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Xin: Icograda World Design Congress Beijing 2009 & the 1st Beijing Design Week

Posted: September 1st, 2009, 1:27am PDT by admin

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August 25, 2009 - Beijing, China - From 24-30 October 2009, the biennial Icograda World Design Congress in association with the first Beijing Design Week will be held in Beijing, China for the first time. Some 100 carefully selected speakers and thousands of delegates from around the globe will gather in a cross-disciplinary Congress, offering five days of exchange and dialogue within the international design community.

A series of exciting conferences, exhibitions, events, concerts, performances and fringe activities will be held from 24 - 30 Oct and beyond based on the theme Xin which literally signifying human speaking, representing a primitive means of communication and has come to encompass many more dimensions today. Some of the most sought after luminaries of the design and visual art industries, including Jan van Toorn, Sol Sender, Patrick Whitney, Pan Gongkai, Kohei Sugiura, David Kester, Ruedi Baur, Xu Bing, Troika, N55, Joachim Sauter (Art+Com), Ric Grefé (AIGA), Carsten Nicolai (aka Alva Noto), Brian Collins, Michael Rock (2×4), David Carson, David Small, Qiu Zhenzhong, and Dunne & Raby will be on stage to address delegates from around the world.

The key events during the week of 24 - 30 Oct include the grand Opening Ceremony at the National Centre for thePerforming Arts, and the International Design Conference and Icograda Education Network (IEN) Conference at China Central Academy of Fine Arts. Exhibitions opening throughout the week include “Lifescope: Design Design! Live Life!” at Beijing World Art Museum, “Design as a Second Productive Force” at the National Art Museum of China, the 2009 Adobe Design Achievement Award (ADAA) Exhibition (following its award-giving ceremony on the 26 Oct) at China Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) Library, and “Chinese Graphic Design in the 20th Century: A Documentary”, “Beijing Typography 2009” and “365: AIGA Annual Design Competitions Show” at CAFA Art Museum together with several others.
In addition to the core programme of the event, Icograda World Design Congress Beijing 2009 & the 1st Beijing Design Week will also host a spectrum of events and activities that are highly recommendable for design professionals planning to be in Beijing this Oct, which include the “Beijing High-End Design Projects and Policies Release” - announcing Beijing’s city-level design projects in the next decade, “Beijing Design Tour” - an insider’s trip to the Beijing dynamic design scene, Launch of “Beijing Workstation for International Designers” - a service platform for international designers by Beijing Creative Centre, “Xishi” - an opera based on the story of a beautiful Chinese woman, “Unitxt” - live audio-visual art performance by the acclaimed visual artist/electronic musician Alva Noto, and a variety of selected excursions in and
around Beijing. More events and activities will be announced on the www.beijing2009.org soon.
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The event is co-organised by China Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA), China National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Beijing Industrial Design Centre (BIDC) and Beijing Gehua Cultural Development Group.
Icograda (International Council of Graphic Design Associations) is the world body for professional communication design.
Founded in 1963, it is a voluntary assembly of organisations concerned with graphic design, visual communication, design management, promotion, education, research and journalism. Icograda promotes the vital role of communication design in society and commerce, and unifies the voices of graphic designers and visual communicators worldwide.
The 1st Beijing Design Week will be running parallel to the Icograda World Design Congress. And as part of the legacy of the Congress, the BDW will be a long term programme of Beijing City aimed at promoting the role of design in China.
Registration
Online registration is available for Xin: Icograda World Design Congress Beijing 2009. Professional, academic, student and member rates are available for qualifying delegates. Please visit www.beijing2009.org/reg.htm for further details.

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Human Resource and the Future - China Design Education & Enterprise Development Summit

Posted: June 26th, 2009, 5:18am PDT by admin

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“Human Resource and the Future - China Design Education & Enterprise Development Summit” will be hold on July 25-27, 2009, in Beijing. The Forum is hosted by China Guanghua Science and Technology Fund and co-hosted by VisionUnion, supported by China Industrial Design Association, China Fashion & Color Association, Graphic Design Art Committee of China Artists Association, Beijing Industrial Design Promotion Organization, Beijing Culture Development Fund, Shenzhen Graphic Design Association, Academy of Arts & Design of Tsinghua University, School of Design of Central Academy of Fine Arts, School of Design of China Academy of Art, School of Design of Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, etc. The Forum will gather many experts from design education field and high-end design enterprises from home and abroad, discussing the training of China’s design talents. The schools of creative design are cradles of designers, while design enterprises are the accelerators for the growth of designers. The development of enterprises helps designers go ahead. Hence, the training of designers is a common obligation of both design schools and design enterprises. With the great development of China’s creative industry, global financial crisis, and the special difficulty in the graduates’ employment, “Human Resource and the Future - China Design Education & Enterprise Development Summit” expects to discuss the current oppotunities and challenges with people from every aspects of the creative design industry. The Forum will gather dozens of experts from design education field and high-end design enterprises from home and abroad. During the 3-day activity, focusing on the training of China’s design talents, the forum will hold 3 summit dialogues, 10 speeches, and substantial opening banquet and activities. Through all-aspect talks and exchanges on talent-training and development of enterprises, the forum expects to build an efficient platform for the communications and exchanges of schools, enterprises and designers. It would be quite meaningful and practical to the training of China’s design talents.
website: [2009.vudn.com]

