Paradise Financial Group has launched a new animated production firm called Paradise Family Pictures LLC. The El Segundo, California-based company will produce animated 3D TV and feature film projects for the worldwide market. The new company will have three divisions: development, production and marketing. An international sales division will launch in May 2004. The toon house is in production on two 22-minute shows, COOL CAT ROCKY and IT'S A VERY MERRY JOLLY CHRISTMAS. Both projects will be completed early 2004.

IBM and Threshold Digital Research Labs have signed a four-year, multi-million dollar deal to increase Threshold’s production output. The pact puts in place an IT commitment to help Threshold produce computer-animated movies, location-based entertainment, primetime TV animation and visual effects for feature films.

Ellipse Animation, the animation branch of television production and distribution company Studio Expand, has been sold to French comic strip and comic book publisher Dargaud, reported THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Studio Expand is owned by Vivendi Universal's French pay TV arm Canal Plus. No monetary terms were announced. This move is part of Vivendi Universal's initiative to cut its debt by selling off some of its assets. The remaining divisions of Studio Expand will be sold separately.

Digital Productions Solutions (DPS), the animation unit of IDT Media, has entered into a joint venture with Vanguard Animation to co-produce and co-own all Vanguard properties, as well as buy a minority stake of Vanguard in the eight-figure range. The announcement follows on the heels of DPS's acquisition of a majority stake in Film Roman Inc.

It looks like media mogul Haim Saban has some money left over from his recent $100 million contribution to charities in the U.S. and Israel to make a second attempt to buy ProSiebenSat.1. Saban pulled out of the deal to buy Kirch Media in June 2003. Now rumors are circulating that the POWER RANGERS-powered billionaire is making another run at buying only the broadcaster asset from Kirch's creditors.

Northern California-based VFX house ESC Entertainment was originally funded by Warner Bros. to handle the bulk of the work on the MATRIX trilogy, which cost more than $100 million. But now the studio has decided to expand ESC's role by having it take a lead or secondary role in all of its event films, VARIETY reports.

In honor of its 20th anniversary - and perhaps owing just a little to the success of the acclaimed ABC series, ALIAS - Alias|Wavefront will now be known simply as Alias. According to the Toronto-based 3D graphics technology leader and creator of the Oscar-winning Maya software, the name change "provides a simple yet powerful name that is well known throughout the 3D industry and beyond."

Humunculus, launched only nine months ago in Venice, California, has already expanded into a new, 2,000-square-foot facility. The new studio, located at 529 Victoria Avenue, was designed by Predock Frane architects of Santa Monica, and modified by studio founder Saam Gabbay for Humunculus. "Using the architects' original materials of Lexan, MDF and sanded homosote, we created four subdivisions in the space to fulfill our distinct needs," Gabbay explained.

When the Nickheads.net fansite (which is not connected with Nickelodeon) posted news that Klasky Csupo was only getting an order from Nick for eight episodes of the RUGRATS spinoff, ALL GROWN UP, and thereby was laying off lots of employees, AWN asked reps at Nickelodeon and Klasky Csupo to respond.

With the demand for CGI growing, animatronics special effects wizard Stan Winston has launched a CGI division as part of his Stan Winston Prods, reports VARIETY. Entitled SW Digital, the new Van Nuys, California-based firm will start by offering digital effects services to mid-to-low budget projects. SW Digital will start hiring new staff as projects warrant it. This move adds to the in-house power Winston has to produce his own films. Stan Winston Prods recently produced this summer’s horror flick WRONG TURN, along with New Regency Prods., Summit Entertainment and Constantin Films.