ANIMATION CLUB!!! presents "Secret Handshake," a monthly animation night at Loop Bar in Melbourne. Each month, animators from all around the world create a short animation upon a given topic which is then screened and voted upon by the audience.

After an increasingly popular season in 2008, "Secret Handshake" is back in 2009 with more surprises in store. Now hosted by Melbourne comedian James Hazelden, as well as the monthly competition, ‘Secret Handshake’ also includes rare and vintage animation screenings and the best of upcoming and established animators from around the world.

Get ready, cause "Secret Handshake" starts back April 28.

Secret Handshake
Last Tuesday of every month
Loop Bar, Meyers Pl, Melbourne
Starts at 7:30 p.m. (Submissions due 7:15 p.m. at the very latest)

For more information and submission guidelines, check out our website - http://www.theanimationclub.com.

The first films that will screen in this year's festival have been revealed, presenting a diverse selection of titles that will screen in Australia for the first time. Amongst those in the official competition are animated features CORALINE, BRENDAN AND THE SECRET OF KELLS and SUNSHINE BARRY AND THE DISCO WORMS. Information: www.sydneyfilmfestival.org.

CSU School of Visual and Performing Arts is proud to announce that one of the true legends of the modern creative animation scene, Chris Landreth, is coming to Australia and heading to Wagga Wagga. This exclusive opportunity to meet the Oscar-winning director and see his work firsthand will simply leave anyone with the merest appreciation of the moving image astounded.

An Evening with Chris Landreth
Date: Monday, June 29
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Forum 6 Cinema
Cost: $10
Oscar-winning director Chris Landreth personally presents his newest film, THE SPINE. Also features special screening of THE END, BINGO and RYAN with introductions and Q&A.

Chris Landreth Lecture: Psychologically-Driven Animation
Date: Tuesday, June 30
Time: 10:00 AM
Location: Charles Sturt University, Building 014, Room 209
(Download the CSU Wagga Campus map here: http://www.csu.edu.au/about/maps/pdfs/csu-wagga.pdf)
Cost: Free

Expanded seminar presentation going beyond the films and providing an invaluable insight to the world of computer graphics. This presentation is a preview of Landreth’s highly anticipated keynote at SIGGRAPH2009: http://www.siggraph.org/s2009/sessions/featured_speakers/

Important: The screening and lecture may contain mature content not suitable for children.

ANIMATION CLUB!!! presents 'Secret Handshake', a monthly animation night at Loop Bar in Melbourne. Each month, animators from all around the world create a short animation upon a given topic which is then screened and voted upon by the audience. The winner receives fame and glory... and gets to choose the next month's topic. All animation styles are welcome - from hand-drawn, flash, claymation, stop motion, pixellation -- or any combination of these. However -- it must be animated! No live action allowed! The topic for June is CUPCAKES and all films submitted will be show on the 30th June. See you there! For more info, check out our website at http://www.theanimationclub.com. Secret Handshake Last Tuesday of every month Starts at 7.30pm & all submissions must be handed in by 7.15pm. Loop - 23 Meyers Place, Melbourne, Vic, 3000

Oscar winning animation director Chris Landreth is one of the true legends of the contemporary creative animation scene. Landreth has been at the absolute forefront of computer animation development for a decade. His films -- THE END, BINGO and RYAN -- represented groundbreaking leaps in pushing technology to its limits to show the breadth of what animation was capable of depicting on the screen. Landreth was nominated for an Academy Award for THE END, with RYAN winning the Oscar for Best Short Animation in 2005. This seminar presentation will go beyond Landreth's films and provide insight into his successful marriage of creativity and technology. Landreth will talk about "Psychorealism", the use of art and animation to depict the realism of one's emotional and spiritual state. He explores the "Uncanny Valley" (the "creepy" effect experienced when CGI characters are too realistic, leading to a feeling of revulsion in the viewer) and how his latest film THE SPINE attempts to avoid this problem. He also shows how his animators used a Method-acting approach to nick subtle gestures, ticks, and micro-expressions in their characters' faces and bodies, and explains how his crew balanced realism and stylization to create characters who are Uncanny in a positive way. Landreth's talk will be followed by a Q&A. University of Technology, Sydney Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building, 3rd Floor, Lecture Theatre 322 702 - 730 Harris Street ( next to the ABC) Cost : Free 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Details: http://www.dab.uts.edu.au/ Transport UTS is only ten minutes walk from Central Station, Eddy Avenue and Railway Square bus stops. Parking is available for those with a disability or special need to drive: Peter Johnson Building, Basement Car Park, 702-730 Harris St. Ultimo.

