Animate William Shatner Contest with Myouterspace.com and Toon Boom to Bring Winner Aboard Animated Project

Online, October 20, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Science Fiction icon William Shatner has invited animators around the world to re-create him in his own image. Myouterspace.com, the new Science Fiction community for fans and professionals, is giving aspiring animators the chance to showcase their skills by designing and directing their own Animated Shatner.

Dozens of entries have already been submitted. "I am truly inspired by the level of talent we're seeing," Shatner said. "This is why I'm excited about Myouterspace. We're building a place for everyone to join in the future of Sci-Fi."

Contest partner and animation software giant Toon Boom will be showcasing the semi-finalists online, and the grand prize will be working on an animated project being developed by Myouterspace. Prizes also include online courses from education sponsor Academy of Art University.

"Myouterspace.com creates opportunities for artists using the tools of their trade," said Creative Director Sammy Oriti. "We've found great partners for that mission. Toon Boom's Animate Pro is a professional, creative program with an easy learning curve and rich tools for bringing imagination to the screen. Academy of Art University provides a collaborative program with active professionals, that's the kind of online innovation Myouterspace is about."

The contest challenges animators to create their own original video based on a short William Shatner monologue. Participants are required to use the Personal Learning Edition of Toon Boom Animate or Animate Pro to create their 20-25 second clips, employing one of three audio tracks available for download on Myouterspace.com.

The contest is accepting entries until November 18th. Information about the Myouterspace Contest, including the rules and terms, is now available online at toonboom.com/myouterspace/. Register and download the voice clips at www.myouterspace.com/toonboom.

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About Myouterspace.com
Myouterspace is a digital content destination and social network for creators and fans of Science Fiction. William Shatner, the host of Myouterspace.com, is dedicated to engaging regularly with fans by providing videos, support, and professional advice. Myouterspace, LLC is based in Los Angeles. Myouterspace.com was founded in 2009 by William Shatner, Sammy Oriti and Carlos Hoz De Vila to specifically address the need for a central hub for Science Fiction creators, artists, writers, and fans. For more information, please visit www.myouterspace.com or contact [email protected]. For all sponsorship and/or advertising inquiries, please contact AdPlayerz at [email protected] or call 800-557-4165, Ext. 202.

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About Toon Boom Animation Inc.
Toon Boom Animation Inc. (toonboom.com) is the worldwide leader in animation software solutions. Toon Boom carries user-friendly animation applications for all and develops new geographies to make the animation community as global as can be. In that market segment, Toon Boom caters to the needs of children, home users, creative professionals as well as students, educators and schools.

As importantly, Toon Boom is fully dedicated to the needs of independent animators and studios, offering a wide product range from powerful pre-production tools to leading-edge animation production solutions. Relying on its extensive expertise in animation production, Toon Boom provides consulting services in the fields of optimization, pipeline integration, production assistance and custom development.

In 2005, Toon Boom was granted the Primetime Emmy® Engineering Award by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for its significant contribution made to the animation industry targeted for television. In 2006, the IT Federation of Quebec (FIQ) awarded an OCTAS 2006 in the Multimedia - educational and cultural sector category, for Toon Boom Studio. In 2007, FIQ awarded an OCTAS 2007 in the Technological Innovation category, for Toon Boom Storyboard Pro. In 2008, Flip Boom was granted a Parents' Choice Gold Award and a New Canadian Media Award in the Excellence in Children's category. In 2009, Flip Boom was selected as Editor's Choice by the prestigious Children's Technology Review for excellence in design. In 2010, Flip Boom All-Star was granted a Parents' Choice Silver Award.

Toon Boom's client base ranges from major studios creating Hollywood blockbuster animated films to individual animators creating their first masterpieces. Market-leading studios using Toon Boom's products include Nelvana, Warner Bros., Mercury Filmworks, China Central Television, Toonz Animation India, eMation, Rough Draft Korea, Alphanim, BKN, Cromosoma and Enarmonia, to name a few. Some of the prestigious productions done with Toon Boom's technology include Les Triplettes de Belleville, Looney Tunes: Back in Action, The Rugrats, SpongeBob The Movie, Hanuman, Curious George, Go West: A New Lucky Luke Adventure, Simpsons The Movie and The Princess and the Frog.

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About Academy of Art University, San Francisco
With more than 16,000 students, Academy of Art University is the nation's largest private art and design university. Established in 1929, the school offers accredited AA, BA, BFA, MA, MFA and M.Arch programs in 16 different majors, as well as continuing art education, with classes in Advertising, Animation & Visual Effects, Architecture, Art Education, Fashion, Fine Art, Game Design, Graphic Design, Illustration, Industrial Design, Interior Architecture & Design, Motion Pictures & Television, Multimedia Communications, Music for Visual Media, Photography and Web Design & New Media. Art Education is the school's newest major, offering BFA and MA degrees. Students can also enroll in flexible online degree programs in all majors.

Academy of Art University is an accredited member of WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges), NASAD, Council for Interior Design Accreditation (BFA-IAD) and NAAB (M-ARCH).

For more information, visit www.academyart.edu or call 1-800-544-2787.