Despite being renown for imaginative original works, Pixar has become somewhat reliant on sequels such as Finding Dory, Toy Story 3, and Monsters University.

Although there’s still Car 3, Toy Story 4, and The Incredible 2 coming in future years, Pixar has reportedly begun an internal department focussing on original, experimental shorts.

Without executive oversight, the programme aims to ‘explore new creative visions and increase studio opportunities’. The information comes from a SIGGRAPH listing —an annual conference on computer graphics — where members of Pixar are giving a talk.

Smash and Grab: Off-The-Rails Filmmaking at Pixar will see various studio employee talk about the “six-month journey of creating seven-minute shorts, with limited resources, amidst the backdrop of a busy studio, juggling multiple feature productions.”

The project’s first film — Smash and Grab — was directed by Brian Larsen, who recently wrote the story for the studio’s Oscar-winning Piper and helped on Brave. Little is currently known about the short.

Pixar: Small wonders Show all 6 1 /6 Pixar: Small wonders Pixar: Small wonders Dark side of the toon: Pixar's latest short feature, 'Day & Night' PIXAR Pixar: Small wonders 'Knick Knack' (1989) is about a snowman trying to break out of his globe PIXAR Pixar: Small wonders 'Tin Toy' (1988) sees a wind-up toy being terrorised by a destructive toddler PIXAR Pixar: Small wonders 2003's 'Boundin' is a musical ditty about sheep shearing set in Montana, which stars a longhorn sheep who is embarrassed by the annual ritual of being shorn PIXAR Pixar: Small wonders 'The Adventures of André and Wally B' from 1984 PIXAR Pixar: Small wonders A still from 'Toy Story 3', which opens later this month PIXAR

Last year, two of the studio's animators released the seven-minute short Borrowed Time, a dark tale that was watched millions of times online.