The British animation industry's most talented and creative figures were honored Thursday as they scooped gongs at the 2008 British Animation Awards (BAA).
The ceremony, hosted by Joe Pasquale, was held at the BFI in London.
Industry peers, and the public, through a series of public choice votes across the UK, voted for their favorites.
With over three decades of experience in the British animation scene, Aardman Animations scooped four awards including the coveted Craft Award for THE PEARCE SISTERS, a short film by Luis Cook, which also won this year's BAFTA.
Aardman were also recognized in the Best Children's Series and the Children's Choice Award for SHAUN THE SHEEP, a fitting tribute to a character that received its own series in 2007 having first appeared on our screens in the1995 Oscar-winning Wallace and Gromit short film A CLOSE SHAVE.
Finally, Aardman nabbed the New Media: Best Commissioned Animation award for THE PECULIAR ADVENTURES OF HECTOR, by Sally Arthur and Sarah Cox.
Robert Lindsay took home Best Character Voice Performance for his reading in TECHNICAL HITCH by John Dunleavy.
Lindsay's performance was lauded for complementing and adding an extra dimension to the visuals.
Animate Projects took home two awards; Best Short Film for YOURS TRULY by Osbert Parker and Best Film at the Cutting Edge went to MAGNETIC MOVIE, by Ruth Jarman and Joe Gerhardt, for its innovative subject matter and inventive and mischievous approach to making the intangible tangible.
Darren Walsh and Frank Budgen dominated the commercials categories, taking home two of the three awards, Best Commercial: Craft and Best Commercial: Direction, for their work on the Sony Bravia: PLAY DOH advert produced by Passion Pictures.
The other award for excellence in commercial animation was the Public Choice: Commercial award, voted for by the UK public and went to AMNESTY PROTECT THE HUMAN: MEASLES by Sweetworld TV and Lisle Turner.
The three-minute short, first shown on Channel 4 during the 2006 Secret Policeman's Ball, highlights the devastating role of the international small arms trade. In the film, a group of diseases complain that they are no longer the world's greatest killers, and call for greater control of small arms.
Entered as one of 17 productions in the Best Commercial category, MEASLES was voted the favorite during a series of public screenings around the UK.
Another animator who has had huge impact and success on the UK animation scene is Suzie Templeton, recognized with the Best TV Special award.
Templeton picked up this coveted prize for her creation PETER AND THE WOLF, which also won an Oscar earlier this year for Best Animated Short Film.
This intensely moving film has outstanding character design, cinematography and animation that create a palpable sense of place.
Best Student Film was awarded to T.O.M. created by University of Wales students Tom Brown and Daniel Gray and marks the University's second consecutive win within this category.
The film also received the 2008 Public Choice: Film vote alongside DREAMS AND DESIRES -- FAMILY TIES, by renowned animator and Joanna Quinn.
Both films received equal votes during the Public Choice screenings, which took place earlier this year at cinemas throughout the UK.
Held in high regard not only by the public by industry peers -- both films have taken home multiple international awards.
THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS: SALMON DANCE picked up Best Music Video for its seamless integration of live action and computer animation.
Created by Dom and Nic through Framestore the award follows Framestore's success at this year's Oscars where they were part of the team that picked up Best Visual Effects for The Golden Compass.
Other BAA awards presented at last night's ceremony include: Best Pre-School Series given to CHARLIE AND LOLA: TOO MANY BIG WORDS by Kitty Taylor; Best Film/TV Graphics presented to FUN FACTS, directed and produced by Trunk Animation, Best Comedy went to CAT MAN DO by Simon Tofield from Tandem Films and Public Choice: Music Video presented to ONEESKIMO: HOMETIME by Matt Latchford and Lucy Sullivan.
BEST PRE SCHOOL SERIES (sponsored by HIT Entertainment)
CHARLIE & LOLA: TOO MANY BIG WORDSDirector: Kitty TaylorProduced by Tiger Aspect for CBeebies.
