For three days in late October 2007, Hollywood gets its first animation festival in more than five years -- The Los Angeles Animation Festival (LAAF). The event is taking submissions from students and all undiscovered talent everywhere LAAF's "how to get ahead in animation" promise make sit a singularly unique experience.
Unlike other festivals, LAAF is a purely competition-based event. It will screen and select the winning entries from two annually sponsored competitions.
In the Feature Film Competition, the festival is looking for original animated short films. This year's theme will be ghost stories. The films selected from the festival screenings will later be edited into a feature length anthology. Live-action linking material (featuring name actors) will be scripted and shot after the festival. Funding for this will be through several sponsorship partnerships with post houses, studios and distributors. Each completed feature will be premiered at the following year's festival, and then released (theatrical, DVD, cable etc). Proceeds will go directly towards the next LAAF, and next feature film.
The TV Network Logo Competition looks for animators to re-interpret the TV network logo of the year's sponsor. The winning promos will be used on air by the network, following the festival.
LAAF aims to help burgeoning talent get exposure and ultimately obtain commercial experience through these events.
The ticket for each festival screening will include an invitation to a private party (following each screening) -- designed exclusively for animators, audience members and industry participants to mingle and network. Everyone is required to wear a nametag. Present at the parties will be volunteers to help formally introduce people. Catering will be partly sponsored. There will be two networking parties per day afternoon and evening.
Workshops will be held each morning by successful filmmakers, which will cover how to create a great portfolio, cut a showreel and find the perfect job.
For more information, visit www.laafest.org or www.myspace.com/laafest.
