Held in Swansea, Wales, SAND is a U.K. conference event for CGI animation, digital content and creation, attracting visitors and speakers from around the world, holding sessions on computer games, procedural animation, films, post production techniques, TV commercials and motion capture. Now in its ninth year, the conference is organized by Swansea Metropolitan University in partnership with the Welsh Assembly Government.
SAND Business and SAND Papers: Monday, November 24 SAND Interactive (Games): Tuesday, November 25 SAND Games: Wednesday, November 26 SAND Film, TV & SFX: Thursday, November 27 SAND Film: Friday, November 28
This year, Double Negative, the SoHo effects studio that created many vfx sequences for HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY and THE DARK KNIGHT, will attend, as well as THE PEARCE SISTERS' award winning creator Luis Cook of Aardman Animations and Blitz Games (SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS, AMERICAN IDOL).
Tim Allen will be leading this year's "Claymation" workshop for clay and stop-frame animation on November 16. Allen is an experienced freelance stop motion animator working on many successful series and films including CREATURE COMFORTS USA, Tim Burton's CORPSE BRIDE and the Oscar winning PETER & THE WOLF.
"Acting for Animators" guru, Ed Hooks, returns to lead this professional workshop on November 24 designed for animators, new media designers, games designers and teachers who want their characters to convince their audience. Hooks is a pioneer in acting training, designed specifically for animators, having taught at most major studios including DreamWorks/PDI, Walt Disney Animation Studios and Electronic Arts.
Anime expert Jonathan Clements of Muramasa Industries discusses "Storylining in a Corporate Environment" on November 26. Aspiring writers, designers and animators are all welcome -- as in the real world, the workshop will comprise group efforts to reach saleable solutions. Clements is a scriptwriter for media as diverse as DOCTOR WHO on the radio, the computer game HALCYON Sun, and the Sci Fi channel show SAIKO EXCITING.
Independent Animator Rick Villenueve's workshop "Animated Thought Showers" on November 27 provides a practical approach on how to develop and present animation concepts for specific medias, from television series to feature films, independent short films to interactive games. Villenueve's television & film work includes the BEATRIX POTTER series and FERNGULLY, THE LAST RAINFOREST.
Escape Studios are holding the Maya Workshop on November 26 for intermediate/advanced level, covering specific aspects of the Autodesk Maya software package.
Throughout the conference week there are also animation and live action screenings (Including Studio AKA's VARMINTS, PERSEPOLIS, as well as THE DARK KNIGHT), professional sector workshops and business seminars.
The conference is open to the public and runs over five themed days held mostly at the Taliesin Arts Centre in Swansea. Visit www.smu.ac.uk/SAND to purchase tickets and for more information on the SAND 2008 program. Prices range from 10 pounds for a 1 Day Conference Pass to 80 pounds for a 5 Day Conference Pass.
