Telling a Story with Moving Images

Animation is a process used to create motion pictures through the combination of still images (e.g., digital graphics, photographs of drawings, photographs of objects, etc.) which, when played in sequence, create the illusion of movement. All television cartoons, for example, are animations, and are made up of thousands of still images (drawn by hand or on a computer) that are played sequentially, along with a soundtrack, to tell a story.

Directed by Alan Barillaro and produced by Marc Sondheimer, “Piper,” a short from Pixar Animation Studios, tells the story of a hungry sandpiper hatchling who ventures from her nest for the first time to dig for food by the shoreline. The only problem is, the food is buried beneath the sand where scary waves roll up onto the shore. “Piper” debuted in theaters worldwide with “Finding Dory” in 2016.

Director’s Statement 
“Piper began as a test to try and craft develop animation tools that would provide greater flexibility to for artists. As the test evolved, I realized there was a story to be told. Inspired by the birds I would see while jogging near Pixar, I came up with this tale of a sandpiper, and infused it with the emotions I felt as a parent nervously watching my children growing up. Using the tools I’d been developing, the team and I dove in worked in a uniquely collaborative way in which everyone was empowered to contribute creatively. It was a thrill to work on Piper and we are so proud of the result.”