Finalists Announced for 2018 British Animation Awards 17 January 2018 // News Skwigly Animation Magazine







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.

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.

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