discreet compared to other new shorts I think.

I doubt it. The Spark Shorts seem more geared toward animation aficionados. My kids hate them because they are “so boring.” And frankly there are so many LGTQ-friendly projects already on Disney+ (like High School Musical the Musical the Series) if there was gonna be that big of a hullabaloo about Disney+ promoting LGBTQ content, I’d think it’d already have happened.

[Clindor]

IDK, this one is a cartoon with a kid-friendly dog,
So I just wondered.

(even the characters because of their designs on posters have some PlayMobil vibes)

[Sotiris]

Articles about "Out".

Pixar's Out team on short's 'astonishing' impact: 'We're so hungry to see ourselves'
https://ew.com/movies/pixar-out-lgbtq-short/

SparkShorts Spotlight: LGBTQ Visibility in ‘Out’ and the Program’s Drive for Diverse Stories
https://www.animationmagazine.net/short ... e-stories/

Interview: Steve Hunter and Max Sachar on Pixar’s Oscar Contending “Out”
http://www.animationscoop.com/interview ... nding-out/

Steven Clay Hunter Reclaims His Childhood in Pixar’s ‘Out’
https://www.awn.com/animationworld/stev ... pixars-out

[blackcauldron85]

I'm catching up on Disney+ this weekend, & I just watched Out. When Greg was inhabited by Jim and was walking- that was one of the funniest things I've seen in such a long time!!! As a dog mom, I was wondering if Jim (inhabited by Greg)'s behavior was making Greg's mom wonder got into her... And when his mom was talking to Jim (really Greg), and she said "he," that was an amazing moment. And when the rainbow galaxy dog was crying at the end, same. I love, love this short!