– Video Game, Animation, Visual Effects Industry & Media Invited to Judge –

VANCOUVER December 3, 2008 – The 3rd Annual ELAN Awards announced the extension of their submission deadline today due to an unprecedented response from the industries they award. Top titles from Video Games, Animation and Visual Effects from all around the world are expected to enter the global award show.

“Given our expansion from what was mostly a Canadian show into a worldwide competition and then adding another entire sector, VFX, the overwhelming response both delighted and deluged us,” smiles Holly Carinci, Founder & Producer of the ELAN Awards. “In order to accommodate submissions coming in from every corner of the earth, we’re giving everyone an extra couple of weeks by extending both the early bird deadline as well as the material deadline to December 19th,” says Carinci.

The ELANS recently put out their call for Judges to the media and industry professionals in their three awarded digital sectors and that too has received phenomenal response. With over 60 Judges already onboard and more to come as the call remains open for a short time longer, the ELANS can deliver on their promise of “Best in the World” status to their winners.
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– Video Game, Animation, Visual Effects Industry & Media Invited to Judge –

VANCOUVER November 18, 2008 – Press Release - The ELANS officially put out their call to the entire world for Judges today to the media and industry professionals in video games, animation and visual effects. Anyone from within these industries who wish to preside over the selection of the final nominees and winners of the 3rd Annual ELANS – the awards show that’s become something of a phenom over the past two years with Hosts such as William Shatner and Seth MacFarlane – is invited to apply.

“We went through all of the big award shows’ judicial procedures, even those outside of these industries such as the Oscars, to come up with this year’s process for the ELANS,” says Holly Carinci, Founder & Producer of the ELAN Awards. “We then took what we determined to work the best from each of them to our Board of Advisors and had the luxury of working with some of the top people in these industry sectors to come up with a very good, very fair judicial system that will reflect the decisions of the entire world, not just North America … That was important to us.” The Board of Advisors for the 3rd Annual ELAN Awards is made up of industry luminaries Kelly Zmak of Radical Entertainment, Tarrnie Williams of Relic, Kay Gruenwoldt of N-Gage, Doug Campbell of SPIN West VFX and the prolific Producer/Director from all three sectors, Ian Verchere.

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Vancouver - Holly Carinci, Producer and Founder of The ELAN Awards has announced that the Early Bird deadline for Award Nomination submissions has been extended through to November 28, 2008.

– The Elans Announce the Launch of their Submission Period for their New Global Awards Show Honoring Video Game, Animation & Visual Effects –

VANCOUVER October 8, 2008 – Submissions are officially open now for entry into the 3rd Annual ELANs, the awards show that’s become something of a phenom over the past two years with Hosts such as William Shatner and Seth MacFarlane helping them to celebrate greatness in video games, animation and, new this year, visual effects.

Not only have the ELANs added another whole industry to their show this year, they’ve gone entirely global. Anyone in the world from these three industry sectors can submit their work for an ELAN. Quite the undertaking, but then they have quite the industry support: Doug Campbell, President of Spin West VFX, says, “The ELANS give all visual effects, animation and video game professionals the opportunity to showcase the best they have to offer and be complemented with what will arguably be the most coveted award in Digital Media!”

Kelly Zmak, President of Radical Entertainment says, “The ELANs represent a unique opportunity for the industry to honour and acknowledge the talents and artistry of the people who make games. We do this as our chosen profession: The ELANs provide a perfect setting to celebrate this powerful form of entertainment and art.”

The ELANs will give out a whopping 39 statues at the Centre in Vancouver for the Performing Arts on Saturday night, February 28, 2009. All three sectors have twelve of their own categories, including one Honorary Award and one publicly chosen award, and students have one for each of the three industries. On February 2, 2009 the ELANs will announce 144 nominees for their upcoming awards show. “That’s a lot of nominees,” smiles Founder & Producer, Holly Carinci. “We’ll need to find a way to make it entertaining for all of you!” With Shatner as her first Host and MacFarlane as her second, it’s a pretty good bet that Carinci will be true to her word.

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ELAN Producers Jack Weatherell and Holly Carinci are pleased to announce the creation of a new Sales & Marketing Team for the 2009 ELAN Awards. The team will be working closely with sponsors and searching out other marketing opportunities for the upcoming awards show.

If you are interested in becoming a Corporate Sponsor, please contact:

Jack Weatherell, Video Games & VFX
(778) 960 4402

Lucy Wong, Animation & Corporate
(604) 830-8189

– Elans Build Their Cats & Crits with Video Game, Animation & VFX Professionals –

VANCOUVER July 24, 2008 – The new categories for the 3^rd ELANs – an awards show that recently announced its expansion to global competition and which has for the last two years honored video games and animation with big-name hosts such as William Shatner (1^st year) and Seth MacFarlane (2^nd year) – were announced today after three days of consultation with the industries themselves including Visual Effects which have been added to the next show taking place in Vancouver on Saturday, February 28, 2009.

