Final Notice! Register Now for this Week's Event - An Evening with COLLINS (Innovators, Brand Builders)

The Art+Copy Club Presents an Evening with Brian Collins and Leland Maschmeyer

Brian Collins is Chief Creative Officer of COLLINS, an innovation-led firm dedicated to inventing branded experiences, digital interactions and communications that shape both companies and people for the better. His colleague Leland Maschmeyer is the creative director for the firm.

Brian Collins
Chairman & Chief Creative Officer // Collins
"For almost a decade I led the brand and innovation division of Ogilvy & Mather. We built communications and design solutions for some of the world's most iconic companies including Unilever, Kraft, Mattel, Motorola, AT&T, Coca-Cola and American Express. We worked hard and developed a reputation for doing good work. Still, I thought there was a different way to take advantage of the changes driving new technology and marketing. I wanted to invent new ways to connect people with emerging ideas and brands. So my partners and I set out to create a firm to do just that." [via collins1.com]

Leland Maschmeyer
Creative Director // Collins
"For years I made ads for NASDAQ, Travelocity and Virgin Atlantic. Though none of my ideas were really intended to be ads. I always tried to make them something bigger. I tried to make marketing that mattered to people. That stood out in their lives not because it disrupted them, but because it uplifted them. The way I see it: creating social change creates pocket change." [via collins1.com]

Event Details

• 5:30pm: Networking
• 6:30pm: Presentation
• Ron Berg Event Space
• 1525 Grand Avenue Map

Register Now - Why Pay More?

• Members: $10
• Non-Members: $15
• Member Walk-Up Price: $20
• Non-Member Walk-Up Price: $25

Student Details:

• Student Member Price: $5
• Student Non-Member Price: $10

NOTE: Students will not be able to register online.

Contact the AAF-KC office at 816-822-0300 or sarah@aafkc.com to register.

Kathleen Collins named president emeritus of Kansas City Art Institute

For immediate release

 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (May 25, 2011) — Kathleen Collins, president of the Kansas City Art Institute since 1996, will become president emeritus of the college following her retirement on June 30. She is the first person in the college’s 125-year history to receive the president emeritus title.

 

“I am deeply honored to be recognized in this way,” Collins said at farewell reception May 18, when Bill Zahner, chair of the college’s board of trustees, made the announcement. “KCAI is an extraordinary place. I feel fortunate to have played a role in its long and distinguished history.”

 

Zahner presented a framed resolution to Collins, lauding her for dedicating herself to professional service to the college. The resolution said her dynamic leadership of KCAI “has positively impacted both the college and the Kansas City metropolitan area by preparing talented students for lifelong creativity.”

 

The board’s resolution listed a variety of accomplishments, noting that during her tenure, enrollment has increased nearly 30 percent (from 547 students in 1996 to 707 students in 2011); more than $25 million in campus improvements have been made, including the addition of the H&R Block Artspace, the Jannes Library and Learning Center, the Lawrence and Kristina Dodge Painting Building, Café Nerman and the J.C. Nichols Patio Garden; the college’s total assets increased from $18 million to $78 million and net assets from $17 million to $62 million; the college’s endowment more than quadrupled to $43 million; annual fund donations doubled from $700,000 to more than $1.4 million; and the college experienced 11 consecutive years of operating surpluses.

 

The resolution stated that, under Collins’ leadership, the college introduced certificate programs in Community Arts and Service Learning and in Asian Studies. The programs encourage KCAI students to become engaged in community service and prepare for world citizenship while studying toward their B.F.A. degrees. It also commended her effectiveness in building strong community partnerships through her involvement in organizations such as Brush Creek Community Partners, the Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City and the Art in the Loop Foundation.

 

“Whereas the Kansas City Art Institute has benefitted immeasurably by President Collins’ leadership and diversity of achievements on behalf of the college,” the resolution stated, “now therefore be it resolved that the Board of Trustees, in recognition of and in gratitude for (her) professional service to the Kansas City Art Institute, herby awards Kathleen Collins the title president emeritus and presents this resolution together with an expression of the trustees’ thanks and congratulations.”

 

About the Kansas City Art Institute

 

The Kansas City Art Institute is a private, independent four-year college of art and design awarding the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with majors in animation, art history, ceramics, digital filmmaking, digital media, fiber, graphic design, illustration, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture and studio art with an emphasis on creative writing. The college also offers certificate programs in Community Arts and Service Learning and in Asian Studies for students enrolled in the B.F.A. program. KCAI hosts “Current Perspectives,” a free public lecture series; free exhibitions at the H&R Block Artspace gallery; and evening, weekend and summer classes in art, design, multimedia studies and desktop publishing for children, youth and adults. Founded in 1885, KCAI is Kansas City’s oldest arts organization. For more information, visit KCAI on the Web at www.kcai.edu.

Scripps Media, Inc., certifies that its advertising sales agreements do not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity. All advertising sales agreements contain nondiscrimination clauses.

