Float and Loop
Pixar SparkShorts was started to allow Pixar animators to try something new. Per the website
“The SparkShorts program is designed to discover new storytellers, explore new storytelling techniques, and experiment with new production workflows. These films are unlike anything we’ve ever done at Pixar, providing an opportunity to unlock the potential of individual artists and their inventive filmmaking approaches on a smaller scale than our normal fare.”
Jim Morris - President, Pixar Animation Studios
This freedom really let directors tell personal stories. Both Float and Loop are SparkShorts and I appreciate Pixar letting directors tell these stories because both of these films feel personal to me.
Float
As some of you know my youngest son has Autism. After Disney+ went live the chatter in a lot of Autism groups was about the Pixar short Float. Obviously I had to check it out and man did it hit me in the feels. Every time I watch it I get teary eyed.
The short is about a dad whose child can float in the air. When others see him floating they react with fear or judgement. The dad brings him inside and tries to keep the kid away from the world. When the dad brings the kid out on a walk he stuffs rocks in the kid’s pockets so he doesn’t float. When they end up at a playground you can see the anxiety on the dad’s face but before he can do anything the kid is already floating with everyone at the playground gawking. The dad runs around to try to bring him back down. Finally the dad grabs the kid and is dragging him out of the playground while the kid screams. The dad turns to the kid and yells the only spoken words in the film
“why can’t you be normal?”
The dad sees the hurt on the kids face and then decides he should let the kid have fun. They go on a swing and as the dad swings the kid floats but everyone is happy.
At the end of the film it says it’s "Dedicated with love and understanding to all the families with children deemed different". While the film isn’t necessarily about Autism it certainly something Autism parents can relate too. The director’s son has Autism and that’s probably why it feels authentic. I can’t speak to what it’s like for others, just my own experience but parenting a special needs kid is difficult. You want to protect them from the world and that can become a lonely and isolated place. When your child has to be watched closely otherwise he might run away it makes you less likely to bring him anywhere. When other people ask him questions (like what’s your name or how old are you) and you have to say sorry but he doesn’t talk, it makes you want to avoid those situations. When your child has no sense of personal space, you feel you have to constantly apologize for him going near people and possibly touching them. Lastly you feel like people are always staring and judging you even if it’s not true. So, when the father takes the kid to the playground in the film I feel that anxiety. I feel that stress. I feel those eyes judging. It’s stressful.
When the dad shouts “Why can't you be normal” it gets me every time. All you want is your kid to be happy and not have to be judged or need special precautions. While we all love our kids for who they are, sometimes everything is overwhelming. You see other kids able to do stuff that they can’t, or other parents able to do thing thtrust their kids with more freedom that you can’t do. These are the times when you wish everything could be “normal”. But like the dad in the film you just want your kid to be happy. And sometimes that means letting go and having him be different and not caring what others think.
Loop
Right after Float came out there was talk that Pixar was going to release a short that dealt with Autism directly. In early 2020 Loop was released.
Loop is about a kid Marcus who is forced to ride in a canoe with a non verbal autistic girl named Renee. She carries a phone that she is constantly playing a repeated sound on. Marcus feels burdened and doesn’t know what to do. He asks her what she wants to do and uses her phone to say she wants to go to the bathroom. As Marcus paddles over to some porta potties he realizes that she didn’t need to use the bathroom just wanted to go over that direction because she likes to touch the reeds growing in the water. Marcus then takes her to a bridge to show her how cool the echo makes her phone sound. When the sound of a motor boat scares her they end up crashing and Renee hides under the canoe while Marcus paces around frustrated not knowing what to do. Eventually Marcus just talks to her calmly and she is able to come out of her shell (both literally and figuratively) and they make their way back.
The movie didn’t hit me in quite the emotional spot that Float did, but it does a good job showing how interactions with kids with Autism can be a struggle. First thing is even if a kid doesn’t talk it doesn’t mean they can’t communicate. The way they do it might not make sense to us, but they can usually communicate what they want. The other thing we see is Marcus finally coming to an understanding and meeting Renee where she is at. He just sits and talks to her instead of yelling and making a fuss. Sometimes you just have to let them work through their issues and they will let you know when they are ready to move on. One of the last lines in the film is Marcus telling Renee “you’re kind of intense”. This is a sentiment I can certainly understand.
The director Erica Milsom worked with a group of Autistic self advocates as consultants to get their insight into how an Autism mind works. They even used a non-verbal girl to do the vocalizations for Renee (just because a kid is non-verbal doesn’t mean they are quiet). One of the things they did that I appreciate is to show that not all people with Autism react the same way to sensory input. While most movies and television shows portray someone with Autism as having a negative reaction to loud noises or getting overloaded by sensory input that is not the case for all. For example my son loves loud noises and craves sensory input. It was nice to see that reflected in the movie.
Overall: Both movies do a good job at showing interactions with special needs kids. Obviously each kid is different but I feel both these films tap into something universal. For me with a single line of dialogue Float provides an emotional impact. Seeing a kid with Autism on screen is rare but showing the struggles of communicating with a non-verbal kid is even rarer. Loop really shows the struggle with interacting with kids that are not able to communicate well.
No comments:
Post a Comment