netGuru, Inc. (formerly Research Engineers, Inc.) has expanded its netGuruDigitalmedia facilities to provide animation, production and digital media services for U.S. and offshore producers. Based in both Yorba Linda, California, U.S.A. and Calcutta, India, the company offers animation services including 2D animation, clean-up, in-betweening, digital ink and paint, 3D animation, special effects compositing, audio/video editing, and Web and interactive animation and graphics. netGuru also markets AXA Team 2D Pro, a 2D pencil test and ink and paint software package, and newly released AXA-Web.

The company that syndicates the live-action TV series XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS, Studios USA Domestic Television (SUDT), and Brilliant Digital have signed a deal to syndicate the 3D animated Web series XENA to sites around cyberspace. This new deal marks the first major television syndication firm that has delved into Web syndication. The XENA Web series debuted on July 14 at SciFi.com, USANetwork.com and StudiosUSA.com. SUDT executive VP sales and new business Arthur Hasson, said, "I am excited about expanding our syndication business into the on-line world.

TOPIX/Mad Dog has created the visual effects for a 30-second spot entitled, "Stuntman" for Clearnet Communications Inc. Highlighting their new wireless phone, Mike, the commercial is airing in Canada. The ad features a stuntman jumping from a building and making phone calls as he descends. Director Chris Wehfritz brought the spot to life without having a real stuntman jump from a building. Wehfritz took footage of a free-falling parachutist and rotoscoped each frame.

Raymond Eugene "Gene" Portwood Jr., a one-time Disney animator and the co-creator of the ground breaking computer game, WHERE IN THE WORLD IS CARMEN SANDIEGO?, has passed. On July 17, 2000, Portwood died of a heart attack in the Windsor, California convalescent center, where he was staying to recover from a stroke 18 months earlier. He was 66 years old. In 1950, Portwood skipped college and went directly to work at Disney. He eventually helped draw scenes for LADY AND THE TRAMP, SLEEPING BEAUTY and CAPTAIN HOOK.

After having announced the entries for the Independent Film

Competition, the Ottawa 00

International Animation Festival has

released the selections for the Panorama section - Commissioned,

Canadian and Computer categories. For a complete list of competitors,

please visit the Ottawa 00 Web site. The competition will take place

September 19-24, 2000 with the awards ceremony being held on Sunday,

Our August issue, Internet And Compuer Animation, features a

number of special articles. In the Internet animation section we

feature a theoretical look at what might have happened if animation

legends such as Tex Avery had the freedom of the Internet at their

disposal. Martin "Dr. Toon" Goodman sends that one our way.

Plus, we have professionals currently working in the

Internet animation field give you tips on the latest equipment and

Bill Plympton has updated his appearances page. In the upcoming

months, his films will be appearing in various festivals and other

events, including the Hiroshima Animation Festival, Japan, August

24-28, 2000; the Macau Urban Council art carnival, Macau, August 19,

2000; and the Atlantic Film Festival, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada,

September 15-23, 2000. In addition to Hiroshima, Bill will be

attending the KROK Animated Film Festival Moscow, Russia, August

* Wednesday, August 2, 2000. North Hollywood, California, U.S.A.

* Saturday, July 15, 2000 – Sunday, January 7, 2001. Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.

* Tuesday, September 5 – Tuesday, September 26, 2000. San Francisco, California, U.S.A. Friday, September 8 – Saturday, September 9, 2000. Berkeley, California, U.S.A.