“We hold Industry Roundtables in Vancouver and ask each group to determine their own Award Categories and Criteria,” explains Holly Carinci, Founder and Producer of the ELAN Awards. “We then send them out to their peers around the world for their input and that is how our official categories are decided each year. We do this so that we are on top of what each of these fast-paced industries are doing today, acknowledging new areas of importance to each of them such as Mobile Games and MMOs are this year to the Video Game Industry. We could never do this without the industry’s help and they have given it to us very generously.”

Tarnie Williams, GM of THQ Canada Inc. (Relic Entertainment) sits on the Board of Advisors for the 3^rd Annual ELAN Awards: “Relic is honored to have collected statues at the ELANS in both of the past two years,” says Williams. “The ELANS are great since the awards are independent, their entire focus is on the digital media industries of video games, animation and visual effects, and they are voted on by a panel of industry professionals, so it really means something to win. It’s not just a popularity contest.”

Doug Campbell, President of Spin West VFX, also a member of the ELAN’s Board of Advisors says, “The ELANS give all visual effects, animation and video games professionals an opportunity to showcase the best they have to offer and be complemented with what will arguably be the most coveted award in Digital Media!”

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A big part of the ELANs success is due to our Corporate Partners. If you are interested in becoming a Corporate Partner for the 3rd ELAN Awards 2009, please download the documentation from the link below.
This file is approximately 6MB in PDF format.

We thank you for your interest!

2009 ELANs Corporate Partnership Package

– Elans Add Visual Effects to Video Game and Animation Awards Show –

VANCOUVER July 10, 2008 – There were many leaps forward announced today by the producers of the Elans – an awards show that has for the last two years honored video games and animation with big-name hosts such as William Shatner (1^st year) and Seth MacFarlane (2^nd year) – not the least of which being their addition of Visual Effects award categories to their next show taking place in Vancouver on Saturday, February 28, 2009.

Adding VFX to their categories isn’t the only big step forward the Elans are taking; the 3^rd Annual Elan Awards will also become the first ceremony of its kind to have all of its categories open to world-wide submission.

“Expanding the Elans to international content is an exciting next-step,” says Ian Verchere, Producer/Creative Director/Faculty, Masters of Digital Media Program. “Vancouver’s video game, effects and animation industries compete on the world stage for commercial and critical success, so it’s appropriate for the world’s best games, animation and special effects to compete for the Elans on a Vancouver stage.”

Producers Holly Carinci and Jack Weatherell also announced today their Board of Advisors for their 3^rd Annual Elan Awards 2009. The luminaries behind the Elans this year are:

Anthony Brown, Managing Dir of Bus Development, Seven Group;

Doug Binkley, Marketing, Seven Group;

Doug Campbell, President, Spin West VFX;

Ian Verchere, Producer/Creative Director/Faculty, Masters of Digital Media Program;

Michael Matrick, Tech Business Advisor;

Kay Gruenwoldt, Head of Title Marketing, North America, Nokia;

Kelly Zmak, Radical Entertainment, President;

Tarrnie Williams, General Manager, RELIC Entertainment

The President of Radical Entertainment, Kelly Zmak, explains his reasons for accepting a position on the ELAN’s Board of Advisors: “The ELANS represent a unique opportunity for the industry to honour and acknowledge the talents and artistry of the people who make games,” says Zmak. “We do this as our chosen profession: The ELANS provide a perfect setting to celebrate this powerful form or entertainment and art.”

Kay Gruenwoldt, Head of Title Marketing in North America for Nokia, adds, “The Elan Awards have already been a highlight for us in Vancouver this year and we are looking forward to next year’s event. With roughly 3.3 billion mobile devices in the market today the world is ready for mobile gaming and our N-Gage games are ready for the awards.”

The 3^rd Annual Elan Awards 2009 have already acquired a great partnership this year with the Seven Group. The Seven Group provides end-to-end technology solutions and has designed and built the infrastructure for some of the biggest Video Game, Visual Effects and Animation studios in the world. The Seven Group will be overseeing the technical aspects of the Elans and their surrounding events and galas ensuring a flawless, state-of-the-art production.

“We see the ELANS as representing the best-of-the-best and the pinnacle of recognition for excellence in this spectacular industry,” says Anthony Brown, Seven Group’s Managing Director of Business Development. “We’re so very proud to be a part of it; to be able to show our support and to participate in such a global movement.”

Doug Binkley, Seven Group’s Marketing Director, goes on to say, “The ELANS allow this incredible industry to have recognition and applause from peers and public alike. More and more people, businesses, sponsors, up-and-comers and organizations want to take part.”

Brown summarizes: “The ELANS are a truly red carpet event. Everything is first class, with “A” list hosts, tuxedos and evening gowns, and the upper echelon of industry big wigs in attendance. Our company got more exposure from the ELANS than from any other event we have ever been part of. Its about time that this industry was recognized for its contribution to arts and entertainment. We will be a part of the ELANS for many years to come.”