For Disney movie lovers who are looking for a shorter way to get a taste of the Disney magic, SparkShorts are the perfect alternative, with short animations that are just 13 minutes or less.
The SparkShorts program began in January 2019 to help “create the spark” for Pixar employees and upcoming directors to produce a Disney short film on a smaller scale. While typical animated Pixar productions are aimed at kids, SparkShorts features some more mature themes for older viewers to relate to.
As of the date of publication, the SparkShorts program has developed 10 different short films. In chronological order, the released shorts are Purl, Smash and Grab, Kitbull, Float, Wind, Loop, Out, Burrow, Twenty-Something and Nona. The first three were released at the same time to launch the series and generate initial interest.
One of these initial shorts is Kitbull, an animated short film about a stray kitten and an abused pitbull who form an unlikely friendship. In the beginning, they find it hard to trust one another, but the animal pair eventually find comfort in each other’s company. Directed and written by Rosana Sullivan, Kitbull was an excellent short that highlights how difficult it can be to start a friendship but is a worthwhile endeavor. I loved how this story had a lot of character development, even though it only lasted nine minutes. There are parts that don’t go the characters’ ways, but it’s worth the wait for the happy ending. Overall, this short film shows how connections can be created anywhere as long as you’re willing to take the first step.
Another first short film released for Spark Shorts was Purl, an eight-minute-long short about breaking stereotypes. This story revolves around a pink ball of yarn named Purl who begins a job at B.R.O. Capital. This workplace has all male workers who all behave the same, leaving Purl to be the odd one out. Now, she must decide to be her true self or change her identity to fit the conforming standard of the other workers. Directed by Kristen Lester, this is a very important short film for anyone who is a minority in a working environment or feels that they have to change themselves based on other people’s opinions. Because of how they represent Purl’s emotions in such a human way despite being a ball of yarn, this is a great option for anyone looking to watch SparkShorts.
If you’re looking for a short film that is not as new as those from SparkShorts, there are still many options on Disney+ and YouTube. Two excellent non-SparkShorts short films that are still produced by Disney are Inner Workings and For the Birds.
For the Birds was released in 2000, long before SparkShorts even existed, and was released alongside Monsters Inc.. Unlike Purl and Kitbull, For the Birds is much more whimsical and contains less formal concepts. The storyline is about a large bird that wishes to join a group of identical smaller birds but is taunted for wanting to join them. The larger bird is oblivious to the bullying and keeps trying to join in with the fun. This short differs from SparkShorts in length since it is only a bit more than 3 minutes long and has a less developed animation style because of its age. But because of For the Birds’ light-heartedness, it is an enjoyable watch that I recommend for children and adults alike. Even though the director and writer of this short film, Ralph Eggleston, had his material aimed at children, everyone of all ages deserves the good laugh that this short produces.
Lastly, Inner Workings is a unique short film that follows the life of Paul, who experiences an inner battle between his heart and head. This short, directed and written by Leo Matsuda, shows Paul’s body parts being personified with eyes and expressions so viewers can easily understand each body part’s opinions on his actions. Throughout the short, Paul struggles with choosing what he thinks is safe over what he actually wants to do. Paul finds that he isn’t happy with his sheltered life but still continues to live the same day over and over. This is a vital short for any overwhelmed student to watch to realize the importance of making time for fun. I especially loved this short since it has a serious message while still adding as much humor as possible. Plus, the six-minute short ends with a catchy song called “California Loco,” that’s bound to get stuck in your head. Overall, this short checks all the boxes for a successful Disney animation.
In conclusion, there are many different shorts to choose from when looking for something to watch that fits into a busy schedule. These four are only some of the various options Disney provides for short films, but Kitbuul, Purl, For the Birds and Inner Workings are all great watches.
