Corus Entertainment Inc. held its annual General Meeting on December 11, 2002 and outlined its action plan to position Nelvana as a key component of the company's overall business strategy, which includes a focus on vertical integration and content ownership. In addition, the company announced the appointment of Doug Murphy to executive vice president, business development for Nelvana.

Universal Pictures has promoted Andrew Fenady to vice president, production. Fenady has been with Universal since 2000, when he came on board as director of production. In his new position he will continue to work with filmmakers on all aspects of physical production, including budgeting, scheduling, hiring crews and managing the daily workings within the production. Fenady is currently overseeing physical production on the films DR. SEUSS' THE CAT IN THE HAT, THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS 2 and HONEY.

Digital visual effects studio Radium has announced the addition of Inferno artist Ali Laventhol to its Los Angeles office. Laventhol comes to Radium with 10 years of experience in the broadcast television, post-production and visual effects industries. Beginning her career in the broadcast news arena, Laventhol developed her eye for composition and color in the live production of news, weather and sports graphics at a local TV station in the Bay Area.

Sidney Clifton has been promoted to senior vice president and head of development and programming at independent animation company Film Roman, Inc. Clifton has already placed five projects into fast track development, while she oversees script development on the animated series TRIPPING THE RIFT, currently in production with CinéGroupe and the Sci-Fi Channel.

Disney chairman Michael Eisner outlined his strategy to revitalize his company in the December 9 issue of FORBES Magazine. Among other juicy tidbits, Eisner reveals that he has written a letter to the Disney board recommending a successor and implies that his choice is current president and COO Bob Iger. Eisner also details his revitalization plan for Disney, which may include selling The Mighty Ducks hockey team, 64 company-owned radio stations and other ancillary businesses with an aim to substantially reduce Disney's $13 billion debt over the next 18 months.

Digital artist/designer Nico Puertollano has been added to the staff of New York-based Rhinoceros Visual Effects and Design. Prior to joining the staff, Puertollano had worked for Rhinoceros and a number of other companies as an independent artist and designer. As a freelance artist with Rhinoceros, Puertollano worked on a variety of projects including the short animated film FROM THE 104TH FLOOR, commercials for Phoenix Mutual, Arby’s and Bengay, as well as projects for Sony, USA Networks, Samsung Digital and others.

Animation and live-action production company Super 78 has hired former Creative Capers art director Robert Rose as CG supervisor. After working as a freelance art director for a number of years, Rose joined Creative Capers Entertainment where he enjoyed a successful six-year tenure as art director/technical director. While at Creative Capers, Rose led the CGI design team and was instrumental in pre-visualization development for Universal Studio’s SITTING DUCKS, and also worked on the feature films 101 DALMATIANS, MR. MAGOO, THE TIGGER MOVIE and BOUNCE.

Sony Pictures Imageworks is enhancing its visual effects department with the hire of three new visual effects supervisors: Mark Stetson, Kevin Mack and Richard Hoover. Mark Stetson began his career on STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE, and has worked on such films as BLADE RUNNER, THE RIGHT STUFF, GHOSTBUSTERS and DIE HARD. He won an Oscar and a BAFTA Award in 2002 for visual effects on THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING. Kevin Mack won the Academy Award in 1999 for Best Visual Effects with WHAT DREAMS MAY COME and has supervised effects on DR.

Former vice president of Greenlight International B.V., Lynn Chadwick has been appointed Nelvana’s director of sales for Northern Europe. Based in the company’s London office, she will drive sales and development with key customers in the United Kingdom, Ireland and the Netherlands. Prior to her position at Greenlight, Chadwick served as vice president, international at Salter Street Films International. She oversaw the establishment and significant growth of their international division, establishing Salter Street as a leading Canadian producer and supplier of television content.

Santa Monica-based visual effects studio R!OT has promoted Ken Nakada to the post of director of visual effects. In his new role, Nakada will oversee all of the studio’s activities related to the production of visual effects for feature films, episodic television, commercials and music videos. His role will include managing the department, providing creative oversight for current projects and planning for long term growth. Nakada will also continue to perform his previous duties as a matte painter and compositor.