The Nicktoons Network Animation Festival

If you ever needed proof of all the good things that can come from a short film look no further to our Juror, Seth MacFarlane.

Easily one of the youngest people ever to create a television series, Seth MacFarlane began his career studying animation and design at the Rhode Island School of Design, where he created the animated short film “The Life of Larry.” Impressed executives at Hanna-Barbera encouraged MacFarlane to move to Los Angeles in 1995 to create and direct a short film for them. After moving to L.A., he went on to work on numerous animated series, including “Ace Ventura,” “Jungle Cubs” and “Johnny Bravo.”

MacFarlane’s big break came when the producers of MADtv discovered “The Life of Larry” and approached him to air it as four short segments. Although that deal fell apart, executives at FOX recognized his talent and gave him a shot to create a primetime [Read more…]

So we’ve wrapped up the submissions period for The Nicktoons Network Animation Festival for 2006. A hearty thanks to everyone who submitted your work. We’re currently in the process of figuring out will what will make the cut. Frankly, it’s pretty tough. But you want to know the crazy thing? This is the third year we’re hosting this festival with our good friends at the Nicktoons Network, and we’ve gotten virtually the same number of submissions each year. Okay, so maybe it’s not that crazy, but it still sorta makes us go, “Huh!”

– Eric

PS The festival premieres in August.

PPS Start getting your films ready for 2007.

Okay, we couldn’t ask for a more talented group of Jurors. Bill Plympton, probably “the most” famous indie animator on the planet will be joining our panel of judges and looking at your films! I was first introduced to Bill’s “25 Ways to Quit Smoking” when I was at Expanded Entertainment in the early 90s and felt so naive! I didn’t know that animation could be so outrageous. After a lifetime of Disney films and cartoons - to learn there was a whole world of independent filmmakers like Bill, doing bizarre, amazing and side-splitting work was life-changing. Since then, Bill has gone on to create some of the most successful and well-loved shorts ever made by a single hand. He has also, amazingly enough, drawn and financed his own feature films which include “The Tune,” “Mutant Aliens” and “Hair High.” No one does it like Bill (because frankly no one [Read more…]