While the AniMazSpot 2012 Jury Panel is reviewing the 54 nominees to pick the winners, the rest of the team is keeping busy, working on the festival programs, and tours, plus, a new program has been added this year to the Sunday morning line-up, September 16.
It’s called the Educational Animation Forum, designed specifically for Middle and High School students interested in finding out more about how to prepare for a career in the animation industry. It’s free to students in LA schools, and it’s organized into three 45 minute sections:
- Section One: Dave Brain will illustrate the basic drawing skills needed to draw concept and finished presentation drawings for animated films.
- Section Two: Jason Mendoza will present the current major computer graphic programs, what they do and how they’re used in animation.
- Section Three: A panel discussion with recent entrants into animation studios, how they got their jobs and what they’re experiencing now.
Meanwhile, across town in Glendale, the UPA events at the Alex Theatre are coming together for the Saturday the 15th events. The “I ♥ UPA” panel has been assembled and will be announced soon, and posters are now up at the entrance and along the courtyard for passersby to see, and it’s now on the “upcoming events” on the Alex marquee facing Brand Boulevard.
And, festival goers are now able to choose from ten Animation Tours of; Studios, Schools and Archives:
- DreamWorks: The first tour will be through the DreamWorks “campus” in Glendale, with lunch on the lot afterwards.
- Warner Bros. Animation: A new tour in the AniMazSpot line-up, with a rich animation history, and plenty of new stuff too.
- Disney: Disney Legend, Floyd Norman, will conduct a small personal tour for the lucky tour goers who sign up early.
- The Simpsons: Mark Kirkland, directing Simpsons episodes for 22 years, has agreed to lead the AniMazSpot tour again.
- Pantomime Pictures: This historic studio tour, will again be lead by founder, Fred Crippen, who’ll sign cells for the visitors.
- Disney Video Games: This is another new tour in AniMazSpot’s line up and will include a panel of top Disney Game artists.
- UCLA Archives: The 2nd largest film archive in the world, includes collections from Walter Lantz, George Pal, Disney, and more.
- Gnomon School of Visual Effects: Over 97% of Gnomon graduates are hired by top studios, and this tour will show visitors why.
- Woodbury: Dori Littel-Herrick, will take the group through Animation, Filmmaking, Game Art & Design, and the new stage complex.
- Mystery Tour: AniMazSpot decided to have some fun this year with a “surprise package” tour, guaranteed to please.
Source: AniMazSpot
