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TAAFI News

Toronto Animation Film Festival

Toronto Animation Industry Conference

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Where: Toronto Reference Library & Online

When: November 2-4, 2023

Previous Events:

Toronto Animation / VFX Job Fair

November 2-4th, 2023!

LIVE IN-PERSON this year at the Toronto Reference Library! PLUS some exclusive ONLINE events for our international friends. The Toronto Animation Industry Conference 2023 is 3-days of snuggling up to creators, directors and the best ANIMATION | GAMING | VFX peeps we can find!

Catch it all live, Toronto time (ET) or come back and watch the online segments for three months after.
VIRTUAL SESSIONS HERE: https://www.crowdcast.io/c/taafi2023/lobby

*Friday and Saturday will be IN-PERSON ONLY!
**Any passholder can watch online segments later.

Plan on joining us each day for a selection of epic curated treats, and stick around after to rub elbows with fellow attendees and a slew of super nice speakers.

3

days

75

speakers

1

stream of content

21

sessions

3

networking events

Cozy Juicy Real

Wed, Nov 1st

Thu, Nov 2nd

9 Story Media Group

Fri, Nov 3rd

Jam Filled

Sat, Nov 4th

7:00PM - 8:00PM

VIRTUAL

Virtual Networking Event: Let's Get Cozy!

Join us at 7:00PM Eastern Time on November 1st right before the event starts to get REAL COZY. This is networking gone nuts with a board game twist. Make real connections with your peers and fellow attendees! This event DOES NOT require a ticket and is open to everyone. Follow us on social for the link!

Whether it's showrunners or creators, directors, designers, writers or effects artists we have you covered. Oh sorry did you say producers, local and international studios, workshops and parties? Yeah we got that too. Our speakers represent a diversity of stories, directions and designs that have shaped the industry and are animating to inspire our future.

And dozens more speakers!

