To more accurately reflect its core business, licensing company ShoPro USA has changed its name to ShoPro Entertainment. The company will officially unveil its new logo and introduce two new anime shows at NATPE 2003: MEGAMAN BATTLE NETWORK and MIRMO ZIBANG! Both properties began as manga and have evolved into popular TV series in Japan. MEGAMAN BATTLE NETWORK, based on the popular video game series from CAPCOM, is set in a time when everyday amenities are linked to a central computer system.

TOKYOPOP is about to publish three new manga series based on its successful fan-favorites COWBOY BEBOP, JULINE and HARLEM BEAT. One of TOKYOPOP's best sellers and regularly ranked in the BookScan top 10 graphic novel bestseller list, COWBOY BEBOP is based on the hit anime series which airs on Cartoon Network in the U.S. COWBOY BEBOP: SHOOTING STAR is an alternate telling of the TV show that contains all the same intrigue, adventure, action and noir ambiance of its onscreen counterpart.

Dr. Steve Sullivan has been promoted to research and development director at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM). Sullivan, who most recently headed up a computer vision team within the R&D group, has been instrumental in developing systems for matchmoving, image-based modeling and rendering, and motion-capture. In 1996, Sullivan received a PhD. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, with an emphasis on automatic object modeling, recognition and surface representations.

TechTV, a cable network dedicated to all things technology, recently launched ANIME UNLEASHED, a program block devoted to screening anime feature films and series, some never before seen on television in the U.S. ANIME UNLEASHED premiered December 30, 2002 with the series debut of CREST OF STARS, which follows a human boy whose life changes forever when an alien race invades his home planet, and currently airs nightly at 1:00 am EST. "ANIME UNLEASHED is a natural extension to our programming mix," said Greg Brannan, senior vice president of programming and production for TechTV.

NVIDIA Corporation's new GeForce FX and Quadro graphics processing units (GPUs) are compatible and compliant with the Microsoft DirectX 9.0 application programming interface (API). DirectX 9.0, the latest version of Microsoft's suite of multimedia application programming interfaces, offers advances in graphic technology making it easier for game developers to create 3D immersive titles.

Cartoon Network continues to branch into anime with the U.S. premiere of CHAR'S COUNTERATTACK during its Adult Swim animation block. The network recently announced it had acquired three anime series, LUPIN THE THIRD, REIGN and TRIGUN, to round out its Adult Swim block, which also includes anime series COWBOY BEBOP and INUYASHA. CHAR'S COUNTERATTACK is a feature-length film drawn from Yoshiyuki Tomino's MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM series.

Pat Wyatt has left her post as president of Fox Home Video and Consumer Products, with the aim of starting up an independent production company specializing in anime, with a focus on original direct-to video properties. The company will also produce theatrical features, according to VARIETY. The name and details of the company are forthcoming. Wyatt told VARIETY her intentions are to reconnect with her family roots in Japan by "bringing eastern culture to the west." Wyatt has presided over the Home Video unit for the past five years.

Cartoon Network's Brak from THE BRAK SHOW and Carl from AQUA TEEN HUNGER FORCE are teaming up for a Cartoon Network Adult Swim New Year's Eve celebration. Airing "live" from Times Square on Tuesday, December 31 from 11:00 pm-3:00 am, Adult Swim's New Year's Eve Bash will include a world premiere episode of SPACE GHOST COAST TO COAST at 12 midnight.

With Hayao Miyazaki's SPIRITED AWAY emerging as a front runner for Oscar nomination, Japanese distributor Toho Films has announced the director's next project. According to ANIME NEWS NETWORK, Miyazaki will begin production on HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE in February 2003, a film based on the novel of the same name by Diana Wynne Jones. HOWL is a love story between a male witch and an 18-year-old girl who has been transformed into an old woman. The Ghibli Studios production will be written by Reiko Yoshida, with Katsuya Kondou (KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE) acting as supervising animator.

