Well, how fitting that on the same day that I spoke with Jennifer Yuh Nelson about directing Kung Fu Panda 2, that the DreamWorks sequel wound up leading the pack of Annie nominees with 12. And, with Puss in Boots grabbing nine (tied for second with Paramount’s Rango), it was a very good day for DreamWorks. Of course, we’ll have to wait and see what the impact will be on Oscar voting, but, for now, Yuh Nelson can bask in the glory of more epic and exotic Po.

“We are really excited about the expanded list of nominations this year…in all 28 categories,” said Frank Gladstone, president, ASIFA-Hollywood.  “All of the major animation studios are represented, as are some of the independent productions from Europe and South America. This certainly is a testament to the wide reach and appeal of animation and the people who create it.”

Special juried awards honoring career achievement and exceptional contributions to animation will also be awarded: Winsor McCay Award — Walt Peregoy, Borge Ring, and Ronald Searle for career contributions to the art of animation; June Foray Award — Art Leonardi for significant and benevolent or charitable impact on the art and industry of animation; and Special Achievement Award is given to an individual, individuals or a company for unique and outstanding achievement falling within the Annie Award eligibility period and not recognized within the existing award category structure. This year’s Special Achievement goes to Depth Analysis.

The 2011 Annie Award winners will be announced at the 39th Annual Annie Awards ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012, at UCLA’s Royce Hall. For more info, please visit www.annieawards.org.

Here is the complete list of nominees:

Best Animated Feature

• A Cat in Paris – Folimage
• Arrugas (Wrinkles) – Perro Verde Films, S.L.
• Arthur Christmas – Sony Pictures Animation, Aardman Animations
• Cars 2 – Pixar Animation Studios
• Chico & Rita – Chico & Rita Distribution Limited
• Kung Fu Panda 2 – DreamWorks Animation
• Puss In Boots – DreamWorks Animation
• Rango – Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies present A Blind Wink/GK Films Production
• Rio – Blue Sky Studios
• Tintin – Amblin Entertainment, Wingnut Films and Kennedy/Marshall

Annie Award for Best Animated Special Production

• Adventure Time: Thank You – Cartoon Network Studios
• Batman: Year One – Warner Bros. Animation
• Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas – Blue Sky Studios
• Kung Fu Panda – Secrets of the Masters – DreamWorks Animation
• Prey 2 – Blur Studio
• Star Tours – Industrial Light & Magic

Best Animated Short Subject

• Adam and Dog – Lodge Films
• I Tawt I Taw A Puddy Tat – Warner Bros. Animation
• La Luna – Pixar Animation Studios
• (Notes on) Biology – Ornana Films
• Paths of Hate – Platige Image
• Sunday – National Film Board of Canada
• The Ballad of Nessie –Walt Disney Animation Studios
• The Girl and the Fox – Base14
• Wild Life – National Film Board of Canada and Studio GDS

Best Animated Television Commercial

• Audi “Hummingbird” – The Mill
• Geico “Foghorn” – Renegade Animation
• McDonald’s “Apple Tree”– Duck Studios/Kompost
• McDonald’s “Suzi Van Zoom” – Duck Studios/Kompost
• Norton “Stuff”– Psyop
• O2 “Niggles & Narks” –The Mill
• Statoil “Good Night” – Studio AKA
• “The Pirate” – Meindbender
• Twinings “Sea” – Psyop

Best General Audience Animated TV Production

• Archer – FX Productions
• Green Lantern: The Animated Series – Warner Bros. Animation
• Hoops & YoYo Ruin Christmas – Hallmark
• MAD – Warner Bros. Animation
• Mary Shelley’s Frankenhole Season 2 – Starburns Industries, Inc.
• Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice – Walt Disney Animation Studios
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars – Lucasfilm Animation, Ltd.
• The Simpsons – Gracie Films

Best Animated Television Production – Preschool

• Chuggington – Ludorum Pictures
• Disney Jake and the Never Land Pirates – Disney Television Animation
• Disney Mickey Mouse Clubhouse – Disney Television Animation
• The WotWots Season 2 – Pukeko Pictures

Best Animated Television Production – Children

• Fanboy and Chum Chum – Nickelodeon and Frederator
• Kung Fu Panda – DreamWorks Animation
• Penguins of Madagascar – DreamWorks Animation
• The Amazing World of Gumball – Cartoon Network in Association with Dandelion Studios, Boulder Media & Studio Soi

Best Animated Video Game

• Bumpy Road – Simogo
• Catherine – Atlus
• Gears of War 3 – Epic Games
• Gesundheit – Konami Digital Entertainment
• Ghost Trick: “Phantom Detective” – Capcom
• Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet – Shadow Planet Productions, Gagne/Fuelcell
• Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One – Insomniac Games
• Rayman Origins – Ubisoft Montpellier
• Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception – Naughty Dog

