Last Friday we posted Cedric Villain’s submission for the Annecy 50th Anniversary contest on YouTube. While that was a well-executed short, I’m going to predict that the winning submission was posted today. It’s by Bernard Derriman, the brilliant animator from Sydney, Australia. You know him from his series Arj and Poopy and the dozen other shorts we’ve posted of his shorts we’ve posted here throughout the years. Playing off the theme of “birthdays or celebration,” Derriman has uncorked an excellent little film. Pop pits a chicken versus a fox in champagne-soaked battle that should have the judges drunk with enthusiasm. Derriman had help from long-time friend, and fellow countryman, Adam Phillips, who helped launch the bazooka champagne effects.

Arj and Poopy creator Bernard Derriman recently directed and animated this short film, titled Widescreen Blues, which follows a pair of introspective hit men. The short was written and created by Clayton Jacobson and Ant Keogh.

For the Australian mockumentary TV series Kenny’s World, Bernard Derriman was called upon to create a number of interstitial animated segments. His weapon of choice on this project was Toon Boom, and Derriman brought on his friend and countryman Adam Phillips to help with effects animation and backgrounds. A half-dozen of these are over on YouTube, and below are two of my favorites:

Kenny’s World – Bears

Kenny’s World – Japan

Ex-Disney feature animator, Bernard Derriman (Arj & Poopy) is the subject of a recent article by Julia Talevski from The Sydney Morning Herald. Titled Getting Animated at Home, the article focuses on Derriman’s of new technology like a Wacom tablet, Skype and Toon Boom’s Animate Pro to create animation from his home office. It also mentions his recent Emmy nominations for the children’s series Big Green Rabbit. Congrats Bernard!

The new Arj and Poopy episode has arrived! We’ve been sitting here by our computer ever since Congo Windfall (which took 7th in the Flash Animation 10) released, and our wait has finally ended. Episode 11, titled Poetreet, was written by comedian/actor Arj Barker (who plays Dave on Flight of the Conchords) and directed and animated by ex-Disney feature animator Bernard Derriman, who has been interviewed here not once (in 2005), but twice (again in 2008). Derriman, who has used Flash a great deal in the past, created this episode using Toon Boom. Lastly – Adam Phillips helped out with the lighting and Patton Oswalt (Ratatouille) provided the voice of the street poet.

Want more? Then pick-up a “What will they do next?” t-shirt over at the Arj and Poopy store.