Animation Magazine is pleased to announce that this year’s World Animation and VFX Summit will feature three Master Classes lead by top industry experts, taking place Wednesday, November 2 at the California Yacht Club in Marina del Rey, Calif. The day’s schedule includes breakfast, lunch, an afternoon break and a networking cocktail party to cap it off.
Butch Hartman, the multiple Emmy- and Annie-winning creator of Nickelodeon’s long-running series The Fairly OddParents, Danny Phantom and T.U.F.F. Puppy, will present “The Secrets of Butch Hartman’s Success: How to Pitch, Develop, Produce and Distribute Animated Hits that Resonate with Audiences Around the World.”
“Technology has allowed content creators to blaze their own path these days,” says Hartman. “I believe that strong characters and strong stories will always win the day. In this master class, we will look at how you can prepare your ideas for a pitch. They we examine ways you can pitch your ideas effectively to a studio. We’ll also look at the best ways to stay creative and open to new ideas.”
Widely respected TV and digital animation veteran Sander Schwartz will dive deep into the current global acquisitions landscape with “Survival of the Fittest: Creating Innovative Animation Content for the Global Market.” Attendees will learn first hand from the president of Grom Social how to collaborate with broadcasters and other animated content buyers, with a special focus on opportunities in China as well as a broader view of alternative production and financing avenues.
Schwartz will also offer a rare look at the creative process behind The Batman, Tom and Jerry Tales, Xiaolin Showdown, Teen Titans, Justice League Unlimited, and many of the other iconic shows he worked on during his tenure as president of Warner Bros. Animation, and at Sony Pictures Family Entertainment and FremantleMedia.
Jose San Román, CEO of Ilion Animation Studios in Spain, will discuss “Discovering a New Asset Class to the Financial Community.” Drawing on both his experience on the international animation scene and as an investment banker, Román will examine animated tentpole features as attractive investments which often out-perform live-action films. Ilion is currently partnered with Paramount, having evolved into a multi-production studio.
The World Animation and VFX Summit’s goal is to promote international co-productions and global ventures and offer networking and educational opportunities in the intimate setting of the California Yacht Club. Tickets are available at animag.eventbrite.com, and more information is available at www.animationmagazine.net/summit.
