30 Jul 2004

2D Or Not 2D, That's The Question

For many music lovers around the world, June the 21 st became synonymous of rich programmes, street band performances, jazz marthon and other events that celebrate The Music Day.

Since 2002 the animation film industry has also its own Day. The International Day of Animation Film is on October the 28 th . The initiative is from Abi Feijo former ASIFA* president (from Portugal). It marks the anniversary of Emile Reynaud first public screening of his “Theatre Optique” (Paris 1892). The Animation Day's aims are similar to those of the Music Day. To organise exhibitions, screening and, animation films events that reflect the genre diversity.

Since the animation film industry turned computerised, animation products are more present in our life. Animated logos are on your mobile phones, Flash animations are covering the entire web . Animation is also largely present in e ducational programmes, on CD, and DVD.

Digital technics have also enriched the animation film possibilities. The interactivity options can be seen as the most important development in computerized animation. Today's producers-distributors don't count only in term of AUDIENCE, they also count in term of potential USER of animation products.

On the production side, many European production companies and, studios have started to add Animation-Multimedia services along side to their traditional pre-prod post-prod services.

These new services range from webdesign to the production of webisode and interactive game. With its close ties to the animation film production the game industry is calling now for more animator and animation artist. The development of computer animation products makes also possible for young creator - sometime teenagers to compete decently with professionals.

Animation Insider is one of the remarkable example of professional animation content management made by young amateurs. The senior's in the Animation Insider team are 24 years old the youngers are 15 years old.

Reduced production cost thanks to better animation software with broadcast quality, the growing number of professional or dedicated websites, trainings, awards, and competition ( See our Calls for Entries section) will contribute to support this Digital Animation Boom.

THE QUESTION IS STILL 2D OR NOT 2D?

On October the 28th, you are all invite to take part in or to organize an animation event for the International Day of Animation Film.

The preparation of the event will begin in about 30 countries around the globe. The subject is large. All kind of animation can be presented in the form of an exhibition, a screening, retrospectives or workshops.

If you are planning to organise an animation event, here are a few ideas and, models for your content and the presentation of the event.

FESTIVAL – SCREENING -RETROSPECTIVE

Are you planning to organise a retrospective, an animation film festival? For inspiration you can browse the ASIA and EUROPE RESOURCE DIRECTORY > FESTIVAL of this website.

SEMINAR OR EXHIBITION

The Spanish 3D animation “THE ANIMATED FOREST” gave birth to the travelling exhibition "STEP BY STEP" The exhibition"Step by Step" showed in detail the production process of animation films "The Living Forest" in different Spanish cities. Addressed to a wide audience, the exhibition pretended to awaken the curiosity towards the creation of animation films. (Read More)

“Animation for the small screen – The mobile phones animation”. It is say that the demand of mobile phones doubles every six months. This growing sector requires new animation specialist. One of the ways to boost the production of mobile animation is the organisation of events such as the next World's Smallest Animation Festival this event is organized in the framework of SIGGRAPH. For more info on the contest World's Smallest Animation Festival (Deadline 15 July 2004).

WORKSHOPS

Organise a workshop of Tradtionnal technics, puppet animation, clay animation.

Organise a workshop of Digital animation technics MACROMEDIA FLASH

EMILE REYNAUD

ASIFA *

“ASIFA was born in France, but from the very beginning, artists from east and west, from America, Europe and Asia were involved in this first attempt to create a organisation dedicated to the art of the animated film.” Raoul Servais ASIFA president, 1988-93

ASIFA will organise THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF ANIMATION FILM in different countries.

Contacts

General: secretary@asifa.net

For ASIFA Groups in Asia:
Sayoko Kinoshita kinoshita@asifa.net

ABOUT KOREAN ANIMATION FILMS SCREENED IN ANNECY

ANIMATION FILM GLOSSARIES

Glossary of Traditional Animated Cartoon

Glossary of Anime and Manga Terms

Computer Animation Glossary

Computer Graphic and Animation Terms

ANIMATION FILM HISTORY IN ASIA

John A. Lent, 'Animation in Asia: appropriation, reinterpretation, and adoption or adaptation', Screening the past (RTF)