CSUN DRAWING ATTENTION; 2ND ANIMATION FESTIVAL CATCHES HOLLYWOOD'S EYE.Byline: Dave McNary Daily News Staff Writer CSUN CSUN California State University Northridge students have been scrambling to prepare for the arrival of Hollywood executives who will be prowling prowl v. prowled, prowl·ing, prowls v.tr. To roam through stealthily, as in search of prey or plunder: prowled the alleys of the city after dark. v.intr. the campus Saturday for undiscovered talent in the super-hot field of animation. Numerous studio executives and recruiters are expected to be among the more than 1,000 attendees at the second California SUN International Animation Festival. The event coincides with an ongoing surge in Hollywood's animation business, spurred by the breakout success of animated movies and TV series (``A Bug's Life,'' ``Rugrats,'' ``Futurama,'' ``Dilbert'') along with the need for artists who can animate everything from dinosaurs to space ships. ``When people think of CSUN, their immediate reaction is not, Wow, there are great animators there,'' said festival organizer Victor Solomon, a senior animation student. ``We want to change that. What's happened is that it no longer matters where you come from.'' The second festival has higher aspirations than the first, with an invitation-only Beverly Hills Beverly Hills, city (1990 pop. 31,971), Los Angeles co., S Calif., completely surrounded by the city of Los Angeles; inc. 1914. The largely residential city is home to many motion-picture and television personalities. reception tonight at the Museum of Television and Radio Museum of Television and Radio, American museum that chronicles the evolution of radio and television; opened in New York City as the Museum of Broadcasting in 1976. It is in effect the first public library devoted to the electronic media. and seminars about the latest hardware and software. About 50 films will be screened Saturday. The first festival grew out of Video Jam, an annual event launched in 1992 to showcase CSUN work. It was the brainchild of Professor Jack Reilly
Jack Reilly (born 1950) is an American (Los Angeles) artist known for his complex shaped canvas paintings. , who heads CSUN's animation department. Reilly said he is a bit stunned stun tr.v. stunned, stun·ning, stuns 1. To daze or render senseless, by or as if by a blow. 2. To overwhelm or daze with a loud noise. 3. at the response the festival has generated already. ``It's like a runaway train this year,'' he said. ``We were sort of outsiders last year, but now many big players are cozying up to us to discover the next Van Gogh of animation.'' ``I think people are surprised with how big this festival is and that it's run by a handful of students,'' said festival coordinator and animation student Rick Tuazon. ``My motivation is partly to let people know that we're here and up to date with animation.'' The festival lineup is a 50-50 split of foreign projects, such as ``Sandland'' by German animator Heiko Leug, and domestic projects, including a trio from CSUN - Aaron Yamasato's claymation project ``Iceberg,'' Michael Laughlin's 3-D project ``Temple Iscariot'' and Kevin O'Brien's 3-D ``Coco Hell.'' According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Reilly, the festival already has boosted CSUN's profile. ``I think it's causing far better students to be interested in us, and it's exposing our students to work that just blows their minds,'' he said. ``What we're finding is that a lot of the best is by people who are only 20 years old or so.'' The event is part of a larger CSUN effort to improve its recognition among Hollywood professionals. It launched an Entertainment Industry Institute last year, headed by veteran executive Lani Daniels, who came up with the idea of using business students to formulate a marketing plan for the festival under the guidance of marketing professor Deborah Cours. ``We think Jack Reilly has done an amazing a·maze v. a·mazed, a·maz·ing, a·maz·es v.tr. 1. To affect with great wonder; astonish. See Synonyms at surprise. 2. Obsolete To bewilder; perplex. v.intr. job, but they want to focus on art, so they look to us for providing business advice and service with a very real-world project,'' Cours said. The services include supervising public relations public relations, activities and policies used to create public interest in a person, idea, product, institution, or business establishment. By its nature, public relations is devoted to serving particular interests by presenting them to the public in the most and arranging for free ads, discounts, exhibitors and sponsorships. About 3,000 animators work in the Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. area, according to Steve Hulett, business agent for Motion Picture Screen Cartoonists Local 839. That figure likely will hold steady, he predicted, as studios mix in new animators with experienced veterans. ANIMATED FESTIVAL WHAT: The second California SUN International Animation Festival. WHEN: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday WHERE: California State University, Northridge CSUN offers a variety of programs leading to bachelor's degrees in 61 fields and master's degrees in 42 fields. The university has over 150,000 alumni. It's also home to a summer musical theater/theater program known as TADW (TeenAge Drama Workshop) that leads teenagers through an , Campus Theatre and adjacent areas, 18111 Nordhoff St. HOW MUCH: $18 for admission to all events; $7.50 for student admission to all events; $7.50 for ``Later Pass'' to 7 p.m. Festival Gala and 8 p.m. ``Best of Festival'' screenings. CAPTION(S): photo, box PHOTO Jack Reilly, professor of art who heads CSUN's animation department, helps Darlene Di Primo during his beginning animation class Wednesday. Eric Grigorian/Special to the Daily News Box: Animated festival (See text) |
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