@csun.edu

April 2, 2002

Vol. VI, No. 13

International Animation Festival Slated for April 4-6

Northridge Students, Faculty and Alumni Produce Largest Event of its Kind on the West Coast

Some of the best animation from around the world will be shown in the Los Angeles area from April 4-6 as part of the fifth annual California SUN International Animation Festival, hosted by students, faculty and alumni from Cal State Northridge.

The three-night festival will screen a chosen set of about 100 animation shorts: at Cal State Northridge on Thursday, April 4; at Santa Monica College on Friday, April 5; and at Ventura College on Saturday, April 6. Winners will be announced and screened at an invitation-only awards ceremony on Friday, April 5, at the Museum of Television and Radio in Beverly Hills.

The 2002 festival will present traditional, computer and experimental animation from freelance animators, independent studios and student artists. Entries this year have come from animators in Canada, England, Germany, Spain, Japan and other countries, and include this year's Academy Award-nominated short film Fifty Percent Gray by Ruairi Robinson.

"The California SUN International Animation Festival is the largest animation festival on the West Coast, and one of the premier animation festivals in the world," said festival executive director Dean Terry, a Cal State Northridge visiting art professor. Terry said the screenings will show "dozens of examples of the very best animation from all around the world."

"This is my third year being involved," said festival director Darlene Di Primo, a 2000 Art Department graduate from Cal State Northridge. "Every year the festival has grown. The works get better every year, we get more exposure, and there are more companies involved as sponsors and contributors."

Festival organizers solicited and judged entries in six categories: computer animation, traditional animation, experimental animation, television/commercial, visual effects and student project animation. The some 100 shorts selected for festival screening were chosen from among several hundred entries received.

The festival began originally with only the public screenings at Cal State Northridge and the awards ceremony in Beverly Hills. But to broaden the reach of the event, festival organizers last year expanded to Ventura College, and this year again expanded to Santa Monica College. The same festival-selected works will be shown each night at the three campus screenings.

The animation festival is produced at Cal State Northridge with the coordination of Di Primo; festival founder/coordinator Jack Reilly, a former Cal State Northridge art professor; and Vidimation INK, a student animation organization at the university. The university's Art Department and the College of Arts, Media, and Communication also assist with the event.

During the Friday night awards ceremony, the winning entries in each of the six categories will be announced and screened, along with a selection of other outstanding works. This year's judging panel included Kevin Koch from Glendale-based DreamWorks Animation, Glenn Lucas from Fox Television Animation and Klay Hall from the North Hollywood-based Film Roman independent animation studio.

Outside sponsors and contributors this year include RealGoodMovies.com, Film Roman, Level13.net, Odyssey Productions, Animation Magazine, Animation World Network (www.awn.com) and Sunday Funnies.

"Swing" by Tim Granberg, student project.

"Dog" by Suzie Templeton, experimental.

Afro Baby in "Let's Play Horsey" By IWAK! Animation Studios, traditional.

"Fat Man and the Sea" by James Torren, student project.

2002 California SUN International Animation Festival Schedule
Thursday, April 4: Cal State Northridge Free public reception and screening in the Alan and Elaine Armer Screening Room in Manzanita Hall. 7:30 p.m. reception, followed by 8-10 p.m. screening. Friday, April 5: Museum of Television and Radio, Beverly Hills Invitation-only reception and awards ceremony. 6:30 p.m. reception and awards ceremony, followed by 7:30-9 p.m. screening for animators, sponsors, news media and VIPs. Not open to the public. Friday, April 5: Santa Monica College Open-to-the-public screening in the Academy of Entertainment & Technology. 6-8 p.m. Tickets $7 general and $5.50 for students, available at the venue 30 minutes prior. Saturday, April 6: Ventura College Open-to-the-public screening in Science Lecture Theater 222. 6-8 p.m. Tickets $7 general and $5.50 for students, available at the venue 30 minutes prior. More information about the 2002 festival is available at its web site, www.csun.edu/animate; via a telephone information line at (818) 382-4545, or via e-mail to calSUNfestival@sbcglobal.net.

2002 California SUN International Animation Festival Schedule

Thursday, April 4:
Cal State Northridge
Free public reception and screening in the Alan and Elaine Armer Screening Room in Manzanita Hall. 7:30 p.m. reception, followed by 8-10 p.m. screening.
Friday, April 5:
Museum of Television and Radio, Beverly Hills
Invitation-only reception and awards ceremony. 6:30 p.m. reception and awards ceremony, followed by 7:30-9 p.m. screening for animators, sponsors, news media and VIPs. Not open to the public.
Friday, April 5:
Santa Monica College
Open-to-the-public screening in the Academy of Entertainment & Technology. 6-8 p.m. Tickets $7 general and $5.50 for students, available at the venue 30 minutes prior.
Saturday, April 6:
Ventura College
Open-to-the-public screening in Science Lecture Theater 222. 6-8 p.m. Tickets $7 general and $5.50 for students, available at the venue 30 minutes prior.
More information about the 2002 festival is available at its web site, www.csun.edu/animate; via a telephone information line at (818) 382-4545, or via e-mail to calSUNfestival@sbcglobal.net.