An integrated approach to music education and creativity is at the core of Toy Symphony. Through coherent musical concepts that are fused with intensive hands-on workshops, the exploration of new technological inventions, and a culminating public concert, Toy Symphony serves to show children that they can create their own music, discover the potential of the symphony orchestra, absorb musical and technological principles through Music Toys, and ultimately be an important part of a large-scale, professional production. A group of Central Florida students will participate in a workshop introducing them to musical expression and composition using Music Toys.

Prior to the performance, there will be an open house to introduce the general public to the local children who have participated in the workshop, the Music Toys, new technologies, and the core music of the project. The concert afterward will highlight and promote the exciting new music created for and by children at Enzian Theater. This performance will feature a string ensemble from the Orlando Philharmonic playing traditional instruments with electronic enhancements with Mr. Machover conducting. It is a chance for all involved to engage in music making that bridges past and present, using futuristic technology, innovative pedagogy, and inspiring music to step firmly into the 21st century. For more information on the Toy Symphony, click here.

The ILL Clan is an independent animation studio based in New York that uses 3D computer game technology to create animated shorts. Known as Machinima, this is the process by which 3D animation is created within a real-time computer game environment. Rather than create the animation frame by frame, the animation is created and rendered simultaneously within the computer hardware. Paul Marino, director of the ILL Clan’s short "Hardly Workin’" is also the Executive Director of the Academy of Machinima Arts and Sciences.

During the 2003 NextArt, The ILL Clan demonstrated this real-time computer animation process. Never done before, the live Machinima presentation featured the ILL Clan's improv/animation team performing a live 3D animation, using audience participation to create an entirely new 10-minute film.

"We used to play a computer game called Quake and run around and kill each other with rocket launchers, now we use the technology behind that game to make funny cartoons," says Matt Dominianni, one of the group’s voice-over artists and directors. Mr. Dominianni performed live at the festival along with fellow voice-over artist/improvisers Paul Jannicola and John Clavis. The entire production was animated, performed and shot simultaneously, while being projected on a large screen for the Festival audience. The process is strikingly similar to the multi-camera studio technique used by most taped-for-broadcast talk shows. The difference is the ILL Clan’s cameras and characters all reside in a sort of virtual set within a 3D, computer-generated environment.

ORLANDO, FLORIDA - The Florida Film Festival is proud to honor longtime friend and colleague Dick Morris at the 2004 event. Dick Morris, of Morris Projects and the Sarasota Film Society, will be honored for his more than 20 years in the industry as a film programmer and booker, art cinema impressario, and film society founder. Dick earned a reputation in the industry for his passion for film (“show me a redneck and I’ll show him a subtitle!”) and his conviction that cinema is art (not to mention his strong negotiation skills). On Thursday, March 11th at 11:30 AM at Enzian Theater he will lead a discussion on the state of film as an art form and current and future trends of independent film distribution. Panelists joining Mr. Morris include Bob Berney, President of Newmarket Films, Tom Prassis, Vice President of Sales at Sony Classics, Richard Shamban, Vice President of Western Division Sales at Fox Searchlight, and a representative from Lions Gate Films. In the digital age where worldwide and DVD sales are creating the bottom line, how are distributors changing their strategies?

Additional distributors and industry professionals, who will serve on one of the Festival’s three juries: Features, Documentaries or Shorts, include T.C. Rice, Vice President of Manhattan Pictures; Ian Bricke, Manager of Film Programming for the Sundance Channel; Wendy Mitchell, Managing Editor, indieWIRE.com and IFCRant; Hank Blumenthal, Director of Post Production at IFC Entertainment; Jami Bernard, Film Critic for the New York Daily News; Scott Foundas, Film Critic for Variety, LA Weekly and indieWIRE.com; Jeff Krulik, Documentarian, HEAVY METAL PARKING LOT; Joel Hopkins, Director, JUMP TOMORROW; and Animator and Artist, Signe Baumane.

2003 Florida Film Festival Award Recipients

FEATURES

Special Jury Award for Emotional Truth:
ROBOT STORIES, dir. by Greg Pak

Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature:
NEVER GET OUTTA THE BOAT, dir. by Paul Quinn

Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature:
ZERO DAY, dir. by Ben Coccio

DOCUMENTARIES

Special Jury Award for Documentary Excellence:
MY FLESH AND BLOOD, dir. by Jonathan Karsh

Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature:
STATE OF DENIAL, dir. by Elaine Epstein

Grand Jury Award for Best Documentary Feature:
POWER TRIP, dir. by Paul Devlin

SHORTS

Special Jury Award for Economy of Expression:
ROOF SEX, dir. by PES

Grand Jury Award for Best Animated Short:
BATHTIME IN CLERKENWELL, dir. by Alex Budovsky

Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative Short:
THE VEST, dir. by Paul Gutrecht

Grand Jury Award for Best Documentary Short:
OCULARIST, dir. by Vance Malone

Audience Award for Best Short Film:
THE VEST, dir. by Paul Gutrecht

INTERNATIONAL FILMS

Audience Award for Best International Feature Film:
TOGETHER, dir. by Chen Kaige

Audience Award for Best International Short Film:
LEUNIG: HOW DEMOCRACY REALLY WORKS, dir. by Andrew Horne

STUDENT FILMS

Special Jury Prize for Best Student Film:
VOYAGE OF THE KITTY KUKU, dir. by Shane Sauer
Florida State University

Honorable Mention:
A WORK IN PROGRESS, dir. by Wes Ball
Florida State University

FLORIDA FILM FESTIVAL GRANTED ACADEMY RANKING
June 24, 2002

ORLANDO, FLORIDA - The Florida Film Festival has been accepted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as a qualifying festival in the category of Short Films.

This honor was bestowed on the Florida Film Festival by the Short Films and Feature Animation Branch Executive Committee. The Short Film that receives the Florida Film Festival Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative Short may automatically qualify to enter the Live Action Short Film category of the Academy Awards for the concurrent season, provided that the film meets all the requirements set forth in the Academy's official rules for that season.

"The longevity and the current quality of the Florida Film Festival's award-winning selections has persuaded this committee to add it to the prestigious international list recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences," said Jon Bloom, Chair of the Short Films and Feature Animation Branch Executive Committee.

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