Agenda & Schedules*

DATES: October 29 thru October 31, 2004
LOCATION: The Culver Studios, 9336 West Washington Blvd., Culver City

CONFIRMED SPEAKERS:

Neil Haldar
MGM Studios
VP Production and Business Development, Interactive Division

Richard Taylor
Electronic Arts
Creative Director, "The Lord of the Rings Game"
Richard Taylor is an Award winning diirector who has an extensive background in live action direction, production design, special effects, and computer generated images for theatrical films, television commercials and computer games. Richard has worked on several features going back to Paramount Picture's "Star Trek the Motion Picture" and " Disney's "Tron." Recent projects include "Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle Earth," and consulting on "Sims 2," "Catwoman" and "Harry Potter." Richard has won three CLIOS, two HUGOS and two MOBIUS AWARDS.

Stacey Burstin
Rhythm & Hues
Academy Award® winning Animation Studio
Recent projects include “Scooby-Doo 2,” “Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat” and “Elf.” Selected projects currently in production include “Garfield,” “The Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe” and “The Chronicles of Riddick.”

Andre Bustanoby
Stan Winston Studio
Academy Award® winning Character Creation and Animation Studio
Recent projects include "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow," "Garfield," "Cat In The Hat," "The Keeper," "Because of Winn Dixie."

Vincent Bitetti, President
Crave Entertainment
Crave Entertainment, Inc., is an independent game publisher. The company publishes successful games for every major gaming platform on the market, including personal computer and next generation consoles from Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft.

Eric Nofsinger, VP Creative Content
High Voltage Software
Creative Director, "Leisure Suit Larry™: Magna Cum Laude Game"
Released through Vivendi/Universal
Eric Nofsinger is the VP of Creative Content at High Voltage software, which has a staff of over 75 artists, sound guys and designers. Eric was one of the first employees at High Voltage, and has published over 50 games with them. When High Voltage decided to create their own motion capture studio, Eric led Red Eye Studio through their growing pains. When High Voltage decided to spin off a DVD creation company, Eric led Sock Puppet Studios through over 30 DVD releases.

Michael Isner
Softimage / Avid
Michael Isner is the Character Animation Lead and Head of Special Projects for Softimage. He works with high-end production clients from both the California film industry and Tokyo Gaming. He specializes in character setup, crowd and multi-character animation, and complex 3D issues. Michael's early background was in art and architecture, but was drawn into technology as one of the original founders of SOFTIMAGE|XSI and was behind its content and first production tests.

Justin Leach
Softimage / Avid
Justin Leach has worked on various commercials, video games and theatrical features; Notably Blue Sky Studios, specializing in character setup (Bunny, Ice Age.) After that, Justin joined Production I.G in Tokyo (Innocence: Ghost in the Shell 2, Last Exile, Kill Bill.) Recently, Justin joined Softimage's Special Projects Division.

Leon Joosen
Animation Director
Animator on "The Little Mermaid"; Animation Supervisor, "Scooby Doo 2" and "Dr. Dolittle 2"

David Freeman, President
The Freeman Group
If you want your game to reach a mass market, be competitive, and garner great press and player buzz, then it must be emotionally gripping. The Freeman Group have worked on games for Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, Sony, Activision, Atari, Microsoft Games Studios, Vivendi Universal Games, 3D Realms, Midway Games, and others.

Hermann Lederle
Director and Producer
When directors Michael Bay, Mark Romanek, Paula Walker, Erik Ifergan and Phil Joanou wanted cutting-edge vision and state-of-the-art production design, they turned to Hermann Lederle. After years as a sought-after art director/production designer in commercials and music videos, Lederle has now brought the same unerringly innovative conceptual and visual style to directing.

Kim Adelman
Author, Producer and Teacher
"The Ultimate Filmmaker's Guide to Short Films"
Kim Adelman is a short film producer who recently authored the book, The Ultimate Filmmaker's Guide to Short Films. From 1999 to 2001, Ms. Adelman was the producer of Short and International Release, the acclaimed short film compilations issued on DVD by Warner Home Video. Previously, Ms. Adelman launched the Fox Movie Channel’s short film program. The 19 short films she produced for Fox won 30+ awards and played over 150 film festivals worldwide. Ms. Adelman currently teaches the UCLA Extension on-line course Making and Marketing the Short Film.

Jolene Spry
High Voltage Software
Public Relations Director
Jolene Spry is a marketing and public relations executive with an extensive background in corporate strategy, publicity and promotions for both independent companies and Fortune 500 corporations. She has spent her career in various forms of entertainment including film, interactive and video games. In recent months, Jolene has been lecturing on the issues independent studios face, and how to best overcome challenges and create a recognizable and lasting name within the industry.

