The ninth Fantoche will be held in the town of Baden from September 6 to 11, 2011. The international show of animation film has become one of the world's most prominent animation festivals and is the only cultural event in Switzerland that is devoted exclusively to the full array of animation techniques, content and media

Fantoche is both a public festival and a meeting place for national and international experts. With its varied programme, it offers excellent entertainment for both young and old, with new things to discover and extravagance for animated-film fans and discussion and presentation forums for industry professionals from Switzerland and abroad.

Fantoche is just as refreshing, full of relish and lively as the indomitable scene, of which it is a part. It is infectious and creates an appetite for more. That’s why the previously biannual festival is becoming an annual event from this edition onwards.

Fantoche tracks down trends. With its international and Swiss short film competitions it searches for artistically daring ideas, young talent and the most prominent innovations worldwide. From the growing number of feature films produced, Fantoche selectively picks outstanding new releases and for the younger animated-film fans the latest children’s films are there to be gazed at.

At the same time Fantoche digs deeper and looks at individual aspects, themes or styles of animated film.

Fantoche looks beyond limits by building bridges to related art forms and dedicates itself to the use of animation in communication and entertainment media. In 2011 it will again venture into interactive realms and will be putting on show one of the arguably most creative interfaces between animation and computer games with an exhibition of independent games.

LATEST ANIMATION FILMS WANTED

Calling all film-makers – the “International Competition 2011” is open!

Fantoche is looking for the very best and most interesting short animated films from around the world. We are on the lookout for daring ideas, new pictures, surprising stories and ambitious projects by both newcomers and established film-makers.

The closing date for entries is 31 May 2011. The “International Competition” is open to films made applying all animation techniques, including a combination of live action and animation, lasting a maximum of forty minutes and completed after 31 March 2010. Films made by Swiss film-makers will also automatically be entered in the selection for the “Swiss Competition”.

Awaiting the films in the competition are seven prizes, worth a total of CHF 26'500, which will be awarded at the festival in September by a international jury of five members and by the public.

The 16th FMX Conference on Animation, Games, Effects and Interactive Media ended yesterday achieving remarkable successes!

Cartoon Forum Polska

Where projects come to life…13-16 September 2011, Sopot (Poland)

The Cartoon Forum is neither a fair nor a festival, but rather a European co-production forum for TV and new platforms animation.

750 delegates each year, including 240 buyers60 animation projects to be pitched A unique networking place: sightseeing tours, Welcome and Farewell DinnersEfficiency of the formula: +430 series financed since 1990

The 22nd Cartoon Forum will take place from 13-16 September 2011 in Sopot, Poland, a modern and lively seaside city near the historical city of Gdańsk.

The European Forum for Co-productions of Animated TV series, Cartoon Forum

Every year, since 1990, over 700 professionals, including 250 potential investors, 350 producers, 60 journalists and 40 public funding bodies attend the Cartoon Forum.

The 250 “buyers” include over 100 broadcasters and 150 investors who have the advantage of getting a sneak preview of the latest animation projects for television from the European Union countries.

The Cartoon Forum is neither a fair nor a festival, but rather a co-production forum, where European producers can negotiate financing for new animation projects. The Forum combines trailer presentations, working sessions and business meetings with opportunities for socialising and sightseeing: the relaxed setting of the Cartoon Forum has become an intrinsic element for the whole European animation industry.

The purpose of the Cartoon Forum is to foster co-productions and accelerate financial arrangements. The Cartoon Forum allows co-productions to be finalised, pre-buys agreed, negotiation of distribution agreements, options discussed on every type of right, and licensing of secondary rights.

Over 300 projects, with a total budget of more than 1.000 million EUR, presented at the Cartoon Forum have secured their financing and are now in production or already broadcasted worldwide.

About eDIT 14 Filmmaker’s Festival

As a filmmakers’ platform the eDIT Filmmaker's Festival promotes the exchange of information about innovations and the tips and tricks of filmmaking.

International filmmakers use their most recent productions to discuss filmmaking in the digital era.

The festival programme consists of workshops, presentations, screenings and fringe events. Central themes are camerawork, animation, visual effects, editing and production.

The social highlight of the event is the opening gala, during which outstanding filmmakers are presented with Festival Honors.

The event for up-coming talent, eDIT: eDucation, provides information on work and careers in the film and media industry.

eDward – The Young Filmmaker’s Award is directed at filmmakers under the age of 30.

Best of Film Festival presents a selection of award-winning films from international festivals.

The Festival Party offers excellent entertainment and opportunities for networking.

The website filmmakersfestival.de provides a thematic platform for exchanging ideas on filmmaking in the digital era. The online magazine presents interviews and contributions that go beyond the scope of the festival.

Program

The heart of the Filmmaker’s Festival as an international platform for filmmaking in the digital era is the programme itself: international experts present outstanding productions and the latest developments in film production.

Screenings, detailed making-ofs, presentations, workshops and discussion panels deliver knowledge transfer of the highest quality.

Central themes are camerawork, animation, visual effects and editing and production for various media.

30 October – 1 November 2011

motion is our annual event. Hundreds of brilliant minds – pros in the film, broadcast, and game industries – all coming together to share unique ideas that revolutionize the industry, change the way they look at their work and serve as inspiration for one another.

It all starts off with motionfest (10.9.11) – our pre-conference event where you’ll experience a full-day of rapid-fire tips, tricks, and technique sessions.

