Computer Animation Festival

Computer Animation Festival

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SUBMISSION DEADLINE: 14 July 2011 (23:59 UTC/GMT)

The Computer Animation Festival invites presenters from around the world to showcase their most innovative and stimulating computer-generated animation and visual effects. The 2011 Computer Animation Festival continues its traditional format of having both Electronic Theater and Animation Theater, just as how it had been presented in previous SIGGRAPH Asia. The aim is to allow attendees to immerse themselves with a comprehensive and compelling distillation of the best work in the world that advances animation, visualization, real-time rendering, and entertainment via computer animation.

This year's festival will introduce a new Student Projects category. Computer-animated works produced during a school coursework, and/or as a graduation requirement can be submitted under this category. Entries in this category can qualify for Best Student Project Award consideration.

The Computer Animation Festival contains two main components:

Screenings – It includes Electronic Theater and Animation Theater screenings where the full breadth of this years' work in computer animation can be enjoyed at length.
Panels & Talks – It 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.

The submission deadline is 14 July, 23:59 UTC/GMT and the jury's decisions will be announced end of August. Please consider submitting your best work to the SIGGRAPH Asia 2011 Computer Animation Festival and contribute to the wide spectrum of animations and creative innovations that lead the way to the future of computer graphics.

Eric LIU
Computer Animation Festival Chair
Department of Multimedia and Internet Technology, Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education

The Computer Animation Festival will only accept online submissions through electronic upload and submitters must follow the submission rules & requirements and upload their work in the proper format(s) to be eligible for consideration. The online submission period starts in March 2011 and all entries must be completed by 14 July 2011, 23:59(UTC/GMT).

Submission Categories
We expect works submitted for the SIGGRAPH Asia 2011 Computer Animation Festival were completed on or after 1 January 2010. All submissions should be computer-generated or include certain parts of computer-generated production for which the computer was essential to the creation of the piece.

The Computer Animation Festival accepts submissions in the following categories:

1. Computer Animation Shorts
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, but 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. Animated Feature Films
Selections and/or montages of computer animation created for animated feature films.
6. Visual Effects for Films and TV Programs
Selections and/or montages of visual effects created for live-action films and/or for television programs.
7. Real-Time Animation
Game, web, and mobile animations that are rendered in the same amount of time that it takes to play them back. Real-time technology demos are also encouraged! Real-time technology demos should be submitted to Real-Time Live!
8. Student Projects
Computer-animated works of all kinds produced to satisfy a school, coursework, and/or graduation requirement. The Computer Animation Festival requests that all student works be submitted under this category, regardless of genre.

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. For submission details please contact the Computer Animation Festival Committee.

Juried Entries and Invited Entries
The Festival includes two main screening programs which are the official competition section and the invited section. The official competition section consists of Electronic Theater and Animation Theater selected by the festival jury and pieces to be listed in Electronic Theater are eligible for the festival awards. The invited section consists of special presentations of pieces invited by the festival committee from shorts to feature films presenting the world-renowned animated works.

How to Submit Your Work

Step 1
Complete the SIGGRAPH Asia 2011 Computer Animation Festival Online Submission Form.
It provides instructions how to submit your entry in details. The online submission system allows you to edit or correct your form as many times as you need until your all information is completed until the deadline (14 July 2011, 23:59 GMT/UTC). At the end of the online submission process, you will be assigned a submission ID number and displayed your completed form.

Important: All descriptions, captions, and notes to the jury must be in English. If your first language is not English and you need some help, please consider the English Review Service.

Step 2
Upload your movie file for the jury to evaluate your work.

File size: under 500 MB
File format: QuickTime(preferred), AVI or MP4 also acceptable(over 640 x 480 pixels)
Vaild video codecs: H.264(preferred), DivX, Wmv, Sorenson, Mpeg-4
Still images: at least 1K pixel resolution or higher

Step 3
All submitters must complete the Submission and Authorization Agreement (formerly the Acceptance Agreement) before the submission deadline. Incomplete submissions will not be reviewed or accepted.
You must review your permissions (part of your original online submission form) and complete the Submission and Authorization Agreement by entering an electronic signature before the submission deadline. You can already peruse and sign the agreement during the submission process. We strongly recommend this. If you do not complete your Submission and Authorization Agreement with an electronic signature, your work cannot be presented at SIGGRAPH Asia 2011.
The Submission and Authorization Agreement is a legal document. It explains the uses SIGGRAPH Asia 2011 makes of presented material and requires you to acknowledge that you have permission to use this material. This may involve seeking clearance from your employer or from others who have loaned you material, such as videotapes and slides. The agreement helps prevent situations whereby SIGGRAPH Asia 2011 presentations include material without permission that might lead to complaints or even legal action. In addition, this agreement asks if ACM SIGGRAPH may use your materials for conference and organization promotional material in exchange for full author/artist credit information.

