SPARK ANIMATION '09
September 16 – 20, 2009

Vancouver International Film Centre
1181 Seymour Street
Vancouver, Canada

Industry Conference
September 17 - September 19, 2009

I Vancouver ACM SIGGRAPH is proud to announce SPARK Animation '09, our yearly roundup of instruction, insight and inspiration for animation fans and professionals. This year the conference runs from September 16-20 at the Vancouver International Film Centre, with select presentations at the Opus Vancouver Hotel (Opus Room). We've got 9 films, dozens of industry speakers and a fabulous festival party on Saturday night - don't miss it!

This year we've got 3 days' worth of world-renowned animators, art directors and filmmakers presenting their work - people like Dave Burgess, Head Character Animator on Monsters vs. Aliens, who will be joined by Director Conrad Vernon as they discuss the making of their film. Then there's Production Designer Ricky Nierva, who joins Director of Photography Patrick Lin to discuss the making of Up, and Ricky will also be offering a Masterclass in Character Design at the Opus Room. Space for this Masterclass is limited so don't delay, sign up now!

Looking to meet people in the industry? Join us for our Opening Night industry mixer, where some of our sponsors will have information tables for people looking to join the business. Also, make sure to get some tickets for the industry party on Saturday night when we'll have beer, wine, music and mayhem with the guys from Tangible Interaction, who will be back again with their latest techno-creations.

But wait! There's more! We've also got 5 days' worth of films, including a screening of the classic Disney film, The Jungle Book, which will follow the documentary Frank and Ollie - telling the tale of two of the character animation geniuses responsible for creating some of Disney's most iconic films. And of course, it wouldn't be a SIGGRAPH Animation show without the shorts - join us Saturday for The Best of SIGGRAPH 2009 - a mix of science, art and entertainment to start off the night. See the listings for more, and as usual, many of the films will be introduced by the filmmakers themselves.

CONFERENCE PASSES
For the first time this year, we're offering a conference pass, good for all the speakers presentations and panels, a conference t-shirt and an extra guest party ticket - all for $200 for members and $250 for non-members. The films are NOT included in the festival pass however - please buy your film tickets separately.

FROM OUT OF TOWN? THE OPUS VANCOUVER HOTEL!

Coming from out of town? Opus Vancouver Hotel is our conference hotel this year, and we are able to offer our discounted rate to visitors. Call the hotel toll free at 1-866-642-6787 and ask for the "Spark Animation" price. The Opus Vancouver Hotel is a luxurious boutique hotel located in the heart of Yaletown. It is a very short walk from the theatre, not to mention dozens of restaurants, the sea wall and the new Skytrain line to Vancouver International Airport. Space is limited, so book your reservation now.

SCHEDULE

SPEAKER SESSIONS

Thursday - September 17, 9:00 AM
Coraline: The Changing Face of Animation
with Martin Meunier

Vancouver Int'l Film Centre (VIFC)
1181 Seymour Street (@ Davie)

With the release of Coraline, LAIKA became the first company to use 3D printing technology to create thousands of replacement animation faces, props and in-camera visual effects for the feature length stop-motion animated film. Three cutting-edge 3D printing systems from Objet Geometries were used in the development and production of this critically acclaimed film. Since the completion of Coraline, the creative team at LAIKA has continued to push the boundaries of 3D printing technology and is exploring unique applications for its use in the animation industry. By exploiting an "engineer's tool," LAIKA has redefined how a 3D printer can be utilized as an "Artist's tool." From early character designs, to highly detailed computer sculpts and artistically engineered puppets, 3D printers are breaking out into artistically dominated fields.

Thursday - September 17, 1:00 PM
Gobelins: A Tapestry of Talent and Skills
with Eric Riewer

Vancouver Int'l Film Centre (VIFC)
1181 Seymour Street (@ Davie)

GOBELINS, L'ECOLE DE L'IMAGE is a school of applied arts, print and digital media affiliated to the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry. It prepares young artists for professional work in the ever widening field of animated images that stretches from cartoon series, feature and art films to video games and special effects. Many Gobelins graduates of the animation course now work in major studios around the world, prized for their creative and technical excellence as well as the professional level of their skills.

Eric Riewer will talk about Gobelins' special approach to teaching animation and show student films, including the recent winner of both the Best Animation Award at IMAGINA 2009 and Best Student Animation Film at Annecy, For Sock's Sake directed by Carlo Vogele as an exchange student at Calarts. Also to be shown is Oktapodi, nominated in 2009 for an Oscar as Best Animated Short Film.

The digital revolution has transformed the animation program at Gobelins since its creation nearly 35 years ago, but the foundations of drawing skills remain firmly in place. Gobelins believes that digital tools do not replace the artist who needs nonetheless to master a wide array of skills in graphic creation in order to give life to his or her animations.

Thursday - September 17, 2:45 PM
The Making of 9
How This Unique Animated Movie Was Made in 9 Easy-to-Follow Steps
with Kevin Adams & Matthew Teevan

Vancouver Int'l Film Centre (VIFC)
1181 Seymour Street (@ Davie)

Toronto-based Starz Animation worked for an intense 18 months to realize Shane Acker's vision for the movie 9.

9 is a large, rich and technically complicated action-packed movie that pushes the creative expectations for an Animated Movie. Produced on a tight schedule and tighter budget, making 9 was a unique experience.

Thursday - September 17, 4:30 PM
The Making of The Secret of Kells
with Tomm Moore & Ross Stewart

Vancouver Int'l Film Centre (VIFC)
1181 Seymour Street (@ Davie)

This presentation covers the development of the art direction and style for the feature film The Secret of Kells, detailing the evolution of the character designs and backgrounds. Inspired by Celtic art and The Book of Kells itself, Director Tomm Moore and Art Director Ross Stewart worked to combine these influences with modern 2d animation techniques. Over 10 years in the making from, development to final product, the film represents the work of over 200 people.

The Making of The Secret of Kells presentation will show the work in progress stages of bringing this unique visual style to the big screen and will explore the choices in Visual Language, Background Design, Staging and Character Design as well as giving an insight into the process of making the film across 5 different countries.

