Animated guy: Local wins collegiate Emmy-like award

Ross Bollinger goes to Hollywood–- and wins.
PHOTO COURTESY ACADEMY OF TELEVISION ARTS AND SCIENCES FOUNDATION

A publicist warns us that "Emmy" is not the correct term for the award that Charlottesvillian Ross Bollinger won April 12 in Hollywood. But the more blandly named 31st College Television Awards hosted by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Foundation is still a pretty big deal. And besides, its website is at emmysfoundation.org.

Bollinger, 22, won first place and $2,000 for his animated film, Hook, Line and Stinker. Now ready to graduate from the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan, Bollinger attended Monticello High and the Renaissance School, and played ukelele in the band, Body for Karate, before heading north.

"I made an animation about Stonewall Jackson getting shot," recalls Bollinger about a fifth grade project. Once he discovered the animation potential on his computer, "it started a fire," he says. "I made all my babysitters help make clay figures."

His early oeuvre is united by a common premise: "Monsters destroying stuff," describes Bollinger. He sees the maturity in his award-winning cartoon. "Funny stuff happens to a guy fishing," he says.

"A number of College Television Award winners go on to have successful careers in the industry and have even become primetime Emmy award winners," says Television Academy Foundation executive director Terri Clark in a release. "This accomplishment is only the beginning for many of this year's talented student producers."

At the moment, Bollinger doesn't have plans to head to Hollywood. He says he can support himself with freelance graphic work. "I'm not too worried," says the soon-to-be graduate.

"I'm really glad [my parents] embraced my desire for a career in the arts," says Bollinger. And he acknowledges his good fortune in one other way. "It's lucky I didn't get into modern dance in the fifth grade," quips Bollinger.