For a better understanding of the SIGGRAPH Asia 2011 Submission and Authorization Agreement, please review the Submission and Authorization Agreement Explanation.

Other formats or submission methods will not be reviewed. If you need to ask any questions about uploading files, please feel free to contact the Computer Animation Festival Committee. We will be happy to help.

Invitation for Panels & Talks
Submitters of accepted submission may be invited to present about their projects including, but not limited to, behind- the-scene, story development, character designs, and sound designs, etc., especially during the SIGGRAPH Asia 2011 Computer Animation Festival.

Deadlines
Online submission forms must be completed no later than 14 July 2011, 23:59 UTC/GMT (United States-California, L.A., 14 July, 16:59 | Hong Kong, 15 July, 07:59 | France, 15 July, 01:59).

Jury Review
All submissions are reviewed by a jury of experts in computer graphics, interactive techniques and related fields. The Computer Animation Festival Chair and committee are responsible for conducting the jury process, selecting the final works, and presenting the official competition and invited programs to the highest standards of quality.
The Jury Reviewing will take place the end of August, 2011.

Acceptance Notification
From late August to early September 2011, you will be notified by email of the status of your work. Each year, we have far more submitted pieces than we can accept, and we are not able to accept many deserving pieces. If your work is selected for either Electronic Theatre or Animation Theatre, you will be expected to reply promptly to any request for information or clarification from the Computer Animation Festival committee.

Preparation of Final Movies
If your submission is accepted by SIGGRAPH Asia 2011 Computer Animation Festival, and your final piece is different from the version you provided for the jury to evaluate, you will need to provide the final piece afterwards. Especially for those pieces selected for presentation in the high-quality Electronic Theater format, we expect that you will provide a completed work at full-resolution (HD is strongly preferred).

Final Movie Submission Formats
The final screening material with proper formats must be received by the Computer Animation Festival no later than 22 September 2011.

For Electronic Theater pieces: High-Definition (HD)

Accepted Video Resolution: 1080p(1920x1080p) preferred, 1080i(1920x1080), 720p(1280x720p)
Accepted Video Codecs: uncompressed (or lossless compressed) QuickTime file
Accepted Frame Rate: 24fps preferred
Audio Rate: 48.000 kHz
Presentation Medium: HD-SR tape(1920x1080 resolution, 24fps) with HD-SDI projector

Upload as well as submission via hard drive (including USB) for digital files or HD-Cam SR. We do not accept individual TIFF and audio files due to potential for timing confusion.

For Animation Theater pieces: Standard-Definition (SD)

Accepted Video Resolution: over 640x480
Accepted Video Codecs: uncompressed (or lossless compressed) QuickTime file
Accepted Frame Rate: 30fps(preferred), 25fps
Audio Rate: 48.000 kHz

Upload as well as submission via hard drive (including USB) for digital files or NTSC DigiBeta or Betacam SP tape. We do not accept individual TIFF and audio files. The show will be presented at NTSC framerates

Shipping and Returns
Hard drives and tapes will not be returned by mail. They may be picked up at the SIGGRAPH Asia 2011 Computer Animation Festival office at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre during the conference.
Submitters are responsible for all shipping and transportation costs, insurance charges, and customs fees that may be incurred in shipping materials to the festival.
If you have any questions regarding final submission formats and/or codecs, please contact the Computer Animation Festival Committee.

Screenings
Selected works will be presented in theaters during SIGGRAPH Asia 2011.

Awards
On the first night of the festival, the Festival Jury will present the Best of Show Award and/or Jury Special Award.

Presenter and Contributor Recognition
Please see the Presenter Recognition Policy for a summary of what you will receive if your work and/or proposal are accepted by SIGGRAPH Asia 2011.

Permissions
You are responsible for securing the necessary permissions and licenses for visual and audio material contained in your work for the SIGGRAPH Asia 2011 Computer Animation Festival.
We encourage you to use original music or visual material for your film, however if visual or audio material is not originally made for the film, we ask you to obtain the necessary permissions or required licenses to prevent situations from leading to complaints or even any legal action from the rights holders.

What is the qualification for entry?
Only works completed on or after 2010 can be taken into consideration. Submissions to the SIGGRAPH Asia 2011 Computer Animation Festival should be included in the certain categories. See the Submission Categories.

I have submitted my work to the SIGGRAPH Computer Animation Festival in the past. Is this OK if I submit the same work to the SIGGRAPH Asia 2011 Computer Animation Festival again?
Yes. You can submit the same works to SIGGRAPH Asia 2011. SIGGRAPH and SIGGRAPH Asia are running independently with separate juries and acceptance procedures.