Mason Bendewald - President
Mega Mace
Mason Bendewald is an accomplished writer, director and producer. He has successfully produced five short films and more than a hundred commercials and videos.

Efram Potelle
Filmmaker
Efram Potelle co-founded the independent film company, Newborn Pictures. In 1999 Newborn Pictures released Pennyweight (1999), a 30-minute comedic short starring veteran Hollywood actor Ray Wise (Twin Peaks). The film has screened at over 20 festivals, won 5 awards for Best Short Film, and was aired on the Sci-Fi Channel nationwide. Efram's next film was a seven-minute short called They Came to Attack Us (2001), which won the Audience Award at the Slamdance International Film Festival. Efram has since won Project Greenlight’s directors contest at the Sundance Film Festival. Designed to help aspiring filmmakers, Project Greenlight is backed by entertainment heavyweights Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Miramax, Blockbuster Video and HBO.

Shawn Papazian
Writer, Director and Producer
Shawn Papazian is a film and television producer who has worked with 20th Century Fox and Dreamworks Television. He was Vice President of Sales and Operations for Ray Art Studios, a film production studio in Los Angeles. Shawn is currently in post production with 2 independent horror films.

9:00 am - 10:00 am - REGISTRATION & NETWORKING
Culver Hotel, 9400 Culver Blvd., Culver City

10:00 am - 10:45 am - KEYNOTE
CONVERGENCE IN ENTERTAINMENT:
ANIMATION, GAMING & FILMMAKING

FILMMAKING PANELS*

11:00 am - 12:30 pm
MOVING FROM SHORTS & MUSIC VIDEOS TO FEATURES
Explores the transition from short to long form narrative and the limitations and possibilities within feature filmmaking.

12:30 pm - 1:30 pm - LUNCH

1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
SURVIVING AS AN INDEPENDENT FILMMAKER
Although digital filmmaking has reinvented independent filmmaking, the discipline and stamina necessary to thrive as exception to the industry's rules have remained constant. This panel examines, identifies and inspires the indispensable traits needed to create, distribute and market independently financed projects.

3:15 pm - 4:45 pm
SELF-DISTRIBUTION AND PROMOTION
Explores how new models of distribution and promotion such as microcinema (distribution through community based alternative spaces like museums), on-demand DVD publishing, video-on-demand, global distribution via the internet and wireless technologies can allow revenues to flow directly to filmmakers so they can keep honing their craft.

5:00 pm - 6:30 pm
THE CHANGING FACE OF DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKING
From noble-yet-underappreciated art form to reality television, documentary filmmaking reminds us real life is out there. This panel discusses various challenges the form faces from the industry despite student and audience interest in documentaries being at an all time high.

9:00 am - 10:00 am - REGISTRATION & NETWORKING
Culver Hotel, 9400 Culver Blvd., Culver City

10:00 am - 12:00 pm - CAREER FOCUS
CAREERS IN ANIMATION, GAMING & FILM
Examines trends within new and growing markets where these three fields are converging to create unprecedented opportunities and exciting technologies.

12:00 pm - 1:00 pm - LUNCH

ANIMATION PANELS*

1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
THE BUSINESS OF ANIMATION
Examines the fiscal and creative forces driving this confluence of art, technology, business and production.

2:45 pm - 4:15 pm
PRODUCING (STEP-BY-STEP) A SHORT ANIMATED FILM
Discusses the complex and often frustrating process of producing animation from preparing a pitch through final release print.

4:30 pm to 6 pm
HOW TO GET INTO ANIMATION AS AN INDEPENDENT
Whether you work on your own, want to create a small studio with others or work for a large animation company, this panel examines and explores the pitfalls one must learn to circumvent as well as the advantages of working as an independent in animation.

9:00 am - 10:00 am - REGISTRATION & NETWORKING
Culver Hotel, 9400 Culver Blvd., Culver City

GAME PANELS*

10:00 am - 11:30 am
THE BUSINESS OF GAMES
Gaming is exploding as big business thanks to exploding mobile, wireless and broadband delivery markets. This panel examines emerging broadband gaming trends, the need for compelling broadband content with regard to online gaming as well as the components of successful partnerships between network service and content providers.

11:45 am - 1:15 pm
NEXT GENERATION GAME DESIGN
This panel discusses how to efficiently plan, generate, manage and execute next generation game development by effectively harnessing new technologies and hardware to triumph over the hurdles set to grow exponentially for next-generation game content.

1:15 pm - 2:15 pm - LUNCH

2:15 pm - 3:45 pm
ENTERING GAMING AS AN INDEPENDENT
Facing challenges similar to indie filmmakers, independent game developers benefit from increased distribution possibilities available to them through computers, consoles, PDA and mobile technologies. This panel explores the community and resources available to independent developers, programmers, and designers so they can keep creating innovative alternatives in gaming.

*Note: Panels subject to change.