Mel Brooks has taken on a starring role in Addicted To It, a seven-minute animated short film directed by Nigel Tierney and Federico Heller that serves as a cautionary tale about mobile phone addiction. The project, which features original music by Tony Award winner Jeff Marx and vocals by singer Dionne Warwick, has qualified for Oscar consideration in the Animated Shorts category ahead of the final shortlist announcement, RTE.ie reported.
The Production Journey of Addicted To It
- Mel Brooks voices the central antagonist, a mischievous phone avatar nicknamed “Phoney Bunny” that manipulates its owner to prevent him from taking a walk without his device.
- The animated short film features original music and lyrics by Tony Award winner Jeff Marx and also features singer Dionne Warwick.
- Following festival screenings in Buenos Aires, Tampa Bay, Pennsylvania, San Diego, Manchester, and Anchorage, the film is actively competing for Academy Award recognition.
How Nigel Tierney Secured a Comedy Legend
The casting of the legendary writer and director behind The Producers and Blazing Saddles came together with surprising ease. Nigel Tierney, a Kilkenny-native director based in California since 2009, sent the conceptual video to Brooks shortly after conceptualizing the manipulative rabbit character. Brooks, who celebrated his 100th birthday last June, responded immediately through an email expressing direct interest in the project. Rather than opting for remote voice recording sessions, Brooks arrived at the studio in a suit with a red pocket square, accompanied only by his production partner and assistant.
“He showed up to the studio with his wonderful production partner and assistant. No entourage, no fuss,” Tierney noted regarding the recording sessions. Following the voice work, Brooks spent time signing autographs, posing for photographs, and offering his personal support for the film’s festival run. The short also features vocals from singer Dixie D’Amelio and Crystal Tierney, the eight-year-old daughter of the director.
The Anti-AI Stance and Global Festival Circuit
Beyond its comedic premise, the production team made a deliberate creative choice regarding the tools used to build the animation. The end credits of Addicted To It explicitly state that the project was crafted entirely with human hands and hearts, rejecting generative AI in favor of traditional artistic collaboration.
| Production Detail | Associated Personnel / Location |
|---|---|
| Directors | Nigel Tierney and Federico Heller |
| Music and Lyrics | Jeff Marx |
| Featured Vocalists | Mel Brooks, Dionne Warwick, Dixie D’Amelio, Crystal Tierney |
| Production Footprint | United States, Ireland, and Argentina |
The festival run for the Oscar-qualified short continues worldwide following screenings at BITBANG in Buenos Aires, the Tampa Animation Festival, the Open World Animation Festival in Pennsylvania, the Coronado Island Film Festival in San Diego, the Manchester Animation Festival, and the Anchorage International Film Festival.
