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Singapore, 5 October, 2009 – Autodesk, Inc. has launched PANORAMA – Inaugural Asia Pacific Animation Challenge (URL: //Panorama - Widen Your Creative Horizon). Conceptualized and sponsored by Autodesk, the contest is co-organized by Cyberport IncuTrain Centre with support from Hong Kong Cyberport Management Co. Ltd. and the Mayan: Hong Kong User Group, and with Animax as the official regional media partner.

PANORAMA will see students from Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore submitting their original animation projects for a chance to be represent their country in the finals of the contest – the Autodesk Animation Challenge Bootcamp. Students must be aged 18 years and above and form teams of three in order to participate in the contest. Shortlisted participants will be selected by in-country judges and announced on November 15, 2009.

The Autodesk Animation Challenge Bootcamp will be held from December 11 to 14, 2009 at the Hong Kong Cyberport, and will see 12 finalist teams mentored by professionals from award-winning media and entertainment companies, including:
• Lucasfilm Animation Singapore –Whose credits include the hit CG-animated TV show Star Wars™: The Clone Wars™, NDS games Star Wars™: The Clone Wars™: Jedi Alliance and Republic Heroes, and created visual effects for Transformers, Iron Man and Star Trek.
• Imagi Studio – A Hong Kong-based company which developed CG-animated films including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Astro Boy.

Over the course of the four-day boot camp, mentors will teach finalist teams how they can fine-tune the animation projects that they submitted during the qualifying stages of the contest. These will then be judged once more, and the ultimate winners of PANORAMA will be announced on December 14, 2009.

Finalist teams will be judged on creativity and originality, motion, technical excellence and overall design. The top three winning teams of PANORAMA stand a chance to win cash prizes, Autodesk software and trophy prizes. Other team-based awards for the contest include the Best Teamwork Award, Best Rookie Award and Animax Extraordinaire Award. PANORAMA also promises to offer students regional exposure, as the original works by the 12 finalist teams will be aired as vignettes on Animax from December 25, 2009 onwards.

For more information on PANORAMA, please visit //Panorama - Widen Your Creative Horizon.