Created by Lucy Jarvis
A CLOSER LOOK: VIDEOGRAPHIC CRITICISM 2025 – Young video essayists comment on popular audio-visual culture. Produced as part of the BA (Hons) Film and Television degree at Southampton Solent University and brought to you by Making Waves Film Festival.
Pixar’s SparkShorts project has offered something a little different from the studio’s usual polished feature films. These short films—made by emerging voices within the studio—often take on social themes in ways that feel more personal, more exploratory, and sometimes more daring than Pixar’s mainstream releases.
This video essay looks closely at how the SparkShorts series engages with ideas of social difference. From questions of identity and belonging to depictions of disability, marginalisation, and emotional vulnerability, the essay considers how these short stories give space to characters and perspectives that might not typically take centre stage in big-budget animation.
Rather than neatly resolved narratives, many of the SparkShorts dwell in complexity. They offer viewers a space to reflect, often using metaphor, fantasy, or pared-back realism to tackle real-world concerns. The essay explores how this shift in tone and style allows Pixar to experiment—while still holding onto the emotional core that defines its brand.
As part of A Closer Look, this piece highlights how short-form animation can open doors to different kinds of stories—and why that matters for audiences of all ages.
This essay is part of A Closer Look, a series of video essays created in collaboration with Southampton Solent University and hosted by Making Waves Film Festival. Each one offers a thoughtful perspective on a piece of moving image culture, seen through the lens of emerging critical voices.
