Computer Graphics World

Last year, under the direction of Ed Catmull, president, and John Lasseter, chief creative offi cer, Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios each released a feature and a short animated fi lm. Whether by design or happenstance, the short fi lms are com- pletely diff erent in style from the features, which themselves pushed the studios in new directions. Disney's Bolt (see "Back to the Future," November 2008) is a CG fi lm that begins with a rousing superhero action sequence, followed by a comedic road trip and coming-of-age story. Its adorable stars are a CG dog, cat, and hamster in a glass ball. On the other hand, Disney's animated short "Glago's Guest," which is directed by Bolt co-director Chris Williams, is a thought-provoking fi lm in a bold, minimalist style. It's a far cry from what most people think of as a Disney fi lm. Unlike either of those fi lms, in Pixar's science-fi ction feature Wall-e (see "Rampant Risk-Taking," July 2008), the robot wanders through dusty, rusty CG scenes that are diff erent from any we've seen before, as he collects trash on an abandoned planet and then follows his super-modern Eve to a weird and brightly colored world. But, "Presto," Pixar's animated short about a magician and his rabbit, set in 1912, is as wild and wacky as a Bugs Bunny, Tom and Jerry, or Tex Avery cartoon. At one time, people seemed to think there was a CG style, that 3D ani- mation was a genre. e fi lms competing for various awards this year, not the least of which are the Disney and Pixar shorts, prove that CG tools do not defi ne the art. Artists do. –Barbara Robertson Above, the arrogant magician is about to get his comeuppance in Pixar's "Presto." At far left, the Rus- sian soldier's gray silhouette against a snowy background in Disney's "Glago's Guest" empha- sizes a stark loneliness that shifts when an unexpected visitor arrives. Above, the arrogant magician is about to get his comeuppance in Pixar's "Presto." At far left, the Rus- sian soldier's gray silhouette against a snowy background in Disney's "Glago's Guest" empha- sizes a stark loneliness that shifts when an unexpected visitor arrives. February 2009 17 CG Short Films ■ ■ ■ ■ Last year,

• Cover