SparkShorts

Last updated
SparkShorts
PixarSparkShortsLogo.png
Created by Pixar
Original work Purl (2019)
Owner The Walt Disney Company
Years2019–present
Films and television
Short film(s)
Audio
Soundtrack(s) See below

SparkShorts is a series of American independent animated short films produced by Pixar Animation Studios. It consists of a program in which Pixar's employees are given six months and limited budgets to develop animated short films that were originally released on Pixar's YouTube channel, and later on Disney+.

Contents

Purl , Smash and Grab and Kitbull , the first three shorts of the SparkShorts program, were released at SIGGRAPH on August 14, 2018, before having a limited release at El Capitan Theater on January 8, 2019. Purl was officially released on February 4, 2019, on YouTube while Smash and Grab and Kitbull were released on February 11 and 18, respectively. Subsequent shorts were released on November 12, 2019, on Disney+, beginning with Float , rather than on YouTube.

Development

Pixar first announced the SparkShorts program on January 18, 2019. [1] The program consists of giving employees at Pixar six months and a limited budget to develop indie short films, all of them based on personal experiences. [2] The program was developed in order to find new filmmakers at Pixar. [2] Bobby Rubio, writer/director of the SparkShort film Float, described the program as "different film from the kinds of films" developed at Pixar, while Lindsey Collins said that the shorts are referred to as SparkShorts because Pixar "[wants] to discover that creative spark" in its employees. [2] Jim Morris said: "The SparkShorts program is designed to discover new storytellers, explore new storytelling techniques, and experiment with new production workflows", adding that it "[provides] an opportunity to unlock the potential of individual artists and their inventive filmmaking approaches on a smaller scale than [Pixar's] normal fare". [3]

Films

Released films

#FilmRelease dateDirector(s)Writer(s)Producer(s)Executive producer(s)Editor(s)Composer(s)
ScreenplayStory
1 Purl February 4, 2019Kristen LesterMichael Daley, Bradley Furnish, Lester & James RobertsonGillian Libbert-DuncanLindsey CollinsFurnish Pinar Toprak
2 Smash and Grab February 11, 2019Brian LarsenDavid LallyLindsey Collins, Mary Alice Drumm & Dana Murray Nicole VanderneutBarney Jones
3 Kitbull February 18, 2019 Rosana Sullivan Kathryn HendricksonLindsey CollinsKatie Schaefer BishopAndrew Jimenez
4 Float November 12, 2019Bobby RubioKrissy Cababa [4] Gregory AmundsonJones [4]
5 Wind December 13, 2019Edwin ChangJesús MartÍnezTim FoxJimenez
6 Loop January 10, 2020Erica MilsomAdam Burke, Matthias De Clercq & MilsomMichael Warch & Krissy Cababa [5] Jason Brodkey Mark Orton [5]
7 Out May 22, 2020Steven Clay HunterMax SacharLindsey Collins & David LallyNoah Newman Jake Monaco
8 Burrow December 25, 2020Madeline SharafianMike CapbaratAnna Wolitzky—
9 Twenty Something September 10, 2021Aphton CorbinErik LangleyNicole Paradis Grindle & Micheal K. O'BrienAmera RizkASTU
10 Nona September 17, 2021Louis GonzalesMike WuCourtney Casper KentJennifer JewCristy Road Carrera
11 Self February 2, 2024Searit Kahsay HulufEric RosalesAndrew Beall & Katherine Sarafian Will StarlingJennifer Rowekamp

Purl

An anthropomorphic ball of yarn named Purl becomes the first ball of yarn to work at a company called B.R.O. Capital, but is discriminated against by her human coworkers. Purl promptly changes her appearance and personality in order to fit in, but soon finds out it may not be the best idea to do so.

Smash and Grab

Set on a futuristic Mars-like planet, two worker robots, named Smash and Grab respectively, must fight their way to freedom after choosing to escape from their exhausting work routine.

Kitbull

An independent kitten forms an unlikely friendship with an abused pit bull, whom he eventually chooses to help escape from his owners.

This short accompanied Turning Red 's 2024 theatrical release. [6]

Float

Upon discovering his son's ability to fly, a father tries to hide his son's ability from the world. When his son's ability eventually becomes public though, the father must choose between going on the run or accepting his son. [3]

Wind

A grandmother and her grandson find themselves scavenging debris after being trapped together in an endless chasm, and soon realize their dream of escaping. [7]

Loop

A non-verbal girl with autism and a chatty boy must learn to understand each other in order to fulfill a canoeing trip in an urban lake during summer camp. [7]

Out

A young gay man who has not yet come out to his parents unexpectedly has his mind magically swapped with his dog's.

