Digital broadcast network Babelgum has announced a new competition for online, mobile and offline animation held in conjunction with the Hamptons International Film Festival.
Entries for the Babelgum Animatron Film Festival will be eligible for an Audience Award voted on by the public as well as cash prizes from a jury that includes RotoScope pioneer Tommy Pallotta (Snack and Drink, Waking Life, A Scanner Darkly), industry leader and visual-effects producer Charlotte Bavasso (Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, Nexus Productions), and animators Pete Bishop (Bromwell High, Captain Star) and Isaac Littlejohn Eddy (Anatomy of a Dog Show, Capturing King) and Jeffrey Scher (Paper View, Lost and Found, Tulips).
The fest will accept submissions through Aug. 22. Submissions will be available for viewing online with viewers voting for their best.
Votes for the audience award can be placed online or via the mobile apps. Attendees at the Hamptons International Film Festival will also have a chance to cast votes for the Audience Awards, which will be tabulated together with online/mobile audience votes.
Babelgum will co-present the Hamptons Animation Showcase of short films at the 2010 Hamptons Film Festival, with support from Shooting People and RingTales.
The Hamptons Animation Showcase screenings are scheduled to include select winners of the Animatron Jury Awards in five categories (Humor, Fantasy, Real Life, Anime and Minis). Following the initial screening, Babelgum and HIFF will hold an hour-long symposium on ‘The Future of Animation’ at the festival, featuring panelists from major studios and television networks, leading filmmakers, and some of the pioneers of animation.
Eligible films can incorporate any known animation technique, including CGI, stop-motion, Flash, hand-drawn/cel, live-action mixed, claymation, paper-cut, Pixilation, RotoScope, 3D, machinima, and all others. There are no restrictions on production year or whether the film has been previously distributed or entered into any online and/or offline film festival. The award categories are as follows:
‘ HUMOR: Cartoons/animation that look at life slightly askew
‘ FANTASY: Sci-fi, horror, adventure, outer space, imaginary worlds, genre-based
‘ REAL LIFE: Animated documentary, RotoScope, interview-based films
‘ ANIME: Manga, Japanimation, comics-inspired
‘ MINIS: Under 60 seconds
The Babelgum Animatron Film Festival will award the following prizes:
‘ The Audience Awards will be given to an outstanding film in each category receiving the highest number of votes determined solely by the voting totals from the global online and mobile Babelgum and Hamptons audiences.
‘ The Jury Awards will be given to an outstanding film in each of the five categories, determined by members of the Jury. Five first-place winners will receive a $2,500 cash award and five second-place winners will receive a $500 cash award.
‘ The Grand Jury Award will be given to an outstanding film in any category, chosen by members of the Jury. The winner will receive a $5,000 cash award.
Further information about the submission specifications and regulations, including deadlines for viewing and voting, are available at www.babelgum.com/animation-film-festival.
