Texas Animation Studio Fights 'Oscars' For Nomination and WINS

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Steph, Craig, and 40 other animators spent years animating their new film Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood only to be told that it wouldn’t be considered as an animated movie for the ‘The Best Animated Feature Award’.

They created the film using a notoriously time-consuming form of animation called ‘Rotoscoping’ where the artists creates animated sequences and visual effects by tracing over live-action footage frame by frame.

They join us to discuss the controversy around their film, how they fought (and won) against the Oscar’s decision, and proved their film was animated.

We talk about the problems with ‘The Best Animated Feature’ award, why films like Avatar aren’t considered animated movies, and the new AIanimation technique that’s been emergently applied by animation production companies

“For Apollo, we made a minute and a half a week and that’s with 40 animators busting it as fast as they can.’ - Steph Swope

What is Covered: 

  • The trailer for Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood.

  • The controversy around the animation of Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood.

  • What rotoscoping is and its legitimacy in animation.

  • The problems with ‘The Best Animated Feature’ award.

  • How long it took to prove their film was animated.

  • Why Avatar is not considered an animated movie.

  • How close they were to losing the appeal for Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood.

  • The new AI animation technique used in Into The Spider-Verse.

  • The possibility of a movie created completely by AI.

  • The research needed before creating an animated film.

  • How Covid affected animators.

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