Nickelodeon Shorts

(July 10, 1996)
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Visuals: On a fancy theater-style stage with a, velvet curtain and spotlights moving about, a janitor contently leans on his broom, only to jump in shock when he notices the audience is watching. Sticking his tongue out, he pulls down a wide filmstrip that has multiple disembodied pairs of shorts, the largest being in the middle, "walking" on a purple cloth background. He throws the filmstrip so that it takes over the screen. An iris surrounds the largest pair of shorts with light orange. An arm with hands on opposite ends and the Nickelodeon wordmark on it wraps around the circle to stretch out the plaid text "SHORTS" below, then relaxes. The right hand waves goodbye as the logo further irises out to just the shorts, still walking.

Technique: Traditional 2D animation for the janitor by Pigeon book author and Sheep in the Big City creator Mo Willems. The stage background and shorts are live action, while the arm, "SHORTS", and irising are further 2D animation. The logo was produced by Curious Pictures and directed by Willems.

Audio: A majestic horn sounder, the janitor shouting, and then a record scratch that cues a funk theme. The iris around the largest shorts is accompanied by a note, the arm wrapping around the circle is given a downward xylophone, the arm stretching out "SHORTS" is accompanied by a squash and a cartoon anvil noise, and afterwards, the janitor can be heard sighing. The hand waving goodbye is accompanied by a faint gurgling noise.

Availability: Was only seen on theatrical prints of the Hey Arnold! pilot that accompanied Harriet the Spy.