What's Fun at the Sharjah Animation Conference 2023?

Animated movies and series might seem part of a long-lost childhood, but the first-ever edition of the Sharjah Animation Conference #SAC2023 is open to all from May 3rd to 5th at the Sharjah Expo Centre.

What is the Sharjah Animation Conference?

The Sharjah Animation Conference is the first-of-its-kind event that is dedicated to everything related to animation. From content creators to some renowned animation artists and producers, this conference in Sharjah brings the best of the animation industry to animation enthusiasts.

The conference also features workshops, masterclasses, panels, screenings, and much more. The Sharjah Animation Conference is produced by the Sharjah Book Authority in collaboration with Italy's Bergamo Animation Days (BAD). The conference has been launched to foster creativity and new professionalism for animation professionals situated in the UAE.

Here are some fun sessions to attend at the Sharjah Animation Conference #SAC2023:

John Nevarez

Image source: SAC website.

The animation designer behind amazing films like Coco, Monster's University, Inside Out, and Cars 2 John Nevarez will host a workshop and a masterclass at the conference.

The masterclass is titled "My Journey in the Animation Industry: A Personal Overview with John Nevarez" and will involve Nevarez talking about his personal experience of working in the animation industry for 25 years. Nevarez will also share some tips for aspiring animators and artists. This session will be held on May 3rd from 2:00-3:00 p.m.

The workshop is titled "Let's Talk About Story Moments" and it will feature the artist teaching about storytelling and staging in animation. This workshop will be held on May 4th at 2:00-3:30 p.m. 

Sandro Cleuzo

Image source: @sandrocleuzo Instagram page.

The animator behind the magical world of Mary Poppins Returns, behind the crazy adventures in The Emperor's New Groove and Home on the Range, and much more Sandro Cleuzo will have two sessions at the animation conference. The animator won an Annie Award for his animation of Mary Poppin's Returns in 2018, so his sessions are not to be missed. 

Cleuzo will host a workshop on May 3rd from 4:00-5:30 p.m. titled "Character With Personality", which will involve the artist showing attendees how to create unique characters in 2D, CG, stop-motion, and illustration comics. 

Cleuzo will also host a masterclass titled "The Art of Animation: Insights and Experiences From Sandro Cleuzo" on May 4th from 2:00-3:30 p.m. The masterclass will include the artist sharing anecdotes from his professional journey and some highlights of his animation career.

Takahiro Yoshimatsu

The mastermind behind the Dragon Ball Trigun and Dragon Ball Z animator director Takahiro Yoshimatsu will be leading two sessions at the conference. His first workshop will be held on May 3rd from 2:00-3:30 p.m. and it is titled "How to Draw Anime Style". In this session, the artist will teach attendees the craft behind anime series.

The masterclass is titled "Exploring the Creative Process Behind Innovative Anime Projects", which will be held on May 4th from 9:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. In the masterclass, the artist will share some tips and tricks about creating anime series and his own personal experiences within the industry.

Pocoyo

Pocoyo is a globally renowned animation series featuring a curious little boy who loves to play and explore. Eduardo Garagorri and Israel Tamayo will have a panel discussion on this beloved animation series on May 4th 3:45-4:45 p.m. The speakers will talk about the global success of Pocoyo and the creative process that went into creating this series. 

Garagorri works with Zinkia Entertainment which runs the Pocoyo IP and Tamayo works with KOYI Talent, which is co-producing Pocoyo Season 5 with Zinkia Entertainment. 

Arcane-League of Legends

Arcane-League of the Legends is a popular adult animated series set in the fictional universe of the League of the Legends focusing on the story of two sisters Vi and Jinx. The panel discussion will include speakers Pascale Charrue and Hervé Dupont from Fortiche Production who will talk about creative choices made for the project and challenges faced by the creators during the development of the series. The panel discussion will be held on May 4th from 6:15-7:30 p.m.

House of the Dragon

One of the creators behind the House of Dragon (a spin-off to the mega-hit TV series Game of Thrones) Mario Brioschi will share his contributions in lighting and visual effects, which helped create an immersive viewing experience for the show. The masterclass will be held on May 5th from 5:15 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. Brioschi has also received a BAFTA nomination with MPC for "Outstanding Special Visual Effects" for House of the Dragon.

Concerts

Image source: Florence Pops Orchestra website.

Each day of the three-day conference will close with a live concert from Florence Pops Orchestra. The concerts will include performances of the most beloved soundtracks from the most popular animated films and series. 

Florence Pops Orchestra is a French orchestra that performs cartoon-themed concerts. They have played many famous pieces many from American and Japanese animation. 

Main image source: SAC website