Disney’s ‘Launchpad’ is an innovative filmmaking platform to empower a new generation of writers and directors to create short films for Disney Plus. The Launchpad program recently dropped its first official trailer for its forthcoming six original live-action short films.
Incidentally, ‘Launchpad’ had also been a well-liked character in Disney’s own animated series ‘DuckTales’ featuring the adorable Uncle Scrooge and his three grand-nephews. However, the character has no apparent connection with Disney’s recent Launchpad program.
These short films, which are developed by filmmakers from underrepresented backgrounds with diverse and varied perspectives, revolve around the common theme of ‘Discover’. The collection of short films is slated to be launched on Disney Plus on May 28, 2021.
The opening season of the ‘Launchpad’ program will feature six shorts titled ‘American Eid’ (by Aqsa Altaf), ‘Dinner is Served’ (by Hao Zheng), ‘Growing Fangs’ (by Ann Marie Pace), ‘The Last of Chupacabras’ (by Jessica Mendez Siqueiros), ‘Let’s Be Tigers’ (by Stefanie Abel Horowitz), and ‘The Little Prince(ss)’ (by Moxie Peng).
These endearing stories range from a homesick immigrant embracing her new home, to a Chinese student in an elite boarding school, to a half-human–half-vampire Mexican American teen, to a lonely woman inadvertently summoning an ancient creature, to a woman babysitting a child while dealing with her mother’s death, to a Chinese father worried about his son’s feminine behavior.
As part of the ‘Launchpad’ program, each writer/director was allocated executive mentors from various divisions of the company, including Disney Plus, Lucasfilm, Marvel Studios, Pixar, Walt Disney Animation Studios and Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production.
Disney has already geared up for the second season of its short films program. It has initiated the process of inviting writers and directors to produce short films, albeit this time, centered around the theme of ‘Connection’.
Regarding the venture, Mahin Ibrahim, who oversees Disney’s Launchpad program had earlier said “This first group of shorts by these six gifted filmmakers took our breath away. They are moving, provocative and entertaining, and they each convey a unique perspective on living in America today and the things you learn about yourself and others when you follow your own path. I am excited to share them with you, and I look forward to welcoming a new group of filmmakers from underrepresented backgrounds for our next season of Disney’s Launchpad”.
We sincerely hope that the collection of these short films is as compelling as the trailer and as charming as DuckTales’ Launchpad character. Because the program’s success will encourage other entertainment companies to institute similar initiatives for nurturing budding filmmakers.
Stay tuned for May 28. In the meanwhile, you can watch the ‘Launchpad’ trailer below.