The Zimbabwe International Film Festival (ZIFF) is back for its 9th edition. The event screens feature films, documentaries and short films from any genre. The films will be up for 11 coveted Mweya awards at the annual Closing Night ceremony on Saturday Sept. 2, 2006. In 2006, the festival will be bringing audiences in Harare, Chitungwiza and Bulawayo the best in world cinema. For more information, visit www.ziff.co.zw.

The world's only exhibition that brings together experts from both the fine art establishment and the interactive entertainment industry to explore the art of the video game, Into the Pixel is now accepting submissions for the 2008 collection at www.IntoThePixel.com. Now in its fifth year, Into the Pixel is the one annual opportunity for published video and computer game artists to be recognized by renowned fine art experts, the art-loving public and by their peers in the video game industry. Artists must submit their work by May 21, 2008, for consideration by the ITP jury. Each year Into the Pixel convenes a jury of world-renowned museum curators, gallerists, educators, artists and interactive entertainment art veterans to review the art submitted by video game artists from all over the world. Only 16 pieces are ultimately selected by the jury to be printed by a master printer, framed and hung in the ITP gallery, which then travels around the U.S. and abroad. The highly anticipated 2008 art exhibition will be unveiled to the game industry at the E3 Media & Business Summit, July 15-17, and will open to the public at "Entertainment for All Expo" (E for All), October 3-5, 2008 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Into the Pixel was created by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) and the Prints and Drawings Council of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). The newly appointed 2008 Into the Pixel Jury: --Louis Marchesano, Curator of Collections, Prints & Drawings, Getty Research Institute --Kevin Salatino, Curator of Prints & Drawings, Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) --Daniel Dociu, Chief Art Director, NCsoft North America --Richard Duardo, Managing Director and Master Printer, Modern Multiples Fine Art Studio --Tracy Fullerton, Assistant Professor, USC School of Cinematic Arts, and Co-Director, Interactive Media Division/Electronic Arts Game Innovation Lab --Lorne Lanning, Co-Founder and President, Oddworld Inhabitants --Glenn Phillips, Consulting Curator, Getty Research Institute --Kiki Wolfkill, Executive Producer, Microsoft Game Studios Submissions must be art from published or soon-to-be-published computer and video games, or art that was used in the creation of the games. Artists may submit up to three original works. Deadline is May 21, 2008 at Midnight (PT). Interested artists should visit www.IntoThePixel.com for more detailed information or to submit artwork.

From December 1-5 Autodesk will host a series of 3December events to celebrate 3D artists and their work. For the tenth consecutive year, these events provide Autodesk 3D software users with the opportunity to share their art, learn and network with their peers. 3December 2008 will include 3D art contests, live events in numerous cities around the world, and a virtual celebration on Autodesk's online user community -- the AREA. Autodesk will host live events on December 3 in London, Paris, Seoul, and Tokyo. Live events will also be hosted in New York City and Las Vegas on December 2 and Melbourne on December 5. In New York, free MasterClass Tips & Tricks sessions for Autodesk Maya, Autodesk 3ds Max and Autodesk Mudbox software will be offered by Derald Hunt and Erik Paynter from Turner Studios, renowned 3ds Max VFX artist Allan McKay, and Bill Harper from The Dreamhive. At the New York evening event, Harper will also offer a demonstration of Mudbox modeling techniques, while other high-profile artists will present tips and tricks for Maya and 3ds Max. The program line-up for the London event includes presentations by artists from Double Negative and The Mill. Registration is required for these events. For more information, or to register, visit: http://area.autodesk.com/3dec. Approximately ten Autodesk Animation User Group Association chapters will hold meetings in conjunction with 3December, including Los Angeles, New Jersey, and Oklahoma City. This year's Los Angeles meeting, at the Gnomon School of Visual Effects, features Blur Studio discussing the cinematic pipeline used to create Warhammer Online. The user group chapter in Oklahoma, based at Digital Tutors, also promises a stellar line up of guests for its meeting, including Greg Punchatz, senior creative director at Janimation. Autodesk's AREA community website will serve as an online venue for the weeklong celebration. The site will offer free content including, tutorials, demonstrations and show reels. With the support of HP, Intel, and Wacom, Autodesk will also offer videos and images of 3December events online. Artists can register to become a member of the AREA community free-of-charge year-round at http://area.autodesk.com. During 3December, Autodesk will launch two contests, which will run until the end of January 2009. The "Alien Landscapes" contest invites artists to use Maya, 3ds Max, Mudbox and/or Softimage|XSI software to design an alien landscape. The grand prize winner will receive an HP DreamColor LP2480zx Display, courtesy of HP and a Dual Quad Core Intel Xeon based HP xw8600 workstation, courtesy of Intel. The winner will also receive one license of Mudbox 2009 software, as well as his or her choice of one license of Maya Complete 2009, 3ds Max 2009 or Softimage|XSI software. To celebrate the event's tenth anniversary, the "3December Logo Design Challenge" requires artists to design a logo for 3December using Autodesk SketchBook Pro software. Among other requirements, the 2D design submitted must be transferrable to 3D and easily animated. The grand prize winner will receive a Wacom Cintiq 12 tablet, provided by Wacom. On December 1, more information, including contest terms and conditions, are to be available at http://area.autodesk.com/3dec.

