The final nominees for the 2nd annual Elan Awards have been announced by the Canadian Awards for the Electronic and Animated Arts this week. Taking place on February 15th at the Centre in Vancouver for the Performing Arts in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada with Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane locked in as the host, The Elan Awards will honor the top Canadian professionals and students in the animation and videogame industries.
In the field of videogames, there are 13 categories to be decided, including Game of the Year, Best Console Game, Best PC Game, Best Handheld Game, Best Sound Design, Best Original Musical Score, Best Character, Best Art Direction, Best Game Design, Best Mobile/Casual/Arcade Game, Best Writing for a Game Production, Outstanding Innovation in Gaming, and International Videogame of the Year.
Bioware’s Xbox 360 sci-fi epic Mass Effect is clearly shaping up to be the big winner of the event, amassing an emphatic nine nominations, including a nod for Game of the Year contention. Not too far behind, though, is EA Black Box’s Skate, which has garnered seven nominations. Assassin’s Creed is up for a respectable five nominations as well, and between Company of Heroes, Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts and Warhammer 40,000 Dawn of War: Dark Crusade, the talented team at Relic Entertainment is sitting pretty with a total of 10 nominations to be proud of.
Hit the jump for the complete list of categories and nominees.
ANIMATION CATEGORIES:
- BEST FEATURE LENGTH ANIMATED PRODUCTION
1. Barbie as the island princess Rainmaker Animation
2. Barbie fairytopia: magic of the rainbow Rainmaker Animation
3. Max Steel:Countdown Rainmaker Animation
- BEST ANIMATED PRODUCTION (Television Series)
1. Carl Squared Portfolio Entertainment INC
2. Class of Titans Studio B
3. Edgar & Ellen Bardel Entertainment
4. Starveillance Cuppa coffee Studios
- BEST ANIMATED SHORT SUBJECT
1. yellow sticky notes Jeff Chiba Stearns
2. Clancy with the puck Studio B
- BEST DIRECTION in a FEATURE LENGTH ANIMATED PRODUCTION
1. Barbie as the island princess Rainmaker Animation
2. Barbie fairytopia: magic of the rainbow Rainmaker Animation
3. Max Steel:Countdown Rainmaker Animation
- BEST DIRECTION in an ANIMATED TELEVISION SERIES
1. Carl Squared Portfolio Entertainment INC
2. George of the Jungle Studio B
3. Ricky Sprocket Studio B
4. Ruby Gloom Nelvana LTD
- BEST MALE VOICE OVER IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE OR TELEVISION PRODUCTION
1. Lee Tockar George of the Jungle Studio B
2. Louie Chiurillo Johnny Test Cookie Jar Entertainment
3. Stewart Stone Carl Squared Episode 32 Superstar Portfolio Entertainment INC
- BEST FEMALE VOICE OVER IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE OR TELEVISION PRODUCTION
1. Emily Hampshire Carl Squared Episode #29 “Carl SuperSized Portfolio Entertainment INC
2. Maryke Hendrisk Johnny Test Cookie jar entertainment
3. Julie Lemieux Wibur:Wilburs Birthday Mercury Filmworks
4. Tabitha St. Germain Ricky Sprocket Showbiz Boy Voicebox Productions/ Studio B
- BEST ORIGINAL MUSICAL SCORE
1. Bruno and the Banana Bunch Cuppa coffee Studios
2. Carl Squared Episode 32 Superstar Portfolio Entertainment INC
- BEST STORYBOARDING
Still in Judicial Process
- BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN OR ART DIRECTION
1. Edgar & Ellen: Crushed Bardel Entertainment
2. George of the Jungle: Naked Ape Man Studio B
3. Max Steel: Countdown Rainmaker Animation
4. Weird Years: Pipes Mercury Filmworks
- BEST WRITING IN AN ANIMATED PRODUCTION
1. Carl Squared Episode #44 “Doomsday” Portfolio Entertainment INC
2. George of the Jungle: Beetle Invasions/Naked Ape Man Studio B
3. Ricky Sprocket Showbiz Boy: Screen Kiss/Double Crossed Studio B
4. Storm Hawks Age of Heros Nerd Corps Entertainment
- BEST INTERNATIONAL ANIMATED PRODUCTION (Television Series)
1. American Dad Fuzzy Door Production
2. Death Note VIZ Media
3. Dogstar Media World Pictures
4. Family Guy Fuzzy Door Productions
ELECTRONIC GAME CATEGORIES:
- GAME OF THE YEAR
1. Assassin’s Creed Ubisoft
2. Company of Heroes: Opposing Forces Relic Entertainment
3. Mass Effect Bioware/Microsoft Games
4. Skate Electronic Arts
- BEST CONSOLE GAME
1. Assassin’s Creed Ubisoft
2. Mass Effect Bioware/Microsoft Games
3. Scarface Radical Entertainment
4. Skate Electronic Arts
- BEST PC GAME
1. Company of Heroes Relic Entertainment
2. War Hammer 40,000 Dawn of War: Dark Crusade Relic Entertainment
3. Power Rangers: Super Legends Disney Interactive
- BEST SOUND DESIGN
1. Crash of the Titans Radical Entertainment
2. Need for Speed ProStreet Electronic Arts
3. Skate Electronic Arts
4. Mass Effect Bioware/Microsoft Games
- BEST ORIGINAL MUSICAL SCORE
1. Assasins Creed Ubisoft
2. Mass Effect Bioware/Microsoft Games
3. Company of Heroes Relic Entertainment
