ComputerCafe's animation team created a pair of photorealistic, "chi" police officers and their motorcycles for a critical fight scene in the new Jet Li starrer THE ONE. ComputerCafe also composited the chi stuntmen with live-action plates in which Jet Li appears to engage them in hand-to-hand combat. The finished effects shots are seamlessly intercut with other shots in which real actors and motorcycles were used. Directed by James Wong, THE ONE centers on a sheriff's deputy who confronts an evil alternate version of himself (both played by Li) from a parallel universe.

Giant Studios, the motion-capture technology and R&D provider for the LORD OF THE RINGS (LOTR) Trilogy has posted a behind-the-scenes movie produced by Weta (the primary visual effects company for LOTR) on the Giant Studios Website. The short film showcases some of the innovative motion-capture production techniques and technology developed for LOTR. In the clip, director Peter Jackson blocks scenes and places actors using Giant’s proprietary technology allowing Jackson to see the digital characters move through virtual sets and pre-visualize the shots.

For the second week in a row, the fantasy film HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE, with visual effects by Sony Pictures Imageworks and Rhythm & Hues, took the top spot at the box office. The U.S. Thanksgiving holiday weekend helped boost the film’s three-day total to $57.5M for a ten-day take of $187M. Setting more records this week, HARRY POTTER has surpassed 1999's TOY STORY 2 to become the largest-grossing movie ever over the Thanksgiving holiday. The film also matched the record set by STAR WARS: EPISODE ONE by reaching the $100M mark in just 5 days.

A new animated series called THE KANGAROO CREEK GANG is bouncing into production. Based on the books and comic strip of the same name, the 26 x 12’ animated series is an international co-production between production and distribution outfit Southern Star Pacific, the Shanghai Animation Studios (China) and Australian-based company The Kangaroo Creek Gang. The series is scheduled to air in Australia on the Nine Network and will be sold internationally by Southern Star Kids.

Universal Studios is using the 20th anniversary re-release of Steven Spielberg’s classic film E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL to launch a 13-month long branding initiative that includes a new Universal logo featuring E.T. According to the studio, the image of E.T. will be an integral part of Universal's identity and business activities, and will be featured in all film, television, home entertainment, theme parks, music, consumer products, publishing and online products. This corporate identity program will complement the March 2002 worldwide release of E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL.

New Line Cinema has acquired Cartoon Network's animated series SAMURAI JACK, to be adapted into a live-action feature film directed by Brett Ratner, director of the RUSH HOUR films. SAMURAI JACK tells the story of a great warrior displaced to the distant future by the evil shape-shifting wizard Aku. The world has become a bleak place under Aku's rule, segregated into fantastic tribes and policed by Aku's evil robot warlords. Samurai Jack travels this foreign landscape searching for the time portal that can return him to his home.

Korea-based Shincine Films plans to have Bruce Lee star in a new martial arts film years after his death. The film, tentatively titled DRAGON WARRIOR, will incorporate Bruce Lee into a $50 million production using state-of-the-art CGI technology. Shincine recently acquired the rights to Lee’s image from Concord Moon, the company that controls the rights and is administered by Lee’s widow Linda Lee Cadwell and his daughter Shannon Lee. This venture will be privately financed by Shincine Films and will be the company’s first film for the U.S. market.

Breaking all previous box office records, HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE, with visual effects by Sony Pictures Imageworks and Rhythm & Hues, commanded the box office this weekend with an astonishing $90.3M three-day total for its first place debut. The previous three-day record holder was JURASSIC PARK: THE LOST WORLD with $72.1M. In addition, HARRY POTTER put STAR WARS: EPISODE ONE to shame, besting that film’s one-day total record by $5M ($28.5M for STAR WARS vs. $33.5M for HARRY).

Los Angeles-based film production and management company Catch 23 Entertainment has acquired the worldwide film rights to JUST A PILGRIM, the comic book created by Garth Ennis, creator of PREACHER and writer of PUNISHER. Marc Danon, Catch 23 vice president of production and acquisitions, brought JUST A PILGRIM to Catch 23. Danon, who previously handled the development of the Marvel comic book franchise at Artisan Entertainment, will oversee the project. Catch 23 will immediately begin to package and develop the property.

