Expression College for Digital Arts Hosts 1st Annual High School Animation and Design Festival

Expression College for Digital Arts, the premier school of its kind in the United States, today announced that it is hosting the first Bay Area High School Animation and Design Festival, Saturday, June 4th from 10 AM to 12:30 PM at the Bay Street AMC Theaters in Emeryville. AMC Theaters will have a screening of work from semi-finalists from 10 AM to 11AM where the winners will be announced. A reception at Expression College will follow.

Prizes will be awarded to top entries and include a partial scholarship to Expression College for Digital Arts, Maya Complete 6.5 software and cash.

“This is a semi-competitive event designed as an opportunity for high school students to showcase their work,” said Peter Laanen, CEO, Expression College for Digital Arts. “Generally, at the end of the school year students do not have an opportunity to show off all of their hard work and Expression is changing that. We want creative students to be recognized for their efforts.”

Professionals from the animation and design industries will critique entries and be at the event to talk to students about their work. Judges include:

* Pete Docter, Pixar Animation Studios
* Phil Tippett, Tippett Studio
* Dennis Muren, Industrial Light & Magic
* Brad Soderlund, One Eight Six Design Group
* John Schroeder, Design Director, UPN Bay Area

Judging criteria for animation entries include story, application of animation principles and quality of images. Design entries will be judged based on concept, composition and execution. The deadline for submission is May 14, 2005.

For more information and an entry form for the High School Animation and Design Festival, please visit www.expression.edu/festival.

About Expression College for Digital Arts
Founded in 1999, Expression is a unique, fully licensed digital arts college. Expression College for Digital Arts teaches and grants Bachelor degrees in three programs: Sound Arts; Digital Visual Media (comprising 3DAnimation and Visual Effects); and Digital Graphic Design (emphasizing Broadcast Design and Motion Graphics.) Expression utilizes a professional accelerated program and students live and learn in the culture of digital arts for approximately 2.5 years. Each class is limited to a small number of students to insure excellent and hands-on learning and the student to computer ratio is one-to-one. Students are taught by and work with the best practitioners and equipment that the industry can offer. Expression’s close ties to top industry professionals provide students with real-world client projects, mentorship and internship opportunities and a top-rated career development track that has resulted in a 80+% placement rate for graduates. When graduates leave their Expression family behind, they are prepared to assume sought-after jobs in Silicon Valley, Hollywood, and other art and high technology centers around the world. Expression College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Career Schools and Colleges of Technology, (ACCSCT).

Expression College for Digital Arts’ campus is located in an imagination-inspiring 85,000-square-foot building, at 6601 Shellmound St. in Emeryville, Calif., just across the Bay Bridge from San Francisco. For more information, please visit Expression’s Website at: www.expression.edu.

Contact:
Karen Wertman, Director of Marketing
Expression College for Digital Arts

Expression College for Digital Arts Website
www.expression.edu