On Wednesday morning began Expotoons 2009 – third edition. The NFB, Nickelodeon, Toon Boom, RAI, KAPA, workshops, market, Cartoon Connection were enjoyed in various rooms at the Sheraton Libertador Hotel.
Rosanna Manfredi, Managing Director, and Maggie Stagnaro, Artistic Director, launched the festival, welcoming the attendants and opening the space for the meetings and the conferences.

     In the year of its 70th Anniversary, the Canadian National Film Board offered a conference and a retrospective of their work, with the presence of Monique Simard, Director of the French Program, and René Chénier, Executive Producer at the French Animation and Youth Studio, and also part of the Expotoons’s Official Jury. The NFB, public film producer and distributor, produces and distributes auteur animation to the world, since the creation of its Animation Department, directed for many years by the pioneer Norman McLaren, providing the possibility of knowing the Canadian perspective through its audiovisual prodcution, and developing new animation techniques.


     Lee, Hye-Kyung, from KAPA, the Korean Animation Producers Association, gave a complete overview on the overall animation industry of Korea. This once renowned provider of animation services, has today a 259 million-dollar industry, employing 4000 people, and premieres 40 new original series per year.  Hye-kyung highlightened the importance of the government’s support, specially from the Culture and Economy Ministries, that promote the industry through especial programmes for supporting production, training and distribution. They also have a mandatory quota for screening original animation. She also laid emphasis on the “one source multi use” strategy for strengthening production in Korea, where different industries generate products from the concept of an original animated character.

     Jean Raymond Lemieux, Director of Consulting Services for Toon Boom, leading software company, talked about production ways to go, in order to increase productivity maintaining the quality of animation productions. Lemieux focused on three kinds of 2D animation: traditional, paperless and cut-out, explaining the differences between them regarding style and costs. He offered tips on how to choose the appropriate technique and style for different projects, without disregarding the budgets, but highlightening that lower costs didn’t necessarily indicate higher revenues, since the quality factor counts when it comes to productivity and there are several ways for optimizing workflows. It was poinetd that at Latin America is Toon Boom solutions are being used, and that the región is standing before a great opportunity of increasing its production volume.

     RAI, the Italian broadcaster, one of Europe’s largest, was represented by Luca Milano, Head of Marketing and Animation Production for RAI FICTION. He gave a conference about RAI’s role in co-production of animation series, specifying what the broadcaster looks for in a partner or an animation project in order to settle a co-production agreement. He underlined his interest in creating new real forms o collaboration and knowing the animation production patterns and capabilities of producers in the region. Luca explained that the best way to reach a co-production pact with RAI is to have an Italian partner able to take care of part of the work. And he let know that they focus on projects with original characters and good stories, that can make the project keep on going in years to come. He called attention to what he consider to be essential for the industry to grow and succeed: quality products, international alliances, integrating into multimedia and web, and adapting to new productive technologies.

          Jimmy Leroy, of Nickelodeon Latin America, came from Brazil to talk about television for kids. Using the great visual help of clips and trailers, he explained the network’s interest in getting to the children through including information for them on different topics, such as nature and environmental care. They intend to educate and entertain through the media kids use nowadays. He explained that the web is the new street for kids, and that they are more and more in touch every day with the world and their pairs. To get to know how they think and what they like, it’s necessary to integrate into their channels of communication, with new forms of production. He told the audience that Nick focus on promotion as much as in contents, putting together the communicational art of the network in line with their strongest products (this year, Bob Sponge Squarepants in its 10th anniversary). He also explained that they point to work with Latin American market exclusively, since in North America (where Nick was born) targets and systems are quite standardized, while Nick LatAm intends to embrace every one of the various cultures in Latin America.

Image Campus presented “The 3D artist”, where professor Hernán Pablo Fernández made live demonstrations on how to create a 3D character, going through the stages of modeling, mapping, texture, rigging, skinning, animation and lay out for final render he gave this conference in front of hundreds of students and young professionals.

     In Cartoon Connection, Funding and Co-production in Europe and Latin America were the core topics, and 2 projects were pitched by Latin producers. Expotoons’ Animation Market held meetings between producers, broadcasters and distributors from Italy, Brazil, Argentina and many others.

Day 2 –Thursday 26-  will bring:
AACA. Argentinean Animation towards its centennial. 10 HS.
AUTODESK. 3ds max in an animated super production. 14 HS.
SAMG ANIMATION CO., LTD. Co-productions Korea–Latin America. 15:45 HS.
THE MISSING LYNX. Technical and artistic challenges to enter the international market. Screening + conference by Raúl García, writer and director of the Spanish movie and international-careered animation director. 17 HS.
At Sheraton Libertador Hotel, Av. Córdoba 690. 


Also there will be screenings all day long at Hoyts Abasto Cinemas, Av. Corrientes 3247.
Click here to check out  the full Festival’s schedule.