Discreet's plasma, a professional animation software for creating 3D content for the Web, is now available. plasma software allows animators to work directly in a 3D space to create high-quality visuals for Web services such as instant messaging, greeting cards and interactive games. plasma features integration with Discreet's 3D and Macromedia's authoring tools including Macromedia Flash MX and Macromedia Director 8.5 Shockwave Studio, making the creation of 2D and 3D Web elements easier. plasma is available now for a suggested retail price of US$650.

London's Mill Lab has been commissioned by BBC Interactive (BBCi) to create a new interactive game for SO, BBCi's Website for teens (www.bbc.co.uk/so). Based on the "Magic 8-Ball" game, ASK THE DJ was formulated by Mill Lab’s James Stone and John Sunter, and allows players to "ask the DJ" yes or no questions. This cool game, set in a nightclub, features a female house DJ and a male devil DJ who are battling each other for control of the turntables. The player chooses the style of music that gets played, from death metal to house, thereby deciding who wins and who gets kicked off.

Beginning June 15, 2002, DC Comics' superheroes will be fighting evil across the pond. Cartoon Network Europe has acquired the new Warner Bros. Animation series JUSTICE LEAGUE, which debuted in the U.S. on Cartoon Network in November 2001. An updated version of the SUPER FRIENDS series that aired from 1973-85, JUSTICE LEAGUE brings together DC Comics' squad of superheroes -- Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Hawkgirl and Martian Manhunter – to battle supervillains, evil monsters and natural disasters.

Digital content and design studio Super-Fi has recently completed an original online game and a series of online trading cards for tvland.com, the classic TV cable channel's Website. Both the game and the trading cards are part of tvland.com's BATMAN Website, promoting the classic live-action series that originally aired from 1966-68. TV Land currently airs BATMAN daily at 7:00 pm. Super-Fi worked in collaboration with tvland.com’s creative director Michael Gaylord and head producer Steven Wishnoff to ensure the aesthetic integration of the game and trading cards into the BATMAN site.

For a new campaign for submarine sandwich company Cousins, agency BVK/McDonald went to Hollywood-based production company Super 78 to create animated characters that could dance around Cousins' submarine sandwiches. "We had seven commercials to produce and, of course, limited resources," explained BVK/McDonald art director Scott Krahn. "Super 78 proposed the idea of using Flash animation for broadcast instead of 3D to stay consistent with the retro feel of the characters and to minimize costs.

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

Bangalore, India's Acropetal is looking for an AGENT/REPRESENTATIVE, an ANIMATION CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT INSTRUCTOR and an INSTRUCTOR . . . Animationelements is looking for an ANIMATION WRITER . . . London, Ontario's Armstrong-Douglas & Associates is looking for ARTISTS . . . Beebeard, LLC is looking for a CHARACTER ARTIST/ANIMATOR . . . Blaze Paint Digital Ltd. is looking for a 2D/3D ARTIST/ANIMATOR . . . Clay Pixel Studios is looking for a GAMES TRACK LEAD, a HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER and a PUBLIC RELATIONS SPECIALIST . . . London, UK's Datascope Recruitment is looking for a SENIOR ANIMATOR .

Film Roman Commercials and Special Projects division has produced animated opening title sequences, interstitials and several commercials promoting "Night Out On Sho Too," a Wednesday night program block featuring gay-themed movies, original series and specials. The animated spots, which are currently airing on Showtime, bring to life the characters featured in the retro, "tiki-lounge" style paintings by California-based artist Shag.

Toon Boom has released an upgrade to their Toon Boom Studio 2D animation solution for the Web. Like Version 1, the Toon Boom Studio V2 camera tool allows the user to approach the project cinematically, choreographing a production within the computer in a virtual 3D environment. Other upgrades in V2 include enhanced lip-synching tools and compatibility with Macromedia Flash MX, with a swf importer and the Toon Boom Studio Importer for Macromedia Flash MX.

