The Academy of Art College in San Francisco has hired animator Lisa Mullins as the animation lead for their Computer Graphics and 3D Animation department. Mullins has experience working in 2D, stop-motion and computer animation, and has worked in commercials, television, games and film. Her feature credits include HOLLOW MAN, DINOSAUR and SOUTH PARK THE MOVIE. After a stint at Walt Disney Feature Animation Studios, Mullins freelanced on projects for Vinton Studios and Wild Brain.

Marvel exec Allen S. Lipson, Esq., will take over as CEO of Marvel Enterprises effective January 1, 2003, upon the retirement of Peter Cuneo, current president & CEO. Following his retirement, Cuneo will continue to serve as a Marvel board member and advisor. Lipson has been Marvel's executive vice president business & legal affairs since November 1999, where he played an integral role in structuring and negotiating the company's strategic entertainment and licensing relationships.

Yet another animation player has struck out on his own. Following the news last week of former TV-Loonland head of programming John Bullivant forming his own company to create and develop character based projects, UK animation scriptwriter Alastair Swinnerton has announced he has left Skryptonite, the animation production company he co-founded five years ago. Swinnerton has now set up a new company called BA20 Entertainment in order to develop and market animation properties in a style similar to that of LEGO's BIONICLE, which Swinnerton helped create.

Animation and digital visual effects studio Sparx* has brought on Manuel Le Hir and Guillaume Marien. In their new sales development roles, Le Hir and Marien will be working alongside the co-founders of Sparx*, Guillaume Hellouin and Jean-Christophe Bernard. "In the face of a fast-developing market, we wanted to acquire additional resources that would help boost the studio’s growth while respecting its original values. We chose these two particular personalities for their remarkable career track records, their huge management talent and their corporate spirit," said Hellouin.

DIC Entertainment announced today that they have signed Nancy Bassett to head up all of their licensing and merchandising sales initiatives worldwide. Bassett comes to DIC from Viacom Consumer Products where she was the vice president of worldwide sales for Paramount Pictures' licensing division. During Bassett's tenure with Viacom she served as the general manager of Viacom Consumer Products Canada and as managing director of Hamilton Projects. Bassett also held executive positions at Alliance Atlantis Entertainment and Sega of Canada.

Television executive John Bullivant has launched Kickback Media, a new executive production and development outfit. According to Bullivant, the aim of Kickback is to create, develop and finance character and design-based intellectual properties. The television activities will focus predominantly on the children's market and will include both animation and live-action content.

Goodspot Design and Goodspot Editorial has appointed Lisa Cleff to the position of vice president of sales and marketing for both divisions. Cleff joins newly appointed executive producer Mandy Martin, with whom she enjoyed a successful working relationship during their time together at design studio Attik/San Francisco. Prior to joining Goodspot, Cleff served as director of sales and marketing for R!OT Design in Manhattan. Her entree into the world of broadcast design came during her three years as U.S. director of business development at Attik.

Award-winning Los Angeles based writer and producer, Atul Rao, will be joining Toonz Animation India as the story editor and co-art director for its upcoming 3D series ADVENTURES OF HANUMAN. Rao and his family will join Toonz in India in November 2002. Starting as a staff writer at Nelvana Entertainment, Rao wrote for animated hits such as BABAR, CAREBEARS, BEETLEJUICE and TINTIN and then spent four years as producer, head writer and performer for Canadian cable network YTV.

PowerHouse Studios, Inc., a group of affiliated companies in the technology, entertainment, game, healthcare and education industries, has appointed Jay Elliot as CEO. Elliot will be responsible for overseeing the entire PowerHouse operation from its headquarters in Los Angeles. As a member of PowerHouse's Board of Directors, Elliot has recently overseen the acquisition of Agate Technologies, Inc. as well as entertainment development partnerships with Bluetorch Media, Nuvo Studios and Thrilling Entertainment.

Warner Bros.' Lorenzo di Boneventura has stepped down from his position as executive VP of motion pictures to take a role at the studio producing independent films. As reported in VARIETY, di Boneventura, who was promoted to the position of exec VP less than two months ago, said he wanted to move to indie producing to "stretch his creative muscles," which were apparently atrophying under the strains of heading a major motion picture studio.