Complete List of 2013 Annie Award Nominations

The Los Angeles branch of the International Animated Film Society, ASIFA-Hollywood, has announced the nominations for its 41st annual Annie Awards. In the lead category of Best Animated Feature, seven animated features were nominated. Unlike some other years, there is no clear frontrunner in the feature competition which will make it fun to watch the various award races and see who emerges victorious at the Annies and Oscars.

The Annie nominations are generally evenly spread between the top contending films, and this year follows the same pattern. Monsters University and Frozen each scored 10 nominations, and The Croods and Despicable Me followed with nine apiece. Ernest and Celestine and Turbo each earned 6 nods.

Two of the five short nominees—Theodore Ushev’s Gloria Victoria and Lauren MacMullan’s Get a Horse! (as well as one “Animated Special Production” nominee—Max Lang and Jan Lachauer’s Room on the Broom) are also among the shortlisted Oscar shorts. But the Animated Short Subject category of the Annies remains, as always, a headscratcher. Along with those films, they also nominated a tie-in short to Despicable Me 2 and a Moonbot short The Numberlys that was originally developed as an iPad app. The haphazard selection of nominees suggests they’re not celebrating artistic or creative achievement; we can only guess about their selection criteria for these categories.

The Winsor McCay Award for lifetime achievement will be presented to Katsuhiro Otomo, Steven Spielberg and Phil Tippett. The celebrification of that award over the last decade has unfortunately distorted the meaning of lifetime achievement. Many of the well known names who receive it nowadays are still mid-career, or in the case of Spielberg, aren’t even involved in the day-to-day production of animation. Meanwhile, animation legends who are truly deserving of the lifetime achievement honor are consistently ignored. It’s hard to take any award seriously that honors Spielberg for his animation work, yet overlooks Don Lusk, who was an animator on nearly all the classic Disney features, worked in animation for 60 years, and just turned 100.

The Annie winners will be announced at the 41st Annual Annie Awards ceremony on Saturday, February 1, 2014 at Royce Hall on the UCLA campus. This year’s ceremony host will be Tom Warburton.

A complete list of nominees is below:

PRODUCTION CATEGORIES

Best Animated Feature

• A Letter to Momo – GKIDS
• Despicable Me 2 – Universal Pictures
• Ernest & Celestine – GKIDS
• Frozen – Walt Disney Animation Studios
• Monsters University – Pixar Animation Studios
• The Croods – DreamWorks Animation
• The Wind Rises – The Walt Disney Studios

Best Animated Special Production

• Chipotle Scarecrow – Moonbot Studios
• Listening Is an Act of Love – StoryCorps
• Room on the Broom – Magic Light Pictures
• Toy Story OF TERROR!- Pixar Animation Studios

Best Animated Short Subject

• Despicable Me 2 – Puppy – Universal Pictures
• Get A Horse! – Walt Disney Animation Studios
• Gloria Victoria – National Film Board of Canada
• My Mom is an Airplane – Acme Filmworks
• The Numberlys – Moonbot Studios

Best Animated TV/Broadcast Commercial

• Despicable Me 2 – Cinemark – Universal Pictures
• Sound of the Woods – Acme Filmworks
• The Polar Bears Movie – CAA Marketing

Best General Audience Animated TV/Broadcast Production For Preschool Children

• Bubble Guppies – Nickelodeon Animation Studio
• Disney Sofia the First – Disney Television Animation
• Doc McStuffins – Disney Television Animation
• Justin Time – Guru Studio
• Peter Rabbit – Nickelodeon Animation Studio

Best Animated TV/Broadcast Production For Children’s Audience

• Adventure Time – Cartoon Network Studios
• Beware the Batman – Warner Bros. Animation
• Disney Gravity Falls – Disney Television Animation
• Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness – Nickelodeon Animation Studio
• Regular Show – Cartoon Network Studios
• Scaredy Squirrel – Nelvana Ltd.
• Teen Titans Go! – Warner Bros. Animation
• The Legend of Korra – Nickelodeon Animation Studio

Best General Audience Animated TV/Broadcast Production

• Archer – FX Networks
• Bob’s Burgers – Bento Box Entertainment
• Disney Tron Uprising – Disney Television Animation
• Futurama – 20th Century Fox Television
• Motorcity – Titmouse Inc.

