Disney has developed a reputation for having such beautifully-drawn and wonderfully poignant animated shorts that audiences can't wait to see what's going to premiere before the studio's feature films these days.
And now to get us all even more excited, Disney has just released a teaser trailer for its next animated short playing before the Disney/Marvel collaboration Big Hero 6 when it hits theaters Nov. 7. Want to know what it is?
Disney's next animated short will be Feast, which features quite possibly the most adorable Disney protagonist ever, a little gray and white Boston terrier named Winston. At least half of you will have suffered a cuteness overload and will not be able to continue reading this story.
Winston is a newly-adopted dog whose relationship with his owner James is basically grounded in the many tasty-looking leftovers Winston gets to eat. The six-minute film follows their relationship through the years and is told through Winston's point-of-view with camera angles brought down low to Winston's height.
But as I'm sure you're well aware, all great meals must come to an end. When James starts dating a health-conscious foodie named Kirby, the drama begins as the scraps James gives to Winston change. Instead of pizza, Winston gets veggies. Just another case of romance coming in between a friendship. Not cool, dude.
Feast was born out of a new in-house program at Disney where employees can submit short film ideas. The short is the winning idea of Patrick Osborne, one of the leaders of animation on Big Hero 6, and it took a year for him and his team to complete the project. The animators consulted food stylists to learn how to make dishes look delectable. They also analyzed real terriers to accurately recreate their behavior, especially how they ate, on screen.
"There's something about that expressive face. To be able to work with that is pretty cool," Osborne told USA Today in August about why he chose to make the lead pooch in the film a Boston terrier.
With the stunning animation and heartwarming narrative that Disney is known for, Feast is sure to be a contender for the 2014 Academy Award for "Best Animated Short Film," in addition to Big Hero 6 most likely snagging a nomination for "Best Animated Feature Film." The short already wowed audiences during its world premiere at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival in June.
Big Hero 6 better watch out, because I have a feeling Feast could totally steal the show.
