Have you ever looked at a total stranger and imagined what it would be like to spend a life with that person? That is the story first-time Disney director John Kahrs is trying to tell through his delightful short film, “Paperman,” which plays before the “Wreck-it Ralph” feature that opened on November 2, 2012.

By Ellen Besen

What makes an animation festival great?

With OIAF recently past and CTN on the immediate horizon, it seems like a good time to ask this question, one I’ve been asking myself in the aftermath of every festival experience for so many years I’ve lost count. I’ve also lost count of my many attempts to answer that question – most of them quite unsatisfactory.

In fact, I only started to answer the question in any meaningful way when I found myself taking over a sweet little festival- the late, lamented Kalamazoo Animation Festival International (KAFI)- from 2006 to 2009. We were charged, at the time, with taking a promising regional festival to the next level…and in the process of achieving that goal- if only for a moment before the economy, among other things, took the whole enterprise down- a great deal of what really makes a festival work was revealed.

 

“Has a celebrity ever come after you for making fun of them?”

Over the years this has been one of the most frequently asked questions put to me, regarding Celebrity Deathmatch.  I am happy to report that there has never been a lawsuit filed by a celebrity against me or MTV Networks -- at least none that I’m aware of.  That’s not to say that a few celebs weren’t a little pissed off from time to time.

As I began to ready for the forthcoming series of creative workshops and presentations, it also dawns on me, why not dedicate a singular blog to this very topic? And so, this is the one. I shall attempt to express why such workshops are so imperative, impactful and, at least in my personal conclusion, simply fundamental. As always, reader’s comments are welcome.

The process that propels my creative workshops is an outcome of a distillation of both my artistic, creative and production experiences and the academic initiatives and mentoring. It is not simply dedicated to creative ideation, imaginative storytelling or innovative concept designs but also the process of defining one’s personal, individual essences, which in turn inspire the kind of “ideas worth fighting for”. It is why my creative workshops are designed to ignite self-search, self-discovery and empowerment arousing evocative self-expression.

 

I love “Wreck-it Ralph,” one of the greatest films this year, and the best Disney animation since "Tangled."  For some adults, this film may bring back some childhood nostalgia from playing arcade games, but not so much that it clouds out the storyline.  The filmmakers have transformed lots of familiar 8-bit video game characters into fascinating personalities in a whole new way.  Disney must have broken the bank, in gaining access to all these iconic legends of the 8-bit world, such as Sonic and Pacman.  Just thinking about it makes my head spin…

I begin to suspect that this is like trying to write the perfect pre-nuptial, and wonder that perhaps it can’t be done!  I chew on this for a bit before I start to realize that the problem that is stymieing me, needs to be included in the definition.   After all, if art can’t be clearly defined wouldn’t that need to be part of its definition?  I also thought of what Elbert Hubard said, “Art is not a thing, it is a way.”

 

The ACE event is held annually and is sponsored by the Gwangju Metropolitan City. It consists of an International Forum, Licensing Plaza and a showcase for cultural content.  It’s an exhibition for all types of cultural content providers from all over the world. There’s Biz Matching, Screenings, and Conferences.

That’s the official line! 

Here’s the unofficial line………………Gwangju ACE Fair was developed to tap into the vast amount of animation business that’s flowing into China and, to a lesser extent, flowing into Seoul, South Korea. They want a piece of the Asian animation pie. The ACE Fair is expected to generate agreements between foreign studios and Korean studios, MOU’s (memos of understanding), and actual contracts. 

By Tim Kridel

More than half of app users have uninstalled or decided to not install an app due to concerns about personal information, according to a recent Pew Internet Project survey. If that isn’t motivation enough to protect customer privacy, consider the growing number of federal and state laws penalizing breaches.

But how can developers determine which laws apply? And what about industry best practices such as those from the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) and CTIA – The Wireless Association? We spoke with Alan Chapell, co-chair of the MMA’s privacy and advocacy committee, about what developers need to know to protect customer privacy -- and, in the process, their app’s market potential.

One of the most under valued skills during the interview process is the ability to LISTEN!  This applies whether you are the job seeker or the interviewer for that matter.  What is that?  Yeah, I said it, “Listen Up!”  Talking, multi-tasking, distractions, or moving too fast forces you to derail quicker than any express train traveling through downtown.  The more you listen the more you learn.  When you listen you do so for non-verbal queues as well.  While some of you are natural listeners, other folks may need to be interrupted, or physically gagged in order to get a word in.  Which one are you?