SIGGRAPH 2004 Animation Theater.(Portfolio)

The 2004 SIGGRAPH Animation Theater featured a selection of projects illustrating revolutionary ways of implementing the still-young medium of computer graphics within the diverse fields of visual arts, entertainment, and science. Some of the pieces were selected for their artistic level, others for their compelling storytelling. And, there are those that represent technical achievement in the advancement of computer graphics, animation, or visual effects.

According to chair Chris Bregler, this year's Computer Animation Festival, which includes the Animation Theater and the prestigious Electronic Theater, contained an unprecedented breadth of animations. "We had variety--submissions from the major film schools, the major studios from New York City to London to Brazil, and individuals, all of which tell engaging stories or focus on edgy topics, or are just plain funny," he says. "In particular, we had a lot of strong short stories, so the jury had to be especially selective. As a result, a lot of big studio pieces and short-story projects---which would have been selected a few years ago--didn't make this year's cut."

To accommodate the 53 works that were selected for the Animation Theater, the jury assigned them to one of four shows, titled Paraphernalia, Magic, Commercials/VFX, and Twisted, which played at different times during the conference and exhibition.

"There is a definite edge to the show, some of it expected and some of it a surprise," says Bregler. "There are even selections that reflect the current times in which we live."

Several still images from the theater appear on ...