TECHNOLOGY MEETS ART AT TE PAPA
New Zealand’s reputation as a major player in the global animation industry will take another leap forward next month as it hosts the country’s first-ever Asia Pacific Animation Education Summit.
Held at Wellington’s Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa on December 5, the world-class event is the brainchild of Weta Workshop, ACG Yoobee School of Design and the Beijing Film Academy. Themed ‘Where Technologies Meet Art’, it aims to showcase success, share best practice and stimulate debate and evaluation of today’s animation education.
“Animation art has rapidly expanded from one single film or TV media to the entire media industry,” says HOD Multimedia for ACG Yoobee School of Design, Kieran Smith.
“Animation is all about capturing the essence of movement and making the unreal, real. It’s about making characters move, convey thoughts and emotions and respond to their surroundings. Our aim is to provide future real-time dynamic guidance and training for those interested in the art of animation – this requires traditional animation to adjust its research of industry and education systems.”
Training providers and industry organisations who want to stay abreast of advances would be wise to register. The event will be attended by a who’s-who of the animation sector, and hosted by the Beijing Film Academy, the only professional film academy in Chinese higher art education. The Academy’s Animation School has been the alma mater of countless top talent in the fields of animation, comics, gaming and cinematic art in China and its students and graduates have won numerous prizes and awards in animation around the world.
Paul Tobin, Senior Concept Designer at Weta Workshop, Head of Production/TV Animation for Flux Animation Csaba Nehez, Ian Taylor from Animation Research Limited, and Professor Sun Lijun of the Beijing Film Academy and Animation School are among the inspirational line up of guest speakers, along with MC Feroz Ali, Divisional Chief Executive of the ACG Tertiary Careers Group. ACG Yoobee – the largest private design school in the country – is one of the sponsors of the Summit, and delivers cutting-edge training in animation and 3D graphics, filmmaking, game art, graphic design and web development.
Held from 8.30am to 5pm, delegates can attend a variety of breakout sessions focussing on three key areas of the animation industry: Business (led by DUSK Creative Directors John Strang and James Manttan); Education (with representatives from ACG Yoobee, Media Design School and Griffith Film School); Technology (which will see Ian Taylor team up with Ben Dellaca and Michael Bastiaens from Cerebral Fix).
Other highlights will include a networking cocktail function and a film screening of animation short films from the Beijing Film Academy and a conference dinner at Dragons Restaurant.
Registrations for the Asia Pacific Animation Education Summit close on November 28. Delegate rates are $300 for the day (including lunch, speakers and cocktails). Heavily discounted student rates of $30 (speakers and lunch) are also available.
