A tremendous Prix

Bit Films was born ten years ago this September. Born from a crazy idea that students could and should work together to make films that push the medium of computer animation into meatier and more thoughtful places than Hollywood was willing to attempt. From Displacement (2002) to Catch (2005) to The Incident at Tower 37 (2009) to Caldera (2012) to Tube (upcoming), we've kept on doing it, and today we're especially honored because the venerable Prix Ars Electronica gave one of its two Awards of Distinction to Caldera!

http://www.aec.at/prix/en/gewinner/#computer-animation

This is a terrific acknowledgement of the creative vision and leadership of Evan Viera and Chris Bishop, as well as a wonderful honor to all the crew members who worked to bring this film to life.

But it is also a celebration of the model--radical at times but perhaps not so much any more--that we've been trying to follow for almost a decade: where undergraduate liberal arts students work closely with fellow students and mentors, complementing their individualized, course-based education with hands-on, high-end, collaborative work; where an institution like Hampshire College offers its space and resources to independent artists at no cost because it recognizes the benefits for all involved of having such people around; and where ideas for animated films that certainly don't scream "cartoon!" can take root, mature, and ultimately emerge as fully-formed ideas.

It means all the more to me that Evan and Chris are alums of this program -- they both participated on Bit Films projects when they were students and continued to do so after they graduated. I was pleased to be able to invite them into the Drome when Caldera was still nascent, and now they've come full circle--from students to project supervisors--with distinction, no less!

Caldera at SXSW

Bit Films' latest short, CALDERA, had its world premiere at South by Southwest last Sunday! And it continues to screen at SXSW two more times before the festival's out.

I can only share these images and the trailer for now but there will be a host of festival appearances during the coming year that I'll be sure to post about when the time comes.

www.calderathefilm.com/

Bit Films spring 2012 internships

I'm happy to announce our new call for spring Bit Films interns! We've got four different roles to fill on the ongoing Tube open movie project being run by Bassam Kurdali.

Click here to read about the opportunities

Applications are due via email on Monday January 30th, 2012 (please read the call for details).

Those of you following along might notice that we don't have any Caldera internships this spring... that's because the film is in its final stages of post-production and will be appearing in festivals soon! Congrats to the entire team on a job very well done.