Friday - September 18, 9:00 AM
It's Not Shrek. It's Not Madagascar. What Is It?
with David Burgess

Vancouver Int'l Film Centre (VIFC)
1181 Seymour Street (@ Davie)

Designing unique characters and animation styles for a feature film is a complex process and only a privileged few see all the research and thought that goes into the development stage of production. With early development footage that is rarely seen outside the DreamWorks studio, David Burgess, Head of Character Animation on Monsters Vs Aliens, offers a rare glimpse into the development of this entertaining 3-D feature. David will reveal the inspiration behind some of their memorable characters, including reference materials used to design the animation and visual style of the film. David will run through the process of a shot from storyboard to final lighting, and go over the development of the film's main characters from early designs, through hand drawn tests, into early 3D rig & performance tests, and finally some finished animation from the film.

Friday - September 18, 10:45 AM
A Conversation with Monsters vs. Aliens
with Conrad Vernon & David Burgess

Vancouver Int'l Film Centre (VIFC)
1181 Seymour Street (@ Davie)

Conrad Vernon, co-Director, and Dave Burgess, Head of Character Animation, discuss the making of Monsters vs. Aliens including the challenges of executing a feature length animated film for a major animation studio. Both will reveal some of the influences that drove the design and story, including how they were able to meld Conrad's personal style with the influences of cartoonists like Jack Davis and Don Martin of Mad magazine. Conrad and David will also go over the process of bringing that 2D caricature style to 3D characters and the added task of executing a motion picture in stereoscopic 3-D while having fun with aliens and giant women. This candid and irreverent conversation between artists will entertain and amuse, with plenty of behind-the-scenes anecdotes that will make participants see Monsters vs. Aliens with a different perspective.

Friday - September 18, 1:00 PM
Cracking the Nut: An Inside look at Ice Age
with John Donkin & Michael Knapp

Vancouver Int'l Film Centre (VIFC)
1181 Seymour Street (@ Davie)

This presentation will focus on the making of both the Academy Award nominated short film No Time For Nuts and Ice Age Dawn of the Dinosaurs. The presenters will talk about the production pipeline at Blue Sky Studios, and discuss some of the many challenges faced in these productions. Various stages of production will be shown and discussed to give an insiders glimpse of how work progresses as it moves through production. We'll be talking about the Art Direction challenges we faced with creating new worlds and characters within the existing Ice Age franchise, as well as some of the new challenges we faced as a result of presenting in stereoscopic 3D.

Friday - September 18, 2:45 PM
Shooting Up: A Trip through the Camera Structure of Up
with Patrick Lin

Vancouver Int'l Film Centre (VIFC)
1181 Seymour Street (@ Davie)

In visual story telling it is essential not just to have beautifully composed shots but meaningful compositions as well. A camera plan is crucial to achieving this goal. A camera plan maps out the camera's visual structure and progression that parallels the story and follows the emotional arc of the main characters. This presentation will take you through the aesthetic thought process in creating and implementing Up's camera structure.

IMPORTANT: This session is slightly shorter at 45 min. plus 15 min. Q&A.

Friday - September 18, 4:30 PM
Previsualization: The Shape of Things to Come
with Chris Edwards & Jericca Cleland

Vancouver Int'l Film Centre (VIFC)
1181 Seymour Street (@ Davie)

In challenging economic times and with increasingly sophisticated audiences, narrative filmmakers are seeking to produce higher quality films more efficiently. Surprisingly, the solution for many has come from computer animation. 3D Previsualization is a collaborative process that enables filmmakers to explore lightweight, easily modifiable versions of shots, sequences, or entire films. From creative exploration to technical problem solving, Previs enhances visual communication and enables creators to optimize their entire workflow from pre-production through post-production. Join Chris Edwards and Jericca Cleland for an overview of the powerful paradigm of Previsualization and witness the shape of things to come.

Friday - September 18, 4:30 PM
Tokyo International Anime Fair: Its History, Influence & Future Directions
with Hitoshi Suzuki

Opus Room · Opus Hotel
322 Davie Street (@ Mainland)

Founded in 2002 by a coalition of anime companies and local government as a way to increase anime's international potential, the Tokyo International Anime Fair (known as TAF) has grown to become a major event on the industry's calendar. Every March, over 250 companies exhibiting across 750 booth promoting characters spanning nearly 60 years of Japanese animation history gather in Tokyo, Japan making this event the largest animation exhibition in the world. The exhibition features a "trade fair" with booth exhibits by anime-related companies, "events" including spectacular stage performances and movie theatre screenings, and the "Tokyo Anime Awards" which honours outstanding anime works. In 2009, TAF welcomed about 130,000 visitors to its 4-day event. Mr. Hitoshi Suzuki, the Chief Producer of TAF will provide an overview of the fair's origins, history, goals and the important influence this event has on the animation industry in Japan.

Friday - September 18, 6:00 PM
Glago's Guest

Vancouver Int'l Film Centre (VIFC)
1181 Seymour Street (@ Davie)

Conceived and directed by Chris Williams (who made his feature directing debut this year with Disney's animated comedy-fantasy ''Bolt''), ''Glago's Guest'' follows the intriguing and thought-provoking story of a lonely Russian soldier stationed in a remote Siberian outpost. When the soldier's solitude is interrupted one day by the arrival of a strange new ''guest,'' Glago is jolted out of his uneventful daily routine but soon comes to realize that things aren't always what they appear to be. With its bold art direction, stark but stylish depiction of the frozen Russian landscape, and inspired computer-animation, ''Glago's Guest'' is an exciting, entertaining, and original short film that uses the medium to full advantage.

NOTE TO PASS HOLDERS: You have been automatically included on the guest list. Please present picture ID at the reception desk for ticket.

www.disneyanimation.com

Saturday - September 19, 9:00 AM
Up with the Circle and Square
with Patrick Lin & Ricky Nierva

Vancouver Int'l Film Centre (VIFC)
1181 Seymour Street (@ Davie)

From Production Design to Camera, Ricky Nierva (Production Designer) and Patrick Lin (Director of Photography-Camera) will discuss the look and direction of Disney/Pixar's latest animated feature, Up, based upon simple shape language.

