The Storytelling Genius of Pixar Shorts

Storytelling in its simplest and most effective form

(Images: Pixar Animation Studios/compiled by the Disney Wiki)

There’s something deceptively simple about Pixar’s stories.

Pixar Animation Studios, which turns 35 this year, is responsible for countless generation-defining feature films. While their pop culture presence is built chiefly around these blockbuster animated romps, their humble beginnings were almost entirely composed of short films.

While at first glance these shorts are harmless fun with a hint of Pixar magic sprinkled in, they are actually just as profound and compactly masterful as their feature film counterparts.

(Image: Pixar Animation Studios)

These shorts have the ability to use storytelling tactics in a condensed format, and their practicality is something any aspiring storyteller can learn from.

But what makes these shorts so beautiful, moving, and memorable, and what can we learn from them in the vast realm of storytelling?

Glad you asked.

Let’s take a look at three core storytelling lessons that can be learned from the best of the best at Pixar. From birds to umbrellas, toys, and knick…