Disaster Preparedness for the Arts

Joplin Tornado
The scene around much of the Joplin, Missouri area is one of destruction and devastation. Mother nature has been unkind to a number of areas throughout the Midwest but on Sunday, May 22nd she was ruthless.

A severe storm came through the area and dropped a large tornado that tore a 6-mile path across southwestern Missouri, to date killing 116 people and injuring 400. This twister was the single deadliest tornado to strike the U.S. since a June 1953 tornado in Flint, Mich., that storm also killed 116, according to the National Weather Service.

A state of emergency has been declared and the National Guard has been activated to assist with the clean up efforts.

Below are resources for affected artists and arts organizations as well as links for anyone who wants to help.

How You Can Help Joplin
If you would like to help the victims of the Joplin tornado there are a number of different ways to do it.

Donations

• The American Red Cross set up a page for Missouri tornado and flood relief.
• The Joplin Red Cross could use donations. You can contact them at (417) 624-4411 in order to find out what is necessary.
• The Missouri State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has set up a donation page.
• A list of major non-profits that operate regularly in Missouri can be found on the National Donations Management Network website. You can also call (800) 427-4626 for further information.
• The Missouri Interfaith Disaster Response Organization is taking donations for longterm recovery efforts.
• The Community Blood Center of the Ozarks is in need of blood — particularly type O. A list of donation sites can be found here.

Volunteering

• 211 Missouri is helping organize volunteers in the affected areas. More information can be found by calling (800) 427-462.
• Nurses or doctors looking to help can call (417) 832-9500 for the Greater Ozarks chapter of the Red Cross.
• Health professionals can register to volunteer through the Show-Me Response website.

Animal rescue

• For those in the Joplin area: Emergency Pet Center of the Four States at 7th & Illinois near the Sonic is OPEN and accepting found/injured animals. Its phones are down at this time.
• The "Animals Lost & Found from the Joplin, Mo tornado" Facebook page is tracking lost and found pets.

 Safety Information

• The National Americorp Volunteers are setting up a national hotline for residents to call to check on loved ones. The number is (417) 659-5464.
• The American Red Cross has set up a site on which you can check in, report on the safety of others, or look for information on loved ones.
• The "Joplin people accounted for after the storm" Facebook page is helping people track loved ones who fell out of touch during the storm.
• The St. John's Health System has been updating its Facebook page regularly with information relevant to the aftermath of the storm.

Other efforts

• The recently organized "Joplin Volunteer & Outreach Station" Facebook page appears to be focused on aiding relief efforts.
• The "Joplin Tornado Citizen Checks (neighbors helping neighbors!" Facebook page appears to be a gathering place for a lot of Joplin locals who are in need of aid or able to provide aid to others.
• The "Joplin, MO Tornado Recovery" Facebook page is one of the bigger ones dedicated to aid efforts and contains a great deal of up-to-the-second information on where help is necessary.

As always be aware that there are individuals that may attempt to take advantage of tragic situations such as this. Do some research before you decide to donate to an organization. A good tool to use is Charity Navigator, a service that has information on more than 5,000 nonprofit organizations.

Resources for Artists & Arts Organizations Affected by Disasters
Being prepared for a disaster of any magnitude means the least amount of disruption to the creative work of an artist or arts organization. For anyone involved in the arts this is inherently important and with the recent natural disasters the U.S. has seen weighing on many minds it's good to know where to find help or support. Below are some resources to assist in being prepared when calamity strikes.

• ArtsReady.org - This organization assists artists and arts organizations prepare for and recover from a disaster.
• Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF+) - An organization committed to safeguarding and sustaining the careers of craft artists throughout the United States through business and career-strengthening programs, emergency relief support, advocacy and research so that they can thrive and, thus, contribute to the quality of life in our communities.
• The Actors Fund - a nonprofit human services organization founded in 1882, serves all professionals - and not just actors! - in film, theater, television, music, opera, and dance through programs that address their unique and essential needs.
• Alliance of Nonprofit for Insurance - a 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving more than 3,000 501(c)(3) nonprofits in 25 states (available in Missouri) and the District of Columbia by providing stable, fair prices for their liability insurance needs.

815 Olive Street, Suite 16
St. Louis, MO 63101-1503
Phone: 314-340-6845
Toll Free: 866-407-4752
http://www.missouriartscouncil.org/

"Kung Fu Panda 2" Trailer

Next Weekend, Everybody!

The Arts Council Re-Brands Kansas City

A "Brand" New Kansas City

Great cities have great and unforgettable mottos. The "Mile High City", the "City of Brotherly Love", and the "Music City," to name a few. But what about Kansas City? Is our modest Midwest mentality preventing Kansas City from proclaiming its fame?

For the past year, The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, The Downtown Council, the Kansas City Convention & Visitors Association, the Kansas City Area Development Council, and the Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City have joined forces to create a new image for our great city. Meet representatives from each organization and find out the results of their combined creative efforts.

So, Chicago, keep your wind and New York, get some sleep! You'll need it once Kansas City's new image is unveiled!

