Analyzing Animated Short Film part 1 - Piper by Pixar Studio


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Before starting my own animated short film, I decided to watch and analyze a few existing animations. This helped me understand what makes a short film successful, not just visually, but emotionally and narratively too.

I began by watching a selection of animations from different sources. I looked at Pixar’s “Piper”, Gobelins School’s “Jubilee”, and an independent short called “Snack Attack” on YouTube. Each had a unique style and tone, but they all followed a clear structure with a beginning, middle, and end.

Storytelling in Animated Shorts

Most of the short films I watched followed a clear and simple narrative structure. For example, Pixar’s “Piper” tells the story of a baby sandpiper learning to find food. The plot is simple, but it’s told in a way that feels emotionally powerful. I noticed that a strong story doesn't need words, just clear conflict, character development, and resolution.

In another short, “Snack Attack”, the story included a twist ending. The old woman believed a teenager was stealing her snacks, only to realize later that she was the one taking his. This reminded me that even in under five minutes, there’s room for character, conflict, and even humor or irony.

Animation Styles and Visual Choices

The styles across these films were very different. “Piper” used ultra-realistic CGI to make the sand, feathers, and water look almost real. Meanwhile, Gobelins’ “Jubilee” used bright colors, bold character designs, and a more hand-drawn feel. This showed me that style can match mood, realism feels emotional and natural, while stylized designs can feel more playful or abstract. 

                                                (A segment from "Piper" turned into a GIF)

For my own project, this made me think about how my visual choices will affect how the audience feels. A softer, more painterly style might work well for emotional themes, while bold lines and saturated colors could suit comedy or fantasy.

Camera Angles in Animation

Camera angles are just as important in film as it is in animation It builds perspective and it directs the eyes on what is meant to be portrayed. In “Piper”, there are a lot of low angles that show the bird’s small size compared to the big world. This makes the audience feel what the character is feeling, fear, wonder, and eventually, pride.


                                                (A segment from "Piper" turned into a GIF)

Close-up shots were used to show emotion, like wide eyes or trembling wings. Wide shots, on the other hand, helped introduce the environment. I realised that even in animation, the camera needs to “act” like it would in live action to help guide the audience’s attention.

What I have learned

This research gave me a clearer idea of what to focus on in my own animation. I learned that camera angles, storyline, plot together in good harmony makes a good animated short film. But sometimes short films doesn’t need complex dialogue or a big cast for it to be good as well. 

How This Will Help My Final Project

Analyzing Piper by Pixar taught me that a strong animated short doesn’t need complex dialogue or a large cast to be effective. For my final project, this helps me the importance of focusing on a clear story, well-defined character motivation, and visuals that support the narrative, helping me create a simple  romantic fantasy animation.

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