Animated Effects in an Animated Production

• Can Yuksel “Puss In Boots” – DreamWorks Animation
• Chase Cooper “Rango” – Industrial Light & Magic
• Dan Lund “Winnie The Pooh” – Walt Disney Animation Studios
• Dave Tidgewell “Kung Fu Panda 2” – DreamWorks Animation
• Eric Froemling “Cars 2” – Pixar Animation Studios
• Jason Mayer “Kung Fu Panda 2” – DreamWorks Animation
• Joel Aron “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” – Lucasfilm Animation, Ltd.
• Jon Reisch “Cars 2” – Pixar Animation Studios
• Kevin Romond “Tintin” – Amblin Entertainment, Wingnut Films and Kennedy/Marshall
• Willi Geiger “Rango” – Industrial Light & Magic

Animated Effects in a Live Action Production

• Branko Grujcic “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides”– Industrial Light & Magic
• Florent Andarra “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” – Industrial Light & Magic
• Gary Wu “Cowboys & Aliens”– Industrial Light & Magic
• Lee Uren “Cowboys & Aliens” – Industrial Light & Magic

Character Animation in a Television Production

• Chad Sellers “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” – Walt Disney Animation Studios
• Michael Franceschi “Kung Fu Panda” – Nickelodeon
• Rebecca Wilson Bresee “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” – Walt Disney Animation Studios
• Sihanouk Mariona “Mary Shelley’s Frankenhole Season 2” – Starburns Industries, Inc.
• Tony Smeed “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” – Walt Disney Animation Studios

Character Animation in a Feature Production

• Andreas Deja “Winnie The Pooh” – Walt Disney Animation Studios
• Dan Wagner “Kung Fu Panda 2” – DreamWorks Animation
• Jeff Gabor “Rio” – Blue Sky Studios
• Mark Henn “Winnie The Pooh” – Walt Disney Animation Studios
• Olivier Staphylas “Puss In Boots” – DreamWorks Animation
• Patrik Puhala “Rio” – Blue Sky Studios
• Pierre Perifel “Kung Fu Panda 2” – DreamWorks Animation

Character Animation in a Live Action Production

• Andy Arnett “HOP” – Rhythm & Hues, Illumination Entertainment
• David Lowry “Paul” – Double Negative Visual Effects for Universal Productions/ Relativity Media/Working Title Films/Big Talk Productions
• Eric Reynolds “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” – 20th Century Fox
• Mike Hull “Paul” – Double Negative Visual Effects for Universal Productions/Relativity Media/Working Title Films/Big Talk Productions

Character Design in a Television Production

• Bill Schwab “Prep & Landing” – Walt Disney Animation Studios
• Carl Raggio “Disney Kick Buttowski” – Disney Television Animation
• Chad Hurd “Archer” – FX Productions
• Chris Battle “Dan Vs.” – Starz Film Roman
• Eric Robles “Fanboy and Chum Chum” – Nickelodeon & Frederator
• Gordon Hammond “TUFF Puppy” – Nickelodeon
• Mike Dougherty “TUFF Puppy” – Nickelodeon
• Robert Ryan Cory “Secret Mountain Fort Awesome” – Cartoon Network Studios

Character Design in a Feature Production

• Jay Shuster “Cars 2” – Pixar Animation Studios
• Mark “Crash” McCreery “Rango” – Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies present A Blind Wink/GK Films Productions
• Patrick Mate “Puss In Boots” – DreamWorks Animation
• Peter de Seve “Arthur Christmas” – Sony Pictures Animation, Aardman Animations
• Sergio Pablos “Rio” – Blue Sky Studios

Directing in a Television Production

• Brian Sheesley “Dan Vs.” – Starz Film Roman
• Chris Savino & Clay Morrow “Disney Kick Buttowski” – Disney Television Animation
• Dan Riba “Ben 10 Ultimate Alien” – Cartoon Network Studios
• Duke Johnson “Community” – 23 D Films, Inc.
• Gabe Swarr “Kung Fu Panda” – Nickelodeon
• Ken Bruce “TUFF Puppy” – Nickelodeon
• Kevin Deters & Stevie Wermers-Skelton “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice”– Walt Disney Animation Studios
• Matthew Nastuk “The Simpsons” – Gracie Films
• Mic Graves & Ben Bocquelet “The Amazing World of Gumball” – Cartoon Network Europe in association with Dandelion Studios, Boulder Media & Studio Soi
• Peter Hausner “Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu” – Wil Film
• Steve Loter, Christo Stamboliev, Shaun Cashman, David Knott “Penguins of Madagascar” – Nickelodeon and Technicolor
• Tony Craig “Hoops & YoYo Ruin Christmas” – Hallmark

