‘Mylo Xyloto,’ created by CalArts alum Mark Osborne and the band Coldplay debuts at Comic-Con. | Image: coldplay.com
Comic-Con, the largest comic book and pop culture convention in the world, takes over the San Diego Convention Center through Sunday, July 15. While we’re sure that a number of CalArtians have already headed south to attend the festivities, a number of other alumni and students are serving as panelists or presenters at the convention.
Here’s a quick list of CalArtians we found on the Comic-Con schedule. (Please add to the comments section if you know of others):
- Friday, July 13, 1-2 pm in Room 23ABC: Oscar-nominated writer and director Mark Osborne (Film/Video MFA 92) and the band Coldplay have teamed up to create a six-part comic book series based on the character of Mylo Xyloto, which is also the name of the band’s latest album. Osborne (director of Kung Fu Panda) and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin have promised that secrets behind the enigmatic character and concept album will be revealed in the series. Members of the creative team Alejandro Fuentes, Steve Hamaker and Dylan Haggerty discuss the project at Comic-Con.
- Saturday, July 14, 12-1 pm in Room 2: DeviantART is the world’s largest online art community, displaying 226 million pieces of art from more than 22 million registered artists and art appreciators. For Comic-Con, the site brings together a lineup of comic, manga and animation artists for the discussion How-To: Supercharge Your deviantART Profile Like the Masters. One of the speakers is Chris Sanders (Film/Video BFA 84), creator of Lilo & Stitch and How to Train Your Dragon.
- Saturday, July 14, 3:30-4:30 pm in Room 5AB: On the Disney Channel Television Animation screening and panel session, Alex Hirsch (Film/Video BFA 07 ) screens clips from and discusses his new mystery adventure series Gravity Falls. Craig McCracken (Film/Video 92), creator of Powerpuff Girls, Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends, and Lauren Faust (Film/Video 95), creator of My Little Pony, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, also present a sneak peek of their latest series Wander Over Yonder, which McCracken created and Faust co-produces.
- Saturday, July 14, 8:30-9:30 pm in Room 7AB: Director and animator Emily Brundige (Film/Video MFA 12), creator of the 10-episode animated web series, Pubertina, speaks with other series creators as part of the Shut Up! Cartoons Panel. The panel also features the comedic web duo, Smosh (Anthony Padilla and Ian Hecox) and Graham Bennett (YouTube content partnerships).
- Sunday, July 15, 2:30-4 pm in Room 9: Screening at the San Diego International Children’s Film Festival, traditionally held on Sunday at Comic-Con, is CalArts Character Animation student Shaun Peterson’s short film, Jostle. The film follows a small penguin as he’s interrupted on his way to a delicious meal.
Jostle from Shaun Peterson on Vimeo.