Finalists Announced for 2018 British Animation Awards
Skwigly
The finalists were announced today for the prestigious British Animation Awards 2018. Held every two years, the British Animation Awards (BAAs) reward the very 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 15 March 2018. Now in its 22nd year, previous winners include such illustrious names as Tim Burton, Nick Park, Simon Tofield, Harry Potter, Gorillaz and Martin Freeman.
Jim Broadbent and Brenda Blethyn at the Ethel & Ernest Voice Record
This year’s finalists include renowned British actors John Thomson and Brenda Blethyn, who are nominated in the Best Voice Performance category for their work on Scream Street: King Niles and Ethel & Ernest respectively. They are up against competition from voice specialist Teresa Gallagher for her role in The Amazing World of Gumball: The Choices.
Ethel & Ernest, Lupus Films’ adaptation of Raymond Briggs’ moving graphic novel about his parents, is also nominated in the Best Long Form category, along with another Lupus Films offering, the festive special We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, adapted from Michael Rosen’s and Helen Oxenbury’s classic children’s book; while Magic Light Pictures will be hoping their quirky Revolting Rhymes, based on Roald Dahl’s poems, will take the honours.
In the Best Children’s Series Great Marlborough Productions and Turner Broadcasting’s 2016 category winner The Amazing World of Gumball is nominated again, while Aardman Animations’ Shaun the Sheep will be hoping to add to his 2016 Long Form triumph with hilarious TV episode Karma Farmer. However, they face menacing competition from the hi-energy mischief of Dennis & Gnasher Unleashed: Screwtop in Love, from Beano Studios. CBeebies shows monopolise the Best Pre-School Series, with nominations for Studio A.K.A.’s Hey Duggee: The Tadpole Badge; Twirlywoos: More About Collecting from Ragdoll Productions & DHX Media; and Karrot Entertainment’s Sarah and Duck: Constable Quack.
On set at Shaun the Sheep. Copyright Aardman
The Great British Bake Off’s singing cakes hope to be serenading victory in the Best Animation in a Commercial category, but also in the mix are the BBC’s The Supporting Act, part of its charming Christmas campaign which is also nominated for the Craft award, and the James Wellbeloved: Mega City ad featuring a busking boy and his adorable dog.
In the Best Music Video Katie Melua: Perfect World, Elton John: Rocket Man and Mr Jukes: Leap of Faith are up for honours; while the Best Short Film category will be contested by Ben Steer’s Mamoon (also nominated for the Craft award), Sarina Nihel’s Rabbit’s Blood and Will Anderson’s Have Heart.
Lupus Films’ Ethel & Ernest is this year’s most nominated animation, in the running for four awards, while the Royal College of Art in London and the National Film & Television School in Beaconsfield have each produced two finalists in the Student Award categories.
Animation students and fans will also have a chance to reward their favourite work in the Public Choice Awards for Favourite Short Film and Music Video.
A brand new category is the Best Expanded Animation Award that recognises the use of animation in enhanced technology and covers VR, AR and 360° animation. The Writer’s Award and the Craft Award are returning to the ceremony after a long absence.
BAA Director Jayne Pilling said:
“At each Awards we never cease to be bowled over by the sheer creativity and innovation in British animation. The 2018 Awards look set to be another wonderful celebration of this thriving industry.”
The BAAs are the only awards to recognise all forms of animation and reward the work of both new and established animators across all aspects of the UK Animation scene, from student work to commercials, children’s entertainment, short and experiential films, music videos and new technologies.
The awards themselves (the BAAs) are unique artworks, featuring sheep, created especially for the occasion by a range of leading international and UK animation artists: a measure of the worldwide respect felt for British animation.
The British Animation Awards 2018 will be held at London’s BFI Southbank on 15 March 2018.
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