The Art Institutes International Minnesota (Ai Minnesota), located in downtown Minneapolis, is now offering a bachelor's degree program in Visual Effects & Motion Graphics. To accommodate the new program, Ai Minnesota has expanded its facilities to include a green room, a professional-level sound recording studio, several digital video cameras and lighting kits. The Visual Effects & Motion Graphics program utilizes software applications such as Combustion, Shake, Maya, Final Cut Pro and Adobe After Effects.

Anime producer and distributor ADV Films is readying the launch of The Anime Network, with a mid-December launch as part of Comcast Cable's video-on-demand (VOD) initiative in the Philadelphia area. Comcast's VOD service is available to approximately 1.2 million customers in the Philadelphia area. The move will be phase one of the rollout of the network, which is the first television channel in North America dedicated to anime and anime-related content. Leadership at The Anime Network described the decision to launch phase one via VOD service as one of complementary strengths.

U.S. manga publisher TOKYOPOP is expanding its presence in broadcast and film and has hired Steve Galloway to fill the newly created position of executive director of development. In this position, Galloway will help develop and sell TOKYOPOP's intellectual properties into domestic film and TV media in order to generate additional revenue streams, build brand recognition and position the company as an effective partner for broadcast projects.

Internet network Terra Lycos announced that for a second year in a row, anime hit DRAGONBALL Z was the number one most search for term in the year 2002. The Lycos 50 is a weekly list of the most popular people, places and things users are searching for online. "Although it dropped off in popularity compared to last year, DRAGONBALL continues to generate tremendous search activity on the Internet with teens and college-age Japanese animation buffs," said Aaron Schatz, writer of The Lycos 50.

Cartoon Network is expanding the range of its popular Adult Swim block with the acquisition of three anime series: LUPIN THE THIRD, REIGN and TRIGUN. LUPIN THE THIRD follows the adventures of globetrotting crook Lupin, who is aided in his adventures by his two partners, expert marksman Jigen and samurai master Goemon. Lupin travels around the world stealing extraordinary treasures and matching wits with rival thief, Fujiko, all the while staying one step ahead of Inspector Zenigata.

Among the notable animation home video releases for December 3 are Disney's LILO & STITCH and two excellent offerings in the Walt Disney Treasures collection, plus Miyazaki's MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO on DVD.

Digital artist/designer Nico Puertollano has been added to the staff of New York-based Rhinoceros Visual Effects and Design. Prior to joining the staff, Puertollano had worked for Rhinoceros and a number of other companies as an independent artist and designer. As a freelance artist with Rhinoceros, Puertollano worked on a variety of projects including the short animated film FROM THE 104TH FLOOR, commercials for Phoenix Mutual, Arby’s and Bengay, as well as projects for Sony, USA Networks, Samsung Digital and others.

This week's updates to the Calendar of Events include:

Los Angeles-based Tigar Hare Studios has delivered a character animation driven ID package for TBS Superstation’s new "Non-Stop Comedy Block" afternoon sitcom lineup. Working with the design group TAG, more than 90 seconds of motion graphics were choreographed with the animation of the letters T, B and S of the TBS Superstation logo. After coming to life, the three letters move through a stylized city where they encounter the stars of SEINFELD, FRIENDS, HOME IMPROVEMENT and THE DREW CAREY SHOW. The letters then finally join the word Superstation to form the logo of the network.

Brown & Williamson’s KOOL cigarettes campaign has found a new outlet for display, thanks to a 30-second spot produced by The Studio Upstairs via agency BatesUSA. Entitled "Pulse," the spot is designed to be viewed on bathroom walls in nightclubs across the U.S. via a broadcast medium known as narrowcasting. Narrowcasting is a narrowly focused mix of media created for a specific viewer. The medium is viewed in a public place, usually at a relevant point of contact with the consumer.

DC Independent Film Festival

Washington D.C., USA

Thursday, February 27 - Thursday, March 06, 2003

Entry Deadline: Sunday, December 15, 2002