The 30-year-old filmmaker, a 2007 journalism graduate of Fort Collins' Colorado State University, produced the animated short “The Dam Keeper,” which is one of five films nominated last week for an Academy Award in the “Best Short Film (Animated)” category.
The 18-minute animated film is set in a dystopian future and follows a young pig with the mighty task of running a windmill dam that prevents toxic clouds from entering his town. In spite of teasing from his classmates and an uncaring public, Pig works diligently to keep the windmill functioning. But things begin to change when a new student arrives by the name of Fox.
Ramsay met the film’s animators, Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi, while working at Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, California. During his time at Pixar, Ramsay also worked on popular animated films such as “Toy Story 3” and “Monsters University.”
Ramsay now lives in London.
In addition to its Oscar nomination, “The Dam Keeper” has won the Golden Gate Family Film Award at the San Francisco International Film Festival, “Best of Fest” and “Best of Animation” at the Portland Film Festival, and the Kids Audience Award at the New York International Children’s Film Festival, among others.
The 87th Academy Awards show airs Feb. 22
