We all know Disney and Pixar to have a way with words, stories, characters and more; with their films showcasing bravery, love, acceptance, grief, and many other themes, the companies definitely bring out the best in many of us.
This Friday (24th September, 2021) will see the release of A Spark Story onto Disney+. A Spark Story is a feature-length documentary and a co-production of Pixar and Supper Club, that takes a behind the scenes look at Pixar’s SparkShorts visions.
A Spark Story is directed by Jason Sterman and Leanne Dare of Supper Club (Chef’s Table), and produced by Sterman, Brian McGinn and David Gelb in collaboration with Pixar.
“I think viewers will be most surprised by how much personal storytelling is involved in the Pixar filmmaking process,” says Sterman, “it takes so many people to bring one of these films to life, and you can feel the filmmakers’ personal touches in every aspect of the films.
“Hopefully,” continues Sterman, “A Spark Story will give audiences a greater sense of the people and personalities who bring these types of films to life.”
The trailer for A Spark Story focuses on the minds and personalities behind Disney and Pixar’s creations, and gives audiences a glimpse at how the narratives they adore are made real.
We also see, from the trailer alone, that those working on new characters and stories want to put some of themselves in them, too. Aphton Corbin, a story artist for Pixar, states that she’s “excited about people getting used to seeing stories through the lens of a black character.”
A Spark Story introduces viewers to Corbin (director of Twenty Something) and Louis Gonzales (director of Nona), who steer through the emotional journey of putting your feet into a leadership role and being tasked to inspire and motivate others.
The documentary aims to give fans an intense, immersive and intimate look at the filmmakers and their unique creations, as well as navigating the philosophy that makes Pixar as unique and wonderful as it is.
Dare says that “Like Louis and Aphton, this was our first time directing, so we could relate to a lot of the experiences they were going through. We found ourselves in the same situations trying to find our story, figuring out how to lead our team and getting comfortable trusting our instincts—taking leaps of faith and knowing we’ll figure out how to land…”
This insightful and endearing feature-length documentary aims to put those who work behind the scenes to create the wonderful, magical and brilliant worlds in front audiences, in front of the camera.
A Spark Story will land on Disney+ this Friday (24th September, 2021)!
Written by Melissa, who you can follow on Twitter @melissajournal
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