Fifth-graders make the cut at international film festival
Kate Hammer, Globe and Mail
For proof of what a group of preteens can accomplish over two months of lunch breaks with the help of some popsicle sticks, a few light bulbs and a camera, see this year’s Ottawa International Animation Festival.
One official selection, a stop-motion short film called The Bright, the Bad and the Ugly was written, shot and directed by a Grade 5 class at Grosvenor Wentworth Park School in Halifax. Their tale of the town of Squander, a tumbleweed-infested homestead populated by energy-wasting light bulbs, beat out more than 70 other entries from across the globe to win one of five spots in the high-school category.
Chris Robinson, the festival’s artistic director, said they are the only grade-school class to ever win a spot in that category.
Read more: Fifth-graders make the cut at international film festival
Fifth-graders make the cut at international film festival
Kate Hammer, Globe and Mail
Image: Still from the movie, “The Bright, the Bad and the Ugly”
For proof of what a group of preteens can accomplish over two months of lunch breaks with the help of some popsicle sticks, a few light bulbs and a camera, see this year’s Ottawa International Animation Festival.
One official selection, a stop-motion short film called The Bright, the Bad and the Ugly was written, shot and directed by a Grade 5 class at Grosvenor Wentworth Park School in Halifax. Their tale of the town of Squander, a tumbleweed-infested homestead populated by energy-wasting light bulbs, beat out more than 70 other entries from across the globe to win one of five spots in the high-school category.
Chris Robinson, the festival’s artistic director, said they are the only grade-school class to ever win a spot in that category.
Full story on the Globe and Mail website: Fifth-graders make the cut at international film festival
Illusionist, New Disney Short to Headline at Ottawa
Thomas J. McLean, Animation Magazine
Sylvain Chomet’s new feature The Illusionist and the new Disney short film Tic Tock Tale are among the films set to screen at this year’s Ottawa International Animation Festival.
The festival, set for Oct. 20-24 in the Canadian capital city, will screen 90 film selected from more than 2,000 entries in a number of categories. The fest also will screen 56 international films out of competition.
Other highlights include Norway’s award-winning Angry Man, directed by Anita Killi; Pixar’s acclaimed short, Day and Night; Oscar-winner Logorama; German film Love and Theft from three-time Ottawa Grand Prix winner Andreas Hykade; and an episode from HBO’s The Ricky Gervais Show.
Full article: Illusionist, New Disney Short to Headline at Ottawa
Animation Hopefuls Pitch Their Ideas to Top TV Producers
By Rick DeMott, AWN News
The Ottawa International Animation Festival
Ottawa, Ontario (July 21, 2010)–Television producers will get the chance to make a name for themselves in the world of animation at this year’s TAC, the Ottawa International Animation Festival’s industry conference. TAC is hosting Pitch THIS!, an event that gives animation delegates an opportunity to learn what television executives are looking for in a new animated series. Pitch THIS! is taking place on October 20 and 21, 2010 at the world-famous, Fairmont Château Laurier in Ottawa, Canada. More than 350 animation producers, buyers, financiers and industry experts are expected to attend.
“This year, Pitch THIS! is being presented by Portfolio Entertainment Inc. as part of the Ottawa International Animation Festival,” said TAC Director Azarin Sohrabkhani. “It is the only pitching event in North America that serves as a stepping stool for animation hopefuls looking to boost their careers. So it really is an excellent opportunity for creators to get noticed and to showcase their creative talents for a potential TV series.”
On October 21, 2010, two creators will have five minutes to pitch their project ideas to a panel of international broadcasters. Following the pitches, representatives from major television networks will provide their insight on the animation projects. The representatives will then assess the projects based on their creative and financial elements as well as their marketability and appeal to each broadcaster.
“Along with this invaluable feedback, each participating producer also gains the type of industry exposure that only can lead to future success,” added Sohrabkhani.
The winners of In Toon With Tweens presented by Pitch THIS! sponsor Portfolio Entertainment Inc., are also going to be announced during the event. In Toon With Tweens is an animation contest directed at kids eight to 12 years old, designed to encourage creativity and out-of-the-box thinking from the new voices of the global animation community. A first prize of $7,500 CDN will be awarded and a second prize of $2,500 CDN will be given to the runner up.
