PRELIMINARY INQUIRIES

If your school is interested in becoming one of the ten schools selected, send an email or phone KAFI with the name of your school and a contact name with an address, phone number and email. We will alert you as new information becomes available. See our contact information below.

HOW TO ENTER

One: Choose your school team. You are allowed up to five people on your team. Only one team per school will be selected. A student is eligible to participate as a team member if he/she is enrolled (part-time or full-time) at the time the application is submitted between January 2nd and February 9th 2007. Additionally, the student cannot be employed full-time with in the creative industry. (Revised 10-1-2006).
Teammates should have a variety of skills, from animation and editing to special effects and sound work. Remember an animated spot requires a number of disciplines. For instance will you have anyone on your team who knows how to turn your artwork into a 30-second 720 x 480 QuickTime with a soundtrack? Who is going to write the script? Your team will create this public service announcement from start to finish. We provide the equipment, software, animation bond, pencils, etc. and the teams take it from there. Yes, we have scanners, light-boards and digital cameras and lots of space and bodily sustenance.

Two: Your team must represent a post-secondary school or institute. Enter under its banner. A team advisor must be designated. Please include the team advisor’s contact information with your application. It is expected that the team advisor will attend the competition.

Three: Each person on the team needs to complete and sign an application form. Click here to download-print the APPLICATION FORM. Check to make sure all forms are signed before you mail them in.

Four: Here is the fun part. We need a five-minute (maximum) DVD from your team that has the following: (1) a demo reel that showcases the work of each team member (one minute per member) . (2) Insert a header with each team member's full name before the sample work. Do not include college or campus promo-shots. Please send four (4) copies of this DVD. Simple enough. Technical perfection is not a criteria, but your DVD should clearly demonstrate that thought, time, and creativity went into the making of the reel. Judges completely independent of any applicant school will determine the ten finalists.

Five: Determine how your team will meet expenses before entering the competition. Expenses include travel to and from Kalamazoo, housing for Advisors if they choose not to stay in the animation barracks, housing and food for the team during the three days of KAFI. All food is provided during the four days of competition. A full-festival pass is given to all Cartoon Challenge teams and advisors. We are negotiating a reduced price for rooms at the Comfort Inn, five blocks from the competition site or you are free to make arrangements at any of the many motels in the area. Here’s a link to a helpful visitor site: www.discoverkalamazoo.com.

The entry fee for each team is $35. Make checks payable to Kalamazoo Valley Community College, and send with your application package.

Six: Package your four (4) DVDs, team application forms, team advisor contact information and entry fee together and mail to:

             Valerie Eisenberg
             KVCC Center for New Media
             PO Box 4070
             Kalamazoo, MI 49003-4070

Contact: Valerie Eisenberg with your questions or for more information on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, (269) 373-7883 or email her at veisenberg@kvcc.edu.

DATES:

Entries are due between January 2, 2007 and February 9, 2007. All entries must be postmarked no later than February 9th.
KAFI will notify each Team Advisor on March 9, 2007 if their team is selected to be part of the Cartoon Challenge™.