[b]Video Game & Animation Awards Opens to the World[/b]
Press Release from CAEAA
— The 2nd Annual Canadian Awards for the Electronic & Animated Arts Invites International Competition to Participate in its 2007 Elans —
VANCOUVER — The 2nd Annual Canadian Awards for the Electronic and Animated Arts (CAEAA) along with its Event Partners [url=\"http://www.ey.com/\"]Ernst & Young[/url], [url=\"http://www.ea.com/\"]Electronic Arts[/url] (EA), [url=\"http://www.autodesk.com/\"]Autodesk[/url] and the British Columbia Provincial
Government will be inviting video game and animation companies as well as the students and educators of both from around the world to participate in this year’s awards event, the 2007 Elans.
While last year’s hugely successful CAEAA hosted by William Shatner drew worldwide attention, only Canadian content qualified for nomination. The 2007 Elans will include International Award Categories determined by worldwide industry input which will be announced on March 4, 2007. While it is generally agreed that Canada is a leader in the Video Gaming and Animation sectors as well as the education of
both, the Canadian industry was nearly unanimous in its desire to include international competition into these awards as a way of further validating their role in this multi-billion dollar industry.
The 2007 Elans will be held on Friday, November 2nd at [url=\"http://www.caeaa.com/?q=venue\"]The Centre in Vancouver for the Performing Arts[/url]. The state-of-the-art structure, regarded as the premiere entertainment facility in the city, will host the nearly 2000 worldwide guests and participants of this year’s Elans, tripling the attendance of its inaugural year in 2006.
This year the awards will also grow into a two day event: The day following the glamourous Elans, the CAEAA Producers along with industry associations such as the International Gaming Development Association (IGDA) and CAEAA Strategic Partner, Ernst & Young, will be hosting a full day Industry Event. The CAEAA Industry Event (CIV) will be held on Saturday, November 3rd at the 2007 Elans Official Hotelier [url=\"http://www.vancouver.suttonplace.com/\"]The Sutton Place Hotel[/url], Vancouver, one of only two AAA Five Diamond Hotels in all of Canada. The CIV will offer CEOs and their staff from Video Gaming, Animation and New Media Schools, both big and small, the opportunity to meet in person and “talk business”. This day will provide for Canadian and International 2007 Elans attendees to interface in a casual but informative environment within luxurious surroundings. The day will end with a VIP wrap party currently planned for the Vancouver Art Gallery whereat working art from
animation and video gaming projects will be displayed and auctioned for charity. Special events and rates for excursions such as Whistler Getaways will be available for those not wishing to hurry home on Sunday!
With the success of the inaugural awards in 2006, the producers of the CAEAA moved quickly to ensure that the following year’s Elans would grow significantly to reflect the importance of the industries they awarded. They established the need for “Event Partners” to guarantee an industry-driven event and to secure the best advice and knowledge the producers would need to successfully create the show they envisioned. The producers carefully selected, approached and are thrilled to have on board already Ernst & Young, EA, Autodesk and the British Columbia Provincial Government as their event partners.
“EA is always excited to support animators, artists and designers in the growing videogame industry across Canada,” said Ron Moravek, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for EA Canada. “We think this is a great opportunity for many of the very talented people making games in this country to be recognized for their innovative and breakthrough work.”
“Autodesk is pleased to partner with CAEAA for the 2007 ELAN awards,” said Michel Kripalani, Autodesk’s Media & Entertainment senior games industry manager. “Canada has long been at the frontier of game development and also has a thriving 3D animation industry. Through the ELAN awards, Autodesk is pleased to help the nation demonstrate its leadership position within the global 3D community.”
The CAEAA couldn’t produce the 2007 Elans without its Founders; those already committed to support this coming year’s awards include Foundation 9/Backbone Entertainment, Western Imperial Magnetics, David Kaye Productions, Selkirk College, The Art Institute of Vancouver, Emily Carr Institute, VFS and Dean Lauzé of D’Arts.
“As the Movie Industry goes to Hollywood for its Oscars, so will the world of Video Gaming and Animation come to Canada for their Elans.”
— Holly Carinci, Producer, CAEAA
For more information on the second year of this high tech/high glam awards event, visit our new website at www.caeaa.com.
