Howie Shia (5)
Howie Shia
Born and raised in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Howie Shia is a Toronto-based illustrator, animation director and writer. His films have won several awards, including the 2007 Tokyo Anime Fair Grand Prix for Flutter, and both BAM (2015) and 4 North A (2021; written and co-directed by Jordan Canning) received Canadian Screen Award nominations. In addition to writing, directing and storyboarding for major studios such as Disney and Netflix, Howie maintains a fruitful ongoing relationship with the NFB for his more personal short films. His illustrations and designs have been featured in numerous venues, especially music packaging for Grammy-winning artists such as David Binney and Donny McCaslin (bandleader of David Bowie’s Blackstar band). Alongside his brothers, Howie co-founded the music, film and design studio PPF House. He recently finished storyboarding on Netflix’s Blue Eye Samurai and Kid Koala’s feature film debut, Space Cadet. Howie is working on a children’s book, a graphic novel and a new series of shorts based on the fictional Saskatchewan town in his short film Marco’s Oriental Noodles.
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Ice AgesHowie Shia 2004 1 minSeeking shelter from a thunderstorm, a man sits in a pub watching the ice in his glass melt away. Howie Shia marries his graphic illustration style with subtle animation and a haunting soundtrack to conjure up anxiety and foreboding. He used pen and ink on tracing paper and later composited and coloured digitally.
Produced as part of the second edition of the NFB’s Hothouse apprenticeship. -
FlutterHowie Shia 2006 6 minIn this short animation, a young boy takes a flying leap away from normal, waves goodbye to his classmates, and disappears into the cityscape and beyond. At the same time, a young girl is inspired to reinvent her space with art.
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BAMHowie Shia 2015 5 minA modern adaptation of the myth of Hercules, BAM tells the story of a young boxer struggling to negotiate between his shy, bookish nature and a divinely violent temper. Where does this rage come from? Is it psychological or environmental - or is it something altogether more primordial?
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Peggy Baker: Four PhrasesHowie Shia 2009 5 minBuilt around an intimate interview with the acclaimed Canadian dancer and choreographer, Peggy Baker Four Phrases is an artful animation and documentary hybrid that travels through a variety of techniques to celebrate Baker's work and legacy. This film was produced for the 2009 Governor General's Performing Arts Award.
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4 North AJordan Canning & Howie Shia 2020 10 minA woman sits in a hospital room, alone with her dying father. As the din of hospital noises pushes her to confront her inevitable loss, she escapes into a series of lush childhood memories. 4 North A is a celebration of the fleeting joys of life and a bittersweet reminder that we don’t always get the closure we seek.
