* Julio Soto (CG artist) and film director whose artistic talent and vision have played a key role in advertising and music video for such agencies as McCann Erikson, Propaganda Films, Ogilvy, Bates USA, Grey Advertising and FCB. His films have received international recognition and awards such as “Best Film” at the 2002 Brooklyn International Film Festival, “First Prize” at the NAP Video Biennial in Pasadena, “Best Experimental Film” at Toronto Latino Film Festival and the “Jury Award” at the 2003 Media Arts Festival Japan. Soto’s work has been shown extensively at film festivals such as Clermont-Ferrand, Viper Basel, Impakt, Oberhausen, Hamburg, Nemo and Kasseler.

* Ray Forziati (pipeline technical director) is a graduate of the Digital Media Design program at the University of Pennsylvania, and attended the computer animation MFA program at USC School of Cinema-Television. At Penn, Forziati was chair of the student chapter of the worldwide SIGGRAPH organization, which had more than 100 members, and he ran its local animation department. Forziati completed a senior thesis on aging virtual environments and an independent study in efficient FX rendering.

Curious Pictures (www.curiouspictures.com) is touted as being the largest animation studio in New York and the home to award winning creators of animated television series, television commercials and celebrated animated characters in picture books and television. Curious incorporates elements of animation, design, production and brand strategy in creating successful branded entertainment for Mattel and AOL as well as in commercials for Target, Steve Madden, General Motors, Burger King, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon and hundreds of other companies.