Burrow

A young rabbit tries to build the burrow of her dreams, becoming embarrassed each time she accidentally digs into a neighbor's home.

This short was originally intended to be released theatrically alongside Pixar's feature-length film Soul . [8] [9] The short accompanied Soul's 2024 theatrical release. [6]

Twenty Something

The film 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. [10]

Nona

The film centers on a widowed grandmother named Nona 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. [10]

Self

The film centers on a wooden doll 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. This film is Pixar's first hybrid stop-motion animation. [11] [12]

Accolades

List of awards and nominations
AwardDate of ceremonyCategoryFilmResultRef.
Academy Awards February 9, 2020 Best Animated Short Film Kitbull Nominated [13]
April 25, 2021 Out Shortlisted [14]
Burrow Nominated [15] [16]

Themes

Purl was praised by many as an allegory for gender inequality and feminism, [17] [18] [19] [20] which Meghan Mehta of Study Breaks noted was "mature for Pixar's target audience". [21] Alex Reif of Laughing Place said that Smash and Grab is "[a] story about two workers who don't get the same luxuries as those who control them". [22] Nick Skillicorn of Idea to Value felt that the SparkShorts program "enables the staff to flex their creative muscles in new ways, and try ideas which would never be accepted into a feature-length film aimed at families". [23]

Music

TitleU.S. release dateComposer(s)Label
Purl (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) March 15, 2019 Pinar Toprak Walt Disney Records
Smash and Grab (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) April 5, 2019Barney Jones
Kitbull (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) April 23, 2019Andrew Jimenez
Float (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) February 28, 2020Barney Jones
Wind (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Andrew Jimenez
Loop (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Mark Orton
Out (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) July 3, 2020 Jake Monaco
Burrow (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) December 25, 2020—
Twenty Something (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) September 10, 2021ASTU
Nona (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) September 17, 2021Cristy Road Carrera
Self (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) February 2, 2024Jennifer Rowekamp

Outside media

A Spark Story

On January 29, 2020, Disney announced that an untitled documentary series focusing on the SparkShorts series was in development for Disney+. [24] The series, which provided "an immersive look at the next generation of Pixar filmmaker[s]", was executive-produced by Brian McGinn, Jason Sterman and David Gelb. [24] On July 21, 2021, it was reported that the project was being redeveloped as a docu-film under the name A Spark Story , with McGinn, Sterman, and Gelb producing. [10] Sterman also directed the film alongside Leanne Dare. [10] Pixar produced the project alongside Supper Club. [10] The documentary, charting the production of then-recent SparkShortsTwenty Something and Nona, was released on September 24, 2021. [25]

See also

Related Research Articles

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<i>Purl</i> (film) 2019 short film by Kristen Lester

Purl is a 2018 American animated short film directed and written by Kristen Lester with the story written by Michael Daley, Bradley Furnish, Lester, and James Robertson, produced by Pixar Animation Studios, and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It is the first short released as part of Pixar's SparkShorts program, and focuses on a ball of yarn named Purl, who gets employed in a male-dominant company, which causes her to be ignored by her fellow employees. The short was previewed at SIGGRAPH on August 14, 2018, premiered at the El Capitan Theatre on January 18, 2019 and released on YouTube on February 4, 2019, and on Disney+ on November 12, 2019 to universal acclaim from critics, particularly for its themes.

<i>Smash and Grab</i> (2019 film) 2019 film short by Brian Larsen

Smash and Grab is a 2019 American animated science fiction action adventure short film directed and written by Brian Larsen, produced by Pixar Animation Studios, and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It is the second film in Pixar's SparkShorts program, and focuses on two robots who try to escape from their work routine. The short premiered at the El Capitan Theatre on January 18, 2019, before being released on YouTube on February 11, 2019. The short was also released on Disney+ on November 12, 2019.

<i>Kitbull</i> 2019 animated film short by Rosana Sullivan

Kitbull is a 2019 American traditionally animated short film and viral video directed and written by Rosana Sullivan, produced by Pixar Animation Studios, and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It is the third film in Pixar's SparkShorts program, and focuses on a fiercely independent stray kitten and an abused pit bull, who form an unlikely friendship. The short premiered at El Capitan Theatre on January 18, 2019, before being released on YouTube on February 18, 2019, and has received over 100 million views as of August 2023. The short was also released on Disney+ on November 12, 2019.

Rosana Sullivan is an American filmmaker and storyboard artist. Since 2011, she has worked for Pixar Animation Studios. She wrote and directed her first animated short film, Kitbull (2019), for which she received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film at the 92nd Academy Awards.