Details:
Friday, June 3rd
11:45 am - 1:00 pm
Central Exchange
1020 Central
Kansas City, MO 64106

To register for this event, please click here.

NEA Announces $2.3m Missouri Grant

National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Chairman Rocco Landesman announced the latest round of NEA funding for Fiscal Year 2011 totaling more than $88 million awarded through 1,145 grants to not-for-profit national, regional, state, and local organizations nationwide. More than $2.3 million went to 19 Missouri organizations. The Missouri Arts Council will receive $743,700 to support partnership activities.

Chairman Landesman said, "NEA research shows that three out of four Americans participate in the arts. The diverse, innovative, and exceptional projects funded in this round will ensure that Americans around the country continue to have the opportunity to experience and participate in the arts."

This round of funding is provided through four grant programs: Access to Artistic Excellence, Learning in the Arts for Children and Youth, Arts on Radio and Television, and Partnership Agreements (State and Regional).

Click here for the list of Missouri art organizations

Click here to read the press release from the NEA

The National Endowment for the Arts was established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. To date, the NEA has awarded more than $4 billion to support artistic excellence, creativity, and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities. The NEA extends its work through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector. To join the discussion on how art works, visit the NEA at arts.gov.

KCYA to Host New Arts Festival Saturday

Kansas City Young Audiences will host first Arts Festival this Saturday at KC Power & Light District
Event to include live performances and interactive workshops

Kansas City, MO. – Kansas City Young Audiences (KCYA), the region’s largest provider of arts education and experiences, is celebrating 50 years of opening a window to the arts for the youth of Greater Kansas City. As part of the year-long celebration, KCYA will host the Young Audiences Arts Festival on Saturday, May 21 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. to kick off the Sprint Family Fun Series at the Kansas City Power and Light District. This free event will feature performances and interactive workshops by KCYA Teaching Artists and Arts Partners.

Activities will take place on two stages between Main Street and Walnut Street. Artists who will perform on the main KC Live Stage include Paul Mesner Puppets, Jim Cosgrove & the Hiccups, Traditional Music Society, Mauricio Salguero, Tri-Percussion, The Coterie Theatre and the Turpin-Tyme Ragsters. The Elements Stage will feature interactive workshops and performances that will have the audience up and moving. Workshops include a modern dance workshop presented by KC Friends of Alvin Ailey, a ballet workshop featuring Community School of the Arts students and Teaching Artist Kim Shope, the Anderson family Band and a student performance and workshop by the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival.

The festival is made possible by funding from the Neighborhood Tourism Development Fund, a grant provided by the city to promote cultural events in Kansas City and help drive tourism.

Click here for additional event details

The formal 50th Anniversary Celebration will be Saturday, Nov. 12 at the Kauffman Center for Performing Arts, opening later this year. The event will feature a performance by a well-known artist, to be announced very soon.

About KCYA
Founded in 1961, KCYA’s original mission was to bring classical music programs to area school children. Since that time, KCYA has expanded to deliver programs in all arts disciplines including music, dance, theatre, creative writing and visual arts through partnerships with professional Teaching Artists and Arts Partners. KCYA provides arts education programs to schools and operates the Community School of the Arts, which gives children the opportunity to further explore their own artistic and creative abilities beyond the regular school day. Serving more than 178 thousand children each year and more than 5 million in its history, KCYA is the largest provider of arts programs in the Kansas City area and one of the largest members of the national Young Audiences Arts for Learning network.

KCYA is located at 5601 Wyandotte, on the campus of St. Teresa’s Academy.

For more information, visit www.kcya.org or call (816) 531-4022. KCYA also can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/KansasCityYoungAudiences or Twitter at http://twitter.com/kcya.

###
5601 Wyandotte Street
Kansas City, MO 64113

AMERICA: NOW AND HERE The Journey Starts in Kansas City

America: Now and Here presents a cross-disciplinary experience in visual art, poetry, music, theater, and film as the foundation for engaging audiences in a unique American experience. Through art, people will come together for timely dialogues about America, sharing their insights, ideas, and points of view. Programs will invite audiences to create and contribute their own message for America through creative forms. Through the America: Now and Here experience, everyone can participate in a historic and exciting national conversation.

For more information, click here.

Bazillion Pictures featured by American Advertising Federation

or their inaugural edition "Friday Feature" on May 6, AAFKC.com featured Bazillion's demo reel.  Here's another look.

Bazillion -Main Demo Reel / March 2011 - from Bazillion on Vimeo.

Aardman's Arthur Christmas Highlights Annecy's Work In Progress Program

The upcoming Annecy animation festival has slated a series of meetings that will dig into heart of feature film production. Over four days, June 7-10, two daily meetings each will focus on a new, upcoming animated feature film production.

http://www.awn.com/departments/events-and-awards/feed

Kansas Arts Commission

Dear Governor Brownback,

As a former director of the Kansas Arts Commission (KAC), I’m writing to urge you to join with the legislature in supporting the mission and budget of that effective public agency.

