SIGGRAPH’s Computer Animation Festival celebrates its 37th year

In 2010, SIGGRAPH’s Computer Animation Festival celebrates its 37th year as the world's most innovative and stimulating showcase of computer-generated animation and visual effects. This four-day, international event presents a wide spectrum of computer animation genres and styles ranging from narrative character animation to scientific visualization, mainstream TV commercials, and digital effects for futuristic movies.

All entries must be uploaded by 19 April 2010 (22:00 UTC/GMT). Only finished works will be considered for inclusion, and all submissions must be uploaded at final resolution.

Submission Categories
The festival accepts submissions in 10 distinct categories:

1. Computer Animation Shorts
All forms of animated short pieces that contain a significant percentage of computer-generated imagery and/or digital production and are not specifically suited to one of the other nine submission categories. This includes independent shorts, character animation, sponsored creative explorations, narrative and experimental works, opening sequences, game cinematics, selections and/or montages of animated television series, machinima, and new-media formats. Shorts of any length may be submitted, however, the Computer Animation Festival reserves the right to show only excerpts of selected works at the jury’s discretion.

2. Music Videos
Commissioned and/or independent works that use any combination of computer animation, digital effects, and live action to illustrate, enhance, and/or complement a musical creation.

3. TV and Web Commercials
Advertisements created entirely or partially with computer animation and/or digital effects. Also promotional spots, broadcast bumpers and graphics, and public service announcements.

4. Visualizations and Simulations
Computer animations created to explain, analyze, or visualize information for applications including scientific research, architecture, engineering, systems simulations, education, and documentary projects.

5. Student Projects
Computer-animated works of all kinds produced to satisfy a school, coursework, and/or graduation requirement. Entries in this category qualify for Best Student Project Award consideration. The Computer Animation Festival requests that all student works be submitted under this category, regardless of genre.

6. Animated Feature Films
Selections and/or montages of computer animation created for animated feature films.

7. Visual Effects for Short Films and TV Programs
Selections and/or montages of visual effects created for short live-action films and/or for television programs.

8. Visual Effects for Live-Action Feature Films
Selections and/or montages of visual effects created for live-action feature films.

9. Real-Time Animation
Games, web and mobile animations that are rendered in the same amount of time that it takes to play them back. Real-time technology demos should be submitted to Live Real-Time Demos.

10. Miscellaneous
Computer animations that do not fit in any of the above categories, including technology showcases, previz, and other cool stuff that hasn't been invented yet.

The Computer Animation Festival reserves the right to place entries in the category that is most appropriate. Stereo 3D work will be considered and can be entered in any of the above categories.

Competition Entries and Invited Entries
The festival includes a Competition Section and an Invited Section. Entries submitted in any of the 10 categories above automatically participate in the Competition Section and are eligible for the corresponding Computer Animation Festival awards and recognitions. The Invited Section consists of special projects invited by the festival committee. The complete list of Competition and Invited Entries will be available on 1 June 2010.

Awards
On the first night of the festival, the Festival Jury will present the Best in Show Award, Jury Award, and Best Student Project Prize. The Best in Show Award qualifies the winner to be considered for nomination in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Best Animated Short Film category. An Audience Award will be announced on the last day of the conference.

Award Eligibility
All films screened in the Computer Animation Festival’s Competition Section are eligible for the Best in Show, Jury, and Audience Awards. Only those works in the Student Projects section are eligible for Best Student Project recognition. Pieces in the Invited Section are not eligible for awards.

Screenings
The festival will showcase jury-selected entries alongside invited works in a single program, in the tradition of SIGGRAPH's original Electronic Theater. In addition, a few thematic and monographic screenings of both juried and curated material complement the Competition Section. For the third year in a row, selected screenings will be open to the general public in addition to conference and festival attendees.

Talks and Panels
The Computer Animation Festival includes presentations by experts on a variety of topics related to creation of computer animation and visual effects, as well as behind-the-scenes presentations by the creators whose works are screened at the festival. You are encouraged to submit a proposal for a Talk (single presenter) or a Panel (multiple presenters) about your project and/or additional relevant topics. Talk and Panel proposals are submittted via the online submission systems and must be received by 18 February 2010.

Animation Clinic
The SIGGRAPH 2010 Computer Animation Festival offers, for the first time ever, an Animation Clinic. In this event, industry leaders and masters review student final projects and offer creative, production, technical, and career advice. Between six and nine projects will be selected. Each chosen work will receive 40 minutes of review during three public sessions that are open to conference attendees. Entrants are required to submit a synopsis, a storyline, storyboards, animation tests, examples of visual development, and character design. The submission deadline is 10 May 2010.

My First Animation/My Favorite Animation
This community-oriented fun activity will showcase "self-portrait" videos created by members of the creative, production, and technical communities. Individuals will create and upload a 30-40 second self-portrait video talking about one of the following:

* Their first experiences with (or early memories of ) computer animation, visual effects, computer graphics, visualization, CG production, etc.
* Their favorite animations or visual effects.

Submitted video clips must conform to a few simple guidelines that will be reviewed by a moderator and posted online. The clips will be viewable throughout the year, and throughout the conference. My Favorite Animation and My First Animation are open to students and professionals (for example, animators, engineers, technical directors, artists, scientists, teachers, administrators) involved in any creative, technical, research, or production area covered at the annual SIGGRAPH conference.