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Valentine’s Special Package by Y-TOWN & Swatch

Posted: February 16th, 2009, 9:38pm PST by admin

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In February 2009, a Valentine’s Day Special Package will be launched by designer brand Y-TOWN and fashion icon Swatch. The creative concept of this special package comes from heart and butterfly, both a symbol of lovers. Besides the new watch called Butterfly Wings produced by Swatch, the product also contains a Y-TOWN designed package which could be reused as valentine’s gloves.

To match the Swatch Valentine’s Day watch of this year, the package created by Y-TOWN is called Flying Hearts Gloves. The heart-warming valentine’s gift can also be used as a pair of woolen gloves, as if hand-knitted by lovers, integrating a sense of intimacy and tenderness. When both hands held together, the two hearts on each glove can be combined as one butterfly pattern, as a romantic symbol of the loving hearts and flying butterflies.

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Adobe Issues Call for Entries for 2009 Adobe Design Achievement Awards

Posted: February 16th, 2009, 9:19pm PST by admin

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SAN JOSE, Calif. - Nov. 24, 2008 - Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced the call for entries for the ninth annual Adobe Design Achievement Awards (ADAA). The premiere competition honors the best student graphic designers, photographers, illustrators, animators, digital filmmakers, developers and computer artists from accredited higher education institutions worldwide. Now in partnership with the International Council of Graphic Design Associations (Icograda), the awards ceremony will be held during the Icograda World Design Congress in Beijing, China in October 2009. The Congress will bring together 2,500 delegates from around the globe at the China National Convention Center, located in the heart of the Beijing Olympic Green.

“Adobe is always inspired by the tremendous creativity that we see in Adobe Design Achievement Awards submissions,” said Ann Lewnes, senior vice president of corporate marketing at Adobe. “Our partnership with Icograda will help us showcase breakthrough talent on a global stage, and preview the bright future of interactive design.”

“Communication designers play a critical role in developing messages that influence social and commercial perceptions,” said Professor Don Ryun Chang, president of Icograda. “We are excited to partner with Adobe for the prestigious Adobe Design Achievement Awards ceremony, which recognizes design innovation and encourages unrelenting progress in the field of graphic design and visual communication.”

As demand increases for talented designers and developers in the interactive design and development fields, the Adobe Design Achievement Awards spotlight the talented work of students in three media categories: Interactive Media, Motion Media, and Traditional Media.

– Interactive Media categories include Browser-Based Design, Non-Browser Based Design, Application Development, Installation Design and Mobile Design.

– Motion Media categories include Animation, Live Action and Motion Graphics.

– Traditional Media categories include Illustration, Packaging, Photography, and Print Communications.

Open to students in 40 countries, the contest also draws attention to interactive design and development programs at some of the best accredited higher education institutions. Students are invited to submit projects through the Adobe Design Achievement Awards website. From the website, visitors will also be able to access ADAA Live!, an interactive website that lets visitors see participants submitting projects in real-time.

“I was honored to be a finalist in the Adobe Design Achievement Awards animation category in 2007,” said Johnny Kelley, who recently completed a two-year MA in Animation at The Royal College of Art. “My achievement in this awards competition will continue to benefit me professionally as I look forward to a long career creating compelling animations with Adobe solutions.”

The 2009 Adobe Design Achievement Awards entries will be reviewed and scored by an independent panel of distinguished judges. Judges include: Leimei Julia Chui (Japan), director of global communications for the International Design Center NAGOYA (IdcN); Louis Gagnon (Canada), co-founder of Paprika Communications; Cristina Chiappini (Italy), founder of her own Rome-based consultancy; Garth Walker (South Africa), founder of Orange Juice Design, a creative firm serving many of South Africa’s best known corporate and consumer brands; Tarek Atrissi (The Netherlands), a principal of his own design studio and teacher in the department of Art, Media and Technology at the Utrecht School of the Arts in Holland; Kyle Kim (Korea), a professor at the School of Design, Hongik University and cofounder of design firm UM & Partners; and Lance Wyman (US) principal of his own New York environmental graphic design office.

Submissions will be accepted online through June 5, 2009. The online submissions will be judged digitally in June. For the final phase of judging, semifinalists will be asked to submit their source files and a physical aspect of their entry as it is meant to be viewed. Finalists will be invited to Beijing, China and the Icograda World Design Congress and awarded software and cash prizes.

