Category: Business

Rhino Films has joined forces with MOTHER JONES magazine and Alligator Planet to form Rhino Animated Features, which is designed to produce a series of activism docs for theatrical release, reports VARIETY. The first film will be MOTHER SEES RED, which will take a look at America's current culture wars. An animated version of labor leader Mary Harris "Mother" Jones will host the films.

MOTHER JONES will give editorial direction for the projects. Rhino Films head Stephen Nemeth brought the idea to Alligator Planet, where Tim Boxell will head the company.

John Taddeo, formerly associated with Florida publisher Tekno Comics, has put up an offer of $500,000 to purchase all the assets of bankrupt comicbook publisher CrossGen, reports ICv2.com.

The filing states. "The sale of the Assets to the Purchaser is far from a mere continuation of the Debtors' businesses in the ordinary course, but represents a liquidation of the businesses.

Radar Pictures of Los Angeles (THE CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK and THE LAST SAMURAI) has agreed to a minority interest in the Canadian visual effects group of companies that includes C.O.R.E. Feature Animation and C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures of Toronto.

Said Bob Munroe, president/co-founder of C.O.R.E.: "Partnering with one of Hollywood's most successful independent production companies will give us greater access to the resources required to bring major animated feature films to market.

Walt Disney Co.s ceo Michael Eisner has announced that he is stepping down from his post when his contract expires in Sept. 2006, reports the WALL STREET JOURNAL. This move ends Eisners two-decade reign at the mega-corporation and comes six months after former board members Stanley Gold and Roy Disney tried to oust him from the firm. Gold and Disneys efforts did lead to Eisner being removed as chairman. Disney president Robert Iger is Eisners "preferred choice" to succeed him.

On Sept. 1, 2004, TV-Loonland filed to have its 7,156,969 shares listed on the British AIM market as a second listing. The shares are expected to be admitted and start trading on September 30, 2004, subject to the LSEs approval. The filing used a fast track route process an abbreviated admission procedure for companies already listed on other selected stock exchanges.

The SwordStaff.com booth at the Canadian National Expo, a comic, sci-fi and horror, convention, was raided by police after the authorities were tipped off that the company was selling illegal weapons. The online company sells replica swords, daggers, maces and war hammers from movies and television series. Four Americans and two Canadians were arrested on multiple counts of possessing and selling prohibited weapons.

Ludlow Music has withdrawn its demands that JibJab Media stop using Woody Guthrie's THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND tune in the Web short, THIS LAND, because it was discovered that Ludlow does not own the copyright, reports WIRED. JibJab's lawyers discovered that anyone can record their own version of the song, because the copyright has expired.