Top Story: ‘The Wild Robot’ And ‘Arcane’ Lead 52nd Annie Award Nominations




The International Animated Film Society, ASIFA-Hollywood, has announced the nominations for its 39th Annual Annie Awards, recognizing the year’s best in the field of animation.

The slate of nominations for Best Animated Features tops 10 this year and include: A Cat in Paris (Folimage), Arthur Christmas (Sony Pictures Animation, Aardman Animations), Arrugas (Wrinkles) (Perro Verde Films, S.L.), Cars 2 (Pixar Animation Studios), Chico & Rita (Chico & Rita Distribution), Kung Fu Panda 2 (DreamWorks Animation), Puss In Boots (DreamWorks Animation), Rango (Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies), Rio (Blue Sky Studios) and The Adventures of Tintin (Amblin Entertainment, Wingnut Films and Kennedy/Marshall). The Winsor McCay Award for lifetime achievement goes to color stylist and background painter Walt Peregoy, animator Borge Ring and artist Ronald Searle; and the June Foray Award will be given to animator Art Leonardi for his “significant and charitable impact on the art and industry of animation”.

The 2011 Annie Award winners will be announced at the Annie Awards ceremony on Saturday, February 4th, 2012, at UCLA’s Royce Hall, in Los Angeles, CA. A pre-reception begins at 5:00 pm with the awards ceremony following at 7:00 pm. A post-show celebration immediately follows the ceremony. For ticket and event information, please visit annieawards.org.

PRODUCTION CATEGORIES

#1 – Best Animated Feature

A Cat in Paris — Folimage
Arrugas (Wrinkles) – Perro Verde Films, S.L.
Arthur Christmas — Sony Pictures Animation, Aardman Animations
Cars 2 — Pixar Animation Studios
Chico & Rita — Chico & Rita Distribution Limited
Kung Fu Panda 2 — DreamWorks Animation
Puss In Boots — DreamWorks Animation
Rango — Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies; A Blind Wink/GK Films Production
Rio — Blue Sky Studios
The Adventures of Tintin — Amblin Entertainment, Wingnut Films and Kennedy/Marshall

#2 – Annie Award for Best Animated Special Production

Adventure Time: Thank You — Cartoon Network Studios
Batman: Year One — Warner Bros. Animation
Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas — Blue Sky Studios
Kung Fu Panda — Secrets of the Masters — DreamWorks Animation
Prey 2 —Blur Studio
Star Tours — Industrial Light & Magic

# 3 – Best Animated Short Subject
Adam and Dog — Lodge Films
I Tawt I Taw A Puddy Tat — Warner Bros. Animation
La Luna — Pixar Animation Studios
(Notes on) Biology — Ornana Films
Paths of Hate — Platige Image
Sunday — National Film Board of Canada
The Ballad of Nessie —Walt Disney Animation Studios
The Girl and the Fox — Base14
Wild Life — National Film Board of Canada and Studio GDS

Complete list of nominees follows the jump.

# 4 – Best Animated Television Commercial

Audi “Hummingbird” – The Mill
Geico “Foghorn” – Renegade Animation
McDonald’s “Apple Tree” – Duck Studios/Kompost
McDonald’s “Suzi Van Zoom” -Duck Studios/Kompost
Norton “Stuff”– Psyop
O2 “Niggles & Narks”– The Mill
Statoil “Good Night” – Studio AKA
“The Pirate” – Meindbender
Twinings “Sea” – Psyop

#5 – Best General Audience Animated TV Production

Archer — FX Productions
Green Lantern: The Animated Series — Warner Bros. Animation
Hoops & YoYo Ruin Christmas – Hallmark
MAD — Warner Bros. Animation
Mary Shelley’s Frankenhole Season 2 — Starburns Industries, Inc.
Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice — Walt Disney Animation Studios
Star Wars: The Clone Wars — Lucasfilm Animation, Ltd.
The Simpsons — Gracie Films

#6 – Best Animated Television Production – Preschool

Chuggington — Ludorum Pictures
Disney Jake and the Never Land Pirates — Disney Television Animation
Disney Mickey Mouse Clubhouse — Disney Television Animation
The WotWots Season 2 — Pukeko Pictures

#6A — Best Animated Television Production — Children

Fanboy and Chum Chum — Nickelodeon and Frederator
Kung Fu Panda — DreamWorks Animation
Penguins of Madagascar — DreamWorks Animation
The Amazing World of Gumball — Cartoon Network in Association with Dandelion Studios, Boulder Media & Studio Soi