Directing in a Feature Production

• Carlos Saldahna “Rio” – Blue Sky Studios
• Chris Miller “Puss In Boots” – DreamWorks Animation
• Don Hall & Stephen Anderson “Winnie The Pooh” – Walt Disney Animation Studios
• Gore Verbinski “Rango” – Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies present a Blind Wink/GK Films Productions
• Jennifer Yuh Nelson “Kung Fu Panda 2” – DreamWorks Animation
• Kelly Asbury “Gnomeo & Juliet” – Touchstone Pictures

Music in a Television Production

• Adam Berry, Bob Schooley, Mark McCorkle “Penguins of Madagascar” – Nickelodeon and Technicolor
• Ben Locket “The Amazing World of Gumball” – Cartoon Network Europe in association with Dandelion Studios, Boulder Media & Studio Soi
• Frederik Wiedmann “Green Lantern The Animated Series” – Warner Bros. Animation
• Grace Potter, Michael Giacchino “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” – Walt Disney Animation Studios
• Joel McNeely, Brendan Milburn and Valerie Vigoda “Pixie Hollow Games”– DisneyToon Studios
• Kevin Kliesch “Thundercats” – Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network
• Shawn Patterson, Zeb Wells “Robot Chicken” – ShadowMachine and Stoopid Monkey in association with Adult Swim

Music in a Feature Production

• Henry Jackman “Puss In Boots” – DreamWorks Animation
• John Williams “Tintin” – Amblin Entertainment, Wingnut Films and Kennedy/Marshall
• Mikael Mutti, Siedah Garrett, Carlinhos Brown, Sergio Mendes, John Powell, “Rio” – Blue Sky Studios
• Zooey Deschannel, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Henry Jackman, Robert Lopez “Winnie The Pooh” – Walt Disney Animation Studios

Production Design in a Television Production

• Mark Bodner, Chris Tsirgiotis, Sue Mondt and Daniel Elson “Secret Mountain Fort Awesome” – Cartoon Network Studios
• Peter Martin “Hoops & YoYo Ruin Christmas” – Hallmark

Production Design in a Feature Production

• Harley Jessup “Cars 2” – Pixar Animation Studios
• Paul Felix “Winnie The Pooh” – Walt Disney Animation Studios
• Raymond Zilbach “Kung Fu Panda 2” – DreamWorks Animation
• Tom Cardone, Kyle MacNaughton & Peter Chan “Rio” – Blue Sky Studios

Storyboarding in a Television Production

• Barry W. Johnson “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” – Walt Disney Animation Studios
• Benton Connor “Regular Show” – Cartoon Network Studios
• Brian Kesinger “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” – Walt Disney Animation Studios
• Dave Thomas “TUFF Puppy” – Nickelodeon
• Fred Gonzalez “TUFF Puppy” – Nickelodeon
• Joe Mateo “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” – Walt Disney Animation Studios
• Justin Nichols “Fanboy & Chum Chum” – Nickelodeon & Frederator
• Katie Rice “Fanboy & Chum Chum”– Nickelodeon & Frederator
• Rebecca Sugar “Adventure Time” – Cartoon Network Studios

Storyboarding in a Feature Production

• Bob Logan “Puss In Boots” – DreamWorks Animation
• David Gosman “Rango” – Paramount Pictures & Nickelodeon Movies present A Blind Wink/GK Films Production
• Gary Graham “Kung Fu Panda 2” – DreamWorks Animation
• Jeremy Spears “Winnie The Pooh” – Walt Disney Animation Studios
• Josh Hayes “Rango” – Paramount Pictures & Nickelodeon Movies present A Blind Wink/GK Films Production
• Kris Pearn “Arthur Christmas” – Sony Pictures Animation, Aardman Animations
• Nelson Yokota “Gnomeo and Juliet” – Touchstone Pictures
• Philip Craven “Kung Fu Panda 2” – DreamWorks Animation
• Scott Morse “Cars 2” – Pixar Animation Studios

