Santa takes a girl’s doodle literally in this delightful Christmas short directed by Oscar-winning director Taika Waititi for Disney.
The spot, “A Disney Holiday Short: Best Christmas Ever, serves as the centerpiece of Disney’s annual holiday campaign, titled “Make Someone’s Holiday Magic.” It’s available to watch both online and on Disney Plus. Last year, Waititi traveled to Mallorca and Prague to create Disney’s annual holiday short.
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“Disney stories have always been a source of togetherness, wonder, and joy, especially during the holidays,” said Disney’s Joanna Balikian, senior vice president, brand management, in a statement. “With ‘A Disney Holiday Short: Best Christmas Ever,’ we sought to capture that timeless spirit of friendship, family, and imagination that brings generations together and makes the holidays magical.”
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The short film tells the story of a young girl who loves to doodle pictures in the corners of everything she writes – her homework, her calendar and her letter to Santa. Taking the list literally, he leaves a live version of her doodle under her family’s Christmas tree and the two become fast friends.
While Doodle loves his life with his best friend, he’s sad that he has no mouth, leaving him unable to speak, laugh or sing. Finally noticing her friend’s distress, the girl writes a new letter to Santa, this time asking for a Mr. Potato Head. When she gets her wish, the mustachioed mouth takes up residence on Doodle’s face, giving him a voice provided by John Goodman.
“What makes this story uniquely Disney is the fact that it’s set in the world of a kid. It’s a kid and her new best friend, navigating the complex world together, and doing it just with the power of friendship and imagination,” said Waititi, also in a statement.
“I’ve always loved being part of Disney stories because there’s a timelessness to Disney’s storytelling – it’s fun, it’s heartfelt, and it reminds families of what really matters. This wonderful short captures that same spirit perfectly,” said Goodman.
Walt Disney Animation Studios animator Eric Goldberg, the creator of such Disney characters such as Genie from Aladdin (1992), acted as animation advisor in collaboration with Untold Studios, producer Hungryman, and creative agency Adam&EveDDB.
On November 12, Disney is inviting fans to help create some magic of their own in Times Square. Fans will be able to submit their own doodles using a QR code and watch as their art comes to life on the billboard.
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