2007 CAEAA Awards - Vancouver [updated]
Moderators: Moderator, Global Moderator
2007 CAEAA Awards - Vancouver [updated]
Last edited by Tami on Mon Mar 19, 2007 6:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
[color=\"#41211C\"]It takes years to build up trust and only seconds to destroy it
[/color]
2007 CAEAA Awards - Vancouver [updated]
Didn't you go to this last year, Tami? You going again this year? <img src=\'http://www.killanet.net/forum3/public/s ... /smile.gif\' class=\'bbc_emoticon\' alt=\':)\' />
[align=center]
“If you stop learning, you stop living.” ~Tami Quiring
“It's the rare man who understands the value of a single perfect rose.”
[/align]
“If you stop learning, you stop living.” ~Tami Quiring
“It's the rare man who understands the value of a single perfect rose.”
[/align]
2007 CAEAA Awards - Vancouver [updated]
Yes I did and yes I am.
[color=\"#41211C\"]It takes years to build up trust and only seconds to destroy it
[/color]
2007 CAEAA Awards - Vancouver [updated]
Yay, good good. <img src=\'http://www.killanet.net/forum3/public/s ... iggrin.gif\' class=\'bbc_emoticon\' alt=\':D\' />
[align=center]
“If you stop learning, you stop living.” ~Tami Quiring
“It's the rare man who understands the value of a single perfect rose.”
[/align]
“If you stop learning, you stop living.” ~Tami Quiring
“It's the rare man who understands the value of a single perfect rose.”
[/align]
2007 CAEAA Awards - Vancouver [updated]
The 2nd Annual Canadian Awards for the Electronic & Animated Arts Reveals Their Judicial Process and Opens for Student Submissions
VANCOUVER March 19, 2007 — The Canadian Awards for the Electronic and Animated Arts (CAEAA) is not only inviting the world to compete in the 2007 Elans on November 2nd, the Producers of the awards show will also be sanctioning worldwide industry supervisory panels in deciding the Canadian Student, Video Gaming and Animation nominees and ultimate Winners for this year's prestigious Event.
In 2006, the Jurors consisted of full-time educators of Video Gaming and Animation programs from Digital Arts Schools across Canada who selected the four final nominees per category from all of the Video Game and Animation Company submissions; Heads of Departments from Canadian Video Game and Animation Companies selected the final four nominees per category from all of the Canadian Student submissions. The final nominees in all categories were subsequently sent to media members around the world who acted as the final judges, selecting the 2006 Elans Winners.
“It has been brought to our attention that all three industries we award would rather have their peers act as jurors to select the final nominees,” reports Holly Carinci, Founder and Producer of the Elans. “Our challenge then became how we were to keep the nominations fair, given that the jurors selecting the final four nominees per category would be doing so through submissions from the very companies they themselves were from.”
After much research and advice from other awards shows, the CAEAA Producers have decided on the following procedure:
All final nominations and subsequent winners of the CAEAA Categories (Canadian Categories) will be juried by their industry peers plus one media member per Category Panel abroad (outside of Canada). All final nominations and subsequent winners of the International Categories for the 2007 Elans will be juried by their industry peers plus one media member per Category Panel from within Canada. The Producers feel that this process will ensure fairness in the selection amongst the submitting companies and institutions both within and outside of Canada. This process will also encourage international participation in the 2007 Elans, an important new element to this year’s growing Awards Show.
The panels themselves will be composed of the following:
* Jury Panels consist of 5 Jurors per Panel.
* Each Category will have one Panel.
* No Juror will sit on more than one Panel.
* Each Industry’s Panel will consist of Jurors from within their Industry.
* All Companies/Institutions providing Jurors may provide more than one.
* No two representatives from one Company/Institution will be selected to sit on the same Panel.
* Every Juror must sign a non-conflict contract to be approved by the CAEAA.
* Each CAEAA Category is juried by Panels from outside of Canada.
* Each International Category is juried by Panels from within Canada.
All Nomination and Winning Ballots will be handled directly by the Elans Auditing Firm, Buckley Dodds.
For further information on the 2007 Elans Judicial and Submission Processes, please visit Awards on the Official CAEAA Website.
The Submission for Nomination Process is now open for Students who wish to compete in the 2007 Elans Student Categories. This year the Submission for Nomination process will be held in two separate segments. The Student Submission for Nomination which opened Monday, March 5th and and will close Friday, June 1, 2007 to allow for educator assistance with student work is the first segment. The second segment, The Animation and Video Game Submission for Nomination will commence Monday, June 4th and conclude on Friday, August 31, 2007.