I served Governors Docking and Bennett, a democrat and a republican, in the 1970’s.  The mission of the KAC, to provide opportunities for the people of Kansas to experience, celebrate and value the arts throughout their lives, has always received broad bipartisan support.  Chairs of the KAC to whom I reported included Martin Umansky, president of the ABC television affiliate in Wichita, Wichita attorney Philip Leon, and Camilla Cave, whose family managed the grain elevator in Dodge. These business and civic leaders, and their colleague commissioners, made it clear to me that our primary public purpose was to help solve a statewide problem. Children everywhere in the state were going to college in Kansas, then leaving the state and not coming back. Moreover, communities could not attract doctors, lawyers, dentists, and new businesses. The problem, they said, was not the economy – it was the quality of community cultural life available.  Students learn to enjoy the arts, and professional people who make career and investment decisions take cultural opportunities into consideration.

During its 45-year history, the KAC has created jobs and increased arts activities. Before the KAC brought statewide leadership to forming local arts councils there were less than five. That number grew to 40 during my years in Kansas, and then to 80. Festivals, arts groups, arts center construction, jobs for artists and others supplying them, downtown revitalization, and community cultural plans proliferated in towns and cities all over the state. In all, 135 groups representing many hundreds of jobs for artists and other workers have applied this year for operational support grants, and that is only one KAC program.   KAC success has attracted community support and federal dollars, which have matched many times over the state investment.  Governors of Kansas have always been expected to make hard budget decisions and they have always understood that the KAC represents an investment that leverages state funding and pays off handsomely in jobs and net tax revenue. For 0.005% of the state’s $13.8 billion budget – one half of one hundredth of one percent, which is conservative investment by any objective measure – you can keep these benefits flowing to Kansas communities who need every possible economic asset available to them in these hard times.

I’ve heard the idea that a private foundation with little or no state funding could be as effective as the KAC. There’s no factual basis for thinking that. Why create a new organization that would have to compete with artists and cultural groups for funding?  Why start from scratch when KAC commissioners and staff have demonstrated their capacity to manage statewide planning and programs that satisfy state and federal accountability standards? The KAC brought in $778,200 to the state from the NEA this year to support Kansas jobs, artists and cultural groups. Absent a state arts agency that matches NEA funds with state dollars and has demonstrated accountable public planning, that federal money will go to support jobs and activities in other states.  Kansas could also lose the $437,767 the KAC brought in from its regional partner, the Mid-America Arts Alliance. The net loss to Kansas if the appropriation to the KAC is not preserved will far exceed the $689,000 recommended by the legislature. Vetoing it will achieve no net “savings” for Kansas communities.

I am currently the CEO of the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, which gives me a unique perspective on the truly formidable budget challenges facing most states – and the value that the other states are finding from continuing to fund the arts. But I am writing this letter today as a former KAC director and former Kansas resident, taxpayer and voter, one who knows firsthand how good life in the Sunflower State can be, and how much communities stand to lose if their state arts agency is not funded.

The legislature has already spoken on this issue twice and has clearly responded to the wishes of their – and your – constituents. Now, it’s your turn, Governor Brownback, to make news by doing what both the legislators and the people want, and what’s best for the future of Kansas – supporting the mission, public purpose, and budget of the Kansas Arts Commission.

Thank you for your time and attention,

Jonathan Katz

914 Larch Avenue

Takoma Park, MD  20912

Jkatz00000@aol.com

(301) 891-2587

DEADLINE FOR RMRE MAY 20th

Deadline approaching for River Market Regional Exhibition

JUROR: Dr. Patricia McDonnell, Director, Ulrich Museum of Art, Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas.

Entry fee: $20

A 50% discount is available for current KCAC members.

2011 RIVER MARKET REGIONAL EXHIBITION

Mallin and Jacqueline B. Charno Galleries

Calendar

May 20                       Deadline for submissions at http://www.callforentry.org/

June 2                        Notification of artists e-mailed (to the address in CaFÉ profile)

June 23-26                  Work due. 11-4 p.m.

July 9                         Opening Reception, 5-8:00 p.m.

August 7                     Exhibition ends.

August 11-12               Pick up of hand delivered works. 11-4 p.m.

August 12                    Return of shipped work.

Exhibition Dates

July 8 - August 11

To Enter

Go to http://www.callforentry.org/ to set up your profile and enter.  Begin your image prep right away, you can save your portfolio and return to it at anytime.

Entry Fee: $20

Artists Coalition members receive a 50% discount with the discount code.

During checkout (before you enter payment) click box by the first amount (to make a check mark) then press recalculate, enter the discount coupon code that you received from KCAC. If you do not enter the discount coupon code at checkout you will not receive a discount. No refunds will be made.

Read entire detailed information concerning the River Market Regional Exhibition:

http://www.kansascityartistscoalition.org/exhibitions/exhibitions_calls.html#rivermarketregionalexhibition

Ottawa International Animation Festival Deadline Approaches

Press Release from Ottawa International Animation Festival
OTTAWA, ONTARIO – North America's largest animation event, the Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) is reminding the animation community to get their work in before it’s too late. Entry forms must be submitted online by May 20th, and preview DVDs are due by June 3rd. There is no entry fee.

