OnScreen news – digitalSHORTS
Digital arts go troppo
The second annual Kick Arts Digital Media Awards are open for business so if you’re a digital artist living in Far North Qld, get cracking-open to anyone north of the Tropic of Capricorn. The awards will be presented at WETFEST 2001: Fed on Film, Courthouse Hotel, Cairns, September 15 & entries displayed at Kick Arts Digital Gallery, September 10-28. All submissions must be presented on CD-ROM and can include animation, interactives, sound, digital artworks & websites. Entries due August 24. 07 4051 2234, email
Electrofringe in Newcastle
Electrofringe is on again, an annual festival of digital, hybrid, electronic & new media arts which offers workshops for artists, critical forums on digital media & screen cultures, & a focus this year on copyright & intellectual property issues. Timed to coincide with This is Not Art & Young Writers Festivals and Electronic Independent Labels & Student Media Conferences, it’s a great time to visit Newcastle. September 27-October 1, email
Carnivale goes online
Carnivale: Multicultural Arts Festival, Sydney, will launch The Menorah of Fang Bang Lu (writer/producer Andrew Jakubowicz, multimedia director Tatiana Pentes) in early October, a multimedia web project where the user can explore the lives & stories of 7 Jewish families who lived in Shanghai, 1930-1960, the narratives emerging from interviews, artefacts & photographs. Watch this space for the web address.
Fat Cow Motel – Australia’s Twin Peaks?
Qld producers Nathan Mayfield & Tracey Robertson (Hoodlum Entertainment) have scored a deal to make a $2 million TV drama in SE Qld. What’s special about the series is that it’s a 13 part multiplatform mystery, the first large scale show to be delivered to an audience through cable TV, radio, mobile phones, email, direct mail & dedicated websites. The viewers will be able to contribute in various ways to the shape of the program & pre-production starts in October (PFTC News, July-Aug).
Digital scholarships – SAE College
SAE International Technology College recently announced new scholarships for their Digital Film Program. Proton Digital & SAE are offering 15 talented students scholarships to the value of $3000 towards course fees for the Digital Film Producer course at the Sydney campus. The 9 month course offers students the chance to fine tune their skills by producing, directing & editing a number of projects, including working with DVDs. The program commences September 17 & applications are currently being considered. 02 9211 3711
IMAP to archive independent media
Independent Media Arts Preservation has launched a new website to help digital media producers & arts organisations catalogue their media works. Concerned that the history of non-commercial electronic media is being lost, the website features a standardised template & preservation information.
Palestinian youth portal launched
Virtual Palestine, a youth project undertaken at Metro Screen, aims to bring together young Palestinians from around the globe to create artistic explorations of their culture & identity. The site features news & current affairs, a gallery, places for personal stories, a map locator & a place to create music. Participants have been trained in digital camera use along with software such as Flash & DASE (allowing people to connect their computers & play music together wherever they are situated).
Fibreculture encourages debate on digital issues
The fibreculture mailing list is a forum for Australian net culture & research, founded by David Teh & Geert Lovink in January 2001. The aim is to exchange articles, ideas & arguments, and be a preparatory forum for an conference in Melbourne, December 6-8. The convenors hope to build a strategic picture of how Australia might support innovation, R&D and the applications & culture of new technology. To join, send an email with ‘subscribe’ in the subject line.
RealTime issue #44 Aug-Sept 2001 pg. 26