Runners up:LITTLE PRINCESS: I WANT MY SNAILDirector: Edward FosterProduced by The Illuminated Film Company for FivePOCOYODirector: David Cantolla and Guillermo GarciaProduced by Granada Kids / Zinkia Entertainment for CITV
BEST CHILDREN'S SERIES (sponsored by Cartoon Network)
SHAUN THE SHEEP: "Still Life"Director: Richard GoleszowskiProduced by Aardman Animations for CBBC
Runners up:KNTV PHILOSOPHY: "Smith"Director: Garry J MarshallProduced by Tern Television Productions Ltd for Channel 4THE SECRET SHOW: "Flick The Switch"Director: Tony CollingwoodProduced by Collingwood O'Hare Entertainment for CBBC
BEST TV SPECIAL (sponsored by Animation Art Gallery)
PETER AND THE WOLFDirector: Suzie TempletonProduced by Break Thru Films Ltd for Channel 4
Runners Up:CHARLIE & LOLA: HOW MANY MORE MINUTES UNTIL CHRISTMAS?Director: Kitty TaylorProduced by Tiger Aspect Productions for CBeebiesTHE WRONG TRAINERSDirectors: Kez Margrie, Matthew Walker/Arthur Cox, Helen Arnsten/Blue Zoo, Martin Orton, Greg Villalobos/Bold Creative, Leigh Hodgkinson/Slinky Pictures and TrunkProduced by BBC Newsround/Arthur Cox/Blue Zoo/Bold Creative/Slinky Pictures/Trunk for BBC
BEST FILM AND TV GRAPHICS
FUN FACTSDirector: Steve Smith Produced by Trunk Animation
Runners up:SWEENEY TODD: Title sequenceDirector: Richard MorrisonProduced by Th1ngMTV: 3650Director: Ubik Produced by Picasso Pictures
BEST COMMERCIAL: CRAFT
Sony Bravia: PLAY-DOHDirectors: Darren Walsh (Animation) and Frank Budgen (Live Action)Produced by Passion Pictures for Fallon London
Runners up:Irn-Bru PHENOMENAL XMASDirector: Robin ShawProduced by Sherbet Ltd for The Leith AgencyNational Lottery: THE BIG WINDirector: Marc CrasteProduced by Studio AKA for Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO Ltd
BEST COMMERCIAL: DIRECTION (sponsored by Blue Zoo)
Sony Bravia: PLAY-DOHDirectors: Darren Walsh (Animation) and Frank Budgen (Live Action)Produced by Passion Pictures for Fallon London
Runners up:Cravendale: LAST GLASSDirectors: Pic Pic AndreProduced by Nexus Productions for Weiden + Kennedy LondonOlay: LINESDirector: Suzanne DeakinProduced by Slinky Pictures for Saatchi, New York
BEST FILM AT THE CUTTING EDGE (sponsored by the UK Film Council)
MAGNETIC MOVIEDirectors: Ruth Jarman and Joe Gerhardt (Semi Conductor)Produced by Semi Conductor, an Animate Projects commission for Channel 4 in association with Arts Council England
Runners up:YOURS TRULYDirector: Osbert Parker An Animate Projects commission for Channel 4 in association with Arts Council EnglandINTERSTELLAR STELLADirectors: AL & ALProduced by AL & AL, an Animate Projects commission for Channel 4 in association with Arts Council England
BEST MUSIC VIDEO
Chemical Brothers: SALMON DANCEDirector: Dom & NicProduced by Factory Films for Virgin Records/EMI UK through Framestore CFC
Runners up:Bell x1: ROCKY TOOK A LOVERDirector: SSSRProduced by Passion Pictures for Island RecordsThe Puppini Sisters: BOOGIE WOOOGIE BUGLE BOYDirector: Laurie J ProudProduced by Sherbet for Universal Music
BEST SHORT FILM (sponsored by Cosgrove Hall)
YOURS TRULYDirector: Osbert Parker An Animate Projects commission for Channel 4 in association with Arts Council England
Runners up:THE OLD, OLD, VERY OLD MANDirector: Elizabeth HobbsProduced by Spellbound Animation with Moeglich FilmsTHE PEARCE SISTERSDirector: Luis CookProduced by Aardman Animations
BEST STUDENT FILM (sponsored by Aardman Animations)
T.O.M.Directors: Tom Brown and Daniel GreyProduced at the International Film School of Wales
Runners up:MILK TEETHDirector: Tibor BanoczkiProduced at the National Film and Television SchoolPINGPONGSDirector: George GendiProduced at The Royal College of Art
BEST COMEDY (sponsored by AstleyBakerDavies)
CAT MAN DODirector: Simon TofieldProduced by Tandem
Runners up:ROCKET SCIENCEDirector: Sam MorrisonProduced by Nexus ProductionsFONEJACKER: TALENTED MOUSE -- CATNIPDirector: Leigh HodgkinsonProduced by Slinky Pictures
BEST CHARACTER VOICE PERFORMANCE (sponsored by the Sound Company)
Robert Lindsay in THE TECHNICAL HITCHDirector: Jon DunleavyAn Independent Production
Runners up:Peter Capaldi in HAUNTED HOGMANAYDirector: Neil Jack Produced by BBC Scotland and Kolik FilmsJane Horrocks in LITTLE PRINCESS: "I Want My Snail"Director: Edward FosterProduced by The Illuminated Film Company for Five.
NEW MEDIA: BEST COMMISSIONED ANIMATION (sponsored by Th1ng)
THE PECULIAR ADVENTURES OF HECTORDirectors: Sally Arthur and Sarah CoxProduced by Aardman Animations
Runners up:C'MONS: RED VIRALDirectors: Dom + NickProduced by Framestore CFCHEAVENLY SWORDDirector: Ben HibbonProduced by Blink Ink
CRAFT AWARD (sponsored by Tandem Films)
THE PEARCE SISTERSDirector: Luis CookProduced by Aardman Animations
Runners up:ADJUSTMENTDirector: Ian MackinnonProduced at the Royal College of ArtDREAMS AND DESIRES: FAMILY TIESDirector: Joanna QuinnProduced by Beryl Productions for S4C
CHILDREN'S CHOICE AWARD
SHAUN THE SHEEPDirector: Richard GoleszowskiProduced by Aardman Animations for CBBC
PUBLIC CHOICE: FILM
T.O.M.Directors: Tom Brown & Daniel GreyProduced at the International Film School of WalesDREAMS AND DESIRES: FAMILY TIESDirector: Joanna QuinnProduced by Beryl Productions for S4C
PUBLIC CHOICE: MUSIC VIDEO
OneEskimo: HOMETIMEDirectors: Matt Latchford and Lucy SullivanProduced by Gravy Media for Little Polar Records
PUBLIC CHOICE: COMMERCIAL
Amnesty Protect the Human: MEASLESDirectors: Sweetworld TV and Lisle TurnerProduced by Amnesty International
