The International Animated Film Society, ASIFA-Hollywood, announced nominations today for its 40th Annual Annie Awards recognizing the year’s best in the field of animation. The Annie Awards cover 30 categories and include Best Animated Feature, Best Animated Special Production, Commercials, Short Subjects and Outstanding Individual Achievements.

“I am very exited about this year’s slate of nominees!” remarked ASIFA-Hollywood president, Frank Gladstone. “We had more submissions to choose from this year than for any prior year in Annie Award history, running the gamut from big studio features to indie films, television series to internet shows, games, shorts and, for the first time, student films, all showcasing the huge variety of venues, creativity, technical innovation, and story-telling that our art form has to offer.”

Winners will be announced at the 40th Annual Annie Awards ceremony on Saturday, February 2, 2013 at UCLA’s Royce Hall, in Los Angeles, CA.

Juried awards honoring career achievement and exceptional contributions to animation will also be awarded. Three Winsor McCay recipients have been selected by the ASIFA-Hollywood Board of Directors – Oscar Grillo, Terry Gilliam and Mark Henn for their career contributions to the art of animation; June Foray Award  Howard Green for his significant and benevolent or charitable impact on the art and industry of animation; and Ub Iwerks  Toon Boom Animation/Toon Boom Animation Pipeline for technical advancements that make a significant impact on the art or industry of animation.

2012 ANNIE AWARD NOMINATIONS

Best Animated Feature

Brave  Pixar Animation Studios

Frankenweenie  The Walt Disney Studios

Hotel Transylvania  Sony Pictures Animation

ParaNorman  Focus Features

Rise of the Guardians  DreamWorks Animation

The Pirates! Band of Misfits  Aardman Animations

The Rabbis Cat  GKIDS

Wreck-It Ralph  Walt Disney Animation Studios

Annie Award for Best Animated Special Production

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1  Warner Bros. Animation

Before Orel  Trust  Starburns Industries, Inc.

Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem  Illumination Entertainment

Disney Tron: Uprising  Becks Beginning  Disney TV Animation

Dragons: Gift of the Night Fury  DreamWorks Animation

Justice League: Doom  Warner Bros. Animation

Best Animated Short Subject

Brad and Gary  Illumination Entertainment

Bydlo  National Film Board of Canada

Eyes on the Stars  StoryCorps

Goodnight Mr. Foot  Sony Pictures Animation

Kali the Little Vampire  National Film Board of Canada

Maggie Simpson in The Longest Daycare  Gracie Films in Association with 20th Century Fox TV

Paperman  Walt Disney Animation Studios

The Simpsons  Bill Plympton Couch Gag  Gracie Films in Association with 20th Century Fox TV

Best General Audience Animated TV Production For Preschool Children

Bubble Guppies A Tooth on the Looth  Nickelodeon Animation Studios

Chuggington Magnetic Wilson  Ludorum

Jake & The Never Land Pirates Peter Pan Returns  Disney TV Animation

Doc McStuffins The Right Stuff  Disney TV Animation

Justin Time Marcellos Meatballs  Guru Studio

Best Animated Television Production For Children

Adventure Time Princess Cookie  Cartoon Network Studios

Dragons: Riders of Berk How to Pick Your Dragon  DreamWorks Animation

LEGO Star Wars The Empire Strikes Out  Threshold Animation Studios

Penguins of Madagascar Action Reaction  Nickelodeon Animation Studios

SpongeBob SquarePants Its a SpongeBob Christmas!  Nickelodeon Animation Studios

The Amazing World of Gumball The Job  Turner Broadcasting System Europe, Ltd.

