Warner Bros. Pictures has officially announced that British television helmer David Yates (STATE OF PLAY, THE WAY WE LIVE NOW) has been signed to direct HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX. The film will be produced by David Heyman from a screenplay by Michael Goldenberg (WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, PETER PAN). Production on the film is expected to begin in England in January 2006.

The vfx bake-off is tonight at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, as the Visual Effects Award Nominating Committee narrows the list of seven contenders down to three nominees, among them THE AVIATOR, THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW, HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN, I ROBOT<

NaturalMotion Ltd. announced the worldwide release of endorphin 1.6, its award-winning 3D animation software. Customers such as The Mill, Sony Computer Ent., Namco and Konami as well as leading animation schools are already reaping the benefits of endorphin’s new approach to 3D character animation.

USL-WOA, the post-production and visual effects division of UTV in Mumbai, India, has added fire and smoke editing/finishing systems to its existing Discreet-based workflow. The company anticipates a workload of 200 commercials and up to 30 film projects in 2005.

A disappointment theatrically, CATWOMAN nonetheless is tailor made for home theaters with its vision of a skin-tight, leather clad Halle Berry as the feline superhero and director Pitof’s pronounced visual style. The DVD (Warner Home Video, $27.95) hits shelves Jan. 18, 2004. VFX provided by ESC Ent., Frantic Films, Tippett Studio, Pacific Title & Art Studio, Christov Effects and Design and Matte World Digital.

Bonus features include:
* Alternate ending

Twentieth Century Fox's action/adventure feature ELEKTRA, which opened in the U.S. Jan. 14, 2005, had already captured audiences with its online strategy game. The ELEKTRA NINJA ASSASSIN GAME (www.elektramovie.com/game/) has logged a phenomenal 30,000 hours of gameplay with users from 163 countries since its debut last November.

NewTek Inc. has launched version 8.2 for LightWave 3D. The update includes major changes to the renderer core to implement new technologies for anti-aliasing, as well as new options for image reconstruction filters that can be applied to the final image to offer further control and enhancement of render output. The new LightWave team has also implemented a completely redesigned UV engine in the geometry core, which affects both Modeler and Layout, to make creating and editing UV maps easier and more powerful.

Maxon kicks off 2005 with the release of a new, free plug-in that connects Cinema 4D CINEMA to Alienbrain Studio, the professional asset management system from NXN/Avid.

The plug-in allows the Cinema 4D user to work directly with an installed Alienbrain server. Automated read/write access management for scenes and textures, project history and difference checking are all available directly from within Cinema 4D, as are the Alienbrain tools for workflow and internal communication.

Peter Jackson and partner Fran Walsh have purchased the film rights to the Alice Sebold novel, THE LOVELY BONES, reports VARIETY. FilmFour sold the rights to Jackson and Walsh and will remain a developing partner. Jackson, Walsh and Philippa Boyens plan to begin writing the screenplay next January. Distribution and financing will not be obtained until the script is finished. The move is to ensure that Jackson and Walsh do not have to work under a studio deadline. The film will be produced by Jackson along with Jan Blenkin, Caro Cunningham and Aimee Peyronnet.

NIGHTMARE LIGHT and LUMAFORM, Artbeats' Fascinating laser effects, laser flares and lens caustics make up the NIGHTMARE LIGHT collection. These unique clips of mysterious light are perfect for any project where an eerie, enigmatic mood is desired. LUMAFORM features shimmering lights, flares and lens artifacts that are an impressive backdrop. The layered movement and spectacular colors are added pluses.

e-on software has announced the immediate availability of Vue 5 Pro Studio. Vue 5 Pro Studio is the latest addition to e-on software's suite of award-winning solutions for the creation and rendering of natural 3D environments. Vue 5 Pro Studio is designed for advanced digital artists seeking extended control over the creation of natural 3D.

Luxology Llc. unveiled modo 102, a powerful new version of its subdivision surface and polygonal modeling platform. modo 102's superior realtime performance and artist-friendly interface, combined with hundreds of new feature enhancements, make it one of the fastest and most advanced 3D modeling systems currently available.

Mandate Pictures (formerly known as Senator Int’l) has announced that Takashi Shimizu will return to helm THE GRUDGE 2, reports VARIETY. Ghost House Pictures, Mandate's joint genre production label with Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert, will produce the film. The original American remake of the Japanese cult sensation JU-ON – THE GRUDGE – grossed out audiences to the tune of $110 million in the States and a global box office take of $143 million.

wondertouch has launched particleIllusion 2.0 SE for Mac OS X, marking the company’s first product to support the advanced operating system from Apple.

Universal has obtained the film rights to Darren Shan bestselling children’s book series, CIRQUE DU FREAK, reports VARIETY. Brian Helgeland is attached to write/ exec produce with Lauren Shuler Donner producing. Helgeland plans to base the first film on the first three books in the dozen-book series. Universal hopes this will be a new trilogy for them. The story’s main character is named Darren Shan and follows him to an illegal freak show where he is lured into becoming a vampire's assistant in order to save his best friend's life.

Side Effects Software, developer of the award-winning Houdini family of 3D software, has appointed Craig Zerouni as production consultant. The addition of Zerouni to Side Effects Software’s production team will further establish the company’s position as an essential partner for production studios. In this role, Zerouni and team will collaborate directly with production studios and technical directors to help build superior CG pipelines and create cutting-edge digital animation for feature films.

Disney has hired scribes Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal to draft a remake screenplay for the 1982 cult classic, TRON, reports VARIETY. Brigham Taylor will supervise the new film.

For the remake the computer world will be expanded with the computer programmer will get trapped in the cyberworld of the Internet. Steven Lisberger wrote and directed to original film, which utilized cutting-edge graphics.

Splinex Technology Inc., a provider of visual communication software and technology, has named Michael Stojda as president/ceo. Stojda has also been appointed to the board of directors.

The car commercial opens on a deserted car park roof, and takes us on a journey through a district of a modern day city.

The :60 spot shows the Audi A6 deconstructing into thousands of abstract component parts, which then travel from one end of the city to the other. These elements become recognizable as letters that go on to spell out the famous Audi strapline: “Vorsprung, Durch, Technik.”

Seth Rosenthal has joined Tweak as a partner and director of business development. Rosenthal wrapped up six years at Industrial Light & Magic in order to make the jump. He will contribute to Tweak's efforts to expand its visual effects business for feature films and commercials and will help launch a new division to distribute Tweak's proprietary software applications for visual effects and media production.