Voice Acting in a Television Production

• Carlos Alazraqui as Denzel Crocker “Fairly OddParents” – Nickelodeon
• Dan Harmon as Jekyll “Mary Shelley’s Frankenhole Season 2” – Starburns Industries, Inc.
• Daran Norris as Cosmo “Fairly OddParents” – Nickelodeon
• Dee Bradley Baker as Obi-Wan “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”– Lucasfilm Animation, Ltd.
• Diedrich Bader as Batman “Batman: The Brave and the Bold” – Warner Bros. Animation
• H. Jon Benjamin as Sterling Archer “Archer” – FX Productions
• Jeff Bennett as Kowalski “Penguins of Madagascar” – Nickelodeon and Technicolor
• Jeff B. Davis as Victor Frankenstein “Mary Shelley’s Frankenhole Season 2” – Starburns Industries, Inc.
• Jessica Walter as Malory Archer “Archer” – FX Productions
• Judy Greer as Cheryl Tunt “Archer” – FX Productions
• Logan Grove as Gumball “The Amazing World of Gumball” – Cartoon Network Europe in association with Dandelion Studios, Boulder Media & Studio Soi
• Nika Futterman as Asajj Ventress “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” – Lucasfilm Animation, Ltd.
• Scott Adsit as the Creature “Mary Shelley’s Frankenhole Season 2” – Starburns Industries, Inc.
• Tara Strong as Timmy Turner “Fairly OddParents – Operation Dingleberg” – Nickelodeon

Voice Acting in a Feature Production

• Ashley Jensen as Bryony “Arthur Christmas” – Sony Pictures Animation, Aardman Animations
• Bill Nighy as Grandsanta “Arthur Christmas” – Sony Pictures Animation, Aardman Animations
• Gary Oldman as Shen “Kung Fu Panda 2” – DreamWorks Animation
• James Hong as Mr. Ping “Kung Fu Panda 2” DreamWorks Animation
• Jemaine Clement as Nigel “Rio” – Blue Sky Studios
• Jim Cummings as Featherstone “Gnomeo and Juliet” – Touchstone Pictures
• Zach Galifianakis as Humpty Alexander Dumpty “Puss In Boots” – DreamWorks Animation

Writing in a Television Production

• Blake Lemons, William Reiss, C.H. Greenblatt, Derek Evanick, Diana Lafyatis, Neil Graf “Disney Fish Hooks – Fish School Musical” – Disney Television Animation
• Carolyn Omine “The Simpsons -Treehouse of Horror XXII” – Gracie Films
• Dani MIchaeli, Sean Charmatz, Nate Cash, Luke Brookshier, Paul Tibbitt “SpongeBob SquarePants – Patrick’s Staycation” – Nickelodeon
• Josh Weinstein “Futurama – All The President’s Heads” – The Curiosity Company in association with 20th Century Fox Television
• Kevin Sullivan, Will Schifrin, Ray DeLaurentis “TUFF Puppy Thunder Dog” – Nickelodeon
• Matt Maiellaro, Dave Willis “Aqua Unit Patrol Squad 1 – The Creditor” – Williams Street Studios, Adult Swim
• Ray DeLaurentis, Will Schifrin “Fairly OddParents “Invasion of the Dads” – Nickelodeon
• Steve Wermers-Skelton, Kevin Deters “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” – Walt Disney Animation Studios

Writing in a Feature Production

• Andy Riley, Kevin Cecil, Mark Burton, Kathy Greenburg, Emily Cook, Rob Sprackling, John R. Smith, Kelly Asbury, Steve Hamilton “Gnomeo & Juliet” – Touchstone Pictures
• Brian Kesinger, Kendelle Hoyer, Don Dougherty, Clio Chang, Don Hall, Stephen Anderson “Winnie The Pooh” – Walt Disney Animation Studios
• John Logan, Gore Verbinski and James Byrkit “Rango” – Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies present A Blind Wink/GK Films Productions
• Sarah Smith, Peter Baynham “Arthur Christmas” – Sony Pictures Animation, Aardman Animations
• Steve Moffat, Edgar Wright, Joe Cronish “Tintin”– Amblin Entertainment, Wingnut Films and Kennedy/Marshall

Editing in Television Production

• Garret Elkins “Mary Shelley’s Frankenhole Season 2” – Starburn Industries, Inc.
• Hugo Morales “Kung Fu Panda” Nickelodeon
• Jason W.A. Tucker “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” – Lucasfilm Animation, Ltd.
• Paul D. Calder “Futurama” – The Curiosity Company in association with 20th Century Fox Television
• Ted Machold, Jeff Adams, Doug Tiano, Bob Tomlin “Penguins of Madagascar” – Nickelodeon and Technicolor

Editing in a Feature Production

• Clare Knight, A.C.E. “Kung Fu Panda 2” – DreamWorks Animation
• Craig Wood, A.C.E. “Rango” – Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies present A Blind Wink/GK Films Productions
• Eric Dapkewicz “Puss In Boots” – DreamWorks Animation
• Michael Kahn “Tintin”– Amblin Entertainment, Wingnut Films and Kennedy/Marshall
• Stephen Schaffer, A.C.E. “Cars 2” – Pixar Animation Studios