OIAF, Toon Boom and Nelvana Team Up For 'Pitch This!' Competition

This year's Ottawa International Animation Festival is just around the corner. As part of the event, The Animation Conference takes place as OIAF's industry stream. This year there's a chance for attendees to win the chance to pitch their animation ideas to industry luminaries as part of the Pitch THIS! competition.

OIAF is teaming up with Nelvana (Canada's premiere animation studio) and Toon Boom to bring the competition back to the festival. Anyone with an idea for an animated show (aimed at children 2-11) can enter to win the chance to pitch it and potentially win a Nelvana development deal. Two creators will be selected to go before the TAC audience and make their pitch. This year though, in an extra twist 10 projects will be selected and the creator/creators will be partnered with a mentor to help them develop the idea. All 10 finalists will get 10 minutes to impress a small committee of experts. From this group, the two winners will be selected to face the TAC panel.

“The OIAF and Nelvana have a longstanding relationship of working together to foster the animation industry,” Azarin Sohrabkhani, Director of Industry Programming for OIAF, says. "It's very exciting to be able to work together again this year to present this amazing opportunity for the animation community.”

The winner will also be awarded a licence and training for Harmony and Storyboard Pro from Toon Boom.

 All  Proposals should include:
• Project synopsis, including log line and character descriptions
• One episode synopsis
• Concept art
• Bios of key creators
• Content aimed at children ages 2—11
• Please note: no more than 2 submissions per production company
• We are accepting International submissions

If you're interested, send your proposal to presentations@animationfestival.ca by August 31, 2017. This year's Festival will take place from September 20-24. For full details see here.