On March 26, CartoonNetwork.com launched TOONAMI REACTOR, a 12-week offering of popular TOONAMI anime programming on-demand. The introduction of TOONAMI REACTOR is designed to showcase the full potential of interactive entertainment using broadband technology. In addition to the anime video content, exclusive information about the characters and storyline is displayed simultaneously on a split screen for Reactor participants using a broadband connection.

In April, Animation World Magazine kicks off Catherine Winder and Zahra Dowlatabadi's new book "Producing Animation" with a special indepth look at how animation is produced. From feature films to television from Europe to the U.S. we detail how schedules and budgets are put together. Sylvia Edwards compares traditional animation television show schedules and budgets to CGI TV series, a rapidly growing trend. Feature film producer Steve Walsh takes us inside putting together a European feature film, while Evan Backus outlines the recent production timelines of several large U.S. releases.

ADV Films released two new volumes of the anime series FLINT: THE TIME DETECTIVE. Hitting stores March 27, 2001, the time-traveling adventures of the little caveman return in "The Sands of Time" and "Can't We All Get Along?" The series currently airs on Fox Kids and is produced by Sanrio, the creators of HELLO KITTY. Both volumes will sell on VHS and DVD for US$14.98.

Apple introduced artists to the new version of their award-winning video editing software, Final Cut Pro, late last week. Final Cut Pro 2 is an all-in-one editing solution, featuring real-time editing, breakthrough Power Mac G4 performance and a scalable architecture that allows users to output content into any video format. With Final Cut Pro 2, real-time editing and compositing functions are integrated into the video production workflow seamlessly.

* Friday, April 27 – Sunday, April 29, 2001. Everett, Washington, U.S.A.

HANNIBAL held strong at the international box office with debuts of TRAFFIC topping charts in Australia and Italy. In France, however, HANNIBAL fended off the premiere of TRAFFIC, taking the top slot with a gross of US$3.17 million and raising its cume to $9.4 million. In second, TRAFFIC smuggled in $2.48 million. VERTICAL LIMIT climbed into the sixth spot, grossing $807,368, thus lifting its French total to $5.15 million. In the U.K., HANNIBAL hatched another $2.52 million in first, elevating its cume to $26.1 million.

* Wednesday, April 25, 2001. Burbank, California, U.S.A.

* Thursday, March 29 - April 5, 2001. Newport Beach, California, U.S.A.

In this issue we are looking at a few current topics in the technology realm. What does the future hold for the high-end computer software/hardware companies? Have their glory days passed? Are all these new software versions really necessary? With the help of industry veteran Richard Taylor, Bruce Manning tackles a few of these topics and more. Mark Winstanley is outlining how software packages are becoming Web-export capable and John Edgar Park profiles and offers advice on low cost software/hardware systems which offer high-end results.

Anime 18 is set to release MYSTERY OF THE NECRONOMICON on home video, March 13, 2001. The erotic horror series was created by the director of UROTSUKIDOJI: LEGEND OF THE OVERFIEND, Takao Nakano. In the film, an evil presence plagues the women of Japan. Volume one, "Book of the Dead," will feature two episodes. Volume two, "Black Chapter" on VHS, featuring two more episodes, and the NECRONOMICON DVD, containing all four episodes, will be released on May 8, 2001. Both the DVD and dubbed VHS versions of the series will sell for US$29.99 each.

* Friday, March 30 – Sunday, April 1, 2001. Stonybrook, New York, U.S.A.



I-CON is a science-fiction, fantasy and comics show. The anime program will feature dubbing workshops, guest speakers and panel discussions. This event is a student run festival and one of the largest in the northeast United States. For more information contact the convention at: Web: http://www.iconsf.org/.

Thousand Oaks, California's Big Idea Productions, a family media company now branching out into feature films, is looking for an ANIMATION ART DIRECTOR, MODELER, SOFTWARE DEVELOPER, SUPERVISOR OF MODELING and SUPERVISOR OF POST PRODUCTION. . . Irvine, California's Blizzard Entertainment, producers of video games, including online games, is looking for PAINTERS/ ILLUSTRATORS who are adept at creating texture maps for environments and the interiors of structures. . .

Visual effects/live-action director Simon D. Holden has signed with The Flux Group, a motion graphics, visual effects and live-action production house. Holden will focus on commercial work for Flux. His previous commercial work includes spots for Dodge, Pontiac, Bally Total Fitness and Warner Bros. Home Video. Recently, Holden has done F/X work on film and TV projects such as MOULIN ROUGE, CONTACT, DANTE'S PEAK, FACE/OFF, THE X-FILES and STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE. Flux president Maggie Magee said, "Simon is an exceptional effects director and supervisor.

* Tuesday, March 13 – Wednesday, March 14, 2001. San Francisco, California, U.S.A.

The 20th Brussels Cartoon and Animated Film Festival - Festival du dessin animé et du film d'animation – handed out its top European awards. There were prizes only for national films, because the international official selection is non-competitive. Because Brussels is the capital of Belgium, a country with two separate language-based communities, there are, of course, two national Grand Prixs.

Bugshop, a New York motion graphics and effects shop, has completed four spots for the Animal Planet imaging campaign, "Life is Better with Animals." Ross Shain, creative director at Bugshop, served as visual effect supervisor, compositor and designer. He completed seven composite shots and designed the endtags, which involved compositing exotic animals such as a mountain ram, mandrill and alligator on green screen to hide then reveal the Animal Planet logo and tagline stamped into the background.

In this issue we are looking at a few current topics in the technology realm. What does the future hold for the high-end computer software/hardware companies? Have their glory days passed? Are all these new software versions really necessary? With the help of industry veteran Richard Taylor, Bruce Manning tackles a few of these topics and more. Mark Winstanley is outlining how software packages are becoming Web-export capable and John Edgar Park profiles and offers advice on low cost software/hardware systems which offer high-end results.

Black Logic has added five 3D artists to its CG department. The new Black Logic CG staff members include: Scott Petill, senior animator; Sebastian Bilbao, technical director; Julio Soto and Andrew Dayton, CG artists; and Glenn Harper, visual effects animator. Prior to joining Black Logic, Petill was at Post Perfect and earlier at ad agency Messner Vetere Berger McNamee Schmetterer. In addition, he has consulted with Pixar on their commercial software releases, and designed a library of 3D textures for broadcast and print applications. "Scott is a wizard with motion and light.

Louis K. Wang is a visual artist with a background in photography. He studied and worked in the US before returning to his hometown, Taipei. His gallery on AWN features Web graphics, plus images from the pilot of an anime style show, plus more from a project for a CD production and an educational game. Also new this week in the Animation Showcase: "Liquid Fish," a new series of work by Jean Detheux, with images and clips.

ADV Films is releasing two new volumes of episodes from the anime hit, MONSTER RANCHERS, on February 27, 2001. "It's Time To Get Tough!" has the crew continuing their search for the Phoenix, but problems get bad when Suezo discovers his new super power. In "Racing To Win!," Holly is wounded by one of Black Worms' poison stingers and Tiger of the Wind must race time to find the berries to save her. Each tape contains three episodes and will sell for US$9.99 each.