You fell in love with Olaf at first sight when we first saw him in FROZEN. Our fascination with this Disney character doesn’t stop there. This year, PIXAR has created one of their masterpieces – the ones they’re so brilliant at – Pixar Short. We got to learn about Pixar from the beginning thanks to their ability to communicate the gist of any story in, basically, a few minutes of their brilliant animation storytelling.

One of the things that differentiates Pixar is their tradition of placing their gems – a Pixar Short – in front of an upcoming Disney animation features. Yes, you are going to be thrilled to know that for a LIMITED TIME Pixar Short “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure” will be opening in front of COCO! 

Being a very fortunate one to attend  the US COCO Premiere in Los Angeles and meet the executive and creative teams behind both, COCO and Olaf’s short, I would like to share a few most memorable moments about Olaf’s Frozen Adventure that you could  be excited about.

Celebrate Family Traditions with Olaf this Season & Beyond!

Olaf’s Frozen Adventure
Brilliant PIXAR Short

As COCO opens up just before Thanksgiving weekend, the Olaf’s Frozen Adventure has captured a theme and the spirit of celebrating Family Traditions. It makes us step on the path of reflecting about our families and things we do together to celebrate the familial connections and remember our other family members, both living those who have passed away. Sad and joyful, this Pixar Short will stir up some emotions and feelings that you will be Thankful for.

We met with Olaf’s Pixar Short directors Stevie Wermers-Skelton and Kevin Deters, and the movie’s producer Roy Conli. The love for this character – Olaf – is a Universal thing indeed. Everybody loves Olaf, because he is relatable, comical at times, yet so alive with his expression of life’s feelings.

Producer Roy Conli

Directors Stevie Wermers-Skelton & Kevin Deters
Photo: Silvia Martinez

When songwriters Elyssa Samsel and Kate Anderson were brought from New York to create a unique ensemble of songs and musical accompaniment for the Olaf’s Frozen Adventure, both commented how terrifying it was. It was like competing with a Silent Night to create something like that for Olaf. But as you will see and hear, these two talented souls have done a beautiful and memorable job.

Songwriters Elyssa Samsel & Kate Anderson, the musical geniuses behind Olaf’s Pixar Short
Photo: Silvia Martinez

You can get Original Soundtrack from Olaf’s Frozen Adventure for your musical library HERE.

Here are some incredible thoughts and ideas shared by the Pixar’s genius minds on the subject of Olaf’s Frozen Adventure short.

Olaf’s Frozen Adventure is breathing with Family Traditions. But what you will notice in this Pixar Short is that the creative team had done something truly unique and very inclusive – they have incorporated the details from cultures all over the world; something not many in this industry do.

This trademark of inclusivity vs. exclusivity sets Pixar apart from any other team in the movie-making industry.

This ultimately entertaining Olaf movie is filled with details and connotations gathered and assembled from all across multi-cultural traditions lines. Here are a few to be on the lookout for! You’ll enjoy this mixture of something that in real life exists as “culture.”

Inspiration Flows

The creative team took Scandinavian countries and their traditions as an inspiration for their Pixar Short. Song writers Elyssa Samsel and Kate Anderson especially favorited a scene when Olaf was going from door to door looking for family traditions. In one scene, Olaf was in front of the door where crowds of caroling people were in front of the house and Pixar showed us what was going on behind the door – inside the house. The family who lived in the house was hiding behind the door, reluctant to answer the caroling crowd. It will be funny to see when you watch the movie.

KNOCK KNOCK – In Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure,” Olaf goes door to door in Arendelle in search of the best holiday traditions to bring home to Anna and Elsa, who are celebrating their first Christmas in forever. The 21-minute featurette opens in front of Disney•Pixar’s original feature “Coco” in U.S. theaters on Nov. 22, 2017. ©2017 Disney. All Rights Reserved.

Easter Eggs

Easter eggs are the details, characters, elements that have been taken from other movies and animation features and placed in the current movie or Pixar Short. Actually, Disney and Pixar movies are so rich in this creative Tradition to celebrate some of the magical moments and transcend them throughout the company’s animation features. Here are some easter eggs that were placed in the Olaf’s Frozen Adventure!

• The Big Hero 6 Baymax’s fist was placed in the sled scene
• Nessie from the Ballad of Nessie found her place in the sled as well
• Landing from Prep & Landing are in 3 shots on a mantel (see if you spot anything in the picture below!)
• Stevie Wermers-Skelton plays the candy cane kids’ mother, while her son lended his voice to one of those kids!
• Songwriter Elyssa Samsel’s voice is the voice of the kitten (she demoed her ‘mewo’ in the studio for us – so cool!)
• Songwriter Kate Anderson is the cookie lady in this Pixar short

SO THIS IS WHAT HEAT FEELS LIKE — In Walt Disney Animation Studios’ 21-minute featurette “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure,” Olaf’s merry mission to find the best holiday traditions is told in part through the original song “That Time of Year.” Featuring four new original songs written by Elyssa Samsel and Kate Anderson, “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure” opens in front of Disney•Pixar’s original feature “Coco” in U.S. theaters on Nov. 22, 2017. ©2017 Disney. All Rights Reserved.

Stop & Stitch, Stop & Stitch

Watch those few moments in Olaf’s short when you will be presented with the knitted animated items like scarves. Each stitch had to be animated separately. Can you imagine now how many steps and stop-and-stitch of the animation steps had been completed? 

Every stitch has been manually animated – Unheard of!

Display with all animated elements and characters

Characters’ Clothes

When we watch Pixar movies, we do not differentiate between real life and animation. All thanks to the technologies they use to create a life-like characters and scenery.

In Olaf’s Frozen Adventure, animators were presented with many challenges. One of them ws to create a natural flow of Elsa’s velvet dress. And the other – to show a shining light through different elements of Elsa’s clothes.

Necessity is the mother of invention! So the Pixar animators had developed a technique called subsurface scattering. The light shining through Elsa’s veil took endless hours and ways to figure out and to present to us, viewers, as a natural flow of light.

Velvet Fabric and Organza Train took the most time and forced to create new technologies for animation

Elsa’s clothes are stunning, thanks to the Animation Technique called Subsurface Scattering

Celebrate Intricate Work of Animators!
Please RETWEET

Pixar Short – How Easy Is It?

The biggest challenge for the creative team was to get this Pixar Short to a maximum of 22-minute-long movie. As every creative idea was so valid, interesting, and bursting with life and humor and joy, to squeeze all the details was an absolute challenge for the entire team. Cutting out some scenes was, sometimes, a compromise among the members of the team to include only those details that would be an absolute must.

But how can you decide among the “musts?” In such creative environment when every detail is unique and colorful, it is the director’s challenge to leave only those that resonate the most with the group. Out of more than 120 hours of creative ideas, the team had to reduce the movie to a 22-minute Pixar Short – what a behemoth of a task!

WHEN WE’RE TOGETHER –Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure” features four all-new original songs, including “When We’re Together”—a song in which Kristoff, Anna, Elsa and Olaf realize that being together with loved ones is the best part of the holiday season. Featuring the voices of Jonathan Groff, Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel and Josh Gad, “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure” opens in front of Disney•Pixar’s original feature “Coco” in U.S. theaters on Nov. 22, 2017. ©2017 Disney. All Rights Reserved.

And definitely, go and see this kind and bursting with memories and thankfulness Disney Pixar animation COCO! 

OPENS November 22, 2017

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