Kdan Mobile, a software company based out of Taiwan, is set to launch its online annual animation contest, iAniMagic 2017.
The contest will focus on building a diverse community for animators and artists by changing software regulations, allowing teamwork and adding features for educational institutions and their students. iAniMagic 2017 will accept submissions from 1 August to 3 November, 2017.
iAniMagic 2017 requires its participants to submit 2D animations varying in length from 15 to 120 seconds, created either alone or in a team of up to five, using any software to express their thoughts on the theme: The Future.
All participants have to do is visit Kdan Mobile’s AniZone website, go to the contest page and submit their work.
“Technology is the future. As a tech company, we know this requires a lot of imagination. We want to encourage participants to stretch their minds,” stated AniZone project leader and chief designer Kevin Huang.
Since its inception in 2011, iAniMagic has received over 680 submissions from over 70 nations, given over $20,000 in prizes and hosted many reputable industry professionals as judges.
Among this year’s judges is Gabe Swarr, Nickelodeon Animation Studios supervising producer in development. Swarr has worked on projects such as the movies Kung Fu Panda and Casper Meets Wendy, as well as various episodes of The Jetsons.
Joining Swarr are other reputable industry artists: Lyndon Ruddy (The Emoji Movie, Planes series, The Nut Job), Basil Chen (Kung Fu Bunny, Monkey King: Hero is Back), and Sun Gia Lung (Sword Art Online, Dragon Ball Z: God and God, Gin Tama).
“We are excited to watch the contest grow,” says Kdan Mobile CEO Kenny Su. According to Su, broadening the tools that participants can use to create their work and allowing for collaboration are just the beginning.
He adds, “We want to make AniZone, our online platform for independent animations, a diverse community for all animators and artists to connect and grow. We remember what it was like as a start-up with little experience and resources. We want to build long-term relationships with educational institutions and encourage young artists and animators by providing resources for their budding careers.”
AniZone is a community of animation fans who have different backgrounds and skills. Animators from around the world can publish their original works, exchange ideas and build up a network in AniZone, a free platform for the enthusiasts.