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ION Festival Introduces new products for users

Looking to nurture the brilliance and innovation found within the convergence of animation, gaming and film, the upcoming 2005 ION International Animation, Games and Film Festival features an all new competition category entitled Machinima. This groundbreaking form of filmmaking utilizes computer game technology to shoot films in the virtual reality of a game engine, said festival founder Chris Davies, adding that it will bring another unusual dimension to a blossoming festival now entering into its second year. The festival will also feature its usual categories of animation, live-action short films, short documentaries, game trailers, music videos, TV spots, movie trailers and films made for mobile devices such as cell phones and PDAs.

"Our mandate is to discover and nurture the brilliance and innovation found within the convergence of animation, gaming and film," Davies said. "In order to best do this, we have also created a summit where the challenges and potential of such innovation can be explored as well as examined by industry professionals, creative entrepreneurs and forward thinking story-tellers. ION encourages the boldness and courage integral to vision. We support creative risk-takers by exhibiting their work and we honor industry veterans who have blazed the trails for them to do so."

This years ION International Animation, Games and Film Festival will take place in early December, in Los Angeles. Organizers are currently looking for submissions in all categories.

Last years inaugural ION program included Chris Landreths Ryan, which won IONs International Animation of the Year Award and went on to win the Best Animated Short Oscar. The fest also screened Bill Plymptons Academy Award-nominated toon short, Guard Dog, and featured the Los Angeles premiere of Plymptons new feature, Hair High. Judges named LucasArts Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic Game of the Year.