Rao Heidmets was born in Parnu, Estonia. In 1981, he graduated from the Tallinn Technical University, Faculty of Electro-energetics, as the engineer of electric networks and systems. In 1982, he changed his career and went to the “Tallinfilm” Studios to make animated films. At first as an animator, and from 1983 as a film director. In 1991, he established his own studio “Rao Heidmets Filmstudio”. His films, both shorts and features, have been shown officially at various international festivals, and have received numerous prizes : “THEATRE PAPA CARLO” (’88) received Grand Prix at Cinanima’89, “LIVINGROOM” (’94) received Special Jury Prize at Antalya’95, “INSTINCT” (’03) received Film Critic & Jury’s Special Prize at KROK’03, and many more. Rao Heidmets has held many animation workshops for children, students and professional filmmakers in Europe and in North & South America. He has also served as the jury at many international film festivals, such as Cinanima’90, Odense’01, Message to Man ’06, KROK’07, etc. Since 1996, he is a foreman of Estonia Animation’s Union. During ’97-’99, served as a member of Estonian Film Foundation’s Expert Board, and during ’99 – ’01, as an executive producer of Estonian State TV in Children & Youth Programs. Since 2006, he teaches animation at Tartu Art College.

Elena Chernova was born in Sverdlovsk (now Ekaterinburg), Russia. She finished art college with honors, and after graduating from the Moscow Technological Institute of Light industry, worked as a footwear designer. In 1990, she followed animation course at “Pilot” Animation Studio, and went all the way from inbetweener, layout artist to animator. She worked as a designer, artist and art director of an advertising agency. Then, after graduating from Higher Courses for Scriptwriters and Film Director in 2002 at the workshop of Fedor Khitruk and Eduard Nazarov, Elena Chernova has been working at “Pilot” Animation Studio as a director ever since. Prize winner of numerous Russian and International Film Festivals. Among her representative films are : “ABOUT A GIRL…” (2002), “2+1=” (2003),
“THE CLEVER DAUGHTER” (2005), “I WON’T TELL!” (2006) and “HARE THE SERVANT” (2007).

Sophie Lodge was born in England. She already started making animation in her childhood, when she lived in different countries including Canada, Malta, Zambia and Kenya, and her first commercial was aired on local television when she was eleven. She moved to London to study graphic design at an art college, and then graduated from London School of Animation with distinction. Sophie Lodge began her professional career in London animating dinosaurs for the landmark BBC documentary ”WALKING WITH DINOSAURS”, broadcasted in 1999. Continuing on the dinosaur theme, she was nominated for an Emmy Award for her work on “THE BALLAD OF BIG AL”, and more longer form projects followed including a BBC adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “THE LOST WORLD”. After working for commercial works for a while, in 2003 she moved to Wellington, New Zealand, to work on“LORD OF THE RINGS – THE RETURN OF THE KING”. In 2004, she took a sabbatical to live in Lamu, an island off the coast of Kenya, where she worked for designing brochures to help promote tourism. She also became enamoured with the donkeys there and painted them, and her artwork “DONKEY WITHOUT BORDERS” was exhibited in Lamu and London. In early 2006, she moved back to Wellington to work again for Peter Jackson on “KING KING”. She is currently freelancing in London and New York as an animator and artist.

Ray Kosarin produces and directs animation for film and television, both domestic (US) and international co-productions. In Europe, he has worked as supervising director of the series “THE WORLD OF TOSH” for Svensk Filmindustri, with whom he has also worked as head director of the Nickelodeon/Fox series “THE THREE FRIENDS AND JERRY”, and supervising producer of “DA MOB” for Fox/SKY. In the US, Ray Kosarin has worked as supervising director of the hit series “DARIA”, director for the television series “BEAVIS AND BUTT-HEAD” and “THE HEAD”, and sequence director for the Paramount feature film “BEAVIS AND BUTT-HEAD DO AMERICA”. He has animated for NBC’s “SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE”, “SESAME STREET”, and the Broadway stage, and directed animation for prime-time television specials, including the HBO musical “IRA SLEEPS OVER”, winner of the ACE Award for Best Animated Program. His award-winning theatrical short “UNCLE”, has been invited to many world-class festivals including Annecy, Zagreb, Hiroshima, Black Maria and Anima Mundi.
He formed Kosarin Productions, Inc. in 1998, to serve a growing overseas clientele and to facilitate collaboration with European artists for specialized projects. He currently teaches at School of Visual Art in New York City and serves on the ASIFA-East Executive Board and the ASIFA International Board.

Kiyoshi Nishimoto was born in Shimonoseki City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. After graduating from the Commercial Design Department (currently called: Visual Communication Design Department) at Musashino Art University, Tokyo, in 1975, he worked as the Research Assistant of Imagery Course of the same department until 1981. Since 1982, he has been working as a freelance animator. His works include animations made mainly for various Expo, museums, commercials and TV opening titles, TV scientific programs, etc. He also created interactive works for educational multimedia software. From 1985 to 2004, he also taught animation as a lecturer at Musashino Art University.
Since 2005, Kiyoshi Nishimoto is a professor at Musashino Art University, where he has mainly been lecturing the possibility of animation in the field of information design. Among his independent films are “LAMINATED STRUCTURE” (1982) and “LAUGHING MOON” (2000), which received Grand Prix at Media-City Seoul International Animation Festival 2002 and the 2nd Prize of Best Animation for Children at Anima Mundi 2002. He is currently serving as the Board Member of ASIFA-Japan.