Ottawa International Animation Festival Podcast

Creator, animator and executive producer, Butch Hartman shared his do's and don’ts of animation and comedy writing. Familiar with major studios, he offered insights into creating a successful pitch and how to get it noticed. Hartman is best known for creating The Fairly OddParents, Danny Phantom and T.U.F.F. Puppy, as well voicing various characters on Family Guy and taking on various roles on Johnny Bravo, Powerpuff Girls and many other successful animated projects. Recorded as part of the OIAF's Professional Development Day on September 22, 2012 at the National Arts Centre Studio.

Alan Gregg, Athena Georgaklis, Joan Lambur, and Gavin Friesen explore the development of the Teletoon At Night Pilot Project, while also discussing the business aspects of show creation and the future of web television. Teletoon also presents the winning films from the Pilot Project with their awards. Recoroded at TAC on September 21, 2011 in Ottawa's Fairmont Chateau Laurier.

Moderator Ben Joseph seeks to clarify the process of giving and receiving screenwriting notes in animation, with the help of industry veterans Jennifer McAuley, Phil McCordic, and Lienne Sawatsky. Recorded at TAC 2011 in Ottawa's Fairmont Chateau Laurier.

Each year animator Gary Schwartz brings his Guerillamation production on-location at the festival to produce a short animated appetizer. This year's treat is a short stop-motion robotic interlude entitled "We R Robotz".

Josh Selig (Founder and President of Little Airplane Productions) presents the first day's keynote address at the 2009 Television Animation Conference.

Seth Green and Matt Senreich of Stoopid Monkey (Robot Chicken) present the keynote address at the 2008 Television Animation Conference.

Seth Green and Matt Senreich of Stoopid Monkey (Robot Chicken) present the keynote address at the 2008 Television Animation Conference.

The official video trailer for the 2009 edition of the Ottawa International Animation Festival. Edited by Matt Rosen. Enjoy!

The official video trailer for the 2009 edition of the Ottawa International Animation Festival. Edited by Matt Rosen. Enjoy!

Starting off discussions for 2008 is a panel that deals with responsible television animation for children, exploring topics in child development, gender representation and violence. The goal of this panel is to give the TAC audience access to information that will give them the tools and knowledge to better the landscape of media for children now and for future generations. Speakers: Jonathan Freedman, Professor, University of Toronto; Beth Stevenson, Partner, Executive Producer, Decode Entertainment; Cathy Wing, Co-Executive Director, Media Awareness Network; Moderated by: Linda Simensky, Vice President, Children’s Programming, PBS.

The 2008 Signal Film, created by Fake Studio and directed by Ian Lagarde, was made as two versions. One was shown during Competition, Showcase, and any adult-themed screenings, and another version that was less, ahem... explicit for family-friendly audiences. Enjoy!

Japan is a market that has been self-sufficient for years, but many Japanese producers there are seeing the need to enter the global market. This panel examined ways that Japanese producers can work with their North American counterparts. What business models already exist? How have North American producers been working and getting around the system? What is a road map for the small to mid level companies working together? Is it even possible?Speakers: Eric Calderon, CEO/Concept Creator/Script Writer, Wild Boar Media; Doug Murphy, President, EVP and GM of Corus Kids, Nelvana Ltd.; Shuzo John Shiota, President & CEO, Polygon Pictures; Moderated By: Anthony Jiwa, Director of Marketing, Studio B Productions

Featuring a panel of animation producers alongside concept and web designers, this 2007 Television Animation Conference presentation explores the online industry trends and audience expectations that are shaping animated content on television. Audiences now crave a rich and engaging online experience, a common objective among many producers, demanding the same quality and standards expected of a broadcast production.Moving beyond exploiting pre-existing content in the interest of promotion, what are some examples and models of online material that not only compliment, but integrates animated television programs? How do industry professionals begin to create new content that both evolves with and functions as an extension of its broadcast property?With Jason Krogh (zinc Roe Designs), Pierre Le Lann (Tribal Nova), Adam Shaheen (Cuppa Coffee Studios). Moderated by Brady Gilchrist (Fuel Industries). Presented by the Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund.

We’ve all seen them before and remember them vividly: compelling characters, absurd settings, and stunning creativity in short spots that stick with us for years. A panel of award-winning artists will gear up to discuss the ins and outs of the commercial animation industry, including working with ad agencies, maintaining artistic integrity, inevitable constraints and why they love it. Featuring Steve Angel (Head Gear Animation), Bruce Alcock (Global Mechanic), Frank Falcone (Guru Studio), JJ Sedelmaier (JJ Sedelmaier Productions). Moderated by Richard O’Connor (Asterisk)

To kick-start the return of the OIAF Podcast, we're presenting both Ottawa 2007 International Animation Festival Signal Films, created by Sweden's Filmtecknarna. Shown before each screening, these fun films were crowd-pleasers throughout the Festival.The OIAF Signal Film 2 was created by Jonas Odell, Anders Mehring, Jonas Dahlbeck, David Nord and Johanna Andersson.