#7 – Best Animated Video Game

Bumpy Road — Simogo
Catherine — Atlus
Gears of War 3 — Epic Games
Gesundheit — Konami Digital Entertainment
Ghost Trick: “Phantom Detective” — Capcom
Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet — Shadow Planet Productions, Gagne/Fuelcell
Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One — Insomniac
Rayman Origins — Ubisoft Montpellier
Unchartered 3: Drake’s Deception — Naughty Dog

INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT CATEGORIES

#8 – Animated Effects in an Animated Production

Can Yuksel “Puss In Boots” DreamWorks Animation
Chase Cooper “Rango” Industrial Light & Magic
Dan Lund “Winnie The Pooh” Walt Disney Animation Studios
Dave Tidgewell “Kung Fu Panda 2” DreamWorks Animation
Eric Froemling “Cars 2” Pixar Animation Studios
Jason Mayer “Kung Fu Panda 2” DreamWorks Animatio
Joel Aron “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” Lucasfilm Animation, Ltd.
Jon Reisch “Cars 2” Pixar Animation Studios
Kevin Romond “Tintin” Amblin Entertainment, Wingnut Films and Kennedy/Marshall
Willi Geiger “Rango” Industrial Light & Magic

#9 — Animated Effects in a Live Action Production

Branko Grujcic “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” Industrial Light & Magic
Florent Andarra “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” Industrial Light & Magic
Gary Wu “Cowboys & Aliens” Industrial Light & Magic
Lee Uren “Cowboys & Aliens” Industrial Light & Magic

#10 – Character Animation in a Television Production

Chad Sellers “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” Walt Disney Animation Studios
Michael Franceschi “Kung Fu Panda” Nickelodeon
Rebecca Wilson Bresee “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” Walt Disney Animation Studios
Sihanouk Mariona “Mary Shelley’s Frankenhole Season 2” Starburns Industries, Inc.
Tony Smeed “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” Walt Disney Animation Studios

#11 – Character Animation in a Feature Production

Andreas Deja “Winnie The Pooh” Walt Disney Animation Studios
Dan Wagner “Kung Fu Panda 2” DreamWorks Animation
Jeff Gabor “Rio” Blue Sky Studios
Mark Henn “Winnie The Pooh” Walt Disney Animation Studios
Olivier Staphylas “Puss In Boots” DreamWorks Animation
Patrik Puhala “Rio” Blue Sky Studios
Pierre Perifel “Kung Fu Panda 2” DreamWorks Animation

#12 – Character Animation in a Live Action Production

Andy Arnett “HOP” – Rhythm & Hues, Illumination Entertainment
David Lowry “Paul” – Double Negative Visual Effects for Universal Productions/Relativity Media/Working Title Films/Big Talk Productions
Eric Reynolds “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” -20th Century Fox
Mike Hull “Paul” -Double Negative Visual Effects for Universal Productions/Relativity Media/Working Title Films/Big Talk Productions

#13 – Character Design in a Television Production

Bill Schwab “Prep & Landing” Walt Disney Animation Studios
Carl Raggio “Disney Kick Buttowski” Disney Television Animation
Chad Hurd “Archer” FX Productions
Chris Battle “Dan Vs.” Starz Film Roman
Eric Robles “Fanboy and Chum Chum” Nickelodeon & Frederator
Gordon Hammond “TUFF Puppy” Nickelodeon
Mike Dougherty “TUFF Puppy” Nickelodeon
Robert Ryan Cory “Secret Mountain Fort Awesome” Cartoon Network Studios

#14 – Character Design in a Feature Production

Jay Shuster “Cars 2” Pixar Animation Studios
Mark “Crash” McCreery “Rango” Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies present A Blind Wink/GK Films Productions
Patrick Mate “Puss In Boots” DreamWorks Animation
Peter de Seve “Arthur Christmas” Sony Pictures Animation, Aardman Animations
Sergio Pablos “Rio” Blue Sky Studios

#15 – Directing in a Television Production

Brian Sheesley “Dan Vs.” Starz Film Roman
Chris Savino & Clay Morrow “ Disney Kick Buttowski” Disney Television Animation
Dan Riba “Ben 10 Ultimate Alien” Cartoon Network Studios
Duke Johnson “Community” 23 D Films, Inc.
Gabe Swarr “Kung Fu Panda” Nickelodeon
Ken Bruce “TUFF Puppy” Nickelodeon
Kevin Deters & Stevie Wermers-Skelton “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” Walt Disney Animation Studios
Matthew Nastuk “The Simpsons” Gracie Films
Mic Graves & Ben Bocquelet “The Amazing World of Gumball”
Cartoon Network Europe in association with Dandelion Studios, Boulder Media & Studio Soi
Peter Hausner “Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu” Wil Film
Steve Loter, Christo Stamboliev, Shaun Cashman, David Knott “Penguins of Madagascar” Nickelodeon and Technicolor
Tony Craig “Hoops & YoYo Ruin Christmas” Hallmark

