Cucalorus Response

For Cucalorus I attended the animation block on November 15th. In short, all the animations were awesome! There was a healthy variety of different types of animations that included 2D, 3D, Rotoscoping, and Stop Motion. My favorite of the bunch was the 3D animation Where Do Cars Come From. The animation is a parody of the question “how are babies made?” with the influence coming from the birth of Sea turtles. The director comically describes the process through the use of baby cars and their journey to make it to the road. The film itself is a combination of live action and 3D animation that blends together seamlessly. I really liked how the director took something ordinary and turned it into a short comedic film.

The other animations were just as good, and compared to last years animation block I felt that there was an overall stronger showing this year. The only issue I had during the event was that one of the animations was messed up. We saw the first 2 minutes, or so, of the animation, but right as it was reaching the climax the film cut off and the next film started. I was a little bummed about it because that film was the strongest animation, in terms of skill/difficulty, compared with the others. On top of that it had a great story. :(

Overall, I had a really good time. It was great hearing from some of the animators about their experience making the films. I’m excited for next years animation block, and the potential for my animation to show at Cucalorus.

Link to video: http://vimeo.com/101553605

Postcard/Business Card Budget

Film Festival Schedule/Budget

A screenshot of my Schedule/Budget

Film Festivals to Submit to

Cucalorus (Free)

Cucalorus is an obvious choice since the festival is right here in wilmington. The festival is free for residents of New Hanover County, and plus I want to make sure I support the local film community. The festival would also provide me an opportunity to network my animation/skills locally.

Atlanta Film Festival (Regional)

This would probably be a bit of a longshot, but I figure it’s worth a go. The Atlanta Film Festival is an Academy Award qualifying festival and in the off chance that my animation connects with people on a deep metaphorical level... then who’s to say I can’t win one :). In all seriousness, the festival accepts a wide range of animation, Atlanta is not too far away to drive to, and the earlybird entrance fee is cheap.

D.C. Independent film festival

Located in Washington D.C., the festival is not too far away to attend, and looks to accept a wide range of animated shorts that don’t seem too far off from my film. The festival is also a fairly large and would (hopefully) allow me to network my animation other than in North Carolina.

New York Short Fest

Specifically geared towards short films, New York Shorts Fest would hopefully provide an easier festival to get into since I would only be competing with other short films. Plus, the festival is in New York City!

Northwest Animation Festival

This festival is just for animation and as a result they show a huge array of animations. In looking at some of their previous submissions I think my animation stands a good chance to fit at least a few of their specifications. The festival is also free to submit for the earlier bird deadline, which is extremely appealing to a broke college student like myself.

15 Minutes of Fame

15 Minutes of Fame is a smaller festival compared to some of the others I have listed. However, it is located in Orlando, Florida which makes it feasible to attend. Also, the deadlines to submit are far enough away that I would still have time to change my animation If I needed. I think this festival is a more attainable goal compared to some of the others.

FirstGlance Film Fest Los Angeles

FirstGlance appears to be an excellent place for filmmakers to gain exposure for their films, and it’s located in Los Angeles, which would provide a number of opportunities for me to make connections. Looking at previous animation submissions and based on the popularity of the event I think it would be difficult, but not impossible to get in.