Return to Arendelle this holiday season. Last month a new Frozen featurette premiered in theaters before Disney•Pixar’s Coco, and if you missed Olaf’s Frozen Adventure on the big screen, there’s good news: the short will broadcast on ABC this Thursday, December 14th.
About Olaf’s Frozen Adventure
In Olaf’s Frozen Adventure, Olaf (voiced by Josh Gad) and Sven set out on a cheerful mission. It’s the first holiday season since the gates of Arendelle reopened, and Anna (voiced by Kristen Bell) and Elsa (voiced by Idina Menzel) are hosting a community celebration. When the townspeople leave early to observe their own family traditions, the sisters realize they don’t have any of their own. Determined to help, Olaf combs the kingdom to collect the best traditions and bring them home to make Anna and Elsa’s “first Christmas in forever” meaningful.
The featurette introduces four original songs and reunites the beloved characters and talented cast who captured audiences’ hearts in the 2013 Oscar®-winning feature Frozen.
Recently I had the opportunity for a behind-the-scenes look at the animation process. We began by viewing beautiful concept art displayed at Walt Disney Animation Studios.
I grew up wanting to be an animator, though the hand-drawn methods of the past felt daunting. Today’s tools make complex elements far more manageable. For Olaf’s Frozen Adventure, the production relied heavily on software that realistically renders snow—both its appearance and the way it interacts with light. What would once take months of painstaking hand-drawing can now be simulated so scenes look natural and believable. The result is a visually stunning short: vivid snowfields and believable lighting give the world a tactile quality, while still leaving room for the charm of the talking snowman and his reindeer companion.
After the studio tour we tried a drawing demo. An animator demonstrated how quickly a character can be sketched and refined. Here’s the animator’s version:
I attempted my own sketch too. It was a good reminder that animation is a craft that combines talent, timing, and practice—skills I admire even if I didn’t pursue them professionally.
Whether you saw Olaf’s Frozen Adventure in theaters or missed it, the TV airing is a perfect opportunity for a family holiday movie night. Following the short, ABC will broadcast Disney Animation’s Emmy Award–winning holiday special Prep & Landing from 8:30 to 9:00 p.m. EST, making for a festive hour of programming.
Mark your calendar: Olaf’s Frozen Adventure airs Thursday, December 14th at 8:00 p.m. on ABC. It’s a warm, music-filled short that’s ideal for celebrating the season with family.