Lifted (film)
Encyclopedia
Lifted is a 2006 Pixar
computer-animated short film directed by Gary Rydstrom
. This is the first film directed by Rydstrom, a seven-time Academy Award winning sound editor and mixer.
The film was released theatrically with Pixar's Ratatouille
(June 29, 2007). The short also received a sneak peek at The 42nd Chicago International Film Festival
.
It was the last Pixar short to be released in a year earlier before a feature film was released.
, Stu, is inside a spaceship
taking an examination in abduction. He must snatch a sleeping farmer named Ernie (who bears a striking resemblance to Linguini, the main human protagonist from Ratatouille) under the watchful eye of his impassive examiner, a gelatinous blob named Mr. B. Working from memory, Stu is expected to use an array of thousands of unlabeled toggle switches for this purpose, and Mr. B gives no hints of which one(s) to use.
Stu's hesitant flicks of the switches turn out to be wrong, causing Ernie to bump into the walls and ceiling but not waking him up. Frustrated, Stu yells and swipes randomly at the array; Ernie bounces crazily around the room like a pinball, knocking over the furniture in the process. Eventually, after checking his notes, Stu does succeed in maneuvering Ernie out the window and up into the ship, but he shuts off the tractor beam without closing the cargo hatch. As Ernie plummets toward the ground, Mr. B takes over and catches him, then works the switches with incredible speed to put him back in his bed and clean up the mess Stu made.
Ashamed over his failure, Stu starts whimpering and tries to hold back his tears. Mr. B generously allows him to launch the spaceship for the trip home. Stu cheerfully grabs the steering yoke and begins to maneuver; a moment later it slams to the ground, crushing Ernie's house. When it lifts off, its underside is covered with dirt and debris and nothing is left of the house except a tall pillar of dirt in the center of a crater, cut out by the open cargo hatch. Atop this, Ernie is still sound asleep in bed.
As the end credits run, the sound of Ernie's alarm clock is heard, followed by his yawn, a scream, and a thud - he has fallen into the crater.
. It was also included in the Animation Show of Shows
in 2006.
Pixar
Pixar Animation Studios, pronounced , is an American computer animation film studio based in Emeryville, California. The studio has earned 26 Academy Awards, seven Golden Globes, and three Grammy Awards, among many other awards and acknowledgments. Its films have made over $6.3 billion worldwide...
computer-animated short film directed by Gary Rydstrom
Gary Rydstrom
Gary Roger Rydstrom is an American sound designer and director. He has won seven Academy Awards for his work in sound for movies.-Career:...
. This is the first film directed by Rydstrom, a seven-time Academy Award winning sound editor and mixer.
The film was released theatrically with Pixar's Ratatouille
Ratatouille (film)
Ratatouille is a 2007 American computer-animated comedy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. It is the eighth film produced by Pixar, and was directed by Brad Bird, who took over from Jan Pinkava in 2005...
(June 29, 2007). The short also received a sneak peek at The 42nd Chicago International Film Festival
Chicago International Film Festival
The Chicago International Film Festival is an annual film festival held every fall. Founded in 1964, it is the longest-running competitive film festival in North America....
.
It was the last Pixar short to be released in a year earlier before a feature film was released.
Plot
A young alienExtraterrestrial life in popular culture
In popular cultures, "extraterrestrials" are life forms — especially intelligent life forms— that are of extraterrestrial origin .-Historical ideas:-Pre-modern:...
, Stu, is inside a spaceship
Spacecraft
A spacecraft or spaceship is a craft or machine designed for spaceflight. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, earth observation, meteorology, navigation, planetary exploration and transportation of humans and cargo....
taking an examination in abduction. He must snatch a sleeping farmer named Ernie (who bears a striking resemblance to Linguini, the main human protagonist from Ratatouille) under the watchful eye of his impassive examiner, a gelatinous blob named Mr. B. Working from memory, Stu is expected to use an array of thousands of unlabeled toggle switches for this purpose, and Mr. B gives no hints of which one(s) to use.
