Cartoon Creativity will cover everything one needs to know about developing an animated TV series. Animation professionals from all over Europe will congregate for the next Cartoon Creativity, a seminar organized by Cartoon, with the support of the Media Programme of the European Union. For three intensive days, attendees will be able to work on the creative development of a TV series, and get a feel for the commercial demands of the international market. The topic under discussion will include: The Genesis of a Concept, The Language of Film, the Choice of Broadcasters and Creating the Right Visual Style. Two case studies of successful TV series will be ROLIE POLIE OLIE for pre-school children and THE CRAMP TWINS for older children and pre-teens. Workshops will cover from concept to bible, art direction, the script and the storyboard.

Cartoon has invited the following speakers to this event: Terry Thoren, ceo/president of Klasky Csupo (USA), St

CATNAP, Chicago Area Toon Novices and Professionals, moves to a new meeting location in February. We will be at the Loop Campus of the Illinois Institute of Art, 180 N. Wabash Ave., Room 234. Attendees are encouraged to take advantage of the location by using public transportation. This month's featured presentation will be by Ron Fleischer and John Griffin on the preproduction steps required to send the film "Lemmings" out for final animation work. The meeting is scheduled from 1 to 4 pm. Attendees are encouraged to bring work for screening and discussion.

American Film Market is a premiere market for the business of motion picture production and distribution. For eight days, the AFM sees more than 300 motion picture companies and 7,000 film executives. AFM assembles the largest gathering of the industry's most influential leaders. Acquisition and development execs, producers, distributors, agents, attorneys, buyers and film financiers convene to pursue the business of film. Hundreds of films are financed, packaged, licensed and greenlit, sealing over half a billion dollars in business for both completed films and those in pre-production. For more information, visit www.afma.com/AFM/home.html.

Futuranima, held as part of the Anima Festival, is a group of discussions and workshops centered on current trends and topics concerning animation and its many applications. Targeted mainly at young professionals and students, these four days focus on the future of animation. In setting up base at the Botanique, Futuranima intends to highlight several topics in particular: the current state of play in multimedia, storyboarding both in live-action feature filmmaking and animation, as well as in animation, relationships between comic strips, video games and animation. For more information visit www.awn.com/folioscope/gb.html.

The Reel to Real International Film Festival for Youth is an annual, competitive, international event. A non-profit media arts and education society, Reel to Real is dedicated to showing the best in culturally diverse, non-stereotypical and humanistic programming for children and youth. Reel to Real International Film Festival for Youth seeks films that are imaginative, evocative, innovative, inspiring, entertaining and suitable for children, 6 and up, and youth, 13 and up. For more information, visit www.r2rfestival.org.

New York International Children

The Animation Co-op Project Pitch Session's purpose is to expose those with projects in the works to those who may be interested in contributing to those projects. To attend, you must RSVP to RSVP@animationcoop.org by March 3, 2004. Space is limited, please do not RSVP if you are not certain that you can attend. The event will take place at 2340 Overland Avenue, West Los Angeles at 8:00 pm. For more information, visit www.animationcoop.com.

The Third Digital Media Summit will focus on all the new trends and demands of the digital media industry. The event draws hundreds of executives from music, film, electronic gaming, cable, TV, video and technology addressing viable business models and innovative solutions for digital media. It

Six years ago with the support of the MEDIA Programme of the European Union, CARTOON initiated Cartoon Movie to establish a synergy between distributors, investors and producers and thus accelerate the financing and distribution process of animated features in Europe. Cartoon Movie was designed along the lines of the successful Cartoon Forum, which aims at facilitating the financing of animation TV series. But Cartoon Movie also offers improvements in the management of cross border film distribution systems in Europe. Distributors in Europe so far did not feel very comfortable about producing projects that did not originate from their own country. Cartoon Movie will eventually change the behavior paterns and the mentalities within this business sector. Cartoon Movie is neither a fair nor a festival, but rather a co-production forum where European producers can negotiate the financing of their feature-length projects and provide support to international cooperation. Cartoon Movie combines the trailer presentations, business meetings and screenings with opportunities for socializing. For more information, visit www.cartoon-media.be/.

Bra!nCamp East is an intimate two-day gathering of senior executives and creators involved in the production, licensing, marketing and sale of kids' entertainment products. Introduced in 1997, BrainCamp attracts some of the most interesting and influential people in the children's entertainment industry, both as speakers and attendees. The focus is on creating and marketing entertainment product to children. BrainCamp provides networking and deal making opportunities. Speakers will include: Al Kahn, chairman and ceo of 4Kids Entertainment Chris Byrne - The Toy Guy, editor, THE TOY REPORT Deborah Dugan - president, Disney Publishing Worldwide Marjorie Kaplan