The Game Developers’ Association of Australia (GDAA), the governing body for the Australian Videogame Industry, announced that Australian videogame companies are planning ahead and looking for talent at this year’s GDC to help fuel the booming games industry “Downunder” in years to come. During GDC 2005 in San Francisco, California (March 7-11, 2005), interested parties wishing to learn more are asked to stop by and visit the BigWorld Booth # 827 or Auran Booth # CP160 and talk with the GDAA executives.

On March 7, 2005, National Film Development Corp. Malaysia (Finas) Chairman Datuk Abdul Aziz Rahman urged Malaysian feature, documentary and animation filmmakers to look toward making films that appeal to an international market, reports BERNAMA. The Malaysian tends to make films that appeal to specific local tastes, which make quick profits.

Abdul Aziz said, "Most of them (movie producers) never think that messages conveyed to the audience should be given priority".

BioWare Corp. announced its plans to continue the expansion of its development teams for its future videogame projects. The Edmonton-based company is actively recruiting for a variety of positions across numerous disciplines and will be taking those recruitment efforts across North America in the upcoming months.

In a restructuring move to dedicate new efforts in the family arena, Universal Pictures has established Universal Studios Home Entertainment Family Productions and will step up efforts to produce product for the made-for-DVD arena.

(USHEFP), it was announced today by Mary Parent and Scott Stuber, respectively vice chairman, Worldwide production, Universal Pictures.

Atari Inc. it has entered into an exclusive, long-term agreement with Spark Unlimited, developer of CALL OF DUTY: FINEST HOUR, for worldwide publishing rights across all media to all future titles developed by the award-winning creative team at Spark Unlimited. The first joint project is in development at Spark for the next generation of consoles, and will be unveiled in greater detail in the spring, with an anticipated launch during the holiday 2006 season.

A new videogame rating category, E10+ (Everyone 10 and older), was introduced by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), to help consumers more easily differentiate between games that have content appropriate for the whole family and games that are suitable for ages 10 and older.

Toronto-based Switch VFX, a visual effects studio specializing in photorealistic effects and CG character creation for feature films and television, marked its first anniversary in February. Switch VFX recently completed visual effects work on the Fox/Sci Fi Channel series pilot ANONYMOUS REX and on the GalaFilm Prods. TV movie TRIPPING THE WIRE, as well as title design for the CBC miniseries WHISKEY ECHO.

Like a typical Hollywood marriage, it seems that Peter Jackson’s “made in heaven” collaboration with New Line has come upon irreconcilable differences. On Feb. 28, 2005, Jackson’s Wingnut Films filled suit in Los Angeles claiming New Line and its subsidiary Katja Motion Pictures failed to properly calculate revenue from LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, reports the AP.

The prospects are looking good for a national animation fund in the U.K., according to Jonathan Peel, chair of Millimages UK and chair of the animation policy group of the British producers association PACT.

The Honig Co. Inc., a leading boutique public relations agency, announced it is representing USA Index Corp., the U.S. subsidiary of Index Corp., a $20 billion diversified technology and media company based in Japan.

The Honig Co. will initially be undertaking a campaign aimed at raising awareness of Sega Animanium, a software product for the animation industry, and working to increase sales within North America.