On the heels of the 2018 Annie Awards nominees that were announced earlier today, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have unveiled their shortlist for 10 animated short films vying to be part of the Oscars 2018 consideration. These 10 films will be whittled down into an eventual list of nominees. Some of them stand out from the pack, either because they come from animation powerhouses like Pixar's Lou, or because they've captured hearts and imaginations across social media already this year, like Negative Space and In a Heartbeat. (These titles should be familiar to those of you keeping up with our This Week in Animation News segment.)
Still others bring some big names to the table, like Dear Basketball, an animated retelling of Kobe Bryant's titular poem from director and veteran artist/animator Glen Keane (Tangled, Paperman). Big names in animation have also been left out of the bunch, most notably Don Hertzfeldt whose upcoming World of Tomorrow Episode Two: The Burden of Other People’s Thoughts will not be under consideration. The short will, however, be playing the opening night of the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, as confirmed by Hertzfeldt himself:
Here's a look at the 10 shorts vying for an Oscar nomination (h/t to the Playlist):
“Cradle” - Director: Devon Manney (University of Southern California)
Returning to the USA after losing both arms overseas, a young veteran battles phantom pains, prosthetics, and memories of his pre-war life while reaching for a sense of normalcy.
“Dear Basketball” - Director: Glen Kean (Glen Keane Productions)
“Fox and the Whale” - Director: Robin Joseph (Robin Joseph)
“Garden Party” - Directors: Victor Caire and Gabriel Grapperon (MOPA)
“In a Heartbeat” - Directors: Esteban Bravo and Beth David (Ringling College of Art and Design)
“Life Smartphone” - Director: Chenglin Xie (China Central Academy of Fine Arts)
The phenomenon of increasing smartphone addiction can be attributed to today’s cutting-edge technology. Staring at glowing screens instead of exploring the vast expanse of life, people are gradually alienating themselves from the loveliness of life.
“Lost Property Office” - Director: Daniel Agdag (8th in Line)
Lost Property Office is a meticulously hand–crafted short film by Artist and Filmmaker Daniel Agdag and Producer Liz Kearney.
The art deco, post–industrial inspired world was realised by hand in Daniel’s beloved medium of cardboard over a preproduction period of 18 months. The entire film was fashioned from over 2,500 sheets of recycled cardboard, patiently hand-cut using 1,287 scalpel blades to create 1258 elaborate set pieces and delicate individual props.
The natural sepia tones of the cardboard were carefully lit and photographed 24 times for every second of the 13,680 final frames (9 minutes), giving the film a warm other-worldly glow and unique aesthetic.
“Lou” - Director: Dave Mullins (Pixar Animation Studios)
“Negative Space” - Directors: Max Porter and Ru Kuwahata (Ikki Films)
“Revolting Rhymes” - Directors: Jakob Schuh and Jan Lachauer (Magic Light Pictures)
Related: 2018 Oscar Winners