Pixar's "It Gets Better" short film

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Pixar's "It Gets Better" short film

Post by Ben » November 24th, 2010, 6:09 pm

Wow...this is a very brave collection of comments from Pixar employees, including long-time producer Darla Anderson, whom I'm quite surprised plays such a large part of this short film right before Toy Story 3 potentially breaks through other boundaries. There's a great message in here for anyone going through heavy stuff:


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Post by Dacey » November 24th, 2010, 11:05 pm

And we now have yet another reason to love Pixar.
"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift--that is why it's called the present."

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Post by GeorgeC » November 24th, 2010, 11:14 pm

To tell the truth,

I'd love DisneyANDPixar much more if they brought the pricing down-to-reality on their Blu rays.

It's ridiculous that four years later they still maintain a premium on their Blu ray discs.

(Even the infamously expensive Criterion Collection prices BOTH its DVDs and Blu rays at an average $39.99 ... No difference in pricing anymore!)


Honest.

Hate to be the spoil-sport but they got away with this (over-)pricing scheme during the DVD era for many years, too.



And this is a family-friendly company?



I remember Walt Disney once said other studios produced epic films and that his studio had a specialty -- "Corn. We produce corn!"

Corn isn't supposed to cost this much outside of a theater concession stand!





P.S. -- I criticize because I love and care...

... and frankly I want more cash to save or spend on other things, too!

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Post by Randall » November 24th, 2010, 11:57 pm

I was the second commenter on Cartoon Brew's posting of this video, and I'll say it again: Beautiful and brave, in many ways. Great job, Pixar.

And George--- WAY off topic, man.

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Post by James » November 25th, 2010, 12:06 am

Not to criticize the message, but I think it could have been more powerful if it was (ironically) more inclusive. How about the geeks, for example, that get bullied in school? I'm sure there are plenty of those at Pixar that could have given a message that it gets better. It's a good message, but don't see why it had to be directed solely at a single group since the message would resonate with so many others too.

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Post by Randall » November 25th, 2010, 12:31 am

"It Gets Better" is its own project, not a Pixar initiative. They're only contributing to it.

http://www.itgetsbetter.org/

Regardless, I think it's clear that the message can apply to anyone in similar circumstances of being dissatisfied with life. But targeting a certain group does make the message more powerful for those in that group--- which is the goal of this particular project.

GeorgeC

Post by GeorgeC » November 25th, 2010, 1:02 am

BACK ON TOPIC after being called on it by teacher(!)


I'm more with James on this one...

I hate this minority group-think mentality and the woe's me that pops up from time to time. Like everybody doesn't have their own problems(!)

I agreed with the comments of the poster "Gay Animator" and the fellow below him. What was the point of this film, really? Does everybody need some approval and love from everyone else to get on through life??

NOBODY HAS TO LOVE EVERYBODY. I hope that wasn't the message of the film. There are quite a few people I DON'T like but for the most part I tolerate them without saying a bad word and get on with it. If someone is that disagreeable or you can't talk to them because they won't make an effort to meet you halfway, well that's why circular walking was invented -- you go around them!

I'm not gay but I certainly know what it was like to be the loner academic kid who didn't do sports, didn't cheat, didn't smoke or drink, and generally didn't behave like an idiot 85% of the time like my other classmates did. I also didn't lord over them all the time claiming that what I did was better and was modest about my achievements. For the most part, however, I've kept quiet about this and frankly don't talk about high school that much. It's done... It's OVER. I don't plan on going to the reunions in all honesty.

It WOULDN'T occur to me to make a film like this. It's a better use of my time to talk to my own kids (if I ever have any) or younger relations about why bullying's wrong... About how sticking to doing what you know is right versus easy and expedient DOES have its consequences. This hasn't changed for thousands of year -- of course if you're a square you're not going to be popular most of the time! IF you have to let someone else make this talk or make your kids watch a film it's kind of too late already for them!

Look, you're not going to convince the most thick-headed people to change their minds or change the mind of somebody like me... (I generally agree with the message of the film from what I saw, I just don't agree with the overall narrowness as James said.)