speaker

Alissa Nutting

Co-Creator of Teenage Euthanasia, PFFR

speaker

Anthony Kemp

Digital Producer, DNEG

speaker

Andrew Wilk

Key Volunteer, TAAFI

speaker

Alyson Levy

Co-Creator of Teenage Euthanasia, PFFR

speaker

Aron Dunn

Chief Content Officer, Lakeside Animation

speaker

Ben McEvoy

Executive Producer, Friends & Enemies

speaker

Brian Woods

Background Supervisor, Jam Filled

speaker

Bart Batchelor

Producer, Showrunner, Oddfellows Labs

speaker

Camila Francisco

CG Animation Lead

speaker

Carolina Tran-Yong

Editor, Sphere

speaker

Constant Yen

Independent Animator/Filmmaker

speaker

Chris Nielsen

Producer, Showrunner, Oddfellows Labs

speaker

Christine Thompson

Head of Animation Production, Dark Slope

speaker

Dani Devereux

Matte Painting Supervisor, Sony Pictures Imageworks

speaker

Denver Jackson

Filmmaker, Independent

speaker

D'Arcy Cooney

Director of Marketing, Pipeline Studios

speaker

Deborah A. Anderson

Animation Journalist/3d Modeler, Skybound Entertainment

speaker

Dale Hayward

Director/Co-Owner, See Creature

speaker

David B. Reddick

CG Supervisor, Pipeline Studios

speaker

Emily Weedon

Writer, Sphere

speaker

Holly Nichols

Development Manager, WildBrain

speaker

Hugo Van Essen

Writer

speaker

Joel MacKenzie

Artistic Mercenary

speaker

Jane Harrison

Vice President, Pipeline Studios

speaker

James Banfield

Co-Founder, Performit Live

speaker

Jean-Philippe (JP) Welsh

Senior Character Animator, Sony Pictures Imageworks

speaker

Johan Dekker

Motion Graphics Supervisor, DNEG

speaker

Jodi Christie

Production Manager, Sphere

speaker

Jonas Diamond

Executive Producer, Smiley Guy Studios

speaker

Josh Bowen

Managing Director, Look Mom! Productions

speaker

Jeremy McCarron

Founder/CEO, Trickfilm Entertainment Inc

speaker

Karen Jackson

Chair, TAAFI

speaker

Kevin Micallef

Creative Director of Development, Nelvana

speaker

Kristin Handley

Animation Supervisor, Jam Filled Entertainment

speaker

Leanne Preston Cortez

Development Executive, Moonbug Entertainment

speaker

Lori McIndoe

Executive VP, Finance & Studio Operations, Jam Filled

speaker

Lindsey Weeks

Human Resources & Studio Coordinator, Pipeline Studios

speaker

Louis-Philippe Vermette

Co-Founder/Producer, The Happy Producers

speaker

Lana Castleman

Director of Marketing & Communications, Atomic Cartoons/Thunderbird Entertainment

speaker

Marge Dean

Head of Studio, Skybound

President, Women in Animation

speaker

Michael Van Swearingen

Founder & Creative Director, Heck Studio

speaker

Matt Bishop

Co-Owner & Head of Animation and Visual Effects, Sinking Ship

speaker

Marianne Culbert

Head of Production, Sphere

speaker

Mike Hunter

Director of Creative Culture, Jam Filled Entertainment

speaker

Melissa Graham

Director of Production, Nelvana

speaker

Mindy Johnson

Author/Scholar/Filmmaker

speaker

Mary Bredin

Creative Development Producer, TeamTO

speaker

Marissa Collyer

Director of Production, Pipeline Studios

speaker

Meagan Borosch

Production Manager, Jam Filled Entertainment

speaker

Natali Topalovska

Production Workflow Manager, Brown Bag Films

speaker

Nicole Bauman

Voice actress – Olga on Red Ketchup and Production Manager, Sphere

speaker

Peter Steineck

Founder & Art Director, Heck Studio

speaker

Phil Moorhead

Development Manager, 9 Story Media Group

speaker

Patrick Paradis

Animation Director, Atomic Cartoons

speaker

Paula Peroff

Animator

speaker

Quinn Doherty

Shorts Lead, TAAFI

speaker

Rebecca "Beccs" Champagne

Story Director / Story Artist, Atomic Cartoons

speaker

Ray Ocampo

Animation Director, Jam Filled

speaker

Ryan Irwin

Animation Director, Portfolio Entertainment

speaker

Ricardo Curtis

President and Co-Founder, House of Cool

speaker

Sabrina Harvey

Surfacing Artist, 88 Pictures

speaker

Sumira Dhawan

Head of CG, Redefine - Dneg

speaker

Sabrina Riegel

Visual Effects Supervisor / Head of Look, 88 Pictures

speaker

Sonika Bagwe

Freelance Illustrator

speaker

Shaleen Sangha

Vice President - Kids and Family Content, Boat Rocker Media

speaker

Stephen Sloan

Head of Studio, Look Mom! Productions

speaker

Spencer Moreland

Storyboard Artist, Independent Animator/Filmmaker

speaker

Samara Melanson

Vice President - Production, Guru Studio

speaker

Sunita Balsara

Designer, Nelvana

speaker

Shannon Bishop

Creative Development Executive, Nelvana

speaker

Sheldon Lisoy

Lighting and Compositing Supervisor, Sony Pictures Imageworks

speaker

Tabitha Fisher

Professor - Animation - Bachelor of Arts, Sheridan College

speaker

Tendayi Nyeke

Executive Producer / Development Executive, Netflix

speaker

Terry Ibele

Animator

speaker

Tysen Potter

Lead Producer & Development, Little Blackstone Studios & Big Studios

speaker

Tina Nawrocki

2D Animator and Director

speaker

Theresa Scandiffio

Associate Dean, Animation and Game Design, Sheridan College

speaker

Veronica Racanelli

Key Volunteer, TAAFI

speaker

Victoria Mateo

Money Coach - Creative and Finance Professional, WeFX Inc.

speaker

Virginie Lavallee

CEO / Production Management & Leadership Training, The Happy Producers

speaker

Warren Leathem

Senior R&D Animator, SideFX

speaker

Wes Bryant

Director, Pipeline Studios

speaker

Wes Lui

CEO, House of Cool

speaker

Zhujun "Bamboo" Wang

Effects Lead, DNEG

Studio Sessions

session

Opening Keynote: Mindy Johnson

Author of Ink and Paint's Mindy Johnson, the woman who literally wrote the book on the contributions of women in Animation, is coming IN-PERSON to Toronto to open our conference! A powerful speaker and visionary, Mindy's talk is one you can't miss!

session

Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse Behind-the-scenes

Canada enters the Spider-Verse!