Saturday - September 19, 10:45 AM
Food for Thought: The Recipe for Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
with Chris Williams

Vancouver Int'l Film Centre (VIFC)
1181 Seymour Street (@ Davie)

Based on the beloved children's book by Judi Barrett and Ron Barrett, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs the film follows the story of Flint Lockwood and his extraordinary invention that makes food rain from the sky. This presentation will take the viewer through the making of the movie, from its conception to the screen. Areas of production like storyboarding, character design, production design, animation, and effects will be touched upon to give the viewer a taste of all the delicious ingredients used to create this film. In addition, a special progression will be included, following an animated shot from rough layout to final animation, along with a fun sequence from the movie.

Saturday - September 19, 1:00 PM
Oktapodi: From Classroom to the Oscars®
with Emud Mokhberi

Vancouver Int'l Film Centre (VIFC)
1181 Seymour Street (@ Davie)

Emud Mokhberi will present the making of Oktapodi, nominated for Best Animated Short Film at the 2009 Academy Awards. He will explain how the group of six student directors formed at Gobelins, l’école de l’image, and the challenges that they faced in both the preproduction and production of the film. He will show the animatic and preproduction design work and discuss character setups, lighting, fx, animation and other aspects of the films execution.

Saturday - September 19, 2:45 PM
Full Frontal Nudity: From Oscar® Winning Short to Award Winning TV Series
with David Fine

Vancouver Int'l Film Centre (VIFC)
1181 Seymour Street (@ Davie)

David Fine is the co-creator (with Alison Snowden) of the Oscar® winning short, Bob's Birthday as well as the acclaimed series, Bob and Margaret, which was based on the short. His latest series is Ricky Sprocket, Showbiz Boy, made for Teletoon and Nickelodeon. Hear David talk about his experiences going from independent short filmmaker to prime time and kids TV series creator. Learn what it takes to go from spending two years to make a twelve-minute short to two years to make 26 half hours.

PANELS

Thursday - September 17, 9:00 AM
Digital Strategies for Film & Television Properties
Identify, engage and extend your audience
moderator: Matt Toner with Jessica Leigh Clark-Bojin, Paul Gertz, Mark Magnusson & Jennifer Ouano

Opus Room · Opus Hotel
322 Davie Street (@ Mainland)

The advent of social media (aka Web 2.0) has unlocked a real opportunity for animation producers to directly harness the energy of their most dedicated fans and turn it into a better bottom line. Using best of breed examples, speakers will provide an overview of the current new media landscape, and discuss how film and television producers can use these techniques to their advantage. Whether via elaborate transmedia strategies or a simple Twitter account, producers can help audiences forge a strong and lasting relationship with a property... even before a single production dollar is spent.

Saturday - September 19, 4:30 PM
Perspectives on Previsualization
moderator: Henry LaBounta with Chris Edwards, Jason Hopkins, Jericca Cleland & Justin Denton

Vancouver Int'l Film Centre (VIFC)
1181 Seymour Street (@ Davie)

Film, Games, Animation and TV industry professionals participate in a moderated discussion on how they are approaching CG Pre-visualization and how they perceive its application within the entertainment industry. From formative narrative sculpting to complex visual effects planning to pitch reel production to game pre-pro for cinematics and game features, the panelists will demonstrate and discuss both the how and the why behind CG pre-visualization. Come hear the perspectives of a variety of players in this rapidly expanding and dynamic field.

MASTER CLASS

Friday - September 18, 1:00 PM
Character Design
with Ricky Nierva

Opus Room · Opus Hotel
322 Davie Street (@ Mainland)

You are invited to a presentation and discussion with Ricky Nierva, Production Designer of Up, to introduce, discuss, study, and exercise the working knowledge involved in creating characters for feature animation. The primary emphasis will be on the development of character, the story behind the character and the effect that has on the overall design. The discussion will involve many aspects of animation character design: shape, silhouette, caricature, and research.

FILMS

Wednesday - September 16, 7:30 PM
The Secret of Kells
France, Belgium & Ireland - 2009 // Dir: T. Moore, Co-dir: N. Twomey // 75 min // 35mm // G

Vancouver Int'l Film Centre (VIFC)
1181 Seymour Street (@ Davie)

Winner of two audience awards (Annecy International Animated Film Festival, Edinburgh International Film Festival), THE SECRET OF KELLS is a visually stunning fantasy adventure story set in an exciting period of Ireland's history. It draws its plot source and stylistic inspiration from Ireland's most precious medieval artifact The Book of Kells.

Brendan is a 12 year old orphan whose curiosity often leads him into trouble with his stern uncle, Abbot Cellach. Brendan's life is changed when Brother Aidan from Iona, the greatest illustrator of all the monks arrives in Kells while fleeing from the terrifying Vikings, with his cat Pangur Ban and the precious book he has been illustrating. Before long, Brendan is learning the art of illumination from this master and must overcome his deepest fears in his journey to help complete the book. While wondering through the enchanted forest where dangerous and mythical creatures hide, Brendan meets the fairy Aisling who becomes his closest friend and helper. With the Viking Hordes closing in, will Brendan succeed in his quest?

THE SECRET OF KELLS is a film that is both entertaining and captivating for a young audience while dealing with themes that will carry a resonance for all ages. It is one of those rare films that outshines anything that is out there and must be seen on the big screen to fully appreciate its beauty.

www.thesecretofkells.com

© 2008 · All Rights Reserved

Wednesday - September 16, 9:15 PM
Azur and Asmar: The Princes' Quest
France, Belgium & Spain 2006 // Dir: Michel Ocelot // 98 min // 35mm // PG

Vancouver Int'l Film Centre (VIFC)
1181 Seymour Street (@ Davie)

Auteur director Michel Ocelot creates another cinematic masterpiece with Azur and Asmar, a parable about racial tolerance. It is a beautiful story that combines cutouts with CGI and captures the mesmerizing beauty of Islamic art to create a magical world where scarlet lions with blue claws and birds with rainbow wings exist.

