What 1999 short film, directed by Mike Mitchell, centers on a young boy and his unusual pet frog?

While the title Hoppers (Review) might sound familiar, the details provided in the trivia question do not align with any known film. The animated feature film "Hoppers" is actually a 2026 Pixar Animation Studios production, directed by Daniel Chong. This film centers on a passionate nineteen-year-old animal lover named Mabel Tanaka, who uses advanced technology to transfer her consciousness into a robotic beaver. Her goal is to immerse herself in the animal world and prevent a construction project from destroying their habitat, inadvertently sparking an animal uprising. This plot, director, and release year are quite different from a 1999 short film by Mike Mitchell about a boy and a pet frog.

Mike Mitchell, a prolific filmmaker, did direct a short film in 1999, but it was titled "Herd." "Herd" gained critical attention and won several film festival awards, including the Spirit of Slamdance Award at the 1999 Slamdance Festival. However, the plot of "Herd" does not involve a young boy and an unusual pet frog. Mitchell is also known for directing features like "Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo" (also 1999), "Sky High," and "Shrek Forever After (Review)," among others.

Therefore, based on available information, a 1999 short film titled "Hoppers," directed by Mike Mitchell, and centering on a young boy and his unusual pet frog, does not appear to exist. The title "Hoppers" is associated with the recent Pixar release, which has a distinct plot and creative team.