Aardman Locks Three Finalists in British Animation Awards

files/pictures/picture-35.jpgThe finalists for the jury judged categories for the British Animation Awards (BAAs) were announced on Feb. 6, 2006. The awards, to be held on Thursday, March 9, 2006, at the Shaw Theatre, will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the only ceremony in Britain to recognize all forms of animation.

Aardman Animation is in the running for a total of three awards. In addition to Best Feature for WALLACE & GROMIT: THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT, their ANGRY KID will compete in the Best TV Special Category and CREATURE COMFORTS is pitched for Best Comedy.

Overall, animation house Passion Pictures has gained four nominations two for Best Commercial: Craft, and for Film at the Cutting Edge and Best Music Video. The BBC and ITV are level pegging with five nominations apiece. Channel Four has four, Nickelodeon three and Five two nominations. Hit Entertainment, Tiger Aspect and HatTrick/Decode are amongst the big name independent television production companies making the grade this year.

The team of Smith & Foulkes swept up all three finalist spots in the Best Commercial: Direction category for their work on Honda: GRRR, NSPCC: SPEECH BUBBLE and VW Touareg: RACING LINE.

The public also gets to voice its opinion in the Public Choice Awards. Special screenings of mixed programs for the Public Choice: Best Music Video, Commercial and Short Film can be seen in independent cinemas across the country until the end of the month.

The Awards themselves are unique artworks created specially for the occasion by a range of leading international and U.K. animation artists. The artworks have to feature one or more sheep, with the option for a visual reference to the U.K. and/or animation. Animation luminaries such as Nick Park, Tim Burton, Gabor Csupo, Chuck Jones and Peter Lord have all previously created BAAs. There will be an exhibition of this year’s BAA’s at the Animation Art Gallery on Great Castle Street in London W1 from Feb. 23 for two weeks.

The finalists include:

Best Animated Feature Film
WALLACE & GROMIT: THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT
Directors: Nick Park & Steve Box
Aardman Features and Dreamworks Animation

CORPSE BRIDE
Directors: Mike Johnson and Tim Burton
Warner Bros.

BELLEVILLE RENDEZ VOUS
Director: Sylvain Chomet

Best Children's Series
KING ARTHUR’S DISASTERS: Circus Calamity
Director: Edward Bignell
Producer: Julian Scott
Produced by Zenith Ent. Ltd. for ITV

PINGU’S SLEDGE ACADEMY
Director: Steve Cox
Producer: Bella Tomlinson
Produced by Hot Animation Ltd. for Hit Ent. Ltd. for BBC

THOSE SCURVY RASCALS: Pants Odyssey
Director: Oliver Hyatt
Producer: Adam Shaw
Produced by Blue Zoo Prods. for Nickelodeon

Best TV Special
LITTLE REINDEER
Director: Dave Unwin
Producer: Jonathan Peel
A Millimages UK Ltd. Production for ITV

THE KOALA BROTHERS: Outback Christmas Special
Director: Tobias Fouracre
Producer: Peter Curtis
A Famous Flying Films/Spellbound Ent. production for CBBC Animation

ANGRY KID: Who do you think you are?
Director: Darren Walsh
Producer: Jacky Priddle
An Aardman Production for BBC3

Best Children's Pre-School Series
CHARLIE AND LOLA: I Want To Play Music Too
Director: Kitty Taylor
Producer: Claudia Lloyd
A Tiger Aspect Production for BBC1

MEG AND MOG: Meg’s Fancy Dress
Director: Roger Mainwood
Producer: Carl Gorham
Produced by Absolutely Prods. for CITV

PEPPA PIG: Mummy Pig at Work
Director: Mark Baker & Neville Astley
Producer: Phil Davies
An Astley Baker Davies/Contender Ent. Group Production association with Five and Nick Junior

Best Comedy
BROMWELL HIGH: Baby Boom
Director: Pete Bishop
Producer: Anil Gutpa
A Hat Trick/Decode Co production for Channel 4

CREATURE COMFORTS: Monarchy Business
Director: Richard Goleszowski
Producer: Gareth Owen & Julie Lockheart
An Aardman Animations production for ITV

THE CHRISTIES: Natural Disaster
Director: Phil Mulloy
A Spectre Films Ltd. Production

Writers Award
GUY 101
Write Ian Gouldstone
Royal College of Art

KOALA BROTHERS – Outback Christmas Special
Writer Dave Ingham
A Famous Films/Spellbound Ent. Ltd. Production for CBBC Animation

PEPPA PIG: Mummy at Work
Writer: Neville Astley & Mark Baker
An Astley Baker Davies/Contender Ent. Group Production in association with Five and Nick Junior

Best Music Video
Beck: E-PRO
Directors: Shynola
Producer: Eric Escott
A Directors Bureau production for Interscope

Mum: WILL THE SUMMER MAKE GOOD FOR ALL OUR SINS
Director: Marc Craste
Producer: Sue Goffe
A Studio AKA production for Thule/TMT

Subtle: SWAN MEAT
Directors: SSSR (Yu Sato, Marc Reisberg, Kristian Hammerstad)
Producer: SSSR
A Passion Pictures production for Lex Records

Best Film/TV Graphics
I’M A CELEBRITY, GET ME OUT OF HERE
Director: Grant Orchard
Producer: Nikki Kefford
A Studio A.K.A Production for ITV

MOTOROLA CLASSICS
Director: Smith & Foulkes
Producer: Chris O’Reilly
A Nexus Production for The Fish Can Sing

NANNY MCPHEE
Director: Paul Donnellon
Producer: David Z. Obadiah
A VooDooDog Ltd. Production for Working Title Films & Universal

Best Film At The Cutting Edge
CITY PARADISE
Director: Gaelle Denis
Producer: Erika Forzy
A Passion Pictures Production

GUY 101
Director: Ian Gouldstone
Producer: Ian Gouldstone
Produced at the Royal College of Art

RABBIT
Director: Run Wrake
Producer: Run Wrake
A Sclah Films Production for animate! funded by Arts Council England & Channel 4

Best Short Film
RABBIT
Director: Run Wrake
Producer: Run Wrake
A Sclah Films Production for animate! funded by Arts Council England & Channel 4

FILM NOIR
Director: Osbert Parker
Producer: Osbert Parker
An Osbert Parker production

CAREFUL
Director: Damian Gascoigne
Producer: Jo Gallagher
A Picasso Pictures production for animate! funded by Arts Council England & Channel 4

Best Commercial: Direction
Honda: GRRR
Director: Smith & Foulkes
A Nexus Production for Wieden & Kennedy London

NSPCC: SPEECH BUBBLE
Director: Smith & Foulkes
A Nexus Production for Saatchi & Saatchi

VW Touareg: RACING LINE
Director: Smith & Foulkes
A Nexus Production for CreativeOndemanD

Best Commercial: Craft
Domestos: MULTIPLICATION
Director: Russell Brooke
Producer: Cara Speller
A Passion Pictures Production for Lowe Worldwide

Sony PSP: A DAY IN THE LIFE
Director: Alex Rutterford
Producer: Diane Croll, Kate Taylor
An RSA Films Production for TBWA

Vodafone: MAYFLY
Animation Director: Darren Walsh
Producer: Belinda Blacklock
A Passion Pictures Production for BBH

Best Student Film
ASTRONAUTS
Director Matthew Walker
Produced at the University Wales, Newport

KAMIYA’S CORRESPONDENCE
Director Sumito Sakakibara
Produced at Royal College of Art

PLAY
Director Matthew Abiss
Produced at Royal College of Art