Tropfest for Kids - TROP JR

DATED: 28.08.2007

The Tropfest Team has joined forces with presenting partner The Australian Children's Television Foundation and broadcast partner Cartoon Network to bring you the first annual TROP JR: The World's Largest Short Film Festival - for Kids! By Kids!

TROP JR is a short filmmaking competition open to kids aged 15 years and younger. Entries are now being accepted online via www.tropjr.com. Parents, teachers or carers should carefully read all of the 2008 Trop Jr Entry Guidelines, Frequently Asked Questions and Terms & Conditions that are set out on the Trop Jr website.

Kids can enter Trop Jr individually or as a group, and multiple entries are permitted. Entry is free. Film formats can include live action, animation and documentaries. In true Trop tradition, each film must also include a Trop Jr Signature Item (TSI) which for 2008 is GREEN. The TSI can be interpreted in any way the filmmaker chooses, as long as it appears somewhere in the film.

Just like Tropfest, Trop Jr is one of the best exhibition opportunities for rising young talent, giving filmmakers a chance to screen their films in one of the most unique festival environments in the world.

"Tropfest has always been about encouraging aspiring filmmakers of all ages and backgrounds to make films. Trop Jr will be a fun, accessible and positive platform for kids to show their work, and it will introduce audiences to the next generation of Australian filmmaking talent. We couldn't be more excited about working with the ACTF on this new addition to our activities!" says John Polson, Tropfest's Founder and Festival Director.

The Australian Children's Television Foundation (ACTF) was drawn to the idea of a short film festival for kids, by kids, after seeing films and animations being created by students in schools around Australia. Chairman of the ACTF, Janet Holmes à Court, explained that, "The ACTF is well aware that children in a digital age are no longer content just to be media consumers; they also want to be media creators. The content we see being produced in our advisory schools, even by relatively young children, is of such high standards that it deserves to be shared with a wider audience. For these reasons, the ACTF is thrilled to be working with Tropfest to bring the Trop Jr festival to life."

Trop Jr will take place during the afternoon before the main Tropfest festival, on a separate site in Sydney's Domain on Sunday 17th February 2008. Families can have a picnic lunch and enjoy the activities and amusements provided from 12pm. Celebrity presenters and judges will then kick off proceedings by screening the 8 Trop Jr Finalists on the big outdoor screen from 2pm.

Check www.tropjr.com for further event details and subscribe to Trop Jr News for regular updates.

TROP JR 2008
Presented by The Australian Children's Television Foundation
SUNDAY 17TH FEBRUARY 2007
The Domain, Sydney
FREE FILM ENTRY! FREE FESTIVAL ENTRY!

For Trop Jr and Sony Tropfest media enquiries please contact:

Corey Cooper Spin Communications
Phone: (02) 9360 3377
Fax: (02) 9360 1594
Email: c.cooper@spin.com.au

For enquiries about ACTF please contact:

Glenda Wilson
Australian Children's Television Foundation
Phone: (03) 9419 8800
Fax: (03) 9419 0660
Email: glenda.wilson@actf.com.au
www.actf.com.au

For enquiries about Cartoon Network please contact:

Zoe Rouch Cartoon Network
Phone: (02) 9335 3156
Fax: (02) 9335 3181
Email: zoe.rouch@turner.com
www.cartoonnetwork.com.au

ACTF Sponsorship of Trop Jr
The Australian Children's Television Foundation (ACTF) is committed to providing Australian children with entertaining media made especially for them, which makes an enduring contribution to their cultural and educational experience. We believe that children deserve interactive experiences that encourage them to engage with content, with each other and the world around them and we recognize that many children are accomplished creators of their own media. By presenting Trop Jr, the ACTF is providing children with a platform to showcase their creativity and talent, and to contribute their own stories "for kids, by kids".

Sony Tropfest 2008
Sony Tropfest is known as the largest short film festival in the world, and one of Australia's most iconic and well-loved cultural events. It attracts more than 600 entries each year and a national audience of more than 150,000 people. Sony Tropfest 2008 will take place on Sunday February 17th in Sydney's Domain, and will be broadcast via satellite to more than 14 locations nationwide. The 2008 Tropfest Signature Item is '8'. Online entry will open in early October. In the meantime, filmmakers may refer to last year's event info, entry guidelines, terms and conditions at www.tropfest.com (Festival Site link).

Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network is one of the most popular entertainment channels among kids and is currently seen in over 1.8 million cable homes in Australia with 94% cable penetration. The Network is distributed on Austar, Foxtel and Optus. Launched in the Asia Pacific in 1994, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.'s (TBS) Cartoon Network offers the best in animated entertainment. Drawing from the world's largest cartoon library of Warner Bros., MGM and Hanna-Barbera titles, the Network also showcases original series including The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, Codename: Kids Next Door, The Powerpuff Girls, Ben 10 and Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends. TBS Inc., a Time Warner company, is a major producer of news and entertainment product around the world and the leading provider of programming for the basic cable industry.