‘Ethel & Ernest’ Leads Finalists for British Animation Awards

LONDON -- The finalists have been announced today for the British Animation Awards 2018, with Lupus Films’ animated feature Ethel & Ernest earning the most nominations with four.

Held every two years, the British Animation Awards reward the best in British animation across a variety of categories.

This year’s ceremony, attended by the great and the good of British animation, will be held at London’s BFI Southbank on March 15. Now in its 22^nd year, previous winners include Tim Burton, Nick Park, Simon Tofield, Harry Potter, Gorillaz and Martin Freeman.

A new category is the best expanded animation award, which recognizes the use of animation in enhanced technology and covers VR, AR and 360-degree animation. The writer’s award and the craft award are returning to the ceremony after a long absence.

Best Long Form

• We're Going on a Bear Hunt -- Dir: Joanna Harrison & Robin Shaw -- Produced by Lupus Films, Walker Productions and Herrick Entertainment
• Ethel & Ernest -- Dir: Roger Mainwood -- Produced by Lupus Films in association with Ethel & Ernest Productions, Mélusine Productions and Cloth Cat Animation and supported by the BFI, BBC, Film Fund Luxembourg, UPHE Content Group, Ffilm Cymru Wales and the Welsh Government.
• Revolting Rhymes -- Dir: Jakob Schuh & Jan Lachauer -- Produced by Magic Light Pictures

Best Voice Performance

• Scream Street: King Niles -- Voice Performance: John Thomson as Niles Farr, Mayor Sir Otto Sneer & Hushmushtushlushfushi -- Dir: Geoff Walker -- Produced by Coolabi Productions Limited, ZDF Enterprises and Factory for CBBC
• Ethel & Ernest -- Dir: Roger Mainwood -- Voice Performance: Brenda Blethyn as Ethel -- Produced by Lupus Films in association with Ethel & Ernest Productions, Mélusine Productions and Cloth Cat Animation and supported by the BFI, BBC, Film Fund Luxembourg, UPHE Content Group, Ffilm Cymru Wales and the Welsh Government.
• The Amazing World of Gumball: The Choices -- Voice Performance: Teresa Gallagher as Nicole -- Dirs: Mic Graves & Ben Bocquelet -- Produced by Great Marlborough Productions for Turner Broadcasting System Inc.

Best Children’s Series

• Shaun the Sheep: Karma Farmer -- Dir: Will Becher -- Produced by Aardman Animations for CBBC
• Dennis & Gnasher Unleashed: Screwtop in Love -- Dir: Boris Hiestand -- Produced by Beano Studios for CBBC
• The Amazing World of Gumball: The Copycats -- Dirs: Mic Graves & Ben Bocquelet -- Produced by Great Marlborough Productions for Turner Broadcasting System Inc.

Best Pre-School Series

• Hey Duggee: The Tadpole Badge -- Dir: Grant Orchard -- Produced by Studio A.K.A. for CBeebies
• Twirlywoos: More About Collecting -- Dir: Vito Bruno -- Produced by Ragdoll Productions & DHX Media for CBeebies
• Sarah and Duck: Constable Quack -- Dir: Tim O'Sullivan -- Produced by Karrot Entertainment for CBeebies & BBC Worldwide

Music Video

• Katie Melua: Perfect World -- Dirs: Karni and Saul -- A Sulkybunny production for BMG
• Mr. Jukes (ft. De La Soul & Horace Andy): Leap of Faith -- Dirs: Parallel Teeth -- Produced by Strange Beast for Island Records
• Elton John: Rocket Man -- Dirs: Majid Adin & Stephen McNally -- Produced by Blinkink for Rocket Music

Commissioned Animation

• Breast Cancer Awareness: Check 'Em -- Dirs: Neil Kidney & Morgan Powell -- Produced by Seed Animation for Breast Cancer Awareness
• When I Worry About Things: Annabel’s Story -- Dirs: Andy Glynne & Liam O’Connor -- Produced by Mosaic Films in co-production with Picnic Studios for BBC Learning
• Animated Minds: The Unforgiven Moment -- Dirs: Laurie Harris & Salvador Maldonado -- Produced by Mosaic Films for the Wellcome Trust

Best Short Film

• Mamoon -- Director: Ben Steer -- Produced by Blue Zoo Animation Studio
• Rabbit's Blood -- Dir: Sarina Nihei -- Produced by Little Dot Studios
• Have Heart -- Dir: Will Anderson -- Produced by Wanderson