<i>Soul</i> (2020 film) Pixar film

Soul is a 2020 American animated fantasy comedy drama film produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures. The film was directed by Pete Docter and co-directed by Kemp Powers, both of whom co-wrote it with Mike Jones, and produced by Dana Murray. It stars the voices of Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Graham Norton, Rachel House, Alice Braga, Richard Ayoade, Phylicia Rashad, Donnell Rawlings, Questlove, and Angela Bassett. The story follows Joe Gardner (Foxx), a middle school teacher and aspiring pianist who falls into a coma following an accident and seeks to reunite his separated soul and body in time for his big break as a jazz musician.

<i>Float</i> (2019 film) 2019 film short by Bobby Rubio

Float is a 2019 American animated comedy short film directed and written by Bobby Rubio, produced by Pixar Animation Studios, and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It is the fourth film in Pixar's SparkShorts program, and focuses on a son's ability to fly and the choice his father must make. The short was released on Disney+ on November 12, 2019.

<i>Wind</i> (2019 film) 2019 film short by Edwin Chang

Wind is a 2019 American animated short film directed and written by Edwin Chang, produced by Pixar Animation Studios, and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The fifth film in Pixar's SparkShorts program, it focuses on a grandmother and grandson longing to escape an endless chasm. The short was released on Disney+ on December 13, 2019.

<i>Loop</i> (2020 film) 2020 film short by Erica Milsom

Loop is a 2020 American animated drama short film directed and written by Erica Milsom with the story being written by Adam Burke, Matthias De Clercq and Milsom, produced by Pixar Animation Studios, and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It is the sixth short film in Pixar's SparkShorts program and focuses on a non-verbal autistic girl and a chatty boy, learning to understand each other. The short was released on Disney+ on January 10, 2020.

<i>Short Circuit</i> (TV series) Disney animated series

Short Circuit is a series of American independent animated short films produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. Similar to the SparkShorts program launched at sister animation studio Pixar, the series is a program in which the employees pitch their ideas for a short and work with fellow employees to create the short if selected, and is meant to take risks in both visual styles and storytelling.

<i>Out</i> (2020 film) 2020 film short by Pixar

Out is a 2020 American animated short film directed and written by Steven Clay Hunter, produced by Max Sachar, and distributed by Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The plot features a young gay man who has not yet come out to his parents, who unexpectedly has his mind magically swapped with his dog's. The seventh short film in the SparkShorts series, it is both Disney's and Pixar's first short to feature a gay main character and storyline, including an on-screen same-sex kiss. The short was released on Disney+ on May 22, 2020. The short was shortlisted for the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film at the 93rd Academy Awards.

<i>A Spark Story</i> 2021 American documentary film by Pixar

A Spark Story is a 2021 American documentary film directed by Jason Sterman and Leanne Dare. Focusing on SparkShorts directors Aphton Corbin and Louis Gonzales, the film is a co-production between Pixar and Supper Club, and marks the former's first fully live-action project. The film was released on September 24, 2021, on Disney+. The film was to be removed from Disney+ on May 26, 2023, but it was kept after demand by fans.

<i>Burrow</i> (film) 2020 animated short film by Pixar

Burrow is a 2020 American 2D animated short film written and directed by Madeline Sharafian, produced by Michael Capbarat at Pixar Animation Studios, and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The plot features a young rabbit as she tries to build the burrow of her dreams, becoming embarrassed each time she accidentally digs into a neighbor's home. The eighth short film in the SparkShorts series, the short was released on Disney+ on December 25, 2020, and later in theaters on January 12, 2024 alongside Soul. The short was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film at the 93rd Academy Awards.

<i>Twenty Something</i> (2021 film) 2021 American animated short film by Aphton Corbin

Twenty Something is a 2021 American 2D animated short film written and directed by Aphton Corbin, produced by Pixar Animation Studios, and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. Starring Kaylin Price, Ariana Brown, Aliyah Taylor, Janelle Lasalle, and Napoleon Highbrou, the film focuses on Gia who deals with the insecurities of being a 21-year-old by personifying her emotions in the form of three children in a trenchcoat. The ninth short film in the SparkShorts series, the short was released on September 10, 2021, on Disney+.

<i>Nona</i> (2021 film) 2021 American animated short film by Louis Gonzales

Nona is a 2021 American animated short film written and directed by Louis Gonzales, produced by Pixar Animation Studios, and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. Starring Wilma Bonet as the title character, the short focuses on Nona who desires to watch her wrestling show, but is interrupted by an unexpected visit from her young granddaughter. The tenth short film in the SparkShorts series, the short was released on September 17, 2021, on Disney+.