Do submissions have to be 3D animations?
Absolutely not. All forms of computer generated works are eligible including, but are not limited to: 2D Flash animation, 2D abstract art, live-action visual effects integration, real-time video games and visualizations, and digitally manipulated imagery and/or video. We generally feature works where the computer was essential to the creation of the work, but there is no specific requirement that it be 3D. If you have computer-generated work within a larger piece, please remember that it is the CG component that will be judged, so please keep any extraneous footage to an absolute minimum in your submission.

Can I submit more than one work to the SIGGRAPH Asia 2011 Computer Animation Festival?
Yes, you can. There is no limit and you may submit as many as you like. Make sure that you should submit a separate submission form per each work. The jury will evaluate and decide on each submission separately.

Can I submit the same piece to multiple programs?
Yes, you are welcome to submit your wok to the Computer Animation Festival and to other programs. For example, you may wish to submit animations to the Computer Animation Festival, and to submit an installation or related artwork to the Art Gallery. Please remember that each submission requires a separate online form. The Computer Animation Festival submissions should be movies for 'the official Competition: Electronic Theatre and Animation Theatre' that can be viewed.

I have an art animation (abstract or experimental). Should I submit it for the Art Gallery or to the SIGGRAPH Asia 2011 Computer Animation Festival?
All animation submissions should be submitted to the Computer Animation Festival.

I will not have my work finished by the submission deadline. Is it possible for me to submit "work in progress" for reviewing?
Yes, a work in process may be submitted if it is almost complete. However, you should remember that the juried program will likely be highly competitive, so your chances of selection are significantly better if you submit the final piece by the deadline.

When is the submission deadline for the Computer Animation Festival?
Online submission forms must be completed no later than 14 July 2011, 23:59 UTC/GMT (United States-California, L.A., 14 July, 16:59 | Hong Kong, 15 July, 07:59 | France, 15 July, 01:59).
The final uploads must be complete by the deadline and submissions received after the deadlines will not be reviewed. There is no exception, so please make sure that all submissions are completed before the deadlines. To determine what time that is where you are, you can use a converter such as The World Clock.

We are an art school and planning to submit several student works as one submission. Is it OK?
No. Each piece must be uploaded separately to the online submission system along with its own completed and signed submission form. Each piece is judged on its own merit

What file formats are acceptable for submission?
Quicktime .mov movie files are the preferred format for jury reviewing. If necessary, AVI files or MP4 files may also be submitted. The movie file must be uploaded via the SIGGRAPH Asia 2011 online submission system. For details, please refer to the Submission Rules and Requirements.

Where do I send my submission materials?
All works must be submitted only via the SIGGRAPH Asia 2011 online submission system. The online submission process allows submitters easy access to the online submission system, eliminates time-consuming shipping and mailing, and provides an efficient procedure for reviewing submitted work.

Is there a submission fee for submitting to the SIGGRAPH Asia 2011 Computer Animation Festival?
No, there is no submission fee. You only need to complete the online submission process.

What Criteria dose the jury use to select works?
All entries are reviewed by a jury together, and there are no strict rules for acceptance. The jury primarily looks for a combination of innovation and excellence. A longer list of traits the jury typically looks for includes originality, artistic achievement, technical accomplishment, technical innovation, production value, creativity, resolution, narrative quality, design, entertainment value, and advancement of visualization in the artistic and scientific fields of digital technologies.

What is the difference between the juried program and the invited program?
The juried program presents work selected by the jury that represents the best computer-generated film and video in the world. The invited program presents new visions and creative inspirations by inviting special presentations of pieces on chosen topics.

My animation makes use of commercially recorded music. Is it OK?
You are responsible for securing the necessary permissions and licenses for audio material that is contained in your work. If your music was not created originally for your film or video, or if you are using another person's music, you must obtain the necessary permissions or required licenses. We will not purchase these rights for you.

Will SIGGRAPH Asia 2011 cover the shipping expenses for the final screening format?
No. SIGGRAPH Asia 2011 does not pay for any shipping or transportation costs. Submitters are responsible for all shipping and transportation costs, insurance charges, and customs fees that may be incurred in shipping materials to the festival.

If my work has been selected for the SIGGRAPH Asia 2011 Computer Animation Festival, will the SIGGRAPH Asia 2011 pay for my accommodation and travel expenses?
Unfortunately, no. You are responsible for your accommodation and travel expenses. For details, please refer to the Presenter Recognition Policy.

14 July 2011, 23:59 (UTC/GMT)
Submission deadline

August 2011
Jury reviews

Late August 2011
Acceptance notification

23 September 2011
Final movie submission

12-15 December 2011
SIGGRAPH Asia 2011