Best Animated Video Game

• Diggs Nightcrawler – Moonbot Studios
• Tiny Thief – 5 ANTS
• The Last of Us – Naughty Dog

Best Student Film

• Chicken or the Egg – Ringling College of Art and Design
• Kellerkind – Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg
• Miss Todd – Kristina Yee
• Move Mountain – Kirsten Lepore
• SEMÕFORO – University of Southern California
• The Final Straw – Ringling College of Art and Design
• Trusts & Estates – CalArts
• Wedding Cake – Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg

INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT CATEGORIES

Animated Effects in an Animated Production

• Alen Lai, David Quirus, Diego Garzon Sanchez, Ilan Gabai – Epic – Blue Sky Studios
• David Jones – Dragons: Defenders of Berk – DreamWorks Animation
• Joshua Jenny, Jason Johnston, Matthew Wong, Eric Froemling, Enrique Vila – Monsters University
 – Pixar Animation Studios
• Jeff Budsberg, Andre Le Blanc, Louis Flores, Jason Mayer – The Croods – DreamWorks Animation
• Greg Gladstone, Nikita Pavlov, Allen Ruilova, Matt Titus, Can Yuksel – Turbo – DreamWorks Animation

Animated Effects in a Live Action Production

• Jonathan Paquin, Brian Goodwin, Gray Horsfield, Mathieu Chardonnet, Adrien Toupet – Man Of Steel – Weta Digital
• Ben O’Brien, Karin Cooper, Lee Uren, Chris Root – Star Trek: Into Darkness – Industrial Light & Magic
• Dan Pearson, Jay Cooper, Jeff Grebe, Amelia Chenoweth – Star Trek: Into Darkness – Industrial Light & Magic
• Michael Balog, Ryan Hopkins, Patrick Conran, Florian Witzel – Pacific Rim – Industrial Light & Magic

Character Animation in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production

• Brad Schaffer – Friendship All-Stars of Friendship: Wrong Number – Stoopid Buddy Stoodios
• Eric Urban – Ubermansion – Stoopid Buddy Stoodios
• JC Tran Quang Thieu – Toy Story OF TERROR! – Pixar Animation Studios
• David DeVan – Toy Story OF TERROR! – Pixar Animation Studios Character
• Kureha Yokoo – Toy Story OF TERROR! – Pixar Animation Studios Character
• Keith Kellogg – Star Wars: The Clone Wars – Lucasfilm Animation

Character Animation in an Animated Feature Production

• Thom Roberts – Epic – Blue Sky Studios
• Jonathan Del Val – Despicable Me 2 – Universal Pictures
• Jakob Jensen – The Croods – DreamWorks Animation
• John Chun Chiu Lee – Monsters University – Pixar Animation Studios
• Kitaro Kosaka – The Wind Rises – The Walt Disney Studios
• Tony Smeed – Frozen – Walt Disney Animation Studios
• Patrick Imbert – Ernest & Celestine – GKIDS

Character Animation in a Live Action Production

• Jeff Capogreco, Jedrzej Wojtowicz, Kevin Estey, Alessandro Bonora, Gino Acevedo – The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey – Gollum – Weta Digital
• Dave Clayton, Simeon Duncombe, Jung Min Chan, Matthew Cioffi, Guillame Francois – The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey – Goblin King – Weta Digital
• Hal Hickel, Chris Lentz, Derrick Carlin, Steve Rawlins, Kyle Winkelman – Pacific Rim – Industrial Light & Magic

Character Design in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production

• Craig McCracken – Disney Wander Over Yonder – Disney Television Animation
• Paul Rudish – Disney Mickey Mouse – Disney Television Animation
• Andy Bialk – The Awesomes – Bento Box Entertainment
• Ben Adams – Regular Show – Cartoon Network Studios
• Danny Hynes, Howard Colin – Steven Universe – Cartoon Network Studios

Character Design in an Animated Feature Production

• Carter Goodrich, Takao Noguchi, Shane Prigmore – The Croods – DreamWorks Animation
• Sylvain Deboissy, Shannon Tindle – Turbo – DreamWorks Animation
• Craig Kellman – Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2 – Sony Pictures Animation
• Chris Sasaki – Monsters University – Pixar Animation Studios
• Christophe Lourdelet – A Monster in Paris – Shout! Factory
• Eric Guillon – Despicable Me 2 – Universal Pictures
• Bill Schwab – Frozen
 – Walt Disney Animation Studios

