Animated Oscar Winners 2020

Its been an interesting year for animation with the return of a more traditional hand drawn look with films like Klaus and shorts films as well. Two animated shorts, which are in competition for this year's Oscars Short Film(animated) catagory are "Hair Love" and "Kitbull". 

Both are in color and are traditionally animated. Both films are sponsored by movie studios; "Hair Love" with Sony Picture Animation and "Kitbull" with Pixar SparkShorts program.

I had seen Hair Love and was sure it would win, however after seeing Kitbull, Hair Love has found its competition.

I'm going out on a limb here to make a prediction, Hair Love is a human film about love, hair and the black community, but its more of a universal story with appeal. Its has a lot of strong storytelling inside it, as well as a message of hope. I am predicting that "Hair Love" will win the Oscar!

If it does, please take a look/listen to this recent interview with the directors of the film. https://youtu.be/7CPvoVOooPk  

Now, don't get me wrong, I like Kitbull too. The story is about a small abandoned kitten who meets an abandoned Pitbull. We learn that the Pitbull wants to play, but is chained up and used in a bad way by his owner. 

The animation of the kitten is great and like Hair Love its colorful, traditionally animated and told with music. Kitbull also is a story of hope, where the two animals finally find a better home together.

I know there is not much time before the Oscars begin on this wet and rainy Sunday, but please leave a comment below. Which film did you like like the most?

Dear Basketball, a remembrance of Kobe Bryant

I never got the chance to meet Kobe Bryant , but I did have the opportunity to see him at an animation awards show for his film, “Dear Basketball,” which won an Oscar for best animated short in 2018.

I watched this kid grow up on television and we both came to Los Angeles the same year, 1996. He always wanted to be one of the greatest basketball players that ever lived, even better than Michael Jordan. And after 20 years with the the Lakers, five NBA Championships, two MVP Awards and two Olympic gold medals, he did just that.

I always had the upmost respect for Kobe as a basketball player, even though I would sometimes root against him. I really appreciated his "Mamba Mentality", as he liked to call it. His incredible work ethic pushed him to be even better than anyone ever thought he could be.

The tragedy that happened to him, his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and seven other people on that fateful helicopter flight is unimaginable. Our hearts and prayers truly go out to their families.

And although Los Angeles is feeling the pain and grief, I would like to take a moment to reflect on one aspect of his life which I had the privilege to be a part of.

My animated short film, “Watchcat,” was selected to be a part of the animation festival which meant competing against “Dear Basketball.” I had the opportunity to meet the film's director, legendary animator Glen Keane, at the premiere and it was all so truly amazing!  In Kobe’s own words, "It’s a love letter to basketball," a poem on his love of a sport that, even as a child, he believed he could be a part of. The animation was amazing and the music by John Williams was nothing less than spectacular.  It was deep, personal and moving.

I would like to share this short gem in remembrance of Kobe and Gianna Bryant, and the rest of the people on that helicopter.

RIP Black Mamba

 

 

A Sad Watchcat Wednesday

Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of Spongebob Squarepants died on Monday after battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. He was 57. 

Hillenburg graduated from Humboldt State University in 1984 with a degree that emphasized marine resources, and taught he marine biology at the Orange Country Marine Institute in Dana Point, now known as the Ocean Institute. 

While working there, he created colorful teaching tools that showed off his love of all things oceanic, writing and illustrating stories that birthed the future residents of Bikini Bottom. He soon found himself pursuing a degree in experimental animation at the California Institute of the Arts in Valencia, earning an MFA in 1992.

Hillenburg worked on Nickelodeon's "Rocko's Modern Life" as a writer and director before moving he pitched, produced and directed the animated series that would become "SpongeBob SquarePants." 

Hillenburg was honored at last year's 45th annual Annie Awards with the Windsor McCay award for his career contributions of the art of animation by long time friend and the voice of SpongeBob, Tom Keeny. 

Hillenburg helped opened doors to unknown animation artists and creators, showing that you didn't have to be a Wheeler Dealer type to make an animation series. You only needed a little oddball idea with a lot of heart and humor to make something bigger for everyone to enjoy. 

