The 3-day event, a celebration of the best in Animation, Live Action, Illustration and Video Games, returns to Pasadena October 25-27; over 200 hours of featured programming includes presentations, panels and workshops from leading industry talent.
LightBox Expo (LBX) returns October 25-27 to the Pasadena Convention Center, with an expansive program lineup celebrating artists and creators behind acclaimed films, animation, games, TV shows, comics and illustrations and features.
This year’s event features over 200 hours of programs, original demos, panels, and workshops presented by artists including: Chris Sanders (The Wild Robot); Colin Lorimer (The Last of Us); Constantine Sekeris (Black Panther); Deanna Marsigliese (Art Director, Pixar); Doug Chiang (Star Wars); John Musker (Moana); Neysa Bove (WondLa); Nick Park (Wallace & Gromit); Paul Lasaine (Lord of the Rings); Phillip Boutte Jr. (Wakanda Forever); Rich Moore (Zootopia); Sarah Andersen (Sarah’s Scribbles); and others.
Presentations are hosted by production talent from leading production talent at companies such as Disney, Netflix, Illumination, Pixar, Laika, Sony Pictures Animation, DreamWorks, Skydance Animation, Warner Bros. Pictures Animation, Marvel Animation, and others.
For more information about the event and program, visit the LightBox Expo website. Tickets are available here.
“LightBox Expo is where I go to be inspired,” said writer and director of DreamWorks’ The Wild Robot Chris Sanders. “It is one of the greatest gatherings of comic, film, game, and graphic artists anywhere!”
LBX, founded by character designer and illustrator, Bobby Chiu (Disney’s Alice in Wonderland) and Jim Demonakos, event organizer and filmmaker (Mike Mignola: Drawing Monsters), offers behind the scenes look at franchises including Star Wars, Devil May Cry, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, Moana 2, and Star Trek: Lower Decks. In addition, Dinotopia creator, James Gurney paints “Colossal Characters” live in front of the Pasadena Convention Center, go on a Sketch Crawl with Netflix story artist, Nick Sung and Dave Pimental, head of story on Moana, and meet up with other artists specializing in multiple disciplines.
Chiu shared, “The collective inspiration, passion and expertise that blends together under one roof is exactly why we call LBX ‘for artists and by artists.’”
Demonakos added, “We are excited to welcome new sponsors such as 20th Television Animation, Laika, Walt Disney Imagineering and ILM Immersive, and are thankful for the support of more than 30 companies, schools and studios that are advancing the opportunity for artists to grow in their disciplines.”
Disney and Netflix Programming Rooms
More than 20 hosted panels from Netflix and The Walt Disney Family of Companies are part of this year’s programming. The list includes “Walt Disney Animation Studios presents: Diving into the Creative Process Behind Moana 2,” a panel on storytelling through character design at Pixar, a behind the scenes look at developing concept art for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Career Journeys to the Star Wars Universe with Lucasfilm Animation. Netflix will host panels and signings for Ultraman: Rising and Arcane: League of Legends, a panel for its longest running adult animated series entering its eighth and final season, Big Mouth, as well as a featured talk from Academy Award Winning Director, Nick Park and Emmy Nominated Director, Merlin Crossingham for their upcoming film Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl.
International Animation on Friday, October 25
The Glassworker, the Pakistani 2D hand-drawn animated feature and official Annecy and Cannes film selection, will have its U.S. premiere at this year’s LightBox Expo on Friday, October 25. The screening is open to anyone with an LBX badge.
Animayo, the first and only animation festival in Spain designated a qualifying festival by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, will showcase the award-winning international short films on Friday night.
The Animation Showcase, curated by Benoit Berthe Siward, is screening top animation productions from around the world; historically, many of the projects he has screened have gone on to win numerous awards, including Oscars.
Video Games
Adi Shankar, the creator, showrunner, and executive producer of the upcoming animated series, Devil May Cry based on the popular video game, will present. Sunday will feature the League of Legends panel as well as a panel and signing for Arcane: League of Legends - The Alchemy of Animation. Another featured Sunday panel is “The Art of Video Games: Panel with Top Industry Artists” with Raf Grassetti (God of War), Loish (Horizon: Zero Dawn), Bruno “Noxizmad” Gore (Death Stranding), Alexandria Neonakis (The Last of Us), and Alvin Lee (League of Legends).
Concept Art Awards
Every year, LightBox Expo presents The Concept Art Awards, recognizing the best concept art from film, TV, video games as well as independent and student artists, presented in partnership with the Concept Art Association. Among the recipients of the 6th Annual Concept Art Awards are two new Lifetime Achievement honorees: Star Wars legends, Doug Chiang, and Terryl Whitlatch. The annual award ceremony presentation will be on Saturday night, October 26, at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. The awards are open to anyone with an LBX event badge.
Source: LightBox Expo 2024
Debbie Diamond Sarto is news editor at Animation World Network.
