''In a Heartbeat'' is a 2017 computer-animated

short film A short film is any motion picture that is short enough in running time not to be considered a feature film. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes ...

produced by

Ringling College of Art and Design Ringling College of Art and Design (RCAD) is a private art and design school in Sarasota, Florida. It was founded by Ludd M. Spivey as an art school in 1931 as a remote branch of Southern College but separated by 1933. History The origins of ...

. Written and directed by Esteban Bravo and Beth David, the project was funded through Kickstarter, raising $14,191 from 416 backers on a goal of $3,000. The short film concerns a closeted gay boy, Sherwin who has a crush on another boy named Jonathan and his heart desires to be with him. The short received wide praise on various platforms and was shortlisted for an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

for

Best Animated Short Film The Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film is an award given by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) as part of the annual Academy Awards, or Oscars, since the 5th Academy Awards (with different names), covering the year ...

Plot

Sherwin, a shy ginger haired boy, arrives at school awaiting the arrival of his secret crush, Jonathan. Sherwin hides in a tree and watches as Jonathan walks by reading a book and playing with an apple. Suddenly, Sherwin's heart begins to beat rapidly and becomes anthropomorphic, leaving his body and chasing after Jonathan. Sherwin attempts to grab and hide his heart, resulting in various awkward encounters with Jonathan. Eventually, Sherwin chases his heart inside the school and grabs it. Then the heart grabs Jonathan's finger. The situation becomes uncomfortable as other students see the two and look on in confusion. The heart breaks in two and Sherwin runs away with one half. Outside the school, Sherwin cries silently when Jonathan walks up and sits next to him. They hold their hands together as they join the heart back together and it happily springs to life. The scene fades to black with Sherwin and Jonathan's hearts glowing and then forming into one.

Production

Production on the short started in January 2016, when Esteban Bravo and Beth David began working on their senior thesis at Ringling College of Art and Design. The initial pitch featured a boy and a girl, but at the last minute they decided to switch it to a same-sex couple in order to make the story feel "more personal". They made a Kickstarter page in November 2016 to complete the film and earned more than enough of the requested amount. A trailer was released on May 17, 2017 and the short film was released on July 31, 2017.

Reception

The short film received overwhelmingly universal praise for its animation, positive message and emotional resonance. The short film blew up on

YouTube YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...

, with an estimated 42 million views, and has been passed on through

Facebook Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Mosk ...

and

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. Reaction videos were posted by

Fine Brothers Entertainment React Media, LLC (also known as React; formerly as Fine Brothers Entertainment) is an American media company, founded by brothers Benny Fine (born March 19, 1981) and Rafi Fine (born June 9, 1983), creators and media entrepreneurs. React Media p ...

Ellen DeGeneres Ellen Lee DeGeneres ( ; born January 26, 1958) is an American comedian, television host, actress, writer, and producer. She starred in the sitcom ''Ellen'' from 1994 to 1998, which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award for " The Puppy Episode". Sh ...

and Connor Franta. It was later named 9 on

's list of the top 10 trending videos of 2017.

Awards

Since its launch, the film has received numerous awards and has been shown at numerous LGBT events and film festivals. It got shortlisted at the

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

for

, but did not get a nomination. The short was also included in

The Animation Showcase The Animation Showcase is a travelling film screening collection, showcasing animated short films. The showcase started in 2016, with the support of the private members club Soho House, with the intention of spotting upcoming creative talents i ...

2017 world touring screening that premiered it in London 25 July 2017 in

Soho House Soho House is a museum run by Birmingham Museums Trust, celebrating Matthew Boulton's life, his partnership with James Watt, his membership of the Lunar Society of Birmingham and his contribution to the Midlands Enlightenment and the Ind ...

References

External links

* * * {{s-end 2017 films 2017 3D films 2017 computer-animated films 2010s American animated films 2010s animated short films American animated short films Animated films without speech Kickstarter-funded films LGBT-related short films LGBT-related animated films 2017 LGBT-related films Gay-related films 3D short films 2017 YouTube videos Student Academy Award winners American student films 2010s English-language films Films released on YouTube