The film Azur and Asmar, tells the tale of two boys loving nursed and raised by one woman: Azur the blond, blue-eyed son of a nobleman and Asmar the nurse's brunet and dark-eyed child. As they grow up, the nurse tells them many enchanting stories from her faraway homeland. Their favourite is about the beautiful Fairy Djinn waiting to be released from her captivity by a good and heroic prince. Together these boys grew up, raised like brothers, until the day fate cruelly separates them. Years later, the former blood brothers are now rivals embarking on a quest to magical lands, rich with dangers and wonders to see if the fairy tales are true and rescue the Fairy Djinn.

Parental Guidance (PG): violence; nudity

www.theprincesquest.com

© 2006 Nord-Ouest Production · All Rights Reserved

Thursday - September 17, 7:30 PM
Frank and Ollie (Documentary)
USA 1995 // Dir: Theodore Thomas // 89 min // G

Vancouver Int'l Film Centre (VIFC)
1181 Seymour Street (@ Davie)

Theodore Thomas's documentary Frank and Ollie reveals the touching story of the lifelong friendship his father, Frank Thomas, had with fellow Disney animator Ollie Johnston. Best friends from when they met in college (1931), legendary animators Frank Thomas (1912-2004) and Ollie Johnston (1912-2008) roomed together, lived next door to one another, and had adjacent rooms at the Walt Disney Studios. Two of the best "actors with a pencil" who ever lived, they were responsible for some of the most memorable moments in animation and cinema history: dwarfs crying at Snow White's bier, Pinocchio lying to the Blue Fairy, Bambi and Thumper ice-skating, Lady and Tramp sharing a plate of spaghetti, and Baloo teaching Mowgli the bare necessities of life. Frank and Ollie captures their rare chemistry and outlook on life — a friendship and body of creative work that has touched the entire world.

Using archival footage, interviews with Frank and Ollie's respective wives and current Disney animator, Theodore's documentary offers a rare insider's view of two extraordinary artists as they share secrets, insights, and the inspiration behind some of the greatest animated movies produced at the Walt Disney Company. This is a must-see film for anyone working or wanting to learn more about animation.

General (G): no advisory

Thursday - September 17, 9:15 PM
The Jungle Book
USA 1967 // Dir: Wolfgang Reitherman // 78 min // G

Vancouver Int'l Film Centre (VIFC)
1181 Seymour Street (@ Davie)

One of the most popular Disney films ever, The Jungle Book is still a delight to watch, more than 40 years after its initial release. Inspired by Rudyard Kipling's "Mowgli" story, this fun-filled story of friendship, fun and adventure follows the ups and downs of the man-cub Mowgli as he makes his way back to the human village with wise panther Bagheera to escape ruthless tiger Shere Khan. Along the way, he meets some unforgettable friends and foes including mad King Louie of the Apes, the hypnotic snake Kaa and the loveable, happy-go-lucky bear Baloo, who teaches Mowgli "The Bare Necessities" of life and the true meaning of friendship.

Walt Disney took an active role in the making of this film, including participating in the film's story meetings and acting out each role to help create many of the film's gags. This was the last film to be produced by Walt Disney, who died during its production. Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston animated over half of The Jungle Book. This was important in demonstrating that Walt Disney Animation could survive and flourish after Walt's death. The Jungle Book contains a number of classic songs including "The Bare Necessities" and "I Wan'na Be Like You".

General (G): no advisory

Friday - September 18, 7:30 PM
The Iron Giant
USA 1999 // Dir: Brad Bird // 86 min // 35mm // G

Vancouver Int'l Film Centre (VIFC)
1181 Seymour Street (@ Davie)

This year, 2009, marks the 10-year anniversary of Brad Bird's heartfelt masterpiece THE IRON GIANT. With a video intro by director Brad Bird, Spark Animation '09 is proud to bring this animated classic back to the big screen for a 35 mm print screening.

Winner of 19 awards and much critical acclaim, THE IRON GIANT is one of the finest examples of cinematic animation and storytelling. It is Academy Award winning director Brad Bird feature film debut and is easily one of his best, if not his best film to date. This funny, emotional, intelligent and moving satire of paranoia, weaponry and innocence is set in the late 50's, early 60's when nuclear war was a daily threat. Hogarth is an imaginative 9-year-old boy who daydreams of alien invasion and battling Communist agents. One day, he discovers in a nearby lake, a friendly 50-foot giant robot with an appetite for metal. Hogarth fishes the robot out of the water and hides him in a junkyard run by his pal Dan, a beatnik sculptor. Shortly afterwards, a government agent named Kent Mansley finds out that there's a mechanical invader of unknown origins in the neighbourhood and wants to wipe out the potential threat. As they run and try to hide from the secret service, the friendship grows and with Hogarth, the iron giant experiences some of the best qualities of human. Unfortunately, his limited time on earth also exposes him to some of the side of human behavior.

THE IRON GIANT is adapted from Ted Hughes 1968 novel "The Iron Man: A Children's Story in Five Nights", and is a great example of how 3D computer generated animation can be seamlessly combined with drawn 2D animation.

General (G): no advisory

movies.warnerbros.com/irongiant

© 1999 Warner Bros. · All Rights Reserved

Friday - September 18, 9:15 PM
Ghost in the Shell 2.0
Japan, USA 1995-2008 // Dir: Mamoru Oshii // 85 min // TBA // PG

Vancouver Int'l Film Centre (VIFC)
1181 Seymour Street (@ Davie)

Ghost in the Shell 2.0 is a new remastered version of the original 1995 sci-fi classic by Mamoru Oshii. This update version contains over 90 scenes that have been altered or enhanced with CGI, and an all-new soundtrack, which includes re-recorded voices from the original actors and a new 6.1 audio mix from Oscar-winning sound designer Randy Thom. This new version contains one deliberate change that adds a new spin to the original story.