Warner Home Video is recalling DVDs of recent Annie winner THE POWERPUFF GIRLS: MEET THE BEAT-ALLS because certain DVD-ROM programs included on the disc contain the "FunLove" computer virus. Warner Home Video stated that a computer virus was inadvertently incorporated into the DVD-ROM features during the replication process. Any computer that installs the supplemental software from the DVD-ROM special features will contract the FunLove virus, which infects PE EXE (Windows portable executables) on local and network drives.

Once again, those CG beasties dominated the box office. MONSTERS, INC. collected a whopping $46.2M in its second weekend bring its cume to $122.8M after 10 days. But expect Sulley and Mike to feel the effects of a young wizard named Harry when HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE bows on Friday. The Farelly Brothers latest comedy SHALLOW HAL, with visual effects by Alterian Studios & Artist's Asylum Inc. had a big weekend, collecting $23.3M in its debut.

Once again, a newly-released DVD has shattered all previous sales records. This time it’s the top grossing theatrical movie of the year, SHREK. The DreamWorks film bested the DVD sales record of 2.2 million sold set the week of October 16th by STAR WARS: EPISODE ONE. EPISODE ONE had overtaken THE MUMMY RETURNS, which previously held the record with first week DVD sales of 2 million.

Disney/Pixar’s MONSTERS, INC. dominated the box office this weekend, taking in an astounding $63.5M, the biggest opening ever for an animated film and for a Disney film. The family-friendly feature’s opening take was no doubt helped by Star Wars fans who wanted a first glimpse of STAR WARS: EPISODE II. A teaser trailer for the highly anticipated sequel was attached to MONSTERS, INC. A full 2-minute preview will screen with HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE, which is scheduled to be another big opening when it hits theaters on November 16th.

Here is a viewers guide to the notable animation and special effects releases on DVD and VHS for the month of November, 2001:



November 2


SHREK

Here are some additional DVD releases coming in late November:

November 27


WILLOW

Thirteen is the lucky number for Oscar hopefuls in the Animated Feature category. The November 1, 2001 deadline has come and gone, and Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences spokesperson John Pavlik told AWN thirteen applications for the Animated Feature Film Award were received. While Pavlik admitted that a couple of the films might have some eligibility problems, the Academy has enough applications to begin the screening process for qualification.

The newly released feature film 13 GHOSTS is a state-of-the-art remake of the classic William Castle horror film about a family that inherits a spectacular old house from an eccentric uncle, only to find the house is inhabited by a presence that has the new occupants trapped in their dream home. They eventually realize the house is a riddle, which may contain the key to their salvation. 175 special effects shots were created by visual effects lab Cinesite for the film. "The house is a very contemporary space," says Mike Fink, Cinesite's senior visual effects supervisor on the film.

Rhino Home Video has acquired the home video rights to the entire collection of the GUMBY animated series. The deal encompasses 214 total episodes of THE GUMBY SHOW and THE ALL-NEW GUMBY created from 1956 to 1988 and marks the first time the full library will be available to the public. Rhino Home Video plans to release DVD boxed sets of the complete library as well as individual DVDs and VHS cassettes of the shorts. This marks the DVD debut of the early episodes and the home video premiere of the 1980s stop-motion animation cartoons. The GUMBY series will be a part of the Kid Rhino brand.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences’ final deadline for entry forms looms large for the Animated Feature and Animated Short categories. This is the first year for the highly anticipated Animated Feature film category and as of Tuesday, October 30, 2001 the Academy had received five applications. It requires eight eligible films to activate a category, so if you have an animated feature film that is eligible, get in those applications! The deadline for completed applications for both animated feature and animated short films is November 1, 2001.

Orlando animation production company A&S Animation, Inc., has produced a series of animated bible story shorts called A MESSAGE FROM GOD. Created by Emmy Award winning producers J&B DiFrancesco, the shorts will be included in Raven Moon Entertainment's new video release called GINA D'S KIDS CLUB. Based on the DiFrancesco’s concept of having two animated kids telling bible stories, Mark Simon of A&S Animation, Inc. developed and produced the three one-minute shorts telling the stories of Moses and the Ten Commandments, David and Goliath, and Adam and Eve.