2018 Epic ACG Fest Special Guests

 Animation---Jury & Special Guests

	Karl Pontau, Animation Artist, Producer An artist from a young age, Karl grew up in a loving, supportive family, and knew he wanted to study animation in college. A week before his senior year of high school he was diagnosed with two brain tumors. The news hit him like a punch to the chest. Suddenly, everyone felt far away and unreal. Karl had been a very healthy and active kid. So, the diagnosis was a huge surprise to everyone. Fortunately, his family, friends, and school rallied together, helping him overcome the disease and graduate on time. In undergraduate school he saw an auditorium full of strangers laugh as a joke in his animation, and realized he could use animation to help people. Now, Karl owns Squash and Stretch Productions, helping businesses succeed with engaging animated videos. He loves helping businesses that solve problems for their clients. By helping them reach more people, their clients benefit, the business benefits, and Karl gains another happy client! He would not be alive if it weren't for the people who helped him. So, giving and helping others is important to him. You can learn more by visitingwww.squashandstretch.net.
	Christopher R. Coppola; Director, Producer, Actor Director of Film Program at San Francisco Art Institute; Council Member at California Arts Council; Entrepreneurship at Christopher Coppola Productions, PAH NATION; Former Adjunct Professor at Madonna University; A member of the prolific Coppola family, Christopher studied music composition at Redlands University and film at the San Francisco Art Institute, where he received the prestigious California Arts Council young apprentice award for his opera and experimental film "Plato's Cave." He made several other award winning student films before graduating in 1985
	Herb Moore, Animator Herb Moore has been passionately entrenched in the animation industry for 27 years, having worked for all of the major studios, such as Disney, Cartoon Network, Universal and Warner Bros., and numerous smaller studios as well. Some of his favorite productions include Animaniacs, Pinky & the Brain, Scooby Doo, The Simpsons, Class of 3000, Firehouse Tales, Special Agent Oso and Phineas & Ferb. He has been privileged to work with many talented people in pre-production, post production, sound effects, music & voice recording. Herb has been nominated for three Emmys and has received five Emmy certificates in recognition of his contributions on Animaniacs, Pinky & the Brain, Tutenstein,and Phineas & Ferb. He is currently working at Disney TV Animation on the Owl House, as well as several productions at Warner Bros. and has finished illustrating his yet untitled third children’s book.
	Sadia Ashraf, Screenwriter & Author Currently working on an undisclosed Universal TV pilot, Sadia Ashraf is the author of the bestselling Juniper Smoke series, being optioned for a film. Sadia is the creator of the TV show, Memory of Water, screenwriter of the thriller film Harbor Haven, the creator of a British period drama Time and Tide (BBC), and the writer and creator of A Girl in Istanbul, a mini-series. Sadia has edited several indie film scripts, and has consulted with television programs, such as Ugly Betty (NBC), and Community (NBC) and Glee (Fox). She has also worked on foreign TV adaptation at Intrigue Entertainment and serves on the board of Bring Hollywood Back and Cinespots. For two years she was the LA Media Director for a NASA and Pentagon project, the Aeroscraft. From 2006 to 2011, she volunteered for different non-profits and helped raise six million dollars for girls illiteracy and schools. Sadia holds an English Master's degree from Loyola University, Chicago and a Screenwriting postgraduate specialization in from UCLA
	Jasper Wang, Comic, Animation Artist Jasper Wang was born in Auckland, New Zealand in 1998, an event that has been subject to anguished objection and regret by his friends and immediate family ever since. Inspired by the vignettes of everyday people around him, he has found a love for expressing their nuanced stories and bringing them to life through animation and illustration. He began drawing from life during early high school, and his recent attendance at the CalArts Summer Residency has only bolstered his enthusiasm for the momentary stories that people tell. Jasper looks forward to one day making his pet project 'Civilian' into a reality; a series of stories that aim to explore internal juxtapositions inspired by his split childhood between China and New Zealand, as well as the importance of humane virtues in a rapidly changing world. Jasper has also made contributions to advertisement film, with clients such as Nestlé and Costa Cruises; and has exhibited in numerous student gallery shows. At present, he is undergoing his second year of study at California College of the Arts, and eagerly anticipates working in the industry at large.
	Jinglong Li; VR Game Creator, Investor, Producer Mr.LI is a successful entrepreneur who is the CEO of Beijing Battle Time Technology Ltd. He launched world first virtual reality E-Sports tournament World Virtual Arena (WVA) at 2015, and the WVA has been hosted all over the Asia for at least 50+ tournaments. He is also the founder of WRA ( World Robot Arena) tournament. The Beijing Battle Time purchase many famous film IP for VR Game development, such as “ Ip Man”; “ The Booming”; Gongfu Panda”; “ The legent of Zu”; “ Wu Ling Feng”.
	Sunny Zhang, director, screenwriter, Costume designer Suny Zhang is a director, screenwriter. She is the best costume design winner of 2016 Epic ACG Fest. In 2005, she formed Sunny's Drama Space is a non-profit troupe for children's performing arts. For the last 13 years, the troupe has been actively involved in the community events in the Bay Area, aiming at carrying forward the traditional Chinese culture, promoting the performing art of stage plays, along with leading the trends of learning Chinese, speaking Chinese, as well as applying Chinese among the children in the Bay Area. For all the plays, she design and made all costumes for all the characters.

Comic & Game & Cosplay Jury & Special Guests