September 18, 2006
News for Pacific Media Expo 2006:
PMX welcomes Avatar: The Last Airbender creators
LOS ANGELES - Bryan Konietzko and Michael DiMartino, co-creators of Nickelodeon action-adventure series Avatar: The Last Airbender, will appear as Guests of Honor at Pacific Media Expo (PMX) on Oct. 28. Both are veterans of numerous other critically-lauded series, including Family Guy, King of the Hill and Invader Zim.
"Avatar represents the perfect balance of Eastern influence and Western media," said Mike Tatsugawa, PMX Event Chair. "I was first exposed to Avatar when I took a group of Japanese animators to the Nickelodeon animation studios. We were all impressed by the quality of both the animation and the story. It was then that I realized we had the perfect candidate for the bridging the traditional anime and the mainstream animation communities."
Avatar: The Last Airbender debuted Feb. 21, 2005 on Nickelodeon. Promptly a ratings leader, it won two Pulcinella Awards and frequently drew more viewers than SpongeBob Squarepants. It surprised many by establishing a fervent fanbase in demographics outside typical younger viewers, featuring guest voice appearances by Mark Hamill (Star Wars) and Daniel Dae Kim (television's Lost). Beginning Sep. 25, Nickelodeon will elevate the series to weeknights at 6:30.
Animated in South Korea, the story centers around 12-year-old Aang, who is destined to bring peace to the world after a century of sleep. Avatar Aang also remains a fun-loving young boy, whose optimistic and occasionally naïve view forms the heart of the series. Among Aang's companions are slightly older Sokka, a skilled warrior with no mystical abilities and gifted Katara, his younger sister.
Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko both graduated of the Rhode Island School of Design and are veterans of Film Roman, famed animator of The Simpsons. Award-winning filmmaker DiMartino directed King of the Hill, Family Guy, Mission Hill and his own Atomic Love, an animated short screened at numerous film festivals. DiMartino currently serves as co-executive producer and story editor on Avatar. Konietzko worked as a character designer for Family Guy before becoming assistant director on King of the Hill and Mission Hill, as well as storyboard artist and art director for Invader Zim. Konietzko is co-executive producer and art director for Avatar.
About Pacific Media Expo: America's first major media trade show dedicated to Asian-Pacific popular culture and entertainment, Pacific Media Expo (PMX) is a journalistic and industry event sponsored by the Pacific Media Association. Pacific Media Expo will be held on Oct. 28 and 29 at the Hilton Los Angeles Airport. The show will feature honored guests, live performances, panel discussions, autograph sessions, Asian cinema and animation video rooms, art exhibitions and one of the country's only exhibit halls dedicated to Asian media and pop culture
About Pacific Media Association: Pacific Media Association is dedicated to promoting the Pacific Rim's entertainment and media industries. PMA specializes in Asia's cultural exports, such as anime and manga, music and live entertainment, live-action television and films, and diverse cultural lifestyles, while building creative communities and promoting Asian awareness within the United States. PMA is the parent of Pacific Media Expo. The Pacific Media Association is located in Los Angeles, California, USA.
For more information about Pacific Media Expo, please visit http://www.PacificMediaExpo.com or e-mail information@PacificMediaExpo.com.
Business inquiries please write to:
Pacific Media Expo
914 Westwood Blvd, Suite 586
Los Angeles, CA 90024-2905
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