Holy Pixelated Symposium! Animation Gurus Draw Bead on IUPUI

INDIANAPOLIS – Want to explore a city in outer space or carefully traverse the mean streets of Sin City? How about joining a wisecracking wooly mammoth and his slap-happy sidekicks as they flee a meltdown, or perhaps accompanying a pair of crime-fighting Caped Crusaders?

Those and other destinations await participants attending the “Interface Symposium 2006: Celebrating Digital Storytelling, Multimedia Communication and Computer Artistry” at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis on June 2-3.

The event is hosted by the IU School of Informatics’ new media program. All sessions will be held at the Informatics and Communications Technology Complex, 535 W. Michigan St., on the IUPUI campus.

“The symposium will provide for a dynamic exchange between industry leaders, and students and faculty,” says Durwin Talon, associate professor of new media. “More importantly, it’s also an opportunity for students to gain from the insights and experiences of professionals who work daily with new media technologies in the creative enterprise.”

Among the key presenters are:

• Zareh Gorjian, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA – Gorjian has produced scientific animations and visualizations for scientists and space missions for more than 14 years. He has worked on IMAX movies and his animations have appeared on the network news, Discovery Channel specials and documentaries about the U.S. space program.
• Bob Schreck, Group Editor, DC Comics – Schreck’s four-decade career has taken him through Marvel Comics and Dark Horse Comics, the latter where he became the senior group editor of “Sin City” and also served as editor of the groundbreaking anthology, “Dark Horse Presents.” He currently edits “All-Star: Batman & Robin” and other well-known titles.
• Rich McKain, Blue Sky Studios – McKain has worked as an animator for several film and video game companies. His game credits include Oddworld: Oddyse” and “Oddworld: Strangers Wrath.” He most recently completed work on the recently release animated film feature, “Ice Age: The Meltdown,” and currently is helping produce a feature film based on the Dr. Seuss book, “Horton Hears a Who!”
• Eric Radomski, phuzz entertainment – This three-time Emmy Award recipient recently finished producing 52 episodes of “Xiaolin Showdown,” which airs daily on the Cartoon Network. He has worked with Steven Spielberg on animated projects that reaped Radomski two of his Emmys. He’s currently working on a new incarnation of the “Scooby-Doo” franchise which is expected to debut the fall of 2006.
• Michael Stribling, Visual Concepts/Take 2 Interactive – Stribling is a lead concept artist at Visual Concepts where he guides the creative direction for a new action/adventure game to be released next year. He has been instrumental in creating 3D and 2D components for the “NBA 2K” series basketball video games.
• Scott Hampton, independent producer – Hampton is an acclaimed draftsman, painter and storyteller in the comics medium. His work on the “Silverheels” is considered to be the first continuing painted comic book. He has illustrated books by well-known fantasy writers such as Clive Barker.

For additional information about Interface Symposium 2006 or to register, go to http://interfacesymposium.iupui.edu.

For additional information about the IU School of Informatics’ new media education program, go to http://informatics.iupui.edu/academics/media.