Defective Detective

This is an Annie Award nominee for Best Student Film.

Origin

This is an Annie Award nominee for Best Student Film.

Can't We Be Happy Now

This is an Annie Award nominee for Best Student Film.

Eyes On the Stars

This Annie Award nominee for Best Animated Short is based on a true story from the life of astronaut Ronald McNair, who died in the Challenger shuttle explosion which happened 27 years ago today. This story from McNair's childhood is told by his brother Carl.

BONUS! Animated Shorts to keep an eye out for

Many of the Annie Awards nominees that Animation of the Day would like to share are not available online. Here's a rundown of some of the best. Keep them on your radar. If you ever find yourself with an opportunity to see them, we strongly encourage you to take the time to do so.

• "Kali the Little Vampire"

A lonely young vampire seeks to live a normal life and play with other children. This short has a strong, unique visual style.

• "I Am Tom Moody"

A compelling look into the conflicted mind of a creative individual. This short makes smart use of the stop-motion medium to represent the internal fragmentation caused by fear and creative stifling.

• "Ladies Knight"

A colorful, musical, irreverent, classic-Warner Bros.-esque take on the knight-saves-princess-from-a-dragon fairy tale.

• "Tule Lake"

Based on a true event, this beautifully-animated short follows a Japanese-American internee at the Tule Lake segregation camp during World War II as she tries to bring a bit of joy to her family in the midst of grim circumstances. Conceived and directed by a descendent of the movie's subject.

Ballad of Poisonberry Pete

This is an Annie Award nominee for Best Student Film.

Bill Plympton Couch Gag from "Beware My Cheating Bart"

This "Simpsons" couch gag, by animation hero Bill Plympton, is a 2013 Annie Award nominee for Best Animated Short.

Head Over Heels

From now through the night of the ceremony, Animation of the Day will post nothing but Annie Award-nominated shorts. Check back each weekday to see one of this year's nominees.

Kicking things off is this gem of a movie. Unfortunately, the full version is currently unavailable online. But this is such a great one that, in order to spread awareness, just the preview will be posted here. If you ever have the opportunity to watch the full short, take advantage; you'll be happy you did.

Drinking Out of Cups

Stream-of-consciousness randomness from Dan Deacon, animated by Liam Lynch.

NOTE: If you're sensitive to language, you'll probably want to skip this one.


If you need a bit more of an explanation, click here.

Dumb Ways to Die

A catchy song to start off your week. Excellently-executed sight gags.

Pangea

Wrapping up Tree Week with some beautifully-rendered environments. And dinosaurs!

We sing the forest electric

Ted Bear

Tree Week continues, with a contribution from the guys over at Cyanide and Happiness!

I Live in the Woods

My self-declared "Tree Week" continues with this crazy little number. This short has its flaws, but they pale in comparison to its anarchic energy and indelible imagery. Absolutely insane and -- WARNING TO SENSITIVE VIEWERS -- gory, this stream-of-consciousness piece is completely unpredictable. Filmmaker Max Winston went on to have a hand in many of the stop-motion shows you've seen in the last few years.

Out of a Forest

I found a bunch of forest-related cartoons, so I'm declaring this TREE WEEK! Kicking things off is a nice little stop-motion animation about rabbits.

The Tortoise and the Hare (1934)

Alma

This is a magical yet creepy award-winning short from a former Pixar animator.

The Room

No, not the Tommy Wiseau movie. Love the design of this short. A little Portal-y, and little Cube. A good watch.

Slimtime

This little bit of light sci-fi is fun and imaginative, seemingly drawing some inspiration from Wall-E and other sci-fi tales.

Music Land (1935)

The Man Who Could Sit Anywhere

From the folks at "Cyanide & Happiness." If you're not already reading that comic, you're missing some of the funniest stuff on the web. Check it out!

Little Old Slappy from Pasadena

The Big Snit