Elevating its position as a leading 3D animation company, Hornet Inc. recently completed ANGELS, an advertising campaign for the new BMW X5 and Fallon Worldwide. The package includes TV, print, interactive, merchandising and point-of-sale elements for BMW.

Gregory Butler from Weta, a CG supervisor on THE LORD OF THE RINGS films, has been added as a morning keynote speaker to The Pipeline 2003, the U.K. event devoted to digital artists and animators, sponsored by Techimage, to be held at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London on Nov. 20, 2003.

The simultaneous release of Warner Bros.' THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS on Nov. 5, 2003 in 35mm and IMAX/15/70 represents a first for a live-action Hollywood film and the prestigious large format corporation, which is attempting to increase both its commercial appeal and profitability as a result of its aggressive repurposing strategy.

Cutting Edge VFX of Australia (www.cuttingedge.com) recently completed the animated opening and closing credits for Disney's just-released DVD premiere GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE 2 (Walt Disney Home Entertainment, $29.99).

Right upon the heals of MGM’s announcement that it has enlisted Michael Bay's Platinum Dunes to remake THE AMITYVILLE HORROR, Dimension Films plans to produce a film based on the life of George Lutz, who lived in the real Long Island haunted house, which the 1979 film was based on, reported VARIETY. Dimension obtained Lutz’s life rights and a finished script from Nu Image. The film is scheduled to hit theaters early next summer.

Cinesite (Europe) Ltd. will be in Los Angeles to recruit artists on Nov. 6-7, 2003 for some of its upcoming vfx projects. Recruiters will be based at Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, and interested applicants are invited to meet with them to discuss professional opportunities in London. Please email jobs@cinesite.co.uk with resumes. Cinesite will also be holding open recruitment on Nov. 6 at 6:00 pm.

The long in-development film adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s children’s book classic WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE has been assigned by Universal to director Spike Jonze (ADAPTATION), reported VARIETY. Tom Hanks’ Playtone production house has long been developing the film as a CGI project, but Universal agreed to go live-action upon hearing Jonze’s vision. Originally animation vet Eric Goldberg (ALADDIN) was attached to direct, but he left to go work on LOONEY TUNES: BACK IN ACTION after WILD THINGS seemed to be stalling.

Ang Lee’s controversial, angst-ridden adaptation of the popular Marvel comic, HULK, premieres Oct. 28, 2003 on DVD (Universal Home Entertainment, $26.98). The complex, tragic story aside (the scientific sins of the father are truly visited on the son), there’s the more intriguing issue of Industrial Light & Magic’s CG work on the Hulk to reconsider. No matter what your views on the aesthetic choices, the technical advances in character animation make the Hulk a marvel to watch.

Ogilvy PR recently commissioned leading digital effects and design studio Radium to direct and design a hip anti-litter PSA. The PSA is part of the LA County Department of Public Works' efforts to inform people about the negative impact littering has on the environment.

Tom Atkin told VFXWorld that he will be stepping down as founding exec director of the Visual Effects Society (VES) because he's come to the realization that "the goal is accomplished and there is nothing more that I can do at this level. Now that I've built this organization, it's time to turn it over to the membership to dictate future policies, goals and business plans."