Animation Nation

Lightbox SEA Animation Award

New Paragraph

Animation Nation is proud to announce the launch of the inaugural Lightbox Southeast Asia (SEA) Animation Awards, in celebration of the festival’s 20th anniversary 

The Awards is the first of its kind open to the ten member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), with the intention to recognise animation talents in the region  

The Awards will have two categories – Professional and Student.  

An international jury panel of members will judge the shortlisted films for the Professional category, to select one overall winner for Best Short Film. A separate jury will judge the Student category  

Key dates 2024: 

16 MARCH – SUBMISSIONS ARE OPEN 

16 JULY – CLOSING OF SUBMISSIONS  

AUGUST – Pre-selection of Shortlisted Films  

SEPTEMBER – Judging by Jury and Finalist Films are announced

LATE OCTOBER – Finalists Film are screened at the 2024 ANIMATION NATION festival. Winners will be announced at the festival

Cash Prizes:

Professional category - 1500 (USD)

Student category - 500 (USD)

Raised in the United States and a graduate of the Sophia University Faculty of Law, Department ofInternational Legal Studies. After joining the Nippon Steel Corporation in 1991, Shiota went on to participate in the launch of Dream Pictures Studio in 1997.

He moved to Polygon two years later and in 2003 assumed the position of President and CEO. As studio head Shiota has spearheaded efforts to cultivate Polygon's overseas presence, helping the studio to become a leading developer of TV series and content targeted at the foreign market.

Shiota has also served as a judge at major Japanese and international film festivals including Prix Ars Electronica (AUS), SIGGRAPH (U.S.) and the Annecy International Animation Film Festival (France). In 2008, he was selected as one of the "25 Toon Titans of Asia'' by popular industry publication Animation Magazine. He also presided as conference chair for SIGGRAPH Asia in December 2021, and in 2022 received a Special Achievement Award at the 25th Japan Media Arts Festival.

His hobbies include playing in a band.

Dayne Cowan is a veteran film and TV professional renowned for his expertise in visual effects and post-production spanning over three decades. His leadership and commitment to excellence have solidified his reputation as a visionary in the industry. Beginning his career in 1994, Dayne has consistently pioneered innovative visual storytelling. At Amazon MGM Studios, he spearheaded post-production for Local Original Movies in Southeast Asia, significantly expanding regional content creation.

Subsequently founding Kraken Kollective, Dayne established a global network to manage visual effects and post-production projects, emphasizing new technologies and workflows. His career highlights include pivotal roles at Dneg, Framestore, and Cinesite in London, contributing to major films like "Batman Begins," "The Dark Knight," and "Harry Potter."

Based in Asia for the past 13 years, Dayne has collaborated extensively across China, Singapore, and other countries, leading projects for Netflix, Apple+, and Amazon Studios. Committed to industry advancement, he remains active in the Visual Effects Society, exemplifying his dedication to innovation and talent development.

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