Animation production house Acme Filmworks and director Bill Plympton have hit a grand slam with three spots for Wilson Sporting Goods by way of ad agency Euro RSCG McConnaughty Tatham of Chicago. The three spots revolve around tennis players mistreated by opponents using a Wilson Triad tennis racket. Their experience on the court becomes so traumatizing that the athletes seek psychological help. "The agency had these psychological Freudian subconscious drawings," said director Bill Plympton. "The concept was to not make the drawings realistic.

Visit all of AWN's Discussion Forums to stay in touch with the animation community! This week, hot forum discussions include a debate about visual effects-heavy summer blockbusters like SPIDER-MAN and STAR WARS: EPISODE II, which 2D ink and paint software is best and how to break into gaming. In The Animator's Desktop, Tony White has posted his third introductory lesson on the fundamental principles of 2D animation, entitled "Making Things Move Well." Over in Show and Tell, check out Dr.

Washington, DC's Capital Children's Museum is looking for a CARTOON ANIMATION INSTRUCTOR . . . Clay Pixel Studios is looking for a MOTION PICTURE TRACK LEAD and a WEB DESIGNER - LEAD . . . HoChiMinh, Vietnam's Demen Animation Studio is looking for an AGENT . . . Manhattan Beach, California's Digital Aftertime Studios is looking for a 3D FREELANCER . . . Glendale, California's DreamWorks Animation is looking for a TECHNICAL WRITER . . . Atlanta, Georgia's Fathom Studios is looking for a LEAD ANIMATOR . . .

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

Seoul Net Festival 2002.

Seoul, South Korea.

Wednesday, July 03 - Saturday, August 03, 2002.

Entry Deadline: Saturday, May 25, 2002.

Visit all of AWN's Discussion Forums to stay in touch with the animation community! This week, hot forum discussions include CG vs. stop-motion monsters and animating in Flash 5.

Anima Mundi Web Calls For Entries.

Third Annual Web Animation Competition, Online.

Tuesday, May 01 - Sunday, July 21, 2002.

Entry Deadline: Monday, May 27, 2002.

Visit all of AWN's Discussion Forums to stay in touch with the animation community! This week, hot forum discussions include the on-going debate about rotoscoping, MONSTERS, INC. vs. SHREK and information about copyrights and licensing. Over in Show and Tell, check out "Rebel Without A Claus," plus demo reels and portfolios posted by Forum users. Don't miss the Animation Flea Market, where you'll find a Lightwave 6.5/Aura 2.0 bundle with the 7.0 upgrade and an inside Lightwave 7.0 book for sale. Visit all of AWN's Forums.

The 9th BAF! Bradford Animation Festival, Bradford, UK.

Thursday, November 14 - Saturday, November 16, 2002.

Entry Deadline: Friday, July 26, 2002.

Visit all of AWN's Discussion Forums to stay in touch with the animation community! This week, hot forum discussions include a "spirited" talk about SPIRIT: STALLION OF THE CIMARRON, animation production in HDTV and what's not hot in animation. Plus, a special forum edition of The Animation Pimp. Over in Show and Tell, check out Simeon Rex - The Monkey King, and some new Flash animation from slycoart and zodiacmedia, plus demo reels and portfolios posted by Forum users.

Van Nuys, California's Brain Zoo Studios is looking for a MAYA CHARACTER ANIMATOR . . . Washington, DC's Capital Children's Museum is looking for an INTERN . . . Culver City, California's Creative Oxygen is looking for a MAYA ANIMATOR/CHALICE COMPOSITOR . . . ezx is looking for a HEAD ANIMATOR/CARTOONIST . . . Mumbai, India's Famous Cine Labs & Studios Ltd. is looking for an AGENT / REPRESENTATIVE . . . Canton, Connecticut's Funnybone Interactive is looking for a MAYA ARTIST . . . Philter Media is looking for a FLASH ANIMATION (UNPAID) . . .