For more information regarding the 2009 Adobe Design Achievement Awards, visit www.ADAAentry.com .
About Adobe Systems Incorporated
Adobe revolutionizes how the world engages with ideas and information - anytime, anywhere and through any medium. For more information, visit www.adobe.com .
About Icograda
Icograda (International Council of Graphic Design Associations) is the world body for professional communication design. Founded in 1963, Icograda promotes communication designers’ vital role in society and commerce. For more information, visit www.icograda.org .

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Icograda World Desing Congress Beijing 2009 will Take Place

Posted: December 28th, 2008, 10:42pm PST by admin

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Join professional colleagues in a bi-annual gathering to reflect on the past, examine the present and look into the future of communication design.

Under the theme Xin_Design for a better world, the Icograda World Design Congress 2009 in Beijing will explore the capacity of design to integrate with other media, to transcend national, cultural and economic confines, and to benefit the world at large.

Theme and concept
Literally signifying human speaking and hence a letter in Chinese, Xin is a primitive means of communication yet means a lot more today:
- Xin-xi (Information) - the content of human communication
- Xin-ren (Trust) - the precondition and purpose for effective communication
- Xin-nian (Vision) - the starting point of communication design that helps make a better world
Through the theme of Xin_Design for a better world, the Icograda World Design Congress 2009 Beijing (China) seeks to explore the contemporary issues and challenges facing communication design, in particular its vital role in a world of crisis - ecological, natural and human, and its approaches to fostering more effective communication for a plurality of cultures.

Image: China National Convention Center

Venue
The main venue will be the China National Convention Centre (CNCC), ideally located in the heart of Beijing Olympic Green and standing right next to the Bird’s Nest (China National Stadium), the Water Cube (China National Aquatic Centre) and China National Indoor Stadium.

For more information, visit: www.beijing2009.org
From Icograda

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International Forum on Service Outsourcing & Multimedia Industry Development Opened

Posted: December 25th, 2008, 4:04am PST by admin

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Organized by VisionUnion, International Forum on Service Outsourcing & Multimedia Industry Development opened on a.m. December 18, 2008, at Beijing News Plaza Hotel, during the Third China Beijing International Cultural & Creative Industry Expo. As China’s first high-end dialogue between professionals in animation field and film field, the forum invited experts and academicians in the above two fields from China and UK. During the forum in the morning when the opening ceremony was hold, Gordon Cooper, chief media consultant of Bournemouth University and media consultant Xiao Zhidong, analyzed UK’s CG outsourcing policy and market, introducing key points about how to co-operate with CG company of UK.
Gordon Cooper
Xu Bing
Sun Lijun, President Of The Animation School Of Beijing Film Academy
The highlight in the afternoon was none other than the address made by Ms. Xu Bing, General Manager of China Film Group Film Distribution and Exhibition Corporation and famous publisher in China’s film field, about marketing strategy of animation film. Through first-hand data obtained from her own publishing management experience, Ms. Xu Bing analyzed in detail the trend of ticket office of imported animation films and home-made animation films, exposing the entire procedure of animation film’s “financing, production, publication and screening”. No doubt, these detailed data from the film industry would make great sense in directing the investment and market for China’s animation film. The “impact of intelligence” of China’s high-end professionals in animation and film field brought audience not only shock by on-site data, but also, beyond the forum, further meaning that where China’s animation film would go.

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An Interview With Zeng Weijing Who Is The Guest Of The 3rd China (Beijing) International Student Animation Festival

Posted: December 16th, 2008, 5:46am PST by admin

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During the 3rd China (Beijing) International Student Animation Festival, VisionUnion took the honor of having a special interview with Zeng Weijing, director of BTV animations, general director of the animation series [The Cruise of the Fuwa], production supervisor of Beijing Kaku Animation TV, director of animation production dept.

VisionUnion: As the general director, would you please introduce the production of [The Cruise of the Fuwa]?
Zeng Weijing: That is too long to talk about. It might take over three days and three nights. It was a hard work – a year and a half from start to end, producing the 100-volume large-scale animation series. It is quite successful to broadcast it just before the Olympics. It is a successful case – as an animation series, not only for its production and broadcast, but also for the whole broadcasting system. Yet when we talk about the industrialization, we did not go all out; because it is the Olympics and the Fuwa characters are belong to the International Olympic Committee. Despite the economic benefits, we gain more in the aspect of social benefits; because it is mainly for the commonweal.

VisionUnion: Would you please introduce Kaku’s animation production dept.?
Zeng Weijing: Now we have over 30 staff, not big, just being small-sized. We are divided in two parts: one is our project team. The project team mainly operates large-scale projects like [The Cruise of the Fuwa]. Next there will be two more large-scale projects. We adopt the integrated team-work method.
The other is for the self-made programs broadcasting on Kako channel, such as Flash, [Ping Shu], [Animation World], [Happy Times], and so on. There are about more than ten people producing animations for the program.