I think it's also ironic that this film got spotlighted on a blog that is well-known to clearer-thinking people as being one that likes to throw bombs all the time without thinking about the consequences HALF the freaking time when they do it! The other half, you better believe they know what they're doing. That's why I think that particular blog is a waste of bandwidth. Seems to serve no purpose other than name-calling half the time. OR promoting those jokers' books.

And, when they get called on the carpet for it, they plead, "It's just a joke" or "You're a dick because you don't tow the line with us!" ==> If that isn't in its own way bullying, then I don't know what is!!!

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Post by Randall » November 25th, 2010, 1:25 am

Methinks you're missing the point of the film. It's not an anti-bullying spot. And it's not a "feel sorry for me" spot. It's an anti-suicide spot. Big difference, there.

The fact is, many kids go through severe emotional trauma over this issue (and yes, other issues as well). And they contemplate suicide. Whether you approve of their feelings really isn't an issue. The fact is, many teens are miserable, and yes--- it does wonders to be told that it does get better. These kids need a message of hope, not mightier-than-thou lectures. These creative people in the video have the maturity and perspective to share that message of hope with teens, and it's very helpful.

I was also a bright kid who didn't smoke or drink, yadda yadda yadda.... But I eventually also had friends who were like me. It also helped that I finally grew out of my fat phase. Prior to that time, I was bullied, and I prayed for things to get better. I was pretty strong, thankfully, but I know I would have felt pretty desperate if things didn't improve by high school. I hate to think what would have happened if I'd never been shown that light at the end of the tunnel. Until anyone has come to the brink of taking his or her own life, and felt utterly alone in the world without hope or promise, I don't think any of us can try to lecture people on how to feel about it.

Because yes, in fact, everybody does "need some approval and love from everyone else to get on through life." If you don't think so, then you've never really been without it.

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Re:

Post by EricJ » November 25th, 2010, 11:58 am

James wrote:Not to criticize the message, but I think it could have been more powerful if it was (ironically) more inclusive. How about the geeks, for example, that get bullied in school?
That was a point brought up on the TAG Blog, and pretty well shows where the discussions keep heading:

It Gets Better(tm) was an initiative to help fight gay-bullying and teen-gay suicides...And yet every time the discussion turns to "Why not ALL bully victims?", the responses turn first from:
1) Sympathy: "But you don't understand the bullying we get!"
to
2) Culturalism: "This is our issue, we got ourselves organized...If you wanted to fight general bullying, why didn't you do something about it by now?"
to
3) Culturalist Paranoia: "All the complaints against the movement are just trying to enforce a latent homophobia in society!"
and as always, ultiimately to
4) Pirate-Clubhouse Demonizing of the Faceless Opposition: "Yeah, bet all those red-state Southern Baptist senators fighting gay-marriage would love to take down our website right about now!"

(And to think, that people could actually throw such accusations as "Self-interest" or "Island unto themselves"... :roll:
And does anyone know what the heck discussion George was on?? )

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Post by Randall » November 25th, 2010, 3:45 pm

Re: "Why not ALL bully victims?"...

To me, it's like criticizing the Jerry Lewis telethon for not addressing all neuromuscular disorders and focusing instead on muscular dystrophy.

That's a specific message here, targeted at a specific group. I can't see anything wrong with that. I guess this comes under Eric's point #2. :)

And George... was being George. ;)
Last edited by Randall on November 25th, 2010, 3:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post by Ben » November 25th, 2010, 5:13 pm

I think it's pretty simple...it's this particular group of people that got together to put out this message...a message that, as it turns out, applies to a lot of wider demographics.

If it had been another group, like Bully Survivors or something that had the initiative to put this message out there, it'd be the same message. That's the important thing to remember.

It's just come, in this case, from this certain group of people. People that were once brave enough to live through tough personal situations, and brave enough again to come forward and help others publicly with this film.

It doesn't matter where the message comes from...it's the message that counts.

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