OTTAWA – The deadline for submissions for the third annual Pitch THIS! – a pitching session for animation projects organized in conjunction with the Television Animation Conference – is July 31.
The Television Animation Conference – an animation business forum designed for professionals in content creation, development, production, distribution and marketing – takes place September 19-20 at the Chateau Laurier Hotel in Ottawa, Canada. It is organized by and runs in conjunction with the Ottawa International Animation Festival, set for September 19-23.
“There are plenty of pitching competitions in Canada , but Pitch THIS! is the only one geared to animation producers,” said Television Animation Conference director Azarin Sohrabkhani. “If you have what it takes to entertain the likes of Cartoon Network and Teletoon bigshots, then we want you to submit your most creative, outrageous, star-making ideas!”
To be considered for Pitch THIS! producers should submit their proposals for an original adult or children’s animation series and include a project bible, sample episode synopsis, concept art and biographies of the key creative team.
Send submissions to Azarin Sohrabkhani at azarin@animationfestival.ca or by post to 2 Daly Avenue, Suite 120 , Ottawa , ON K1N 6E2 . No more than two submissions per production company will be accepted.
Two applicants will be chosen to give a 10-minute pitch on September 19 before a panel of leading animation broadcasters, conference attendees and 200 buyers, financiers, partners and industry gurus.
Representatives from Nickelodeon, Teletoon, Cartoon Network and PBS will assess each of the project’s creative and financial elements and analyze their marketability and appeal to each broadcaster.
No prize money is on the line, but the exposure could lead to future success.
“The response I got from doing the pitch [last year] has really helped shape the development of my show,” noted producer Chris Dainty of Ottawa-based Dainty Productions. His 2006 pitch “The Constellations” received excellent reviews from both conference delegates and numerous media outlets.
He added, “With the exposure on the net and from TAC a lot of people have contacted us in regards to the possibility of working together.”
