The Return of Disney's Theatrical Shorts!

[AtomicHyperbole]

ANIMATION FORUM LIVES! Have a gander at this...

A modern classic... Runaway Brain!

[MasterWhedon]

You ever notice how Minnie Mouse walks around topless all the time?

Or how Donald Duck never wears pants, yet when he gets out of the shower, he always wraps a towel around his waist?

Makes you wonder...

[The Garbage Man]

Things that make you go "Hmmm."

Btw, love the new rank MW.

[The Garbage Man]

Wow, that was surprisingly dark... and good!

Thanks for the link, Atomic.

[LaDracul]

Actually, these had been promised for a while...they wanted to do one with the third POTC, but it didn't get produced. And they had reissued two shorts with "Meet the Robinsons". ("Boat Builders" for the regular version and their first 3D cartoon "Working for Peanuts" for the 3D version.) Now, Jim Hill Media reports they have a brand new one coming out in front of "Enchanted"-

That makes me feel quite nostalgic as I grew up watching all those old shorts where Goofy would do an instructional film, only to have things go wrong.

The next ones are-
* "Prep and Landing," which reveals how Santa's helpers get each of our houses ready for its annual visit from the studly Man
* "The Ballad of Nessie," which is this very stylized tribute to Loch Ness's most famous resident
* "Glago's Guest," which details what happens when a member of Russia's border police has a close encounter of the third kind

And quite a few more things can be found here.

[buster00]

That's great news! The Lord God intended for there to be animated shorts before films.

It's in the Bible.

[Chairman Kaga]

Awesome but why don't they go back and get the Mickey Bee short out there?

[TheButcher]

Very cool news indeed!

[junesquad]

Thnaks for sharing. I'll be looking forward to seeing them.

[Zarles]

'Working For Peanuts' in 3-D is awesome. Saw it before Meet The Robinsons, and it made me laugh harder in five minutes than MTR did in 90. Chip and Dale rule school.

[Lady Sheridan]

Very cool. Glago and Nessie sound right up my alley...

I wish they would release massive collections of Disney shorts, my hunt for "Minnie's Box Lunches" has always left me empty-handed.

[Chairman Kaga]

I wish they would release massive collections of Disney shorts, my hunt for "Minnie's Box Lunches" has always left me empty-handed.

I thought they had...

[Evil Hobbit]

I wish they would release massive collections of Disney shorts, my hunt for "Minnie's Box Lunches" has always left me empty-handed.

I thought they had...

best dvd series ever 8)

[Fievel]

Maybe they'll start making propaganda films for the war in Iraq like they did during WWII.

[Theta]

Maybe they'll start making propaganda films for the war in Iraq like they did during WWII.

I vote that Warners brings back Private Snafu.

[Fievel]

I just want to see "Education For Death 2: The Story Of One Of Osama's Children"

[DinoDeLaurentiis]

Hehehe... it's a nice that a they went with a the nostalgic artwork for a the teaser poster, no?

[Evil Hobbit]

Hehehe... it's a nice that a they went with a the nostalgic artwork for a the teaser poster, no?

It's nice, yes.

[DinoDeLaurentiis]

Goddamn... the Old Man, he misses those a days, eh?

[Dr William Weir]

I managed to stumble on this whilst looking for gore-porn - Ratatouille 2D short images.

Excuse me if it's old, naturally!

[Evil Hobbit]

Great images Weir, looks fantastic. Love the visual style.

[Zarles]

Excellent. Can't wait to pick that DVD up tomorrow.

[DDMAN26]

The short titled Your Friend the Rat on the Ratatouille dvd is nothing short of brillant. The style is reminiscent of the old Ward Kimball shorts Disney used to make.

[LaDracul]

Animated News now reports the new Goofy short is going to play before "National Treasure: Book of Secrets".

[Evil Hobbit]

Animated News now reports the new Goofy short is going to play before "National Treasure: Book of Secrets".

So they'll have a short that's better then the main attraction, gorsh!!! A print in front of Enchanted would be better suited me thinks.

[TheButcher]

From Blue Sky Disney June 26, 2009:
Short Sighted...