Then at motion, (10.10.11-10.11.11) we’ll take you on a mind-bending two day ride – what we refer to as the 'TED talks' of our industry. motion speakers are the top creative thinkers and innovators in motion graphics, animation, and vfx. A concept borrowed from TED, each speaker is on stage for 20 minutes giving the talk of their life on subjects they’re passionate about. Talks that revolutionize the industry. Talks that revitalize the creative muse.

The audience becomes a integral player in the motion experience. Utilizing the latest technology, participants are encouraged to join in the open discussions provided after each segment. It’s their turn to share their expertise and insight in this process of innovation.

Night time is all about reconnecting with peers and meeting new friends – on neutral turf. It’s a remarkable opportunity to actually get to know your competition. Sure – you’ve met on the ‘battlefield’, pitching to win the next major project. But as so many past attendees have told us – it wasn’t until motion that they were actually able to meet and interact with their peers and get to know them – as people. Did we mention there will be drinks? Party on!

Want to attend two great events, but your company only has the budget for one? We’ve got the solution!

Immediately following motion, join us for The Adobe Post Show October 12-14th – 2.5 days of Adobe Production Premium workflow sessions designed specifically for pros in the film, broadcast, and game industries.

motion is a unique experience where you not only reconnect with peers – you reconnect with the reason you got into this business to begin with.

Se-ma-for Film Festival ( international festival of stop motion animation techniques) takes place in Lodz / Poland/ on 22nd-25th September 2011 and in Lugano /Switzerland/ on 21st-23rd October 2011.
The Festival Organizers are: Se-ma-for Film Foundation based in Lodz /Poland/ and its Swiss representative based in Lugano /Switzerland/.
Se-Ma-For Film Festival (international festival of puppet animation and other three-dimensional stop-motion animation techniques)  is the second worldwide and the only European festival dedicated to stop-motion, especially puppet and three-dimensional animation. Festival consists of three main elements:
- competition screenings of international competition for best stop-motion animation,
- Polish animation industry competition
- special screenings (thematic, historical, monographic) presenting variety and endless possibilities of stop-motion animation techniques.
Broad and multidimensional programme of Se-ma-for Film Festival includes: workshops, exhibitions, meetings with artists, seminar, concerts, performances, presentations of equipment and software for animated films production. Moreover, one of Festival’s aims is to create an international forum devoted to the issues of stop-motion animation and children cinema.

We'd like to invite all artistic schools, film schools, production companies, film institutions and individual artists, as well as  other institutions and persons entitled, to submit films.

Animation Showcase @ San Diego Asian Film Festival 2011
San Diego, California, USA
October 20-28, 2011Regular Submission Deadline: May 02, 2011
Final Extended Deadline: June 01, 2011

Attention animators! The 12th Annual San Diego Asian Film Festival 2011 will once
again be showcasing animated short films produced by animators of Asian
ethnicities in a 90-minute all-animation program. All forms of
animation (traditional, claymation, stop-motion, flash, CGI, etc) will
be accepted for consideration into this competitive festival. Films by
all animators (of all ethnicities) pertaining to Asian issues and themes
will also be considered. Please submit DVD screeners for consideration.
 If selected, all films will be screened in glorious HD 1080p format. A
Best Animated Short Film Award will be awarded with prizes to be
determined.

The year 2011 will be SDAFF's 12th year of celebrating the best in Asian
Cinema in sunny San Diego. Last year, SDAFF screened over 150 films in 8
days with many industry celebrities in attendance. The all-animation
program was a resounding success with 2 sold out shows and 1 encore
screening due to popular demand. THE WONDER HOSPITAL, by Shimbe Shim
took the Best Animated Short Award.

Help make SDAFF a success again by submitting your animation and spreading
the word to your friends and associates who may also be interested.
Thank you.

Here's a short previs round up of tools and technologies found at NAB 2011. Take a look around the show floor and see if any of these toys strikes your fancy.

Have you made an animated short film in the last 18 months? Want it to screen to a packed house as part of the fantastic TAIS Showcase this June in Toronto? Then submit!

The Toronto Animated Image Society (TAIS) is seeking independent animated films completed after June 2009 that are under 15 minutes in length for the TAIS ANIMATION SHOWCASE screening this June 23, 2011 at Innis Town Hall (University of Toronto, 2 Sussex Avenue). All genres, mediums, techniques, themes accepted, both narrative and non-narrative. 

There is no entry fee to submit work. Artist fees paid for all selected films.

Films should be submitted ONLY as QuickTime movie files on DVD/CD or via a download link for the file(s). Please send either a 1280 x 720 Quicktime file or a 720 x 480 Quicktime file using our preferred codecs ProRes or Photo Jpeg with 48kHz sound.

Send your submission to: 
Toronto Animated Image Society
TAIS Showcase 2011
60 Atlantic Avenue, Suite 102
Toronto, Ontario M6K 1X9 
CANADA

Please include a completed submission form ( downloadable at www.tais.ca/animationshowcase_submissionform.pdf ), an artist bio and two film stills (tiff or jpg @ 300 dpi – 2 x 3). Submission form, bio, contact info and download links may be emailed to tais@bellnet.ca or included in mailed submission package. Please do not send large files via email.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS:
Monday, May 16, 2011, 5:00 pm

For more info, visit  www.tais.ca

The 24 Hour Film Race 2011 is an international competition that challenges filmmakers everywhere to create short films (4 minutes max.) in just 24 hours from April 29-30.  Montreal is one of the participating cities in the 24 Hour Film Race and will have a separate competition and premiere screening for the filmmakers at the Cinema du Parc.  Space is limited in Montreal, so make sure to register your team early at http://www.filmracing.com/24/24HourFilmRace.htm and use discount FILMRACER24 for $10 off the entry fee.  Good luck!