When I went to see Wreck-It Ralph last year I was stunned by the animated short that preceded it; the short was actually the highlight of the entire theatre-going experience. Paperman is a beautiful short animated film that uses hand and computer animation techniques to tell a charming love story. It’s being lauded as “the best thing Disney has done in years” and is deserving of the Oscar nomination it received for Best Animated Short.
Introducing a groundbreaking technique that seamlessly merges computer-generated and hand-drawn animation techniques, first-time director John Kahrs takes the art of animation in a bold new direction with the Oscar®-nominated short, “Paperman.” Using a minimalist black-and-white style, the short follows the story of a lonely young man in mid-century New York City, whose destiny takes an unexpected turn after a chance meeting with a beautiful woman on his morning commute. Convinced the girl of his dreams is gone forever, he gets a second chance when he spots her in a skyscraper window across the avenue from his office. With only his heart, imagination and a stack of papers to get her attention, his efforts are no match for what the fates have in store for him. Created by a small, innovative team working at Walt Disney Animation Studios, “Paperman” pushes the animation medium in an exciting new direction.