And The Oscar Goes To...

It's been a landmark year for animation, with 3D becoming the norm and the largely-animated Avatar one of the favourites for the Best Movie Academy Award.

In the category of Best Animated Feature Film, most of them have been massive hits and need no introduction from me. Walt Disney have two nominations, the massively-successful Up and the recently-released The Princess And The Frog, with its return to classic 2D animation and Disney's first black princess.

Coraline and Fantastic Mr Fox have also been big box office draws aimed at the kids over the year. The fifth nominee, however, is one you've probably not heard of.

The Secret Of Kells is an Irish/French/Belgian co-production which has had virtually no release outside of these countries. It's a story inspired by the Book of Kells, the famous illuminated manuscript of the four Gospels which is considered as Ireland's national treasure.

The film is set in the 9th century and is the story of 12 year old Brendan who lives with his stern uncle, Abbot Cellach, then becomes the apprentice of the inspirational illuminator Brother Aidan. Monks, Vikings, fairies, religion, art and folklore combine into a warm, rich fantasy. Its visual style borrows heavily from the Celtic art that inspired it, making The Secret Of Kells a refreshing alternative to its big budget, high profile Oscar rivals.

Sit back and enjoy a selection of clips.

Best Animated Short Film

There are very few opportunities to see short animations on TV or the big screen but, thanks to the wonders of YouTube, here are 4 of this year's 5 nominees in full, plus a special treat for fans of Wallace and Gromit.

French Roast

Fabrice O. Joubert

A Pumpkin Factory/Bibo Films Production

Some beautiful characters star in this hilarious French comedy of errors.

Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty

Nicky Phelan and Darragh O'Connell

A Brown Bag Films Production

2D and 3D animation mix as the bitter and twisted Granny O'Grimm tells the classic bedtime story.

The Lady And The Reaper

Javier Recio Gracia

A Kandor Graphics and Green Moon Production

It's Death versus Doctor Dishy in this bizarre, inventive fight for an old lady's life.

Logorama

Nicolas Schmerkin

An Autour de Minuit Production

Thousands of corporate logos are used to create this amazingly original comment on American society. Contains bad language and violence against junk food!

Logorama from Marc Altshuler - Human Music on Vimeo.

A Matter of Loaf And Death

Nick Park

An Aardman Animations Production

Britain's favourite Claymation inventor and his long-suffering hound do battle with the murderous Piella Bakewell.

Here's an exclusive 20 minute making-of feature.

The Oscars will be presented at the Academy Awards ceremony this Sunday, 7th March 2010.

They're Furry And They're Free

As much as I want to promote my own art on this blog wherever possible, sometimes I have to step back and wallow in someone else's genius.

That's why I've now given over my Twitter and Facebook links to the amazing icons designed by Andrea Austoni. They're so cute they'll make you want to give your screen a cuddle (don't, it won't be very comfy.)

They're available for all the major social networking sites, each in four sizes. Here are the largest versions so you can see all the gorgeous details.

The best thing of all is that they're available for anyone to download for free (yum, my favourite price!) Just visit this link to Noupe.com.

Advent Calendar - December 22nd

Today, a nostalgia fest (or not, depending on where you live or how old you are.)

Click the ginormous HD-ready plasma telly that's obscuring the number 22.

We Interrupt This Blog For a Fangurly Squee-Flash

Best laid plans and all that, but I HAD to take time out to comment on this:

New Doctor Who logo, © BBC.  The word "squee" was invented for moments like this.

Britain's favourite time travelling alien gets a brand new logo to launch the 2010 series, when Stephen Moffatt takes over running the show from Russell T Davies and the brilliant David Tennant is replaced in the title role by the equally brilliant Matt Smith.

If I'd just seen the words on their own, I would have felt a bit "so what?"  It's the new idea of the DW TARDIS insignia that's the beauty of this design. Just a D, a W and a glowing chevron. Yet they have the confidence in their brand to know that's all it needs to get across the title of the show.

In fact, ignore the words.  Yes, they'll probably get used in the title sequence, but the Smith-era merchandise allows the option to just feature the insignia.  Having that on a T shirt, badge or whatever is a classy, grown up alternative to the character action shots that are aimed at the kids, but it leaves room to have those as well.  That insignia on its own says, "I love Doctor Who.  You can see I love Doctor Who.  You don't need to see the words 'Doctor Who' to know that.  You and I are more intelligent than that."

Then once the initial impact's over, the details start to make themselves noticed.  The brushed metal texture. The cool blue taking over from the fiery red and orange of the old logo. The way the serifs on the D and W exactly match the base and roof of the TARDIS.  The fact that the serifs in "Doctor" face left and those in "Who" face right.  The very slight bevel giving the effect of it being cut out of steel, making the DW TARDIS look all the more tangible (especially with the reflection underneath).

Then there's the animated version, which you can see below courtesy of the official BBC Doctor Who site:

This is really going to grab people's attention.  I can imagine it vworp-vworping its way onto screen at the start of every episode, followed by the opening scene and then the full title sequence.  Then fading up again at the end of the episode to introduce the "coming next" sequence and maybe even vworp-vworping away to blackness at the end of the credits.  I'd actually be very disappointed if they didn't use it as a 2 second sting trailer in the run up to the 2010 series.  This year has been a bit of a Who-drought and to see a "blink and you'll miss it" flash of the DW TARDIS will have millions of fans up and down the UK so excited there'll be serious danger of spontaneous Who-fan combustion.

The best test of a design classic is trying to imagine life without it.  Doctor Who's been on screen for 46 years (give or take), surely somebody somewhere must have come up with the idea of turning the D and W into a TARDIS shape.  What, they haven't?  Wow, it's so obvious when you think about it but, in all those years, we've never had it.  Now we do.  It's bold, cool, sophisticated, clever, iconic and instantly recognisable.  I only wish I knew the name(s) of whoever designed it, because they deserve a HUGE namecheck for their inspired brilliance.  It's been less than 2 hours since I first clapped eyes on it and already I know I'm looking at a design classic.

*That is the end of this squee-flash.*