The old adage that "change is inevitable" is a message oft repeated, rephrased and expanded, from the ancient philosopher Heraclitus to the Terminator movies. The only question is how rapidly the change will occur. It is said that there has been more technological advancement in the last 50 years than in the entire history of man, and that the next 10 years will see more than in the last 50.

We are in the midst of change so rapid that we can hold in one hand computers with more capability than those that put man on the moon. We can recall when the thought of filling a 200 megabyte hard drive was a dream, and now less than a 200 gigabyte seems too small.

We see films boasting casts of thousands from the past being equaled in grandeur by movies with casts of dozens and computer generated images of thousands. Information has progressed from the carrier pigeon and the pony express to the instant message. By the time the idea gets from mind to paper, it is safe to assume that someone else has had the same thought.

For the pioneers and visionaries among us, dynamic participation in the digital revolution is as inevitable as it is exciting. Where once we had to concern ourselves only with the technology around the corner, our lives are clearly affected by technologies from around the world. There is an interaction between broadcasting, gaming, computers, even telephones which forces us to wonder what happens next. When the telephone has become a personal computer and entertainment center can the two way wrist TV/radio be far behind (or does it already exist, somewhere.) Content is no longer distinctly animation, games, or film. These media are blended together to create a seamless experience of entertainment. The future of content is limited only by the imagination, and the yet unimagined.

Our purpose is twofold: first, to encourage and nurture the innovation necessary to the merging of animation, gaming and film, and second, to honor the industry veterans who cut their way through the jungles creating pathways for those whose trails are leading to the stars. We salute both, the innovators of the past and the present, and aspire to discover those of the future. We pay homage to them all by providing a venue where the challenges and potential of such innovation can be explored as well as examined technically by industry professionals and as entertainment by fans.

About The Festival

The California International Animation Festival is dedicated to a recognition that animation, gaming and film making are not separate businesses, but fingers on the same hand.

This event of screenings, forums and focused networking allows creative and executive entrepreneurs in the animation, electronic gaming and filmmaking industries to explore and exchange ideas on the themes, issues and trends driving converging media production.

As an international arts, entertainment, and educational organization, the Fireside Foundation, Inc., inspires young and emerging artists through exhibitions, as well as educational programs on an international level.