Asia

backup stands for films and videos reflecting, defining and readjusting the boundaries and prospects of film and its diverse segments by creatively experimenting with different ways of production and expression. That is why backup is looking for film works that refuse to be categorized by genres, topics and other traditional criteria -- experiments in the format of moving picture. A new addition to this year's 11th backup festival is a competition for international debut features. With this award and the systematic development of media partnerships backup wants to promote the potential of young filmmakers and support their talent. As in the past 10 years, backup wants to encourage a discourse about films, formats and festivals reflecting the current developments and wants to find and support artistic works and exceptional approaches to the medium film. Since its 10th anniversary in 2008 the date of the backup_festival has been changed and will now be held from May 21-24, 2009 because the early summer weather in Weimar, Germany offers the possibility of celebrating the festival as a larger and more vibrant open-air event.

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 4th Bitfilm Festival for digital film and new media shows films that use digital technology in a creative and innovative way. There are five categories:

Digital Features
Films of min. 90 minutes which use 3D animation and digital effects as an artistic means.

Bit Shorts
Short films, music videos and ads which use 3D animation and digital effects as an artistic means.

Flash
Linear films and interactive works made with Macromedia Flash.

Machinima
Films that are animated in real time using game environments.

Micromovies
Films of max. 60 seconds 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. Entry deadline: July 1, 2003. There is no entry fee.

More information and submissions under http://www.bitfilm-festival.org/index_e.html

The Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF 05) 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 videogame 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. 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.

Aniboom (www.aniboom.com), the premier multi-platform animation network that partners with untapped animation talent from around the world to create independent animated content for global distribution, is holding its 2007 Aniboom Awards. Animators can enter work in five categories, with no limit to the number of categories or submissions per entrant. Categories include Funny, Drama, Music Videos, Amateur and Experimental. Each month for four months, one winner from each category will join the finalist pool. From there, a winner will be chosen from each category to compete for the grand prize. Prizes include a $25,000 original series development deal, $3,000 to each category winner, Toonboom Software (valued at $7,000) and exposure to some of the most renowned industry executives. The Aniboom Awards will be judged by entertainment executives and animation industry veterans, including multi-award-winning animator and Oscar nominee Paul Driessen. In 2006, the Annual Aniboom Awards received more than 1,700 entries from more than 70 countries in its inaugural year. Winner Jossie Malis took home $25,000 for his animation BENDITO MACHINE. Malis is working with the Aniboom Creators Studio to develop his original series, which is set to launch in 2008. For more information, visit www.aniboom.com.

ANIMA

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.