The Nicktoons Film Festival returns for a second season beginning Sunday, Aug. 21 at midnight (ET)/9 p.m. (PT). Created in partnership with Frederator Studios, the week-long festival of shorts will showcase works submitted by animators worldwide, leading up the unveiling of the top-ten and the grand-prize winner on Sunday, Aug. 28, on Nicktoons, Nickelodeon’s 24-hour animation network.
"We are excited to showcase the high level of global talent and their contribution to the world of animation," comments Nicktoons VP and general manager Keith Dawkins. "We received an overwhelming response from our first festival and this year’s response has been even bigger with a greater number of entries including submissions from more countries such as Russia, Africa, India and New Zealand."
Fred Seibert, president of Frederator Studios, adds, "Nextoons is quickly becoming one of animation’s most important festivals thanks to the work of hundreds of filmmakers and the incredible reach of the Nicktoons network. Frederator Studios is proud to be along for the ride."
Nextoons: The Nicktoons Film Festival consists of seven half-hour specials that will repeat throughout the month of September. Shorts to be featured in the first episode are La Rèvolution des Crabes by Arthur de Pins, Hobbies–Model Bus Collector by Nick Mackie, Runaway Bathtub by Annie Poon, Unmarked by Justin Foo, Those Scurvy Rascals from Blue-Zoo Prods., Her Teddy Bear by Ji Eun Lee and Blue Dress from Chungmin Moon.
Animators were asked to submit animated shorts no longer than ten minutes that combined a unique look, great character designs and a funny plot. One winner will be chosen by a grand jury and awarded a $10,000 cash prize. Other awards will include Producer’s Choice, Student Animator and Viewer’s Choice. Viewers can vote online at www.nicktoons.com through the month of September. The winner will be announced on September 18.
This year’s panel of Grand Jurors included Star Wars Icon and animation voiceover workhorse Mark Hamill, Avatar: The Last Airbender creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Mike Gabriel (Walt Disney Prods.’ Lorenzo), previous Nicktoons Film Festival Producer’s Choice Award winner Elizabeth Ito (Welcome to My Life) and ten-year-old cartoon connoisseur Noah Webb.
Seibert serves as Nextoon festival director, along with Rita Street, managing director of Radar Cartoons, and Eric Homan, VP of creative affairs for Frederator Studios. Christina Vann of Nicktoons is exec in charge of production.
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