I’m sitting here watching the Rose Bowl and a standard university recruitment commercial starts to play. I’m not paying much attention until I hear the final seconds, “Your future is knocking, open the door. Monsters University.” I look up and sure enough, there is the logo for the new Pixar film, Monsters University, hitting theaters on June 21.
The video has been made available online with the following article accompanying it:
The sisters share a pint-sized body and may be impossible to tell apart at first glance, but MU student filmmakers Jessica and Jennifer Riddlebarger have accomplished something this semester that may well set them apart from their peers permanently.
Their final project for FILM 470, “Imagine You at MU”, is a piece that is winning awards and garnering attention for the pair. From every corner of the Monsters University universe — administrators, students, professors, alumni — the praise has been unanimous.
Professor Jackie Wedmon knew he was watching something special the very first time he saw it. “It has that special quality of stoking anticipation — a short that makes you long for a chance to view the full version.”
Monsters University president, Victoria Gross, was equally pleased and pledged to do everything possible to make sure the world got to see the students’ work. “Monsters University has reached out to well-placed alumni in the entertainment industry who will make sure this brief but moving work is shown to millions of moviegoers. There is nothing more important to MU than highlighting academic and artistic excellence and encouraging millions of potential MU fans to see for themselves why this school is a place of endless possibilities.”
Jennifer/Jessica would love to be considered among the great sibling filmmaking teams someday but, for now, are content to enjoy the wild ride. With a beaming smile and twinkling eyes, Jennifer summed up the duo’s motivation, “We’re little monsters with big dreams — and an alma mater that inspires us.”
Jessica, the more serious of the two, added, “Think of it as an ode to the school we love. A love letter come to life on the screen. A Monsters mash note for the ages.” She paused for a moment, exhaled audibly and muttered, “If we don’t get an A on this project, I’m going to lose my mind.”
You can watch the full video directly below and learn more about the Monsters University campus and admissions requirements right here.