The International Category selected by members of the Educators in Digital Arts advisory panel for the 2007 Elans is the INTERNATIONAL STUDENT OF THE YEAR AWARD. Schools which excel in the education of Students in the fields of Animation and Video Gaming outside of Canada are invited to submit the work of one student for consideration. Only one submission per International School (all schools outside of Canada) will be accepted for nomination. The International Schools may conduct a preliminary internal competition in order to select the Student they put forward for this award. The criteria for this award are the same as that of the CAEAA “Ready to Rocket” Award. The Canadian Student Categories and Criteria are listed below.
The 2007 Elans will be held on Friday, November 2nd at The Centre in Vancouver for the Performing Arts. The state-of-the-art structure, regarded as the premiere entertainment facility in the city, will host the nearly 2000 worldwide guests and participants of this year’s Elans, tripling the attendance of its inaugural year in 2006. The day following the glamorous Awards Night, the CAEAA Producers, along with their Event Partners Ernst & Young, Electronic Arts (EA), Autodesk and the British Columbia Provincial Government will host a very high-end networking day at their Official Hotelier The Sutton Place Hotel, Vancouver (one of only two AAA Five Diamond Hotels in all of Canada) for the CEOs and Upper Management of companies and institutions from around the world who attended the 2007 Elans.
Other important players already onboard to support the 2007 Elans include: Foundation 9/Backbone Entertainment, Radical Entertainment, Next Level Games, Studio B Productions, Mercury Filmworks, Western Imperial Magnetics, David Kaye Productions, Selkirk College, The Art Institute of Vancouver, Emily Carr Institute, Sheridan College, Vancouver Film School, Elan statuette artist Dean Lauzé of D’Arts as well as the Awards Auditing firm, Buckley Dodds.
Following is a list of Award Categories. For further information, please visit the CAEAA Official Site.
ELECTRONIC GAME CATEGORIES
1. GAME OF THE YEAR: The game released during the qualifying year which the adjudicators have decided was "ahead of the pack".
- outstanding overall quality and game design which demonstrates gameplay innovation
- 51% Canadian made (please see the PDF Submission Criteria for more information.)
2. BEST CONSOLE GAME: The best game operated on a videogame console
- outstanding overall quality and game design which demonstrates gameplay innovation
3. BEST PC GAME: The best game operated on Windows or Macintosh OS based multipurpose computing systems.
- outstanding overall quality and game design which demonstrates gameplay innovation
4. BEST NEW VIDEO GAME COMPANY: Category open to any new studio in Canada. Awarded to recognize new studios for outstanding achievement in surmounting the many obstacles which often stand in the way of a first public release.
- any Canadian studio with no prior game release is considered a "new" studio assuming their first game meets the requirements. These requirements are that the studio must have initially released, and made publicly available to consumers, their game during the qualifying year irrespective of platform or delivery medium.
- Upgrades, expansion and mission packs are NOT eligible.
5. BEST ORIGINAL MUSICAL SCORE: Awarded to an individual or team for creative excellence in original musical composition and scoring in the field of animation.
- sound quality, originality, creative direction
6. BEST CHARACTER: Recognizes best overall character during the qualifying year.
- character appeal, originality, visual presentation, animated realisation
7. BEST ART DIRECTION: Recognizes direction and implementation of cutting-edge visuals in relation to hardware/platform specifications and limitations, or most innovative application of graphics techniques.
- overall visual quality, diversity and range
- environment, cutscene and character visuals
- effects implementation/presentation
- dependent on platform, leverage of technical capabilities (e.g. effects, bump/normal mapping, ray tracing, multiple light sources)
8. BEST HANDHELD GAME OF THE YEAR:
The best game developed for a wireless handset such as the DS or PSP or other device whose primary function is NOT voice communication
- outstanding overall quality and game design
- demonstrates outstanding achievement in game design
- demonstrates gameplay innovation
9. BEST GAME DESIGN OF THE YEAR: Recognizes best overall new game design released during the qualifying year. This category is adjudicated based on the implementation and coordination of design concepts in any type of electronic game.
- outstanding game design
- outstanding execution in control
- outstanding gameflow and game mechanics
- outstanding game balance/tuning
10. BEST MOBILE/CASUAL/ARCADE GAME OF THE YEAR: Awarded to the best Canadian-made casual game (May be mobile, pay-for-play OR free game played on ANY platform) released during the qualifying year.