As of now, and remember, things could change but the newest Disney princess should have a nice little short up in front of it. Come November, when we get our first hand-drawn animated film from Walt Disney Pictures since that horribly conceived cow starring western (not that I have anything against westerns, just bad westerns).

There will be a short attached to it as well. Everyone remembers when "Rapunzel" wound up getting a director change as Glen Keane left for "health reasons" and his co-director, Dean Wellins went on to work on pitching other animated film ideas and a short. Well, his short will be what is in front of "The Princess and the Frog" when the curtains go up and the lights go down.

"Tic Tock Tale" will be the computer animated short that your eyes get to grace before watching this new hand-drawn masterpiece. Now as for the story, well that'll have to come another post. From what I've heard though, it's quite a nice piece of storytelling with more heart than most of the films that have come out of the Mouse in a long time. Current management is focusing on story first... now if only the live-action division would do the same (sorry, another story for another time). And since WDAS has had all those computer animators sitting around waiting for "Rapunzel" to start working (which it now has), this has provided a bit of job security for them.

Now as for "The Ballad of Nessie" getting done, that is a short that is being done in a very stylized, hand-drawn look and we've not really heard much about it because those artist that like to use pencils were busy on the Frog. Not easy to finish something when you don't have the artist to do so. Again, thanks for getting rid of so many talented 2D artist, Eisner. So once Frog is done they can get around to finishing the "Nessie" short. What the management is trying to do is stem as many layoffs as possible with these short projects. Lasseter and crew understand that it's hard to find talented people and it's even harder to replace them once their gone. If the hand drawn film that comes out in November is a hit it'll provide a great deal of job security. Success tends to do that.

Now as for "Glago's Guest" coming out, there's not really any news I can report as to when we can see that. It's not known if it'll get a theatrical release or be part of a future Blu-Ray/DVD compilation of Disney shorts (think: Lorenzo, Runaway Brain, The Little Matchstick Girl, How to Hook Up Your Home Theater, Glago's Guest, Nessie, and a few others. Maybe = Pixar's Short Collection). But no set date yet.

I'm sure you've seen the news about the "Prep and Landing" short that Chris Williams came up with being turned into a half hour television special for the ABC Network this holiday. It originally started out as a short, but the potential for an expanded narrative was seen and it was handed off to a couple other animators once Williams became busy with "Bolt" a while ago.

As well as these there are a few other projects in various stages, but no greenlight for that Eric Goldberg short featuring the "Disney Trio" I was wanting. But another classic Disney character will be getting his very own hand-drawn short. Which one? Sorry, but I can't tell you that right now. Soon hopefully.

[TheButcher]

From /film:
Sneak Preview: Disney’s New Short Film ‘Tick Tock Tale’

[samlauncher]

thats great information i ever got can anybody tell me where are the best shorts available...

[TheButcher]

First Look at New TOY STORY Short, TOY STORY HAWAIIAN VACATION

[TheButcher]

First Images from Disney Animated Short THE BALLAD OF NESSIE

[TheButcher]

New Images from THOR and THE BALLAD OF NESSIE

[TheButcher]

How Walt Disney Cartoons are made

[TheButcher]

First Image And Story Details Of Pixar’s La Luna

I worried that we would be waiting a while to see Pixar’s next original short film, what with all the Car Toons and Toy Story Shorts. Thankfully, they’ve already got one in the can (or whatever the digital equivalent is – the plastic box?) and will be premiering it at Annecy.

La Luna is being directed by Enrico Casarosa, a story artist on a few Pixar films, and head story artist on another, future one. The first image is at the head of the post, and here’s the official blurb from the Annecy Programme:

La Luna is the timeless fable of a young boy who is coming of age in the most peculiar of circumstances. Tonight is the very first time his Papa and Grandpa are taking him to work. In an old wooden boat they row far out to sea, and with no land in sight, they stop and wait. A big surprise awaits the little boy as he discovers his family’s most unusual line of work. Should he follow the example of his Papa, or his Grandpa? Will he be able to find his own way in the midst of their conflicting opinions and timeworn traditions?

Great hook. Can’t wait to see more.

Thanks to Anne Thompson.

