The Annie Award is considered by many to be the animation industry’s highest accomplishment. Presented since 1972 by the Los Angeles branch of the International Animated Film Association, ASIFA-Hollywood, the Annie Award celebrates lifetime or career contributions to animation as well as individual films. MiceChat reporter and bon vivant Scarlett Stahl attended this prestigious event and shares her photos and wonderful account of the evening with us. ~~Rick
THE 41ST ANNUAL ANNIE AWARDS
By
Scarlett Stahl
Saturday, February 1, 2014, the 41st Annual Annie Awards were held in Westwood at UCLA’s Royce Hall. The old phrase “It never rains in sunny California” held true, even though rain had been predicted. However it was cold and the ladies in their strapless gowns did look chilly as they headed down the red carpet, where the press waited to photograph and interview them. There was a little confusion at first as the red carpet and will call had been moved from the front of Royce Hall closer to the parking area. However that was the only glitch in an otherwise perfect evening.
Both alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages were served inside at different locations, while hors d’oeuvres were circulated by waiters. Guests mingled with friends and co workers until the bell sounded to adjourn to the auditorium. Then the guests greeted friends as they slowly made their way to their seats.
2nd row Pat and Tom Sito
Patrick Warburton, an American actor of television, film, and voice, was the host of the event. Some of his roles include the following: Kronk in The Emperor’s New Groove and its sequels, paraplegic police officer Joe Swanson on Family Guy, and bodyguard Brock Samson on The Venture Bros. He was an able host for the event. Many remarked “It takes a comedian to anchor an award show.” Sitting for three hours or longer does require comedic relief. Additionally, a comedian is able to recover quickly in the event of unexpected glitches, which occur even in the best of times.
The evening was filled with unusual and unexpected moments, while moving along at a brisk pace. But this actually lightened and enriched the evening. The first such moment occurred when the winner of the Best Student Film Wedding Cake, Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg, Viola Baier, Iris Frisch was announced. Tom Kenny (Voice of the Ice King and Sponge Bob Square Pants) was one of the presenters with Cloris Leachman. Tom reminded the winner to be careful on the way to the stage and Cloris Leachman finished his sentence in her voice from Young Frankenstein saying “The stairs can be treacherous.” Viola Baier arrived on the stage to accept her award. Screaming all the way “Oh my God”, she arrived barefoot as she had lost both her shoes! Cloris kissed her on the lips and brushed her hair from her face, which was a surprise comedic moment as well. Cloris was funny, like a younger version of Betty White. However veteran comedic host Tom Kenny had to rein her in unobtrusively and gently so the winners could accept their awards and the show could go on. And later on it was Tom’s turn to take center stage when he won the Annie for Voice Acting in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production as the voice of Ice King, Adventure Time, Cartoon Network Studios.
Disney Legend Alice Davis accepted the June Foray Award, which is given to individuals who have made a significant and benevolent or charitable impact on the art and industry of animation. Alice graciously accepted the Award from her good friend, June Foray, who attended the event in spite of a fall that she had recently.
Frozen won five Annies, which could be an indication of good luck for the upcoming Oscar for the Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards on March 2. At the Annies, Frozen won Best Animated Feature, Best Directing for Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, Best Music, Production Design in an Animated Feature Production, which was accepted by Art Director, Mike Giaimo, and a Voice Acting win for Josh Gad (Olaf), who also was a presenter.
Some of the other presenters were: actors Mariska Hargitay, Ariel Winter, director Rob Minkoff and Nancy Cartwright.
Comedian Bill Farmer, who is known for voicing Goofy and Pluto, was a highlight of the evening with his humorous portrayal in top hat and coat of legendary animator, Winsor McCay. It appeared that he, as McCay, was giving orders in an interactive routine to a trained dinosaur, Gertie, on the screen behind him.
