Though animated films are for everyone, it may not seem that way during award season. Whether these films bring back childhood memories or become revolutionary pieces of media, critics are not the biggest fans of animation. Across the board, this medium is not taken seriously when the biggest nights in Hollywood arrive.
The animation industry is innovative for several reasons, especially when representing abstract ideas and storytelling elements that cannot be reflected through live action. Though CGI is now very popular for creating dramatic effects for films, this technology does not always have the same impact as animated imagery. Not only do animated visuals enhance the viewing experience because they tend to be more engaging and dynamic than live-action work, but the acting performances within an animated film can help viewers empathize with and connect to the characters on the screen. Additionally, animation is better at reaching diverse audiences compared to live action. So, why isn’t animation taken seriously as a medium for telling stories?
Throughout the Oscars’ history, only three animated films have been nominated for Best Picture: “Beauty and the Beast,” “Up” and “Toy Story 3.” None of them won. Although there is a category dedicated to these films at the Oscars, “Best Animated Feature,” they tend to stand out in ways other than their craftsmanship. Many of these works tend to shine in the music categories like “Best Original Score” and “Best Original Song.” For the most part, Disney and Pixar films dominate these categories, but that is no surprise considering these are the most popular animation studios. The recording studios of these companies often have big names, including Alan Menken, Elton John and Randy Newman. There is no doubt that animated films excel when music is heavily involved in their stories, but the larger categories have yet to see a win for this medium.
Many people have a soft spot for animated films, but the Oscars didn’t always have an award dedicated to this category. It took almost 10 years since the Oscars’ inception for the first animated film to be nominated for an Academy Award, which was “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves” (1937) for “Best Original Score.” As the first of its kind to be nominated for this event, the Academy gave the film an honorary award the following year for its innovation as a motion picture and the critical acclaim it received. It wasn’t until 1940 that “Pinocchio” became the first animated film to be nominated for an Oscar. Though “Pinnochio” didn’t take home the biggest award of the night, the film still secured “Best Original Score” and “Best Original Song.” As the years went on, entering multiple animated films for major awards was no longer out of the ordinary.
The“Best Animated Feature” award came about in 2002 as there was a rise in popularity for animation studios other than Disney-Pixar. DreamWorks Animation became a significant competitor in this category and“Shrek” was the first film to win this award. There was initial criticism of this award because it discouraged motion pictures in this genre from being considered for “Best Picture.” This is similar to the Golden Globes, where animated films can only be nominated for “Best Animated Feature” film.
While animation has clearly advanced over the last decades, this category is still so restricted during award season. The overarching perception of animated work is that it caters mostly to kids, though there are plenty of movies and television shows geared toward adults that are animated. Even animators believe that the stigma of animation being seen as childish is attached to their work and feel that the Academy takes this into account when choosing winners. For instance, “Isle of Dogs” and “I Lost My Body” have both been nominated for “Best Animated Feature” but have more mature themes. Animators also believe that since Disney has the largest influence in the animation industry, they have little chance to compete against them when the big night arrives. Many members of the Academy have previously worked for Disney and are partial toward these films. Unsurprisingly, the Oscars is a popularity contest and with Academy members as former Disney workers behind the scenes, it’s not unusual for this company to sweep award shows.
Despite having its own category, animated films are no less quality than live-action films. Both take extended periods of time to develop and fully produce so that they can be shown on the big screen. Though many of the films nominated for major awards have children as their main demographic, adults put in the work to bring these animated visions to life. The effort alone should be enough to remove the stigma of this medium being considered childish in the long term.