The Fairly OddParents Farm Pit  Nickelodeon Animation Studios

The Legend of Korra Welcome to Republic City/A Leaf in the Wind – Nickelodeon Animation Studios

Best General Audience Animated Television Production

Archer Space Race, Part 1  Weissman Markovitz Communications for FX

BOBS BURGERS Earsy Rider  20th Century Fox TV

Motorcity Blond Thunder  Disney TV Animation

MAD FrankenWinnie/ParaMorgan  Warner Bros. Animation

Robot Chicken DC Comics Special – Stoopid Buddy Studios

South Park Raising the Bar  Central Productions

Animated Video Game

Borderlands 2  Gearbox Software

Family Guy  Back to the Mutiverse  Heavy Iron Studios

Journey  Sony Computer Entertainment America

Skullgirls  Lab Zero Games

Best Student Film

Can We Be Happy Now  Tahnee Gehm

Defective Detective  Avner Geller & Steve Lewis

Head Over Heels  Timothy Reckart

I Am Tom Moody  Ainslie Henderson

Ladies Knight  Joseph Rothenberg

Origin  Jessica Poon

The Ballad of Poisonberry Pete  Karen Sullivan

Tule Lake  Michelle Ikemoto

Animated Effects in an Animated Production

Andrew Nawrot, Joe Gorski, Grant Laker  ParaNorman  Focus Features

Andrew Schneider Ice Age: Continental Drift  Blue Sky Studios

Andy Hayes, Carl Hooper, David Lipton – Rise of the Guardians  DreamWorks Animation

Bill Watral, Chris Chapman, Dave Hale, Keith Klohn, Michael K. OBrien Brave  Pixar Animation Studios

Brett Albert  Wreck-It Ralph  Walt Disney Animation Studios

Jihyun Yoon  Madagascar 3: Europes Most Wanted  DreamWorks Animation

Joel Aron  Star Wars: The Clone Wars  Lucasfilm Animation Ltd.

Animated Effects in a Live Action Production

Jerome Platteaux, John Sigurdson, Ryan Hopkins, Raul Essig, Mark Chataway The Avengers  Industrial Light & Magic

Stephen Marshall, Joseph Pepper, Dustin Wicke The Amazing Spider-Man  Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures Animation

Sue Rowe, Simon Stanley-Clamp, Artemis Oikonomopoulou, Holger Voss, Nikki Makar, Catherine Elvidge John Carter – Cinesite

Willi Geiger, Rick Hankins, Florent Andorra, Florian Witzel, Aron Bonar Battleship  Industrial Light & Magic

Character Animation in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production

Dan Driscoll SpongeBob SquarePants: It’s a SpongeBob Christmas!  Nickelodeon Animation Studios

Jennifer Dickie Justin Time: Yodel Odel Day  Guru Studio

Keith Kellogg Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Revenge  Lucasfilm Animation Ltd.

Forrest Savelen SpongeBob SquarePants: It’s a SpongeBob Christmas!  Nickelodeon Animation Studios

Shi Zimu Dragons: Riders of Berk  DreamWorks Animation

Sihanouk Marinona Before Orel: Trust  Starburns Industries, Inc.

Teri Yam Dragons: Riders of Berk  DreamWorks Animation

Yan Jiazhuang Dragons: Riders of Berk  DreamWorks Animation

Character Animation in a Feature Production

Dan Nguyen Brave  Pixar Animation Studios

David Pate Rise of the Guardians  DreamWorks Animation

Jaime Landes Brave  Pixar Animation Studios

Phillppe LeBrun Rise of the Guardians  DreamWorks Animation

Pierre Perifel Rise of the Guardians  DreamWorks Animation

Travis Hathaway Brave  Pixar Animation Studios

Travis Knight ParaNorman  Focus Features

Will Becher The Pirates! Band of Misfits  Aardman Animations

Character Animation in a Live Action Production

Erik de Boer, Amanda Dague, Matt Brown, Mary Lynn Machado, Aaron Grey Life of Pi – Orangutan  Rhythm & Hues Studio

Erik de Boer, Matt Shumway, Brian Wells, Vinayak Pawar, Michael Holzl Life of Pi – Tiger  Rhythm & Hues Studio

Jakub Pistecky, Maia Kayser, Scott Benzu, Steve King, Kiran Bhat The Avengers  Industrial Light & Magic

Mike Beaulieu, Roger Vizard, Atushi Sato, Jackie Kochler, Derek Esparza, Richard Smith, Mac Tyrie  Columbia Pictures  THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN – Sony Pictures Animation

Character Design in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production

Andy Bialk Dragons: Riders of Berk: Alvin and the Outcasts  DreamWorks Animaton

Andy Suriano DC Nation-Plastic Man: The Many and the Fowl  Big Hair Productions, Inc.

