Fantastic Games & Interactive Narrative Event

Thanks to our brilliant, enthusiastic and inspiring speakers, CAN's first 'themed' event was a great evening. Charlene Putney on Twine, Chris Gregan (Snozbot) on their creation - the free games software engine, Fungus - and Dave McCabe on being a freelance Narrative Designer versus almost any other form of scriptwriter... The time flew in and several of us ended up sipping and talking on in the IFI afterwards.

Thanks to Filmbase for the room. Normally, CAN events are held in the Roasted Brown Cafe space on the floor below but we needed a screen to see some sample games -- yeah, it's a tough night when you have to watch games and learn interesting things from interesting people!

Unusually, we didn't have a lot of writers this time but we had everything else in the creative sphere of animation, vfx, games... If it felt a bit formal to be sitting in an 'official space' compared to gathering around tables downstairs, the ease of information flowing around the room and the candidness of the speakers made it a very special event. Not sure I got to talk to all the newcomers afterwards but hopefully they'll be back.

I'm thinking a themed night or two every year -- any ideas??

Interactive Narrative Fiction & Games event

The next Creatives in Animation Network (CAN) event is on Wednesday November 19^th in Room 3, Filmbase.

It’s on a Wednesday this time (rather than the usual Monday) in order to use Room 3 (big thank you to Filmbase) so that we can have a screen if we need it. Why? Because this event is focussing on different forms of collaboration and writing/ animation – namely games and interactive narrative fiction. We have a narrative designer, a game developer and an interactive fiction writer so far lined up but it's still an informal gathering but if it works out, we can make it a regular feature to focus on some aspect of/ specific arena in the animation industry at every other event. 

It’s still starting at 7, ending at 9 but bring a take away coffee/tea this time as we won’t have access to the Roasted Brown boiler downstairs.

Let me know if you want to come along at ljsedgwick@lindsayjsedgwick.com. I really need to keep an eye on numbers this time.  

Lindsay Jane Sedgwick; writer, creator, script ed, tutor: WULFIE.... Next stop MIPCOM..

Lindsay Jane Sedgwick; writer, creator, script ed, tutor: WULFIE.... Next stop MIPCOM...: WULFIE, children’s animation series, target age 6-11;  52 x 11 min eps WULFIE, a series based on stories I created for my daughter and...

Next Creatives in Animation Network Event: 8th Sept

The next Creatives in Animation Network (CAN)  event takes place on Monday 8th September starting 7 pm sharp - 9pm  in the Roasted Brown cafe space. (They do the best flat white in Dublin. Sadly, they close on Mondays at 5.30 but I'll bring tea and coffee along). Love to see as many of you there as possible who have been before - seems ages since the last one - and hopefully, as usual, a swell of new faces too.

Pass on the word too and let me know (ljsedgwick@lindsayjsedgwick.com) if you're coming along so I can keep an eye on numbers given the limited space.

I organised the first CAN event in Jan 2012, little realising how interesting it would be. My motive was frustration - I am a a writer and creator of animation who cannot draw and wants to get material made! This will  be the 11th event and through the network I have met such a fantastic whorl of interesting and talented people, as have most of these people when they came along to an event.

And collaborations have been happening from the start... in animated features, games, short animation and series. The likelihood, when you bring together such a range of talented creatives into one room, is that the conversation never ends.

So how do these events work? Firstly, not a formal gathering -- more an opportunity to meet n greet people who also love animation and want to make some. It's about making contacts you can follow up on rather than pitching, although sometimes you can't help yourself. We have a huge range and scope of members now from every branch and role in animation and into illustration, game designers and writers, creators of series and writers of animation as well  professional writers who have been produced in every other medium.

Secondly, we extend the network to include all other members. Everyone who comes to an event can agree to be on a group email -- this is only for those who have attended one of these events and is to allow you to follow up with each other more easily.

There is also a Facebook page and a more international one on LinkedIn for further networking and these are open to those who have yet to attend an event.

About the Creatives in Animation Network (CAN)

The CREATIVES IN ANIMATION NETWORK (CAN)                            

HISTORY

Founded by Lindsay J Sedgwick December 2011. Launched 31st January 2012 with the first Animation Networking Event. Formally named in April 2012.

                                           

I started this group to bring writers and animators together and see if we can collaborate creatively on various projects from shorts to features to series, games, books.

THE EVENTS

These are informal gatherings. We meet n greet n talk n mingle for two hours. It’s not about pitching or ‘speed-dating’ between writers n animators - though we will probably talk about something we are passionate about making; these evenings are about making contacts with a view to following up later if you meet someone with whom you feel you might like to work. 

Venue: Details will be posted on the blog and CAN group sites (see below).

THE NETWORK

If you attend a meeting and have no objection, your name is added to the group email and you are welcome along to any further meeting. This means everyone who attends has an email address for people they have met and wish to contact.

There's is also a LinkedIn Group and a group on Facebook, both called Creatives in Animation Network.

The idea of both groups and the group email is that members can contact each other to arrange to meet for coffee with other members and see if they might work together either on a specific project or create something new out of the ether. 

Alternatively, you can research members who were not at your event or that you hadn’t time to talk to and make contact independently. On any or all of these, members can post up information of jobs, invite members to look at a project idea and get in touch if it interests, post up interesting websites or tell us good news about projects that are happening. It's up to you.

A directory of members will be posted up on this blog as soon as I've collated all the material.

And the more we have in the group, the more interesting it gets. CAN has animation producers and directors, storyboard artists, animators working in 2D, 3D, 3.5D, games, cross-platform and traditional media, illustrators, established animation writers and creators of animation series, award winning playwrights and screenwriters in tv and film, writers of children's books and graphic novels. All wanting to create and collaborate. Collaborations can and are happening at all levels and in a whole range of areas already.

WHO CAN COME

Everyone who genuinely wants to collaborate with others to get animated material made is welcome. Writers who have yet to write animation, novelists and playwrights as well as experienced animation writers; animators, animation directors, storyboard artists, illustrators and artists, comic book artists, model-makers; producers who want to make (some/more) animation or move into features... The list is endless...

THE CRITERIA

Writers must have finished scripts, though not necessarily in animation; animators need to have made something or be working in animation. This means you know that everyone you network with through CAN is able to do the work.

For more information :

The original dedicated blog page is at www.lindsayjsedgwick.com

Email:  ljsedgwick@lindsayjsedgwick.com.