Big wins for Zootopia, Piper — and CCAD grads
Columbus College of Art & Design alumni Joaquin Baldwin (Media Studies Time-Based, 2006), Tyler Bolyard (Illustration, 2011), Nicholas Burkard (Media Studies Time-Based, 2007), Mark Mitchell, (Illustration, 1991), Ryan Green (Media Studies Time-Based, 2003), Darren Simpson (Media Studies Time-Based, 2011), and Fawn Veerasunthorn (Media Studies Time-Based, 2005) were among those who contributed to Zootopia, the winner for Best Animated Feature at the 89th Academy Awards Sunday, Feb. 25, and a movie the Washington Post called “funny and relevant.”
“The students, staff, faculty, and alumni of the Animation department are incredibly proud of the CCAD alumni who worked on Zootopia. This win is a profound professional achievement for our alumni, and it is also an inspirational moment for our current students, because those students can see themselves represented at Walt Disney Feature Animation,” said Charlotte Belland, Chair and Associate Professor of Animation.
Former CCAD student Andy Harkness not only worked on Zootopia, he also served as art director for another movie nominated in the category, Moana. The former Illustration student visited CCAD this fall for a special presentation and Q&A with students.
More great Oscar news: Mike Altman (Media Studies Time-Based, 2000) worked on Pixar’s Piper, which took home the award for Best Animated Short. Watch Piper on “CBS Sunday Morning” here.
And that's not all — David M. Breaux, Jr. (Illustration, 1994) was on the Motion Picture Company team that won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects for its work on The Jungle Book.
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