Progression
22 April 2026 - 2026 ( Week 1 - Week 6 )
Week 1
Activity 1
Watch this Pixar SparkShorts “Purl”
1) Describe your EMOTIONAL journey when watching the short?I had a ride of an emotional rollercoaster throughout the journey of 'Purl', trying to adapt to the new and unfamiliar environment. I feel her excitement when she first entered her new workplace. Then, I was concerned by the way the employees treated Purl once they saw her. It makes me feel sad that she was not getting the recognition and acknowledgement she deserves for her skills. Later, I was impressed by the way Purl didn't just give up and finally found her way to get their attention. In the end, it was also heartwarming how Purl did not ignore a new employee who was lost just like her.
2) How can you RELATE with your own personal experiences? Do you have similar experiences?
Last year, I decided to join a cultural event of the ethnic groups of my country in Malaysia. At first, I joined it expecting a fun and friendly cultural exchange and a deep exploration of the diverse traditions of my country. However, I found out I was the only one from my ethnic group and had a hard time understanding the unfamiliar way they communicate. I felt guilty for not educating myself first before joining the event. Now that I have learned through several online researches, I hope I can have more connections next time I interact with them, and help other first-timers based on my experience.
3) Is the story INTERESTING? (What makes the story interesting)
I think the visual elements and techniques they use make it interesting. The contrast between the dark, aggressive human characters and the vibrant, energetic yarn balls makes me interested at first glance. The significant use of different color schemes and animation speeds emphasizes the disconnection and isolation between the characters. Then, the way the visuals blended in eventually and naturally hooks the audience till the end.
4) Discuss the Character, Setting, Obstacles, and Theme.
The story conveyed the message through highlighting the uniqueness of a yarn ball named 'Purl', being a new employee. Then there is also a group of human colleagues who symbolize the unfamiliar environment and the majority Purl has to fit into. All the scenes were set inside the office of a specific company. The discrimination, ignorance, and disrespect from the human employees in the early days pose obstacles and challenges for Purl. The story has a mix of office comedy, fantasy, and slice-of-life genres.
Activity 2
Everyone likes stories differently for specific reasons. Which part in the story gives you the most relatability in terms of:
- Personal Experience
- Emotional Connection and explain why?
Activity 3
Return to the 2 Pixar SparkShorts and try reframing each of them in terms of a "what if" statement. Share these with the class.
Part B:
Now it's your turn. Come up with 3-5 of your own “what if” ideas.
Activity 4
Part A: Return to Pixar SparkShorts. Identify the worlds and characters in each. Write these down.
Who are the main characters?
The new employee named Purl, the yarn ball, is the main character of the first SparkShort 'Purl'. In the second SparkShort 'KitBull', the cat and the dog are the main characters.
Is there a character you identify with most?
Purl's character is the most relatable one for me, as the others are animals. Also, I have similar experiences throughout my university life as an international student. As we are future employees, I can put myself in Purl's place and feel her excitement and challenges.
Where does the movie take place? Is it one world or multiple worlds?
Both shorts take place in one world: an office setting and the backyard of the house.
Part B: Try mixing a character and world from different shorts. Try this and see what happens.
Activity 5
Project 1: Progression 1 (Story Ideas)
- Choose any Pixar short for inspiration.
- Analyse how this story becomes a great story from emotional connection and personal experiences.
INTERESTING, EMOTIONALLY CONNECTED, UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE
LIST OF PIXAR SHORTS:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Pixar_shorts
1. Float (2019)
The story shows the great emotional connection between the father-son dynamic. It portrays the complex human emotions and how we handle our insecurities in a beautiful, poetic way. Being a single father can already be quite challenging for him. Then, he struggled with his child being different from others, focusing too much on what other people might think. That affected the child in an unhealthy way when he could not play and have fun like a typical kid at his age. From the father's perspective, he's trying his best to protect his child at all costs. He doesn't want to attract negative attention or for his son to be treated badly by the public. However, the way he shows his affection turns out to be limiting his son's freedom and potential. Meanwhile, all the little boy wanted was to live a normal, happy life in his truest self. I relate to both characters on the deepest level of empathy and self-reflection.
Activity 6
My story (1)
I was alone in my room watching a Netflix series. I didn't realize I was alone until my roommates texted me that they are gonna be back late that night. Meanwhile, I was hearing the sounds that my roommates would usually make when they are home. Suddenly, I panic, thinking someone has broken into the unit.
First, I call my parents to calm myself down. The sound kept on going nonstop as my anxiety rose. My dad told me to contact the dorm security or the owner immediately, while my mom told me not to go out of my room yet. I couldn't call the security because I haven't saved any contacts yet. I tried calling my roommates and other friends who stay in the same dorm. But nothing seemed to work out well at that moment since all of them were busy with their own things. Then, I burst into tears as I felt helpless and frightened, which made my mom start crying too.
After a while, I got in touch with my roommates again, saying that they were coming back for me, which made me feel better, and I started to think of possible actions that I could take before they reached me. At that moment, I heard a doorbell ring. I gathered up all my courage to open my room door, grab an umbrella, go down the stairs, and turn on the lights. I saw no one there, but the sound kept on going. Then, I approached the unit door, opened it anxiously, and I saw a staff member standing there, talking to me in Malay. We failed to communicate as he cannot speak English, so he left.
