Interview: The Making of Pixar's "Twenty Something"

Disney Pixar shorts are a classic piece of media history that everyone can enjoy. Whether you are watching your favorite film characters on a short adventure, or watching a new story unfold in a few short minutes, Pixar shorts are a delight. The upcoming short Twenty Something is another fun short film everyone will love!

Twenty Something is part of the Pixar’s SparksShorts program which challenges filmmakers to discover new ways to tell stories. Artists have a limited amount of time and resources and to create a short film. Aphton Corbin, director of Twenty Something talks all about bringing this project to life!

Here is the scoop on Pixar's Twenty Something coming to Disney+ September 10!

The Creators of Disney Pixar's Twenty Something

Aphton Corbin is the director of Twenty Something. Her other notable works include Toy Story 4 and Soul.

Erik Langley is the producer of Twenty Something.

All About Twenty Something

Twenty Something takes the classic motif of kids in a trench coat pretending to be a grown up and turns it into a charming and relatable story. Director Aphton Corbin explains, "I had fun playing around with feeling small at certain times of the day. And what it would look like visually to not quite measure up to others. Now, what does a day in that life look like? Trying to catch public transportation, meeting up in a crowded bar."

Corbin continues, "I placed my main character, Gia, in an office setting and came up with how an entertaining story would unfold. After a time at the office, she and her friends would go to a club, and-and continue shenanigans there."

However, Corbin also faced some challenges in creating the short. She explains, "It felt like the story didn’t really take off until Gia entered the club with said friends" adding, "So, I scrapped my boards, which was a hard thing to do. But, I realized was necessary."

A man with a beard standing in front of Pixar's Twenty Something cartoons. — Erik Langley (Photo by Deborah Coleman / Pixar)

To create the story around this new setting, Corbin explains it was, "Gia going out for her 21st birthday. Um, and her first trip into the adult world. So, to make it all run smoothly, I had Erik Langley, my fearless producer extraordinaire."

The Beginning of Twenty Something

Aphton Corbin shares the beginnings of Twenty Something explaining that, "While I was working on Soul, I was asked if I wanted to direct my very own SparkShort." She jokes, "I did what many of you might have done, and I panicked."

Corbin further explains, "After hyper-ventilating for what felt like months, I decided to dig deeper into my imposter syndrome." She adds, "After I was given the opportunity to direct a SparkShort, this same feeling crept back up again. Feeling like an adult one minute, feeling like two kids strapped in a trench coat."

Aphton Corbin also explains, "Something about this idea really clicked. And I realized, this is what I want to base my short on. Insecurity and feeling too immature for the task at hand." The vulnerability behind the idea is what makes this concept so accessible and so relatable to viewers.

Why Audiences Will Love Twenty Something

At one point or another, we all feel insecurities. As Gia will find out, entering the real adult world can be intimidating! Audiences across the world will love this relatable story because of how much they can see themselves in the main character.

Aphton Corbin summarizes Twenty Something the best saying that it's about, "Trying to navigate through life. It felt like the perfect metaphor of trying to steer through life while hiding your insecurities."

Be sure to catch Twenty Something on Disney+ coming this September 10!

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