ANIMATION CLUB!!! presents 'Secret Handshake', a monthly animation night at Loop Bar in Melbourne. Each month, animators from all around the world create a short animation upon a given topic which is then screened and voted upon by the audience. The winner receives fame and glory... and gets to choose the next month's topic. All animation styles are welcome - from hand-drawn, flash, claymation, stop motion, pixellation - or any combination of these. However - it MUST be animated! No live action allowed! The topic for July is CIRCUS and all films submitted will be show on the 28th July. See you there! For more info, check out our website at http://www.theanimationclub.com Secret Handshake Last Tuesday of every month Starts at 7.30pm & all submissions must be handed in by 7.15pm. Loop - 23 Meyers Place, Melbourne, Vic, 3000

With the program finalized, the UTS: Sydney International Animation Festival's co-director has given you five great reasons to attend: 1. THE SPINE by Oscar-winner Chris Landreth (Canada), where the brittle, complex collection of personalities within a counseling group populate a 'family' which critiques the lop-sided gifts and sacrifices of an unusual couple. (Winner: "Best Of Fest" Melbourne International Animation Festival) This is an exclusive chance for Sydney audiences to see this film. 2. I AM SO PROUD OF YOU, by Don Hertzfeldt (USA): Bill's life and family history are filled with bad luck, illness and tragedy. And humour! The latest animated wonder from the frenetic pen of one of the animation world's stars. (Winner: "Audience Award -- Best In Program" Melbourne International Animation Festival) 3. LIFE WITHOUT GABRIEL FERRI by Estonian master Priit Parn: experience a dramatic story about love, locked doors, a faceless thief, a wounded stork, a lost laptop and the O'Key sisters who turn out to be virtual prostitutes. The pinpoint of light in the distance may just prove to be that of an approaching happy ending. (Exclusive to UTS: SIAF 09) 4. CHAINSAW, by Dennis Tupicoff (Australia). Frank and Ava Gardener "star" in a chainsaw safety film, and love the rodeo. But now, ten years later... Romance is like a chainsaw: a very dangerous beast indeed. (Grand Prix-Oberhausen International Short Film Festival 2008; Grand Prix and Critics Prize-Huesca International Film Festival 2008; Nelvana Grand Prize and Best Narrative Short -- Ottawa International Animation festival; Finalist AFI and Dendy Awards) 5. Hear visiting guest Claire Kitson, former Commissioning Editor of Animation for the UK's Channel 4, as she presents some British gems and signs her latest book, BRITISH ANIMATION: THE CHANNEL 4 FACTOR. If that's not enough, visit www.siaf.uts.edu.au to see the full program.

Renowned as Sydney¹s first beachside cinema, Flickerfest kicks off the summer cinema season outdoors under the stars at Bondi Beach, screening the best short films from Australia and the world in a unique and relaxed summer environment. After our Sydney festival Flickerfest tours to 23 venues around Australia. Our Academy ® accredited short film competition and special showcases celebrate the latest in cutting edge shorts from around the world. Welcome to our world of shorts!

Flickerfest began as a small local festival at the Balmain High School in 1991. Over the last 17 years it has grown to become Australia's only competitive International Short Film Festival with entries coming from filmmakers across the globe.

Flickerfest is considered in International circles as the leading Australian competitive short film festival and increasingly filmmakers view it as one of the main festivals on the world circuit. To maintain this high standard each year the festival director visits festivals around the world seeking new films most of which have not been seen in Australia.

In 2003 the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science elected to recognise Flickererfest as a qualifying festival for the Best Short film and Best Animation categories of the Academy Awards ®

The honour of Academy Award ® accreditation will guarantee Flickerfest's international profile for many years to come, whilst also ensuring greater opportunities for our Australian short film makers internationally.

Flickerfest's national tour has become a very important part of the festival and started in 1995. The tour takes the main competitive programmes and some Special sessions to many regional and metropolitan areas, which rarely have an opportunity to view this collection of the best of the world's short films. The difference between Flickerfest and other film festivals is that Flickerfest is acknowledged as a quality arts event. Each year we screen Academy Award nominated films plus many other internationally award-winning films.

Now in our 7th year, CSU Animation and Visual Effects are proud to present the Australian International Animation Festival 2010. The internationally renowned event has gone from strength to strength since its modest start in 2004 and this year has secured amazing exclusives from more than 2,200 submissions from over 40 countries. The range of styles, genres and techniques is testament to the vibrancy and relevance of creative animation and the premiere screening of this highly acclaimed collection is happening right here in Wagga Wagga!

The International Competition programs are made up of an eclectic mix of films and will give audiences a complete, up-to-date snapshot of the international creative animation scene. In addition to these there are programs that focus on digital animating, stop motion, and Australian made films. Rounding out the line-up are programs for younger audiences and even a “Late Night Bizarre” program for those whose tastes lurch to the truly odd and unfathomable.

