Category: Flash

Cambridge Animation Systems has announced Animo 4.0, the newest version of their flagship cartoon animation system. Available this month from Cambridge and their distributor network, the new version includes a number of new features, greater performance and the ability to output work in Flash format. Animo 4.0 users now can reduce their Flash file output size and optimize their content for the low bandwidth of the Internet through special controls such as disabling filter nodes and disabling animation of any bitmap image.

Italys Digital Video S.r.l., developers of the 2D animation package Toonz, has started shipping the new 4.5 release for the Windows NT/2000, Irix and Linux operating systems. The new version of Toonz provides a number of new features, including Flash support, a new palette extraction tool, native support for new scanners, DDR to VCR control, new effects, a new wizard button to make batches more efficient and others.

3D authoring technology vendor Caligari Corporation has released trueSpace 5.1, the newest version of its 3D modeling program that now features new support for Macromedia Shockwave3D and other web output capabilities. The company lowered the price for the stand-alone version of trueSpace, as well as launched a new paid subscription-based "proTeam" program of online tools, training programs, libraries and support services.

BLOOP.tv, a syndicated science-fiction Web cartoon series, announced their launch on more than 40 science-fiction, cartoon and general-interest entertainment Websites, including Time Warner Cable's Road Runner networks, GALAXY.tv, BMonster.com, TOONORAMA.com and MEDIAJONEZ.com. According to company founder Steve Conley, BLOOP.tv was created specifically for web distribution with an eye toward the mainstream movie-going audience. The character designs and stories were built with the limitations of web animation in mind.

Tigar Hare Studios has expanded its corporate offices into a new 5,000-square-foot, 20 workstation digital facility in Sherman Oaks, California. The company has also expanded its operations internationally through the establishment of a Flash division in Malaysia and an affiliation with Shanghai Digital Studio in Shanghai, China. The companies in Malaysia and China offer an additional 100 workstations and a real-time optical motion-capture system. Tigar Hare has arranged the alliance with China to create 3D animation at lower costs for U.S. producers.

SHIRLEY TEMPLE, the first installment of Augenblick Studios' Flashanimated DIGNIFIED DEVIL adventure series premiered Tuesday, April 17on Hypnotic. A new episode will debut each week. Many have mistaken Franklin Raine for the devil, dignified or not. Appearances aredeceiving though. He's not the devil. He's actually a pretty niceguy. A drunk and a drifter, Frank is always somewhere he shouldn't

Barcelona, Spain's Acció is looking for a 2D ANIMATOR to work onfeature films. . . New York, New York's C-Traze Studios, a TV filmproduction company, is looking for a SALES ASSOCIATE. . . Miami,Florida's Demand Creation, Inc. is looking for a CONTRACT ANIMATOR tocreate 25 to 50 new clips per month. . . Greensburg, Pennsylvania'sDreamForge Intertainment is looking for a MODELER/TEXTURE ARTIST towork on an action/adventure Xbox title. . . North Hollywood, California's