Annie Awards for animation Sunday; Wikinews will be there
{{date|February 8, 2007}}
[[Image:Award annie awards.gif|right|Annie Awards promotional art, 2006.]]
This Sunday, the {{w|International Animated Film Association}} (Association International du Film d'Animation) or ASIFA will hand out the {{w|Annie Awards}} in {{w|Glendale, California|Glendale}}, [[California]]. As animation's highest honor, the crowd is always a who's who of direction, art design, character design, layout, visual effects, and voice artists.

There are 23 award categories in the Annies, sorted into Individual Achievement and Production categories.

Perhaps the most competitive category is "Best Animated Feature", which will be a fight between ''{{w|Cars (film)|Cars}}'' ([[Pixar Animation Studios]]), ''{{w|Happy Feet}}'' ({{w|Warner Bros. Pictures}}/{{w|Village Roadshow Pictures}}/{{w|Kennedy Miller|Kennedy Miller Production}}/{{w|Animal Logic|Animal Logic Film}}), ''{{w|Monster House (film)|Monster House}}'' ({{w|Columbia Pictures}}/{{w|ImageMovers}}/{{w|Amblin}}), ''{{w|Open Season (2006 film)|Open Season}}'' ({{w|Sony Pictures Animation}}/{{w|Columbia Pictures}}) and ''{{w|Over the Hedge (film)|Over The Hedge}}'' ({{w|DreamWorks Animation}}).

''Cars'', ''Happy Feet'', and ''Monster House'' are all nominated in the {{w|Academy Awards}} for the same category, perhaps signifying an edge up in the competition.

Direct-to-{{w|DVD}} releases are eligible for the "Best Home Entertainment Production". Included are ''{{w|Bambi II}}'' ({{w|DisneyToon Studios}}), ''{{w|The Adventures of Brer Rabbit}}'' ({{w|Universal Animation Studios}}), and ''Winnie the Pooh: Shapes & Sizes'' (DisneyToon Studios).

''{{w|Charlie and Lola}}'', ''{{w|Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends}}'', ''{{w|King of the Hill}}'', ''{{w|The Fairly OddParents}}'', and ''{{w|Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!}}'' are all up for "Best Animated Television Production".

"Best Animated Video Game" will be awarded to either ''{{w|Flushed Away (video game)|Flushed Away The Game}}'' ({{w|D3 Publisher|D3 Publisher of America, Inc.}}), ''{{w|Monster House (video game)|Monster House}}'' ({{w|THQ, Inc.}}), and ''{{w|SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab|SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature From the Krusty Krab}}'' (THQ, Inc.); the category was just created last year.

''{{w|Adventure Time (short film)|Adventure Time}}'' ([[Nickelodeon]]), ''Fumi and the Bad Luck Foot'' (Thunderbean Animation), ''{{w|No Time For Nuts}}'' ({{w|Blue Sky Studios}}), and ''{{w|Weird Al Yankovic}}'' ''{{w|Don't Download This Song}}'' (Acme Filmworks) are all up for "Best Animated Short Subject". Only ''No Time for Nuts'' is up for an Oscar, which has significantly different rules. "Best Animated Television Commercial" will go to either an advertisement for Candy Factory, [[ESPN]], {{w|Hilton Hotels & Resorts|Hilton}}, {{w|St. Louis Zoo}}, or [[United Airlines]].

Notably, no non-[[US]] films or productions have been nominated for any of the awards.

===Started in 1972===
ASIFA is a non-profit worldwide organization dedicated to preserving and promoting animation, which maintains national branches in 55 countries, as far away as {{w|UlanBaatar}}, [[Mongolia]] and [[Tehran]]. The Annies are awarded by its California chapter ASIFA-Hollywood.

The awards were started in 1972, after voice actress {{w|June Foray}} noticed the industry lacked a formal way to acknowledge its achievements. Performing in over 202 productions, Foray's most known characters are {{w|Rocket J. Squirrel}} (''{{w|Rocky and Bullwinkle}}'') and {{w|Granny (Looney Tunes)|Granny}} (''{{w|Looney Tunes}}'').

ASIFA also hands out "Juried Awards" to various notable figures in animation. {{w|Bill Plympton}}, {{w|Genndy Tartakovsky}}, and {{w|Andreas Deja}} will each win the {{w|Winsor McCay Award}}, in recognition of lifetime or career contributions to the art of animation. Bill Matthews, Michael Fallik, Marc Deckter, and Eric Graf will each win a Certificate of Merit. The {{w|June Foray Award}} will go to {{w|Stephen Worth}}, for his "significant and benevolent or charitable impact on the art and industry of animation." The Ub Iwerks Award and Special Achievement award will not be handed out.

===Coverage upcoming===
Professional photographer John Mueller will attend the ceremony on behalf of Wikinews, taking photos of nominees and the rest of America's animation elite. Mueller was selected from a wide pool of professionals offering their services. The photos from the event will be released under the {{w|Creative Commons By Attribution}} license, which allows them to be used by anyone for any purpose.

{{haveyoursay}}
==Sources==
* [http://www.asifa-hollywood.org/whatis.html ASIFA International: What is?]
* Annie Awards: [http://www.annieawards.com/anniehistory.htm History], [http://www.annieawards.com/foryourconsideration.htm For Your Consideration]

== External links ==
* [http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmueller/ John Mueller on flickr]

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Annie Awards promotional art, 2006.
This Sunday, the Annie Awards in Glendale, California. As animation's highest honor, the crowd is always a who's who of direction, art design, character design, layout, visual effects, and voice artists.

There are 23 award categories in the Annies, sorted into Individual Achievement and Production categories.

Perhaps the most competitive category is "Best Animated Feature", which will be a fight between Cars (Pixar Animation Studios), Warner Bros. Pictures/Kennedy Miller|Kennedy Miller Production/Animal Logic Film), Monster House (ImageMovers/Open Season (2006 film)|Open Season (Columbia Pictures) and Over The Hedge ().

Cars, Happy Feet, and Monster House are all nominated in the  for the same category, perhaps signifying an edge up in the competition.

Direct-to-Bambi II (The Adventures of Brer Rabbit (), and Winnie the Pooh: Shapes & Sizes (DisneyToon Studios).

Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, The Fairly OddParents, and  are all up for "Best Animated Television Production".

"Best Animated Video Game" will be awarded to either Flushed Away The Game (D3 Publisher of America, Inc.), Monster House (SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab|SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature From the Krusty Krab (THQ, Inc.); the category was just created last year.

Adventure Time (Nickelodeon), Fumi and the Bad Luck Foot (Thunderbean Animation), Blue Sky Studios), and Don't Download This Song (Acme Filmworks) are all up for "Best Animated Short Subject". Only No Time for Nuts is up for an Oscar, which has significantly different rules. "Best Animated Television Commercial" will go to either an advertisement for Candy Factory, ESPN, Hilton, , or United Airlines.

Notably, no non-US films or productions have been nominated for any of the awards.

The awards were started in 1972, after voice actress Rocket J. Squirrel (Granny (Looney Tunes)|Granny ().

ASIFA also hands out "Juried Awards" to various notable figures in animation. Genndy Tartakovsky, and Winsor McCay Award, in recognition of lifetime or career contributions to the art of animation. Bill Matthews, Michael Fallik, Marc Deckter, and Eric Graf will each win a Certificate of Merit. The Stephen Worth, for his "significant and benevolent or charitable impact on the art and industry of animation." The Ub Iwerks Award and Special Achievement award will not be handed out.
Culture and entertainment Music Film Television Film awards Television awards Music awards North America United States California Nickelodeon Pixar Animation Studios ESPN United Airlines