By Millie Takaki
BURBANK, Calif.—United Airlines’ "Interview" continues to gain industry recognition, garnering one of five spot nominations in the 32nd annual Annie Awards competition, which recognizes outstanding achievement in animation. The Annies are presented by the Burbank-headquartered International Animated Film Society (ASIFA-Hollywood).
Produced by Acme Filmworks, Hollywood, "Interview" is no stranger to nominee status—earlier this year, it was one of six commercials nominated for a primetime Emmy Award. (The Emmy winner was Citibank’s "Outfit," directed by Kevin Thomas of Thomas Thomas Films, London, for Fallon, Minneapolis.)
Also conceived by Fallon, United’s "Interview," a :60, was helmed by Wendy Tilby and Amanda Forbis via Acme. Tilby and Forbis were nominated for an Annie last year on the strength of Colorado Lottery’s "Woodcut" out of Karsh & Hagan, Denver.
"Interview," a SHOOT Top Spot (4/2, p. 10), opens on a man pulling up a window shade. It’s morning and he has just awakened. While his dog lounges in bed, the man tries on a variety of neckties in an effort to achieve the right look. We then see a plane soaring through the sky, followed by a cab pulling up to a big city office building. The man gets into an elevator. When he looks down, he notices that he has on two different color dress shoes—one black, one brown. Flustered by the fashion faux pas, he sits down at a table and is interviewed by a panel of three people. After the grilling session is over, the man is seen walking down the street, looking dejected. Clearly, he feels he has blown an opportunity.
Then his cell phone rings. He answers it and jumps into the air jubilantly—it turns out he got the job after all. Cut to a shot of a United stewardess walking down the aisle of the plane. She spots the man napping in his seat—a smile on his face—and pulls down the window shade next to him. A parting voiceover relates, "Where you go in life is up to you. There’s an airline that can take you there—United. It’s time to fly."
Rounding out the field of commercial nominees representing Annie judges’ selections as the best animation work of 2004 are: AFLAC’s "Looney Tunes" directed by Jennifer Ferris and Richard Shagan of Warner Bros. Animation, Burbank, for The Kaplan Thaler Group, New York; Nintendo’s "Freeboy" helmed by Nathan McGuinness of Asylum, Santa Monica, for Leo Burnett USA, Chicago; Reebok’s "Above the Rim" directed by Tim Miller of Blur Studio, Venice, Calif., for Arnell Group Brand Consulting, New York; and Quaker Chewy Fruit ‘N Crunch Bars’ "Three Bears" with CG animation directed by Steve Talkowski of bicoastal Hornet (live action was helmed by Russ Lamoureux of bicoastal/international Hungry Man) for Element 79 Partners, Chicago.
The latter, a CG :30, shows the title three bear characters arriving home only to find that someone has eaten all of their Quaker Chewy Fruit ‘N Crunch Bars. Underscoring the newness of the treats, the spot ends with the tagline, "Not the same old story."
The Reebok :30 from Blur features computer animated versions of star basketball players Steve Francis and Baron Davis going head to head in an above-the-rim duel.
Nintendo’s "Freeboy" :30 visually depicts how Game Boy Advance has untethered a generation from gaming consoles and "freed" them to enjoy Nintendo games anywhere and anytime. The ad gives viewers a glimpse into the mind of someone playing on Game Boy Advance. In one seamless camera move, our gamer’s real world environment is deconstructed and he is immersed into the 3-D world of his favorite gaming icons, characters and surreal surroundings.
AFLAC’s "Looney Tunes" :30 features Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck calmly discussing the importance of having insurance in their line of work as a typical Wile E. Coyote/Road Runner misadventure unfolds in the background. The AFLAC duck (in cel animation form) appears to shout its usual call ("AFLAC!") as Daffy tries to remember the name of the insurance company. Eventually, the AFLAC duck becomes involved in the misadventure as he winds up plunging down a ravine with the hapless Coyote.
The Annie Awards competition honors outstanding animation achievement in features, TV programs, commercials, home entertainment and short subjects/special projects. Annie winners will be announced and honored at a gala awards ceremony on Jan. 30 at the Alex Theatre in Glendale, Calif. ASIFA is the French acronym for Association Internationale du Film d’Animation, an organization founded 48 years ago in France by a group of professional animators. ASIFA was chartered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in ’60 to encourage the art of animation and further international understanding and goodwill through the animation medium. Currently, there are ASIFA chapters in nearly 30 countries. The Hollywood chapter was founded in ’72.
Rom-Com Mainstay Hugh Grant Shifts To The Dark Side and He’s Never Been Happier
After some difficulties connecting to a Zoom, Hugh Grant eventually opts to just phone instead.
"Sorry about that," he apologizes. "Tech hell." Grant is no lover of technology. Smart phones, for example, he calls the "devil's tinderbox."
"I think they're killing us. I hate them," he says. "I go on long holidays from them, three or four days at at time. Marvelous."
Hell, and our proximity to it, is a not unrelated topic to Grant's new film, "Heretic." In it, two young Mormon missionaries (Chloe East, Sophie Thatcher) come knocking on a door they'll soon regret visiting. They're welcomed in by Mr. Reed (Grant), an initially charming man who tests their faith in theological debate, and then, in much worse things.
After decades in romantic comedies, Grant has spent the last few years playing narcissists, weirdos and murders, often to the greatest acclaim of his career. But in "Heretic," a horror thriller from A24, Grant's turn to the dark side reaches a new extreme. The actor who once charmingly stammered in "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and who danced to the Pointer Sisters in "Love Actually" is now doing heinous things to young people in a basement.
"It was a challenge," Grant says. "I think human beings need challenges. It makes your beer taste better in the evening if you've climbed a mountain. He was just so wonderfully (expletive)-up."
"Heretic," which opens in theaters Friday, is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, co-writers of "A Quiet Place." In Grant's hands, Mr. Reed is a divinely good baddie — a scholarly creep whose wry monologues pull from a wide range of references, including, fittingly, Radiohead's "Creep."
In an interview, Grant spoke about these and other facets of his character, his journey... Read More