Ottawa International Animation Festival Wants You To Pitch This!

OTTAWA INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL WANTS YOU TO PITCH THIS!

Nelvana and Toon Boom team up with OIAF for Pitch THIS! Competition

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OTTAWA, Canada – The Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF), North America’s leading animation film festival, is pleased to announce an exciting opportunity for anyone with a great idea for an animated TV series. Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana, Canada’s premiere animation company and long-time OIAF partner, is offering a development deal, in addition to Toon Boom animation software, to the winner of Pitch THIS! at the event’s industry stream TAC (The Animation Conference), September 20—24, 2017.

“Once again, Nelvana is excited to participate in the Pitch THIS! program and help foster the next generation of creative talent in the animation community,” said Scott Dyer, President, Nelvana.  “Nurturing and supporting innovative ideas often brings creative gems to the forefront – we look forward to this year’s submissions.”

TAC provides a chance for new-comers and professionals to network and keep up with industry trends while having access to the most creative, original and innovative animation out there. Every year TAC presents Pitch THIS!, a contest where two creators get the chance to pitch their new project to the TAC audience.

Not only is there a development deal on the line, but the 2017 program has added a mentorship twist as well. This year, TEN PITCHES will be selected and the creators paired with a mentor who will help them develop their idea. This is a rare opportunity for folks to work closely with a seasoned industry professional, and receive feedback on their project.

All ten pitches will be presented on Wednesday, September 20 during TAC, where each contestant has only ten minutes to impress a small committee of experts. From this group, two lucky candidates will be selected to present their idea at the official Pitch THIS! event on Thursday, September 21 to a panel of broadcasters and the entire audience at TAC, an audience that includes over 300 potential buyers and financiers within the industry.

“The OIAF and Nelvana have a longstanding relationship of working together to foster the animation industry,” says Azarin Sohrabkhani, Director of Industry Programming for OIAF. “It’s very exciting to be able to work together again this year to present this amazing opportunity for the animation community.”

Not only is Nelvana offering a development deal, but Toon Boom will award a licence for Harmony and Storyboard Pro with training to the winner.

Proposals should include:

• Project synopsis, including log line and character descriptions
• One episode synopsis
• Concept art
• Bios of key creators
• Content aimed at children ages 2—11
• Please note: no more than 2 submissions per production company
• We are accepting International submissions

Do you have what it takes? Send your Pitch THIS! proposals to:
presentations@animationfestival.ca

THE DEADLINE FOR PITCH THIS! SUBMISSIONS IS AUGUST 31, 2017

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Follow Nelvana on Twitter @NelvanaEnt / Toon Boom Animation @ToonBoom / Corus PR @Corus PR

Follow OIAF @OIAF_Animation

About Nelvana
Nelvana is Canada’s premier animation company and a world-leading producer and distributor of children’s content. Nelvana has delighted audiences around the globe for more than 40 years with a vast library of more than 4,000 episodes from original, award-winning series like Babar and Franklin. Nelvana’s content is distributed in more than 160 countries worldwide and broadcasts across Corus Entertainment’s suite of leading kids networks. Nelvana Enterprises, the global licensing and merchandising arm of Nelvana, manages the organization’s portfolio of in-house and third-party brands with offices in Toronto and Paris. Nelvana Studio, with offices in Toronto and Montreal, employs more than 300 Canadian artists working with local and international producers to create premium children’s content for a global stage.  For more information, visit www.nelvana.com. Nelvana is owned by Corus Entertainment Inc. (TSX:CJR.B), a leading media and content company that creates and delivers high quality brands and content across platforms for audiences around the world. Visit Corus at www.corusent.com.

About Toon Boom Animation
Toon Boom Animation’s award-winning software is the global standard for 2D animation and storyboarding. Toon Boom solutions provide everyone from enthusiasts to professionals with the artistic freedom to create in any style and efficiently publish anywhere. Customers include Bento Box Entertainment, Disney Television Animation, DreamWorks Animation, Fox Television Animation, Mercury Filmworks, Nelvana and The Spa Studios. Toon Boom technology is available in Japanese, Simplified Chinese and Spanish. For more information, visit: toonboom.com.

About OIAF
The Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) is one of the world’s leading animation events providing screenings, exhibits, workshops and entertainment since 1976.  OIAF is an annual five-day event bringing art and industry together in a vibrant hub and attracting more than 28,000 artists, producers, students and animation fans from around the world. This year’s OIAF runs September 20 – 24, 2017. Visit the OIAF website at: www.animationfestival.ca.

For more information, please contact:

Azarin Sohrabkhani, Director of Industry Programming
OIAF
azarin@animationfestival.ca

Magda Krpan, Senior Manager, Sponsorship & Events
Corus Entertainment
magda.krpan@corusent.com