Bryan Konietzko, Joaquim Dos Santos, Ryu Ki-Hyun, Kim Il Kwang, Kim Jin Sun The Legend of Korra: Welcome to Republic City  Nickelodeon Animation Studios

C Raggio IV Kick Buttowski: Petrified  Disney TV Animation

Derrick Wyatt, Chap Yaep, Steven Choi Ben 10: Omniverse: The More Things Change, Pt. 2  Cartoon Network Studios

Gordon Hammond T.U.F.F. Puppy: Dudley Do-Wrong  Nickelodeon Animation Studios

Robert Valley Disney Tron: Uprising: The Renegade, Part I  Disney TV Animation

Thaddeus Paul Cauldron Secret Mountain Fort Awesome: Secret Mountain Uncle Grandpa- Cartoon Network Studios

Character Design in an Animated Feature Production

Bill Schwab, Lorelay Bove, Cory Loftis, Minkyu Lee Wreck-It Ralph  Walt Disney Animation Studios

Carlos Grangel Hotel Transylvania  Sony Pictures Animation

Carter Goodrich Hotel Transylvania  Sony Pictures Animation

Craig Kellman Madagascar 3: Europes Most Wanted  DreamWorks Animation

Heidi Smith ParaNorman  Focus Features

Yarrow Cheney, Eric Guillon, Colin Stimpson Dr. Seuss The Lorax  Illumination Entertainment

Directing in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production

Howie Parkins Jake and The Never Land Pirates: Peter Pan Returns!  Disney TV Animation

John Eng Dragons: Riders of Berk: Animal House  DreamWorks Animation

Mark Cabalero, Seamus Walsh SpongeBob SquarePants: Its a Spongebob Christmas  Nickelodeon Animation Studios

Mic Graves The Amazing World of Gumball: The Job  Turner Broadcasting System Europe Ltd.

Michael Chang Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Never Say Xever – Nickelodeon Animation Studio

Zack Keller Dick Figures: Kung Fu Winners  6 Point Media

Directing in an Animated Feature Production

Genndy Tartakovsky Hotel Transylvania  Sony Pictures Animation

Johan Sfar, Antoine Delesvaux The Rabbis Cat – GKIDS

Remi Bezancon, Jean-Christophe Lie Zarafa – GKIDS

Rick Moore Wreck-It Ralph  Walt Disney Animation Studios

Sam Fell, Chris Butler ParaNorman  Focus Features

Music in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production

Adam Berry Penquins of Madagascar: Private and the Winky Factory  Nickelodeon Animation Studios

Alf Clausen The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror XXIII  Gracie Films in Association with 20th Century Fox TV

Frederik Wiedmann Green Lantern The Animated Series: Into the Abyss – F. Wiedmann, Composer

Guy Moon T.U.F.F. Puppy: Really Big Mission  Nickelodeon Animation Studios

John Paesano Dragons: Riders of Berk: How to Pick Your Dragon  DreamWorks Animation

Michael Rubin Bubble Guppies: Bubble Puppys Fin-tastic Fairytale!  Nickelodeon Animation Studios

Music in an Animated Feature Production

Alexandre Desplat Rise of the Guardians  DreamWorks Animation

Bruce Retief Adventures in Zambezia  Saltzman Communications

Henry Jackman Wreck-It Ralph  Walt Disney Animation Studios

Joel McNeely, Brendan Milburn, Valerie Vigoda Secret of the Wings  DisneyToon Studios

John Powell, Adam Schlesinger, Ester Dean Ice Age: Continental Drift  Blue Sky Studios

John Powell, Cinco Paul Dr. Seuss The Lorax  Illumination Entertainment

Mark Mothersbaugh Hotel Transylvania  Sony Pictures Animation

Patrick Doyle, Mark Andrews, Alex Mandel Brave  Pixar Animation Studios

Production Design in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production

