The regional heat for Northern Ireland will take place from Friday 10 to Sunday 12 August. Animators aged 18+ can compete for free in teams of 2 to 5 people, creating an original film based on a secret theme. The short films can be in any style of animation and from 15 to 90 seconds in length. Up to three films will be selected from each regional heat to form a shortlist eligible for final awards.
The shortlist will be screened at a range of venues including Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival in September, and Manchester Animation Festival in November, and the competition will be opened up to public vote online at anijam.co.uk.
As well as the Public Choice Award, there will be a Grand Prix selected by a panel of industry experts, including representatives from key UK film and animation festivals, studios and organisations such as BAFTA Cymru and the BFI. Prizes include bespoke trophies created by Animation Toolkit, delegate tickets to key UK festivals, and distribution by ShortsTV – ‘the global home of short movies’.
Animators who would like to take part in the AniJam UK challenge should visit anim18.co.uk/anijamuk for details of venues and the wider programme, and anijam.co.uk to register a team. Registration closes on the 3rd August. Competitors must have their own equipment, resources, software and facilities to complete the animation challenge at home.
A briefing will be held at Nerve Belfast, Ulidia Resource Centre Office on Friday 10 August at 11.30am. Participants will be given the secret theme and will then have 48 hours to create an animation. For any further details or questions contact Jennifer McAlorum, j.mcalorum@nervecentre.org or telephone 02890 644222 (217).
The series of AniJams takes inspiration from previous events delivered in the South West of England since 2012 by WONKY and Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival. This year they will extend nationally as part of Anim18 – a celebration of British animation taking place across the UK, led by Film Hub Wales and Chapter (Cardiff), with the BFI Film Audience Network and a wealth of project partners. The challenge will culminate in a prize-giving event at Manchester Animation Festival.