BAFTA triumph for ECA pair

Edinburgh College of Art alumni Will Anderson and Ainslie Henderson won the BAFTA for Best Short Animation at this year’s star-studded ceremony.

Their film, The Making of Longbird, has won a string of accolades including a Scottish BAFTA last year. It made its debut as part of the College’s 2011 Degree Show.

International awards success

The 15-minute feature follows Will as he struggles to make a movie about Longbird, an animated Russian bird from 1911.

The Making of Longbird has been shown at 40 events around the world and won 20 prizes at festivals including those held in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Stuttgart, Annecy and Brooklyn.

Star-studded ceremony

Will and Ainslie collected their award in kilts, prompting the British Council to tweet that they were the “best dressed BAFTA winners”.

The ceremony, held at the Royal Opera House, was attended by Anne Hathaway, George Clooney, Hugh Jackman, and Dame Helen Mirren.

Edinburgh College of Art is enormously proud of the achievement of Will and Ainslie. The BAFTA win is testament to the stunning quality of animation produced at the college and its international standing, and a great spur to further success. Congratulations all round.