BannerZest Flash animation tool released

Aquafadas has released BannerZest 1.0, a new Flash presentation application for Mac OS X. The tool allows creators to turn images into a gallery, a navigation banner, or a slideshow in a series of steps. BannerZest ships as both a standard edition and a pro version. The pro edition adds advanced publishing options, workflow enhancements, and specific Pro templates. The tool integrates with popular javascript media viewer applications that let the user visualize high resolution versions of each of the banner images.

Aquafadas says "Flash-based animations require zero understanding of Flash and in fact, users don't even need to own Flash. Everything has been pre-integrated into the BannerZest application."

Uploading content via FTP or to a .Mac account is supported from within the BannerZest application. To integrate a banner on a page, users paste a code snippet that BannerZest automatically generates.

The tool requires Mac OS X Version 10.4.11 Tiger or later, is a Universal Binary for PowerPC and Intel and needs Flash Player version 9.0.45 or above.

A single user license for BannerZest Pro is priced at $130. Standard is priced $50.

Source : http://www.macnn.com/

French animators choose Provence

New companies open in sunny South

PARIS -- With its sunny weather, scenic coastline and sumptuous villas, Provence could almost be California.

The similarity hasn't escaped a growing number of French animators who have ankled well-paying jobs in Hollywood to return home -- but can't face the idea of life back in cold, gray Paris.

"It's about quality of life," says Erwan Maigret, a former R&D technical lead at DreamWorks Animation, who spent 10 years Stateside working on films such as "Shrek 2," "Madagascar," "Over the Hedge" and "Shrek the Third" before returning to his native land.

Last September, Maigret, fellow DreamWorks transplant Arnauld Lamorlette and a group of like-minded animation colleagues came to the region to found the Bakery Animation, a studio aiming to be a European challenger to Pixar and DreamWorks. Backed by Turkish entrepreneur Yalcin Cevikel, the Bakery is developing its own proprietary software and says it will begin production on its first feature-length toon two years from now.

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So you think you want to be a...Graphic designer

What is it? The theory is that graphic design is a fully paid-up member of the Creative Industry; that graphic designers are kept fresh, challenged and creative. That it breaks free from the norms of a regular job.

The reality is slightly different. Like most jobs there are mundane tasks and constant deadlines.

In its simplest form the job can be described as 'the practice or profession of designing print or electronic forms of visual information, as for an advertisement, publication, or website.'

Graphic designers work with advertising agencies, printing press companies, animation houses, studios and publishers to optimize the layout of text and images. Go look at any billboard, logo, brochure or newspaper and you'll see the final work of a graphic designer.

Typically they sit above an art worker (a dogsbody assistant) but below a Creative Director (in charge of the overall look and theme). They may work within a design framework laid out by the Creative Director, but there is a degree of individual design work required: stifling these creative types ain't good.

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Celebrate Animation Day - April 1, 2008

The animation community is welcome to celebrate Animation Day on April 1, 2008 in Burbank, California. This is the 10th year in a row of a tradition that started in 1999. Animation Day is a social gathering celebrating fraternal goodwill between professionals in the animation industry.

Everyone is welcome. The Animation Academy and AnimationNation.com sponsor the event. There will be plenty of pizza and people, including a celebration of AWN's 12th anniversary.

Animation Day will be held at the Burbank Association of Realtors Hall, located at 2006 W. Magnolia Blvd. in Burbank, 91506 on Tuesday evening, April 1 from 7:30 to 10:00 pm. Doors open at 7:00 p.m.. Free parking. A $5 donation is requested to help pay for food.

Celebrate unity, commaderie and the creative spirit that makes the animation industry unique in the field of entertainment. For more information contact info@theAnimationAcademy.com.

Source : http://www.vfxworld.com/