CalArts’ Alums Earn Annie Award Nominations

The nominations for the 49th Annie Awards for animation were announced on Dec. 21 with more than a dozen CalArtians or their projects recognized among the nominees. Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Raya and the Last Dragon, directed by Carlos López Estrada and Don Hall (Film/Video BFA 95), leads the feature categories with 10 nominations.

Earning a Best Feature Annie nomination along with Raya and the Last Dragon are The Mitchells vs. The Machines (Sony Pictures Animation for Netflix), directed by Michael Rianda (Film/Video 11) and Jeffrey Rowe (Film/Video 11). Rianda and Rowe also earned a nomination for Best Direction – Feature for The Mitchells vs. The Machines.

In the television categories, Maya and the Three (A Netflix Series)—created by Jorge R. Gutierrez (Film/Video BFA 97, MFA 00)—earned seven Annie nominations. Gutierrez personally earned nominations for Best Character Design, Best Direction, Best Production Design – TV/Media for “The Sun and the Moon” episode. He also earned a Best Writing nomination for “The Skull” episode.

The 2022 Annie Awards take place on Saturday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. at UCLA’s Royce Hall in Los Angeles.

View the CalArtians among the 49th Annie Award nominations, and please leave a comment below or email communications@calarts.edu if we missed any CalArtian Annie nominees.

Best Feature

• Raya and the Last Dragon (Walt Disney Animation Studios) – from Don Hall (Film/Video BFA 95)
• The Mitchells vs. The Machines (Sony Pictures Animation for Netflix) from Michael Rianda (Film/Video 11), Jeffrey Rowe (Film/Video 11)

Best Special Production

• Namoo (Baobab Studios) – Chief Creative Officer of studio is alumnx Eric Darnell (Film/Video MFA 90)

Best TV/Media – Children

• Amphibia (Walt Disney Television Animation), Episode: “True Colors.” The show was created by Matt Braly (Film/Video BFA 10)
• Maya and the Three (A Netflix Series), Episode: “The Sun and the Moon.” The show was created by Jorge R. Gutierrez (Film/Video BFA 97, MFA 00)
• We the People (Laughing Wild, Higher Ground Productions, Netflix), Episode: “Active Citizenship.” The supervising director of series is Tim Rauch (recent Character Animation faculty member).

Best Character Animation – Feature

• Raya and the Last Dragon (Walt Disney Animation Studios), Jennifer Hager (Film/Video BFA 05)

Best Character Design – TV/Media

• Kid Cosmic (A Netflix Original Series), Episode: “The Rings of Power” by Craig McCracken (Film/Video 93)
• Maya and the Three (A Netflix Series), Episode: “The Sun and the Moon” by Jorge R. Gutierrez (Film/Video BFA 97, MFA 00)

Best Character Design – Feature

• Vivo (Sony Pictures Animation for Netflix), Joe Moshier (Character Animation 94)

Best Direction – TV/Media

• Amphibia (Walt Disney Television Animation), Episode: “True Colors” – Jenn Strickland, Kyler Spears (Film/Video 13)
• Maya and the Three (A Netflix Series), Episode: “The Sun and the Moon,” Jorge R. Gutierrez (Film/Video BFA 97, MFA 00)

Best Direction – Feature

The Mitchells vs. The Machines (Sony Pictures Animation for Netflix) – Michael Rianda (Character Animation 11), Jeffrey Rowe (Character Animation 11)

Best Production Design – TV/Media

• Arlo the Alligator Boy (Netflix Presents A Ryan Crego Film), Episode: “Broadcast Special,” Israel Sanchez, Margaret Wuller, Michelle Haejung Park (Art BFA 09), Kayla Jones, Tania Franco
• Maya and the Three (A Netflix Series) Episode: “The Sun and the Moon,” – Jorge R. Gutierrez (Film/Video BFA 97, MFA 00), Paul Sullivan, Gerald de Jesus, Richard Chen

Best Storyboarding – Feature

• Encanto (Walt Disney Animation Studios), Jason Hand (Character Animation BFA 02)
• Vivo (Sony Pictures Animation for Netflix), Carlos Romero (Character Animation BFA 12)

Best Writing – TV/Media

• Maya and the Three (A Netflix Series) Episode: Chapter 4: “The Skull”), Silvia Olivas, Jorge R. Gutierrez (Film/Video BFA 97, MFA 00)
• The Mighty Ones (DreamWorks Animation), Episode: “Berry’s Pet Threat,” Jillian Goldfluss, Erica Jones (Film/Video 13), Nicolette Wood (Film/Video BFA 14)

Best Writing – Feature

• The Mitchells vs. The Machines (Sony Pictures Animation for Netflix), Mike Rianda (Film/Video 11), Jeff Rowe (Film/Video 11)