Directing in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production

• Colin Heck – The Legend of Korra – Nickelodeon Animation
• Elaine Bogan – Dragons: Defenders of Berk – DreamWorks Animation
• Stephan Franck – The Smurfs: The Legend of Smurfy Hollow – Sony Pictures Animation
• John Aoshima – Disney Gravity Falls – Disney Television Animation
• Aaron Springer – Disney Mickey Mouse – Disney Television Animation
• Angus MacLane – Toy Story OF TERROR! – Pixar Animation Studios
• Harold Harris – Justin Time – Guru Studio

Directing in an Animated Feature Production

• Chris Sanders, Kirk DeMicco – The Croods – DreamWorks Animation
• David Soren – Turbo – DreamWorks Animation
• Chris Wedge – Epic – Blue Sky Studios
• Benjamin Renner, Vincent Patar, Stéphane Aubier – Ernest & Celestine – GKIDS
• Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee – Frozen – Walt Disney Animation Studios

Music in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production

• Alan Williams – Estefan – Silverscreen Music
• Guy Moon – T.U.F.F. Puppy – Nickelodeon Animation Studio
• Peter Luyre, Stuart Kollmorgen, Peter Zizzo – Peter Rabbit – Nickelodeon Animation Studio
• Kevin Kliesch, Craig Gerber, John Kavanaugh – Disney Sofia the First – Disney Television Animation
• Christopher Willis – Disney Mickey Mouse – Disney Television Animation
• Andy Bean – Disney Wander Over Yonder – Disney Television Animation

Music in an Animated Feature Production

• Alan Silvestri – The Croods – DreamWorks Animation
• Henry Jackman – Turbo – DreamWorks Animation
• Mark Mothersbaugh – Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2 – Sony Pictures Animation
• Heitor Pereira, Pharrell Williams – Despicable Me 2 – Universal Pictures
• Danny Elfman – Epic – Blue Sky Studios
• Randy Newman – Monsters University – Pixar Animation Studios
• Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez, Christophe Beck – Frozen – Walt Disney Animation Studios
• Dominic Lewis – Free Birds – Reel FX

Production Design in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production

• Angela Sung, William Niu, Christine Bian, Emily Tetri, Frederic Stewart – The Legend of Korra – Nickelodeon Animation Studio
• Liz Artinian, Ray Feldman, Chris Fisher, George Fort – The Venture Bros. “What Color is Your Cleansuit?” – Titmouse Inc.
• Steven Sugar, Emily Walus, Sam Bosma, Elle Michalka, Amanda Winterstein – Steven Universe “Gem Glow” – Cartoon Network Studios
• Lynna Blankenship, Dima Malanitchev, Debbie Peterson, Charles Ragins, Jefferson R. Weekley – The Simpsons “Treehouse of Horror XXIV” Gracie Films in Association with 20th Century Fox TV
• Christophe Vacher – Transformers Prime ‘Beast Hunters’ – Hasbro Studios
• Nick Jenings, Sandra Calleros, Teri Shikasho, Ron Russell – Adventure Time – Cartoon Network Studios

Production Design in an Animated Feature Production

• Christophe Lautrette, Paul Duncan, Dominique R. Louis – The Croods – DreamWorks Animation
• Yarrow Cheney, Eric Guillon – Despicable Me 2 – Universal Pictures
• Michael Knapp, Greg Couch, William Joyce – Epic – Blue Sky Studios
• Zaza, Zyk – Ernest & Celestine – GKIDS
• Ricky Nierva, Robert Kondo, Daisuke “Dice” Tsutsumi – Monsters University
 – Pixar Animation Studios
• Michael Giaimo, Lisa Keene, David Womersley – Frozen – Walt Disney Animation Studios

