Oscar-nominated feature animation director Kelly Asbury will be appearing to sign his new book, DUMMY DAYS, AMERICA

Cascade ACM SIGGRAPH, Oregon and Southwest Washington's local SIGGRAPH chapter are sponsoring 4th Generation Media presentation lead by Bruce Curling from Anark Corporation. Curling's presentation will cover the key concepts of 4th Generation Media as it impacts hardware penetration in the current high-tech market. The presentation will also provide an overview of potential applications for interactive 3D multimedia technologies and demonstrate how customers such as Microsoft and NVIDIA are using Anark technologies to facilitate product launches, market presentations, screen savers and Web presentations. The event will take place from 6:30 to 8:00 pm. at the Art Institute of Portland, located at 1122 N.W. Davis Street (Near Powell's Books), Portland. Registration and networking will be from 6:30

The 6th Annual DVD Awards is the premiere awards ceremony for the DVD industry. Hosted by famed film critic Leonard Maltin, the event celebrates the art of making DVDs. This year the event will feature a Viewer's Choice Award. DVD publishers, film studios, production companies, mastering facilities and individual producers are invited to participate in the awards program honoring the best in DVD. For more information visit www.recordingmedia.org/dvd-awards.html.

The Hollywood Film Festival is holding the "Sell/Pitch Your Story" event for anyone with an idea/story, screenplay or book. The event will allow guests to pitch one-on-one to Hollywood executives and agents, guaranteeing attendees multiple pitches and no waiting in line. Panelists include screenwriting teacher David Freeman, producer Robert Kosberg, career manager Donie Nelson, consultant/producer Robert Flexman, writer Bill Martell, director James Pasternack, writer/teacher Richard Krevilon, writer Michael Halperin, writer Jason Squire and consultant/documentarian Pamela Jaye Smith among others. In addition, over 30 executives from Hollywood production companies and agencies will be participating. If you register by August 15, 2003, you save $150. For more information visit www.hollywoodfilmfestival.com or call (310) 288-1882.

The Electronic Computer Trade Show (ECTS) will showcase the latest in computer and video games hardware and software scheduled to hit retail outlets this Christmas. The trade show is the main attraction of a weeklong festival celebrating the world of computer games: London Games Week. In its 14th year, ECTS is the only place in Europe where you can preview all the Christmas hits and gaming technology set to launch in 2004. More than 100 companies are scheduled to show games across every format - PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, Game Boy Advance, PC, Eye Toy and the forthcoming N-Gage from Nokia. Attending companies include Acclaim, Activision, Atari, ATI, BigBen, CAPCOM, Codemasters, Eidos, Electronic Arts, Intel, Konami, Microsoft Xbox, Midway, NVIDIA, Nokia, Sammy, Sega, Sony, THQ, Ubi Soft and Vivendi. The ECTS Awards will be presented on Thursday, August 28, 2003. For more information visit www.ects.com.

Billing itself as "The Cannes Film Festival of Anime Manga Culture," The Big Apple Anime Fest 2003 (BAAF 2003) highlights sci-fi, urban/hip-hop, rave/club and animation. This year

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS MADCAT WOMEN'S INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (Sept. 5-30) emphasizes innovative works by women which challenge the use of sound, images and visual story-telling. Festival seeks independent and experimental works of all lengths and genres directed or co-directed by women for Bay Area events and national touring shows. Work can be produced in any year. Exhibition Formats: Super-8, 16mm and 35mm film; VHS, SVHS, 3/4?, Beta SP; mini-DV video. VHS for preview. Sliding scale entry fee: $10-$30. International entrants disregard the fee. For an entry form go to http://www.madcatfilmfestival.org. (415) 436-9523; fax: (415) 934-0642; info@madcatfilmfestival.org. Final Deadline: June 4. Praise for MadCat "Ben-Dov curates inspired programs that combine both historical (and historically neglected) films and new works by women." - The Independent Film and Video Monthly "MadCat isn't just a women's film festival - it's an arty showcase of avant-garde experimental shorts that veer far from the traditional modes of storytelling." -Seattle Weekly "At MadCat, being avant-garde is just as important as being female." - SF Chronicle "Refreshingly unique!" Film/Tape World "As a genre, as a space for talking about, documenting, dramatizing, and inventing ourselves on camera, women's filmmaking can only grow and improve through ambitious events like MadCat. MadCat gets a big, big hand for insight, excellence, attitude, and chic." - Art Papers

Santa Barbara Contemporary Forum will present the 2003 ASU Art Museum Short Film and Video Festival on the rooftop parking lot of the Paseo Nuevo shopping center. The screening of films and videos will begin at 8:00 pm. For more information visit http://asuartmuseum.asu.edu/filmfest/index.html.

Voice director MJ Lallo will be holding a series of voice over workshops focusing on learning deeper character work, visualization and physicalization along with character improv. Participants will read current feature animation scripts like SHREK. To join, one must have taken voice classes with Lallo or other reputable VO schools or instructors. Three classes will be with Lallo and two classes will be with guest directors Bob Bergen: voice of Pork Pig, Bill Farmer: voice of Goofy, and Rocky Solotoff: owner, voice director of Toon Makers, producers of series such as THE ADVENTURES OF OLIVER TWIST, SPY DOGS, BAD DOG, FLINT THE TIME DETECTIVE, DINAZOURS and MON COLLE KNIGHTS. The five classes will be every Wednesday from 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm at Mj Productions, 4020 W. Magnolia Blvd. Suite K, Burbank, California. The cost is $375 if you pre-register September 3 or two payments of $199 on Sept. 3 and the 4th week of class Oct. 1. For more, contact (818) 980-6576, e-mail: mjlallo@adelphia.net or Web: www.creatingvoices.com.

Temecula Valley International Film & Music Festival is a Southern California event highlighting films and music from around the globe. The festival has a partnership with the Rome Independent Film Festival (RIFF), which includes collaboration on films, awards, showcases and retrospectives. TVIFMF will include an Italian Showcase and the grand jury award-winning feature will screen at RIFF. Celebrating nine years, the TVIFMF is slated for at The Movie Experience 10 at Tower Plaza (25735 Ynez Road). Last year's festival had more than 6,000 attendees, boasting participation from 200 filmmakers, musicians, producers, directors, writers, judges, cast and crew. For information, call Jo Moulton, festival director: (909) 699-8681, Email: jmmoulton@earthlink.net or Web: www.tviff.com.