The best new animation work was celebrated last night at the British Film Institute on the Southbank in London with the British Animation Awards 2012. A veritable Who's Who in terms of directors, production houses and advertising agencies were on hand as 16 gongs were handed out for children's productions, music videos, TV commercials and more.
The Best 2D animation award went to director Vida Vega who works for the British production studio Film Club. His ad for Tempo tissues was drawn on the handkerchiefs themselves in his classic, caligraphic brush-and-ink style. “It means so much to me to win this award, the whole team put so much love into every frame and carefully ironed tissue, and it’s an amazing thing to have it recognised. It makes all that spilled ink worth it,” says Vega.
2D runners up were Julia Pott for Auto Biography which she made with Saatchi + Saatchi Los Angeles, and the Irn Bru Pied Piper ad directed by Dennis Sisterson. Meanwhile the 3D animation prize went to the epic Coca Cola ad seige, directed by FX & Matt of the London production house Nexus, created for Wieden + Kennedy. Antoine Bardou-Jacquet's Kia Soul ad, and David Prosser's commercial for Statoil were runners up in 3D.
Kate Anderson made the best music video with her charming animations for Liz Green's Displacement Song. This year there was a category for stop motion and the experimental film Nokia Dot, a microscopic story which was made using the camera on a Nokia phone, took the award. It was made by Sumo Science. Eagleman Stag by Mikey Please of the Royal College of Art won the Best Student Film award.
One of the most interesting sections was the Public Choice Awards which turned up some interesting winners and didn't replicate anything chosen by the judges. Francesca Adams of the National Film School won in Best Short Film for Bertie Crisp while that famous Gorillaz duo Pete Candeland and Jamie Hewlett won in the music video category with Stylo. The Best Commercial as chosen by the public was The Day Pilsner Struck Gold, promoting Pilsner Urquell, directed by Chris Randall and produced at Second Home Studios.
An array of other top animation talents were recognised on the night including Max Hattler, Johnny Kelly, Quay Brothers and Sara Cox. You can find out more about the British Animation Awards on their website.
