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.

The International Forum for Animation Technologies (FITA) is held every year in Angoul

The 8th Hollywood Film Festival is a celebration of the art of film. The event features a three-day Hollywood conference from Oct. 15-17, featuring networking with Hollywood pros. Each year top executives, producers, agents and others from such companies as Columbia/TriStar, Paramount, Walt Disney, Miramax, New Line, Fox Searchlight, the Samuel Goldwyn Co., NBC, Overseas Filmgroup, CAA, ICM, Metropolitan, William Morris, Writers & Artists, and many others, participate as panelists. HFF screens the finalist features, documentaries and shorts. Festival parties and special events include an Opening Night Premiere and a Closing Night Premiere. The Hollywood Movie Awards Ceremony takes place on the final day of the festival. The event also offers a screenwriting contest. For more information contact the Hollywood Film Festival at 433 N. Camden Drive, Suite 600, Beverly Hills, California 90210, tel: (310) 288-1882, or visit www.hollywoodfilmfestival.com.

The I Castelli Animati Festival highlights animation in all its forms from commercials to features films. The international competition awards the following prizes: grand prize, special jury prize, best debut short film, best European short film, audience prize, Fabrizio Bellocchino prize, best Web animation and best non-narrative short film. The Italian competition will give a grand prize and special jury prize to the top Italian productions. The event includes exhibitions, retrospectives, conferences and screenings. This year

The Nashville Screenwriters Conference (NSC) brings Tinsel Town's top writers, agents, managers, producers and studio execs together for one open-to-the-public event. This year's conference takes place at the Union Station Hotel. The mission of the NSC is to bring together an eclectic combination of seasoned Hollywood players to Nashville for a three-day weekend. The conference, titled The Year of Truth and Lies, will cover topics including "Ignoring Your Friends: Writing Teams," "Lying to Your Friends: The Microwave Pitch," "Telling the Truth: Writing for the Documentary" and "Lying with Your Friends: The Writer's Room (the anatomy of the hit TV series from HBO's BIG LOVE and a new episode premiere). New to this year's agenda will be a "Packaging & Distribution POW-WOW." Nashville's creative community will have the opportunity to learn and engage in face-to-face dialogue with panelists on how to get scripts to TV and filmmakers and insider tips for what is needed to succeed. Panelists' credits include CATS AND DOGS, HOUSE OF WAX, THE ALAMO, THE WEST WING and A MIGHTY WIND, to name a few. Other highlights include a "Lunch with the Panelists and Sponsors" (providing an opportunity for participants to network in an informal luncheon setting), a "Music in Film & TV Luncheon" (a successful event that caters to songwriters, composers and artists interested in learning how to place their music in films and TV shows), a "Silver Screen Party" (a Saturday night party with panelists and sponsors featuring world-class singer-songwriters in the round, libations, dinner and a silent auction) and Sunday's "Wrap Party" (which gives panelists and attendees one last chance to meet, mingle and discuss ideas over a fantastic southern brunch). For detailed information on panels, events, hotel registration and to purchase tickets, log onto www.nashscreen.com/ or call 1-877-NSC-2003 or 615-254-2049.

ETA-Entertainment Technology Alliance is dedicated to brining the entertainment industry and technologists together. The event will take place at the Hudson Hotel. Speakers will include people from such companies as AT&T, E! Online Entertainment, Microsoft Windows Digital Media, Screen Digest and Time Magazine. ETA Expo hopes to create a better understanding in the field of media technology and entertainment business. For more information, contact tel.: (310) 229-8915, e-mail: info@etaexpo.com or Web: http://www.etaexpo.com.

The International Forum for Animation Technologies (FITA) is held every year in Angouleme, France, which, after Paris, is the largest production center for animation of all kinds. The 9th FITA will focus on the illusion of life, emotionally compelling characters and the technologies that enable them.

Speakers include: Christophe Hery, Lead R&D engineer, ILM; Matt Aitken, SFX Supervisor, Weta Digital; Xavier Desdoigts, Director of Technical Operations, Animal Logic; Peter Plantec, head of Ordinary Magic.com; Parag Havaldar, Lead Software Engineer, Sony Pictures Imageworks; Henry LaBounta, Director of Art, Electronic Arts; Sebastien Racine, Associate Producer, Ubisoft Digital Arts; among others.

They will talk about topics ranging from Digital Cloning at ILM to Tools and Techniques for creating compelling digital performances at Weta Digital, from creating realistic facial performances on BEOWULF to new techniques for acquiring, rendering, and displaying human performance and more.

For more information, visit www.fita-magelis.org.

The Petersen Automotive Museum (6060 Wilshire Blvd.) will host a presentation by Syd Mead, focusing on his career and his designs for the cars of tomorrow. Some of his early works are on display in the currently running exhibition, "Driving Through Futures Past." Immediately following his presentation, SENTURY and OBLAGON will be on sale, and Syd will be on hand to sign copies. It promises to be an evening to meet and greet some of the most influential automotive designers and examine their work in the "Driving Through Futures Past" exhibition. The event will run from 7:30

Academy of Art University

AD:TECH 05 is a conference focusing on interactive marketing. The event will offer: trends, datapoints and consumer insight; blocking and tackling gritty online details; strategic roadmaps, plans and checklists; case studies of integrated programs; and networking opportunities. Keynote speakers will include: Roger D. Blackwell Ph.D, professor of marketing Fisher College of Business, Ohio State University and president of Roger Blackwell Associates Inc.; John Costello, evp, merchandising & marketing, The Home Depot; Esther Dyson, editor, RELEASE 1.0; Brian McAndrews, president/ceo, a Quantive Inc.; and Mary Meeker, Morgan Stanley. For more information, visit www.ad-tech.com.