Entries are now open for the 2021 Irish Animation Awards and Animation Ireland has called on studios to submit their entries before Friday 29 January. This year’s ceremony will be an online event, taking place on Friday 21 May.
Commenting on the 2021 Awards, Animation Ireland chief executive Ronan McCabe said, “It has been a tough year for Irish animation, but the quality of the outstanding work we produce here in Ireland has once again been world class. Its really heartening to see that the sector has continued to produce such exceeptional work and that the future remains bright for Irish animation. As with other years, the 2021 Irish Animation Awards is a time to celebrate the strength and vibrancy of the sector.”
The 2021 Irish Animation Awards feature four new categories, including best storyboarding, best editing, best student film and best new Irish IP. Entries are open for all animation productions released between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2020.
McCabe further added, “We have four new award categories this year, and one which I am really looking forward to is Best Student Film. Animation Ireland has been working hard over the past five years to develop education opportunities in animation and to encourage more students to get involved in a great career choice. There are 20 awards in total, and it’s crucial that studios and animators submit their entries before the closing date of Friday 29 January.”
The biennial awards ceremony is sponsored by RTÉ, Screen Ireland, Philip Lee, Brophy Gillespie and Gorilla Post.
Winners of each category will receive a statuette designed by animator, film maker and teacher Eimhin McNamara. The statuette resembles a Phenakistoscope which was an early animation device used to create an illusion of motion.
Animation Ireland is the trade association for Ireland’s animation studios. The animation sector directly employs more than 2,000 people, a number that is rapidly growing year on year. Animation Ireland now has 34 member studios, up from 25 in 2018 and just 14 in 2015.