Ten graduates of Sheridan College in Ontario, along with a current third-year student animation group, have been nominated for 2016 Annie Awards that recognize the year’s top achievements in the field of animation. The International Animated Film Society (ASIFA-Hollywood) will announce the winners of the Annie Awards, the industry’s top honour, on February 6, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. Created in 1972 by veteran voice talent June Foray, the Annie Awards have grown in scope and stature for the past 40 years. Sheridan has four campuses in Ontario – one located in Brampton, one in Mississauga and two in Oakville. Ten of this year’s nominees graduated from Sheridan’s Bachelor of Animation program within the past five years, further strengthening the program’s and the college’s ongoing reputation for excellence.
The following Sheridan alumni have been nominated for 2016 Annie Awards:
- Tapan Gandhi (Bachelor of Animation, 2009): Outstanding Achievement, Character Design in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production, Pickle and Peanut, Episode: “Swim Lessons” (Disney Television Animation).
- Kevin Martel (Classical Animation, 1996): Outstanding Achievement, Character Animation in a Live Action Production, Jurassic World – Indominus Rex (Universal Studios/Legendary Pictures).
- Taha Neyestani (Bachelor of Animation, 2015): Best Student Film, Ed.
- Alexander Poei (Art Fundamentals, 1996 & Classical Animation, 1999): Outstanding Achievement, Character Animation in a Live Action Production, The Revenant – The Bear (Regency Enterprises, New Regency Pictures, Anonymous Content, M Productions, Appian Way, RatPac-Dune Entertainment).
- Allison Rutland (Computer Animation, 2003): Outstanding Achievement, Character Animation in a Feature Production – Inside Out (Pixar Animation Studios).
- Domee Shi (Bachelor of Animation, 2011): Outstanding Achievement, Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production, Inside Out (Pixar Animation Studios).
- Jeffrey Thompson (Art Fundamentals, 2003 & Bachelor of Animation, 2010): Outstanding Achievement, Production Design in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production, Gravity Falls, Episode: “Xpcveaoqfoxso (Weirdmageddon)” (Disney Television Animation).
- Melody Wang (Bachelor of Animation, 2015): Best Student Film, The Casebook of Nips & Porkington.
- Stephen Wood (Technical Animation, 1989): Outstanding Achievement, Animated Effects in an Animated Production, Home (DreamWorks Animation).
- BJ Crawford (Classical Animation, 2000): Outstanding Achievement, Character Animation in a Feature Production, The Peanut s Movie (Blue Sky Studios, Twentieth Century Fox Animation).
Also, for the eleventh nomination, students in their third year of Sheridan’s Bachelor of Animation Program were nominated in the Best Student Film category for Mother. They included Stephanie Chiew, Joan Chung, David Du, Matthew Fazari, Ana Gomez, Rui Hao, Jessica Jing, Seeyun Lee, Nick Nason and Danny Wang.
The creative talents of Sheridan alumni are behind many of the productions nominated for Annie Awards this year. Sheridan graduates have contributed to the films nominated for Best Animated Feature – including Inside Out, The Good Dinosaur (both Pixar Animation Studios), Shaun the Sheep The Movie (Aardman Animations), as well The Peanuts Movie (Blue Sky Studios and Twentieth Century Fox Animation). Sheridan grads are also part of the teams whose work garnered nominations in the categories of Best Animated Television/Broadcast Production For Preschool Children and Best Animated Television/Broadcast Production For Children. Nominated studios – including Nickelodeon, Nelvana, Disney Television Animation and Cartoon Network Studios – employ many Sheridan alumni.
The College is renowned for its animation programs that include a Bachelor of Animation and post-graduate certificates in computer animation, visual effects and digital character animation. In 2013, Sheridan introduced a Bachelor of Game Design Program. It’s also one of Canada’s leading post-secondary institutions, offering over 120 diploma, certificate and bachelor-degree programs.