VisionUnion: Would you please tell us your feeling about attending the animation festival, or your understanding about the animation festival?
Zeng Weijing: Because we are the co-organizer of the animation festival, I thought it presented the following characters:-
Firstly, it is a powerful combination between schools and medias. It broadened the platform by the combination with medias, using the media’s power to promote the animation festival to broadcast wider. I thought that combination was superb.
Secondly, it emphasized more on original creations.
The students’ resource is freedom. Being without pressure came from being without jobs. It promotes expressing original status, original creation and their own things through good methods. It is the animation festival’s character and highlighted aspect that it promotes those kinds of self-promoted, original things to show.
Thirdly, the international exchange.
Being an international student animation festival, it must include international professional exchange and talents gathering. The platform and the structure are of high level. For me, it is very meaningful. It is of great value from both aspects of profession and friendship.
Fourthly, the foundation of the platform.
In other words, it is to build the animation festival more widely. It includes many activities, such as [The Master’s Course] and some awarding ceremony. It is totally cubical. The platform is built very perfectly, with very good structure.

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Jamy Yang Wins Design For Asia Silver Award

Posted: December 16th, 2008, 5:34am PST by admin

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With the design of Absolut Pears Dual Package for the Swedish brand Absolut Vodka, Product designer Jamy Yang becomes the silver award winner of the Design for Asia Award (DFAA), which is newly announced in the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center.

The winning design is praised by the judges for its enhanced brand identity, reduced waste, convenient usage, attention to recycling as well as commercial success.

Design for Asia Award (DFAA), initiated by Hong Kong Design Center, is dedicated to promoting international design excellence which has great impact on Asian lifestyle, and the criteria for judging are based on design, impact on Asian lifestyle and influence in Asia as well as commercial success.

This year, the DFA Award received 633 entries representing 12 countries including China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Thailand and from as far as Europe, the UK and the US. Some of the other prominent award winners are international companies e.g. Apple, Sony and Samsung.

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An Interview With Li Jianping Who Is Vice-President Of The Animation School Of Beijing Film Academy

Posted: December 11th, 2008, 2:58am PST by admin

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During the 3rd China (Beijing) International Student Animation Festival, VisionUnion took the honor of having a special interview with Li Jianping, Vice-President Of The Animation School Of Beijing Film Academy. VisionUnion: Would you please tell us your feeling about attending the 3rd China (Beijing) International Student Animation Festival?
Li Jianping: I attended many contests of this kind, including those for student, in recent years. The animation festival gathered student works, which covered domestic and foreign ones. With the number of works, there were quite a lot. With the judging process, there were more foreign judges in the final round – concerning its internationality and international standards. Under that judgments, we could view from a relatively wide or even full range of works by Chinese students and students from countries which kept close relationship with China. VisionUnion: Would you give an overall comment on the works shown on the 3rd China (Beijing) International Student Animation Festival?
Li Jianping: In general, those could be of all kinds, with totally different methods, different conditions – the conditions of schools, the extend to which those majors covers. Therefore the works were in a wide range of variety, which meets the need of shorts. In fact, shorts require being different. It is hard to use one standard, or apply one method, or achieve one effect.
Sometimes, the effect of this kind of shorts could win favors or sensation or the feeling of its creative inspirations from audience, just by one point of one content. Sometimes, the content is flat, but with an outstanding expression, by experiment of some method or material or software. All could be outstanding aspects of it.
So, when we watch the shorts – the student’s homework, we are watching his learning process and whether he could express what he learned through some method. In fact, we are watching his feeling about animation or the major, through the ability of expression. In another word, to watch whether he is express something using what he learned within the major. VisionUnion: Would you introduce situations and characters of education carried out by The Animation School Of Beijing Film Academy ?
Li Jianping: Beijing Film Academy, which has had the major of animation since 1950s, is the earliest to carry out animation educations among all artistic colleges. Now the major has a relatively full system and a mature team of teachers, who cover from the retired to the young graduated or teachers graduated from our school, with a multi-age structure. So we have a tradition about education. In former times, our school’s professional education had a close relationship with Shanghai Animation Film Factory. Thus we had an education system and contents which are scientific and integrated. Now the animation college of Beijing Film Academy is under the environment of film, brought by Beijing Film Academy. The overall education is more favorable. Its animation major and the students in it all are belong to a film art system. It is closer to film. Actually it is like producing a kind of film through the method of animation.
Either artistic film, or commercial films, animation film, animation TV, TV series and animation program series over the web, which are carried out by students, emphasize on the ability of tell stories and expression through lens. The presentation of pictures is also important. But it is attached on between telling stories and lens expression. VisionUnion: Would you introduce the situation of animation education around the country?
Li Jianping: The situations and starts are different among schools. Some emphasizes design, some emphasizes technology – especially computer technology, while others emphasize complex training. I thought they should not be the same. But with animation education, the character of animation should be considered. It (animation) belongs to films – the art of image expression. Its language character should be considered. During the education program, it should be well balanced in the combination between art and technology. It is not correct that good technology could take the place of art, nor is the saying that it is unnecessary to learn technology for one to complete a good production with only good art opinions. Neither is fully correct.
With the participant works, when being judged or enjoyed, the first important thing is that the content is infective; the second is that the expression is powerful and sufficient. Some have good contents, but are lack of clearance or accordance about expression in color, arrangement or shaping. The inaccuracy of expression will reduce the original feeling of the creation.
Such kind of production could be made by a student. And such kind of problem should be solved by school educations. (The education) should let students growing from an unknown stage, or from starting experiments, to finally the main power and promoter within the profession. It is very important to know what to do in one’s mind.

