Making films and series for a big studio is the dream for almost every director out there. A dream that isn’t easy to come by. Though the world focuses on the many successful movie directors that grace our screens, there are even more talented creatives out there stuck doing commercials, music videos, or other forms of media – or worse often giving up on the idea entirely. All because they are unable to make a big enough impact to showcase their skills to the world.
And that is one of the founding ideas behind Disney’s Launchpad, a series of short films from up-and-coming directors with a particular focus on under-represented cultures, where Disney gives them the budget and assistance to help realise their dreams.
And for its first season, there will be six new short films coming out, all of which have trailers showcased below:
Well, there are certainly some interesting ideas on display here from a fantasy story involving half-human/half-vampires to deep dramatic struggles about cultural heritage. A wide range of diverse films that will probably each appeal to significantly different audiences. If there is one common thread on display here it’s the high production values, as Disney has certainly ensured these new creators got a proper budget and team to work with, in realising their stories. It’s also good to see Disney embracing diversity head-on with this new platform.
All six of these films will be made available on May 28 through Disney+, or whenever we finally get it here in South Africa.
Last Updated: May 25, 2021
