By Joe McGovern

Continuing the tradition of showcasing shorts that have qualified for the Oscars (nominations will be revealed in January), TheWrap’s Screening Series puts the spotlight on five live-action and animated films. The filmmakers joined each other for a lively conversation about their movies’ origins, crafting the perfect running time and the unexpected reactions they have received from audiences.

Subjects of the films range from a supernatural Victorian horror tale to a musical drama about a piano student to a sci-fi fantasy featuring a gigantic translucent whale.