Sponsored by GarageGames, the fourth annual Independent Games is a fun, informal and informative gathering of independent game developers featuring a keynote address, "The State of the Revolution," by Mark Frohnmayer. IGC provides connections and content for programmers, artists and indie entrepreneurs. Speakers include Melv May on 2D game design, Ill Clan on machinima, John Welsh and Dave Nixon on the casual gaming industry, Thomas Buscaglia on legal issues, Ageia on the future of game physics, Ryan Gordon on Mac OS X game development, Microsoft on Xbox development and many more industry veterans. IGC 2005 presents a great platform for the independent game development community to show off their creations, while learning about next-generation technologies and helpful topics for game developers spread out over five different breakout tracks. The breakout tracks cover topics such as animation and lighting for artists, marketing and legal issues for the business side of gaming, and development techniques from seasoned game programmers. Early registration is online and costs $195 for a three-day pass, including sessions, t-shirt, food, LAN parties and beverage of choice ("beer") for those registering before Sept. 16. Space is limited, so reservations will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. Registrations after Sept. 16 will be $250. More information is available at www.indiegamescon.com.

The Sex in Video Games Conference: Exploring the Business of Digital Erotic Entertainment will be held at the Lodge at Union Square, Kensington Park Hotel in San Francisco, California. The conference is the first of its type and will be an annual event. This unique conference will focus on the design, development, and technology of sex in video games from a national as well as international perspective. In addition, this conference will also have a strong focus on business matchmaking and networking. During the conference's two-day run, it will feature numerous lectures and keynotes, a machinima art show (erotic art and movies derived from video games) as well as panel discussions with leaders in video game and adult video game development. Sheri Graner Ray will give the keynote. Graner Ray is an accomplished game designer with 16 years experience in the videogame industry and is the author of GENDER INCLUSIVE GAME DESIGN: EXPANDING THE MARKET. For more information, visit www.sexinvideogames.com.

THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM animated short, a stop-motion adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's classic short story, directed by animation veteran Marc Lougee and exec produced by animation and vfx icon Ray Harryhausen, is slated to screen over the TriCity Comic Con weekend, October 11, 2008. The 3rd Annual Tri-City Independent Fan Film Festival takes place Oct. 11, 2008 in conjunction with Tri-City Comic Con (TC3). The creation of TC3 is for the promotion of art, media, literature, gaming, and imagination, especially in the Science Fiction, Fantasy and Comic genres. We support the education of the general public in these areas by hosting events, fan-run conventions, and bringing guest professionals to the community and into the local schools to educate and encourage future artists and artisans. The event includes appearances by comic book artists, media guests, exhibitor hall and dealers room, independent film festival and assorted gaming events. Event to be held at Red Lion Inn, 2525 North 20th Avenue, Pasco, Washington, 99301 Telephone: (509) 547-0701 Website: redlion.rdln.com

As a featured component of Los Angeles' International AFI Film Festival, AFI DigiFest is presenting two interactive media showcases highlighting the latest innovations in digital media and their real-world applications. Presented at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' beautiful Linwood-Dunn Theater, the two days of presentations and seminars will be filled with some pretty dazzling stuff. Here's the program: Day One (November 8): AFI hosts a series of curated presentations that highlight noteworthy digital productions from around the world. Among the presentations, Marshall Herskovitz, creator of THIRTY SOMETHING, MY SO-CALLED LIFE and BLOOD DIAMOND, will preview QUARTERLIFE, a new dramatic broadband series that premieres on MySpace on Nov. 11. Presentations rounding out the day feature the best in new digital thinking from the worlds of film, television, games and mobile. Bobby Beck, CEO/President, Animation Mentor, will be part of a panel titled "The Reinvention of Storytelling through Interactive Media." Day Two (November 9): AFI presents five new prototypes incubated in the AFI Digital Content Lab: an online video platform and citizen journalist toolkit for NOW, PBS' weekly investigative news program; a strategy for retaining viewer interest during ads in a DVR environment for Bravo; a social network tailored for players, a documentary about videogame fans being produced by MTV, EA, and Mekanism; a pilot for an original dramatic machinima series created within a 3D game engine; and, finally, a unique user-generated film contest, Filmocracy, for ITVS. For more information, visit www.afi.com/onscreen/AFIFEST/2007/.

