BATON ROUGE – The Red Stick International Animation Festival has grown substantially since the first festival in 2005, becoming the largest animation festival in the United States. Festival attendance has doubled each year, and the film competition draws more than 200 entries from many countries.
For the fourth annual festival, which will take place April 16-19 in downtown Baton Rouge’s Arts District, the Red Stick organizers have added a Pitch! Contest for aspiring animators and will host two film premieres, all of which boost the festival’s film and TV market component.
“With the Pitch! Contest, the next Trey Parker or Matt Stone has a chance to be discovered right here in Baton Rouge,” said Red Stick Festival Director Stacey Simmons. “You don’t need to go to New York or Los Angeles to have the opportunity to put your idea in front of a roundtable of industry executives, you can do it in Louisiana.”
In the Pitch! Contest, participants will attend lectures and workshops to vet and further develop their ideas for an animated television series. They will then be eligible to pitch their ideas for an animated TV series to a panel of acquisitions executives from major animation studios including Trade Media, Corus Kids Television and Beyond International on Friday, April 18 at 3 p.m. in the Manship Theatre. This panel has the authority to offer a development contract on the spot if they hear an idea that interests them.
Red Stick also will host the world premiere of Comet Entertainment’s new film, “Santa vs. Claus.” This holiday-themed story follows a young heroine who tries to save Christmas – and the real Santa – from commercialism. The film’s producers, Raquel Benitez-Rojas and Carmen Llanos, selected Red Stick over the international children’s market, Kidscreen, and international sales showcase MIPCOM, as the first place the film, due for a release in December, will be shown. Llanos and Benitez both will be featured speakers during the festival.
Red Stick activities this year also include a special work-in-progress screening of Fathom Studios’ new animated film, “Delgo.” It is the first time the film will be screened in the United States. This family-friendly film is the story of an unlikely hero (Delgo) who must rescue a princess, reveal a traitor, end a war and unite the peoples of a mythical land.
“Delgo” features a star-studded cast, including Freddie Prinze Jr., Jennifer Love Hewitt, Burt Reynolds and Val Kilmer. “Delgo” is also one of the last films Anne Bancroft, who voices Empress Sedessa, completed before her death.
The Red Stick screening, including an opportunity to meet the filmmakers, will take place on Thursday, April 17 at 7 p.m. in the United Artists Citiplace Stadium Theater, 2610 Citiplace Dr.
Both film screenings are free, but participants must register for a complimentary festival Red Pass at www.redstickfestival.org to attend.
LSU’s Center for Computation & Technology sponsors the 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.
For the fourth annual festival, which will take place April 16-19 in downtown Baton Rouge’s Arts District, the Red Stick organizers have added a Pitch! Contest for aspiring animators and will host two film premieres, all of which boost the festival’s film and TV market component.
“With the Pitch! Contest, the next Trey Parker or Matt Stone has a chance to be discovered right here in Baton Rouge,” said Red Stick Festival Director Stacey Simmons. “You don’t need to go to New York or Los Angeles to have the opportunity to put your idea in front of a roundtable of industry executives, you can do it in Louisiana.”
In the Pitch! Contest, participants will attend lectures and workshops to vet and further develop their ideas for an animated television series. They will then be eligible to pitch their ideas for an animated TV series to a panel of acquisitions executives from major animation studios including Trade Media, Corus Kids Television and Beyond International on Friday, April 18 at 3 p.m. in the Manship Theatre. This panel has the authority to offer a development contract on the spot if they hear an idea that interests them.
Red Stick also will host the world premiere of Comet Entertainment’s new film, “Santa vs. Claus.” This holiday-themed story follows a young heroine who tries to save Christmas – and the real Santa – from commercialism. The film’s producers, Raquel Benitez-Rojas and Carmen Llanos, selected Red Stick over the international children’s market, Kidscreen, and international sales showcase MIPCOM, as the first place the film, due for a release in December, will be shown. Llanos and Benitez both will be featured speakers during the festival.
Red Stick activities this year also include a special work-in-progress screening of Fathom Studios’ new animated film, “Delgo.” It is the first time the film will be screened in the United States. This family-friendly film is the story of an unlikely hero (Delgo) who must rescue a princess, reveal a traitor, end a war and unite the peoples of a mythical land.
“Delgo” features a star-studded cast, including Freddie Prinze Jr., Jennifer Love Hewitt, Burt Reynolds and Val Kilmer. “Delgo” is also one of the last films Anne Bancroft, who voices Empress Sedessa, completed before her death.
The Red Stick screening, including an opportunity to meet the filmmakers, will take place on Thursday, April 17 at 7 p.m. in the United Artists Citiplace Stadium Theater, 2610 Citiplace Dr.
Both film screenings are free, but participants must register for a complimentary festival Red Pass at www.redstickfestival.org to attend.
LSU’s Center for Computation & Technology sponsors the 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:
04-10-2008