[TheButcher]

Fresh Character Images From Disney’s Revolutionary New Short, Paperman

[TheButcher]

Walt Disney Animation Studios’ `Paperman’ Short To Front `Wreck-It-Ralph’

[TheButcher]

Pixar's 'La Luna' Preview - Disney·Pixar Short Film

[TheButcher]

From Bleeding Cool:
What Is Disney’s Paperman? And When Will We See It?
First Poster For Disney’s Paperman Hints At Its Amazing, Groundbreaking Look
Fresh Character Images From Disney’s Revolutionary New Short, Paperman
New Paperman Promo Video Reveals More Images
Bleeding Cool’s Exclusive Look Into Disney’s Pioneering New Film, Paperman
First Moving Footage Online: Disney’s Beautiful, Pioneering Paperman

[TheButcher]

Director John Kahrs Talks PAPERMAN, How the Idea for the Short Came About, the Lack of Dialogue, Blending Traditional and CG Animation and More

[TheButcher]

Paperclip: The Idea

Paperclips is a series of behind-the-scenes footage about the making of Paperman. In this clip, director John Kahrs discusses drawings.

[TheButcher]

Paperclip: The Drawings

[TheButcher]

Paperclip: The Look

[TheButcher]

Disney Goes Old School With New Mickey Mouse Cartoon Shorts

Mickey Mouse is making his return to 2D animation.

Disney Channel has ordered a new shortform series of comedy cartoons, titled Mickey Mouse, that aims to merge "classic comedy" with "contemporary flair." The series of 19 shorts will begin rolling out Friday, June 28, on Disney Channel, Disney.com, WATCH Disney Channel and other platforms.

Disney Channel also is home to the hit CG-animated series Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, aimed at kids ages two to five, but the shorts will be produced entirely in 2D animation and geared toward kids ages six to 14 and families. They will debut on Fridays and air throughout the day, with a special preview now available at Disney.com.

An online game, Mickey Delivery Dash, also is debuting Tuesday on Disney's website.

Disney Channels Worldwide president and chief creative officer Gary Marsh is set to make the announcement at Tuesday night's upfront presentation in New York.

"By bringing Mickey's comedic adventures to life with vitality, humor, inventiveness and charm, the entire Disney Television Animation team of artists, animators and directors have worked to capture the essence of what Walt Disney himself created 85 years ago," Marsh said in a statement.

Disney said the direction and pacing of the new Mickey Mouse cartoon shorts are fresh and contemporary but also pay homage to the art direction and storytelling of Walt Disney and his animators in the 1920s and '30s. Elements of the cartoons will borrow from Disney's early designs, while some characters will feature a "rubber-hose" cartoon style for more exaggerated animation. Background designs closely reflect the graphic design sense of 1950s and '60s Disney cartoons. Meanwhile, the shorts also will include homages to other Disney icons.

Each cartoon short finds Mickey in a different contemporary setting, including Santa Monica, New York, Paris, Beijing, Tokyo, Venice and the Alps, facing a silly situation, a quick complication and an escalation of physical and visual gags. Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy and Pluto also appear. In the first short, Croissant de Triomphe, Mickey must deliver croissants to Minnie's cafe, battling street traffic and other Parisian obstacles along the way.

Emmy winner Paul Rudish is the executive producer and director. Aaron Springer and Clay Morrow are directors, and Joseph Holt is the art director. The series is produced under the supervision of senior vps Eric Coleman and Lisa Salamone at Walt Disney Television Animation.

[TheButcher]

BREAKING: “Paperman” Director John Kahrs Leaves Disney

[TheButcher]

Kelsey Mann Talks PARTY CENTRAL, the MONSTERS UNIVERSITY Short Film Playing in Theaters in Front of MUPPETS MOST WANTED

[TheButcher]

FROZEN FEVER Short Film Coming to Theaters in March 2015 with CINDERELLA

RELEASE PLANS REVEALED: NEW SHORT “FROZEN FEVER” TO OPEN IN THEATERS IN FRONT OF “CINDERELLA” ON MARCH 13, 2015

Walt Disney Animation Studios’ all-new short “Frozen Fever,” which welcomes Anna, Elsa, Kristoff and Olaf back to the big screen, will open in theaters onMarch 13, 2015, in front of Disney’s “Cinderella,” a live-action feature inspired by the classic fairy tale.

Directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, and produced by Peter Del Vecho and Aimee Scribner, with an all-new original song by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, “Frozen Fever” marks the first project reuniting the Oscar®-winning original team from Disney’s “Frozen.”

In “Frozen Fever,” it’s Anna’s birthday and Elsa and Kristoff are determined to give her the best celebration ever, but Elsa’s icy powers may put more than just the party at risk.

[TheButcher]

‘Feast’ Director’s Next Film for Google Could Be a New Step for Cinema

[TheButcher]

MATT CHATS: Andy Suriano on his Return and Second Goodbye to Samurai Jack

There are a lot of licensed comics out there that lack a certain legitimacy. Whether they’re good or bad, they’re not the main version of those characters and those worlds, and they’re usually created by people who weren’t involved in the original. IDW’s Samurai Jack circumvents that sense of not feeling like the “real” thing not only by continuing where the animated series left off but also with art by Andy Suriano, character designer of the Samurai Jack TV show. I spoke to Suriano about how it felt to wrap up the comic with Issue 20, along with other projects he’s involved in.

For a day job you’re working on cartoons of Mickey Mouse, who is Disney’s flagship character but has lately been off a lot of viewers’ radars. Does that give you a chance to experiment and get away with more?

I wouldn’t say Mickey Mouse is ever off anyone’s radar, but yes, Disney has been very supportive and encouraging with the type of designs, humor and stories we’ve been doing–playing to the strength’s of our team as well as the climate of today’s viewer, all the while keeping them timeless.

Mickey Mouse Returns In Amazing New Shorts By Animators Behind ‘Gravity Falls’ & ‘My Little Pony’ [Video]

Mickey Mouse is one of animation’s most enduring but paradoxically dull icons. But it wasn’t always that way. Created by Walt Disney in the late 1920s, Mickey appeared in some truly brilliant films throughout the ’30s and ’40s, some in black and white and some in color, but almost always in some astonishingly clever, very funny and frequently groundbreaking animated works like Steamboat Willie, Building a Building, The Brave Little Tailor and of course Fantasia. But with notable exceptions of 1983′s A Christmas Carol adaptation and 2010′s Epic Mickey video game, the character has been little more than a harmless corporate mascot for the majority of his existence. As Walt Disney’s signature creation, it’s a fitting and auspicious role for Mickey, but also something of a waste of one of American animation’s most visible characters.

Fortunately for animation fans, Disney agrees. In what’s obviously an earnest effort to resurrect the classic spirit of Mickey Mouse for the 21st century, the studio has enlisted a fantastic assortment of talents from shows like The Powerpuff Girls, Dexter’s Laboratory, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic and Sym-Bionic Titan to honor the brilliant works of the past with an all-new series of genuinely funny and beautifully designed short films set to air on the Disney Channel this summer.

Simply called Mickey Mouse, the new shorts are Executive Produced by Paul Rudish, a writer and director and artist best known for his work on Dexter’s Lab, Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Samurai Jack. Also contributing to the new shorts is Andy Suriano who ComicsAlliance readers may know from his work with writer Joe Casey on the Charlatan’s Ball and Doc Bizarre books, as well as Gravity Falls director Aaron Springer and many, many more accomplished artists from television animation.

Andy Suriano’s Art is Animated in Any Medium

A few radical coloring choices can make all the difference in a commission or sketch, and Andy Suriano’s inks are already tight, but the looks he gave Rocket Raccoon, Howard the Duck and Machine Man in the art on his website break out some hues you don’t see in Marvel — or really many other comics in general — every day.

Suriano has animation credits on “Sym-Bionic Titan,” “Samurai Jack” and “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” as well as a comic book, “Doc Bizarre, M.D.” with Joe Casey. His fixed images on his Andy Updates blog show off some skilled brush strokes, though. It’s easy to see why he would want to put out a 120-page art book.

You may get a little misty-eyed flipping through his archives when you come across the unused Plastic Man cartoon concepts he came up with, but the work he has managed to put out into the world speaks for itself. Glance around at a few of our favorite examples after the jump and let us know what you like.

[Ribbons]

"Gravity Falls" is an awesome little show. Anyone with kids (or anyone, really) should check it out.