- entertainment value
- outstanding game design
- Canadian made
11. BEST WRITING FOR A GAME PRODUCTION: Awarded to a writer or team of writers for outstanding achievement and creative excellence in game writing.
- must have received a screen credit as writer, writing team or design team
- story creativity, arc and originality
- character development
- ingame and cutscene dialogue
VIDEO GAME HALL OF FAME: Recipient (Individual) voted in by the Canadian Video Game Industry
OUTSTANDING INNOVATION IN GAMING: Recognizes technical or creative innovation that will have a significant impact on future game development. This category is open to submissions worldwide.
-demonstrates innovation which impacts future game development, such as defining a new genre or a technological breakthrough impacting the overall game experience
**At the discretion of the selection committee this category may not be awarded in a given year if the committee does not feel there was a submission of sufficient quality
INTERNATIONAL VIDEO GAME OF THE YEAR: This award follows the same criteria as the CAEAA Game of the Year, but for any game produced and published outside of Canada.
ANIMATION CATEGORIES
1. BEST FEATURE LENGTH ANIMATED PRODUCTION: Awarded to a feature length animated production of at least 44 minutes' running time which exhibits overall excellence.
- creativity, artistic impression and storyline development
2. BEST ANIMATED PRODUCTION (Television Series): Awarded to a television animated production, including educational animations, which exhibit overall excellence.
- creativity, artistic impression and storyline development
3. BEST ANIMATED SHORT SUBJECT: Awarded to a short subject animated production of 20 minutes or less which exhibits overall excellence. Animated Series are not considered in this category.
- creativity, artistic impression and storyline development
4. BEST DIRECTION - FEATURE LENGTH ANIMATED PRODUCTION: Awarded to the Director who exhibits outstanding individual achievement and creative excellence in directing a feature length (44 minute minimum) animated production.
- must have received a screen credit as Director on a feature length animated production
- a team is also eligible provided they have received a screen credit as Director or Co-Director.
- awarded to the director or team of directors who have excelled in their field.
5. BEST DIRECTION - ANIMATED TELEVISION SERIES: Awarded to the Director who exhibits outstanding individual achievement and creative excellence in directing an animated television series segment.
- must have received a screen credit as Director on an animated television series segment.
- a team is also eligible provided they have received a screen credit as Director or Co-Director.
- awarded to the director or team of directors who have excelled in their field.
6. BEST MALE VOICE OVER IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE OR TELEVISION PRODUCTION: Awarded for the performance by a voice actor in an animated feature length or television production. The production must have a theatre or home entertainment release during the qualifying year.
- outstanding characterization
- overall performance and effect
7. BEST FEMALE VOICE OVER IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE OR TELEVISION PRODUCTION: Awarded for the performance by a voice actress in an animated feature length or television production. The production ust have a theatre or home entertainment release during the qualifying year.
- outstanding characterization
- overall performance and effect
8. BEST ORIGINAL MUSICAL SCORE: Awarded to an individual or team for creative excellence for musical scoring in the field of animation.
- originality and creative direction
9. BEST SOUND DESIGN: Awarded to an individual or team for creative excellence for sound engineering in the field of animation.
- originality and creative direction
10. BEST STORYBOARDING: Awarded to the Storyboard Artist or Team of Artists who exhibit outstanding achievement and creative excellence. Copies of the storyboard and a copy of the developed project will need to be submitted.
- Must have received a screen credit as Storyboard Artist in an animated production during the qualifying year.
- creativity, clarity and originality
11. BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN OR ART DIRECTION: Awarded to the Production Designer or Art Director who exhibits outstanding individual achievement and creative excellence.
- Must have received a screen credit for either Production Designer or Art Director.
- This award may also be presented to a team having the afore-mentioned screen credits.
- outstanding creative design
12. BEST WRITING IN AN ANIMATED PRODUCTION: Awarded to a writer or writing team who exhibited outstanding achievement and creative excellence in an animated production.
- must have received a screen credit as writer or writing team
- creativity, story arc, originality and character development
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD IN ANIMATION: Awarded to the individual who in the course of pursuing their art, has excelled in their medium. The recipient will have achieved creative excellence throughout their career. The recipient will have creatively influenced their field of expertise. This is a lifetime achievement award and the winner has been working in the animation industry at least 15 years.
BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE LENGTH ANIMATED PRODUCTION: Criteria for this award is the same as CAEAA category. Recipient to be from anywhere outside of Canada.
