Shane Ackers 9 was selected Best of Show and Tomek Baginski becomes the first Computer Animation Festival repeat winner, as ACM SIGGRAPH announced the Computer Animation Festival's Best of Show Award and Jury Honors winners for SIGGRAPH 2005. The 32nd International Conference on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques will be held July 31 through Aug. 4 in Los Angeles, California.
The Computer Animation Festival jury selected three award winners from 560 entries for exemplary use of computer-generated imagery and animation, and compelling storytelling.
The SIGGRAPH Computer Animation Festival is an internationally recognized event that engages and inspires artists and technologists alike. Each year, it serves as a mirror of what is possible today and a window into what can be achieved in the future. Samuel Lord Black is a long-time SIGGRAPH volunteer and the 2005 chair of the Computer Animation Festival.
The winners are:
* 9 (Best of Show)Shane Ackerwww.shaneacker.comU.S.
A mechanical beast attacks two rag doll creatures as they scavenge the ruins of their world. After witnessing the death of his mentor 5, the rag doll 9 must call on all its courage and confront this vile creature alone. Only through cunning and the use of his primitive technology can 9 hope to destroy the monster and steal the talisman of trapped souls it carries as a trophy.
This is one of those rare pieces that unveils itself more and more with every viewing, said Black. The jury was amazed by the pieces multiple layers of complexity and detail. Another remarkable component is that 9 is a fully accomplished work. Acker not only carries a strong story idea in the film, but also directed the modeling, texturing, lighting and animation. This is one piece that begs to be seen again and again.
Inspired by the work of stop motion animation masters Jan Svankmeyer, The Brothers Quay and the Lauenstein Brothers, I sought to immerse the audience in a gritty textural world inhabited by creatures composed of fabric scraps and bits of broken machinery, Acker explained. The fantasy artwork of Zdzislaw Beksinski and photographs of European cities destroyed in World War II inspired the scenic design. The non-verbal narrative is loosely based on the old English Poem BEOWULF, and relies heavily on pantomime, combined with strong composition and staging to tell the story.
* FALLEN ART (Jury Honors)Tomek BaginskiPlatige ImagePoland
The scene is a decaying, forgotten military base in the Pacific where soldiers who have lost their minds due to the hardships of war have gathered to complete one final mission. The main characters include Sergeant Al who cultivates his love for the brave soldiers; Dr. Friedrich who cultivates his talent for photography; and the mentally lost General A, who creates his art not through paper or canvas, but something completely surprising and different.
Tomek previously won Best Animated Short at SIGGRAPH 2002 for THE CATHEDRAL.
"FALLEN ART is a monumental film that takes us into the mind of a character who is creating art only for himself, said Black. The jury lost themselves in the depths of this self-involvement discussing back and forth if the artist creates the art, or the art creates the artist. This is a truly a thought-provoking piece that is more than worthy of this high recognition.
* LA MIGRATION BIGOUDENN (Jury Honors)Eric Castaing, Alexandre Heboyan, Fafah TogoraGobelins, l'école de l'imageFrance
A gathering of Brittany ladies in traditional dress competes in a contest to cook the Breton specialty of crêpes of an ethereal lightness in a mystifying and enthralling storyline.
French film students continue to show their creativity, talent and strength by winning Jury Honors for the third time in the past four years, explained Black. "This is both a beautiful and poignant story. Its lovely non-photorealistic style is strikingly evocative of a strange alien world, and its simplicity and brevity are goals that all filmmakers can meaningfully aspire to. The fact that this work was created by students makes it even more impressive.
A complete list of Computer Animation Festival selections for SIGGRAPH 2005 can be found at www.siggraph.org/s2005/main.php?f=conference&p=caf.
SIGGRAPH 2005 is sponsored by ACM SIGGRAPH, a leading professional society for computer graphics and interactive techniques. Information on ACM SIGGRAPH membership and other conferences and activities can be found at www.siggraph.org.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