Meanwhile, my parents got disconnected from me because I left my laptop, which I was using to call them, upstairs, in my room. Having no choice, I tried searching the whole unit to see if there was someone inside. Everything seemed normal inside the unit, but my mind went blank and cannot catch the direction of the sound anymore. So, I ran out of the unit barefoot with only my phone in my hand. Then, I got connected with my parents again while waiting for my roommates to come back.
Finally, my roommates arrived, and they tried their best to make me feel safe. I told my parents not to worry anymore and explained the whole situation to my roommates. We spent the whole night discussing our different opinions on this, since the sound kept going on that we couldn't even sleep. However, I felt so much relieved after making sure there was no evidence of a man breaking in. Then, we concluded that it might be a ghost, which is funny, as I am the skeptical one. The next day, we found out that the new residents had just moved in one floor above us, and they had been moving in their things the whole night.
My story (2)
I was a stubborn teenager who had a strong spirit to fight for my own beliefs. I had a lot of conflict with my mom about dropping out of my last year of high school due to the situation in my country. I got depressed, lost hope, and saw no future. I gave up on my dream local university, took the GED, and started pursuing the study abroad pathway. I face many problems trying to make a new passport. I got scammed two times. I decided to go to my brother, but my Canadian visa was rejected twice, so I broke down again. However, I never give up. I stood up again, tried applying for the UK school and visa, as it is much easier than Canada. I lost my parents' money again due to miscommunication with the agent. I felt strong guilt and regret, thinking I would never reach my destination, and I am a burden to my parents. But I never stopped trying, even when I was feeling down. I tried applying to several universities across the country and finally got offers from good universities.
Week 2
Activity 1
Activity 2
Activity 3
1. Return to the Pixar short ‘BAO’. 2. Identify a want and a need for each character by making a statement based on this example: In Monsters Inc. Sulley wants to be the best scarer but he needs to be a father figure.
For each character, you should be able to answer these questions: What do they want most? Who do they want to become? What might they need in order to succeed?
Bao (the son)
Bao wants to grow up freely and live his own life independently, but he needs to understand his mother’s love and feelings before leaving her behind.
The Mother
The mother wants to keep Bao close to her forever and continue caring for him like a child, but she needs to learn how to let go and accept that children will eventually grow up.
The Father
The father wants peace and happiness in the family, but he needs to support the mother emotionally and help her cope with loneliness and change.
The Girlfriend
The girlfriend wants to build a future together with Bao, but she needs patience and understanding toward Bao’s relationship with his mother.
Bao’s Friends
Bao’s friends want to enjoy life and have fun together, but they need to encourage Bao to balance both his personal freedom and family responsibilities.
Activity 4
1. Return to the Pixar short ‘BAO’. 2. Identify External and Internal obstacles of the characters.
Bao (the son)
External Obstacles:
Bao faces the control and protectiveness of his mother as he grows older. He also struggles with balancing his personal freedom, friendships, and relationship with his girlfriend while staying close to his family.
Internal Obstacles:
Bao struggles with guilt and frustration because he wants independence but still cares about his mother’s feelings. He also feels conflicted between becoming an adult and remaining the “little boy” his mother wants him to be.
The Mother
External Obstacles:
The mother faces loneliness after her son grows up and spends less time at home. She also struggles with the changes in Bao’s life, such as his friends, girlfriend, and desire for independence.
Internal Obstacles:
The mother has difficulty letting go emotionally. She is overly attached and afraid of being abandoned or left alone. Her deep love for Bao becomes unhealthy because she cannot accept change.
The Father
External Obstacles:
The father faces tension within the family and the emotional distance between the mother and Bao.
Internal Obstacles:
The father is quiet and reserved, making it difficult for him to express his emotions openly or step in strongly during conflicts.
The Girlfriend
External Obstacles:
The girlfriend faces the mother’s protectiveness and her strong attachment to Bao.
Internal Obstacles:
She may feel uncomfortable or pressured because of the complicated relationship between Bao and his mother, but still tries to stay understanding and supportive.
Activity 5
1. Identify the arc of the main character in the the short ‘BAO’
What do they want at the beginning?
What did they realize they need by the end?
How have you changed as a result of overcoming an obstacle?
At the beginning of the short, the mother wants Bao to stay close to her forever because she feels lonely and misses having her son around. She treats Bao like a small child and tries to protect him from everything.
By the end of the story, she realizes that what she truly needs is to accept that children will eventually grow up and become independent. She learns that loving someone also means letting them go and supporting their own journey in life.
After overcoming this emotional obstacle, the mother changes from being overly protective and emotionally attached to becoming more understanding and accepting. She becomes more open to Bao living his own life while still maintaining their family bond.
Activity 6
Return to the main characters from your the short story ‘BAO’.
What was one important choice they had to make where the stakes were high?
What were the stakes?
Can you identify them as internal, external or philosophical?
One important choice the mother had to make was whether to keep controlling Bao and holding onto him emotionally, or to finally let him grow up and live independently. The stakes were very high for her because she was afraid of becoming lonely and losing the close relationship she had with her son.
The stakes are mainly internal because the conflict happens within the mother’s emotions, fears, and attachment. She struggles with accepting change and letting go of someone she deeply loves.
There is also an external stake because her relationship with Bao becomes damaged due to her overprotectiveness and inability to accept his independence.
At the same time, the story contains a philosophical stake about family and parenthood. It explores the idea that true love is not about controlling someone forever, but about accepting growth, change, and separation as a natural part of life.
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