www.aec.at  
 
 
 

Prix Ars Electronica
Archiv

Prix-Jury

 
 
Organiser
ORF Oberösterreich

Statement of the Computer Animation Jury

The Computer Animation Jury awarded the Golden Nica of this year's Animation competition to the animation "God's little Monkey" by Bob Sabiston and David Atherton of Flat Black Films.

This two-minutes animation is considered outstanding for several reasons: combining and integrating 2D and 3D animation in a neat and seamless way, the story is flawlessly and fluently carried on through excellent camera motion, editing and timing. In fact the viewer gets the impression that not a single frame was wasted. The authors of this very coherent and intelligent piece obviously paid very much attention to the character's design as well as to the details of the settings. The character, a morose and angry little girl, walks through a threatening mechanized world. Her life becomes a machine as well as the environment she is living in. This animation melts music (done by David Atherton) and animation into one work at its best. This well-paced piece is technically quite sophisticated and stands out also for its peculiar aesthetics.

Thomas Bayrle of the Städelschule (Frankfurt / Main, Germany) is awarded a distinction for "Superstars". This animation stows a sequence of moving faces that are composed in a mosaic-like fashion of numerous little elements displaying motion picture sequences. The work is an example for the cooperation of an artist and a programmer for the realization of a work that could not be realized in any other medium than the computer - Computer Art in the real sense of the term. Although adopting a fine arts approach, "Superstars" adapts itself to the media and the media to its intention. The work is focussing on one idea that is consequently explored and investigated, creating a both simple and complex many-layered, mature opus. The jury would welcome seeing this work in an adequate installation.

The other Distinction was awarded to Steve Williams, Scott Squires, Tom Bertino and their crew at Industrial Light and Magic (ILM)for the special effects of "The Mask". This special effects section is breaking new grounds, as it is the first time realization of cartoon-like effects and features in a three dimensional photo-realistic way. Cleverly combining the aesthetics of traditional Warner Brothers-type cartoons and live action, "The Mask" is the first movie to create "Cartoonmans".

In addition to these three prizes, the jury awarded twelve Honorary Mentions to Lamb & Company ("Mov E"), Chuck Gamble ("Shadow Puppets"), ILM ("Forrest Gump"), Martin Koch and Violet Suk ("inside fiction - outside war"), Francois Launet ("Les Modèles de Böckmann"), Silvio Levy and Tamara Munzner ("Outside in"), Franck Magnant ("Edifice"), Ion McCormack ("Moments of TURBULENCE"), MEDIALAB ("Agolo"), Ben Stassen ("Astro Canyon Coaster"), Dimitri Terzopoulos ("Artificial Fishes: The Undersea World of Jack Cousto") and Alexei Tylevich ("Dead Air / Mind Over matter").

 
© Ars Electronica Linz GmbH, info@aec.at