Hey, I really have no idea where to post this, but here goes nothing.
Just checked up on my Twitter account and noised Lee Unkrich mentioned a short film he just saw… but not just any short film… here is the quote:
With it is a link to a simple website:
almashortfilm.com/
Now I don’t know if this short film is associated with Pixar or not, but Lee mentions he is part of the Pixar Animation team… could this be a new short film or just another pet project? I’d like to hear what you think below.
It could have been from the animation division over at Pixar University. But why would Pixar animators waste their time, for lack of a better phrase, on a short that isn’t going to be released in theatres or on a DVD. Or maybe this is the short for release with the Up DVD and Pixar are using a way in advance marketing tactic. The character doesn’t look too Pixar-ish to me, though… Guess we’ll have to wait and see with this one.
Some digging around indicates that Blaas was once an animator for Fox back in 2002, and moved to Pixar in time to work on Nemo. He’s worked on everything since, so he doesn’t sound like a “Pixar University” type.
IMDB page:
imdb.com/name/nm1174214/
I also found a Linked In page where another animator says he worked on the film (well possibly - he could be referring to a totally different film). He characterises it as “Blaas’s short film project” and does not mention Pixar in any way.
linkedin.com/pub/3/574/312
Hmmm… two more Linkedin pages confirm that Alma is the film mentioned above:
linkedin.com/pub/dir/eduardo/suazo
This guy has some stills that seem to be from the film:
sergiocasas.net/gallery/animation/22
And halfway down this page is the following excerpt:
sffs.org/content.aspx?catid= … ageid=1024
Rodrigo Blaas has worked in animation for more than ten years, six of which have been spent at Pixar Studios where he contributed to projects like Finding Nemo (2003), The Incredibles (2004), Cars (2006), Ratatouille (2007) and WALL-E (2008). Prior to Pixar, Blaas, a self-taught animator, worked for studios like Molinare and Miopia (in Madrid) on 3-D projects for advertising and visual effects. He joined Blue Sky Studio in 2000 where he worked on his first feature film, Ice Age (2002). In 2007, Blaas directed his first short, Alma, where he teamed up with international artists from Spain, France and the U.S.
So far no indication that it is a PIXAR film.
Well I found a contact email on the site, so I emailed him (politely) and asked.
Will advise if I get a reply.
OK, I just got a very pleasant response from Rodrigo:
================
You guys are fast!
If you give me a couple of days I can fill you in. I am just polishing the web page and adding some more content, images and hopefully the trailer next week.
About the short, you are right, It’s a completely independent short film (Not a Pixar film).
Actually, I took some time off, went back to Spain (where I am from originally) and made it with my brother and some friends.
Thanks for the interest, Manning. I’ll will put some more details in the web this week.
Rodrigo
Edited. I combined all of your posts. – Mitch
Nice detective work, Manning! That was nice of Rodrigo (cool name) to email you back. The character design didn’t seem like Pixar, but it still looks quite good.
I’ll move this thread to the “Other Animation” section now.
vimeo.com/4749536
It’s been uploaded on VImeo for a little while just in time for the Holidays.
It’s wonderfully creepy.
I enjoyed it, it’s creepy in a good way but when I saw her see the doll of herself, it reminded me of Coraline! Also, some of those dolls remind me of my LDD’s, lol.
that was great!
it reminded me of coraline a little bit too.
i was wondering how the doll could move if alma wasnt in it yet?
Huh, that’s actually a pretty good question, now I’m wondering that myself.
I was also linked to Alma from Unkrich. Loved it from start to finish. It was nice of him to promote it simply for sharing and enjoyment purposes. It was a great short, very interesting, of course. I expected to see the girl that matched the new doll walk by the window at the end, but I think just the new doll showing up made the point, so oh well.
You know, I think alot of viewers would be expecting to see the next girl that matched the next doll but the short ending as it did was fine. You know what else I wonder about, who owns that shop and makes those dolls?
I saw Alma the other day after I got a Tweet from Unkrich. I thoroughly enjoyed it and reminded me how dolls can be utterly creepy.
The part where the tricycle-riding boy shut the door in his attempt to escape said something to me and I also think the writing on the wall opposite the shop had some significance. My take on the short is that the dolls were made by unseen, magical hands.
Didn’ t you love the sounds of the doll’s mechanical clicking eyes at the end creep you out, too?
Lol, if you think those dolls were creepy then you should see Living Dead Dolls, those are sure to weird somebody out! 
That unanswered simple question really adds to the creepy factor.
You know, you’re right about that, it really does add to the creepy factor.
I saw this a couple of months ago and loved it. I think it has a fantastic mix of creepiness, whimsy, cuteness and incredibly dark comedy. I think Blaas is well on his way to becoming a fantastic feature director.
I have to ask though, am I the only one who found the ending incredibly sad? I’d hate to think that all those kids are stuck there forever with no chance of escape.
I know. I honestly thought she, along with the others, would escape in the end. 
Oh well, it was very entertaining, and I love the visuals.
I kind of got the impression that the shop was an intelligent, organic entity in itself. Notice how the windows all seem to form a sinister-looking face, with eyes, nostrils, and an enormous mouth, complete with teeth and dripping saliva. It lures its victims in and “consumes” them, so to speak. I found the bicycle boy’s escape attempt particularly chilling on my second viewing, since its clear that the door purposefully shuts itself to prevent him from getting out.
I’m not sure what the shop’s motivation is. What does it intend to do with all those trapped young souls? You get the impression that there’s actually a much bigger storyline going on here, and that we’ve only glimpsed a tiny (if typical) episode of it.
Also, check out those posters on the wall of the building right next to the shop. Are they posters of some of the missing children?
Like Monster House!!! Except the Alma short is far superior to that stupid movie… 
I saw this short a long time ago, and I loved it. What I
happy to read is that the director is self taught and he now has a successful career in animation. I’m currently teaching myself and it’s very inspirational to read about self taught artist. I usually see, “went to CalArts.”