Academy Meets To

On November 7, 2002 the Short Film and Feature Animation executive committee will meet to discuss recommending that the Animated Feature Film category be awarded for the 75th Annual Academy Awards. The category was inaugurated in 2002, when SHREK became the first recipient of the Animated Feature Oscar. Based on the published rules for the Feature Animation category, the executive committee will discuss the eligibility of this year's submitted films. Shoo-ins for the short list will no doubt be 20th Century Fox's ICE AGE, Disney's LILO AND STITCH and DreamWorks' SPIRIT: STALLION OF THE CIMARRON. However, discussions are sure to ensue about the eligibility of films such as Sony Pictures' STUART LITTLE 2, which incorporates extensive CG animation combined with live-action. The Academy defines an Animated Feature Film as "a motion picture of at least 70 minutes in running time where a significant number of the major characters in the film are animated, and animation figures in no less than 75% of the picture's running time." Last year, Warner Bros. live-action/animation mix OSMOSIS JONES made it to the short list, so its likely STUART LITTLE 2 will as well. At least eight eligible features are required for the Academy to recommend the award for 2003. Friday, November 1, is the deadline for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to receive Animated Feature entry forms for the 75th Academy Awards.