Scarlett Stahl: 2011 Annie Awards Ceremony
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Note: Though Disney/Pixar boycotted, as a group,  the Annie Awards this year, they supported the individual achievements of their Disney artist's awards and recognition. The reason for their boycott was because of ASIFA Hollywood's voting procedures.

The 38th Annual Annie Awards were held on Saturday late afternoon and evening, February 5, 2011, at U.C.L.A.�s Royce Hall. ASIFA-Hollywood presents The Annie Awards yearly to honor the best in animation. In fact the name Annie was given by Hobart Donovan, who said �As long as it's an animation award, why not call it the Annie?� Hobart was a well known writer and husband of one of the founders of ASIFA Hollywood, famous voice actress, June Foray (aka Rocky of Rocky and Bullwinkle).

With most of the Northern and Eastern part of the United States in blizzard conditions, the contrast to the festivities in Westwood, a part of Los Angeles, was marked. Indeed many strapless and low cut evening gowns were seen on many of the lovely ladies attending the event. Please note the picture of the students from San Jose State University leaping in joy at attending the event.

The evening began with champagne, while visiting with other guests. Host of the evening, ever popular Tom Kenny (Sponge Bob Square Pants), managed to find time in his busy schedule to return this year to lead the audience in laughter and appreciation of not only his talents but also the people being honored.

There were many memorable moments during the evening. The prestigious Windsor McCay Awards are given to individuals in recognition of lifetime or career contributions to the art of animation in producing, directing, animating, design, writing, voice acting, sound and sound effects, technical work, music, professional teaching, and for other endeavors which exhibit outstanding contributions to excellence in animation. The Winsor McCay Award stands as one of the highest honors given to an individual in the animation industry and Disney master animator and director, Eric Goldberg, was honored as one of three recipients this year. Eric was accompanied by his wife, Susan (also a well known animator and art director) as well as their lovely daughter. Images of his well known characters, such as the Genie from Aladdin were projected on the screen, followed by Eric�s acceptance speech, which was warmly received by the audience.

The most humorous moment of the evening was supplied by another Windsor McCay recipient, Disney/Pixar�s Brad Bird, director, voice actor, animator and screenwriter. There was a similar video tribute to Brad shown on the screen as was Eric Goldberg�s. However Brad was unable to attend the event in person as he is working on location in Vancouver on the live action film, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. Instead the video continued with Brad accepting the honor, showing only his face and the award while stating �I�m sorry that I can�t be there to receive this award in person tonight but I am tied up elsewhere.� This was followed by him saying that he was no longer going to be working in animation but would be continuing in live action. Then the camera panned out to show Brad actually tied up with guns held at his head by co stars in the film he is working on, Tom Cruse and Simon Pegg. The video ends with Brad asking his friends to please help him. A video of the sequence can be seen on YouTube. It is a little long but worth waiting till the humorous end.

The third recipient of the Winsor McCay award was Matt Groening, cartoonist, screenwriter and producer. He is the creator of the comic strip Life in Hell as well as two successful television series, The Simpsons and Futurama.

Disney�s Don Hahn, animator, writer, producer and director, accepted a Special Achievement Award, along with Peter Schneider, film and theatrical producer, as well as former president of Walt Disney Feature Animation. The award was given for the documentary Waking Sleeping Beauty, a film that most Disney animators agree to be the most realistic view of the period, when Disney animation went from its darkest period to a string of hits over a ten year period from 1984 to 1994.

After the ceremony, the guests retired to the reception area to enjoy a late dinner and drinks, as well as visits with friends and congratulations for winners.