Venice, CA-based, Blur Studio, a leader in 3D animation, effects and
design, has spawned a new theme park and special venue division. The new venture will be
helmed by veteran ride film director Yas Takata. The new studio comes off the
heels of Blur's success with the creation of last year's METEOR ATTACK, a
custom film attraction for the Tobu Zoo Park in Tokyo, Japan co-directed by Takata and
Blur co-founder Tim Miller. The film has since been licensed by Iwerks
Entertainment to play at venues around the globe. Takata has directed

November is another packed, globe trotting issue as Animation World takes a
look at the exciting arena of animated feature films. Heikki Jokinen
reveals the health of the European feature market and its high hopes for
the future. Ilene Gannaway takes us inside the production of Sony
Imageworks' next wower, "Stuart Little." From story to technical
innovations, Ilene gives us the inside scoop on how Imageworks is turning a
CGI mouse, into one of the family. Andrew Osmond debates whether or not

Los Angeles, California-based Iwerks Entertainment, which specializes in
high-tech entertainment systems, support services and film-based software
for Giant Screen, ride simulation and specialty venue attractions, recently
opened a sales and support office in London, England. The office, which is
located at 59 South Audley Street, will be led by John Schreiner, Vice
President, Managing Director for Europe. The company is in the midst of a
European growth period that has included the addition of Iwerks Extreme

Warner Bros.' THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL, with visual effects by Hollywood,
California-based K.N.B. EFX Group, Inc., finished third at the US weekend
boxoffice with an estimated $7.8 million, for a total of $28.1 million. The
film is a remake of the 1958 William Castle horror film that starred
Vincent Price. Buena Vista's THE SIXTH SENSE, with visual effects by
DreamQuest, finished eighth, grossing $3.2 million for a total of $264.1
million. The American version of Hayao Miyazaki's PRINCESS MONONOKE, which

Four hundred guests crowded the second floor theatre at the Chicago
Cultural Center, Sunday, October 24, for the 1999 Gala Awards Ceremony and
Closing Night Party of the 16th annual Chicago International Children's
Film Festival. The following awards for animated films were given out:


Children's Jury Prizes - Feature Films and Videos - Animation


1st Prize, KIRIKOU AND THE SORCERESS by Michel Ocelot (France)


2nd Prize, ANNE FRANK'S DIARY by Julian Wolff (France, Ireland, UK,
Netherlands)

The Walt Disney Company and the Hong Kong SAR Government have reached an
agreement for a proposed Hong Kong Disneyland, a theme park development to
be built as the anchor of a tourism center on Lantau Island. Overlooking
the water at Penny's Bay, and on a main transit route from the new Hong
Kong International Airport, the project will make Lantau Island a
world-class tourist destination and take advantage of the location's easy
access by rail, highway and ferry to attract guests to the Park. Currently

Newly released Warner Bros.' THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL, with visual effects
by Hollywood, California-based K.N.B. EFX Group, Inc., topped the US
weekend boxoffice with an estimated $15.1 million. The film is a remake of
the 1958 William Castle horror film that starred Vincent Price. Buena
Vista's THE SIXTH SENSE, with visual effects by DreamQuest, finished
eighth, grossing an estimated $3.2 million for a total of $259.8 million;
and the American version of Hayao Miyazaki's PRINCESS MONONOKE, which is

Toonz Animation India, a new animation production studio and full-service
facility, will host "A Week with the Masters," which will bring the top
names in international animation pre-production together to discuss the
importance of story boarding, character design, and story development.
Among the guests will be keynote speaker Rob Coleman, Industrial Light &
Magic's Animation Supervisor on STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE;
producer-director-writer Derek Lamb; Ian Diamond of Cartoon Network;

As the holidays approach our minds turn to licensing and merchandising and
what is going to be on the shelves this winter. In this issue Tarleton
Gillespie takes us on a trip through Toys R Us to determine the meaning of
toys to kids. The French licensing and merchandising market is detailed by
Valerie Rivoallon. Sharon Schatz profiles toon loving Rhino Records and
Karen Raugust looks at how "Sesame Street's" content changes as the popular
show travels around the world. "Toy Wishes" predicts this year's top dozen

SEGA GAMEWORKS, a location-based entertainment venture formed by Steven
Spielberg and DreamWorks SKG, Universal Studios and Sega Enterprises, has
named leisure entertainment industry veteran, RON BENSION, as president and
CEO. As Chairman and CEO of MCA/Universal Studios Recreation Group from
1992 to 1996, Bension was responsible for running all aspects of Universal
Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Florida in addition to developing
international theme park joint ventures in the United Kingdom and Japan.