#16 – Directing in a Feature Production

Carlos Saldahna – “Rio” Blue Sky Studios
Chris Miller – “Puss In Boots” DreamWorks Animation
Don Hall & Stephen Anderson -“Winnie The Pooh” Walt Disney Animation Studios
Gore Verbinski – “Rango” Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies present a Blind Wink/GK Films Productions
Jennifer Yuh Nelson – “Kung Fu Panda 2” DreamWorks Animation
Kelly Asbury – “Gnomeo & Juliet” Touchstone Pictures

#17 – Music in a Television Production

Adam Berry, Bob Schooley, Mark McCorkle “Penguins of Madagascar” Nickelodeon and Technicolor
Ben Locket “The Amazing World of Gumball” Cartoon Network Europe in association with Dandelion Studios, Boulder Media & Studio Soi
Frederik Wiedmann “Green Lantern The Animated Series” Warner Bros. Animation
Grace Potter, Michael Giacchino “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” Walt Disney Animation Studios
Joel McNeely, Brendan Milburn and Valerie Vigoda “Pixie Hollow Games” DisneyToon Studios
Kevin Kliesch “Thundercats” Kliesch Music Inc.
Shawn Patterson, Zeb Wells “Robot Chicken” ShadowMachine and Stoopid Monkey in association with Adult Swim

#18 – Music in a Feature Production

Henry Jackman “Puss In Boots” DreamWorks Animation
John Williams “Tintin” Amblin Entertainment, Wingnut Films and Kennedy/Marshall
Mikael Mutti, Siedah Garrett, Carlinhos Brown, Sergio Mendes, John Powell, “Rio” Blue Sky Studios
Zooey Deschanel, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Henry Jackman, Robert Lopez “Winnie The Pooh” Walt Disney Animation Studios

#19 – Production Design in a Television Production

Mark Bodner, Chris Tsirgiotis, Sue Mondt and Daniel Elson “Secret
Mountain Fort Awesome” Cartoon Network Studios
Peter Martin “Hoops & YoYo Ruin Christmas” Hallmark

#20 – Production Design in a Feature Production

Harley Jessup “Cars 2” Pixar Animation Studios
Paul Felix “Winnie The Pooh” Walt Disney Animation Studios
Raymond Zilbach “Kung Fu Panda 2” DreamWorks Animation
Tom Cardone, Kyle MacNaughton & Peter Chan “Rio” Blue Sky Studios

#21 – Storyboarding in a Television Production

Barry W. Johnson “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” Walt Disney Animation Studios
Benton Connor “Regular Show” Cartoon Network Studios
Brian Kesinger “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” Walt Disney Animation Studios
Dave Thomas “TUFF Puppy” Nickelodeon
Fred Gonzalez “TUFF Puppy” Nickelodeon
Joe Mateo “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” Walt Disney Animation Studios
Justin Nichols “Fanboy & Chum Chum” Nickelodeon & Frederator
Katie Rice “Fanboy & Chum Chum” Nickelodeon & Frederator
Rebecca Sugar “Adventure Time” Cartoon Network Studios

#22 – Storyboarding in a Feature Production

Bob Logan “Puss In Boots” DreamWorks Animation
David Gosman “Rango” Paramount Pictures & Nickelodeon Movies present A Blind Wink/GK Films Production
Gary Graham “Kung Fu Panda 2” DreamWorks Animation
Jeremy Spears “Winnie The Pooh” Walt Disney Animation Studios
Josh Hayes “Rango” Paramount Pictures & Nickelodeon Movies present A Blind Wink/GK Films Production
Kris Pearn “Arthur Christmas” Sony Pictures Animation, Aardman Animations
Nelson Yokota “Gnomeo and Juliet” Touchstone Pictures
Philip Craven “Kung Fu Panda 2” DreamWorks Animation
Scott Morse “Cars 2” Pixar Animation Studios

