Students in 24 countries will have the opportunity to test their skills in a number of creative endeavors and, perhaps, get a jump-start on their careers with a prestigious award from Adobe Systems.

Adobe has this date issued a call for entries for the sixth annual Adobe Design Achievement Awards for promising students in graphic design, photography, illustration, animation, digital filmmaking and computer arts.

The competition is open to students using Adobe software like Creative Suite 2 for their projects. There will be a total of nine categories. Originality and effectiveness in communicating objectives will be the main criteria for judging, the company said.

Judging will be in May and finalists will be contacted shortly afterwards. Finalists will receive a trip to Toronto for the final awards. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in Toronto on July 20. Each winner receives $5,000 in cash and a selection of Adobe products.

Judges include Leslie Beeler of Second Story; Rodolphe Guenoden of Dreamworks Animation; Diti Katona of Concrete Design Communications; Masamichi Udagawa of Antenna Design New York Inc; and Jan Wilker of karlssonwilker, inc.

For more information, visit www.adobe.com/education.

Electronic Arts is hosting 'Reveal 06'

Now in its 30th year, the Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF 06) is the premiere animation festival in North America. Independent, commercial, and student animators working in a variety of media submit their work, under eight umbrella categories; including independent short films, feature films, new media, music videos, commercials, TV shows, student films, films for children, and a new addition this year, TELETOON Canadian Student Animation Scholarship. To help celebrate its 30th anniversary, before each screening OIAF 06 will screen a signal film from a past Ottawa festival. In addition to the competition and non-competitive Showcase screenings, OIAF 06 will include Warner Bros. animation legend Bob Clampett, Italian master Bruno Bozzeto (Allegro Non Troppo), celebrated Russian Animator Konstantin Bronzit, New York experimental artist Jeff Scher, a selection of Bravo!Fact's best animation shorts, and Toon Town: a special celebration of animation produced in Canada's Capital City. Returning after its launch at OIAF 06 is the 3rd Annual Television Animation Conference, Canada's only industry forum for television animation producers, broadcasters, and buyers to network, discuss market trends, and conduct business. The conference will be held at the Chateau Laurier Hotel on September 20-21 and will offer delegates a unique opportunity to connect with their targets and gain valuable insight into the Canadian and international markets. Other events include the Animator's Picnic, Technology Forum,and a special market for schools and recruiting. More event information will be released in the coming months. For more information, visit www.animationfestival.ca.

FANTASY WORLDWIDE is a competitive film festival with Awards for Best Feature Film, Best Short, Best Documentary and Best Animation. Other Awards include: The People

Mobifest is Canada's first and only mobile film festival. Sponsored by Palm Canada, MobiFest aims to bring fame and notoriety to the emergent art of mobile or "pocket" films. This international competition is open to all filmmakers over the age of 16. The only submission criteria is that films must be shot and created specifically for the "small screen"

The four-day Banff World Television Festival combines a prestigious international program competition, the Banff World Television Awards, with a comprehensive conference agenda. Within this festival, production deals are secured and advanced, new business relationships are formed and future trends in the industry are identified and examined. BANFF is committed to delivering excellence in television and, as a result, is the world

The Canadian Awards for the Electronic and Animated Arts (CAEAA) will showcase the best in Canadian videogame development and animation. The first annual Canadian Awards for the Electronic and Animated Arts (CAEAA 2006) will take place at the River Rock Show Theatre in Richmond, a suburb of Vancouver. This year

Giggleshorts is the largest comedy short film festival in the world. Last year Gigglehsorts presented more than 200 short comedy , films, animations, spoofs, ads, etc. For more information, visit www.giggleshorts.com.

Advanced Digital Art Production Techniques (ADAPT) is launching the first edition of a new conference aimed to bring world leading international & local digital art masters under one roof in Montreal. Presented by Digital 04 studios, the ADAPT 2006 Conference will take place Sept. 23-24 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. The ADAPT 2006 Conference will allow concept artists, modelers, riggers, animators and the like an opportunity to expand their capabilities and stimulate innovation by exposing them to the latest and most advanced digital art techniques used by the most acclaimed artists from Montreal to Hollywood and around the world. In addition to the conferences, participants will have the opportunity to meet with artists, attend an autograph signing session & network at the official ADAPT 2006 Conference cocktail mixer on the Hyatt Regency Hotel roof top terrace overlooking Montreal's skyline. Participants will also have the opportunity to showcase their portfolio and obtain a review by renowned artists. Finally, recruiters from leading companies in the industry will be conducting interviews. The artist line-up includes: * Syd Mead (BLADE RUNNER, TRON, ALIENS) * Jason Spencer-Galsworthy (CHICKEN RUN, WALLACE & GROMMIT, FLUSHED AWAY) * James Clyne (BATTLE ANGEL, X-MEN: THE LAST STAND, CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, WAR OF THE WORLDS, MINORITY REPORT, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: AI) * Christian Lorenz Scheurer (THE MATRIX, WHAT DREAMS MAY COME, TITANIC, DARK CITY, EA

The Toronto International Film Festival is one of the premiere film festivals in the world. The event features many debuts of films that will go on to be box-office and critical successes. This major industry event is a place where studios test their films and seek out independent features. As part of the festival, the new Sprockets Family Zone program, presented by the Sprockets Toronto International Film Festival for Children, will showcase the best of contemporary international children's cinema, Films include THE WHITE PLANET, THE UGLY DUCKLING AND ME, U, THE HAIRY TOOTH FAIRY and ALEX RIDER: OPERATION STORMBREAKER. For more information on the festival visit www.bell.ca/filmfest.