Getting the opportunity to take a peek behind the curtain for a look at how a film is brought to life is enlightening. In the switch from VHS tapes to DVDs, studios began releasing more behind-the-scenes material for packaged films and television shows, providing audiences with additional inside access to productions. For art lovers, this has become an integral part of collecting. DVD and Blu-ray releases of Pixar films have usually included a great assortment of extra features taking us inside the studio and into the minds of the filmmakers. Now, on the web, you can get the closest look at the production of a Pixar film that we have ever seen.
The Pixar Perspective on Humor in Pixar’s Short Films
It’s high time that Pixar was funny again. Before you begin writing fierce and angry comments, keep reading, even if you’re tempted not to. When people think of Pixar’s highest creative peak, they likely consider the four films released between 2007 and 2010: Ratatouille, WALL-E, Up, and Toy Story 3, movies typified more by their emotional highs than comic highs. This is not to say that this quartet of films aren’t funny; they are, and frequently so. But think of Up, and you hear the tinkling sounds of Michael Giacchino’s Oscar-winning score and the “Married Life” montage in its opening act. Consider WALL-E, and you may think of WALL-E and Eve swirling around in space, triumphant in their mutual admiration and determined to help the human race evolve once more. And Toy Story 3’s final act is an emotional flood for most audiences. Pixar hasn’t stopped being funny, but they’ve allowed themselves to be swept away by that flood.
Five Things I Learned About ‘The Blue Umbrella’ From Director Saschka Unseld (Exclusive Image)
Pixar has been quietly producing inspirational shorts and attaching it to their feature films since the original Toy Story. The shorts consist of four to seven minutes of magic and have single-handedly pushed several other studios to bring back the celebrated practice of having a short lead into the feature presentation. This year’s Pixar short is The Blue Umbrella and its story, characters, music, and visuals are all incredible. In a conversation with the short’s director, Saschka Unseld, I learned several fascinating details about the short film’s development. Read on for more about the short’s history and take a look at an exclusive image from the short we are debuting today!
‘The Blue Umbrella’ To Have North American Premiere At SXSW Film Festival
There are only a few more days until Pixar’s newest short The Blue Umbrella enjoys its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival. Following in the footsteps of the last original short from the studio, the heart-warming La Luna, the new short will be touring film festivals around the globe. After its premiere in Germany, where director Saschka Unseld previously attended the Animation Institute, the short film will come home to North America to screen at the SXSW Film Festival next month. Find more details after the break!
Preview: ‘The Blue Umbrella’ Logo
Director Saschka Unseld has been teasing his recently completed short film, The Blue Umbrella, since last year, but there is much that we still do not know about the upcoming Pixar short. We know that it will star a blue umbrella which becomes smitten with a red umbrella, and that it will expectedly have fantastic visuals. Now, we know what the title treatment will be, which you can take a peek at after the break!
First Look: Pixar’s New Short ‘The Blue Umbrella’ [Updated]
![First Look: Pixar’s New Short ‘The Blue Umbrella’ [Updated]](https://pixartimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/The-Blue-Umbrella.png)
A few months ago, we discovered a blog on Tumblr entitled Rainy City Tales that was sharing development of an animated short. After examining the posts, and coming across rather convincing evidence, it became apparent that we were looking at the genesis of a brand new short from Pixar – all we had to wait for was the official reveal from the studio. That day has now come, as the short has been unveiled. Learn more about the short and watch a clip after the break!
