The Annie Awards, which honor the highest achievements in the animation industry, announced this year’s slate of nominees on Monday (Dec. 1)—with more than a dozen CalArts alumni and faculty making the short list.
Laika’s The Boxtrolls, directed by CalArts alum Anthony Stacchi (Film/Video BFA 86) and Graham Annable, earned the most nominations with 13, including Best Animated Feature. In fact, three out of the eight nominated best feature films are directed or co-directed by CalArts alumni. Joining The Boxtrolls in the top category are Big Hero 6, directed by Don Hall (Film/Video 95) and The Book of Life, directed by Jorge Gutierrez (Film/Video MFA 00).
In the Best Animated Television/Broadcast Production for a Children’s Audience category, four out of the five shows nominated were created by CalArts alumni: Adventure Time on the Cartoon Network by Pen Ward; Disney TV’s Gravity Falls by Alex Hirsch (Film/Video BFA 07); Cartoon Network’s Over the Garden Wall by alum Patrick McHale (Film/Video BFA 06) and Disney TV’s Wander Over Yonder by Craig McCracken (Film/Video 92) . (The lone nominee not developed by a CalArtian is Nickelodeon Animation Studio’s Legend of Korra by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko.)
Other nominations include*:
Best Animated Short Subject
- Duet – directed by Glen Keane (Film/Video 74)
- Feast – directed by Patrick Osborne (former faculty 2013-14)
Best General Audience Animated Television/Broadcast Production
- Regular Show on the Cartoon Network – created by alum JG Quintel (Film/Video BFA 05)
-
Back to Backspace on the Cartoon Network created by Dominic Bisignano (Film/Video MFA 08) and Amalia Levari (Film/Video MFA 09)** (Our apologies to missing this nomination!)
Best Student Film
- Tiny Nomad – directed by Toniko Pantoja (Film/Video BFA 14)
Outstanding Achievement for Character Design in an Animated Television / Broadcast Production
- Disney Mickey Mouse – Faculty member Andy Suriano
- Wander Over Yonder – Benjamin Balistreri (Film/Video 97)
Outstanding Achievement for Character Design in an Animated Feature Production
- Big Hero 6 – Shiyoon Kim (Film/Video BFA 06)
- Penguins of Madagascar – Joe Moshier (Film/Video 04)
- The Book of Life – Jorge Gutierrez
Outstanding Achievement for Directing in an Animated Television / Broadcast Production
- Gravity Falls – Rob Renzetti (Film/Video)
Outstanding Achievement for Directing in an Animated Feature Production
- Big Hero 6 – Don Hall
- The Book of Life – Jorge Gutierrez
- The Boxtrolls – Anthony Stacchi
Outstanding Achievement for Production Design in an Animated Television / Broadcast Production
- The Powerpuff Girls for the Cartoon Network – by alumni Jasmin Lai (Film/Video BFA 12) and Elle Michalka with Kevin Dart
Outstanding Achievement for Storyboarding in an Animated Television / Broadcast Production
- Gravity Falls for Disney TV – Alonso Ramirez Ramos (Film/Video BFA 10)
- Toy Story That Time Forgot / Pixar – Louise Smythe (Film/Video 14)
Now in its 42nd year, the “Annies” are awarded annually by the International Animated Film Society, ASIFA-Hollywood. The winners will be announced on Jan. 31 during the Annie Awards ceremony at UCLA’s Royce Hall.