From Deseret News archives:

BYU's 'Lemmings' a reel winner

Little film's big awards include 'student Emmy'

Published: Tuesday, March 30, 2004 2:48 p.m. MST
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
PROVO — A leap of imagination and a lot of work by dozens of BYU students is paying off big time.

A little film about little lemmings is opening professional doors and reaping notable awards that now include a "student Emmy," presented Sunday in North Hollywood by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Foundation.

"Lemmings," a digitally animated short created by current and former Brigham Young University students, and director Craig Van Dyke received a College Television Award, taking first place in the annual competition's non-traditional animation category.

The project took a year and a half to complete — and many long hours, said Kelli Loosli, an assistant teaching professor in the Department of Theater and Media Arts.

"The students got to a point where they were living in the labs," he said. "The janitors started complaining that students had moved into the lab and set up cots and were ordering pizzas. They were all very dedicated."

Story continues below
The film's plot involves the common — but apparently incorrect — belief that lemmings, small furry Arctic rodents that resemble a sort-tailed mouse, willingly leap en masse into water or off precipices to curb their population. The short film focuses on one particular lemming — a book-savvy fellow named Cliff — who tries to persuade others not to take the group leap.

The student Emmy is but one of the project's rewards — seven of the 12 core students who worked on it received job offers with major animation companies in California.

"Two years ago when we got together and talked about doing a group project, we set up goals of what we really wanted to do, how complicated and how much work and time we'd put into it," said R. Brent Adams, associate professor in the School of Technology at Brigham Young University.

Our No. 1 goal was to get a good portfolio where the students could get a job. They worked hard, got jobs — but they keep receiving awards."

The film has been invited to 22 festivals worldwide and has caught the attention of major studios.

In addition, portions of the film, along with works by other first-place College Television Award winners, will be screened at the Cannes Film Festival in France.

Sunday's College Television Awards ceremony was held at the Leonard H. Goldensen Theatre in North Hollywood and is designed to honor the nation's most outstanding college film and video talent. Tonight "Lemmings" will be screened at the College Television Awards Festival.

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

Image
Brigham Young University

Cliff is a book-savvy lemming in the film who tries to persuade his fellow rodents not to take "the leap."

previousnext

Latest comments

STOP blaming the Democrats, BLAME THE REPUBLICANS FOR 8 YEARS DOING NOTHING...

The best way to break the law is to become someone who enforces the law.

It's a real shame so many folks have never gotten out and gotten to know the...

It's all talk... you do not have any evidence for your claims. You assume...

Maybe if you could bat .408 in the major leagues, you too would be paid a...

I prefer the “Wizard of Earthsea” quartet by Ursula Le Guin, an...

Water wars in Snake Valley

The bottom line question that no one can possibly answer is; what will be the...

It looks to me like special treatment.

Jazz will have a tough week, with what should be a easy win against the...

I am very excited for this game. As much as I want the Utes to win, it won't...

Advertisements
Advertisement