Jayne Pilling steps down as Director of British Animation Awards & BAA Winners 2018

16 March 2018 // News

Aaron Wood

Marketing Director & Writer

The winners have been announced for the British Animation Awards 2018 (BAAs), the UK’s most prestigious animation awards!

The big news of the night was the moment that Jayne Pilling, Director of the BAAs, announced on stage that after 22 years and handing out over 240 awards, she would be stepping down and handing the reins over to Helen Brunsdon (Animation UK). Along with Jayne, BBAs Producer, Gulsen Yanik, will also be stepping down.

Held at London’s BFI Southbank, the ceremony was hosted by comedian, actor and BBC Radio 4 News Quiz host Miles Jupp, and attended by the great and good of British animation. The BAAs are the only awards to recognise all forms of animation and honour the finest achievements in the genre produced in this country over the last two years.

In a night of surprises with an eclectic mix of winners, the top honours were scooped by acclaimed actress and top voice artist Teresa Gallagher, the smash hit Christmas family animation Revolting Rhymes, and the ever-popular children’s series The Amazing World of Gumball.

BAA Winners 2018

Best Children’s Series

• *The Amazing World of Gumball: The Copycats – Dirs: Mic Graves & Ben Bocquelet
• Shaun the Sheep: Karma Farmer – Dir: Will Becher
• Dennis & Gnasher Unleashed: Screwtop in Love – Dir: Boris Hiestand

Best Pre-School Series

• *Hey Duggee: The Tadpole Badge – Dir: Grant Orchard
• Twirlywoos: More About Collecting – Dir: Nigel P Harris
• Sarah and Duck: Constable Quack – Dir: Tim O’Sullivan

Music Video

• *Mr Jukes (ft De La Soul & Horace Andy): Leap of Faith – Dirs: Parallel Teeth
• Katie Melua: Perfect World – Dirs: Karni and Saul
• Elton John: Rocket Man – Dirs: Majid Adin & Stephen McNally

Commissioned Animation

• *Breast Cancer Awareness: Check ‘Em – Dirs: Neil Kidney & Morgan Powell
• When I Worry About Things: Annabel’s Story – Dirs: Andy Glynne & Liam O’Connor
• Animated Minds: The Unforgiven Moment – Dirs: Laurie Harris & Salvador Maldonado

Best Short Film

• *Have Heart – Dir: Will Anderson
• Mamoon – Director: Ben Steer
• Rabbit’s Blood – Dir: Sarina Nihei

Best Animation in a Commercial 

• *James Wellbeloved: Mega City – Dirs: AGAINSTALLODDS
• The Great British Bake Off – Dirs: Parabella
• BBC: The Supporting Act – Dir: Elliot Dear

Best Film & TV Graphics

• *Travel Channel Little Journeys: Hiker – Dirs: Dog & Rabbit
• Beyond Reasonable Doubt – Dir: Tom Brass
• Hofesh Logo Design – Dir: Steve Waugh

Best Sound

• *Neck and Neck – Sound: David Pringle & Music: Alex Harwood 
• Ethel & Ernest – Sound: Adrian Rhodes & Music: Carl Davis with an original song by Sir Paul McCartney
• Thunderbirds Are Go: Volcano! – Sound: Nigel Heath and Alex Gibson, Hackenbacker & Dave Peacock, Peacock Sound & Music: Ben and Nick Foster

Best Short Form Original Content

• *The Totems: Family Song – Dir: Mark Taylor
• The Happos Family: Jet Pack – Dir: Morgan Francis
• Lottie Bearshout: Good as Goaled – Dirs: Tom Gran & Martin Woolley

Best Expanded Animation

• *My Name Is Peter Stillman – Dir: Lysander Ashton
• Rain or Shine  – Dir: Felix Massie
• Les Petites Choses – Dir: Bandits Collective

Writers Award

• *Counterfeit Cat: Sardonians of the Galaxy – Writers: Ciaran Murtagh & Andrew Barnett Jones
• Scream Street: Game of Screams – Writers: Mark Huckerby & Nick Ostler
• Lily’s Driftwood Bay: Paper Lanterns – Writer: Colin Williams

Craft Award

• *Mamoon – Dir: Ben Steer
• Ethel & Ernest  – Dir: Roger Mainwood
• The Supporting Act – Dir: Elliot Dear

Student Achievement

• *A Love Story – Dir: Anushka Kishani Naanayakkara
• Poles Apart – Dir: Paloma Baeza
• Twiddly Things – Dir: Adara Todd

Student Film

• *The Day After the Party – Dir: Diyala Muir
• Tough – Dir: Jennifer Zheng
• Attraction – Dir: Emily Scaife

Public Choice Award Winners

Favourite Music Video

• Katie Melua: Perfect World – Dirs: Karni and Saul

Favourite Film

• Mamoon – Dir: Ben Steer
• Poles Apart – Dir: Paloma Baeza

Children’s Choice

• The Amazing World of Gumball: The Copycats – Dirs: Mic Graves & Ben Bocquelet

Speaking on the event, BAA Director Jayne Pilling said:

Once again the standard of entries for the British Animation Awards has been incredibly high and gave the various category judging panels a real headache. It’s great to see such an eclectic mix of animations winning, which showcases the amazing depth of creativity and innovation in the British animation industry.

Held every two years, the British Animation Awards (BAAs) reward the very best new and established British animators across a variety of categories including short films, animated graphics for film and television, children’s series, music videos and commercials.  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 world-wide respect felt for British animation.

We wish both Jayne and Gulsen the best of luck in their new endeavours, and to in-coming director, Helen.