Best Animation in a Commercial 

• The Great British Bake Off -- Dirs: Parabella -- Produced by Blinkink for 4 Creative
• James Wellbeloved: Mega City -- Dirs: AGAINSTALLODDS -- Produced by Passion Animation Studios for AMV BBDO
• BBC: The Supporting Act -- Dir: Elliot Dear -- Produced by Blink Ink for BBC Creative

Best Film & TV Graphics

• Travel Channel Little Journeys: Hiker -- Dirs: Dog & Rabbit -- Produced by Dog & Rabbit for Scripps Networks
• Beyond Reasonable Doubt -- Dir: Tom Brass -- Produced by Jellyfish Pictures for CNN / HLN
• Hofesh Logo Design -- Dir: Steve Waugh -- Produced by Coffee & TV for McGarryBowen

Best Sound

• Ethel & Ernest -- Sound: Adrian Rhodes -- Music: Carl Davis with an original song by Sir Paul McCartney -- Dir: Roger Mainwood -- Produced by Lupus Films in association with Ethel & Ernest Productions, Mélusine Productions and Cloth Cat Animation and supported by the BFI, BBC, Film Fund Luxembourg, UPHE Content Group, Ffilm Cymru Wales and the Welsh Government
• Neck and Neck -- Sound: David Pringle -- Music: Alex Harwood -- Dir: Shaun Clark -- Produced by MewLab
  Thunderbirds Are Go: Volcano! -- Sound: Nigel Heath and Alex Gibson, Hackenbacker & Dave Peacock, Peacock Sound -- Music: Ben and Nick Foster -- Dir: Karl Essex -- Produced by ITV Studios and Pukeko Pictures for CITV

Best Short Form Original Content

• The Happos Family: Jet Pack -- Dir: Morgan Francis -- Produced by Spider Eye with Turner Broadcasting for Cartoon Network Boomerang
• The Totems: Family Song -- Dir: Mark Taylor -- Produced by A Productions for Sesame Studios
• Lottie Bearshout: Good as Goaled -- Dirs: Tom Gran & Martin Woolley -- Produced by Wildseed Studios for Disney XD

Best Expanded Animation

• My Name Is Peter Stillman -- Dir: Lysander Ashton -- Produced by Fifty Nine Productions Ltd
• Rain or Shine -- Dir: Felix Massie -- Produced by Nexus Studios for Google Spotlight Stories
• Les Petites Choses -- Dir: Bandits Collective -- Produced by Persona VR

Writers Award

• Counterfeit Cat: Sardonians of the Galaxy -- Writers: Ciaran Murtagh & Andrew Barnett Jones -- Produced by Wildseed Studios & Tricon Films and Television for Disney XD and Teletoon
• Scream Street: Game of Screams -- Writers: Mark Huckerby & Nick Ostler -- Produced by Coolabi Productions Limited, ZDF Enterprises and Factory for CBBC -- Co-funded by the European Union, Creative Europe MEDIA
• Lily's Driftwood Bay: Paper Lanterns -- Writer: Colin Williams -- Produced by Sixteen South. Co-Production with KiKA.

Craft Award

• Mamoon -- Dir: Ben Steer -- Produced by Blue Zoo Animation Studio
• Ethel & Ernest -- Dir: Roger Mainwood -- Produced by Lupus Films in association with Ethel & Ernest Productions, Mélusine Productions and Cloth Cat Animation and supported by the BFI, BBC, Film Fund Luxembourg, UPHE Content Group, Ffilm Cymru Wales and the Welsh Government
• The Supporting Act -- Dir: Elliot Dear -- Produced by Blink Ink for BBC Creative

Student Achievement

• Poles Apart -- Dir: Paloma Baeza -- Produced at the National Film & Television School
• A Love Story -- Dir: Anushka Kishani Naanayakkara -- Produced at the National Film & Television School
• Twiddly Things -- Dir: Adara Todd -- Produced at Middlesex University

Student Film

• Tough -- Dir: Jennifer Zheng -- Produced at Kingston University London
• The Day After the Party -- Dir: Diyala Muir -- Produced at the Royal College of Art
• Attraction -- Dir: Emily Scaife -- Produced at the Royal College of Art

Source: British Animation Awards

Tom McLean has been writing for years about animation from a secret base in Los Angeles.