Brigham Young University's latest animated shorts, "Pajama Gladiator," which was finished in 2008, and "Kites," which was completed in 2009, have won student Academy Awards from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In the 36th Student Academy Awards® (2009) competition, "Pajama Gladiator" was awarded the Gold Medal in the Animation category, with "Kites" bringing home the Bronze Medal in the same category.

Twelve films submitted by eight U.S. universities were recognized with the prestigious award at the 36th Annual Student Academy Awards competition, held on Monday, May 18, 2009.  Three of the twelve lauded films fell into the Animation category, and two of those were from BYU.

Two computer science students in particularmade significant contributions to the lastest award-winning films. Cory Reimschussel, a masters student in the Computer Science Departmentused technology developed in Dr. Mike Jones' Computer Generated NaturalPhenomenon Laboratory to create the clouds in "Kites."  Daniel Adams, adoctoral candidate in the department used machine learning techniquesto create the crowds in the "Pajama Gladiator" arena. 

In addition to the awards announced this weekend, "Pajama Gladiator" and Kites also took home two of the three Animated Student Emmy's given out this year.  And, in 2008, "Pajama Gladiator" beat out more than 4,500 other submitted filmsto take  home the Viewers' Choice and Producers' Choice Awards at the2008 Nicktoons Network Animation Festival.

Ed Catmull, president of Pixar, declared BYU students "the best in the industry" at a press conference on campus last year.

"Overthe years, Pixar has worked with a lot of different universities aroundthe country and hired people," Catmull said then. "One of theinteresting things is, all of a sudden, in the last few years, we foundthat BYU has risen to the top. BYU has an extraordinary program here."

To watch "Pajama Gladiator," go here.

To watch a clip from "Kites," go here. 

For the official press release from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, follow this link.  

See details of the awards at the Academy's site.

For information about the BYU Computer Science Animation Emphasis, contact Kiersten Nielsen or visit the program site at http://cs.byu.edu/animation