#23 – Voice Acting in a Television Production

Carlos Alazraqui as Denzel Crocker “Fairly OddParents” Nickelodeon
Dan Harmon as Jekyll “Mary Shelley’s Frankenhole Season 2” Starburns Industries, Inc.
Daran Norris as Cosmo “Fairly OddParents” Nickelodeon
Dee Bradley Baker as Obi-Wan “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” Lucasfilm Animation, Ltd.
Diedrich Bader as Batman “Batman: The Brave and the Bold” Warner Bros. Animatio
H. Jon Benjamin as Sterling Archer “Archer” FX Productions
Jeff Bennett as Kowalski “Penguins of Madagascar” Nickelodeon and Technicolor
Jeff B. Davis as Victor Frankenstein “Mary Shelley’s Frankenhole Season 2” Starburns Industries, Inc.
Jessica Walter as Malory Archer “Archer” FX Productions
Judy Greer as Cheryl Tunt “Archer” FX Productions
Logan Grove as Gumball “The Amazing World of Gumball” Cartoon Network Europe in association with Dandelion Studios, Boulder Media & Studio Soi
Nika Futterman as Asajj Ventress “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” Lucasfilm Animation, Ltd.
Scott Adsit as the Creature “Mary Shelley’s Frankenhole Season 2” Starburns Industries, Inc.
Tara Strong as Timmy Turner “Fairly OddParents — Operation Dingleberg” Nickelodeon

#24 – Voice Acting in a Feature Production

Ashley Jensen as Bryony “Arthur Christmas” Sony Pictures Animation, Aardman Animations
Bill Nighy as Grandsanta “Arthur Christmas” Sony Pictures Animation, Aardman Animations
Gary Oldman as Shen “Kung Fu Panda 2” DreamWorks Animation
James Hong as Mr. Ping “Kung Fu Panda 2” DreamWorks Animation
Jemaine Clement as Nigel “Rio” Blue Sky Studios
Jim Cummings as Featherstone “Gnomeo and Juliet” TouchstonePictures
Zach Galifianakis as Humpty Alexander Dumpty “Puss In Boots” DreamWorks Animation

#25 – Writing in a Television Production

Blake Lemons, William Reiss, C.H. Greenblatt, Derek Evanick, Diana Lafyatis, Neil Graf “Disney Fish Hooks — Fish School Musical” Disney Television Animation
Carolyn Omine “The Simpsons -Treehouse of Horror XXII” — Gracie Films
Dani MIchaeli, Sean Charmatz, Nate Cash, Luke Brookshier, Paul Tibbitt “SpongeBob SquarePants – Patrick’s Staycation” Nickelodeon
Josh Weinstein “Futurama – All The President’s Heads” The Curiosity Company in association with 20th Century Fox Television
Kevin Sullivan, Will Schifrin, Ray DeLaurentis “TUFF Puppy Thunder Dog” Nickelodeon
Matt Maiellaro, Dave Willis “Aqua Unit Patrol Squad 1 — The Creditor” Williams Street Studios, Adult Swim
Ray DeLaurentis, Will Schifrin “Fairly OddParents “Invasion of the Dads” Nickelodeon
Steve Wermers-Skelton, Kevin Deters “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” Walt Disney Animation Studios

#26 – Writing in a Feature Production

Andy Riley, Kevin Cecil, Mark Burton, Kathy Greenburg, Emily Cook, Rob Sprackling, John R. Smith, Kelly Asbury, Steve Hamilton “Gnomeo & Juliet” Touchstone Pictures

Brian Kesinger, Kendelle Hoyer, Don Dougherty, Clio Chang, Don Hall, Stephen Anderson “Winnie The Pooh” Walt Disney Animation Studios

John Logan, Gore Verbinski and James Byrkit “Rango” Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies present A Blind Wink/GK Films Productions

Sarah Smith, Peter Baynham “Arthur Christmas” Sony Pictures Animation, Aardman Animations

Steve Moffat, Edgar Wright, Joe Cronish “Tintin” Amblin Entertainment, Wingnut Films and Kennedy/Marshall

#27 — Editing in Television Production

Garret Elkins “Mary Shelley’s Frankenhole Season 2” Starburn Industries, Inc.
Hugo Morales “Kung Fu Panda” Nickelodeon
Jason W.A. Tucker “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” Lucasfilm Animation, Ltd.
Paul D. Calder “Futurama” The Curiosity Company in association with 20th Century Fox Television
Ted Machold, Jeff Adams, Doug Tiano, Bob Tomlin “Penguins of Madagascar” Nickelodeon and Technicolor

#28 — Editing in a Feature Production

Clare Knight, A.C.E. “Kung Fu Panda 2” DreamWorks Animation
Craig Wood, A.C.E. “Rango” Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies present A Blind Wink/GK Films Productions
Eric Dapkewicz “Puss In Boots” DreamWorks Animation
Michael Kahn “Tintin” Amblin Entertainment, Wingnut Films and Kennedy/Marshall
Stephen Schaffer, A.C.E. “Cars 2” Pixar Animation Studios

JURIED AWARDS

Winsor McCay Award — Walt Peregoy, Borge Ring, Ronald Searle

June Foray — Art Leonardi

Special Achievement — Depth Analysis

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Jerry Beck