VisionUnion: Could you please compare between the characters of domestic and foreign animation festivals?
Li Jianping: With foreign animation festivals that we attend, some are for students while the rest are for all. There are many for-all animation festivals in foreign countries, which are known by us within the professional field. Like those held in Stuttgart, Annecy, Los Angeles, Hiroshima, there are many animation festivals, but not only for students. Many works, which were produced by our film college and brought abroad for exchanging or contest, were highly praised. That is to show the fruits of our education and the ability of our students to the profession abroad. Yet we are not outstanding in international animation festivals till now. After all, the students experience is still too limited to face international animation festivals. For example, we could not adopt that standard like competing with those who is in their 50s or 60s, with many years of experience and many art works, or is very capable.

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What Kind Of Animation Talents Does China’s Animation Industry Need?

Posted: November 30th, 2008, 3:35am PST by admin

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Animation talents are not only the propelling power to the development of animation industry, but also the sources of animation creativities and creators of the animation industry. The college students are the back-up and the emerging power of the animation industry. China’s animation education cultivated plenty of animation talents for the animation industry. The development of China’s animation industry is strongly supported by the government. What kind of animation talents do we need today? What kind of talents should be cultivated from animation education? 2008 China International Student’s Animation Festival had become the showing arena for new stars of animation talents. During the festival we saw some original creative animations. Also we saw the effort of China’s animation education for cultivation of the animation talents and rocky road that animation companies lead under the environment of international animation industry.

a. The situation of China’s animation industry amid the world
Under the internationalizing industrial environment, the animation industry develops along with America’s animation-films industrialization, Japan’s animation-TV-programs integration and Korea’s gaming-promoted industrialization, China joined in the development of commercial animations in the 1990’s. After several years of contribution, we might not achieve the success that we had expected. Once upon a time, our animation industry lived on processing and foreign orders under the international environment. Yet we could still see the fruits carried out by the animation-industry promoter’s efforts. Although animation film is not the big winner for the box-office and animations did not give birth to celebrate cartoon stars, we are still taking delight in talking about the cute cartoon figures on the web. China’s animation industry is just in its infancy. We should be patient to see it growing.

b. The living status of China’s animation companies
From 1990’s when we started animation processing, we stepped on the road of animation processing and became a part of international animation industry. China’s animation companies lived on animation processing, learned basic animation producing techniques, and cultivated the first group of producing talents for computer animations.
China’s animation companies made their living by animation processing. They realized their shortcoming: the lack of core technology, marketing and scheming for the animation industry. The task for China’s animation enterprises is to look for suitable situation and direction for its development amid the market and the environment of international animation industry.

c. China’s animation-education insisting on original animations
China’s animation-education supports and promotes original animations in colleges by stimulating student’s imagination and creative power, focusing on cultivating on artistic character, artistic culture and animation spirit. The aim of China’s animation education is to cultivate China’s talents for original animation creation.
Within a short period of time, animation education booms around the country. Until now there are hundreds of colleges which opened animation subject or related courses. The teachers mainly came directly from students graduated from animation schools. How do the teachers, who have little practical experience and are lack of deep understandings to animation industry, cultivate animation talents who will face practical problems? And how do they lead students to understand China’s animation industry and to explore successful operation on commercial animations? The animation education in many colleges is just started, with little mature teachers and a few chances for students to practice. How could the students touch and experience the animation industry deeply? There are prominent problems such as unclear cultivation directions in course-system arrangement, over-technification, over-theorization, over-miscellaneous course-arrangement… Thus, how could the quality be guaranteed for China’s original animation talents cultivation?

d. The living status of China’s animation companies vs. China’s animation education origination
Animation processing causes urgent need for skilled talents by China’s animation companies to fulfill the need for growing orders. Thus social animation education booms. Short-time trainings release the pressure of the need for processing talents, increase the scale of processing-style companies, and accumulate some animation resources.
With the change of global economic situation and the need for animation companies’ development, questions emerged that what kind of situation that animation companies lie in and which road is suitable for the long-term development of animation industry. It is also asked how to raise the quality of animation products. In recent years, China’s animation film products are continually exploring. We could see China’s animation films many years after the prosperity of China’s traditional 2-D animations. Some excellent web animation figures are welcomed by young people. Those animations have close relationship with internet-lifestyles. It could be called a successful model for animation figures through new spreading channels.

