I viewed the 2001 Academy Award winning Pixar animated short “For The Birds”. It tells an amusing story of a bird that is ostracized for being different.
If you’re familiar with Pixar you’ll note that the animation is typical of their style, crisply drawn and colorful. The title sequence begins with a tracking shot that follows the up and down arc of telephone wires as the title treatment rises and falls as it clears each pole. We’re introduced to the first bird as it flies into the frame and lands on the wire using a match cut. The rest of the flock supplies the motion as they fly into a static frame until the camera eventually pulls back to reveal the complete group. A medium crosscut is then used to identify a single, bigger newcomer followed by a medium reverse shot back to the group. Inductive reasoning is effectively employed in this film. Using lots of interestingly framed close-ups they build the bird’s personalities, their dislike of the interloper and their strategy and furious attempts to get rid of him. The shot sequences are built on action and logical reaction, with the final shot prior to the catapult being held just long enough to create a little fun tension.
The soundtrack boasts both diegetic and non-diegetic audio. Dave Brubeck’s “Take Five” adds just the right amount of whimsy, complementing the ‘dialogue’ and sound effects perfectly.
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