Unbeknownst to me, there’s been a storm brewing behind the scenes of the Annie awards ever since Kung Fu Panda swept last years awards, completely shutting out WALL-E. Previously, any paid member of ASIFA was eligible to vote, which made it relatively easy (and cheap) to stuff the ballot. This year, they decided to change it to only qualified “animation professionals”, but that wasn’t enough for Pixar’s Ed Catmull.
“After more than a year of discussions with the ASIFA board, we have regretfully decided to withdraw from the organization and no longer participate in the annual Annie Awards. We believe there is an issue with the way the Annies are judged, and have been seeking a mutually agreeable solution with the board. Although some initial steps have been taken, the board informed us that no further changes would be made to address our concerns.”
Employees are still free to attend and submit entries, but Disney/Pixar will no longer be sponsoring the event as in years past.
via BREAKING: Disney, Pixar Withdraw From Annie Awards | Animation Magazine.
