7) Magic Piano ‑ Martin Clapp, director and Hugh Welchman, producer (BreakThru Films)
Word is that BreakThru is going to make a big push for this 3-D puppet adventure. In this field it could transform a flying piano into a nomination.

8) A Morning Stroll – Grant Orchard, director and Sue Goffe, producer (Studio AKA)
The Junior Jury winner at Annecy is a mixed medium production that has the innovation factor going for it. At this point it’s a numbers game.

9) Dimanche/Sunday ‑ Patrick Doyon, director (National Film Board of Canada)
This humorous, nostalgic short could easily have the heart factor that gets a nod. But it just could easily fall into the "other NFB short" trap against Wild Life.

10) Specky Four-Eyes ‑ Jean-Claude Rozec, director and Mathieu Courtois, producer (Vivement Lundi!)
Why is this short the last on the list? Because there has to be a film at the bottom. Just like its main character it could be the awkward kid who ends up the hero in the end.

Rick DeMott is the director of content for Animation World Network, VFXWorld and AWNtv. Additionally, he's the creator of the movie review site, Rick's Flicks Picks, which was recently named one of the 100 best movie blogs by The Daily Reviewer. He has written for TV series, such as Discovery Kids' Growing Up Creepie and Cartoon Network's Pet Alien, the animation history book Animation Art, and the humor, absurdist and surrealist website Unloosen. Previously, he held various production and management positions in the entertainment industry.