To kick-start the return of the OIAF Podcast, we're presenting both Ottawa 2007 International Animation Festival Signal Films, created by Sweden's Filmtecknarna. Shown before each screening, these fun films were crowd-pleasers throughout the Festival.The OIAF Signal Film 1 was created by Jonas Odell, Boris Nawratil, Jessica Laurén, Per Helin and Stig Bergqvist.

There is a tendency in some niche media to lose perspective of the bigger picture. But in a medium as flexible and inviting to experimentation as is animation, it’s difficult to deny the obscure and often absurd influences that can weave in and out of ones work. In this session, we open the doors to some of the ideas and concepts that may not fall directly within the conventional boundaries of “animation art”, but which may raise some surprising connections and inspirations. This session is about ideas. Bring yours and dive in.Speaker: Karan Singh, Associate Professor, University of Toronto (Computer Science). Moderated By: Ellen Besen, Director, Zachary Schwartz Institute for Animation Filmmaking

In recent years the debate about High Definition has slowly shifted from “if” to “when”. As producers understand the impact of HD technology on the production workflow and the distribution possibilities, a number of networks have begun trailing HD broadcast and are looking for content. This panel, presented during the 2006 edition of TAC, is an overview of the current issues in the HD debate, looking at how this exhibition technology is settling into the mainstream in Canada and elsewhere and how producers can prepare in order to stay competitive. It examines some examples of who is producing in HD, who is buying, who covers the extra costs and what is to come.Speakers: Francisco Del Cueto, Chief Technology Officer, Toon Boom Animation Inc.; Gael MacLean, Co-Founder, High Def Consult Inc.; Phil Piazza, Vice President, Programming - Children's TV, Corus Entertainment

High and low art have traditionally been at odds, with animation typically regarded as lowly entertainment, both in the public imagination and in art critical discourse. In the 1970s, video art entered the high zone and now, with digital delivery, certain kinds of animation are being exhibited as gallery installations, and marketed in "limited editions." The panel will explore the tensions between the unique art object, reproduced media, public and private performance space, and the state of animation criticism.Speakers: Lorelei Pepi, Carpenter Center for the Arts, Harvard University; Jeff Scher, Filmmaker, Fez Films Rose Bond, Rose Bond Moving Pictures; Munro Ferguson, Director, National Film Board of Canada; Moderated By: George Griffin, Independent Animator

Eight short animated films made by students during the December Toon Apprentice Workshop presented by Ottawa animator Dan Sokolowski, the Arts Court, SAW Video and the Ottawa International Animation Festival.

We've been asked this a thousand times. How many festival staff members are animators? In an effort to answer this crucial question some of our staff (along with a number of budding filmmakers at our December Toon Apprentice workshop) put together this "masterpiece". We think it's safe to say that the question has been answered. Happy Holidays!

Hear from those in the know about how the business model differs from series to feature production, the kinds of financial and logistical challenges you might face, how to approach the marketing, and what a feature film can mean for your studio.Speakers: Rick Mischel, Chief Executive Officer, Mainframe Entertainment Inc. Frank Gladstone, Vice President, STARZ Animation (formerly IDT Entertainment). Moderated By: Ramin Zahed, Editor-in-Chief, Animation Magazine

It's here! Highlights from this year's festival are now touring across the world, including Joanna Quinn's "Dreams and Desires: Family Ties," Andreas Hykade's "The Runt" and Joel Trussell's "War Photographer."

With the evolution of gaming technology, what is the role of the animator in today’s games industry? Are new technologies like motion capture and artificial intelligence replacing the animator? How do animation skills translate to the needs of the gaming industry? What new skills must animators learn to keep up? Hear from experts as they give insight into this booming industry.Panelists: Eric Armstrong, Senior Animation Director, Electronic Arts Canada and Theodore Pratt, Senior Animator, Electronic ArtsModerated by: Angela Love, Instructor, Art Institute of Pittsburgh

Tired of hearing about mobile entertainment? Too bad. The media marketplace is fragmenting with the rise of digital TV, personal web-linked devices and a plethora of technologies designed to customize your media experience. These technologies will have significant influence on the broadcast industry and are on their way to becoming effective means of exhibition. Who is the audience? What are they watching? What are the business models? How will all of these factors change in the coming years? What will be the relationship between wireless and more conventional distribution windows? With a look at animation content on mobile platforms (ie. phones, ipods, game consuls), this panel from TAC 2006 explores both the creative and business angles of the explosive phenomenon that is stirring the status quo.Speakers: Ryosuke Aoike, Steve Billinger, Fred Seibert & Duncan Kennedy; Moderated by: Charles Zamaria

Every year the OIAF invites local teenagers to get their hands dirty with a hands-on animation workshop. This year they were introduced to Pixillation, a stop-motion technique in which objects and people (meat puppets) are photographed frame by frame.

