Loved 'Bao'? It's time to learn about Disney's 'Launchpad' collection
The first season of 'Launchpad' features six short films.
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Disney+ is home to some of the most iconic animated short films, like Geri’s Game and Lava, as well as new classics like Bao, La Luna, Day & Night, and Piper. Now, with the advent of Disney+ and a new platform for exploring different content forms, Disney is branching out into live-action short films in the form of the inaugural season of Launchpad.
Disney’s Launchpad is a new series of live-action short films from Disney that sets out to promote the perspectives of marginalized creators. The inaugural series of Launchpad shorts, centered on the theme “Discover,” released on Disney+ on May 28, 2021.
What is Launchpad?
The Disney Launchpad short film collection will allow viewers to experience stories from a new generation of storytellers. The series aims to promote diverse voices and new perspectives through six inspiring live-action stories. The films in Season One include “American Eid” (written and directed by Aqsa Altaf), “Dinner Is Served” (directed by Hao Zheng and written by G. Wilson and Hao Zheng), “Growing Fangs” (written and directed by Ann Marie Pace), “Let’s Be Tigers” (written and directed by Stefanie Abel Horowitz), “The Last of the Chupacabras” (written and directed by Jessica Mendez Siqueiros), and “The Little Prince(ss)” (written and directed by Moxie Peng).
In the new “Embrace Yourself” featurette for Launchpad’s first season, the creators and writers discuss the idea of shared experiences, the value of self-recognition in art, and the importance of telling untold stories. The series is a collaboration between Panavision and Disney to empower diverse storytellers, including but not limited to women, people of color, the LGBTQ+ community, various religious groups, military veterans, people with disabilities, and more.
You can catch all six shorts on Disney+ starting May 28, 2021.
What about Launchpad Season Two?
Launchpad season two will be based around the theme of “Connection.” Launchpad isn’t just a series, it’s also a comprehensive program that allows the creators it promotes access to mentorship, studio partners, and more. Applications and submissions for season two are currently being accepted until June 11, 2021.
The Launchpad program allows underrepresented writers and directors to participate in the Disney Launchpad: Shorts Incubator program over the course of 12 months. The program includes script development and professional development classes for writers and directors, pre-production development, and all the resources to shoot a short film.
In order to find out what materials you might need to apply to the Disney Launchpad: Shorts Incubator program, check out these application instructions. The timeline for the production of season two can be found on Launchpad’s website.
How can you watch Launchpad?
To start watching Launchpad films this fall, you can subscribe to Disney+ today starting at $7.99 or $79.99 for a year’s subscription. Consider investing in a bundle with Hulu or ESPN+ to get the most out of your subscription, or even subscribing for a year to save a little extra money.
Disney+ is available on devices like Apple products, Roku streaming devices, Google Chromecast, Android phones and TV devices, XBOX One, PlayStation 4, LG TVs, Samsung products, Chrome OS, Mac OS, or Windows PC. If you’re worried about connecting to the service, check out its supported devices list and sign up for email updates at DisneyPlus.com to keep updated on which devices are compatible.
In addition to all of its new content, Disney+ is also home to classic films like Aladdin, Sleeping Beauty, Robin Hood, A Bug’s Life, and The Princess and The Frog that you can watch on-demand, as well as Disney Channel Original shows and TV series like Sky High, Elena of Avalor, Kim Possible, and The Owl House. They also have a lot of properties you might not expect, like Pixar Shorts, The Princess Bride, The Simpsons, Home Alone, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Hamilton, and more.