World Animation & VFX Summit returns with a full agenda in November

The 2024 World Animation & VFX Summit announces the recipients of this year’s Hall of Fame awards and panelist line-up. The Summit, which takes November 3-6 in North Hollywood, will feature a special opening night gala on Nov. 3rd where the honorees will receive their awards. The Summit will feature special keynotes, panels, and networking breakfasts, lunches, screenings and parties with top tier executive and creative talent representing various aspects of the industry.

The 2024 Hall of Fame Honorees: Pete Docter, Chief Creative Officer at Pixar; Lisa Henson, CEO at The Jim Henson Company; Nick Park, Creator-Director at Wallace & Gromit; Claudia Katz, Executive Producer at "Futurama"; Bento Box Entertainment, Studio of the Year Joel Kuwahara; Kay Wilson Stallings, EVP, Chief Creative Development & Production Officer at Sesame Workshop; Raymond Zibach, Production Designer at The Wild Robot; ; and Kevin Michael Richardson, Voice Actor in "Invincible", "The Simpsons", "The Super Mario Bros. Movie".

The awards gala is hosted by multiple Emmy-winning voice actor Eric Bauza, ("Daffy Duck", "Bugs Bunny"). The Hall of Fame award presenters include Wendy and Lizzy Molyneux, Rich Moore, Craig Bartlett, Tom Ruegger, Kelsey Mann, Teri Weiss and Merlin Crossingham.

SUMMIT HIGHLIGHTS
Creative Keynotes: Craig Bartlett ("Hey Arnold!"); Dan Hernandez & Benji Samit ("LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy"); Natasha Kline ("Primos"); Minnow Mountain ("Undone").

Awards Feature Contenders (in two parts) with Kelsey Mann ("Inside Out 2"), Simon Otto ("This Christmas"), Vicky Jenson ("Spellbound"), Josh Cooley ("Transformers One"), Chris Sanders ("The Wild Robot"), Merlin Crossingham ("Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl"), Dana LeDoux Miller ("Moana 2"), Shannon Tindle (Ultraman: Rising"), Mike Mitchell ("Kung Fu Panda 4"), Alex Kirwan ("The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie").

“Get Ready for the Future with L.A.’s Own Creative Studios” with Eric Towner (Stoopid Buddy Stoodios), Dana Tafoya-Cameron (Bento Box), Timothy Reckart (Sycamore Studios), Ben Kalina (Titmouse), John Andrews (moderator).
“Games Without Frontiers” with Arnaud-Loris Baudry ("Arcane"), Tim Miller ("Secret Level"), Curtis Lelash, Tasha Huo ("Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft") and John Derevlany ("Pudgy Penguins").

HOT TOPICS
"Thoughts on Animating the Climate Change Dilemma" with Bobs Gannaway (WondLa), Carmiel Banasky (Undone), Jennifer McCarron (Wonderoos), Mary Bredin (Jade Armor).; "AI and Animation: Replacing Dystopian Nightmares with Positive Solutions" with Lin Tam, Sixte de Vauplane, Luisa Huang, Todd Steinman, Evan Baily.
"Getting to Greenlight! Top Animation Execs Offer Tips on How to Get Your Shows Made" with Katie Petrachonis (Warner Bros. Animation), Daniel Weidenfeld (Bento Box), Kari Kim (Nickelodeon), Josh Fisher (I Josh Around), Jason Caparaz (DreamWorks TV).

"The Delicate Art of Balancing Personal Visions and Industry Needs" with Jorge R. Gutierrez ("Maya and the Three"), Vivienne Medrano ("Hazbin Hotel"), Sanjay Shah ("Everybody Still Hates Chris"), Rodney Clouden (Marvel’s "Moon Girl" and "Devil Dinosaur"), Juston Gordon- Montgomery ("Invincible Fight Girl"), Michael Hollingsworth ("BoJack Horseman").

"How to Find the Right Global Partners" with Bob Higgins (Trustbridge Ent.), Adrianna Cohen (Mikros Animation), Rick Mischel (Artists Animation Studio), Frank Falcone (Guru Studios), José Carlos Garcia De Letona (Anima), Sander Schwartz (Sandman TV & Film).

"Independents’ Day" with Morgan Neville (Piece By Piece), Adam Elliot (Memoir of a Snail), Usman Riaz (The Glassworker), Tim Harper (Ozi: Voice of the Forest), Archita Ghosh (Rezolution Pictures).

"Riding the Animated Shorts Wave" (In two parts) with Nicholas Ashe Bateman (An Almost Christmas Story), Iain Gardiner (A Bear Named Wojtek), Damián Perea (Animayo, In the Shadow of the Cypress), Toby Cochran (LUKi and the Lights), Maral Mohammadian (Maybe Elephants), Pablo Leon (Remember Us), Searit Huluf (Self), Sean Pecknold (Tennis, Oranges).

"ASIFA-Hollywood Presents: Annie Award Winners Discuss the State of Animation and How to Save the Industry" with Sanjay Patel (Ghee Happy), Justine King (The Little Poet), Amber Noizumi (Blue Eye Samurai), Raymond S. Persi (Welcome Home, Franklin), Aubry Mintz (ASIFA President).

"Playing for Success" with Rob David (Mattel), Yvette Sittrop (Moose Toys), Laura Clunie (Spin Master), David Shayne (LEGO Star Wars specials, Mech Cadets) Nicole Dubuc (Transformers: Earthpark) Rob Hudnut (Tea Town Teddy Bears).

"Making Toons for the Preschool Set" with Rich Magallanes ("Dora"), Stephanie Simpson ("Mighty Monsterwheelie"s), Jennifer Oxley ("Wonder Pets: In the City"), Lynne Southerland (Disney Jr.’s "Ariel"), Leanne Preston Cortez (Moonbug), Rita Street (Stomp! Stomp! Rhinos!).

"Business of Show Business" with Strawn Dixon (UTA), Peter McHugh (The Gotham Group), Eddie Gamarra (Gamarra Media), Frank Saperstein (Surprise Bag).

"The Next Wave of Adult Animation" with Travis Willingham (The Legend of Vox Machina) Mark Levin (Big Mouth), Dean Lorey (Kite Man, Creature Commandos), Kiahna Manker (Arcane), Steve Levy (Krapopolis), Mark Hoffmeier.

"A Conversation with Three Major Studio Leaders": Kristine Belson (Sony Pictures Animation) and Margie Cohn (DreamWorks Animation) Ramsey Naito (President of Nickelodeon Animation and Paramount Animation).

"Fireside Chat": DreamWorks Directors Chris Sanders ("The Wild Robot") and Joel Crawford ("Puss in Boots: The Last Wish").