Stephen Hillenburg was someone we never met up close, but on that night, we saw him receive his award and we stood to honored him as an audience.

45th Annie Awards

From UCLA's Royce Hall last Saturday, Greg and I got an opportunity to attend the 45th Annie Awards, which is like the Oscars of the animation world. Now, I have to say, that every time I have attended this event before, people have mistaken me for some well known person in animation.

The first time this happened, someone thought I was Animator/Historian Tom Sito. The second time, someone thanked me for my moving tribute to Roy Disney, which was actually given by Disney producer, Don Hahn. Then last year, someone wanted me to draw a picture of Bart Simpson, thinking I was Simpsons creator, Matt Groening. 

The only things I have in common with these fine gentlemen are; that we all are men with facial hair, who wear glasses and share the love of animation.

The only person I wanted to meet this year was Glen Keane. For those who aren't in animation, Glen Keane brought the Disney characters of Ariel, the Beast, Aladdin, Tarzan, Long John Silver to life. and this year's animated short film "Dear Basketball.," a love letter by Kobe Bryant about his favorite sport. The film won an Annie for this year's best animated short subject and has been nominated for this year's Oscars.

Upon entering the pre-party, we met Adrian Molina , the co-writer and co-director of "Coco". He spoke to us and was very friendly. He was a story artist at Pixar and was given the opportunity to help write the screenplay "Coco" and then to co-direct it.

Coco won most of the awards that night. and "The Breadwinner" won best independent animated feature which executive producer, Angelina Jolie help put together.  

Other highlights included, Angelina Jolie in attendance, "Cuphead" won special achievement award, TV Paint won the Ub Iwerks Award, The Winsor McCay award went to the NFBC duo of Wendy Tilby and Amanda Forbis, Tom Kenny (the Voice of Spongbob) presented a Winsor McCay Award to Spongebob creator, Stephen Hillenburg and Pendleton Ward (Adventure Time) presented a Winsor McCay Award to animator James Baxter.

Afterwards, we attended the VIP party where I got to meet and congratulated another animation hero of mine, James Baxter.

When we first met Glen Keane, things were going well. And then, it started. When I meet famous people that I admire I have discovered, that I have a tendency to physically go out of focus. Most people will become nervous or shy or begin to sweat or can't think of what to say next, I go out of focus and here's proof.

I could tell Glen was noticing my blurry condition was getting worse, but he was very polite and the out of focus attack didn't last too long this time. Afterwards I remained in focus long enough to take this nice picture with him.

 

We met a bunch more people, like animation director, John Musker of Disney's the Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Hercules and Mohana. 

I got a little blurry here too, but managed to say hello to him again. His son in law was my film teacher in Chicago years ago. 

But the real surprise of the night was meeting the model for Tinker Bell, Margaret Kerry!

She was also very friendly and I didn't go out of focus at all, not once. 

What a small world animation is after all. Just before we left, I ran into an old friend of mine, Wendie Owens. We use to work together at StarToons, back when I was in Chicago. Her husband, Mike Owens directed a new show on Amazon Prime called " Danger and Eggs", which was up for the best Character design in an animated TV/Broadcast production.  

As we finally began to leave Royce Hall for good, a group of people began to follow me. I am not joking here, one guy held out a pen to me and said, "Pen?" I looked around and then back to the guy. "Aren't you Pendleton Ward?" 

"Oh no, I'm sorry that's not me," I said, "I'm Don Hahn."

The group looked very disappointed as they sadly walked away. My friends said I should have signed it, but I couldn't have done that, besides it was late and we had long drive by back to Burbank.

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Wow, what a night! Did you enjoy this post? Please click on the ads to let us know you liked it or not.  Every ad click helps us get to our $100 Google goal. Only $30 in clicks will allow us to donate the money in the name of Watchcat Films to a local Animal Shelter, but we need your clicks.

Do I really look like Pendelton Ward? (It was dark and about 1 in the morning.) Please let me know and leave a comment below, don't be shy. Can't wait to find out who I will be mistaken for at next year's Annie Awards.

I am available if anyone needs to be at an important event or a meeting at the same time. I'd be glad to help you out.