Disney, D&AD Awards Seek EMEA Toon Ideas

The Walt Disney Co. EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) has teamed up with the 2011 D&AD Student Awards to search for new animation talent and content.

The world-renowned creative awards, in conjunction with Disney Channels’ Original Programming team, is asking students to create a lead character for a narrative-driven animated comedy series that appeals to children ages 4-14 for its animation category.

“We are looking for characters with heart and optimism,” says Orion Ross, VP of original series EMEA. “It’s not just about appearances; we want to see bags of personality, quirks, foibles, hopes and dreams. We’re also looking for concepts that challenge or reinvent current or classic character design norms. We are genre, medium and technique agnostic so would welcome and encourage students with crafts that range from computer games and graphic design to stop motion or puppetry to enter.”

Disney Channels EMEA has a clear mandate to develop and produce high quality, on brand content that originates from Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The team collaborates with production companies, independent creators, designers and artists to create engaging cross-platform content for Disney Channel, Disney XD and Playhouse Disney.

The closing date for entries is March 4. Information on submitting, including the project brief and assets, can be found online at www.dandad.org/awards/student/2011/categories/17/animation.