On May 9, 2007, Hollywood's elite movers and shakers will converge at the historic Castro Theatre for the Academy of Art University's 1st Annual Epidemic Film Festival. Featuring infectious work from a new generation of artists on the verge of graduating from the nation's top art and design school, the festival will showcase the best student work from the Academy's School of Motion Pictures & Television and School of Animation and Visual Effects.
Hundreds of students will submit their films for entry in the following general categories: short narrative, documentary, commercial, music video, experimental and animation. A jury, comprised of some of the entertainment industry's top execs with a keen eye for talent, will select the finalists who will earn a coveted spot in the screening lineup. Some of this year's esteemed jurors include the Dean of Pixar University, Randy Nelson, and Michael Nankin, director and writer of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA. In addition, the finalists will be invited to an exclusive VIP Industry Reception before the screening to mingle and network with some of the animation and film industry's key players.
An Honorary Doctorate will also be awarded to a member of the entertainment industry who has made a significant contribution to the business. Emmy award winning actor Chad Lowe will be on hand to emcee the event. Lowe is best known for his starring role on LIFE GOES ON as a man suffering from AIDS, in which he won an Emmy. He plays Deputy Chief of Staff, Reed Pollock on the hit series 24.
Winning students will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to attend the most important national conventions in their industries, sponsored by the Academy of Art University. Winners in the film categories will attend the 2008 National Association of Television Program Executives convention in Las Vegas, and winners in the animation categories will attend SIGGRAPH in San Diego.
Running from 7:00-9:30 pm, the event will take place at The Castro Theatre, 429 Castro Street, San Francisco, California 94114. Tickets will be available to the public at the Castro Theater Box Office on the day of the event, one hour before show time, on a first come, first served basis. Guests to the festival are encouraged to arrive early. For more information, visit www.academyart.edu or call (800) 544-2787.
