CTN Animation Expo, Burbank, California

CTN Animation Expo 2011 brings together the top professionals from both the traditional and digital worlds of animation. Hosted by the Creative Talent Network, this second year event already with 2800 in attendance it’s first year has captured both the industry and local community’s attention as a resource for education, employment, business opportunities and most of all FUN!
Our theme this year is “See the Future: The Renaissance Has Begun”. While the Expo has a very broad appeal, it is focused specifically on ‘THE TALENT” from the animation and surrounding communities. In an intimate setting at the Burbank Marriott Hotel and Convention Center thousands of attendees meet the faces behind the fantasy from yesterday, today and tomorrow over the course of 3 days. The event presenters include contributors from some of the highest grossing animated films of all time and are targeted to empower professionals, educate students and entertain the general public.
Of particular interest to attendees are the Live Demonstrations, Networking Receptions, Master Workshops, Panel Discussions, Business Symposiums, Recruiting and the Professional Exhibits offered throughout the Expo as well as the signature One-On-One Personal Consultations with creative professionals from top studios and educational institutions both local and international all happening during the first city wide proclamation of “Animation Week” just for this event. Visit www.ctnanimationexpo.com 

NID Student Animation Festival 2011

Its time to celebrate once more, as we announce the 3rd Edition of our beloved COWfest, Chitrakatha’11! This year’s event is very special as NID also completes 50 years of the youthful spirit of design education in India.

To salute this historical event, Chitakatha’11 is going to sing along with the tune of NID’s golden jubilee celebrations and invite all the friends, connoisseurs and enthusiasts to be part of it. Along with the trusted supporters and partners of this whacky young festival of trick films, we look forward to more well wishers to help this event grow and glow! Read More...

Technology and Television

In March this year, Disney launched a Backstage Pass iPhone and iPad app for the Oscars, which were televised by ABC in the US and its partners around the world. The app drew on more than 30 cameras placed around the event. “Viewers using the app could switch between the cameras at will, to get the story they wanted to see,” said Sweeney. “A story unique to them, because it was created by them.”by

The app won an Emmy award for Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media. Meanwhile, Disney has also been trying to innovate in the social media world too, building Facebook and Twitter sharing into all its digital content sites. Disney is also launching a new section on ABC.com called ‘Discuss’ which pulls in conversations about its shows from these services.

“Our goal is to give fans one easy-to-use location to connect with others around the world and join the discussion anywhere it’s happening,” she said. “We’re focusing on social networks because that’s where our viewers are.” Sweeney cited stats including the fact that 52% of EMEA and Asia Pacific social network users say they have watched a video shared by a friends, while 68% on social networks in Latin America say the same thing.

READ MORE by 

Anne Sweeney; Disney Media Networks co-chair & Disney-ABC president on how technology has unleashed television

Technology is changing teachers' jobs

It's the latest way technology is changing teachers' jobs — in this case it's literally turning their workday upside-down. But teachers say flipped, or upside-down, classes offer greater control of material and more face time with students.

In many cases, software allows students to chat online while watching the videos. Tegrity, a Silicon Valley firm that specializes in flipped instruction, allows students to time-stamp lecture notes. It boasts more than 1million student users, many of them in higher education.

Flipped classrooms have even attracted the attention of funders such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which has become a major backer of Khan Academy, a non-profit repository of nearly 2,400 free instructional videos that teachers use to teach everything from pre-algebra to Augusto Pinochet's Chile....Read more

Farewell to Steve Jobs, Apple founder

NEW YORK: Apple on Wednesday announced the death of its visionary co-founder Steve Jobs.

"We are deeply saddened to announce that Steve Jobs passed away today," the company's board of directors said in a statement....Read More..


"The world rarely sees someone who made such a profound impact," Microsoft's founder tweetedtonight. "For those of us lucky enough to get to work with Steve, it’s been an insanely great honor," he added. "I will miss Steve immensely." As will we all.

Animation Insider

Animation Insider’s goal is to focus on the blue collared worker of animation; the back bone of the industry. We want to focus on the real people in the trenches who make the award winning stuff we love.  Basically if your job is associated in some way with animated movement, we want to interview you! We think everybody has stories to tell from the trenches of animation!
Visit the website:
http://www.animationinsider.com/