BEST INTERNATIONAL ANIMATED PRODUCTION (Television Series): Criteria for this award is the same as CAEAA category. Recipient to be from anywhere outside of Canada.
STUDENT ANIMATION AND ELECTRONIC GAME CATEGORIES
1. STUDENT ANIMATED OR MOTION GRAPHIC PRODUCTION OF THE YEAR: Awarded to a student or team of students whose animated, VFX or motion graphic production exhibits overall excellence. (Must be at least 1 minute in length)
- Integration of CG and Live Action
- creativity and originality
- storyline development
- artistic impression
- realism
- character
- emotional depth
- presentation
- graphic texture/quality/variation
- lighting
- rendering quality
- effects implementation/presentation
- cutscene quality
- minimal bugs/clipping/fog etc...
- advanced effects use (bump/normal mapping, ray tracing, multiple light sources, sheer numbers of polys/objects)
2. STUDENT GAME OF THE YEAR: The game which the adjudicators have decided was "ahead of the pack" designed during the qualifying year. (mods allowed)
- entertainment value
- outstanding game design
- original design
- must be both designed and produced within the qualifying year
- must be playable
3. BEST ORIGINAL SOUND DESIGN/MUSICAL SCORE FOR AN ANIMATED PRODUCTION OR GAME: Awarded to an individual or team for creative excellence in original musical composition and scoring in the field of animation.
- sound quality
- originality
- creative direction
4. BEST STUDENT ART DIRECTION - GAME PRODUCTION: Awarded to a student or team of students who have demonstrated excellence in game production design. Submissions will be judged upon persistence of the creative vision from concept development to final game production. Jurors will critique concept design, aesthetic cohesion, aesthetic relation to story, environmental design, lighting, mood, visual theme, etc.
5. BEST STUDENT ART DIRECTION - ANIMATED PRODUCTION: Awarded to a student or team of students who demonstrate excellence in animation, VFX and new media production design. Submissions will be judged upon persistence of the creative vision from concept development to final production. Jurors will critique concept design, aesthetic cohesion, aesthetic relation to story, environmental design, lighting, mood, visual theme, etc.
6. BEST STUDENT WRITING FOR AN ANIMATED OR GAME PRODUCTION: Awarded to a writer or team of writers for outstanding achievement and creative excellence in the new media field (new media field includes: game, website, interactive application.)
- must have received a screen credit as writer or writing team
- creativity
- story arc
- originality
-character development
READY TO ROCKET AWARD (ANIMATION AND GAMES): Awarded to a student who exhibits the most promise in animation and video game. Special consideration will be given to overall quality of work and creative presentation. Recipient (Individual) voted in by the representatives from the Canadian Digital Art Institutions.
- presentation
- creativity
- delivery
- content
- originality
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT OF THE YEAR AWARD: Schools which excel in the education of students in the fields of Animation and Video Gaming outside of Canada will be invited to submit the work of one student for consideration. The criteria for this award is the same as that of the CAEAA “Ready to Rocket” Award.
VANCOUVER March 19, 2007 — The Canadian Awards for the Electronic and Animated Arts (CAEAA) is not only inviting the world to compete in the 2007 Elans on November 2nd, the Producers of the awards show will also be sanctioning worldwide industry supervisory panels in deciding the Canadian Student, Video Gaming and Animation nominees and ultimate Winners for this year's prestigious Event.
In 2006, the Jurors consisted of full-time educators of Video Gaming and Animation programs from Digital Arts Schools across Canada who selected the four final nominees per category from all of the Video Game and Animation Company submissions; Heads of Departments from Canadian Video Game and Animation Companies selected the final four nominees per category from all of the Canadian Student submissions. The final nominees in all categories were subsequently sent to media members around the world who acted as the final judges, selecting the 2006 Elans Winners.
“It has been brought to our attention that all three industries we award would rather have their peers act as jurors to select the final nominees,” reports Holly Carinci, Founder and Producer of the Elans. “Our challenge then became how we were to keep the nominations fair, given that the jurors selecting the final four nominees per category would be doing so through submissions from the very companies they themselves were from.”
After much research and advice from other awards shows, the CAEAA Producers have decided on the following procedure:
All final nominations and subsequent winners of the CAEAA Categories (Canadian Categories) will be juried by their industry peers plus one media member per Category Panel abroad (outside of Canada). All final nominations and subsequent winners of the International Categories for the 2007 Elans will be juried by their industry peers plus one media member per Category Panel from within Canada. The Producers feel that this process will ensure fairness in the selection amongst the submitting companies and institutions both within and outside of Canada. This process will also encourage international participation in the 2007 Elans, an important new element to this year’s growing Awards Show.
