2018 British Animation Awards Winners Announced

The winners were announced today for the British Animation Awards 2018 (BAAs), the UK’s most prestigious animation awards. In a night of surprises with an eclectic mix of winners, the top honours were scooped by acclaimed actress and top voice artist Teresa Gallagher, the smash hit Christmas family animation Revolting Rhymes, and the ever-popular children’s series The Amazing World of Gumball.

Held tonight at London’s BFI Southbank, the ceremony was hosted by comedian, actor and BBC Radio 4 News Quiz host Miles Jupp, and attended by the great and good of British animation. The BAAs are the only awards to recognise all forms of animation and honour the finest achievements in the genre produced in this country over the last two years.

Teresa Gallagher picked up the award for Best Voice Performance for her portrayal of Nicole in The Amazing World of Gumball: The Choices, a poignant yet hilarious flashback episode. She fought off competition from John Thomson (Scream Street: King Niles) and Brenda Blethyn (Ethel & Ernest). The Amazing World of Gumball triumphed again in the Best Children’s Series category – which it also won in 2016 – with The Copycats, in which the Wattersons meet a Chinese doppelganger family; and was picked out as their favourite by young animation fans for the Children’s Choice Award sponsored by Mattel.

The prestigious award for Best Long Form was won by Magic Light Pictures’ wonderfully imaginative and witty adaptation of Roald Dahl’s book Revolting Rhymes, which was a firm family favourite at Christmas 2016. The Oscar-nominated animation was up against We're Going on a Bear Hunt and Ethel & Ernest, both from Lupus Films.

The Best Short Film sponsored by The Elf Factory was awarded to Will Anderson’s Have Heart, in which a looping GIF has an existential crisis.

There were barks of delight from Studio A.K.A. as they won Best Preschool Series, sponsored by Sue Terry Voices, for Hey Duggee: The Tadpole Badge, in which doggy hero Duggee makes a rock pool for the Squirrel Club.

And emotions ran high for the Passion group as they scooped two awards: Passion Animation Studios’ James Wellbeloved: Mega City won Best Animation in a Commerical, while Strange Beast waltzed off with Best Music Video for Leap of Faith by Mr Jukes (ft De La Soul & Horace Andy). Also in contention for the latter award were Elton John’s Rocket Man and Katie Melua’s Perfect World, and Katie and producers Sulkybunny found perfect solace as she earned the Public Choice Award for Favourite Music Video, sponsored by Glassworks.

In the other Public Choice Award category, Favourite Film, sponsored by Glassworks, the animation-loving public were equally keen on two entries, which shared the award. Paloma Baeza’s Poles Apart was produced at the National Film & Television School, and Blue Zoo’s Mamoon, directed by Ben Steer, also won the Craft Award sponsored by Disney.

Also produced at the National Film & Television School was the winning entry in the Student Achievement Category: A Love Story, directed by Anushka Kishani Naanayakkara. The second student award, for Best Student Film, was won by Diyala Muir for The Day After the Party¸ produced at the Royal College of Art. The student categories are an important part of the awards as the BAAs are committed to rewarding new animation talent as well as honouring established animators.

The Best Commissioned Animation was awarded to Breast Cancer Awareness: Check 'Em, directed by Neil Kidney and Morgan Powell for Seed Animation. Best Film & TV Graphics went to Dog & Rabbit for the Travel Channel Little Journeys: Hiker; Best Sound was won by David Pringle for Neck and Neck, directed by Shaun Clark. A Productions’ The Totems: Family Song won Best Short Form Original Content; the Best Expanded Animation Award, sponsored by the VR Concept, was won by My Name Is Peter Stillman from Fifty Nine Productions Ltd; and the Writers Award went to Ciaran Murtagh and Andrew Barnett Jones for Counterfeit Cat: Sardonians of the Galaxy.

BAA Director, Jayne Pilling says: “Once again the standard of entries for the British Animation Awards has been incredibly high and gave the various category judging panels a real headache. It’s great to see such an eclectic mix of animations winning, which showcases the amazing depth of creativity and innovation in the British animation industry.”

Held every two years, the British Animation Awards (BAAs) reward the very best new and established British animators across a variety of categories including short films, animated graphics for film and television, children’s series, music videos and commercials.  The awards themselves (the BAAs) are unique artworks, featuring sheep, created especially for the occasion by a range of leading international and UK animation artists: a measure of the world-wide respect felt for British animation.