First International Scientific Animation Awards in the People’s Republic of China

David Bolinsky delivered the keynote at the First International Scientific Animation Awards in the People’s Republic of China

Honoring the works of visual wonder that depict what science perceives beyond our eyes, The 1st Annual International Science Animation Awards (ISAA) were presented at the First International Science Animation Forum in Guiyang, China, August 8, 2009.

“The need for recognition in this dynamic emerging field has grown to the point of launching this inaugural event” said founding co-chairman, Sander Johnson, who with founding co-chair, David Bolinsky initiated the concept for this international forum at last year’s Guiyang Animation Festival, in Guiyang, China. That festival is the launch for this year’s Sci-An Awards, which will next year become an independent event.

“Hosting this unique forum and awards ceremony in China truly invites pan-Asian and East-West interaction with leaders in the industries and major universities” said Bolinsky, a leading American creator of 3D scientific animation for Harvard University Medical, the Smithsonian, most major pharmaceutical companies, NOVA and additional broadcast clients. “And it promotes further advances in these various industries of science and animation”.

This year judges included David Bolinsky, XVIVO Scientific Animation Partner; Jane Hurd, Hurd Studios Founder; and Elizabeth Rega, chief anatomical consultant Walt Disney Feature Animation and SONY Pictures Imageworks

  International Scientific Animation Award Winners Announced

Guiyang, Guizhou China (PRWEB) September 10, 2009 — Mr. Liuyi Wang, Secretary General of The 1st Annual International Scientific Animation Awards and Forum announced the winners of this year’s “Sci-An” Awards at the opening of the first International Scientific Animation Forum held in the People’s Republic of China.

The event honored the extraordinary imagination and creativity of those transposing scientific concepts and conclusions into renderings of reality that reflect our unseen world.

Finalists from Japan, Taiwan, China, Korea, and Thailand were in competition with pieces created for CNN, HBO, National Geographic, Bristol Meyer’s, and some of America’s top medical animation companies for awards in only four categories; Physical Science, Natural Science, Children’s Education, and Honorable Mention.

XVIVO Partner David Bolinsky served as a judge and keynote speaker for the 1st Annual International Scientific Animation Awards and Forum (ISAAF)

Finalists from Japan, Taiwan, China, Korea, and Thailand were in competition with pieces created for CNN, HBO, National Geographic, Bristol Meyer’s, and some of America’s top medical animation companies for awards in only four categories; Physical Science, Natural Science, Children’s Education, and Honorable Mention.

This year’s Sci-An Awards went to:

Natural Science – NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, USA
for its comprehensive 3D animation of changing global conditions in “Global Warming”.

Physical Science – NUCLEUS MEDICAL ART, USA
for their detailed and nuanced 3D animation of human birth in “Birth and Complications”.

Children’s Education – JESTER INTERNATIONAL, Taiwan
for their informative and cartoon-like depiction of healthy bacteria on a child’s arm fighting-off external pathogens for early primary school in “Oh! Bacteria”.

Honorable Mention was awarded to JANNIS PRODUCTIONS – USA
for their complex and sophisticated rendering of bioactivity in the human brain at different stages of Alzheimer’s, in HBO’s special series “The Alzheimer’s Project”.

An international jury of the field’s American pioneers and cutting edge producers of today’s advanced 3D scientific imaging met with Chinese counterparts in related fields with an eye on the future, as scientific animation will grow exponentially in the 21st Century to serve medical, technological, mechanical industries and all areas of science, from micro and macro physics to biodiversity and astro-exploration.

ISAAF Founding Co-Chairman, David Bolinsky, Medical Director and Partner of XVIVO Scientific Animation, which produces advanced state-of-the-art 3D scientific renderings for Harvard Medical School, The Smithsonian Institute, and major international pharmaceutical companies inspired the audience with his body of work and gave the keynote address to the Forum, which was held in a converted factory that felt like a New York artist’s loft.

The refurbished building had space dedicated to the furtherance of scientific animation, along with the establishment of the Asian-Pacific Animation & Comics Association (APACA), which hosted the inaugural ISAAF event.

The sciences and the arts have been two major complementary fields of study throughout time, one grounded in perceived facts and the other inspired by imagination.

They have often been supportive and resonant, but rarely as unified as is the case of scientific animation.

Scientific facts and beliefs regarding aspects of life that cannot be seen by the naked eye are creatively interpreted by animation artists, so as to best visually convey them for better understanding inside and outside the scientific community.

A televised awards show will be aired later this year and includes a live orchestra tribute to the legendary Hayao Miyazaki’s animated films, with musical themes serenading brief montages from many of his animated features.

The renowned Jane Hurd, founder of Hurd Studios, juror, and one of the pioneers in the field of digital medical animation, presented her medical animation work out of competition, and addressed the emerging industry at the Sci-An Forum on the design elements and modes of thought that define and distinguish scientific animation.

Dr. Elizabeth Rega, juror, anatomist, anthropologist, medical school professor at Western University and science advisor to Walt Disney and other movie companies addressed the Sci-An Forum as well. Dr. Rega’s research informs movie animators where correct attention to anthropological and anatomic detail can add as much truth to an animated movie as can the script and costumes.

“We’re already planning next year’s event with expanded categories and a greater range of recognition”, said Sander K. Johnson, Founding Co-Chairman of ISAAF with Bolinsky, and president of International Television for Asia, “So much was accomplished this year; we look forward to becoming an annual tradition.”