Set in 2029, in a world that has become interconnected by a vast electronic network that permeates every aspect of life, Major Motoko Kusanagi, a female government cyber agent with the government's secret Internal Affairs team "Section 9", is assigned the task of apprehending the master hacker know only as "The Puppet Master". Originally created by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also known as "Section 6" and codenamed "Project 2501", this hacker is actually a prototype virtual agent, capable of hacking human minds and robbing them of their memories. The Puppet Master has defied its makers by seeking asylum with a new host body outside of the electronic net. As Kusanagi searches for The Puppet Master, she begins to contemplate the very nature of her existence: is she purely an artificial construct or is there more? What is the "ghost" in her cybernetic "shell"? With Section 6 involvement in the case, Kusanagi is forced to confront the fact that there is more here than meets the eye, and the Puppet Master may hold some of the answers she seeks.

The original Ghost in the Shell was first released in 1995 to worldwide acclaim due largely to its mesmerizing cinematic expression and uniquely intelligent storyline. The detailed artistic expression in this film helped to inspire future filmmakers and has become one of the most revered anime features of all time. This film has been credited with inspiring the Wachowski brothers and influencing the story, composition and editing of their hit trilogy The Matrix.

Parental Guidance (PG): violence; coarse language

Saturday - September 19, 7:00 PM
The Best of SIGGRAPH 2009

Vancouver Int'l Film Centre (VIFC)
1181 Seymour Street (@ Davie)

Come experience the latest advancements in computer graphics and the world's best animation and visual effects in a special showcase version of this year's SIGGRAPH Conference's Computer Animation Festival. Vancouver ACM SIGGRAPH is proud to present this special program of the best of the best, with a diverse selection of animation from individual artists, scientific visualizations, animated commercials and excerpts from visual effects feature films. Special animated treats include Chris Landreth's latest short The Spine and Peter Sohn's Partly Cloudy.

Sunday - September 20, 7:30 PM
Mary and Max
Australia 2009 // Dir: Adam Elliot // 80 min // 35mm // Not Rated

Vancouver Int'l Film Centre (VIFC)
1181 Seymour Street (@ Davie)

Winner of two major film awards (Annecy International Animated Film Festival and Berlin International Film Festival) Oscar winning director Adam Elliot's first feature length film, Mary and Max is a moving film with a quiet and understated charm that is also present in Adam's short films.

Spanning 20 years and 2 continents, Mary and Max reveals a pen-pal relationship between two very different people: Mary Dinkle, a chubby, lonely 8-year-old girl living in the suburbs of Melbourne, Australia, and Max Horovitz, a severely obese, 44-year-old Jewish man with Asperger's Syndrome living in the chaos of New York City. This compelling and meaningful film explores the unique bond between its two main characters as Mary grows up from adolescence to adulthood, and Max passes from middle to old age. It also takes us on a journey that explores friendship, autism, taxidermy, psychiatry, alcoholism, where babies come from, obesity, kleptomania, sexual differences, trust, copulating dogs, religious differences, agoraphobia and many more of life's surprises.

One of the major themes explored in this film is accepting differences in others and it is clear that filmmaker Adam Elliot accepts the differences in his characters. He infuses them with believable characteristics and vulnerable tendencies that renders them immediately human and reveals his love for them. Mary and Max is a bittersweet film that captures but never mocks human loneliness.

www.maryandmax.com

Sunday - September 20, 9:15 PM
$9.99
Israel, Australia 2008 // Dir: Tatia Rosenthal // 78 min // Digital Betacam // PG

Vancouver Int'l Film Centre (VIFC)
1181 Seymour Street (@ Davie)

$9.99 is an enchanting and inventive stop motion animated fable that offers slightly less than $10 worth about the meaning of life.

"Have you ever wondered 'What's the meaning of life? Why do we exist?' The answer to this vexing question is now within your reach! You'll find it in a small yet amazing booklet, which will explain, in easy-to-follow, simple terms your reason for being! The booklet, printed on the finest paper, contains illuminating, exquisite colour pictures, and could be yours for a mere $9.99."

So claims the ad that alters the life of Dave Peck, an unemployed 28-year-old who still lives at home. In his mission to share his find with the rest of the world, Dave's path crosses those of his apartment block neighbours, who, engaged in their own pursuit of happiness decline the 'authorized' version. Based on various short stories by Israeli author Etgar Keret, filmmaker Tatia Rosenthal successfully weaves together several intersecting story lines to create an artful film that expresses deep thought, lightly.

© 2008 Screen Australia Limited · All Rights Reserved

EVENT

Saturday - September 19, 9:00 PM
Spark Conference Closing Party

Vancouver Int'l Film Centre (VIFC)
1181 Seymour Street (@ Davie)

Come join us as we celebrate the end of the Spark Animation '09 Conference sessions on Saturday September 19 with an industry party filled with beer, wine, music and innovative entertainment that will amaze you. Last year's party sensation Tangible Interaction returns to Spark Animation '09 with some of their latest techno-creations.

SPEAKERS BIOS

Chris Edwards
CEO/Previs Supervisor · The Third Floor, Inc.

Chris Edwards is the son of a Rocket Scientist and a Costume Designer. Somewhere in the middle of those two interests lies the heart of a Previs Artist. After Film School, Chris spent 5 years at Walt Disney Feature Animation as a Lead 3D Layout Artist for films such as Dinosaur & Treasure Planet. In 2002, he joined a team of 10 artists at George Lucas' Skywalker Ranch to help previsualize Star Wars: Episode III.

In 2004, Chris and his fellow previs artists established The Third Floor Previs Studio in Los Angeles, with the mission of offering high-quality previs to filmmakers around the world. Since then, Chris has helped grow the company to support over 35 veteran previs artists.

Chris also remains the Creative Director at The Third Floor, advising the other Previs Supervisors on projects such as Cloverfield, Avatar, Beowulf, Star Trek, and Narnia: Prince Caspian. Chris has personally supervised the previs for many of the studio's game cinematic and feature film projects, including Starcraft II, Diablo III, Valkyrie, Eagle Eye, and most recently, Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland.

www.thethirdfloorinc.com

Chris Williams
Lead Character Animator · Sony Pictures Imageworks, Inc.
(Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, Spider-Man 3, The Polar Express)

Sony Pictures Imageworks' Chris Williams most recently worked as a lead character animator on Sony Pictures Animation's Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, a mouth-watering 3D comedy inspired by the popular children's book of the same name by Judi Barrett and Ron Barrett. Williams was responsible for managing an animation team on specific sequences, including casting, animating shots and ensuring the work meets the vision and high standards set by the film's directors.

