OSCAR
ANIMATIONS - 1
Pixar's domination of the short animation Oscar has been receding so
much
that all these recent winners come from independent animators.
Paperman by John Kahrs (2012) (USA) (6m) *
The story for Paperman, fairly reminiscent of the nicely made live-action short Signs, came from Clio Chiang and Kendelle Hoyer and won everyone involved, including Disney, an Oscar. I have to admit I find the generic Disney characteristics somewhat kitsch but this animation is certainly likeable. It follows the story of a man who has a brief encounter with a woman and sees she works in the office block opposite him.... but how to get her attention?
The Jockstrap Raiders by Mark Nelson (2011) (USA) (19m)
The Jockstrap Raiders won a Student Academy Award although its director, Mark Nelson of UCLA, had been working in the visual effects industry for the previous decade. It is a nicely made computer animation set during World War I. A group of misfits from a Leeds rugby club are excluded from duty due to various abnormalities. However, when they learn of Germany's plan to build a bridge across the channel, they take it upon themselves to stop him.
The Lost Thing Ruhemann & Tan (2010) (Australia/UK) (15m)
The Lost Thing comes from a story book by Shaun Tan, who was heavily involved in the production of this short alongside British producer and animator Andrew Ruhemann. It follows the story of a boy who finds a "lost thing" on the beach - a bit like a large octopus stuck in an even larger teapot, it acts like a puppy. The problem is that it is lost, so the boy takes it home with him. However, this cannot last and the lost thing must be taken and left elsewhere.
Logorama by François Alaux (2009) (France) (16m)
Written and directed by Frenchmen François Alaux, Hervé de Crécy & Ludovic Houplain, Logorama won the Best Short Animation Oscar in 2010. It is a computer animation with a vibrant, Pulp Fiction feel to it (so expect some strong language straight up!) that starts with the Michelin police spying the fugitive, Ronald McDonald, and pursuing him through a Los Angeles comprised entirely of logos. Cool!