On Monday, we published the longlist of animated shorts that have qualified for next year’s Oscar. We do this every year in order to draw attention to this category, which boasts an abundance of great art and storytelling, yet doesn’t get the attention to match.
Such is the nature of shorts distribution that many of these films remain hard to see outside festivals (although industry professionals can apply to watch some for free on streaming platform The Animation Showcase). Eventually, most will make their way online. In the meantime, many of their directors are active on social media, posting artwork that showcases their unique talents — and sometimes sheds light on how they made their films.
Here are five of the best Instagram profiles by filmmakers longlisted this year: