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Cartoons on the Bay 2006: 10 Years of Celebrating TV Animation

Raquel Benitez Rojas attended the 10-year anniversary of Cartoons on the Bay 2006 to witness an important showcase of the best television animation has to offer.

The artistic touch of Guillermo Mordillo graced this year’s poster for Cartoons on the Bay, which celebrated its 10th birthday. Courtesy of Cartoons by the Bay/RAI Trade.

The artistic touch of Guillermo Mordillo graced this year’s poster for Cartoons on the Bay, which celebrated its 10th birthday. Courtesy of Cartoons by the Bay/RAI Trade.

With great animation, excellent food and bad weather, the 10th Cartoons on the Bay, the International Festival on Television Animation, celebrated its 10th anniversary April 5-9, 2006, which took place in the beautiful Italian city of Positano, on the Amalfi Coast, south of Naples,

The festival, promoted by RAI Radio Televisione Italiana and organized by RAI Trade, is one of the most important international events in the television industry with more than 700 delegates, including authors, producers, distributors, broadcasters and directors — as well as students studying film, art, communications and new technologies, and the general public, featuring four days of screenings and special presentations.

This year the event had a special section to focus on independent Canadian producers, television channels and public institutions by means of presentations, screenings of both classic and recent productions, and roundtables to discuss the potential of institutional agreements and co-production possibilities between Canada and Europe. Companies from Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, such as Comet Ent. CinéGroupe, Nelvana, Mainframe Animation, Carpediem, the National Film Board of Canada, Toon Boom Animation and the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. (CBC). Canada has proven to be one of the most qualified countries in the animation sector because of its long artistic, technological and industrial traditions, and this is an important asset for European producers.

The Career Award was presented to Roy E. Disney. Before the ceremony, attendees were treated to a rare screening of Destino. © Disney 2002.

The Career Award was presented to Roy E. Disney. Before the ceremony, attendees were treated to a rare screening of Destino. © Disney 2002.

Other highlights in the festival included the Career Awards presented to America's Roy E. Disney and Italy’s Bruno Bozzetto. Roy E. Disney’s career began as an assistant film editor in 1954. Disney, who produced Fantasia 2000, the sequel to his uncle 's 1940 classic Fantasia, it was very interesting to see a rare screening of the eight-minute film, Destino, the unlikely 1946 collaboration between Spanish surrealist painter Salvador Dali and Walt Disney, which was completed by Roy in 2003. Disney announced that the short will be released along with documentary footage as a DVD later this year.

Italy’s Bruno Bozzetto also received the Career Award for his contributions to animation.

Italy’s Bruno Bozzetto also received the Career Award for his contributions to animation.

The studios of the year were DIC Ent. from the U.S. and Enarmonia in Italy. DIC produces animated films and series for children and the family, which are distributed in more than 200 countries. Among its successful productions are Dennis the Menace, Inspector Gadget and Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Enarmonia was founded in Torino (Turin) in 1999 and has quickly become one of Italy’s leading animated production houses, having 17 full-length features and more than 20 TV series, including Laura’s Star.

In the premieres section, on Wednesday night, the Italian screening of U.S. Klasky Csupo’s The Wild Thornberrys Movie by Cathy Malkasian and Jeff McGrath was the first big event of this festival and market that showed 35 works in the competition, as well as screenings of 123 projects from around the world. Other films that premiered in rainy Positano were Corto Moltese: The Arcanes Secret Court (a co-production of Ellipsanime, France 2 Cinema, Rai Fiction and Neuroplanet Luxemburg) by Pascal Morelli; Spirited Away by Hayao Miyazaki and Disney's Jungle Book 2.

In addition to the premieres, there was a special tribute to animator Jules Engel, and an animathon, featuring a team competition for creating cartoons in record time on the theme of peace, which 70 local students participated in under the guidance of Florence Bolte and Andre Leduc.

This year’s jurors viewed 40 programs in competition. The jurors were Kim Wilson, as president (creative head of children’s programming, CBC Television, Canada), Italian author Giuseppe Lagan, Lisa Salamone Smith (svp of production Walt Disney Television Animation, USA), Daniel Lennard (senior director of original animation, Turner Broadcasting System Europe, U.K.) and Sabine Weber (TV movies and series, ORF, Austria).