This year’s event takes place September 21st to 25th and promises to turn Canada’s capital into the center of the animation universe. The Festival showcases the best new animation from around the world in six major categories including Independent Short films, Feature films, New Media, Commissioned films (TV series, commercials, music videos etc), Student films and Work Made for Children.

In addition to the Competition screenings, the 2011, event the Festival pays tribute to the bizarre, funny, angry, scary, and confusing worlds of Gil Alkabetz, Mati Kütt, and Aaron Augenblick. Honorary president, the NFB’s David Verrall gives us Ten Reasons to Love Animation. John Canemaker takes us through the art of Joe Ranft and Joe Grant, while Jerry Beck invites us to join the Cartoon Fight Club. Plus, the Festival will dig into animation in Hip-Hop Culture and have a look at our relationship with Food. Hungry yet? Additional screenings will be announced in the near future.

For more information about this year’s Festival, as well as the online entry form, visit the OIAF website at www.animationfestival.ca. Questions about submitting a film may be sent to entries@animationfestival.ca or made by telephone at 613-232-8769.

About the Ottawa International Animation Festival
The Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) is one of the world’s leading animation events providing screenings, exhibits, workshops and entertainment since 1976. OIAF is an annual five-day event bringing art and industry together in a vibrant hub and attracting more than 28,000 artists, producers, students and animation fans from around the world. For more information, visit the OIAF website at: www.animationfestival.ca.

 

Ottawa International Animation Festival Deadline Approaches

Press Release from Ottawa International Animation Festival
OTTAWA, ONTARIO – North America's largest animation event, the Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) is reminding the animation community to get their work in before it’s too late. Entry forms must be submitted online by May 20th, and preview DVDs are due by June 3rd. There is no entry fee.

This year’s event takes place September 21st to 25th and promises to turn Canada’s capital into the center of the animation universe. The Festival showcases the best new animation from around the world in six major categories including Independent Short films, Feature films, New Media, Commissioned films (TV series, commercials, music videos etc), Student films and Work Made for Children.

In addition to the Competition screenings, the 2011, event the Festival pays tribute to the bizarre, funny, angry, scary, and confusing worlds of Gil Alkabetz, Mati Kütt, and Aaron Augenblick. Honorary president, the NFB’s David Verrall gives us Ten Reasons to Love Animation. John Canemaker takes us through the art of Joe Ranft and Joe Grant, while Jerry Beck invites us to join the Cartoon Fight Club. Plus, the Festival will dig into animation in Hip-Hop Culture and have a look at our relationship with Food. Hungry yet? Additional screenings will be announced in the near future.

For more information about this year’s Festival, as well as the online entry form, visit the OIAF website at www.animationfestival.ca. Questions about submitting a film may be sent to entries@animationfestival.ca or made by telephone at 613-232-8769.

About the Ottawa International Animation Festival
The Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) is one of the world’s leading animation events providing screenings, exhibits, workshops and entertainment since 1976. OIAF is an annual five-day event bringing art and industry together in a vibrant hub and attracting more than 28,000 artists, producers, students and animation fans from around the world. For more information, visit the OIAF website at: www.animationfestival.ca.

 

LIVE painting competition between teams of local artists

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Kansas City, MO – May 10, 2011

ON JUNE 3, 2011 The Keyhole Presents a LIVE painting competition between teams of local artists. A LIVE model will be painted and each painting will be auctioned off throughout the night. The painters are: Molly Murphy, Victoria Strong, Jose Faus, Ryan Tenney, Mary Ware, Christina Gandy, Bill Drummond, Pete Ruhl, Jeanette Powers, Cortney Jarisch and Jessica Logsdon. On display inside The Keyhole will be artworks by each of these local artists.

Music will be performed by two local bands Valency and The Restless Breed!!

WHEN: FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2011

WHERE: THE KEYHOLE GALLERY

1903 WYANDOTTE, K.C. MO 64108

THE CROSSROADS ART DISTRICT

TIME: 5:30 - 10:00 PM
Phone #: 816-237-8484

URGENT ACTION BEFORE MAY 13, 2011

URGENT MESSAGE:

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED PRIOR TO MAY 13, 2011

We need everyone with any connection to filmmaking to send a letter or an email to Missouri Governor Jay Nixon. The House and Senate have approved a budget which continues funding for the Missouri Film Office. Now the budget will go to the governor to be signed into law.

It is ESSENTIAL that the governor hear from all as many people as possible before May 13!

We do not want form letters. Start out with one or two sentences telling the governor how you are connected to the film community (even if you just love to watch locally produced films). Then urge the governor to support the Missouri film industry and to sign House Bill 7. Tell him that it is very important to you that he NOT veto the legislation or withhold the funds approved by the legislature We can save the Missouri Film Office, but it’s now or never. PLEASE EMAIL AND SEND A COPY OF YOUR LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE VIA MAIL – PLEASE DO BOTH!

