A MELBOURNE teenager is enjoying unexpected attention because an obscure film he made has the same title as an Oscar-nominated short.

Doug McNeil, 16, of Hawthorn, says individual views on website Vimeo of his five minute stop-motion film Head Over Heels spiked after a British film was nominated as best animated short.

The number of online hits for Doug McNeil's Head Over Heels has soared. Credit:Angela Wylie

The higher profile Head Over Heels didn't win an Oscar, but Doug was amused when online interest in his Melbourne film soared, from its recent zero views a day to more than 556 on Sunday.

A film buffs' website, soundonsight.org, posted Doug's film for viewing, it said, ''in advance of Oscar night'' and urged readers to ''let us know who you think has the best chance in winning''.