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.

CSU Animation and Visual Effects present the fifth Australian International Animation Festival 2008. This year they have secured amazing exclusives from more than 2,200 submissions from 30 countries.

The international programs will give audiences a complete, up-to-date snapshot of the international creative animation scene. In addition are programs that focus on digital animating, puppet films and Australian-made films. There will be kids, high school aged-programs, and even a "Late Night Bizarre: program for those whose tastes are on the extreme. There will also be a series of free talks and workshops given by filmmakers from all over Australia to provide a chance to learn more about how and why these films get made. Door-prizes include Adobe, Autodesk, Wacom and HP products.

Venue: Forum 6 Cinema
Cost: $10 Single Session or $30 Full Festival Pass

Friday May 16 schedule: High School/Teen Program, International Program #1, International Puppet Animation Panorama, Launch Party

Saturday May 17 schedule: Kids Program, Seminar: Animation Now! International Animation Overview, Seminar: The State Of Australian Animation, Australian Panorama, International Program #2, Late Night Bizarre

Sunday May 18 schedule: Seminar: "Voice Wrangling," Seminar: D.I.Y. Art + D.I.Y. Funding 2.0, International Program #3, Digital Panorama, After Party.

Expo Licensing Latinoamarica 2007 features top level executives with decision power from Mexico and all over Latin America, the Caribbean and other Spanish speaking countries. This first international licensing event in Latin America is expected to gather participation of more than 6,000 Mexican and international attendees. Expo Licensing Latinoamarica 2007 will be your platform where attendees will sign exclusive deals, strategize with retailers, solidify promotional partnerships and much more. The exhibit show floor will occupy more than 3,000 square meters of space, in ?the state of the art" Banamex Convention Center. Expo Licensing Latinoam?rica 2007 is endorsed by ADVANSTAR, official organizer of the prestigious Licensing International Convention and Trade Show. For more information, visit licensingmexico.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/.

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.

ANIMA

The Bitfilm Festival for digital film and new media shows films that use digital technology in a creative and innovative way. There are six categories: * 3D Space: Computer generated 3D animations. * FX Mix: Digitally composed hybrids, mixing live-action, effects and animation. * 64K Demos: Audiovisual programs that work with a PC's processor and videocard. * Flash: Linear films and interactive works made with Macromedia Flash. * Machinima: Films that are animated in realtime using game environments. * Micromovies: Films of max. three minutes that are custom-made for mobile devices like cell phones, PDAs, etc. There will be a total of 45,000 Euros in prize money awarded. There is no entry fee. More information and submissions can be found at www.bitfilm-festival.org.

Live Improvised Animation Performance in Immersive Planetarium Dome Theater

Spontaneous Fantasia at the Glendale Community College Planetarium is a showcase for the combined efforts of a visual artist, performance artist, animator, musical composer, and Technical Academy Award winner. All happen to be the same person: J.Walt Adamczyk, he of the multiple talents and Scrabble-worthy last name, puts together an hour of improvised 3D animation and music through interactive CG techniques, accompanied by his own original score.

Adamczyk creates live animated scenes which include alien landscapes, strange oceanic ballets, surreal gardens, psychedelic swirls.

The show is suitable for all ages, though tots might find it too intense.

March 28-29
April 11-12
April 25-26
May 9-10
May 23-24

Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 6:30 p.m.
Adults:$10, Kids: $6

GCC Planetarium
1500 N. Verdugo Road, Glendale, California 91208

Info and reservations: (626) 688-0778

www.spontaneousfantasia.com

Animatu is an animation festival dedicated to digital. The festival holds an international Short competition, with some categories open only for Portuguese schools, Workshops and talks will also be held, among other activities. There are no entry fees. Categories: 3D/2D digital, Machinima, Motion Graphics and Mobile Phone Animation.

The Academy of Machinima Arts & Sciences will hold the Machinima Film Festival, which celebrates films made within a realtime virtual 3D environment (i.e. 3D game engine). The early submission deadline is August 1, 2003 and the final deadline is September 15, 2003. Last year