4. War Hammer 40,000 Dawn of War: Dark Crusade Relic Entertainment
- BEST CHARACTER
1. Commander Shepard (Mass Effect) Bioware/Microsoft Games
2. Crash Bandicoot (Crash of the Titans) Radical Entertainment
3. Death Jr. (Science Fair of Doom) Backbone Entertainment
4. Tony Montana (Scarface) Radical Entertainment
- BEST ART DIRECTION
1. Assassin’s Creed Ubisoft
2. Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts Relic Entertainment
3. Mass Effect Bioware/Microsoft Games
4. Skate Electronic Arts
- BEST HANDHELD GAME OF THE YEAR (psp, ds, etc…)
1. Chicken Little: Ace in Action Disney Interactive
2. High School Musical Sing It Disney Interactive
3. Socom U.S. Navy Seals: Tactical Strike Slant Six Games
4. Sonic Rivals Backbone Games
- BEST GAME DESIGN OF THE YEAR
1. Assassins Creed Ubisoft
2. Mario Strikers Carged Next Level Games
3. Mass Effect Bioware/Microsoft Games
4. Skate Electronic Arts
- BEST MOBILE/CASUAL/ARCADE GAME OF THE YEAR
1. Skate Electronic Arts Mobile
2. Candace Kane’s Candy Factory Gnosis Games
- BEST WRITING FOR A GAME PRODUCTION
1. Company of Heroes Relic Entertainment
2. Company of Heroes: Opposing Forces Relic Entertainment
3. Mass Effect Bioware/ Microsoft Games
4. Scarface Radical Entertainment
- OUTSTANDING INNOVATION IN GAMING
1. Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts Relic Entertainment
2. Mass Effect Bioware/Microsoft Games
3. Skate Electronic Arts
4. War Hammer40,000 Dawn of War: Dark Crusade Relic Entertainment
- INTERNATIONAL VIDEO GAME OF THE YEAR
1. The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar Turbine, Inc.
2. Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction Insomniac Games, Sony Computer Entertainment America
3. Crysis Crytek/Electronic Arts USA
STUDENT ANIMATION AND ELECTRONIC GAME CATEGORIES:
- STUDENT ANIMATED OR MOTION GRAPHIC PRODUCTION OF THE YEAR
1. Legend of Boruta Emily Carr Institute Bartosz Nowakowski
2. Swing Vancouver Film School Estaban Azuela
3. Turntale Emily Carr Institute Kora Kosicka
4. Duelity Vancouver Film School Marcos Ceravolo, Ryan Uhrich
- STUDENT GAME OF THE YEAR
1. Bloom Vancouver Film School Boring Games; Project Manager: Adrian Audet
2. Chamelio Vancouver Film School Chad Sehn, Dave Malmberg, Jefferey Chang, Kayo Wildman
3. Foamzilla Vancouver Film School Johan Eickmeyer, Mark Barazzuol
4. Seas of Europa Vancouver Film School Todd Agnello, David Bowring, Diego Rodriguez, and Ryan Stancl.
- BEST ORIGINAL SOUND DESIGN/MUSICAL SCORE FOR AN ANIMATED PRODUCTION OR GAME
1. Le Building Vancouver Film School Doug Woods
2. Climber Vancouver Film School Jessica Lemes da Silva
3. Snowman Vancouver Film School Steve Bigras
4. Hatched The Art Institute of Vancouver Kevin Webb
- BEST Student ART DIRECTION – GAME PRODUCTION
1. Hydro School of Interactive Art and Technology(SIAT) SFU Yohei Shimomae, Scott Ko, Darrell Yeo
2. Introspect The Art Institute of Vancouver Team Leader- Mitchell Lagran
3. Patchwork Playgrounds Vancouver Film School Jimmy Steorts, Sean Bosshardt, Brian Chong, Tom Munro
4. Seas of Europa Vancouver Film School Todd Agnello, David Bowring, Diego Rodriguez,Ryan Stancl
- BEST STUDENT ART DIRECTION – ANIMATED PRODUCTION
1. 8 Emily Carr Institute Jeff Simpson
2. A Modelling Reel Vancouver Film School Julianna Kolakis
3. Manso Sinistra Emily Carr Institute Kate Lee
4. The Legend of Boruta Emily Carr Institute Bartosz Nowakowski
- BEST STUDENT WRITING FOR AN ANIMATED OR GAME PRODUCTION
1. Catnip Western School of Interactive Art and Technology(SIAT) SFU Cody Church, Mohammed El Eryan, John Pang
2. Documentary Vancouver Film School Lawrence Chung
3. For You My People Emily Carr Institute Jose Pablo Gonzalez
4. The Legend of Boruta Emily Carr Institute Bartosz Nowakowski
- READY TO ROCKET
1. Bartosz Nowakowski Emily Carr Institute
2. Karl Schmidt, Alex Ting School of Interactive Arts and Technology (SIAT)
3. Diego Rodriguez Vancouver Film School
4. Matt Alder VanArts
Matt Litten is a 28 year old from-the-womb gamer turned video game reviewer/blogger and current editor/owner/operator of VGBlogger.com. Matt got his first taste of gaming as a youngster on the NES and Atari, and the rest is history from there.
In 2004, three years removed from high school and still looking for a career direction in life, Matt landed his first gig in the video game review business writing for the now-defunct website BonusStage.com. After the sad and untimely close of BonusStage, the former staff went on to found VGBlogger.com, and after a short stint as US Site Manager for AceGamez Matt turned his attention to VGBlogger, and to this day is dedicated to making it one of the top video game blogs in all the blogosphere.
Matt is a fair-minded reviewer and lover of games of all platforms and types, big or small, hyped or niche, big-budget or indie. But that doesn't mean he will let poor games slide without a good thrashing when necessary. 
