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THE ANNIE AWARDS OF ASIFA-HOLLYWOOD:

Noori Zarrinkelk: "I've heard that every year ASIFA-Hollywood has these Annies Awards. What are they exactly, and what's their purpose?"

Antran Manoogian: Here is a long answer to your short question. ASIFA-Hollywood's Annie Awards were created in 1972 by June Foray as a way of honoring individuals for their contributions to the art of animation. The first Annie Award recepients were Max and Dave Fleischer. In 1975, the Winsor McCay Awards were added to honor individuals who had worked primarily as an animator. For the first two decades of the award's existence, the Annie and Winsor McCay Awards were primarily given as a lifetime achievement award. Many of the past recipients who have received these honors are considered some of the greatest names in animation. They include Chuck Jones, Tex Avery, Frederic Back, Walt Disney, John Halas, Norman McLauren, Yuri Norstein and Osamu Tezuka, just to name a few. In 1992, ASIFA-Hollywood expanded the Annie Awards to include the recognition of current animated production such as features, television programs, short subjects and commercials along with individual achievements in the field of animation. With this change, the Annie Award became the honor to be given for current accomplishments in animation, and the Winsor McCay Award was designated as the lifetime achievement award. With this evolution, many people now consider the Annie Award to be the highest and most prestigious honor given in animation. Some have even stated that the Annie Award has become to animation what the Oscar is to motion pictures and the Emmy is to television. Although the Annie Awards have been primarily geared towards the animation community, it has always been the hope of ASIFA-Hollywood to use the event as a vehicle to promote the art of animation to the general public, specifically through the medium of television. In 1998 this goal was realized, when for the the first time the Annie Awards ceremony was taped and edited into a one hour television special. The show aired in Los Angeles, and was seen by an estimated 1.5 million viewers. With the broadcast of the Annie Awards, ASIFA-Hollywood has been approached by several parties, all of whom have expressed an interest in televising the Annie Awards to a national, and possibly an international television audience. It is ASIFA-Hollywood's hope that a deal of this magnitude will be secured in time for next year's Annie Awards.

Noori Zarrinkelk: "What does this abreviation"Annie" mean? And where does it come from?"

Antran Manoogian: "The name Annie, which was conceived by June Foray, comes from the word animation."

Noori Zarrinkelk: "How do you select a film or an animator /artist for the award each year? And Who judges the films or artists? Is the judging process at all like that for the Oscar awards?"

Antran Manoogian: "To be nominated for an Annie Award, a production or individual achievement must be entered by a member of ASIFA-Hollywood into the competition to be eligible for selection. From the entries that are submitted for consideration, a nominating committee for each category chooses the nominations in each given category. The honorees are selected by the membership of ASIFA-Hollywood, who by secret ballot, vote to determine the award recipients."

Noori Zarrinkelk: "What about those many other great films produced elsewhere, whose directors don't know anything about the Annies, or have no access to the process ? Have you taken them into consideration? or have you any plan to bring them into the game?"

Antran Manoogian: "Contrary to what some people believe, animation from all over the world is eligible to receive an Annie Award. However, as stated above, a production or individual achievement must be entered to be considered for an award. It is only because ASIFA-Hollywood has limited resources that it has not heavily promoted the Annie Awards beyond its members to the international animation community. Hopefully with exposure from ASIFA, this will change."

Noori Zarrinkelk: "When is the Annie ceremony held each year?"

Antran Manoogian: "The Annie Awards are given out on an annual basis. The award ceremony is usually held in early November. "

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