Send email by going to:
http://governor.mo.gov/contact/

Send letters to:
Office of Governor Jay Nixon
P.O. Box 720
Jefferson City, MO 65102

Tribeca Film Festival Screening on Wednesday, May 11 from 7-8:30PM

Art with Hip Hop Groove

Who:       Kansas City Art Institute and DeLaSalle students

What:     Painting to hip-hop and bluegrass music (live music by Gerald Trimble)

When:    3:20 p.m. May 5

Where:  Arts Incubator, 113 W. 18th St., Kansas City, Mo.

Contact:  Anne Canfield, 816-802-3426 (office) or 816-210-8204 (cell) or Theo Bunch, 816-457-2143 (cell)

There will be sounds of hip-hop fused with bluegrass, a huge tarp and college and high school students painting to the music, using big paintbrushes and multi-colored paints. This art “happening” begins at 3:20 p.m. May 5 (Thursday) at the Arts Incubator, 113 W. 18th St.  Leading the activity will be Theo Bunch, a senior majoring in sculpture and creative writing at KCAI, and Shaun Teamer, a junior majoring in animation at KCAI, who are collaborating with KCAI’s Black Artists’ Culture and Community group and students from DeLaSalle Education Center. The event is part of ArtPlay, an activity within KCAI’s Community Arts and Service Learning program. The May 5 event is also part of America Now and Here, a national traveling art experience that is set to open May 6 in Kansas City. (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/31/arts/design/eric-fischls-america-now-and-here-project.html)  The artwork the students create on May 5 will be available for a public-participation event after 5:30 p.m. May 6, during First Friday in the Crossroads Arts District. Gallerygoers can go to the Arts Incubator, where they will be invited to pick up a brush and paint any remaining blank areas of the tarp.

NATPE ANNOUNCES RETURN TO MIAMI FOR 2012 CONFERENCE

Press Release from NATPE

LOS ANGELES, May 3, 2011 – NATPE, the premiere media marketplace, returns to Miami Beach in 2012 for its annual market and conference, to be held at the Fontainebleau Resort from January 23 to 25, NATPE President and CEO Rick Feldman announced today. The organization has committed to returning to South Beach for two markets through 2013.

“Moving to Miami in 2011 was a great success for the international community we serve and we received overwhelmingly positive responses from those who attended,” said Feldman. “We saw a big increase in attendees from the United States, Europe and Latin America and every indication has been that a considerable amount of business was done.”

NATPE 2011 experienced significant growth in the key attendee categories. Final numbers revealed that a total of 4,850 top media executives from 70 countries attended – a 35-percent increase from 2010. The number of both exhibitors and buyers grew as well: 272 global exhibiting countries were represented, up 20 percent from the previous year; and 780 content buyers and acquisition executives were on hand, representing a remarkable 116-percent jump from 2010. The conference program included 250 influential speakers in 50 sessions, special events and networking opportunities.

Even those who were not present in Miami were able to benefit from NATPE’s panels through a series of live streaming events that drew phenomenal tune-in numbers. Over three days, online viewers watched via 488,051 streams. Sessions about digital content proved to be the most popular, including YouTube In Demand Brand Stars, which claimed a whopping 125,004 streams; Anatomy of a Hit Web Series, grabbing 99,364 streams; TV Goes Social, with 77,736 streams; and New Guard of Digital Deal Makers, which drew 72,598 streams.

NATPE’s commitment to supporting the buying and selling of great content is reflected in the prominent roster of experienced executives serving on its Board of Directors. Chris Grant, President, Shine International, and Jordan Levin, CEO, Generate, serve as Co-Chairs, and newly elected members of the 2011 NATPE Board are Rob Barnett, Founder and CEO, My Damn Channel, New York; Cesar O. Diaz, Vice President of Sales, Venevision International, Miami; David Ellender, Global CEO, FremantleMedia Enterprises, London; Bob Friedman, President, Media and Entertainment, Radical Media, New York; Greg Lipstone, SVP & Head of International TV and Media, ICM, Los Angeles; John Morayniss, CEO, Entertainment One Television, Los Angeles; Scott Sternberg, President, Scott Sternberg Productions, Los Angeles; and Elizabeth Tumulty, Executive Vice President, Distribution, The CW Television Network, Burbank.

Returning members of the NATPE Board are Lisa Berger, EVP, Entertainment Programming, E!, Comcast Entertainment Group, Los Angeles; Paul Buccieri, CEO and President, ITV Studios, Inc., Los Angeles; Luis Fernandez, President, Entertainment, Univision Studios, Univision Network, Miami; Phil Gurin, President, The Gurin Company, Los Angeles; Gary Lico, President & CEO, CABLEready Corporation, Connecticut; Jim Packer, President, Worldwide TV Distribution, Lionsgate, Los Angeles; Neal Sabin, Executive Vice President, Weigel Broadcasting, Chicago; Hans Schiff, Agent, Creative Artists Agency, Los Angeles; Eric Schotz, CEO & President, LMNO Productions, Los Angeles; Peter Tortorici, CEO, GroupM Entertainment Worldwide, Los Angeles.

