| The Ballad Of Nessie | |
|---|---|
 Poster forThe Ballad of Nessie | |
| Directed by | Stevie Wermers-Skelton Kevin Deters |
| Screenplay by | Regina Conroy Steve Wermers-Sckelton Kevin Deters |
| Story by | Stevie Wermers-Skelton Regina Conroy |
| Produced by | Dorothy McKim Tamara Boutcher |
| Narrated by | Billy Connolly |
| Edited by | Jeff Draheim |
| Music by | Michael Giacchino |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 6 minutes[1] |
| Language | English |
The Ballad of Nessie is a 2011 animated short film produced byWalt Disney Animation Studios. It was directed byStevie Wermers-Skelton and Kevin Deters, and produced by the team behind Disney's 2007 animated short filmHow to Hook Up Your Home Theater.
The short, narrated byBilly Connolly, is a Disney adaptation of the origin of theLoch Ness Monster, Nessie,[2] described to be a femaleamphibiouslizard-likemonster.
A young gentle creature namedNessie lives happily in a small pond with her best friend MacQuack, arubber duck. When rich developer MacFroogal destroys the pond and land surrounding it to build a giantminiature golf course, Nessie is forced to search for a new home. She finds rejection everywhere and is always ordered to keep a stiff upper lip whenever she feels like crying. Finally, Nessie loses all hope and starts crying for weeks on end. She cannot cry anymore when she finds that her tears have createdLoch Ness, a new home for her and MacQuack.
Amid-credits scene reveals that MacFroogal's golf course is flooded out as well. MacFroogal breaks down in tears as he and his assistants sail away on part of a large sign, while the water knocks off some of the letters on the remaining part, leaving the word "MacFool" behind.
The short premiered on March 5, 2011, at Anima 2011, the International Animation Film Festival of Brussel.[3] In the United States, it accompanied the theatrical release ofWinnie the Pooh, which premiered on July 15 of the same year.
The short was released on October 25, 2011, as a bonus feature on theBlu-ray,DVD, and digital download release ofWinnie the Pooh.[4]The Ballad of Nessie was released on theWalt Disney Animation Studios Short Films Collection Blu-ray on August 18, 2015.[5] It is also available to watch separately onDisney+.
The Ballad of Nessie was nominated for a 2012Annie Award for Best Animated Short Subject.[6]