Alberto Mielgo Tron: Uprising: The Stranger  Disney TV Animation

Ian Worrel Gravity Falls  Tourist Trapped  Disney TV Animation

Lynna Blankenship, Sean Coons, Hugh Macdonald, Debbie Peterson, Charles Ragins, Lance Wilder, Darrel Bowen, John Krause, Kevin Moore, Brent M. Bowen, Brice Mallier, Steven Fahey, Dima Malanitchev, Karen Bauer, Eli Balser, Anne Legge – The Simpsons: Moe Goes From Rags to Riches  Film Roman

Nick Jennings, Martin Ansolebehere, Sandra Calleros, Ron Russell, Santino Lascano, Derek Hunter, Catherine E. Simmonds – Adventure Time  The Hard Easy  Cartoon Network Studios

Peter Martin, Chris Grine, Ira Baker, Ramon Olivera, Scott Brown hoops & yo yos Haunted Halloween  Hallmark

Scott Brandon James, Lee Keith Justin Time: The Rubbery Dumplings  Guru Studio

Production Design in an Animated Feature Production

Kendal Cronkhite-Shaindlin, Shannon Jeffries, Lindsey Olivares, Kenard Pak Madagascar 3: Europes Most Wanted  DreamWorks Animation

Marcello Vignali Hotel Transylvania  Sony Pictures Animation

Nash Dunnigan, Arden Chen, Jon Townley, Kyle McNaughton Ice Age: Continental Drift  Blue Sky Studios

Nelson Lowry, Ross Stewart, Pete Oswald, Ean McNamara, Trevor Dalmer ParaNorman  Focus Features

Norman Garwood, Matt Berry The Pirates! Band of Misfits  Aardman Animation

Patrick Hanenberger, Max Boas, Jayee Borcar, Woonyoung Jung, Perry Maple, Peter Maynez, Stan Seo, Felix Yoon Rise of the Guardians  DreamWorks Animation

Rick Heintzich Frankenweenie  The Walt Disney Studios

Steve Pilcher Brave  Pixar Animation Studios

Storyboarding in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production

Andy Kelly Doc McStuffins: Righty-On-Lefty  Disney TV Animation

Cole Sanchez, Rebecca Sugar Adventure Time: Lady & Peebles  Cartoon Network Studios

Doug Lovelace Dragons: Riders of Berk: Portrait of Hiccup as a Buff Man  DreamWorks Animation

Holly Forsyth Sofia the First: Once Upon a Princess  Disney TV Animation

Irineo Marramba, Ciro Nieli Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: I Think His Name is Baxter Stockman  Nickelodeon Animation Studios

Robert Valley, Kalvin Lee Tron: Uprising: The Reward  Disney TV Animation

Ryan Kramer, Paul Linsley, Kenji Ono, Le Tang, Alice Herring, Mike Mullen, Aaron Hammersley Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness: Enter the Dragon  Nickelodeon Animation Studios

Tom Herpich, Skyler Page Adventure Time: Goliad  Cartoon Network Studios

Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production

Emmanuela Cozzi ParaNorman  Focus Features

Johanne Matte Rise of the Guardians  DreamWorks Animation

Leo Matsuda Wreck-It Ralph  Walt Disney Animation Studios

Lissa Treiman Wreck-It Ralph  Walt Disney Animation Studios

Rob Koo Madagascar 3: Europes Most Wanted  DreamWorks Animation

Voice Acting in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production

James Patrick Stuart as Private Penguins of Madagascar: High Moltage  Nickelodeon Animation Studios

Jeff Bennett as Keswick T.U.F.F. Puppy: Pup Daddy  Nickelodeon Animation Studios

Jessica Walter as Malory Archer Archer: Lo Scandolo  Weissman Markovitz Communications for FX Network

Kevin Michael Richardson as Willem Viceroy Randy Cunningham:

9th Grade Ninja: Gossip Boy  Disney TV Animation

Kristen Schaal as Mabel Pines Gravity Falls: Tourist Trapped  Disney TV Animation

Mae Whitman as April O’Neil  Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Rise of the Turtles  Nickelodeon Animation Studios

Sam Witwer as Darth Maul Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Revenge  Lucasfilm Animation Ltd.