e. The Student’s Animation Festival – a platform for the dialogue between animation companies and animation education
The works by Chinese students shown on 2008 International Student’s Animation Festival let us see the rapid growth of China’s new animation-talents. We could see the overall quality kept rising. The competing works paid more attention to original features and outstanding visual experience. The future animation talents that we expect mainly come from students in animation colleges nowadays. They will be elites in animation industry after several years of practice and promote the development of animation industry. Under the environment that China’s animation industry was at the beginning, they discussed during the student’s animation festival that how China’s animation education and animation companies would implement their missions.

i. What kind of talents do animation companies expect?
China’s animation companies are in the style-shifting period from processing to creating. They are choosing the mode of development. Companies expect a new employee could enter the production flow rapidly to fulfill their need of animation production. If the animation company is in the stage of processing, it does not need much creative expression, which is more suitable to animation talent’s re-training by company or specialists trained by social education who could conduct animation production or other tasks.
China’s animation companies are kept style-shifting and start the road of animation creating. In recent years, we have seen some original works. Students trained by China’s animation education have better basis and creative abilities. Their creative abilities bring birth to original animation works. It is requested by the change of global economy and China’s economy that we must come out of animation processing, create our original works, owning the intelligent rights, owning our publication rights, and build our own culture industry.

ii. More patients is needed for animation talents
When we cultivate students in school, we spend more time on their creative abilities, and relatively less time on their technical abilities. Like the situations in many other professions, there is little possibility that students graduated from animation subject become the main force or elites very rapidly. They need time to practice in the professional field, accumulating experience in animation practice, theory, experimental film and commercial animations.
Companies are requested to properly handle the relation between the time needed by students in practicing and commercial time. It is needed to view from a further aspect to the permanent propelling power to enterprises within animation talents. A talent’s training time is equivalent to his value. Especially for the style-shifting companies, it is the important period to cultivate animation talents.

iii. The growing practicing step in animation education
The exchange between animation education and animation companies has been strengthened, with more practicing co-operation. Students have more chances to understand animation industry and flows. The Student’s Animation Festival is a platform for the dialogue between animation companies and animation schools and students, providing chances to inter-active exchanges and promoting co-operations. It serves as a connecting point between talent’s cultivation and usage, promoting the talent’s flow within the industry.

iv. Multiple mechanisms in cultivating animation talents
There is a serious phenomenon that China’s animation education became more and more similar. Each sector on the chain of animation industry needs plenty of talents, especially for the pre-phase and after-phase nowadays. Characteristic talents for sectors in middle-phase are also needed. Every animation school’s course-arrangements are the same, so do the cultivating directions. It is hoped that students could express their characters and creative power with respect to their different styles. Each animation school should develop their own teaching character and that of talent-cultivating directions. The content of animation education should not be the same, nor should the education structure. Thus animation talents could find their own way in animation industry, improving the chain of the industry, and promoting the development of the industry.

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2008 Chinese Most Elegant Books Announced

Posted: November 28th, 2008, 6:01am PST by admin

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After nearly half a year of preparing, organizing, selecting, examining and final confirming, the 2008 Chinese Most Elegant Books were announced in Shanghai on November 10. 20 kinds of books won the year’s Chinese Most Elegant Books title. These books will be Chinese candidates for the selection of 2009 World’s Most Elegant Books.

Since the beginning 16 kinds of Chinese Most Elegant Books shown on the World’s Most Elegant Books selection in Leipzig, Germany, it is the sixth year now. Since [Meilanfang’s Selection of Drama History Illustrations] won the gold award of the World’s Most Elegant Books, there are 107 kinds of Chinese Most Elegant Books chosen to be candidates of World’s Most Elegant Books. Beside [Meilanfang’s selection of drama history illustrations] won the gold award, [Zhu Yeqing’s Scribble Series] and [The Earth] won 2005 [Cao Xueqin’s Kite Art] won 2006 World’s Most Elegant Books title, [Bu Cai]won Copper Award of 2007 World’s Most Elegant Books, [After] won 2008 World’s title. [Yi Yi] firstly won Most Elegant Books - Special Production Award selected by German Committee of UN’s Education, Science and Culture Organization.

Leipzig was shocked by Chinese Most Elegant Books during the continuous 5 years. These books reflected the degree of contemperary Chinese book-design. This year’s Chinese Most Elegant Books present a trend of simplicity, fluency and lightness, which promote a return to book’s initial functions. For example, [My Readings] and [On the Phoenix Platform], published by Yilin Press, were commented as simple, smooth, full of a soft elegance, proper paper, well-bound and easy-to-open, showing uncommon effort in common aspects. [Illustrated Version of Dream of Red Chamber], published by Orient Press, presented obviousness and clear by painting the cover red; the papers felt soft and light, with lineal and expressive format and font arrangement.

