What would your early ancestors think about the way you live? The hunters and gatherers of mankind’s first centuries on earth wouldn’t understand a lot about the way we live and that’s what inspired director Ryan Green on his first animated short, Crosswalk, part of the Walt Disney Animation Studios Short Circuit program.
(Disney)
A crosswalk light at a quiet intersection plays games with a businessman who needs to cross it, but doesn’t want to break the law. That’s the simple premise of this hilarious short that most viewers will be able to relate to (unless you’re from New York City, where “Don’t Walk” signs were made to be ignored). How long will his patience last? You’ll have to watch the short to find out.
Although computer animated, Crosswalk has a hand-made look akin to TV claymation. The introduction is hand-drawn by the director himself, showcasing the evolution of life from single-celled organisms in the oceans all the way to the modern man in the short. If you hadn’t been told that it was CG, you might be fooled into thinking this really was made using stop motion.
In his introduction, Ryan Green clears up any confusion about the message of the short: He is NOT condoning ignoring the “Walk” and “Don’t Walk” lights, but simply showcasing how far we’ve evolved as a species. Therein lies the comedy in a scenario where a man can clearly see both ways, but feels compelled to wait for the light to properly give him clearance to cross. The only problem is that this particular light is evil.
Crosswalk premieres Wednesday, August 4th, on Disney+ as part of Short Circuit season 2.