The Winsor McCay recipients were Katsuhiro Otomo, Steven Spielberg and Phil Tippett. The Winsor McCay Award stands as one of the highest honors given to an individual in the animation industry in recognition for career contributions to the art of animation. The Ub Iwerks Award was presented to Dragonframe. The Special Achievement award was presented to the Creative Talent Network (CTN) Expo and Certificate of Merit to the documentary I Know That Voice.
After the ceremony, the guests retired to the dining area’s various stations loaded with different foods and beverages. The guests floated from the interior rooms to the patio outside, dining while visiting and congratulating friends.
THE 41ST ANNUAL ANNIE AWARD WINNERS ARE:
Best Animated Feature:
Frozen, Walt Disney Animation Studios
Annie Award for Best Animated Special Production:
Chipotle Scarecrow, Chipotle Creative Department, Moonbot Studios, CAA Marketing
Best Animated Short Subject:
Get A Horse!,Walt Disney Animation Studios
Best Animated TV/Broadcast Commercial:
Despicable Me 2, Cinemark
- Universal Pictures
Best General Audience Animated TV/Broadcast Production For Preschool Children:
Disney Sofia the First
- Disney Television Animation
Best Animated TV/Broadcast Production For Children’s Audience:
Adventure Time, Cartoon Network Studios
Best General Audience Animated TV/Broadcast Production:
Futurama,20th Century Fox Television
Best Animated Video Game:
The Last of Us, Naughty Dog
Best Student Film
Wedding Cake, Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg, Viola Baier, Iris Frisch
Animated Effects in an Animated Production:
Jeff Budsberg, Andre Le Blanc, Louis Flores, Jason Mayer, The Croods, DreamWorks Animation
Animated Effects in a Live Action Production:
Michael Balog, Ryan Hopkins, Patrick Conran, Florian Witzel, Pacific Rim, Industrial Light & Magic
Character Animation in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production:
Kureha Yokoo, Toy Story of Terror!,Pixar Animation Studios
Character Animation in an Animated Feature Production:
Jakob Jensen, The Croods, DreamWorks Animation
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
Character Design in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production:
Paul Rudish, Disney Mickey Mouse, Disney Television Animation
Character Design in an Animated Feature Production:
Carter Goodrich, Takao Noguchi, Shane Prigmore, The Croods, DreamWorks Animation
Directing in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production:
Angus MacLane, Toy Story of Terror!, Pixar Animation Studios
Directing in an Animated Feature Production:
Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee, Frozen,Walt Disney Animation Studios
Music in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production:
Christopher Willis, Disney Mickey Mouse, Disney Television Animation
Music in an Animated Feature Production:
Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez, Christophe Beck, Frozen,Walt Disney Animation Studios
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
Production Design in an Animated Feature Production:
Michael Giaimo, Lisa Keene, David Womersley, Frozen,Walt Disney Animation Studios
Storyboarding in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production:
Daniel Chong, Toy Story of Terror!, Pixar Animation Studios
Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production:
Dean Kelly, Monsters University, Pixar Animation Studios
Voice Acting in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production:
Tom Kenny as the voice of Ice King, Adventure Time, Cartoon Network Studios
Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production:
Josh Gad as the voice of Olaf, Frozen, Walt Disney Animation Studios
Writing in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production:
Lewis Morton, Futurama, 20th Century Fox Television
Writing in an Animated Feature Production:
Hayao Miyazaki, The Wind Rises,Studio Ghibli/Touchstone Pictures/The Walt Disney Studios
Editorial in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production:
Illya Owens, Disney Mickey Mouse, Disney Television Animation
Editorial in an Animated Feature Production:
Greg Snyder, Gregory Amundson, Steve Bloom, Monsters University, Pixar Animation Studios
Winsor McCay Award:
Katsuhiro Otomo, Steven Spielberg, Phil Tippett
June Foray Award:
Alice Davis
Ub Iwerks Award:
Dragonframe
Special Achievement Award:
Creative Talent Network (CTN) Animation eXpo
Certificate of Merit:
I Know That Voice