Storyboarding in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production

• Piero Piluso – Monsters vs. Aliens – Nickelodeon Animation Studio
• Douglas Lovelace – Dragons: Riders of Berk – DreamWorks Animation
• Adam Ford, Deke Wightman, Kevin Mellon, Justin Wagner, Benji Williams – Archer – FX Networks
• Alonso Ramos-Ramirez – Disney Mickey Mouse – Disney Television Animation
• Daniel Chong – Toy Story of TERROR! – Pixar Animation Studios
• Alonso Ramos-Ramirez – Gravity Falls – Disney Television Animation
• Guillermo Del Toro, Guy Davis, Ralph Sosa – The Simpsons — “Treehouse of Horror XXIV” — Gracie Films in Association with 20th Century Fox TV
• Paul Watling – Justin Time – Guru Studio

Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production

• Steven MacLeod – The Croods – DreamWorks Animation
• Eric Favela – Despicable Me 2 – Universal Pictures
• Dean Kelly – Monsters University – Pixar Animation Studios
• Jason Hand – Planes – Disneytoon Studios
• John Ripa – Frozen – Walt Disney Animation Studios

Voice Acting in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production

• Eric Bauza as the voice of Foop – Fairly Odd Parents – Nickelodeon Animation Studio
• Bill Farmer as the voice of Goofy – Disney Mickey Mouse – Disney Television Animation
• Chris Diamantopoulos as the voice of Mickey Mouse – Disney Mickey Mouse – Disney Television Animation
• Mark Hamill as the voice of Skips and Walks – Regular Show – Cartoon Network Studios
• Tom Kenny as the voice of Ice King – Adventure Time – Cartoon Network Studios

Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production

• Paul Giamatti as the voice of Chet – Turbo – DreamWorks Animation
• Terry Crews as the voice of Earl – Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2 – Sony Pictures Animation
• Kristen Wiig as the voice of Lucy – Despicable Me 2 – Universal Pictures
• Steve Carell as the voice of Gru – Despicable Me 2 – Universal Pictures
• Pierre Coffin as the voice of Minions – Despicable Me 2 – Universal Pictures
• Billy Crystal as the voice of Mike – Monsters University – Pixar Animation Studios
• Josh Gad as the voice of Olaf – Frozen
 – Walt Disney Animation Studios

Writing in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production

• Katie Matila – Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness
 – Nickelodeon Animation Studio
• Ian Maxtone-Graham, Billy Kimball – The Simpsons – Trocadero Holdings
• Lewis Morton – Futurama – 20th Century Fox Television
• Matt Price, John Infantino, Mike Roth, Michele Cavin, Sean Szeles – Regular Show – Cartoon Network Studios
• Michael Price – The Simpsons – The Simpsons

Writing in an Animated Feature Production

• Daniel Pennac – Ernest & Celestine – GKIDS
• Daniel Gerson, Robert L. Baird, Dan Scanlon – Monsters University – Pixar Animation Studios
• Miyazaki Hayao – The Wind Rises – The Walt Disney Studios
• Jennifer Lee – Frozen – Walt Disney Animation Studios

Editorial in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production

• Adam Arnold, Hugo Morales, Davrick Waltjen – Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness – Nickelodeon Animation Studio
• Myra Lopez, Ana Adams, Justin Baker – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Nickelodeon Animation Studio
• Lynn Hobson – Dragons: Defenders of Berk – DreamWorks Animation
• Illya Owens – Disney Mickey Mouse – Disney Television Animation
• Axel Geddes, Kathy Graves, Chloe Kloezeman – Toy Story OF TERROR! – Pixar Animation Studios
• Paul D. Calder – Futurama – 20th Century Fox Television
• Paul Douglas – Adventure Time – Cartoon Network Studios
• Jason W.A. Tucker – Star Wars: The Clone Wars – Lucasfilm Animation

Editorial in an Animated Feature Production

• Darren Holmes – The Croods – DreamWorks Animation
• James Ryan – Turbo – DreamWorks Animation
• Fabienne Alvarez-Giro – Ernest & Celestine – GKIDS
• Greg Snyder, Gregory Amundson, Steve Bloom – Monsters University – Pixar Animation Studios
• Jeff Draheim – Frozen – Walt Disney Animation Studios

JURIED AWARDS

• Winsor McCay Award – Katsuhiro Otomo, Steven Spielberg & Phil Tippett
• June Foray – Alice Davis
• Certificate of Merit – “I Know That Voice”