Dear friends,

             the University of Indianapolis, Athens Campus, organizes its first Conference in Animation

             Studies. The official web page is under construction; however, we would like to post here the

             Conference Call for Papers, in the hope you will find it stimulating. Abstracts are

             welcome, as well as short films, and pre-production art  by artists working in animation.

CALL  FOR PAPERS

THE RISE OF THE CREATIVE ECONOMY
Digital Animation, Visual FXS, and Allied Technologies

The 23^rd Society for Animation Studies Annual conference
hosted by the University of Indianapolis, Athens Campus

ATHENS 18-20 March 2011

   The  Society for Animation Studies invites submissions for proposals for individual papers and panels for
      its  23^rd   Annual conference to be held in the Cultural Center of the University of Indianapolis, Athens
     Campus.  The    conference will be organized by the Academic Affair Department and the
     Communication Department of the University of Indianapolis. This year the conference will include
     presentations,  screenings, roundtables, and workshops.

   The purpose of this conference is to explore the new skills needed for creating and sustaining
     a viable digital animation and visual arts industry as a driving force in the creative economy.
     The conference focuses on the learning needs of educators, students, working professionals, business
     executives, technology leaders, and public service decision makers in the fields of animation, computer
     gaming, digital visual arts, media, television, movies, computer science, and information technology.
     It intends to pay homage to the heritage left to the present by the masters of the past, as well as to
     investigate the grade in which traditional animation techniques can be beheld and interpreted in view of
     the future. It springs from the debate on the present state of things in the various sectors of animation
     studies, and aims to explore their future development in relationship to the current evolution in animation
     production.

   This conference will seek to address a wide breadth of questions, including the following:

      1      What are the current and emerging animation technologies?
      2      How do visual arts shape stories, and communicated through images, music and sound?
      3      How does the past drive the present understanding of animation as art and entertainment?
      4      How are the animation and visual FXS industries changing?
      5      How are business strategy, organizational adaptation, and societal change being affected by
              the animation and visual FXS  industries evolution?
      6      What impact are these factors of change having on society's ability to develop the required
               workforce?
      7      How does the field of animation contribute to economic development?
      8      What are the prospects and promises of the emerging creative economy?
              Which countries are leading this process? What is happening in the rest of the world?
      9      What interdisciplinary research is needed to expand the existing body of knowledge in the field
              of animation studies?  How can this body of knowledge be categorized, organized and
              disseminated?
     10    Which educational potential is opened by the evolving sociological perception of animation?
              Does technology and the entertainment industry play a role in this evolution?
     11    Game industry: animation as entertainment, artistic and educational potential at the forefront?
     12    Open source: a matter of philosophy and revolution?
     13    If history of animation is the ground of the pioneers, what can its history teach us today?
     14    Teaching animation: academic acknowledgment of the field and its problems.
     15    New technologies in animation: showcase, applications, and new theories.

CONFERENCE FORMAT
 

   The conference will follow five conference tracks that will address one or more of the conference
   questions:

     1   The digital revolution in animation, its applications and its relationships to the traditional
           techniques.
     2   Paradigms for enhancing  the dialogue in between traditional animation studies and new
          approaches towards a deeper knowledge of the craft/field.
     3   Paradigms for animation as key player in the creative economy; the power and potentials of
          games and images in education, simulations, and trials.
     4   Paradigms for integrating new technologies into life service networks
     5   How is society and culture changing due to animation and  FXS  industries evolution.  

  GUIDELINES FOR PROPOSAL (ABSTRACT) SUBMISSION

   E-mail your submission with the proposal attached to Ms Romana Turina at turinar@uindy.gr
   Hard copies or CD should be mailed to Ms Romana Turina, Conference Coordinator, c/o Academic
   Affair  Department, University of Indianapolis, 9 Ipitou St., GR-105 57 Athens, Greece.

   Proposal or abstract should include:

    1   Presenter information (name, mailing and e-mail addresses, phone & fax number)
    2   Selected format of presentation (oral presentation, roundtable discussion, poster, or workshop)
    3   Title and affiliation (institution or organization)
    4   Proposal or abstract (in English, not to exceed 300 words, in PDF, or Word, or Office)
    5   Biographical data (in English, not to exceed 200 words)
    6   Selected track, or four keywords
    7   Indication of technological support needed

    IMPORTANT NOTE: once accepted, all speakers must be - or become- members of SAS.

   Deadline for submission of proposals: November 30, 2010.
   Deadline for submission of final paper + presentation material: January 15, 2011.

   FORMAT AND LENGTH OF PRESENTATION
   Select a format of presentation for each abstract sent for submission:

     15 minutes presentation (one presenter)
     30 minutes presentation (may include one or two presenters)
     90 minutes workshop or panel (regardless of the number of presenters)
      In this case explain how the session will be conducted and the number of presenters.

THE  CONFERENCE PROGRAMME

    Participants will enjoy session time at the Athens Cultural Center, adjacent to the University of
    Indianapolis-  Athens and at the foot of the Acropolis. The Conference Programme will be on line as
    soon  as finalized. The conference fee, 150 euros, will include free pass to every panel, workshop or
    screening, lunches  (18-20 March 2011), and the Conference Dinner (18 March 2011).Field trips to visit
    some sites in Athens will be organized, as well as a one day cruise to three nearby islands (the 21^st ),
    and a two day Mainland Excursion. Details will be  posted on line.

  If you have any questions regarding the conference or submission of a proposal, please contact our
    Conference Coordinator Ms Romana Turina, at turinar@uindy.gr or at dissolvance@yahoo.co.uk
 

    A final programme and further details on keynote speakers will follow in due course.

    See you in Athens!