Day 2: Planet 51 and Autodesk's live interview. Samg Korea, The Missing Lynx, AACA and more!

Víctor Herrera, Media & Entertainment Solutions Engineer for  AUTODESK, and Diego Padovani, Product manager, interviewed Gonzalo Rueda, Technology Director of ILION ANIMATION STUDIOS, live from Spain, to talk about PLANET 51, , the CG super production that opened Expotoons. They screened a making of clip and the audience was able to ask questions to the director. Gonzalo Rueda explained they chose Autodesk 3ds Max animation software, because it was they everyday tool, known by every one of the movie’s creators, judging that the known tool is the best tool. They also used a render motor called Cyclops, developed by Rueda and his team as a solution for the study’s production specifically. But beyond technology, the final look to a production is in charge of the artists and how they use the technology.

 

     Harry Yoon, Vice president of SAMG ANIMATION Co. Ltd, from Korea, offered a conference on Korean animation, his experience in overseas co-production and talked about the possibilities of working with local companies.Samg is a company that started 9 years ago, with experience in original animated projects made in co-production, in most of the cases with France. Harry said that co-production has as a disadvantage having to share all of what is achieved, but at the same time an ideal situation is generated where you can make the most of the strengths and specialties of the chosen partner. He expressed that the possibilities of co-producing with Argentina are not a lot, because of the great capital required and the necessary agreements (Samg manages budgets around 7 million dollars to produce series), but his visit to Expotoons is due to an interest from Korea to strength the relationships. To enter a co-production agreement, Yoon recommends having as a partner a studio in Korea, which you can get to know through International Markets, Animation Festivals, or the Directory of Korean Producers, among other resources mentioned. “The more we get to know each other, the better we can collaborate” he expressed.

 

     Raúl García, director and writer of THE MISSING LYNX, came to a Buenos Aires from Los Ángeles, where he developed his outstanding career in animation, to tell us about the making of this feature film, awarded with the Goya Award for Best Animation Film 2009, and about the challenges it faced ni order to enter the international market.Funding and marketing strategy were two central topics, but he also stood out the importance of quality. He explained that the financing was made through institutional help, private capital, sponsorship, presales and distribution. They presented the project to distributors and buyers in events such as Cartoon Movie (related with Cartoon Connection, but for European feature films), the American Film Market and the Film Festivals of Berlin and Cannes. They invented strategies with merchandising, promotions, sales in open TV and cable, web presence with teaser and press zone, plus an essential ingredient: having the necessary passion to deal with all of these processes. He stood out the importance of understanding that feature films are today also a web site, a videogame, contents for mobile phones and more. He also talked about the role  that Antonio Banderas played in the distribution of the film, and the future of the association Kandor Moon, that continues to promote “El Lince Perdido” one year of its premiere in Spain, that at the same time is trying to create a path of experimentation and parallel investigation, and has the intention to make the first stereostopic production in 3D in Spain.

 

IMAGE CAMPUS presented Luciano Saracino, writer, screenwriter and professor, that in a pleasant conversation he talked about the best ways to make project presentations, one of the many doors to enter the animation industry. He presented examples and gave useful advices to the students and professionals present there.

Vurup, a group of animation makers, presented a short film for a case study about how to apply knowledge to the realization of this type of production, under the tutoring of the animator and professor Pablo Rago.

In the conference organized by AACA, representatives of the sector gathered to debate about the Argentinean animation, its strengths, its needs and the paths to follow towards its centenary. Rosanna Manfredi, president of Encuadre S.A. and Director of Expotoons, talked about the need of generating a regulatory mark for the Argentinean animation market, as it already exists in other Latin American countries that developed the appropriate encouraging laws. Oscar Desplats, president of the Animators Association talked about the importance of the union of all of the people involved in the animation industry so as to grow altogether and in this way, be able to develop the market in Argentina. He also thanked Expotoons the place it gives AACA so as to be able to express themselves and have a place where to exchange knowledge with people of other countries, and at the same time discuss the situation of animation in the country. Other representatives of the educational sector expressed themselves, from the videogame industry and producers such as Liliana Romero, director of animation (Martín Fierro, El libro de la Selva), who emphasized that it is necessary to support and stimulate the training of  2D animators, due to the progress of 3D, taking advantage of the most experimented professionals. 

    The activities of CARTOON CONNECTION also continued. On Thursday they treated themes of broadcasting and distribution in Europe and Latin America and 6 projects where presented in pitching sessions.

     Also the ANIMATION BUSINESS MARKET of Expotoons and ExportAR was developed with great success, gathering producers, buyers and distributors of Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Spain, USA and others. 
The day finished with a cocktail offered by Expotoons and Ventana Sur, the Film Market organized by INCAA together with Marche du Film de Cannes.

Don’t miss out DAY 3 –Friday 28th:

DISNEY. Conference on The Princess and the Frog.  6 PM.    Free entrance!
AWARDS CEREMONY. For the Official Competition 2009.  7 PM.   Free entrance!

Also:
TOON BOOM ANIMATION. Advantages of Digital Storyboarding. 10 AM.
ANNECY INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL. Annecy 2010, the place to be! 2 PM.
FIRE COLOMBIA. Creativity: I love my spinach! 3.15 PM.
AUTODESK. 4.45 PM.
IMAGE CAMPUS launches the 1st 3D-oriented career in Argentina. 11.45 AM.

At Sheraton Libertador Hotel, Av. Córdoba 690.

Screenings are at Hoyts Abasto Cinemas, Av. Corrientes 3247.

Click here to check out the complete Festival schedule.

 

Picture: Maggie Stagnaro, Artístic Director of Expotoons, next to Diego Padovani and Victor Herrera Davila, of Autodesk.

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