Secondly, these books emphasized unification between value of culture and commerce, showing perfect combination of internationalism and nationalism. For example, [Talking About the Republic], published by Phoenix Press, was commented as historic in its contents and modern in its form; precise and lively, mixing time and space, perfectly combining its cultural value and commercial value. [Zhouzhuang, Out of Print], published by Jiangsu Education Press, was commented that it had a creative cover design, especially for the use of a stamp – present the transfer and connection between time and space; the comparison between the simple cover and the lively interleaf, the mix of bilingual texts and South-China color selection made the book most appealing.

Thirdly, these books emphasized the design’s humanistic function and serving function, which made reading easier. For example, [Mei Lanfang vs. Meng Xiaodong], published by Jiangsu Culture & Art Press, won praises for its step-style design, which presented design element as well as reading convenience.

The selection about elegance has become a bridge by which Chinese books step into the world. Every year, the Chinese Most Elegant Books which were sent to Germany were not only shown on the two world-famous book exhibitions at Leipzig and Frankfort, but also collected into Germany State Library, by which overseas readers comprehend Chinese books more deeply.

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2008 National Forum For Chairmen Of New Media Art Department Held At Tongji University

Posted: November 25th, 2008, 3:35am PST by admin

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Hosted by the Degree Committee of the State Council, organized by Tongji University, and titled “new media, new idea and new life”, the 2008 National Forum For Chairmen Of New Media Art Department was held at Tongji University on November 8-9. The forum focused on experience on talents training on new media art, exploring a new training way combining technology and art. Principals of new-media-art related departments from dozens of universities around the world attended the forum.

The forum opened at the 1/F hall of the complex building at Tongji University on November 8 a.m.. Zhao Qinping, vice minister of the Ministry of Education, sent to the forum a letter of congratulations. The opening ceremony was attended and addressed by Yang Yuliang and Guo Xinli, director and deputy-director of the Degree Office under the State Council, and Zhou Jialun, the Party Committee Secretary of Tongji University.

During the session, the representatives discussed on topics such as “new media art and the development of the subject”, “new media art and the creative culture industry” and “new media and the harmonious society”, exchanging experiences on training practices and talent-cultivating around new media art in colleges. All agreed that new media art should emphasize on the combination of new technology with art, and the integration of creation and production. Colleges should integrate subject resources, break bulwarks between subjects, strengthen technology exchanging, develop cross-subject co-operation, even set up training bases for talent-cultivation for new media art, strengthening integration among producing, training, and researching.

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Interview with Liao Xiangzhong who is chairman of the animation college of China Media University

Posted: November 11th, 2008, 4:58am PST by admin

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It was on October 22, 2008, when the 3rd China (Beijing) International Student Animation Festival has just spent half of the splendid time, VisionUnion luckily invited Liao Xiangzhong, who is chairman of the animation college of China Media University and also one of the festival’s organizers, to introduce aniwow!2008 in detail.

Liao Xiangzhong, dean of the animation college of Communication University of China

VisionUnion：How do you do, Mr. Liao? Being the organizer, would you please introduce something about the animation festival’s organization work?
Liao Xiangzhong: There are some new features compare with the past two sessions. The main feature is that we now have two administrators - Beijing Municipal Government and the State Administration of Radio Film and Television, the former and the only one.
Last year, Hu Zhanfan, the deputy ministor of the State Administration of Radio Film and Television talked with me that we should look for a landing place for our [animation festival]. The landing place refered to Beijing Municipal Government. He hoped that we could get support from Beijing Municipal Government. He also mentioned that the State Administration of Radio Film and Television anticipate the co-operation with Beijing Municipal Government as a co-organizer.
With the instruction of Hu Zhanfan, the deputy ministor, we talked with Mr. Shuai Min, the director of Beijing Kaku Channel, and got his support rapidly. He said it was a very good idea. Beijing Television Station and Beijing Kaku also hoped to have such a good platform and promote it. We agreed to co-operate very soon. Under the support of the leader from Publicity Department of Beijing Municipal Committee of CPC, every thing ran smoothly. Under the Beijing, our whole organization work developed from a flat in-school platform to a 3-dimension space. It was a flat plane and now is a cubic one.
The cubic platform is not simple. Our activities spread from the school to the outside, from the production site to millions of homes through television. Since Kakoo is broadcasting these works, letting the master’s voice to millions of homes, the platform is already a very big one. We also got support all along from other organizations such as the Ministry of Culture, the cultural market branch, the Ministry of Education, the physical education branch, the CYL central committee, the college branch, and other leading organizations. As the media aspect, beside our old friend VisionUnion, China Education Television much participated in the activities as a special supporter.
With the above efforts, our activities is developing further and broader. I could tell you that we have achieved substaintial development in depth and broadness.

