Sometimes going on vacation, starting a new project, or taking a
job working on “Lord of the Rings” might be just what
you need to get your creative juices flowing.
Shane Acker, who recently received his masters degree in
animation from UCLA, had been working on his thesis film,
“9,” for a couple of years before taking a leave of
absence. He took a job in New Zealand as an animator for the
“Lord of the Rings” movies, which he fondly referred to
as “animation boot camp.”
After six months of animating trolls, giant elephants and the
witch king riding a giant dragon, Acker returned to his own film
with new hope and inspiration.
Acker worked for a combined total of four and a half years on
“9,” and the results have paid off: On June 12, Acker
is going to win a Student Academy Award for his film.
According to Acker, “9” is primarily told through
pantomime, much like a silent film.
“We follow the story of two rag dolls, 9 and 5,”
Acker explained. “9 is sort of new to the world, and 5 is
sort of the mentor figure showing him the ropes. 9 witnesses the
death of 5 at the hands of this beast, and has to then confront the
beast itself and try to take back the souls of all his dead
brothers.”
While creating the film, Acker was influenced by the epic poem
“Beowulf,” which was instrumental in helping him
construct the film’s narrative. Acker also cites early and
more recent stop-motion animation from Eastern Europe, Polish
fantasy art and the animators Jan Svankmajer and the Brothers Quay
as major influences.
“I wanted to capture the look and the feel of stop-motion,
this gritty, textural world. Those animators use scraps of
materials and broken dolls to create the characters that they
animate with,” Acker said. “These worlds that they
created, these images and these animations, really inspired me to
create a world for myself.”
The animation program at UCLA helped prepare Acker to tackle all
three of the films he had to create on his way to a master’s
degree. Although the program teaches students theory and technique,
it also allows ample flexibility and freedom for the
self-motivated.
“At the end of the day, it’s really about supporting
your vision and helping you make a short film,” Acker
said.
His thesis advisor, Professor Dan McLaughlin, who guided Acker
during the creation of “9,” agrees with Acker’s
assessment of UCLA’s animation program.
“We teach them the principle and process of animation,
then let them make their own films and support and encourage their
creativity,” he said.
McLaughlin finds Acker and his films worthy of the praise and
attention they are receiving.
“Shane is a great person and animator,” McLaughlin
said. “His first two films were very funny, and
“˜9′ is an all-time fantastic film.”
So fantastic, in fact, that it has won numerous other awards.
“9” earned top honors at the College Television Awards
(equivalent to the student Emmy), as well as the Grand Jury Prize
at the Florida Film Festival and first place at Animex, a student
animation festival in England. “9” has also played in
festivals such as Sundance, and has been on the festival circuit
since January.
But the Student Academy Awards are unique in that the gold medal
winner is eligible to qualify or be nominated for the regular
Academy Award that year.
Acker is guaranteed either first, second or third place at the
student awards, but will not find out which he won until the
ceremony Sunday.
In the meantime, the competition has given Acker plenty of
exposure in the film world, and he has wined and dined with members
of the press, agents and industry professionals. A feature-length
version of “9” is also tentatively in the works.
Although Acker has made it as an animator, in the future he
would like to direct live action films and continue in animation, a
la Tim Burton.
For now, though, Acker is relishing the success of
“9” and its consequences.
“It’s taken on a life of its own, and I’ve
been chasing it ever since,” he said.