BATON ROUGE – High-performance computers and animated feature films, though seemingly unrelated, are as much a duo as cake and ice cream. This was the founding principle of the Red Stick International Animation Festival, which celebrates its fifth birthday this year.
Red Stick, which LSU Center for Computation & Technology Professors Stacey Simmons and Stephen David Beck created in 2005 to showcase the links among art, technology and computational science, has grown into the largest animation festival in the United States.
“When we started the festival, we wanted a fun, creative way to engage people with LSU’s computational science initiatives,” Simmons said. “So, we decided an animation festival would be a good vehicle to show people that the technology scientists use for medical imaging and astrophysical simulations is the same technology filmmakers use to create animated films. In the past five years, the festival has become a draw for both scientists and artists who are interested in seeing the latest developments in digital media.”
The first Red Stick Festival kicked off on April 17, 2005. Each year since, festival participation has increased. This year, the festival received a record-breaking 421 entries from 45 countries to its annual “Best of the Fest” film competition. Festival attendance also has increased. Nearly 2,500 people attended the first Red Stick, and last year’s festival drew more than 4,000 people.
“We are so proud of what Red Stick has been able to accomplish in a relatively short period of time,” Beck said. “Through the festival and LSU’s academic work in computational science and digital media, we are showing national and even international audiences that Baton Rouge and Louisiana are up-and-coming places for this emerging field.”
This year, Red Stick events will take place in downtown Baton Rouge April 22-25, offering free film screenings, Cartoon-a-Palooza Saturday morning, April 25 at the Old State Capitol, a Princess Ball for young girls on Friday night, April 24 at the Old State Capitol, lectures and workshops with industry professionals, and an animated feature film or TV show Pitch! Contest for aspiring animators. Red Stick 2009 also will feature increased competition screenings, to allow festival-goers to see more of the original animation submitted to “Best of the Fest.”
To see a complete schedule of festival lectures and workshops, please visit http://redstickfestival.org/events_schedule.asp.
LSU’s Center for Computation & Technology sponsors Red Stick International Animation Festival, in partnership with the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, Baton Rouge Area Foundation, East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-President’s Office, Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism and Louisiana Economic Development.
For a complete schedule of Red Stick events and more information about the festival, please visit www.redstickfestival.org or contact the festival office at 225-389-7182.
Red Stick, which LSU Center for Computation & Technology Professors Stacey Simmons and Stephen David Beck created in 2005 to showcase the links among art, technology and computational science, has grown into the largest animation festival in the United States.
“When we started the festival, we wanted a fun, creative way to engage people with LSU’s computational science initiatives,” Simmons said. “So, we decided an animation festival would be a good vehicle to show people that the technology scientists use for medical imaging and astrophysical simulations is the same technology filmmakers use to create animated films. In the past five years, the festival has become a draw for both scientists and artists who are interested in seeing the latest developments in digital media.”
The first Red Stick Festival kicked off on April 17, 2005. Each year since, festival participation has increased. This year, the festival received a record-breaking 421 entries from 45 countries to its annual “Best of the Fest” film competition. Festival attendance also has increased. Nearly 2,500 people attended the first Red Stick, and last year’s festival drew more than 4,000 people.
“We are so proud of what Red Stick has been able to accomplish in a relatively short period of time,” Beck said. “Through the festival and LSU’s academic work in computational science and digital media, we are showing national and even international audiences that Baton Rouge and Louisiana are up-and-coming places for this emerging field.”
This year, Red Stick events will take place in downtown Baton Rouge April 22-25, offering free film screenings, Cartoon-a-Palooza Saturday morning, April 25 at the Old State Capitol, a Princess Ball for young girls on Friday night, April 24 at the Old State Capitol, lectures and workshops with industry professionals, and an animated feature film or TV show Pitch! Contest for aspiring animators. Red Stick 2009 also will feature increased competition screenings, to allow festival-goers to see more of the original animation submitted to “Best of the Fest.”
To see a complete schedule of festival lectures and workshops, please visit http://redstickfestival.org/events_schedule.asp.
LSU’s Center for Computation & Technology sponsors Red Stick International Animation Festival, in partnership with the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, Baton Rouge Area Foundation, East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-President’s Office, Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism and Louisiana Economic Development.
For a complete schedule of Red Stick events and more information about the festival, please visit www.redstickfestival.org or contact the festival office at 225-389-7182.
Publish Date:
04-17-2009