Stu's hesitant flicks of the switches turn out to be wrong, causing Ernie to bump into the walls and ceiling but not waking him up. Frustrated, Stu yells and swipes randomly at the array; Ernie bounces crazily around the room like a pinball, knocking over the furniture in the process. Eventually, after checking his notes, Stu does succeed in maneuvering Ernie out the window and up into the ship, but he shuts off the tractor beam without closing the cargo hatch. As Ernie plummets toward the ground, Mr. B takes over and catches him, then works the switches with incredible speed to put him back in his bed and clean up the mess Stu made.
Ashamed over his failure, Stu starts whimpering and tries to hold back his tears. Mr. B generously allows him to launch the spaceship for the trip home. Stu cheerfully grabs the steering yoke and begins to maneuver; a moment later it slams to the ground, crushing Ernie's house. When it lifts off, its underside is covered with dirt and debris and nothing is left of the house except a tall pillar of dirt in the center of a crater, cut out by the open cargo hatch. Atop this, Ernie is still sound asleep in bed.
As the end credits run, the sound of Ernie's alarm clock is heard, followed by his yawn, a scream, and a thud - he has fallen into the crater.
Awards
Lifted was nominated for best animated short film on January 23, 2007 for the 79th Academy Awards79th Academy Awards
The 79th Academy Awards ceremony , honored the best films of 2006 and took place on February 25, 2007 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood on ABC. Ellen DeGeneres hosted the ceremony for the first time. The producer was Laura Ziskin. The announcers were Don LaFontaine and Gina Tuttle.The nominees were...
. It was also included in the Animation Show of Shows
Animation show of shows
The Animation Show of Shows is a traveling selection of the year's best animated short films, curated and presented by Acme Filmworks founder, Ron Diamond. It began in 1998 with the aim of showing the most original, funny, intelligent short animated films from all over the world and presenting them...
in 2006.
Production
- Pixar regularly uses its short films to implement new software plug-ins and techniques. This film implemented a jiggle program (used to animate Mr. B.), wherein an animator can pick a certain section of the computer model and tap on it to make it resonate.
- Rydstrom, whose previous work was primarily as an award winning sound editor and mixer, notes that the abduction console is based on a sound mixer's consoleMixing consoleIn professional audio, a mixing console, or audio mixer, also called a sound board, mixing desk, or mixer is an electronic device for combining , routing, and changing the level, timbre and/or dynamics of audio signals. A mixer can mix analog or digital signals, depending on the type of mixer...
. He muses that both look impossible to use, and Stu attacking the user console is part of Gary's wish to destroy a mixing console when frustrated. - Rydstrom named the instructor Mr. B, suggesting a teacher that would give his students 'B' Grades, no matter what. The voice of Mr. B is provided by Rydstrom's dog, Chester. Stu was also voiced by Chester.
- The sound made by the console whenever Stu bumps the abductee into a wall is the "Hero" alert sound from Mac OS XMac OS XMac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
. - According to the director's mother, this short is partially based on Rydstrom's experiences in driver's education.
- A toy resembling the mechanical one-man bandOne-man bandA one-man band is a musician who plays a number of musical instruments simultaneously using their hands, feet, limbs, and various mechanical contraptions. The simplest type of "one-man band" — a singer accompanying themselves on acoustic guitar and harmonica mounted in a metal "harp rack" below the...
musician, Tinny from Pixar's Tin ToyTin ToyTin Toy is a 1988 short film using computer animation. It was directed by John Lasseter and produced by Pixar. It was the first testing of PhotoRealistic RenderMan...
, can be seen under the farmer's bed. - At the close of the film, when the farmer plummets into the crater, the scream heard is the famed Wilhelm screamWilhelm screamThe Wilhelm scream is a film and television stock sound effect first used in 1951 for the film Distant Drums. The effect gained new popularity after it was used in Star Wars and many other blockbuster films as well as television programs and video games...
, a stock sound effect used in many films since its recording in 1951 that has taken on some notoriety as an in-jokeIn-jokeAn in-joke, also known as an inside joke or in joke, is a joke whose humour is clear only to people who are in a particular social group, occupation, or other community of common understanding...
among film and sound buffs. - Lifted is now on the menu of the movie "Ratatouille."
External links
- Lifted at the Pixar webpage.