The third annual aniBoom Awards are open for submissions from independent animators of all types around the globe through December 1, 2008. More than 850 submissions have been received so far, and are now being viewed and ranked by the community on aniBoom.com and by a select panel of entertainment industry luminaries. At stake is a Grand Prize for the overall winner that includes a $25,000 investment in commercial development and a distribution deal with aniBoom that will enable the winning animator to receive significant career-making exposure through a variety of outlets and channels.
In addition, three selected Community Favorites will be selected based on aniBoom's online animation community ranking, as well as three Top Selections by the competition's panel of Judges. All six selections will be awarded a share of the $50,000 in cash and prizes, including ToonBoom software and CG Society books. All 50 of the top picks will receive prizes including Stash DVD magazines with coupon cards inserted, valued at $55 each.
The panel of judges for this year's aniBoom Awards competition includes some of the leading content and entertainment industry's executives:
Yair Landau, former President of Sony Pictures Digital:Landau formed Sony Pictures Digital in 1999, bringing together all of Sony Pictures' digital artists and software engineers from Sony Pictures Imageworks, Sony Online Ent. and Columbia Tristar Interactive into one division. Under his direct leadership Sony Pictures Imageworks grew into a leading, state-of-the-art digital animation and visual effects company creating computer-generated imaging (CGI) for motion pictures. Landau supervised production of Imageworks' first animated short, THE CHUBB CHUBBS, which won several awards including an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film in 2003.
Building on this success, he established Sony Pictures Animation to develop and produce all-CGI animated features for SPE. Sony Online Ent. became the worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online (MMO) gaming building upon EverQuest, the most successful MMO PC game in the United States, with Star Wars Galaxies launched in partnership with Lucas Arts in 2003.
John Mass, Executive VP at the international William Morris Agency:Mass oversees strategic planning, acquisitions and investments which include the representation of motion picture and television clients. Mass is also a member of the company's board of directors. Prior to joining William Morris, Mass was director of corporate planning and communications at Triad Artists, Inc., where he was responsible for strategic planning and new business development, as well as the financing of feature films.
Peter Hirshberg, Chairman of the Executive Committee & CMO, Technorati Inc.:Hirschberg is an entrepreneur and marketing innovator who has led emerging media and technology companies at the center of disruptive change for more than 20 years. Mr. Hirschberg oversees Technorati's sales, marketing and business development activities as well as its partnerships with the media, entertainment and marketing industries.
Previously Hirshberg was founder and CEO of Elemental Software (sold to Macromedia in 1999). Peter was at Apple Computer for nine years where he held a number of leadership positions, including Director of Enterprise Markets.
Mauro Del Rio, Founder and Chairman of Buongiorno:Buongiorno, a pioneer of user-generated content and distribution to mobile, works with all major movie studios: Sony Pictures, Disney/BuenaVista, and Warner Brothers. The company distributes for all four major record labels.
Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Founder and CEO of the Gotham Group:Gotham Group is recognized as the powerhouse management firm in the animation industry with ties to an enormous amount and variety of creative content, The Gotham Group's current feature film production slate includes among others, the THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES, for Paramount and Nickelodeon Movies.
Goldsmith-Vein's company boasts a roster of over 250 top directors, writers, producers, illustrators, artists and content creators, providing a full range of services in both live action and animated feature film and television including packaging, corporate consulting, strategic career planning, children's programming, prime time television series, and animated and family entertainment content for emerging new media.
Barbara Corday, Senior Television Producer at Columbia Pictures:Corday is a top American television executive, writer and producer mainly known for co-creating the television series CAGNEY & LACEY together with Barbara Avedon.
After giving up writing, Corday worked at several networks and made a career as top exec. From 1979 to 1982 she was VP for Comedy Series Development at ABC, from 1984 to 1987 president of Columbia Pictures, from 1988 to 1990 exec VP of Primetime Programming at CBS Entertainment, 1992 Producer of the television series KNOTS LANDING and at last from 1993 to 1994 president of New World Television.
Yehuda Wurtzel, SVP, Content Development and Productization, Aniboom:As a IDT Entertainment executive Wurtzel was part of the team that at its peak (2003-2005) produced more minutes of prime-time animation than any company in the world, including THE SIMPSONS, KING OF THE HILL, and SPIDER-MAN (the animated TV series) for MTV. The company was acquired by Liberty Media's Starz Ent.
