Shreveport animation studio celebrates Oscar win

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore—a 14-minute animated film conceived, crafted and completed by Shreveport’s Moonbot Studios—scored a win for all of “Hollywood South” on Sunday night when it brought home the Oscar for best animated short at the 84th annual Academy Awards. Gov. Bobby Jindal immediately sent out congratulations to Moonbot Studios, as well as the film’s author/illustrator William Joyce and co-director Brandon Oldenburg, who accepted the Oscar. “We’re proud that Louisiana residents and a Louisiana-based company created this groundbreaking work that pays homage to a love of books and perseverance through a love of learning. Moonbot is an exceptional example of the quality work being produced throughout Louisiana, every day, in the digital and film industries we’ve worked so hard to cultivate. Their success continues to expand opportunities for our sons and daughters, who can look forward to creative and successful careers across our state,” Jindal says in a release. Joyce and Oldenburg paid homage to their Louisiana roots when they accepted the Oscar Sunday night. “We’re just, like, these swamp rats from Louisiana,” said an overjoyed Joyce. “And this is so grand. We love the movies. We love the movies more than anything else. We’re just down there in Louisiana, where people just keep on trying and keep going, and thank you to the Academy.” While the short is not the first film with Louisiana ties to win an Oscar, Times-Picayune movie critic Mike Scott says it’s the most significant in an analysis you can read here.