VisionUnion：What is the brightest point during the animation festival?
Liao Xiangzhong: The main points during the animation festival are:
First, our product’s quality raised greatly. Refer to the number of countries and areas, it was 37 last year and is 46 this year. From the viewpoints of the judge members, students’ work have developed greatly this year. It is a big shining point.
Second, the animation festival has been on for two days. I thought people could find the master’s lessons are very appealing. Many students said the animation festival is worth attending and they are happy to listen to the master’s lessons.
Third, the Alamo Award and Junior Alamo Award we set gained public acceptance this time. What the Alamo Award and Junior Alamo Award promote will be another shining point. In the meantime, the Kaku Animation Prize which is set by Kaku is also expected by the audience.
Forth, at the start of the animation festival, we founded a strategic alliance with Shanghai Animation Film Factory, Beijing Science Education Film Factory and Canada Sheridan College. At the same time, we host the opening ceremony for the China Animation Art Museum. These activities are all shining points during the animation festival.

With respect to the co-opereation with Canada Sheridan College, Canada Sheridan College is regarded as the Harvard in the animation field. It is an exellent animation college in North America. It is a wonderful breakthrough to co-operate with Chinese Universities, carrying out student-exchanging and training program. The other point is that we set up the China Animation Art Museum which was paid much attention by medias. Many people asked why to build the museum. To build a museum costs a lot of money and labor. The reasons that we set up China Animation Art Museum are:
To protect the herritage and the species of Chinese animation art. The more important thing is to keep the spirit of Chinese animation, the expensive treasures left by the old of the Chinese school through protect the master’s manuscripts, the hardwares. We keep it in the college to teach our students, letting the students feel the master’s art spirits, absorb our art inspirations, and carry out art creation.

VisionUnion：What is the future direction of the animation festival?
Liao Xiangzhong: The main direction is to be more international. The name, China (Beijing) International Student Animation Festival, emphasis three points: China, Beijing, International. Also the undergraduates, if we add the forth. The four name combined together, with each one has its own meaning. The most important is international. The international undergraduate animation festival focuses on internationalizing. As I mentioned just now, over 40 countries and areas participate in this year. We are trying to add the number and make a real global animation feast.
I do not know whether audience knew that CCTV news reported yesterday that it was our country’s first international student animation festival which is approved by the State Administration of Radio Film and Television and an international contest. We should not betray the hope of the Administration. We would improve the internationalizing. Only when the internationalizing is complete, we could know how much difference exists between us and other countries and what our adventages and disadventages are. We should take the advantage to strengthen animation education, bringing up Chinese animation masters. China’s animation will boom on this basis.

VisionUnion：What kind of effect are you expect through the animation festival?
Liao Xiangzhong: The animation festival has been on for half of its time. I am happy to see audience are satisfied with it through the smile on their face. What I expect is the audience’ smile. The more the smiles are, the better the effect is. I hope every spectator leave the place with smiles on their face. That is the effect I am expecting.

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PeoPeo Service Design Nokia Mobiledu—Excellence awards IDEA2008

Posted: October 16th, 2008, 1:49am PDT by admin

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Nokia Mobiledu bears the Excellenct interactive experienced products of yearly IDEA excellent industry design awards awarded by US Industry Designer Association and WeeklyBusiness. IDEA is well known as Oscar award in design field, which highly affirms the outstanding professional levels. More importanly, Nokia Mobiledu is the first award of interactive design in China. The registers of Mobiledu is over than 300 million and increasing all the time. The feedback from the users shows that they get what they want very easily and will keep on using it. That’s not only because PeoPeo’s visual design bears sense of artistic beauty, but because it designs to let product or service and users communicate and interract through the interactive interfaces, by setting particular cases, brain storming, body storming, balanced stystematic ecology, users experience routine, video, model experience and so on, which makes the communitaion between human and machine more hunman-centered, intelligent and easy to operate.

The whole operation process of Mobiledu fits users’ mental and inertia; page plan and layout as well as the functions can be readable without the instructions. The design of the interface is very unique and pleases the users esthetically. The cartoon image of Mobiledu looks so lovable that makes learning English a joyful thing. Meantime the users have efficient and pleasant experience, for which PeoPeo adopts many advanced user acknowlodging psychological test, such as eye tract test, interview and investigation, to make sure the experience practical and perfect.

Modern products and services as well as technology and functions become are becoming more and more complicated, the user manuals are too thick to be read, which results in losing customers. Therefore it is essential to make the service more efficient, effective and exiting for the users, who will not frown any more during the operation process. Good service design can maxmize the involved parties’ benefit. Mobiledu is such an example. Every party uses his owm resource to cooperate with each other to maxmixe his benefit. As a free of chrage software, the users enjoy it, meantime, the developer Nokia, the rservice provider Sina and the telecommunication operator obtain benefit respectively.

Our service design is highly human-centered. By use of its professional and practical investigation and excellent service design, PeoPeo works to satisfy the clients and bring benefit for them.

website: [www.peopeo.de]

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