IDEAlliance, a leading industry association dedicated to fostering XML and other information technology standards, will host the XML Conference and Exposition 2004, at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel. The theme of this year's conference is "XML -- From Syntax to Solutions." Presenters will include industry titans such as Microsoft, DaimlerChrysler, IBM and Oracle, as well as renowned industry analysts and smaller firms working on the cutting edge of XML technologies and solutions. XML 2004's educational programs will cover a wide array of critical XML topics. Educational "tracks" will include: B2B, case studies, client applications, core technologies, government, graphics/multimedia, integration, knowledge management, late breaking news, product presentations, interoperability demonstrations, publishing, storing XML, town halls, vertical industries and Web services. For information on exhibiting at XML 2004, visit www.xmlconference.org/xmlusa/2004/exhibits.html.

Organized since 1994, the "Etiuda" Festival (since 2005 "Etiuda&Anima") is an event dedicated to the works of students from film and art schools from Europe and around the world. Each year their final graduation film projects and short studies compete for individual awards: Gold, Silver and Bronze Dinosaurs.

Besides competing for individual awards, European colleges have fought for the Special Golden Dinosaur Award, given to the best film school on the Old Continent.

In addition to the awards intended for students and schools, a Special Golden Dinosaur is handed out for an outstanding teacher who successfully combines his/her own artistic output with educational work at art schools. Past recipients have been: Jerzy Kucia from the Krakow Academy of Fine Arts; Kazimierz Karabasz from the Lodz Film School; and Paul Driessen from the German Kunsthochschule in Kassel.

For more information, visit www.etiudaandanima.com.

Sin City now has its own convention dedicated to the worlds of science fiction, fantasy, imaginative art in all its guises and influence on technology. From rockets-to-the-moon to your garage band podcast, traditional art to CGI and digital graphics, movie magic, independent film to imaginative literature old and new. Robert J. Sawyer is the author guest of honor and internationally known master of gothic art Brom is the artist guest of honor. Oscar-winning vfx technician Joe Viskocil will be the media guest of honor.

Check out demonstrations of the leading software and pick up pointers from the pros. There will be movies, panels and demonstrations, things to buy and things to try and parties.

Get everything for a $50 membership through www.xanadulasvegas.com.

The SFWEB3D presents X3D Unreal and for Real: Making Content in X3D. X3D and Realtime3D are fast becoming the next phase of digital media for the Web, corporate intranets, hand helds, phones and beyond. This month's meeting is a special "hands on look at making X3D content." First, Dave Arendash of Manyone.net, the new owners of the Flux X3D browser, will show us how to make X3D and VRML scenes and worlds using the UNREAL game engine and editor. Arendash has created an exporter that will convert Unreal levels and worlds into X3D. Second, Joe Williams who works on the X3D spec, will take those interested in the nuts and bolts code of X3D into examples of how to make x3d content with just code via notepad or any text editor. The free event will run from 7:00

The Los Angreles Chapter meeting of SIGGRAPH will feature "making of" presentations of the visual effects in X2: X-MEN UNITED , as well as a special screening of the movie at Samuel Goldwyn Theater, Academy of Motion Picture Artists & Sciences, 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills, California. Artists from Cinesite and Rhythm & Hues will be on hand to discuss the creation of innovative effects from Nightcrawler's teleportation to Storm's tornados. Event is sponsored by Side Effects Software, whose Houdini 3D software was used extensively throughout the film. Speakers scheduled to appear: Doug Bloom Tornado Effects Lead Rhythm & Hues Mike O'Neal Lead Effects Animator Rhythm & Hues Greg Anderson CG Supervisor Cinesite Arnon Manor CG Supervisor Cinesite Craig "X-Ray" Halpern CG Effects TD Cinesite Meeting is free for members and $10 for non-members. For more information visit: www.la.siggraph.org

Designflux, the french DVD magazine specializing in motion graphics is currently organizing a competition called 'X-Shorts' which is an open call for professionals and students to create an ultra short animation designed for the mobile phone. http://www.designflux.fr/starshooterxshort/ The competition winners will be announced and projected in Chaumont, France, as part of a collaborative initiative between Designflux and the Chaumont International Poster festival. http://www.ville-chaumont.fr/festival-affiches/index.html

Chris Wehner, editor-n-chief of SCREENWRITER'S MONTHLY, author of SCREENWRITING ON THE INTERNET: RESEARCHING, WRITING & SELLING YOUR SCRIPT ON THE WEB (2000) and WHO WROTE THAT MOVIE? SCREENWRITING IN REVIEW: 2000-2002 will be conducting an online writing workshop entitled, "Writing The Screenplay 101." Classes meet every Monday for four weeks from 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm (MST). Students will accomplish at least 10 pages, not exceeding 30 pages, of script development. Students will learn the basics of screenwriting and ascertain enough knowledge to continue writing their screenplay and finish. For more information, visit http://www.screenwritersutopia.com/store/intro_screenwriting.html.

Writing Animation For Television and the Web

X 430.5 Film & Television 3 units $520

Whether on TV, film, or computer screens, animation is a fully creative universe without limits on sets, costumes, or special effects. All it takes is your imagination--plus it's a growing field that is friendly to new talent. One day you can be creating a script about talking trucks, the next day an action show about angst-ridden superheroes or maybe a series of webisodes that are the hottest thing on the internet. This course teaches you how to think like an animation writer, starting with the all-important strategies for writing visually, and then guides you through the entire TV and Internet animation script writing process, including the building blocks of good writing: story structure, character development, and sharp dialogue. Honing in on your spec script, you learn how to find the voice and style of a particular show, pitch stories, create solid outlines, write the first draft, and deal with notes and changes, and by the end of the course, have in hand a polished sample script. Guest speakers include show runners, producers, and executives who discuss the business side of animation: how to break in, what agents do and don't do, the process of getting your script from page to the TV or computer screen, how to hook up with artists that can make your vision visual, and most of all, how to have a satisfying career in a field where your imagination is free. Enrollment limited to 16 students. $55 nonrefundable; no refund after April 15. One previous screenwriting course or equivalent experience is helpful but not necessary. Internet access required to retrieve course materials.

Instructor: Brooks Wachtel

ScreenplayLab is host " Writing Animated Comedy for Television." The screenwriting event will feature Cartoon Network executive Heather Kenyon. The free event will run from 3:00 to 6:00 pm at Raleigh Studios, 5300 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, California. RSVP at www.ScreenplayLab.com.

Attend a five-hour workshop

lead by three prolific children's book illustrators who have now also become authors. This valuable session will offer one-on-one interaction providing insight for those aspiring to illustrate and even write their own children's book.

(1pm - 2:30pm) Panel with Creators
(2:30pm - 3pm) Q & A
(3pm - 6pm) Workshop Seminar

Presenters/Instructors:

Dan Krall
Dan Santat
James Burks

Topics Covered:

• Layout & Design Tips
• The Best Way to Write Your Book

• Pitching Your Project

*Self publishing.

*Getting an agent

*Process of Illustration

Bring note-taking materials!