Wooding's first visit to MIFA was a worthwhile blur of activity.

This was my first time at MIFA (Marche International du film d'animation) and I could not have been more pleasantly surprised by the experience. Taking in the splendor of Lake Annecy's turquoise waters while meeting friends for cocktails in an ancient village immersed in a steady flow of creative energy was invigorating.

Having spent the majority of my career selling cartoons to broadcasters around the world, I normally attend the standard international markets like MIPCOM Jr., MIPCOM, Kidscreen and MIPTV. On occasion, I work into the travel schedule a trip to Toy Fair, Comic-Con and Licensing show. Although often set in great locations such as Cannes and NYC (I promise you I do not get much sympathy from my significant other), these markets can be pretty. My schedule is typically jam-packed with meetings every half-hour from the moment I land to the moment I get into the taxi to head back to the airport. And can they make a week seem like a lifetime.

John Kricfalusi at the drawing table.

By Nancy Phelps

For five days every year the historic town of Fredrikstad, Norway becomes the center of Nordic/Baltic animation.  The festival brings in an illustrious roster of names from the international animation community and this year was no exception.

I am a fan of Ren and Stimpy but had never met John Kricfalusi.  He turned out to be as delightfully wacky and fun as his characters.  During his Masters of Animation presentation he talked about characters and films that inspired him and he showed animation classics from UPA and Disney among others to illustrate his points.  He also shared excerpts from his favorite live action Hollywood films which he considers just as good, if not a better inspiration for cartoonists as classic cartoons.  I was fascinated to learn what a big influence film noir played in his life.

I first met the organizers of the KLIK Animation Festival at the Annecy Animation Festival a couple of years ago and they assured me that their festival is fun, fun, fun.  When they invited me to Amsterdam to be on the Short Films and Political Animation jury, I jumped at the opportunity and it did turn out to be some serious fun.  KLIK set out to show lots of fantastic animation and organize a great party four years ago.  This year they received 1100 submissions from 63 different countries.  From this field, 235 films were selected for over 30 programs, much more than anyone could possibly hope to see!

Ron Diamond, Jan Pinkava and Me.

By Dan Sarto

The highlight of my second day in Ottawa was finding a working ATM.  Actually, it probably was my third meal at Dunn’s in 2 days though I’m praying by Day 5 I’ll have figured out how to order something with “flavor.” My suitcase was too full to pack any “flavor” so I had to leave it in LA.  What a shame.  I guess in Canada you need to ask your waitperson to bring some “flavor” on the side. But the “treat” of the day was sitting in on an intimate interview/discussion at TAC with former Oscar-winning Pixar and current Laika writer/director Jan Pinkava.  Friendly, engaging, entertaining and brilliant – utterly charming. Made me feel like audience extra at a taping of “Regis and Kelly.”  And it’s really, really cold here.

Pigeon Impossible competes at SIGGRAPH.

written by Lance Jones and Jessica Brown of the Animation and Visual Effects Program Louisiana State University Shreveport Evening Theater’s Festival Chair’s Reel included the following shorts. Pigeon: Impossible Lucas Martell USA Pigeon: Impossible is an antagonistic tale between a pigeon and an undercover agent. The scene opens with an establishing shot of the pigeon watching he agent in a secret package hand off. The agent casually sits on a bench with the package and a steel briefcase. He begins eating a donut under the watchful eye of the pigeon. The pigeon moves to confront him for a piece. Not satisfied with the crumbs that are offered, the pigeon attacks the agent for a larger portion. A struggle ensues in which the pigeon is accidently flung into the briefcase. Curiosity grasps the pigeon as it begins to experiment with the technology contained within the case. Social disruption, with hilarious jabs, follows as the pigeon takes flight within the briefcase, powered by hidden jet engines. Firing lasers and missiles, the pigeon pursues the agent for the donut. As the agent struggles, control shifts to the agent. Alas, it is too late, as the pigeon had already sent command to launch a nuclear warhead from the briefcase. The agent tosses the donut and focuses on the threat. He fires a missile at the warhead. It destroys the warhead. The agent gracefully descends to the ground by way of the jet- powered briefcase. Adjusting his tie and glancing once more at the pigeon, the agent walks away. One last laugh is had when the pigeon is crushed by the remains of the falling warhead.

written by Joe Strike

Whoops, my bad: what I called Red Stick’s ‘Best of the Fest’ award yesterday is actually their “Golden Baton” prize, and I saw all three films last night. In addition to the music video Lilac Wine, the two other contenders were a Hitchcockian spy spoof (Pigeon: Impossible) and the student effort Blackface, a mystical jungle tale.

While the creators of the first two films (Chris O’Neill and Lucas Martell, respectively) were present, Blackface was represented by Pascal Drzazga (honest to God – he wrote it down so I wouldn’t get it wrong), an instructor from the ESMA (Ecole Supérieure des Métiers Artistiques) animation school in Montpelier France where the film was made.

The CTN Animation Expo is a new animation event based at the Burbank Convention Center in California. The Expo is mixed with traditional artist, computer artists, schools, software companies, book publishers, Women in Animation and ASIFA, recruiters from well established companies, and several other animation related companies.

I attended on Saturday, November 21^st 2009.  Young men stood outside the convention center spinning bright yellow signs directing patrons to the parking lot. The parking lot was full and I had to park across the street in another lot.  The inside of the convention hall was no different, packed full of people, slowly moving from one seminar room to the next. Clusters of people formed in different corners of the main lobby watching live art demonstrations and lectures.  Lines of people curved around every corner of the building with patrons trying to squeeze into main rooms to watch the seminars.  The expo floor was crammed with people slowly shuffling from one booth to the next. The booths were packed tightly into the expo area, allowing only a little room for foot traffic.  It was a claustrophobic's nightmare.

Bob Peterson (Co-Director UP), Peter Sohn and Kevin Reher (Director and Producer from Partly Cloudy)

Sorry for writing so late. But yesterday evening I suffered from severe animation illness, information overload and heavy small talk. After seeing the commissioned film program filled with commercials and music videos up to the brink – sitting next to an equally tired Ron Diamond – I hardly reached my apartment and went into dreamland seconds later.

Curators Lars Denicke and Peter Thaler welcome attendees to Pictoplasma 08. All images courtesy of Pictoplasma, unless otherwise noted.

“Characters want you! The floodgates opened and our visual culture was set upon by a mass of abstract characters, grinning, blinking and snarling in their inimitable pared-down graphical way. In what has become a truly global movement they have invaded digital media, animation, advertising, design, fashion, street and fine art, mashing up and guzzling their way through a diet of pop culture, tribal art, folklore, logos and cartoons. They are the true embodiment of the utopian promise of global communication. They speak in emotions that bypass language and cultural boundaries.”

Attendees clamor to get a look at the 360-Degree Autostereoscopic Display.

written by Eric Post

Preston Smith began with SIGGRAPH as a volunteer 15 years ago and is the current Chair of the Emerging Technologies section.  Preston is a network administrator.  When he graduated from college, he thought seriously about getting involved in CG.  The more he watched what the kids in this industry were doing with technology, the more he became interested in supporting that technology. Today, Preston is the Linux administrator at the Laureate Institute for Brain Research.  He supports the fMRI, or function Magnetic Resonance Imaging machine.

At Laureate, the doctors and staff study brain disorders such as eating disorders.  The new idea is that the MRI runs when the patient is performing certain tasks, hence the “functional” portion of the test. This allows the researchers to see how normal or not so normal specific portions of the brain reacts when given tasks that target those specific locations.  So Preston has a keen eye to emerging technology when it has a potential to benefit people.