HOLLYWOOD, Calif., March 15, 2004 -- On the heels of an earlier than usual Oscars, the Directors Board of Broadband Motion Pixure Arts and Technologies today released nominees for its 3rd Annual Pixie Awards, which honor achievement in online and broadband motion picture production.



Formally known as the Directors Board Awards for Achievement in Broadband Motion Pixure Production, the Pixie Awards are widely considered the top award -- if not the only award -- in a burgeoning area of artistic endeavor that includes animation, film, and web site design.



"It's an enormous honor to be nominated by the Pixie Awards in one category, but to be nominated in two categories is simply over the top!" said Looney Bin Animation Studios creative director Stan Holden upon hearing the good news about his animated feature Rebel Without a Claus.



"It's the equivalent of being nominated for an Oscar!" Holden added from his offices in Orange County, Calif.



The Pixie Awards include categories for Best Web Design that Incorporates Motion and Best Original Score for an i-Feature -- a film that resides entirely on the Internet.



"Awesome! Thank you so much for the honor," said Gregg Spiridellis, designer of the satirical comedy web site Jibjab.com in Santa Monica, Calif.



In keeping with a strong international tradition, Pixie Award nominees this year include motion pictures from Belgium, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States that -- unlike the Oscars -- compete as equals. There are no "Best Foreign" categories here -- all nominees have the same chance to vie for "Best of" honors.



"It is a tremendous honor to be recognized by the Pixie Awards," said New York City-based composer Ryan Shore, nominated for the music of Cadaverous, a dark comedy from the Sci-Fi Channel. "Scoring Cadaverous was a wonderfully rewarding experience, and receiving this nomination has made it even more special."



Other award nominations include Best Actor and Best Actress in an i-Feature Film.



Acting nominees "Jay Johnston and Jennifer Elise Cox are two very talented actors" said Los Angeles-based director Chris Mancini, whose online comedy HitClown was nominated for several awards. "I am very happy that their hard work and talent has been acknowledged by the Pixie Awards."



The nominees for the 3rd Annual Pixie Awards are:



Best Actor in an i-Feature Film



Jay Johnston for HitClown

Jessie Gordon for Hyper

Alasdair Mackenzie for California Sunshine

Anthony Simcoe for Blind Date



Best Actress in an i-Feature Film



Mary Alice Smith for The Life

Jennifer Elise Cox for HitClown

Susan Vidler for California Sunshine

Brigitte Gall for Moving Day



Best Director of an i-Feature Film



Marco Ricci & Michael Canzoniero for Hyper

Chris Mancini for HitClown

Maurice Dwyer for Whoa

Michael Victor for 1465 Westerly

Matt Wheeldon for Blind Date

David Mackenzie for California Sunshine



Best Editing in an i-Feature Film



Colin Monie for California Sunshine

Nico Leunen for Dialing the Devil

Allan Wall for HitClown

Michael Victor for 1465 Westerly

Best Cinematography in an i-Feature Film



Marco Fargnoli for 1465 Westerly

Frank van den Enden for Dialing the Devil

Oliver Cheeseman for California Sunshine



Best Original Score or Song for an i-Feature Film or Animation



The song "Rebel Without A Claus," lyrics and music by Kim Olson

The song "Three Words" from Whoa, lyrics and music by Onaje Allan Gumbs and Constance James

The score for Cadaverous, Ryan Shore, Composer

The score for HitClown, Gary Stockdale, Composer



Best Web Design that Incorporates Motion



SantaFeHealingArt --

Anand Nunnally, Jill Schwarz, Jason Goodyear, Clarence Cline, Lucinda Dykes, and Michael Tincher, Designers

Jibjab -- Evan Spiridellis, Mike Jaffe and Gregg Spiridellis, Designers

The Why Files Interactives -- Sue Medaris, Tom Whittaker and Steve Ackerman, Designers



Best i-Documentary



Jackson Hole -- Todd Jones, Steve Jones, Dirk Collins and Corey Gavitt, Directors

Dear Barbra -- Chris Cassidy, Director

The Journey -- Eric Saperston, Director

Seventeen Seconds to Sophie -- Bill Cote, Director



Best Animated Pixure



Rebel Without A Claus -- Stan Holden, Max Kamita, Robert Ball, Animators

Gone Bad -- Art Matsuura, Andy Murdock, Goose Ramirez, Brittnell Anderson, Marco Bertoldo, Kelly Kleider, Animators

Nibbles -- Chris Hinton, Animator

Intelligent Life -- Jeff Spoonhower, Animator



Best Pixure



Dialing the Devil -- Toon Aerts & Ruben Goots, Producers

HitClown -- Jason Wolk and Chris Mancini, Producers

The Money Shot -- Paul Fishbein, Douglas Harms, Bryn Pryor, Producers

California Sunshine -- Gillian Berrie, Producer

Hyper -- David Boulton, Producer



"The Pixie Awards show that people can enjoy films of all types and at any time," Pixie nominee Chris Mancini said. "The Internet has been a great boon to filmmakers. More people have seen our work because of the Internet than any other medium."



The Directors Board will announce award winners in September.



For more information, contact the Directors Board at pr@pixieawards.org or visit

http://www.pixieawards.org