In order to be considered for Pitch THIS! producers must submit their proposals for an original adult or children’s animation series, including a “project bible,” sample episode synopsis, concept art, and biographies of the key creative team.
Submissions should be sent by e-mail to: tac@animationfestival.ca or by regular mail to: TAC Pitch THIS!, 2 Daly Avenue, Suite 120, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6E2. No more than two submissions per production company will be accepted. The deadline for submissions is: September 1, 2010. For additional information on Pitch THIS!, TAC, and the Ottawa International Animation Festival, please call: (613) 232-8769 or visit: www.animationfestival.ca.
About TAC
TAC (Television Animation Conference) is Canada’s only animation business forum designed for professionals in content creation, development, production, distribution and marketing. TAC brings together key players in North America and international markets and provides a forum for active networking, practical information exchange and trade in a comfortable and intimate environment. TAC 2010 will be held October 20 and 21 at the Fairmont Château Laurier in Ottawa, Ontario. For more information about TAC, please visit: www.animationfestival.ca.
About Ottawa International Animation Festival
The Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) is one of the world’s leading animation events providing first-class screenings, exhibits, workshops and entertainment since 1976. The annual five-day event brings art, industry and inspiration together in a vibrant setting. As the largest event in North America, the OIAF attracts more than 27,000 film buffs, art lovers, filmmakers, and cartoon fans from around the world. OIAF 2010 will be held from October 20 to 24 at various venues in Ottawa, Ontario. For more information and to experience OIAF on-line, please visit www.animationfestival.ca.
About Portfolio Entertainment Inc.
Founded in 1991, Portfolio Entertainment is one of Canada’s leading independent producers and international distributors of award-winning television programs for kids, tweens, teens, and adults. Co-Founders Lisa Olfman and Joy Rosen’s commitment to creative excellence and solid domestic and international relationships have propelled their programs onto the world’s most prestigious television networks. The partners have won numerous television industry awards internationally and they consistently rank in Profit Magazine’s W100 list of Canada’s Top Women Entrepreneurs. Portfolio Entertainment’s newest series is, The Cat In The Hat Knows A Lot About That!, based on Dr. Seuss’ iconic Cat character. For more information, please visit: www.portfolioentertainment.com.
Ottawa International Animation Festival – Call for Submissions
Organizers of North America’s largest animation event are looking for entries for the 2010 edition to be held in Ottawa, October 2-24. The categories are: independent short films, feature films, new media, commissioned films (TV series, commercials, music videos, etc), student films and made for children.
Deadline for entries is June 1, with preview DVDs arriving no later than June 15.
There is no entry fee.
For more information and online entry form, go to www.animationfestival.ca.
Direct questions to entries@animationfestival.ca or 613-232-8769.
Ottawa festivals and events receive more than $1.5-million in funding from Province
Funding will help Canada’s Festival Capital come to life with improved offerings.
OTTAWA – The Province has announced the recipients of 2010 Celebrate Ontario funding grants, and more than $1.5-million is being invested in festivals and events taking place in Ottawa.
Twelve Ottawa Festival members that include Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest, Tim Horton’s Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival, Ottawa Folk Festival, Ottawa International Animation Festival, Ottawa International Children’s Festival, Ottawa International Writers Festival, Rideau Canal Festival, Summer Solstice Aboriginal Arts Summer Festival, TD Canada Trust Ottawa International Jazz Festival, WESTFEST, Festival Franco-Ontarien, and Canadian Tulip Festival received funding this year.
“This is very exciting news,” says Barb Stacey, Executive Director of Ottawa Festivals, a not-for-profit organization that represents more than 50 not-for-profit festivals, special events and fairs that take place in the National Capital Region, “this represents a substantial investment in our community, especially considering that these investments are leveraged many times over through private investment, sponsorship and funding available from other levels of government.