Tom McGrath as Skipper Penguins of Madagascar: The Otter Woman  Nickelodeon Animation Studios

Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production

Adam Sandler as Dracula Hotel Transylvania  Sony Pictures Animation

Alan Tudyk as King Candy Wreck-It Ralph  Walt Disney Animation Studios

Atticus Shaffer as “E”Gore Frankenweenie  The Walt Disney Studios

Catherine O’Hara as Weird Girl Frankenweenie  The Walt Disney Studios

Imelda Staunton as Queen Victoria The Pirates! Band of Misfits  Aardman Animations

Jim Cummings as Budzo Adventures in Zambezia  Saltzman Communications

Jude Law as Pitch Rise of the Guardians  DreamWorks Animation

Kelly MacDonald as Merida Brave  Pixar Animation Studios

Writing in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production

Doug Langdale – Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness: Kung Fu Day Care – Nickelodeon Animation Studios

Eric Horsted  Futurama: The Bots and the Bees  Gracie Films in Association with 20th Century Fox TV

Gabe Garza  Penguins of Madagascar: Endangerous Species – Nickelodeon Animation Studios

Ian Maxtone-Graham, Billy Kimball The Simpsons: How I Wet Your Mother – Gracie Films in Association with 20th Century Fox TV

Kacey Arnold  Robot and Monster: The Blimp  Nickelodeon Animation Studios

Mike Teverbaugh, Linda Teverbaugh – Dragons: Riders of Berk: Animal House  DreamWorks Animation

Stephanie Gillis The Simpsons: A Tree Grows in Springfield  Gracie Films in Association with 20th Century Fox TV

Trey Parker  South Park: Jewpacabra  Central Productions

Writing in an Animated Feature Production

Chris Butler – ParaNorman  Focus Features

Gideon Defoe – The Pirates! Band of Misfits  Aardman Animations

Hayao Miyazaki, Keiko Niwa, Karey Kirkpatrick – From Up on Poppy Hill – GKIDS

John August – Frankenweenie  The Walt Disney Studios

Mark Andrews, Steve Purcell, Brenda Chapman, Irene Mecchi – Brave  Pixar Animation Studios

Phil Johnston, Jennifer Lee – Wreck-It Ralph  Walt Disney Animation Studios

Editorial in an Animated Television Production

Bret Marnell Puss in Boots: Three Diablos  DreamWorks Animation

Chris Hink Robot and Monster: Cheer Up Mr. Wheelie  Nickelodeon Animation Studios

Hugo Morales, Adam Arnold, Davrik Waeden, Otto Ferraye Kung Fu Panda: Monkey in the Middle  Nickelodeon Animation Studios

Hugo Morales, Adam Arnold, Davrik Waeden, Otto Ferraye Kung Fu Panda – Enter the Dragon  Nickelodeon Animation Studios

Jason Tucker Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Revival  Lucasfilm Animation Ltd.

Lynn Hobson Dragons: Riders of Berk: Animal House  DreamWorks Animation

Pieter Kaufman Sofia the First: Once Upon a Princess  Disney TV Animation

Steffie Lucchesi, Matt Steinauer, May Blaisdell Dan Vs Monster Under The Bed  Film Roman

Editorial in an Animated Feature Production

Catherine Apple Hotel Transylvania  Sony Pictures Animation

Joyce Arrastia Rise of the Guardians  DreamWorks Animation

Mark Rosenbaum Secret of the Wings  DisneyToon Studios

Nicholas A. Smith, ACE, Robert Graham Jones, ACE, David Suther Brave  Pixar Animation Studios

Tim Mertens Wreck-It Ralph  Walt Disney Animation Studios

JURIED AWARDS

Winsor McCay Award  Oscar Grillo, Terry Gilliam, Mark Henn

June Foray  Howard Green

Ub Iwerks – Toon Boom Animation Pipeline