(1 December 2006 8:00 pm)

MUMBAI: Organisers for BroadcastAsia2007 have revealed that the show will increase its presence for Comgraphics&Animation2007. Over 80 per cent of exhibition space has already been booked, testament to the event’s relevance and growing importance of the Broadcasting and Animation industries in Asia.

“This is in keeping with market trends and especially across Asia, where the animation industry is set to grow to epic proportions,” said Stephen Tan, chief executive with organiser Singapore Exhibition Services.

For the first time in its 12-year history, BroadcastAsia2007, will dedicate extra floor space to accommodate this new focus area. In 2006, the event was housed in halls 7 & 8 at the Singapore Expo. In 2007, organisers will be utilising half of hall 9 which will incorporate the Comgraphics & Animation 2007 exhibition show floor.

In addition, the show floor at ComGraphics&Aimation2007 will be divided into 4 distinct physical areas.

At the Recruitment Zone, aspiring digital artists can speak to the recruiters looking to hire talented individuals for their company, and those wishing to embark on an education in this area can obtain information from various leading educational institutions. .

At the Interactive Zone, visitors can dive into hands-on demos and get up close with the latest technologies on offer, while at the Exhibitors’ Tech Talk Zone, visitors can listen in to exhibitors who will be sharing insights and knowledge on CGI and Interactive Digital Media techniques and trends in a 45 minute presentation.

As with previous years, the show will also include an Animation Screening & Digital Art Gallery, where visitors can sit back and be treated to a screening of selected animation entries and top-line award winning productions by other professional artists. A tour of the Digital Art Gallery is also offers a kaleidoscope of creative works set around various themes.

Conference & Artist Workshops will also be held alongside the exhibition. The event will also be the venue to host the annual Comgraph Competition, organised by ACM Siggraph Singapore.

Other improvements at BroadcastAsia2007 include gentler hall lighting and an enhanced registration process where visitors only need to register once to access both CommunicAsia 2007 and BroadcastAsia2007 halls.

“We’ve listened to feedback from exhibitors and visitors and have taken steps to improve their overall experience at BroadcastAsia. With less light coming into the halls, products that are receptive to glare can be demonstrated with improved clarity, this would be closer to the environment found in production studios or editing rooms, where lighting tends to be a lot milder. A one-time registration also allows faster and easier movement of people between halls”, added Tan.

BroadcastAsia2007 will be held from the 19 to 22 June and incorporates ProfessionalAudioTechnology2007. The event is held in conjunction with Com Graphics & Animation 2007, Interactive DME, CommunicAsia2007 and Enterprise IT 2007.