<i>Dug Days</i> American series of animated short films

Dug Days is an American animated series of shorts created, written, and directed by Bob Peterson and produced by Pixar Animation Studios initially for Disney+. The series is set immediately after the 2009 film Up, following its main characters, dog Dug, voiced by Peterson, and his owner, 78-year-old Carl Fredricksen, voiced by Ed Asner in one of his last performances before his death.

References

  1. ↑ Bui, Hoai-Tran (January 11, 2019). "Pixar's Announces New Short Film Program, SparkShorts". /Film . Retrieved January 3, 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 "Introducing Pixar SparkShorts". Pixar/The Walt Disney Company/YouTube. January 10, 2019. Retrieved May 1, 2019.
  3. 1 2 "SparkShorts". Pixar. January 18, 2018. Archived from the original on February 28, 2019. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
  4. 1 2 "Tomorrow is a very special premiere for #FLOAT on @disneyplus! Thank you to @Bobby_Rubio for sharing his beautiful, personal story with us. Big thanks to Producer @kirbaba and everyone on the Float crew for making such a gorgeous film possible! ❤️✨#Pixar #SparkShorts #PixarFloat". November 11, 2019. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
  5. 1 2 "Mark Orton Scoring Pixar Short 'Loop'". Film Music Reporter. August 18, 2019.
  6. 1 2 Moreau, Jordan (2023-12-05). "Pixar's 'Soul', 'Turning Red' and 'Luca' Coming to Theaters After Disney+ Debuts During Pandemic". Variety. Retrieved 2024-01-13.
  7. 1 2 Romano, Nick (October 30, 2019). "Pixar previews all six short films in SparkShorts trailer on Disney+". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  8. ↑ Laughing Place Disney News Desk (September 26, 2020). "2D Animated Short "Burrow" To Premiere With Pixar's "Soul" In Theaters on November 20th". Laughing Place. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
  9. ↑ What's On Disney Plus (October 9, 2020). "PIXAR SPARKSHORTS "BURROW" COMING SOON TO DISNEY+". What's On Disney Plus. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 Grobar, Matt (July 21, 2021). "SparkShorts: Disney+ Unveils Two New Shorts & A Feature-Length Doc From Pixar, Sets September Premiere Dates". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved July 22, 2021.
  11. ↑ "'Self' Director Searit Huluf on Celebrating Ethiopian Identity Through Stop-Motion Animation". The Nerds of Color. 2024-01-08. Retrieved 2024-01-08.
  12. ↑ [@pixar] (January 8, 2024). "Here's your first look at Pixar's all-new SparkShort and first hybrid stop-motion animation, "Self", streaming February 2 on @Disneyplus". Twitter . Retrieved January 8, 2024.
  13. ↑ "Oscar Nominations 2020 Announcement Date & Time". Oscars. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
  14. ↑ "93rd Oscars® Shortlists In Nine Award Categories Announced". Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. 9 February 2021. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  15. ↑ Zahed, Ramin (March 15, 2021). "'Farmageddon', 'Onward', 'Over the Moon', 'Soul', 'Wolfwalkers' Nominated for 2021 Oscars". Animation Magazine . Retrieved March 15, 2021.
  16. ↑ "The full list of 2021 Oscar nominations". Guardian. 15 March 2021. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  17. ↑ Ifeanyi, KC (February 7, 2019). "Pixar's new short 'Purl' takes on toxic workplace bro culture". Fast Company . Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  18. ↑ Freeman, Molly (February 4, 2019). "Pixar's First SparkShorts Short Film Is A Feminist Allegory - With Yarn". Screen Rant. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  19. ↑ Khosla, Proma (February 4, 2019). "Entertainment Like Follow Follow Pixar's newest short 'Purl' is a must-watch for every workplace". Mashable. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  20. ↑ Snetiker, Mark (February 4, 2019). "Pixar drops first short film from new animation program SparkShorts". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  21. ↑ "New Extra-Short Pixar Shorts, Called SparkShorts, Are Telling Employees' Personal Stories". Study Breaks. March 6, 2019. Retrieved May 1, 2019.
  22. ↑ Reif, Alex (January 31, 2019). "Pixar SparkShorts Review: "Smash and Grab"". Laughing Place. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
  23. ↑ Skillicorn, Nick (March 6, 2019). "Pixar Sparkshorts: A great initiative Pixar is using to keep up their creativity". Idea to Value. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
  24. 1 2 Hersko, Tyler (January 29, 2020). "Disney+ Sets New Unscripted Slate, Including One Short-Lived ABC Reality Show". IndieWire . Retrieved January 29, 2020.
  25. ↑ Grobar, Matt (2021-07-21). "SparkShorts: Disney+ Unveils Two New Shorts & A Feature-Length Doc From Pixar, Sets September Premiere Dates". Deadline. Retrieved 2021-07-22.
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