The big winner in the Pulcinella Awards was frosh series, Camp Lazlo, created by Joe Murray. The show was honored with best TV series, best series for children and best character for Lazlo. © &  2005 Cartoon Network

The big winner in the Pulcinella Awards was frosh series, Camp Lazlo, created by Joe Murray. The show was honored with best TV series, best series for children and best character for Lazlo. © & 2005 Cartoon Network

Without a doubt, the big winner in the Pulcinella Awards was frosh series, Camp Lazlo, a show done using drawings, computer 2D and Flash. Created by Joe Murray, the show received three Pulcinella Awards (best TV series, best series for children and best character for Lazlo). It is a production of Cartoon Network Studios, distributed by Warner Bros. International Television.

But my favorite, if I may say, is Spanish computer 3D series, Pocoyo, from Zinkia Ent. in Madrid, which took nods for best European program and best TV series for pre-school. This brightly-colored preschool show is just "beautifully designed" and "developmentally appropriate," as the jury called it.

The Spanish series, Pocoyo, won for best European program and best TV series for pre-school. It was produced by Zinkia Ent. and Granada International, in association with Granada Kids and Cosgrove Hall.

The Spanish series, Pocoyo, won for best European program and best TV series for pre-school. It was produced by Zinkia Ent. and Granada International, in association with Granada Kids and Cosgrove Hall.

Heres a complete list of the winners:

Pocoyo Best TV series for pre-school, best European programTechnique: computer 3DDirection: David Cantolla, Guillermo GarciaAnimation: Zinkia Ent.Production and Distribution: Zinkia Ent.

Camp Lazlo Best TV series for children, best character of the year and best TV seriesTechnique: drawing, computer 2D, FlashStory by: Steve Little, Martin Olsen, Merewether WilliamsDirection: Brian SheesleyAnimation Directors: Swinton Scott, Lindsey PollardProduction: Cartoon Network StudiosDistribution: Warner Bros. International Television

The Amazing Adrenalini Brothers Best TV series for all agesTechnique: computer 2D, FlashDirection: Claire Underwood, Dan Chambers, Jeff BarkerAnimation: Studio B Prods., CanadaProduction: PeskyDistribution: Bejuba! Entertainment

Skyland Best TV series, action/adventureTechnique: drawing, computer 3D, motion captureAuthor: Emmanuel GorinDirection: Emmanuel GorinProduction: Method FilmsDistribution: Millimages UK

Day Dream Best educational and social programTechnique: computer 2D, FlashDirection: Yoo JineeAnimation: Odoltagi Hong, Jae-Young, Park Hyun-MiProduction: National Human Rights Commission of KoreaDistribution: Indiestory

Little Kingdom Best TV series pilotTechnique: computer 2D, FlashAuthor: Mark Baker, Neville AstleyDirection: Mark Baker, Neville AstleyAnimation: Joris Van Hulzen, Neville AstleyProduction: Astley Baker Davies

A Very Barry Christmas Best TV specialTechnique: stop motionAuthor: Brendan RussellDirection: Andrew HorneProduction: Cuppa CoffeeDistribution: Awol

The Tell-Tale Heart Best short filmTechnique: drawing, computer 2D, FlashDirection: Annette Jung, Gregor DashuberAnimation: Annette Jung, Gregor DashuberProduction and Distribution: HFF Potsdam Babelsberg (Germany)

Star Wars: Clone Wars Volume 2 Special Mention (Cinematic Action Sequences)Technique: drawingAuthor: Genndy TartakovskyDirection: Genndy TartakovskyProduction: Cartoon Network Studios

Aladdins Adventures Special Mention (Artistic Achievement)Technique: computer 2D, FlashAuthor: Cristina Làstrego, Francesco TestaDirection: Francesco TestaAnimation: Jaja Pollone, Simona Khanide, Shahin KhanideProduction: Làstrego e Testa (Italy)Distribution: Rai Trade

One D Special MentionTechnique: computer 2D, FlashWritten and directed by: Mike GrimshawAnimation: Pushai Ling, Mike Grimshaw (U.K.)

Rabbit Special Mention Technique: computer 2D, FlashDirector: Run WrakeAnimation: Run Wrake, Martin Morris, Barnaby HewlettProduction and Distribution: Run Wrake (U.K.)

Raquel Benitez is ceo of Comet Ent. Inc. After obtaining her bachelor in arts and communications at the Universidad Complutense in Madrid and a masters degree in broadcasting at the University of South Florida, Benitez Rojas has worked in a variety of academic and professional positions in her native Spain, as well as in the U.S. and Europe. Her strengths lie in her ability to conceive, create and develop animated characters, as well as in script development and coordination. She has written software programs that are now considered to be the industry standard, and has worked on, directed and received accolades for many animated films. Her last book, El Proceso de la Animació, is the first animation book written in Spanish about the development of an idea in animation from the concept to the sale. For more details http://www.cometentertainment.com.

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