Local animator proud nominated for Oscar

A total of 44 Malaysian youngsters’ hard work paid off, when their project under Rhythm & Hues (R&H) on the Life Of Pi was nominated for the best special effect category in the 85th Oscar awards. About 7% of the work was done in Kuala Lumpur including the scene between the Bengal tiger 'Richard Parker' and Pi in the sea. Upon receiving the good news last night, Hasnul Hadi Samsudin said his team has proven that local talents were good enough to compete at the international level. “We are very excited upon being nominated for such a prestigious award. To be among the nominees is an achievement itself, making a mark in the industry as well as building a platform for us”, said Hasnul the Senior Manager of R&H Malaysia. Apart from Life Of Pi, the team has worked in the Snow White and Huntsman, which is also nominated for the same category. “We had created the effects for the enchanted forest scene, which was labelled by Roger Ebert as one of the best animated scene in a film”, he added. It has only been three years since the birth of R&H, however Hasnul is confident that this achievement will boost the credibility of local companies in the field of special effects at the international level. “Our local young animators are very talented and have the potential to produce artwork that are internationally comparable. However we need the opportunity and support from all the parties”. Other nominees in the best special effect category include The Hobbits: An Unexpected Journey, The Avengers and Prometheus. Life Of Pi has also been nominated for 12 categories including best picture and best director for Ang Lee.