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse blew audiences away with its boundary pushing imagery and animation, blending an eclectic array of styles seamlessly with dazzling results. The sequel, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, pushes the boundaries even further, thanks to a team of talented artists, including home-grown talent from right here in Canada! Now, TAAFI enters the Spider-Verse with JP Welsh, (Senior Character Animator) Sheldon Lisoy, (Compositing Lead), and Dani Devereux (Matte Painting Supervisor) as they trace the threads they spun into the multi-dimensional web of this groundbreaking animated blockbuster.

General Pass

Online Nov 2, in-person Nov 3-4

Super Early Bird (Aug 6)

$175

Early Bird (Sep 10)

$200

Regular

$265

Full 3 day conference pass

28 x Sessions

60 x Speakers

ALL Networking Events

Student Pass

Online Nov 2, in-person Nov 3-4

Super Early Bird (Aug 6)

$75

Early Bird (Sep 10)

$90

Regular

$105

Full 3 day conference pass

21 x Sessions

75 x Speakers

Online Networking Events

VIRTUAL Pass

Online Nov 2 + Virtual Networking Event Nov 1

Regular

$40

Access to all Online Events

8 x Sessions

19 x Speakers

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Big ideas deserve big opportunities, come show us yours!

TAAFI is looking for two great pitches to go head to head in front of a diverse panel of animation industry experts and yours could be one of them! Pitch competitions usually only offer critiques by industry execs. The Big Pitch will have a panel of judges representing departments throughout the animation pipeline. You’ll learn not only what makes a pitch sell but how to make it work from every angle. Submit your animated TV or web series concept by October 2, 2023 for a chance to be chosen as one of our two finalists who will pitch to a live audience from the TAAFI main stage.

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED

Click here for more info!

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Who Wants To Be A Taafillionaire

Think you have what it takes to be a Taafillionaire?? Applications are open NOW until October 26th, 2023 for all Industry pass holders!!

Click here for more info!

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TAAFI Meet & Greet

The TAAFI Industry Meet & Greet is a special chance to have a 10-minute one-on-one meeting with various industry experts from around the world from such studios as Pipeline Studios, Dark Slope, Nelvana, Wildbrain, and more!

Register for the event here!

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Seneca College Diversity Scholarship = Free Passes!

Seneca Polytechnic is proud of its long-standing partnership with TORONTO ANIMATION ARTS FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL and to be the exclusive sponsor of the Diversity Scholarship Program.

Seneca takes pride in the vibrant and diverse community we serve and recognizes that a culture of equity, inclusion and diversity must be based on an understanding of the whole person that values all of our differences. We commit to critically analyzing, identifying, and dismantling the barriers to access, student success, and employee potential. 

This scholarship program is aimed at underrepresented groups, and consists of complimentary in-person and online tickets to attend the upcoming TAAFI Industry Conference on November 2-4, 2023.

REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED

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Meet the Artist Behind This Year's TAAFI Industry!

Jeanna LeClair is a graphic designer, artist, and illustrator. She has been a part of TAAFI for over eight years, translating the show themes into signs, posters, booklets, banners, badges and more! Jeanna has been the main creative lead behind the last three TAAFI Industry Conference events, going big with bright colours and graphics to bring a fresh new look each time.

Sponsors

TAAFI is a non-profit volunteer organization, supported by many of the leading animation studios and industry organizations throughout the year as well as at each of the events. Without them we couldn't bring our programs to you, our audience.

Premiere Sponsor

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Founding Sponsor

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Diversity Sponsor

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Silver Sponsor

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Bronze Sponsor

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Partner

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