The panels themselves will be composed of the following:
* Jury Panels consist of 5 Jurors per Panel.
* Each Category will have one Panel.
* No Juror will sit on more than one Panel.
* Each Industry’s Panel will consist of Jurors from within their Industry.
* All Companies/Institutions providing Jurors may provide more than one.
* No two representatives from one Company/Institution will be selected to sit on the same Panel.
* Every Juror must sign a non-conflict contract to be approved by the CAEAA.
* Each CAEAA Category is juried by Panels from outside of Canada.
* Each International Category is juried by Panels from within Canada.
All Nomination and Winning Ballots will be handled directly by the Elans Auditing Firm, Buckley Dodds.
For further information on the 2007 Elans Judicial and Submission Processes, please visit Awards on the Official CAEAA Website.
The Submission for Nomination Process is now open for Students who wish to compete in the 2007 Elans Student Categories. This year the Submission for Nomination process will be held in two separate segments. The Student Submission for Nomination which opened Monday, March 5th and and will close Friday, June 1, 2007 to allow for educator assistance with student work is the first segment. The second segment, The Animation and Video Game Submission for Nomination will commence Monday, June 4th and conclude on Friday, August 31, 2007.
The International Category selected by members of the Educators in Digital Arts advisory panel for the 2007 Elans is the INTERNATIONAL STUDENT OF THE YEAR AWARD. Schools which excel in the education of Students in the fields of Animation and Video Gaming outside of Canada are invited to submit the work of one student for consideration. Only one submission per International School (all schools outside of Canada) will be accepted for nomination. The International Schools may conduct a preliminary internal competition in order to select the Student they put forward for this award. The criteria for this award are the same as that of the CAEAA “Ready to Rocket” Award. The Canadian Student Categories and Criteria are listed below.
The 2007 Elans will be held on Friday, November 2nd at The Centre in Vancouver for the Performing Arts. The state-of-the-art structure, regarded as the premiere entertainment facility in the city, will host the nearly 2000 worldwide guests and participants of this year’s Elans, tripling the attendance of its inaugural year in 2006. The day following the glamorous Awards Night, the CAEAA Producers, along with their Event Partners Ernst & Young, Electronic Arts (EA), Autodesk and the British Columbia Provincial Government will host a very high-end networking day at their Official Hotelier The Sutton Place Hotel, Vancouver (one of only two AAA Five Diamond Hotels in all of Canada) for the CEOs and Upper Management of companies and institutions from around the world who attended the 2007 Elans.
Other important players already onboard to support the 2007 Elans include: Foundation 9/Backbone Entertainment, Radical Entertainment, Next Level Games, Studio B Productions, Mercury Filmworks, Western Imperial Magnetics, David Kaye Productions, Selkirk College, The Art Institute of Vancouver, Emily Carr Institute, Sheridan College, Vancouver Film School, Elan statuette artist Dean Lauzé of D’Arts as well as the Awards Auditing firm, Buckley Dodds.
Following is a list of Award Categories. For further information, please visit the CAEAA Official Site.
ELECTRONIC GAME CATEGORIES
1. GAME OF THE YEAR: The game released during the qualifying year which the adjudicators have decided was "ahead of the pack".
- outstanding overall quality and game design which demonstrates gameplay innovation
- 51% Canadian made (please see the PDF Submission Criteria for more information.)
2. BEST CONSOLE GAME: The best game operated on a videogame console
- outstanding overall quality and game design which demonstrates gameplay innovation
3. BEST PC GAME: The best game operated on Windows or Macintosh OS based multipurpose computing systems.
- outstanding overall quality and game design which demonstrates gameplay innovation
4. BEST NEW VIDEO GAME COMPANY: Category open to any new studio in Canada. Awarded to recognize new studios for outstanding achievement in surmounting the many obstacles which often stand in the way of a first public release.
- any Canadian studio with no prior game release is considered a "new" studio assuming their first game meets the requirements. These requirements are that the studio must have initially released, and made publicly available to consumers, their game during the qualifying year irrespective of platform or delivery medium.
- Upgrades, expansion and mission packs are NOT eligible.
5. BEST ORIGINAL MUSICAL SCORE: Awarded to an individual or team for creative excellence in original musical composition and scoring in the field of animation.