Since joining Imageworks in 2001, Williams has served as a senior character animator on Sony Pictures Animation's first animated feature film, Open Season. He also served as a character animator on The Polar Express, the international blockbuster and the Academy Award® winning film Spider-Man 2™, Stuart Little 2, the Academy Award® nominated film Spider-Man™, and the Academy Award® winner for Best Animated Short The Chubbchubbs™. For his work on Stuart Little, Williams won the Visual Effects Society Award for Best Character Animation in an Animated Film.

Before joining Imageworks, Williams worked as a character designer on numerous television productions at Nelvana Studios in Toronto, Canada. Trained as a classical animator, he initially made the smooth transition to CG in 1999 when he began work on Disney's Emmy® Award Winning Rolie Polie Olie.

Williams holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in art history from Montreal's McGill University, and graduated with honors from Sheridan College's renowned classical animation program.

www.imageworks.com
IMDb.com

Conrad Vernon
Director · DreamWorks Animation SKG
(Shrek, Madagascar, Monsters vs. Aliens)

Conrad Vernon recently directed DreamWorks Animation's 2009 and first 3D stereoscopic release, Monsters vs. Aliens. Conrad made his feature film directorial debut in 2004 with the Oscar-nominated Shrek 2, which went on to become the highest grossing animated film of all time. In addition, Vernon reprised his role as the voice of the Gingerbread Man in the comedy hit Shrek the Third, a character he voiced in all three Shrek films, and voiced the chimp Mason in the hit Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa and the original Madagascar. He previously served as a storyboard artist and additional dialogue writer on Shrek.

Vernon joined DreamWorks in 1996, and worked as a storyboard artist on PDI/DreamWorks' first computer-animated feature film, Antz, as well as the traditionally animated comedy The Road to El Dorado.

Prior to joining DreamWorks, Vernon served as a storyboard artist at Film Roman on the popular animated television comedy The Simpsons. Vernon's other animation work includes directing for Itsy Bitsy Spider, writer and storyboard artist on The Ren & Stimpy Show, and writing and storyboarding on Hanna-Barbera's 2 Stupid Dogs and Nickelodeon's Rocko's Modern Life. He began his film career in 1991 on Cool World as an animator, effects animator, gag writer, layout artist and character designer.

www.dreamworksanimation.com
IMDb.com

David Burgess
Animation Director · DreamWorks Animation SKG
(The Lion King, Over the Hedge, Monsters Vs. Aliens)

David Burgess does not have any time to get into trouble – he has been busy enough animating!

Dave just completed his role as Head of Character Animation on DreamWorks Animation's March 2009 release, Monsters Vs. Aliens. Prior to MvA, he "HOCA'd" one of DWA's 2007 releases, Bee Movie as well as the mini-movie Hammy's Boomerang Adventure. He also has been a Supervising Animator on: Over the Hedge, Madagascar, and Shrek 2.

David got his industry start assisting filmmaker John Weldon at the National Film Board of Canada in Montreal. He gradually made a shift to animating for television commercials at Michael Mills' Commercial Studio in Montreal and later at Animation House in Toronto.

In 1990, he began working at Walt Disney Feature Animation in Burbank, CA. At Disney, he worked on many of their most successful productions. His assignments included: Supervising Animator on Tarzan (Professor Porter) and The Lion King (The Hyenas), as well as working as an Animator on Beauty and the Beast (Gaston/Bimbettes) and Aladdin (Genie), among many others.

Born and raised in Orange County, California, Dave attended the Emily Carr College of Art & Design in Vancouver, BC, and graduated with Honors in Animation in 1981. Prior to that, he attended Vernon Senior Secondary School in Vernon, British Columbia. He is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, and over the years has taught animation courses in various colleges, universities, film festivals, conferences as well as on-line.

www.dreamworksanimation.com
IMDb.com

David Fine
Writer/Director/Producer · Snowden Fine Animation Inc.
(Bob and Margaret, Ricky Sprocket, Showbiz Boy)

David Fine works alongside his partner, Alison Snowden. Together they create award-winning animated TV shows, short films and ads including the prime time adult series, Bob and Margaret, and recently, the Teletoon/Nickelodeon kids series Ricky Sprocket, Showbiz Boy which airs in over 150 countries. They have received three nominations for an Academy Award and received one Oscar® for their short film Bob's Birthday, about a depressed middle-aged dentist. This short spawned the TV series Bob and Margaret, which ran to 52 half hours and garnered numerous awards and press accolades in Canada, the US and the UK. Alison provided the voice of Margaret.

Originally, from Toronto, David attended Britain's National Film and Television School where he met fellow student Alison Snowden, who is from Nottingham. After living in London for nineteen years, the pair moved to lovely Vancouver in 2004.

www.snowdenfine.com
IMDb.com

Emud Mokhberi

Emud is a 2009 Academy Award nominee in the Best Animated Short Film category, for Oktapodi, which he co-directed at Gobelins with Julien Bocabeille, François-Xavier Chanioux, Olivier Delabarre, Thierry Marchand and Quentin Marmier. He has presented the film and its making of at FMX, SIGGRAPH, PISAF, Pixar Animation Studios and Industrial Light & Magic. Emud studied at the UCLA School of Film Theater and Television before attending Gobelins and most recently worked as a character animator at Sony Pictures Imageworks.

www.oktapodi.com
www.emud.org

Eric Riewer
Director of International Relations · Gobelins, l'école de l'image

Eric Riewer became the Head of the Animation Department of Gobelins, l'école de l'image based in Paris in 1998, following in the footsteps of Pierre Ayma who founded the department in 1974. Prior to joining Gobelins, he worked as the head of training for the Canal Plus media group based in Paris. He obtained a French doctorate degree at the University of Paris in letters after getting an American BA and MA degrees in European History at UCLA in Los Angeles where he was born and raised. In 2006, he became the manager of international relations for the whole Gobelins school which in addition to animation also offers training in multiple fields of visual communication, including photography, multimedia, graphic arts and industrial graphics. He also manages an International Summer School course in character animation at Gobelins as well as master classes in Asia.

www.gobelins.fr

Henry LaBounta
Chief Visual Officer · EA Black Box

Academy Award nominee Henry LaBounta works with selected teams at Black Box to set the look and style of the games. He joined EA as Senior Art Director for SSX3 and since then has also held the role of Chief Visual Officer for EA Sports.

