AWN Headline News

Nicktoons will present NEXTOONS: THE NICKTOONS FILM FESTIVAL, a week-long festival of shorts submitted by animators worldwide. The festival will kick off on Sunday, Aug. 21, at midnight (ET)/9:00 pm (PT) and will air nightly at midnight (ET)/9:00 pm (PT), leading up to the final episode on Sunday, Aug. 28. Created in partnership with Frederator Studios, NEXTOONS: THE NICKTOONS FILM FESTIVAL is the first on-air festival of its kind, and the only, on-air festival dedicated to showcasing the diversity of independent cartoon filmmaking by animators from around the globe.

Independent Games Festival 2006San Jose, California, USAMarch 20-24, 2006Deadline: September 6, 2005

The Independent Games Festival (IGF) honors innovation in videogames created by independent game developers and students. This year's festival will feature a $20,000 Grand Prize for the best game, a new modding competition and the student showcase competition. The deadline for the main IGF Competition is Sept. 6, 2005; the modding competition submissions are due Oct. 10, 2005; and student showcase submissions are due Nov. 15, 2005.

Deep Ellum Film Festival Dallas, Texas, USANovember 17-20, 2005Deadline: September 23, 2005

This week in AWN's Forums, a junior member is looking for ideas on how to animation production in America. Another junior members continue to have questions about schools. Another member is organizing a group picture of forum members comprises of individuals drawings. Theres a thread on editing .SFW Flash animation. Others continue to discuss FOSTERS HOME FOR IMAGINARY FRIENDS. A musician is looking for animators to work with. There are additional posts with members artwork for others to check out.

Warner Bros. Pictures is set to bring to life Frank Millers ancient Greece-set graphic novel, 300, into a feature film, according to VARIETY. Zack Snyder (DAWN OF THE DEAD remake) will direct and Atmosphere Pictures MM and Hollywood Gang Prods. are producing. Gerard Butler (THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA) will star. Filming will begin Oct. 17 in Montreal.

The true story follows 300 elite Spartan fighters who, led by King Leonidas (Butler), fought to the death against King Xerxes' overpowering Persian army during the battle of Thermopylae in 481-480 B.C.

The Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) has announced the films that have been invited to compete in this year's event. Out of 1,883 entries the festival received from 64 countries, only 109 were chosen for Official Competition. An additional 46 films will be shown in out-of-competition Showcase screenings. The 16th edition of the now-annual OIAF runs from September 21-25 in Ottawa, Ontario.