You’ve heard it a hundred times before: it all starts with the story. And in animation, writing inspires everything; the settings, characters, time and space are all created from a blank slate. This workshop is about storytelling ideas and scriptwriting concepts specific to animation. An exploration of how to write to complement the action, writing good dialogue and making the most of your medium while staying sensitive to the costs involved in every movement.Speakers: Ellen Besen, Robert Marianetti, Janet Perlman, Tom Warburton & Mike Wellins

Rob Coleman has worked in computer graphics and animation since 1985. He has experienced the use of technology change dramatically over the past 20 years and is very excited about the future of digital filmmaking. Coleman discusses the use of technology in today’s animation production pipeline as well as the many tools that will be available to artists and filmmakers in the near future.Coleman is Animation Director at Lucasfilm Animation in Marin County, California. He is currently working on an animated television series and is developing an animated feature film.

"Yeah yeah yeah, everyone's talking about digital platforms and 'The Long Tail' (and if you aren't, you should be). But how real is it and what does it mean for television and animation?"The 2006 Television Animation Conference Keynote was delivered with flair by Michael Ouweleen (SVP, Programming and Development, Cartoon Network). Listen carefully and you just might learn something.

Join Evan Spiridellis, co-founder and Head Art Guy of JibJab Media Inc., as he discusses creating, producing and distributing animation without the interference of mega-media conglomerates or corporate middlemen! Thanks to new technologies and the explosive growth of the web, the traditional media landscape is shifting. For the first time in history, artists can connect directly with a world-wide audience in an unfiltered voice, creating opportunities for individual creators and independent studios that have never before been possible.This presentation was one of the highlights of this year's workshop series at OIAF 06. This is the second and final part of this podcast series.

For those who attended OIAF 06 you're probably familiar with Takeshi Nagata & Kazue Monno's LIGHTING DOODLE PROJECT. Well... they were also at the festival and made another film while they were here. For more info about their work, visit www.tochka.jp

Join Evan Spiridellis, co-founder and Head Art Guy of JibJab Media Inc., as he discusses creating, producing and distributing animation without the interference of mega-media conglomerates or corporate middlemen! Thanks to new technologies and the explosive growth of the web, the traditional media landscape is shifting. For the first time in history, artists can connect directly with a world-wide audience in an unfiltered voice, creating opportunities for individual creators and independent studios that have never before been possible. This presentation was one of the highlights of this year's workshop series at OIAF 06. Keep checking our podcast; Part 2 will be released soon!

If you were late to every single screening at this year's festival, you might not have caught the OIAF 06 Signal Film. Even if you've already seen it, this kaleidoscope of animation techniques demands repeat viewings. Kudos to directors Nathaniel Akin and Bruce Alcock, as well as the rest of the team at Global Mechanic.

This year Bruce Alcock and the team at Global Mechanic produced our Signal Film (check it out exclusively in Ottawa Sept. 20-24). For now, here's their making of video. Enjoy!

To honor our 30th anniversary we will be presenting some of our past Signal Films (the official festival trailers played before each screening). The SAFO 03 Signal Film was directed by Nick Cross, one of Ottawa’s most talented animators. He has directed two films, The Red Scarf and Tea for Two and is currently working on his latest short film The Waif of Persephone.

A pioneer in the Canadian independent animation scene from 1964 to 1987, John Straiton’s technically innovative films explore depictions of psychology, sexuality and myth. Special thanks to Madi Piller and TAIS for providing this interview excerpt.

Canadian animator John Straiton was asked to “comment on the use of animation in this field, as applied to North American, and his own, experience.” Originally published in the Ottawa 76 festival program.

To honor our 30th anniversary we will be presenting some of our past Signal Films (the official festival trailers played before each screening). For the OIAF 02 signal film entitled "Scratch Track," renowned camera-less animator Richard Reeves directs an animated orchestra exploring the relationship between sound and image.

Beginning in 1976, the OIAF has celebrated those who have contributed to the world of animation. There was no better choice in '76 than animation legend Norman McLaren. These selected drawings were originally printed in the Ottawa 76 program book.

To honor our 30th anniversary we will be presenting some of our past Signal Films (the official festival trailers played before each screening). The first is last year's multi-narrative Signal Film written and directed by Will Krause. Created by a team of New York Indie animators, the film features nine animated characters as they travel to the main Festival venue, the National Arts Centre of Canada.