- sound quality, originality, creative direction
6. BEST CHARACTER: Recognizes best overall character during the qualifying year.
- character appeal, originality, visual presentation, animated realisation
7. BEST ART DIRECTION: Recognizes direction and implementation of cutting-edge visuals in relation to hardware/platform specifications and limitations, or most innovative application of graphics techniques.
- overall visual quality, diversity and range
- environment, cutscene and character visuals
- effects implementation/presentation
- dependent on platform, leverage of technical capabilities (e.g. effects, bump/normal mapping, ray tracing, multiple light sources)
8. BEST HANDHELD GAME OF THE YEAR:
The best game developed for a wireless handset such as the DS or PSP or other device whose primary function is NOT voice communication
- outstanding overall quality and game design
- demonstrates outstanding achievement in game design
- demonstrates gameplay innovation
9. BEST GAME DESIGN OF THE YEAR: Recognizes best overall new game design released during the qualifying year. This category is adjudicated based on the implementation and coordination of design concepts in any type of electronic game.
- outstanding game design
- outstanding execution in control
- outstanding gameflow and game mechanics
- outstanding game balance/tuning
10. BEST MOBILE/CASUAL/ARCADE GAME OF THE YEAR: Awarded to the best Canadian-made casual game (May be mobile, pay-for-play OR free game played on ANY platform) released during the qualifying year.
- entertainment value
- outstanding game design
- Canadian made
11. BEST WRITING FOR A GAME PRODUCTION: Awarded to a writer or team of writers for outstanding achievement and creative excellence in game writing.
- must have received a screen credit as writer, writing team or design team
- story creativity, arc and originality
- character development
- ingame and cutscene dialogue
VIDEO GAME HALL OF FAME: Recipient (Individual) voted in by the Canadian Video Game Industry
OUTSTANDING INNOVATION IN GAMING: Recognizes technical or creative innovation that will have a significant impact on future game development. This category is open to submissions worldwide.
-demonstrates innovation which impacts future game development, such as defining a new genre or a technological breakthrough impacting the overall game experience
**At the discretion of the selection committee this category may not be awarded in a given year if the committee does not feel there was a submission of sufficient quality
INTERNATIONAL VIDEO GAME OF THE YEAR: This award follows the same criteria as the CAEAA Game of the Year, but for any game produced and published outside of Canada.
ANIMATION CATEGORIES
1. BEST FEATURE LENGTH ANIMATED PRODUCTION: Awarded to a feature length animated production of at least 44 minutes' running time which exhibits overall excellence.
- creativity, artistic impression and storyline development
2. BEST ANIMATED PRODUCTION (Television Series): Awarded to a television animated production, including educational animations, which exhibit overall excellence.
- creativity, artistic impression and storyline development
3. BEST ANIMATED SHORT SUBJECT: Awarded to a short subject animated production of 20 minutes or less which exhibits overall excellence. Animated Series are not considered in this category.
- creativity, artistic impression and storyline development
4. BEST DIRECTION - FEATURE LENGTH ANIMATED PRODUCTION: Awarded to the Director who exhibits outstanding individual achievement and creative excellence in directing a feature length (44 minute minimum) animated production.
- must have received a screen credit as Director on a feature length animated production
- a team is also eligible provided they have received a screen credit as Director or Co-Director.
- awarded to the director or team of directors who have excelled in their field.
5. BEST DIRECTION - ANIMATED TELEVISION SERIES: Awarded to the Director who exhibits outstanding individual achievement and creative excellence in directing an animated television series segment.
- must have received a screen credit as Director on an animated television series segment.
- a team is also eligible provided they have received a screen credit as Director or Co-Director.
- awarded to the director or team of directors who have excelled in their field.
6. BEST MALE VOICE OVER IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE OR TELEVISION PRODUCTION: Awarded for the performance by a voice actor in an animated feature length or television production. The production must have a theatre or home entertainment release during the qualifying year.
- outstanding characterization
- overall performance and effect
7. BEST FEMALE VOICE OVER IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE OR TELEVISION PRODUCTION: Awarded for the performance by a voice actress in an animated feature length or television production. The production ust have a theatre or home entertainment release during the qualifying year.
- outstanding characterization
- overall performance and effect
8. BEST ORIGINAL MUSICAL SCORE: Awarded to an individual or team for creative excellence for musical scoring in the field of animation.
- originality and creative direction
9. BEST SOUND DESIGN: Awarded to an individual or team for creative excellence for sound engineering in the field of animation.
