Continuing our special event specific Flash Newsletters, AWN will return again to coverage of E3 and add a new mailing for Annecy International Animation Festival. These two important events are fast approaching and our editorial and advertising staff is gearing up for the Flash Newsletter series. Please send releases to editor@awn.com. Here are the dates for the publications.

E3 2005
May 10, 2005

Annecy 2005
May 24, 2005

Bitfilm Festival 2005
Hamburg, Germany
November 2-6 2005
Deadline: July 15, 2005

The Bitfilm Festival for digital film and new media shows films that use digital technology in a creative and innovative way. There are six categories:

* 3D Space: Computer generated 3D animations.
* FX Mix: Digitally composed hybrids, mixing live action, effects and animation.
* 64K Demos: Audiovisual programs that work with a PC's processor and videocard.
* Flash: Linear films and interactive works made with Macromedia Flash.

BOXX Technologies Inc., has added Tarari The Acceleration Co. to the growing list of partners in the “Ultimate Swag Bag” promotion, celebrating NAB 2005 by giving back to the digital content and video community with the ultimate swag for digital creativity. As a top sponsor, Tarari will contribute a Tarari Encoder Accelerator for Windows Media valued at more than $13,000.

Women In Animation International will elect its new board of directors and treat members to a panel discussion about The Evolution of Flash, April 19 from 6:30-9:00 pm at Cartoon Network Studios in Burbank, California. Panelists include those who make FLASH work on the Internet and in television animation, along with helping you to build your own home studio, lead by Heather Kenyon, Cartoon Network senior director of development/original animation.

Seoul International Cartoon & Animation Festival - SICAF 2005
Seoul, South Korea
August 11-16, 2005
Deadline: April 30, 2005

Seoul International Cartoon & Animation Festival (SICAF), the most popular festival in Asia, celebrates the art of cartoons, animation and derivative multi-contents. The event consists of three parts – the convention and exhibition, business market and animated film festival.

This week in AWN's Forums, moderator Larry L post some develops that might be a sign of 2D’s rebirth. Post your thoughts. A couple members need some help with animating in Flash. Another member has questions regarding contracts. A 3D student wants to know if animators are good illustrators. A junior member from Brazil wants to know how important life drawing is for animators. Other are posting galleries of their work for members to check out.

While the U.S. isn’t seeing much hockey action these days, those Canadians stay animated about the sport as hockey star Trevor Linden is featured in Studio B’s animated series, BEING IAN, airing at 6:30 pm on March 15, 2005, in the episode '”Hockey Night In Burnaby,” on YTV.

The WB has greenlit a pilot for an animated sketch-comedy show based on LiquidGeneration.com, reports VARIETY. The Website features irreverent Flash animation that parodies pop culture. LiquidGeneration.com founder/CEO Bruce Freud will exec produce with Brad Saranecki, Kim Klechner and Jerry Offsay. Freud was formerly the programming chief at Showtime.

Toon Boom Animation has released Toon Boom Studio v2.5 for Windows and Mac in French. The company, based in Montreal, a bilingual territory in Canada, said it was only natural to add the French capability to Toon Boom Studio's advanced feature set.

Toon Boom Studio integrates many outstanding features including:
* 3D Sceneplanning to Layout your Animation
* Dynamic Multiplane Camera Moves and Effects
* Drawing Mode to Draw and Organize Your Assets
* Optimized Library for Reuse of Templates
* Automated Lip Sync Mapping

fmx, a key event in animation, visual effects, games and other 3D content, celebrates its 10th anniversary this year (April 27-30 in Stuttgart, Germany) by continuing to offer a holistic, cinematic and integrated approach to the booming CGI industry. You can see the changes in CGI reflected in the new design for the fmx/05 logo and trailer, based on the clip, “Timeless,” by Filmakademie graduate student Linus Ewers.

pasi, Philippine animation studio inc., will be moving its production studio facilities on March 1, 2005, to a new home after 15 years at its current Makati, Manila location. The new facilities located in the upscale Legaspi Village, business district of Metro Makati, encompasses six floors with 3,709 square meters of production and office floor space. The building offers an upgraded technical infrastructure and floor to ceiling windows to give artists ample natural light.

Gang of Seven (G7) Animation recently completed work on a number of animated sequences for the upcoming New Line feature film, SON OF THE MASK, the sequel to the hit film, THE MASK and stars Jamie Kennedy as animator Tim Avery. The feature is set for release Feb. 18, 2005.

AWN always maintains an aggressive slate of special Animation Flash event-based newsletters. Sent to to more than 40,000 subscribers, these full-color Adobe Acrobat publications are the perfect way for advertisers to reach the heart of the professional animation, visual effects and gaming communities. Download your copies (high resolution versions - low resolution available upon request) of past issues and check for upcoming publication dates below:

MIPCOM 2008 Animation Flash:

wondertouch has launched particleIllusion 2.0 SE for Mac OS X, marking the company’s first product to support the advanced operating system from Apple.

BrainPOP's has created a new TSUNAMI movie to give kids the information they need to make connections and gain understanding of the devastation caused by natural disasters. The film is available for free distribution to every media company and Website.

This week in AWN's Forums, the big question is where is 2D headed? A member wants some advice on authoring DVDs. A senior member wants to know why Santa doesn’t have a pet. Another member wants people’s opinions on what masterclasses to take. A junior member wants advice on starting an independent animation studio. Additionally, there’s a thread regarding the possibilities of broadcast quality Flash animation. Other thread ask software and school questions.

This week in AWN's Forums, a senior member shares a picture of his new baby girl. A junior member wants advice of timing rates in Flash. More members give their answers to the question -- what is it that you want that no one can give you this Christmas? Another thread collects the odd jobs that people do until they land their next animation gig. Another member asks about animation education in India. Others are posting their work, asking technical advice and software questions.

13th Flashforward and the Flash Film Festival
San Francisco, California, USA
April 6-8, 2005
Deadline: January 10, 2005

Flashforward and the Flash Film Festival are the world's first and largest gathering of Flash users. The event has more than 70 confirmed speakers, which include digital and design visionaries Matthew Carter, legendary type designer; Stefan Sagmeister, renown graphic designer; Laurence Lessig, digital rights attorney; and Ze Frank, Website humorist and developer.

This week in AWN's Forums, a senior member is asking others for their opinions of living in Chicago. A new member is looking to find out what the going rates are for character design. Another poster proposes the question: what is it that you want that no one can give you for Christmas? A senior member declares that communism works. Give your thoughts on the matter. Another thread asks for word on the new version of Flash. Another post provides a link to a hilarious new Webtoon from Camp Chaos, titled ANIME POPEYE.

The inspiration and music is from Japan but the animation talent and work is all done in America in Cartoon Network’s new 2D series, HI HI PUFFY AMIYUMI. The 30-minute animated comedy about the fictional adventures of two very real-life Japanese pop stars, debuts Nov. 19, 2004, at 7:30 pm during “Fridays,” CN’s popular primetime block of animated comedies.