The 2011 NATPE Executive Committee includes Mr. Feldman, Mr. Grant and Mr. Levin along with member representatives Kevin Beggs, President, Programming and Production, Lionsgate, Los Angeles; Emerson Coleman, Vice President, Programming, Hearst Television Inc., New York; Stephen J. Davis, President, Hasbro Studios, Los Angeles; Bruce David Klein, President & Executive Producer, Atlas Media Corporation, New York; Barry Wallach, President, NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution, New York; and Eminence Gris Lew Klein, President, NATPE Educational Foundation, Pennsylvania.

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY!

Celebrate At
POP CULTURE COMIX
Saturday, May 7th
FREE COMIC BOOK DAY!

DOORS OPEN 10am - 5pm

Our Guests Include:

C.W. Cooke - Writer of the Nationally Acclaimed biography The Royals: Prince William and Kate Middleton.

Check out Mr. Cookes other books from Bluewater Productions' FAME line like Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Glee and others, including the Violet Rose GN and his newly announced nine issue maxi-series: The Myth Adventures of the Muses. He will be here to sign his works and chat with fans.

Mike Sullivan - Creator and owner of Virtual Infinity Comics. Mike will be available all day to draw and sign for fans. In addition, Mike is a website designer so chat with him about improving or creating your site.

Bill Hook - Owner of Planet Sparky Comics. Bill will be here all day to draw and sign for fans. Bill may have a new book for you to check out.

Capt. Logan aka Dr. Franklin Bryce aka Jay Williamson - Catch his vids on www.wearegeeksnotnerds.com. Author of the just released smash novel 'Normal is a 4-Letter Word', Jay will be on hand to sign his works and chat with fans.

Vince Haskins - See Vinces' talents on 'Captains Log/Vinces Blog' at Geelvolution at www.wearegeeksnotnerds.com. Vince will be here to talk with fans.

WHAT THE HECK IS THIS FCBD EVENT ANYWAY?

Free Comic Book Day is a single day - the first Saturday in May each year - when participating comic book shops across North America and around the world give away FCBD designated comic books absolutely *FREE to anyone who comes into their stores.

42nd ASIFA-East Animation Festival Winners

2011 Asifa-East Animation Festival Opening Film from Dan Meth on Vimeo.

ASIFA-East opening created by Dan Meth.

Thanks to everyone who came out last night for our annual ASIFA-East Animation Festival.  We had a great turnout and the films were awesome!!!  Congratulations to all the winners!!!

BEST IN SHOW
Accumulonimbus
Andy Kennedy

BEST EXPERIMENTAL FILM
Guard Dog Global Jam
Bill Plympton

BEST MUSIC VIDEO
Dot Dot Dot: “Around the World (And Back)”
Bryan Brinkman

BEST EDUCATIONAL FILM
Sesame Street: “Word on the Street”
David B. Levy

INDEPENDENT FILMS
1st Place
Grandpa Looked Like William Powell
David B. Levy

2nd Place
Enrique Wrecks the World
David Chai

3rd Place
Barko
Allison Craig

Excellence in Animation
Masks
Patrick Smith

Excellence in Design
Nosy Bear
Fran Krause

Excellence in Humor
Bunny Bashing
John R. Dilworth

COMMISSIONED OVER 2 MINUTES
1st Place
Danny & Annie
The Rauch Brothers

2nd Place
Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed
Pete List & Mo Willems

3rd Place
The Human Voice
The Rauch Brothers

Excellence in Animation
The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog
Pete List & Mo Willems

Excellence in Design
The Buddha: “Enlightenment”
Asterisk Animation

Excellence in Humor
Christmas Shoes
Brian Musikoff & John Kuramoto

COMMISSIONED UNDER 2 MINUTES
1st Place
Chilevision La Verdad
Juan Delcan

2nd Place
Midtown Twist
Gary Lieb

3rd Place
Catalyst
Bill Plympton

Excellence in Animation
Farley in “Thinking of You”
Greg Ford, Doug Compton, Adrian Urquidez

Excellence in Design
Urban Stencil
Christi Bertelsen

Excellence in Design
Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival
Bumper 2010
Joy Vaccese & Noelle Melody

STUDENT FILMS
1st Place
To Have and To Hold
Jessica Polaniecki

2nd Place
Book Girl and Cabinet Girl
Jane Wu

3rd Place
Prayers for Peace
Dustin Grella

FMX 2011 is just around the corner!

April 2011/FMX 2011

16th Conference on Animation, Effects, Games and Interactive Media

May 3-6, 2011

Stuttgart, Germany

This year our conference is full of exciting presentations, talks and workshops; focusing on the most pressing issues in the industry. We are pleased to announce the latest developments in Games, including Transmedia and Stereoscopy 3D for Games; Volker Engel will present on Anonymous", Roland Emmerich's latest movie; visual effects in "The King's Speech"; an exclusive presentation on Pixar's upcoming 3D animation feature "Cars 2" and the creative processes in DreamWorks Animation's "Megamind".