ANIMA

Created in 1998, Forum Brasil is Latin America's leading TV programming trade show. Representatives from more than 20 countries use the forum as a marketplace to find great products, share experiences, get new information, analyze local markets, and engage in profitable business networking. Forum Brazil features: * International seminar with top-tier names in programming and production * 30-minute sessions with channel executives from Brazil and other countries detailing their acquisition policies * Pitching of animation, documentary, series and feature projects * Screenings of programs and pilots via a fully automated system * Great networking, acquisitions, co-production and distribution opportunities Broadcasters, pay-TV channels, distributors and independent producers from Brazil, other Latin American countries, the United States, Canada, Asia and Europe have made Forum Brasil a regular fixture of their business schedule. For additional information, visit www.forumbrasiltv.com.br.

The American International Toy Fair is the largest toy trade show in the Western Hemisphere. More than 1,500 manufacturers, distributors, importers and sales agents from 30 countries showcase their toy and entertainment products. From classic toys to interactive entertainment and everything in between, it has it all. Products include action figures and dolls, games and puzzles, bicycles, tricycles and ride-ons, radio-controlled vehicles, infant and preschool toys, cars, trucks and trains, puppets and plush, computer software and videogames, playground and sporting equipment, Halloween and Christmas items, books, stationery, party supplies, and much more. More information can be found at www.toyassociation.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Toy_Fair.

Enter web competition HAFFTube! For the second time the Holland Animation Film Festival presents an International competition for web animations. HAFFTube is our official channel within YouTube. That's where it all happens. Flash, Machinima, Brickfilms, this competition is open for all animation films available online! How does it work? Please read the regulations carefully and note that your film should be uploaded on YouTube before submitting the entry form. HAFF will rate the films that have been entered for competition. This starts from September 7th onward. When we have reached our set limit of 50 films, the official voting begins. Every week, films will be voted out by the HAFF-staff, to create possibilities for new entries. And so HAFFTube will gradually fill-up with animated films from all over the world. Deadline for entries is October 15, 2009. An International jury of filmmakers selects the winner out of the final 50 titles. The winner will be announced at the opening of the Holland Animation Film Festival 2009 on November 4th. Check http://www.youtube.com/hafftube for more details. Hope to see you at HAFFTube soon!

The Academy of Machinima Arts and Sciences will present the 2005 Machinima Film Festival, a full-day of Machinima (animated filmmaking using 3D videogame technologies), taking place at the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, Queens. The one-day event will include screenings of Machinima films, special presentations, talks with award-winning independent filmmakers and seminars about Machinima production techniques. For more information, visit festival.machinima.org.

The Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF 04) is North America's oldest and largest animation festival. The festival is broken up into four umbrella categories. The first is for animated feature films. The New Media Competition covers Animation Short Made for the Internet, Internet series, interactive animation and "Machinima," films made with video game software. Commissioned Films Competition covers educational, scientific or industrial film, advertising film, station-program identification, music video, television special, television pilot, television series for adults and television series for children. Independent Short Films Competition covers narrative short film under 35 minutes, non-narrative short film under 35 minutes, first film and films made for children. The changes for 2004 include an expanded range of new media categories -- growing from one generic to four sub-categories -- and additional TV categories. Traditionally shown out of competition as a program enhancement, the feature film category was first introduced at the last OIAF held in 2002, and is expected to draw even more entries this time around. Overall, a record 1,700 entries were received for OIAF 02, the most entries ever received by any international animation festival. Approximately 100 more films, selected from an anticipated 1,500+ entries, will be shown during the festival's showcase programs. The International Short Showcase, the International TV Showcase, the Canadian Short Showcase, the Canadian TV Showcase and the first-ever Kids Animation Showcase will comprise this out-of-competition series. Founded in 1976, and held biennially ever since, the OIAF attracts international animators, producers, broadcasters, and enthusiasts to Ottawa to view films entered in and out of competition, and attend special screenings and workshops that ponder the current state and future of animation. For more information, visit www.animationfestival.ca or www.awn.com/ottawa, e-mail info@animationfestival.ca or call (613) 232-8769.