Variety Checks Out the State of the Race for the Animated Oscar By Maxie Zeus 12-12-2007, 11:50 PM

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As part of its coverage anticipating the announcement of the 2007 Academy Award nominees, trade journal Variety has been running stories related to the various categories. Today's edition brings articles related to animation, including:

* an account of the byzantine nomination rules that govern the Best Animated Feature category

* a report on the various marketing stunts studios have used this year to lure audiences to their animated offerings

* the Academy's long-standing penchant for recognizing foreign animated films

* a discussion of the Annie Awards' growing influence as a leading indicator of the Oscar race

* controversy over the new motion capture technique

* a recognition of the importance of music in animated films

The journal also posts a short piece by animator Bill Plympton, who says he is optimistic about the future of traditional animation.

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