Vermont screenwriter discusses his Oscar-nominated film

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - A Vermonter whose film just got nominated for an Oscar worked on the project for years.

“Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” is up for best animated feature film at next month’s Academy Awards.

Screenwriter and editor Nick Paley is a Mount Mansfield Union High School graduate.

He said the film is a documentary-style production that follows Marcel the Shell and his grandmother as they try to find their family.

Paley was approached to be part of the project when some of the original creators wanted to expand shorts about Marcel into a feature-length film.

He worked on it for seven years.

“The majority of people don’t understand how long it takes to make something special or even passable,” Paley said. “I’m finding in my work that projects operate on a geologic scale as opposed to a normal human scale.”

Watch the video to see our Cat Viglienzoni’s full conversation with Nick Paley.

The Oscars are Sunday, March 12. Paley said he will likely be attending. As for an acceptance speech, he said he’s probably going to wing it.

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Mount Mansfield Union grad’s film nominated for Oscar

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