- originality and creative direction
10. BEST STORYBOARDING: Awarded to the Storyboard Artist or Team of Artists who exhibit outstanding achievement and creative excellence. Copies of the storyboard and a copy of the developed project will need to be submitted.
- Must have received a screen credit as Storyboard Artist in an animated production during the qualifying year.
- creativity, clarity and originality
11. BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN OR ART DIRECTION: Awarded to the Production Designer or Art Director who exhibits outstanding individual achievement and creative excellence.
- Must have received a screen credit for either Production Designer or Art Director.
- This award may also be presented to a team having the afore-mentioned screen credits.
- outstanding creative design
12. BEST WRITING IN AN ANIMATED PRODUCTION: Awarded to a writer or writing team who exhibited outstanding achievement and creative excellence in an animated production.
- must have received a screen credit as writer or writing team
- creativity, story arc, originality and character development
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD IN ANIMATION: Awarded to the individual who in the course of pursuing their art, has excelled in their medium. The recipient will have achieved creative excellence throughout their career. The recipient will have creatively influenced their field of expertise. This is a lifetime achievement award and the winner has been working in the animation industry at least 15 years.
BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE LENGTH ANIMATED PRODUCTION: Criteria for this award is the same as CAEAA category. Recipient to be from anywhere outside of Canada.
BEST INTERNATIONAL ANIMATED PRODUCTION (Television Series): Criteria for this award is the same as CAEAA category. Recipient to be from anywhere outside of Canada.
STUDENT ANIMATION AND ELECTRONIC GAME CATEGORIES
1. STUDENT ANIMATED OR MOTION GRAPHIC PRODUCTION OF THE YEAR: Awarded to a student or team of students whose animated, VFX or motion graphic production exhibits overall excellence. (Must be at least 1 minute in length)
- Integration of CG and Live Action
- creativity and originality
- storyline development
- artistic impression
- realism
- character
- emotional depth
- presentation
- graphic texture/quality/variation
- lighting
- rendering quality
- effects implementation/presentation
- cutscene quality
- minimal bugs/clipping/fog etc...
- advanced effects use (bump/normal mapping, ray tracing, multiple light sources, sheer numbers of polys/objects)
2. STUDENT GAME OF THE YEAR: The game which the adjudicators have decided was "ahead of the pack" designed during the qualifying year. (mods allowed)
- entertainment value
- outstanding game design
- original design
- must be both designed and produced within the qualifying year
- must be playable
3. BEST ORIGINAL SOUND DESIGN/MUSICAL SCORE FOR AN ANIMATED PRODUCTION OR GAME: Awarded to an individual or team for creative excellence in original musical composition and scoring in the field of animation.
- sound quality
- originality
- creative direction
4. BEST STUDENT ART DIRECTION - GAME PRODUCTION: Awarded to a student or team of students who have demonstrated excellence in game production design. Submissions will be judged upon persistence of the creative vision from concept development to final game production. Jurors will critique concept design, aesthetic cohesion, aesthetic relation to story, environmental design, lighting, mood, visual theme, etc.
5. BEST STUDENT ART DIRECTION - ANIMATED PRODUCTION: Awarded to a student or team of students who demonstrate excellence in animation, VFX and new media production design. Submissions will be judged upon persistence of the creative vision from concept development to final production. Jurors will critique concept design, aesthetic cohesion, aesthetic relation to story, environmental design, lighting, mood, visual theme, etc.
6. BEST STUDENT WRITING FOR AN ANIMATED OR GAME PRODUCTION: Awarded to a writer or team of writers for outstanding achievement and creative excellence in the new media field (new media field includes: game, website, interactive application.)
- must have received a screen credit as writer or writing team
- creativity
- story arc
- originality
-character development
READY TO ROCKET AWARD (ANIMATION AND GAMES): Awarded to a student who exhibits the most promise in animation and video game. Special consideration will be given to overall quality of work and creative presentation. Recipient (Individual) voted in by the representatives from the Canadian Digital Art Institutions.
- presentation
- creativity
- delivery
- content
- originality
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT OF THE YEAR AWARD: Schools which excel in the education of students in the fields of Animation and Video Gaming outside of Canada will be invited to submit the work of one student for consideration. The criteria for this award is the same as that of the CAEAA “Ready to Rocket” Award.
[color=\"#41211C\"]It takes years to build up trust and only seconds to destroy it
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