A series of free talks and workshops given by filmmakers from Australia and overseas will provide those with questioning minds a chance to learn more about how and why these films get made. Buy a Full Festival Pass and you’ll save over 60%, guarantee seating, be in the running for unbelievable prizes, see bonus films, network with key people, be invited to the after-party which includes complimentary food & drinks, and then some...

Door-prizes include full commercial versions of Adobe Creative Suite 5 Production Premium, Autodesk 3ds Max and Autodesk Mudbox worth over $7,000 in professional creative software!

Venue: Forum 6 Cinema
Date: Friday 14th – Sunday 16th May 2010
Cost: $12 Single Session or $35 Full Festival Pass
Only $5 for Kids Program

AIAF2010 Schedule

Friday 14th May
5:30pm - Doors Open
6:00pm - Official Opening & International Program #1
8:00pm - SIGGRAPH Wrap-Up

Saturday 15th May
2:00pm - Kids Screening (4-7 years old)
4:00pm - Animation 101 “Adventures In Ancient Animation”
5:00pm - Animation 102 “Blending Animation & Live Action”
6:00pm - Australian Panorama
8:00pm - International Program #2
9:30pm - Late Night Bizarre

Sunday 16th May
2:00pm - Kids Screening (4-7 years old) [Repeat]
4:00pm - Animation 103 “Lucy Izzard (UK) & Slinky Pics”
5:30pm - Animation 104 “Adobe CS5 in Action”
6:00pm - International Program #3
7:30pm - Digital Panorama

Important:
Please be aware that admission is restricted to 18+ (except for Kids & Official Opening /International Program #1). Film classification regulations in Australia require all films to either be formally classified or restricted to an audience of 18 years of age and over. Most festivals do not have the resources to do this and it for this reason alone that we are not able to admit any person under the age of 18 years to the main AIAF screenings.

Kids Program – Specifically programmed towards 4 – 7 year olds whilst still entertaining more mature patrons, this screening gives children the world’s best animation for a just $5! Pricing includes adults.

The workshops are free for anyone to attend but may contain mature content.

The 2012 Byron Bay International Film Festival

FINAL ENTRY DEADLINE: 28/10/2011

REGULAR ENTRY DEADLINE: 28/09/2011

6th Byron Bay International Film Festival March 2nd to 11th 2012

For 10 days, the always beautiful Byron Bay will be the setting of the 2012 BBFF. The first place in Australia to see the sun, Byron Bay provides an exotically stunning backdrop for the festival, with world-class beaches only a short stroll from the venue. This is a one of a kind film festival and it's hard to imagine a better place for filmmakers to have the opportunity to present their work.

The world of animation and experimental film continues to expand. With the unstoppable evolution of technology new doors are continuing to open for the visually innovative. Embracing this progression, BBFF is an exciting avenue to showcase animated and experimental films in a world class environment. No longer among the fringe dwelling genres, they are now a significant part of the festivals broad program and are embraced by judges and audiences alike.

The BBFF's Best Animated Film Award could be where you are headed if your film is 2D, 3D, Flash, Stop motion, Claymation, Traditional or Machinima. Or does your film test the boundaries of conventional film making, or even trample all over them as it runs past without so much as a "how do you do?" Then maybe you could be in the running for the Best Experimental Film Award. You might even be up for both!

Byron Bay and the surrounding area is a place that holds certain ideals close to its heart: creativity and the arts; human rights, diversity and multiculturalism; the natural environment and environmental issues; indigenous culture; innovation; spirituality and healing; conscious thinking and positive living; music; humour; and surfing. We endeavour to show a range of films that reflect an understanding of these ideals. But that doesn't mean we are limited to these themes.

BBFF believes strongly in providing support for the independent filmmaker. Whether this is your first attempt at gaining exposure in film industry or you have been chipping away at it for many years, we want to give you a chance to make your mark. The films we showcase are viewed by a diverse, intelligent and most importantly open audience. While the judging panel has included some highly respected and well connect members of the Australian film industry. Including representative of top Australian distribution companies including Lionsgate, Dendy Films, Paramount Pictures, the ABC, World Movies Channel, Rialto Distribution, Accent Film, Palace Films and many more.  

There is a broad range of awards including Best Film, Documentary, Short Film, Drama, Cinematography, Surf Film, Environmental Film, Music Video, Best Young Australian Filmmaker (open to Australian Director’s and Producer’s under 25) among others. There is also a special award for best local film.  Filmmakers are encouraged to use the paperless entry system Withoutabox and further details can be found at www.bbff.com.au

Filmmaker Andy Mullins whose acclaimed short film Minnie Loves Junior had its Australian Premiere in Byron said “We have travelled all over the world with Minnie Loves Junior, and the program at Byron Bay was one of the best I have seen, let alone had the privilege of being a part of”.

The Byron Bay International Film Festival is open to films of all lengths and all genres. Films in competition must have been completed after Jan 1st 2009.