Visit our website for the frequently updated program: www.fmx.de

Transmedia and Visual Arts in Games

Video games and interactive entertainment have grown to the point of cultural significance, moving across all handheld devices; consumers expect to be able to play games on any device with a screen. Games are beginning to expand to social games, between friends through a Transmedia environment where stories and worlds can be experienced directly.  These topics will be discussed amongst others in the AIAS Transmedia Track; Boyd Multerer (Microsoft) discusses the fundamental changes that are enabling new forms of entertainment to gain mass acceptance. Joseph Olin (AIAS) provides a snapshot of where games are today, how they have evolved and how they will continue to grow.

The AIAS Visual Arts track includes amongst others Benjamin Joffe, (Cmune) discussing "Building the Top 3D First-Person Shooter on Facebook" this social-network driven game brings the genre to the next level incorporating 3D and real-time. TJ Galda, (Electronic Arts) considers how games engage the player; "Fight Night Champion" combines cinematics and real-time rendering to create a story-driven sports game. Galda will discuss how various pieces of animation, lighting, rendering and compositing fit together to deliver designs.

Stereoscopic 3D Games

As Stereoscopic 3D Game development is still in the infancy stages, it is predicted to have a significant impact on the consumer entertainment markets as developers begin to understand the impact it will have on hardware performance. During this track the difficulties being faced by developers will be discussed; such as the lack of virtual reality research that is related to consumer technologies.

Sebastien Schertenleib (Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Limited) will discuss the techniques used to generate 3D game content for the Playstation 3, from hardware and software perspectives and the advantages 3D brings to games. This will include case studies of several 3D games, highlighting real world issues and solutions.

Dr. Bill Kapralos (Game Development and Entrepreneurship Program at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology) will discuss his findings  from his exclusive access to "The UDecide Initiative" 2011 results, the largest study of what traditional 2D and experienced stereoscopic 3D gamers want. He will reveal details about a Canadian funded initiative to create a new class of stereoscopic 3D research in video games and talk about the possible link between the audio experience and perceived visual quality.

Volker Engel presents "Anonymous"

Oscar-winning VFX Supervisor Volker Engel grants a look into the creation of a virtual 16^th Century London for Roland Emmerich's period thriller "Anonymous". This is an exclusive presentation ahead of the worldwide release on September 30 2011. In 2010 Volker and his business partner Marc Weigert with their company "Uncharted Territory" set up shop with 35 artists and technicians at Germany's Babelsberg Studios for an entire year to create over 300 visual effect shots. The objective was to build a virtual London that no audience has ever seen before. The shots range from city fly-overs to complex CG set-extensions. In addition to supervising the visual effects, Volker and Marc also served as Executive Producers on the

film.

Visual Effects in "The King's Speech"

Dayne Cowan, Creative Director of Molinare VFX and Chair of the UK Section of the Visual Effects Society will discuss "The King's Speech" during the VES Exchange. Although this film was clearly not a project driven by visual effects it still contained a substantial number of VFX shots. His presentation examine the use of "invisible" effects and the challenges and experience of what can be achieved when working with a small budget. "The King's Speech" was phenomenally successful winning 4 Oscars® and 7 BAFTA's.

Cinematography and Staging at Pixar: "Toy Story 3" and "Cars 2"

FMX will discuss Pixar Animation Studio's latest 3D animated feature, "Cars 2". Saschka Unseld (Camera and Staging Artist, Pixar Animation Studios) will talk about the process of Pre-Viz, Staging and Cinematography at Pixar Animation Studios. Through examples from "Toy Story 3" and "Cars 2" Unseld will explain Pixar's role for Layout in exploring the visual storytelling as well as its role in the overall production process.

Dreamworks Animation's "Megamind"

Philippe Denis (VFX Supervisor) will introduce three sequences from Dreamworks Animation's "Megamind", discussing the creative process from pre-production to final completion. The presentation will cover early FX and Lighting development, discussing idea generations, workflow and references, as well as the specific challenges overcome during production (sequence specific).

Editor's Notes:

Conference program is now online, visit http://www.fmx.de/

Press Accreditation is now available online via the ticket shop.

Please follow FMX corporate identity guidelines when including logos. Journalists can download film stills from Media Downloads. Please follow photo credit directives!

Log in: fmxpress | Password: fmxxlpress

FMX is an event by Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg, organized by the Institute of Animation, Visual Effects and Digital Postproduction, hosting the Animation Production Day 2011 (APD), a joint venture with the Festival of Animated Film Stuttgart (ITFS). It is an event in cooperation with VES Visual Effects Society, AIAS Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences, ACM Siggraph and Stuttgart Media University (HdM). FMX is funded by the Ministry of State and the Ministry of Economics Baden-Wuerttemberg, the MFG Film Funding and the FFA German Federal Film Board.

Call for Submissions – International Animation Film Festival

http://www.awn.com/news/call-entries/call-submissions-international-animation-film-festival