Melbourne based illustrator and filmmaker Shaun Tan has won an Academy Award® for best animated short film with The Lost Thing.

In a recent interview at the State Library of Victoria Tan said he began work on the film with co-director Andrew Ruehmannin in early 2002 and completed it in April 2010.

Tan said was ‘quite happy’ with the film that he tried to keep true to his original picture book. The small visual team of four referred back to the book throughout the production.

According to a report in The Age newspaper, The Lost Thing was an unexpected winner with bookmakers giving 8-1 odds on the Australian outsider.

Original Shaun Tan works are currently on show at the State Library’s Look! exhibition until 29 May 2011.

You can watch Shaun Tan discuss The Lost Thing, his Oscar® nomination, his influences, views on Australian illustration and more in this interview.

Here’s a sneak peek.