LOS ANGELES, April 7 (UPI) -- Pixar has released the first image, as well as some background details, from its upcoming short film, Piper.
The six-minute short, expected to debut ahead of Finding Dory screenings this spring, features a baby sandpiper bird and its experience meeting the ocean's waves for the first time.
"This story is about overcoming your fears, as well as the parent aspect of wanting your kids to stay confident," Pixar animator and short film director Alan Barillaro told The Hollywood Reporter. Barillaro reportedly took inspiration from classical art to develop the clip's imagery.
"It wasn't meant to be a short," the director added. "I came up with the story because I wanted to look at software development," that helped make animations more realistic.
Piper is inspired by Barillaro's frequent runs alongside the California shoreline, Entertainment Weekly noted. He told the outlet "seeing the way these sandpipers react to waves and run, I always felt, 'Gosh, that's a film, that's a character.'"
The film is produced by Mark Sondheimer with a score composed by Adrian Belew.