Prior to EA, LaBounta was a Visual Effects Supervisor at PDI/DreamWorks; his filmography includes Minority Report, A.I. and Mission Impossible 2. In 1996, LaBounta was nominated for an Academy Award for his work on Twister at Industrial Light & Magic where he also worked on Casper and Star Trek VII Generations.

www.eablackbox.com
IMDb.com

Hitoshi Suzuki
Chief Producer · Tokyo International Anime Fair

Mr. Hitoshi Suzuki is the Chief Producer for the Tokyo International Anime Fair, an annual meeting place for anime companies, buyers and fans. Mr. Suzuki first joined the organization as the Exhibition Producer in 2005 before assuming his current position as Chief Producer, working closely with the Tokyo International Anime Fair's Executive Committee. He is on loan from the Toei Animation Co. Ltd. to Tokyo International Anime Fair. Before joining the Tokyo International Anime Fair, Mr. Suzuki worked at some high profiled companies including Toei Animation Institute.

www.tokyoanime.jp/en

Jason Hopkins
Lead Animator · Propaganda Games

Jason Hopkins grew up in the small town of Lake Cowichan on Vancouver Island and took a chance in the big city when he moved to Vancouver in 1996 to attend the Vancouver Film School. He enrolled in the 3D Graphics Program and since then has worked in a variety of areas in the computer animation field with experience working on television, straight-to-video movies, making the switch over to video games six years ago. His hobbies include photography, snowboarding, video games, writing and too many home renovations.

www.propagandagames.com

Jennifer Ouano
Founder · Elastic Entertainment

For over 15 years, Jennifer has worn many media hats as an award-winning multiplatform producer, director, consultant and entrepreneur. She is a recognized leader in the Canadian new media industry, being called upon to present her expertise on digital entertainment and social media trends, technologies, challenges and opportunities. Through Elastic Entertainment, she has developed web and mobile tech platforms and applications, produced cross-media projects for broadcasters, and consulted with media companies about their interactive strategies.

Jericca Cleland
Director/CEO · Twenty One, Inc.

Jericca Cleland is the Director and CEO of Twenty One Inc, a cross-media film development and preproduction studio dedicated to bringing stronger visual stories to the screen more efficiently through CG previsualization. Raised as a filmmaker in the story-centric environment of Pixar Animation Studios, she pursues the creation of high-calibre films with narrative depth. An experienced CG Cinematographer, Jericca designed the filming and staging of features such as Toy Story 2, and Finding Nemo. She is also a writer and live-action producer-director, bringing her combined cross-media expertise to bear on the vision and planning of all Twenty One Inc projects.

www.twentyoneinc.com

Jessica Leigh Clark-Bojin
Creative Director · Zeros 2 Heroes Media

Since the inception of Zeros 2 Heroes, Jessica has been its brand strategist and resident "fan expert": these twin passions have allowed her to lead award-winning digital media campaigns such as Comix 101, ReBoot ReLaunched, Manga Memoirs and Canada: Comic Creation Nation. When it comes to digital extensions for entertainment properties, Jessica works with clients to "de-jargonify" concepts like crowdsourcing, twittering, viral marketing, vlogging and linkbaiting. Perhaps because of this knack, Jessica has become a speaker much sought-after by film, television and animation producers, giving presentations in Vancouver, Winnipeg, and Toronto.

www.zeros2heroes.com

John Donkin
Producer · Blue Sky Studios, Inc.
(Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Ice Age, Bunny)

John Donkin has been a Producer at Blue Sky Studios since the release of their first Feature film Ice Age where he served as the film's Associate Producer. He recently Produced Ice Age : Dawn of the Dinosaurs with Lori Forte, the studio's first foray into stereoscopic 3D.

John was also a Producer on the studio's Robots and several of the studio's animated shorts including the Academy Award nominated No Time For Nuts.

John earned an Academy Award Nomination in 2003 as the Producer of Gone Nutty. Both of which featured the popular 'Scrat' character from Ice Age.

John has been involved in CG animation since he first started a graduate student in 1983 with the world renowned CGRG (Computer Graphics Research Group) at The Ohio State University under Chuck Csuri.

www.blueskystudios.com
IMDb.com

Justin Denton
Previs Supervisor · Halon Entertainment, Ltd.
(Terminator Salvation, Eagle Eye, Mummy 3)

Justin Denton is a Previs Supervisor for Halon Entertainment. As a supervisor and artist for previs and finals work in feature film, television, commercials, and games, Justin has developed an understanding and passion of the previs process. He has supervised on projects including Terminator Salvation, Eagle Eye, Mummy 3, Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, and The Wild.

Justin earned a BFA from The School of The Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) in 2001, and is a member of the Motion Capture Society. Currently, Justin is leading technology development and integration at Halon and supervising high profile projects for film and commercial clients.

www.halon.com

Kevin Adams
Creative Director · Starz Animation
(Hercules, The Emperor's New Groove, 9)

Kevin Adams brings over 14 years of Feature Animation, Art Direction, Design and Cinematography experience. He has worked on films such as Hercules, The Emperors New Groove, Fantasia 2000, Home on The Range, through to the more recent Everyone's Hero and 9.

www.starzanimation.com
IMDb.com

Mark Magnusson
User Experience Consultant

Throughout his 15 year career in digital media Mark has worked as Creative Director for top agencies such as Grey Interactive. He has worked in the online space with global brands including: Lufthansa, Sony, Vodafone and Visa. Over those years it has been his honor to help his clients win awards from the World Media Festival, Popvox Awards, to The Webbys.