The number one question we are always asked is how to protect your TV show idea from being stolen. In this Master Class teleseminar/webinar, we'll reveal: -- What you can and can't do to protect your idea -- When you shouldn't worry about protecting your idea -- Copyright protection myths -- Why most stories of stolen concepts aren't true -- Links to help you protect your idea -- Why you want to sign Submission Release Forms -- Do you need a Non-Disclosure Form -- Common themes pitched to all networks Interviews with: -- Patric Verrone, president of the WGA and head writer/co-executive producer on FUTURAMA. Verrone will talk about protection offered by the WGA He will share his views on if you should worry about your idea being stolen -- Marc Zicree Writer/Producer on STAR TREK, SLIDERS, BABYLON 5 about protecting his ideas (or not) -- Linda Simensky - SVP PBS Kids, SVP Original Animation Cartoon Network -- Joel Andryc - Saban, Fox Family Channel We will answer your questions about protecting your idea Date: Tuesday, May 5, 2009 Time: 8:30 PM Eastern/ 5:30 PM Pacific Cost: $49 Where: Telephone/Online (Live online streaming offered to avoid overseas charges) Register: www.HitMakerSeminars.com Hosted by Mark and Jeanne Simon Founders of www.SellYourTvConceptNow.com

AnimationMentor.com will host a free webinar discussion between Animation Mentor chief executive officer and co-founder Bobby Beck and Don Hahn, acclaimed producer for The Walt Disney Studios, about the life and influence of Disney mentor, teacher, and artist Walt Stanchfield. Open to animators and animation enthusiasts alike, the webinar celebrates the launch of the new book, DRAWN TO LIFE: 20 GOLDEN YEARS OF DISNEY MASTER CLASSES, the complete series of animation lectures by Walt Stanchfield.

Webinar Details
Date: Thursday, July 14, 2009
Time: 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. Pacific
Register: http://www.animationmentor.com/webinar/

About Don Hahn, The Walt Disney Studios
Don Hahn is a two-time Academy Award nominee and film producer responsible for producing some of the most successful Walt Disney Animated films of the past 20 years, including BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and THE LION KING.
To learn more about Hahn, visit http://www.donhahn.com/.

About DRAWN TO LIFE: 20 GOLDEN YEARS OF DISNEY MASTER CLASSES
Published for the first time, DRAWN TO LIFE is a two-volume collection of the legendary lectures from longtime Disney animator Walt Stanchfield. For over 20 years, Walt helped breathe life into the new golden age of animation with these teachings at the Walt Disney Animation Studios and influenced such talented artists as Tim Burton, Brad Bird, Glen Keane, and John Lasseter. This book represents the quintessential refresher for fine artists and film professionals, and is a vital tutorial for students who are now poised to be part of another new generation in the art form.

Backed by entertainment leader Showtime Networks, alt.SHO.com has launched its inaugural Alternative Media Festival. alt.SHO.com is accepting original content submissions from digital artists, animators, directors and programmers to be judged by a panel of technology and entertainment industry leaders based on artistic merit and innovative use of technology. alt.SHO.com accepts only entertainment shorts created using digital tools, and those specifically designed for viewing through existing Internet bandwidth constraints. The Alternative Media Festival will have nine categories: comedy, drama, action, documentary, sci-fi, horror, family, experimental and toys/games.

Penton Media's Internet World Media & Entertainment Festival (ME Festival) highlights live-action films, animation, Web commercials, Web series and experimental works under 15 minutes in length. Winners will be announced March 13, 2001, during the two-day Internet World D2M2 Spring Conference in Los Angeles. Selection will go live February 7 at www.internetworldmefestival.com. Viewers, who log on, can vote for an Audience Award of their favorite short. Filmmakers will vie for five prizes that include cash and all-expense paid trips to national and international Internet World 2001 conference sites. Entry fees and deadlines are US$40 by November 4; $60 by November 15; and $75 by 5 pm on December 4.

The Mogra Festival 2001 is an online exhibit highlighting work from motion designers from around the globe. The idea is to create a comprehensive gallery of both creative and corporate work created in After Effects and motion graphics. The online gallery will be located at www.pitchtv.com, similar to the Interactive Playground. There are plans in the works to create a physical exhibit in New York City.

The Reel Film Festival 2001 is an international online visual arts festival for independent artists and student artists around the globe. Our goal is to offer a forum for the arts that allows for recognition of artistic talent and the fusion of artists from different fields, including film, screenplay writing, sculpture, painting, drawing, photography and architecture.

AMD is holding the AMD Athlon 64 Processor Animation and Digital Film Contest, a global search for the best non-commercial animation and digital short films. Eligible participants can submit their work in one of two categories, "Digital Cinematography" or "Computer Character Animation," for a chance to win one of two grand prizes. Each grand prizewinner will receive a desktop system based on the upcoming AMD Athlon 64 processor and $6,400. Eligible participants are invited to submit original 30- to 45-second, animations or digital short films for consideration. Six semifinalists will be selected (three in each category) by AMD and a panel of experts. These six submissions will be re-rendered by AMD on an AMD Athlon 64 processor-based system at the conclusion of the contest. AMD also plans to showcase the six semifinalists at AMD Athlon 64 launch events around the world on September 23, 2003. Contest information and official rules can be found at www.amd.com/animationcontest.