“This investment will improve our offering to visitors and further Ottawa’s reputation as being Canada’s Festival Capital. This will help attract new visitors to our internationally renowned premier events, and our supporting events will certainly enhance the city’s many tourism and cultural attractions,” Stacey continues, “These events animate the city. They add colour, life and excitement.”
Awarded by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Celebrate Ontario funding helps communities realize the potential benefits associated with increased tourism and visitor spending. “Festivals and events are important drivers of tourism in Ontario. This support will help enhance their offerings and bring more jobs, visitors and spending to communities throughout our province,” said Michael Chan, Minister of Tourism and Culture.
Music video showcased at animation festival
Veronica Quach | Centretown News
A sold-out ByTowne Cinema screened local animator David Cooper’s music video alongside other films at the Ottawa International Animation Festival last night.
His video was showcased alongside other films for the commissioned animated competition, including promotional work, music videos and adult television animation.
“This festival carries a lot of weight with animation industry people,” he says. “It can only help to have a film in competition here.”
The festival chose 99 films to compete out of 2,185 entries this year.
Full story from Centretown News: Music video showcased at animation festival
Ottawa festival winners announced
Mike Valiquette | CanadianAnimationResources.ca
The Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) comes to an end with the highly anticipated closing ceremonies held this evening at the Museum of Civilization in Gatineau. Organizers announced the winners of the official competition during the ceremonies.
This year’s event, held October 14-18, was a tremendous success with packed screenings, sold out workshops, high profile networking events such as the Television Animation Conference and the Recruiting Fair. The Festival is a major international film event that attracts 1500 industry pass holders from across Canada and around the world with a total attendance of over 25,000. Although the final numbers are not officially in, there are strong indications that this year’s Festival reached the highest attendance to date.
The 2009 international jury for Short Program, Student and Commissioned Films include: Amid Amidi (USA), Jim Blashfield (USA) and Suzan Pitt (USA). The international jury for Feature Film Competition include: Thomas Meyer-Hermann (Germany), Christa Moesker (Netherlands) and Marie-Josée Saint-Pierre (Canada).
The Festival has a special jury made up of local kids to select the Best Short Animation Made for Children and the Best Television Animation Made for Children. This year’s kids jury included: Tallie Doyle, Tegwyn Hughes, Jamie McCormick, Felipe Bemfica, Isabelle Birchall, Aditya Mohan, Paris Mullin, Quinn Murphy and Eric Ding.
Full story: Ottawa festival winners announced
Animation fest wraps up 33rd year
TRACEY TONG | METRO OTTAWA
Mary and Max, directed by Australia’s Adam Elliot, took home the grand prize for best animated feature at the Ottawa International Animation Festival last night.
Kaasündinud Kohustused (Inherent Obligations) by Rao Heidmets of Estonia took home the grand prize for best independent short animation.
The 33rd annual festival featured 93 short films and seven features in competition and 58 in the international showcase, attracting a record 27,000 people, said festival spokeswoman Lindsay Wellwood. The festival had three local entries, including Nick Cross and Dave Cooper, who did a video for Danko Jones called King of Magazines, and Canterbury High School student Benjamin Woodyard.
Source: Metro Ottawa online: Animation fest wraps up 33rd year
Here’s what you’ll see at the animation festival
Peter Simpson, The Ottawa Citizen
More than 150 animated films — from as short as 10 seconds in length to this year’s record crop of feature-length entries — will be screened between today and Sunday evening. Ninety-nine of those films will be in official competition, and 58 others will be showcased outside the competition.
It’s all turning into the biggest year to date in the 33-year history of the Ottawa International Animation Festival, which can say without hyperbole that it attracts the best of the world’s animation, and some of its biggest hitters as guest speakers.
This year’s speakers include Henry Selick, director of Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach, who will talk about his 2009 hit Coraline. Story supervisor Ronnie del Carmen will talk about the making of another big animated hit this year, Pixar’s Up!, and David Silverman will talk about directing The Simpsons Movie and 22 episodes of The Simpsons on TV.
Full preview available on Peter’s The Big Beat blog: Here’s what you’ll see at the animation festival
