Blur Studio, a leading animation and visual effects production studio, has completed a major expansion, which added a state-of-the-art motion capture production studio to their facilities. In addition, Blur has gained a digital edit bay and a clean room for networking and digital storage hardware. The expansion comes as Blur Studio is embarking on the production of a 3D ride film for Paramount Studios and Stan Lee Media, entitled STAN LEE'S 7TH PORTAL 3D SIMULATION EXPERIENCE. "Blur is evolving and evolving quickly," said Tim Miller, the company's president.

Phil Roman Entertainment, Inc. (PRE) has entered into a three-year, non-exclusive strategic alliance with the C-3D Television Network and the 3D.com Virtual Reality Portal Website, divisions of Chequemate International. The new agreement follows on the heels of PRE's president, Phil Roman's appointment to C-3D's advisory board. The partnership calls for both companies to jointly seek, develop, produce, promote, market and distribute animation and live-action programming for the C-3D Television Network and the 3D.com Virtual Reality Portal Website.

On Monday, October 9, 2000, Eidos Plc., the U.K. video game maker, declined a potential takeover after it decided that the terms and price didn't offer a good value to its shareholders. Eidos wouldn’t release the names of the bidders, which analysts had rumored were either Infogrames SA, Microsoft Corp. or Electronic Arts. Upon the news, the company’s shares fell 11% on the London stock exchange to 261 pence and dropped 14% on the Nasdaq stock exchange to US$3.88.

AWN's stock ticker features the most prominent publicly traded companies in the world of animation. AWN, Inc. makes available certain financial information from third party information providers. AWN does not give advice in any such fields, and has not reviewed, and in no way endorses the validity of such data. This information is provided solely as a means to keep our readers informed of the market performance and trends of certain companies. AWN strongly suggests that one seek advice from a competent professional regarding any investment or financial issues.

On Friday, October 6, 2000, Cinar Corp. released a letter by company president and CEO Barrie Usher to its investors chronicling the reasons behind their delayed reporting of financial statements dating as far back as 1997. Currently, the Montreal-based production firm is under investigation for allegedly using false Canadian names on scripts, written by Americans, to obtain lucrative Canadian tax credits.

At MIPCOM, Cosgrove Hall Films has christened its new media division, Cosgrove Hall Digital (CHD) with the launch of its new Website: www.chd.uk.com. CHD will be run by managing director Iain Pelling and day-to-day operations will be overseen by Jon Rashid. The new division will create digital content for Websites, broadcast transmissions and CD-Roms. Currently, CHD is working on a pre-school series entitled WILD AND WONDERFUL, and a children’s series for ITEL entitled ALBIE.

German animation production house and rights buyer, TV Loonland AG has acquired the television production and distribution activities of Sony Wonder, the children’s production arm of Sony Music Entertainment. The deal was worth US$20.5 million in cash and stocks. As part of the deal, TV Loonland also obtains animation studio Sunbow Entertainment, which Sony Wonder bought in 1998. Sony will retain North American home video rights and international audio rights to their catalog of programming, which includes CLIFFORD and GENERATION O!

AWN's stock ticker features the most prominent publicly traded companies in the world of animation. AWN, Inc. makes available certain financial information from third party information providers. AWN does not give advice in any such fields, and has not reviewed, and in no way endorses the validity of such data. This information is provided solely as a means to keep our readers informed of the market performance and trends of certain companies. AWN strongly suggests that one seek advice from a competent professional regarding any investment or financial issues.

MIPCOM, the International Film and Programme Market for TV, Video, Cable and Satellite, hits Cannes, France on October 2 – 6, 2000. MIPCOM facilitates programme sales, deals, new contacts and joint ventures on a global basis. MIPCOM includes a five-day TV industry tradeshow, including a conference progamme on Television in the New Economy called MIPCOM: The International Trading Floor. MIPCOM brings together producers, distributors, broadcasters, Webcasters, worldwide cable and satellite operators, buyers, co-producers and investors from around the globe.

Due to microchip shortages, Sony has decided to cut its October 26, 2000 U.S. shipment of PlayStation 2 next generation gaming consoles by half. However, Sony states that this delivery change will not affect the projected amount of units in North America by the holiday season. 500,000 consoles will ship to 20,000 stores in North America then Sony will roll out 100,000 units each week thereafter. "We will be able to supply a flow of products, instead of a huge initial spike," said Kaz Hirai, COO of Sony.