Markʼs focus is on people not technology and crafting holistic solutions for a changing culture that leverages social tool sets. Join him in the conversation on Twitter, @MMagnus.

Martin Meunier
Facial Animation Designer · Laika
(James & The Giant Peach, Coraline, Starship Troopers)

Martin Meunier started as a Practical Model-maker and Sculptor in 1988, working in Paris France. He moved to the United States in 1994 to join Henry Selick's team on James And The Giant Peach. Since then, he has collaborated on four more of Mr. Selick's projects, as a Model Shop Supervisor, Creature Supervisor and Stop-motion Designer. He's also worked for Tippett Studios, Industrial Light & Magic, Pixar, Disney, Digital Domain, The Orphanage and MythBusters' M5 Industries. He has worked on more than 15 films and 50 commercials.

www.laika.com
IMDb.com

Matt Toner
President · Zeros 2 Heroes Media

Matt began work in the new media industry (when it actually was new) as a Co-founder of CanApple New Media, a founding executive of We Media Inc, and Managing Director of Oven Digital (Canada). Following the dot-crash, Matt worked on a series of videogames for Electronic Arts, before leading convergent television projects for Making the Cut 2 and the award-winning Bodog TV. Since founding Zeros 2 Heroes, Matt has worked to bring digital media solutions to the film and television industry through engagements with the National Screen Institute, Telefilm Canada, ContentFilm, SEVEN24 Films, Rainmaker Entertainment, CBC Television and others.

www.zeros2heroes.com

Matthew Teevan
Head of Production · Starz Animation
(Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Prince of Egypt, Flushed Away)

Matthew Teevan brings 20 years experience in animation production, spanning Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Prince of Egypt and the recent Flushed Away, on which he was DreamWorks' Supervising Production Manager.

www.9themovie.com
www.starzanimation.com
IMDb.com

Michael Knapp
Art Director · Blue Sky Studios
(Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Horton Hears a Who!, Robots)

Michael Knapp is a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and studied Illustration at Ringling School of Art and Design. He began his career as a freelance illustrator doing mostly editorial illustration and commercial storyboards, but his heart turned to animation when he started doing concept art for several small animation projects. Shortly after moving to New York City in 1999, he began working as a Concept Designer at Blue Sky Studios on the movie Robots. Since then, he has worked on Ice Age: The Meltdown, Horton Hears A Who, and art directed the Oscar nominated animated short No Time For Nuts and Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. His artwork can be seen in The Society of Illustrators Annual 48, Spectrum 12 and 13, The Art of Robots and the comic anthology Out of Picture & Out of Picture 2.

www.michaelknapp.com
www.outofpicture.com
www.blueskystudios.com
IMDb.com

Patrick Lin
Director of Photography-Camera · Pixar Animation Studios
(X-Men, The Incredibles, Up)

Patrick Lin joined Pixar Animation Studios in September 1997 as a Layout Artist on A Bug's Life. For Lin's next project he worked as Layout Sequence Lead on Toy Story 2, and then as Lead Layout Artist on Monsters, Inc. Lin's work has been a part of two Academy Award®-winning features, The Incredibles as Director of Photography, and Ratatouille as Lead Layout Artist. He most recently completed working as Director of Photography - Camera on Disney•Pixar's feature, Up, released on May 29, 2009. Lin is currently working on a future Pixar project.

www.pixar.com
IMDb.com

Paul Gertz
Executive Producer · Network Entertainment

Paul is a self-proclaimed "old media" executive who has seen the impact of fan engagement on the success or failure of film properties from the front lines. After a career landmarked by many memorable features and a few regrettable misses (which he is happy to talk about), Paul has become an intense advocate for fan outreach through digital media extensions. His credits as a Producer include the feature film Titan AE and the television series Earth: Final Conflict, among others.

www.networkentertainment.ca
IMDb.com

Ricky Nierva
Art Director / Production Designer · Pixar Animation Studios
(Toy Story 2, Finding Nemo, Up)

Ricky Nierva joined Pixar Animation Studios in May 1997. He joined the animation team as a Visual Development Artist and did additional storyboarding on Toy Story 2. He was the Lead Character Designer for Monster's Inc. and the Character Art Director for the Academy Award winning feature Finding Nemo. Nierva recently completed working as the Production Designer on Disney•Pixar's feature film Up.

Nierva has illustrated a children's book published by Random House, titled "M" is for Monster, and his artwork is also featured in two other books, The Art of Monster's Inc. and The Art of Finding Nemo by Chronicle Books.

www.pixar.com
IMDb.com

Ross Stewart
Art Director · Cartoon Saloon
(The Secret of Kells)

Ross Stewart works in painting, illustration and animation. His semi abstract mixed media paintings have been exhibited across Ireland and the UK over the last 13 years and his work is held in public and private collections internationally. He has also worked on numerous short films, illustrations and design and graphic productions in conjunction with Cartoon Saloon during this time. As Art Director on The Secret of Kells, Ross worked closely with Director Tomm Moore on achieving a unique Celtic-Irish, hand painted look for the film, since its initial conception in 2000.

www.cartoonsaloon.ie
IMDb.com

Tomm Moore
Co-founder / Creative Director / Director · Cartoon Saloon
(The Secret of Kells)

In 1999, Tomm founded Cartoon Saloon with Paul Young while studying animation at Ballyfermot Senior College, Dublin. Over the company's history, he has worked as Director, Art Director, Character Designer and Animator on a range of projects from commercials to service work for feature films and TV series, as well as a number of short film projects. During this period, Tomm found time to illustrate several books for children and young people, including two award-winning graphic novels in the Irish language. The Secret of Kells is his debut as Director of a feature film. Tomm also wrote and illustrated two tie-in comic books to the film, which have been published in France and Belgium. He is currently developing his second feature film The Song of the Sea.

www.cartoonsaloon.ie
IMDb.com

© 2012 · Spark CG Society · [email protected]