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Disney Headline News

Icon Animation & Disney Channel Spain Make Way For Noddy

Barcelona-based Icon Animation has scored a Spanish deal for Chorion's animated property, NODDY, which Icon represents third party for Spain. The Disney Channel bought all episodes of MAKE WAY FOR NODDY (100x10) and SAY IT WITH NODDY (100x2), alongside three television specials: NODDY SAVES CHRISTMAS (1x26); NODDY AND THE ISLAND ADVENTURE (1x26) and NODDY AND THE MAGICAL MOONDUST (1x26).

The show will be stripped daily on Playhouse Disney from Monday to Friday at 9:00 am and on Sundays at 5:00 pm with back-to-back episodes of MAKE WAY FOR NODDY and SAY IT WITH NODDY.

Headline News

Lord of the Rings, Toy Story Lead USA Today Impact List

In celebration of its 25th anniversary, USA TODAY has compiled a list of the 25 top movie milestones of the past 25 years. Topping the list is Peter Jackson's Tolkien epic LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy, which won 17 Oscars and brought in a box office gross of more than $3 billion. TOY STORY followed right behind at #2 for launching 3D animation on the big screen.

Kids Headline News

Nat Geo's Mama Mirabelle Plays on PBS KIDS

PBS KIDS will debut MAMA MIRABELLE'S HOME MOVIES in September. Starring Vanessa Williams as the voice of Mama, the series combines animation with wildlife movies from the National Geographic and BBC award-winning archives. The series premieres on public television the weekend of Sept. 8, 2007.

A co-production of National Geographic Kids Ent., BBC/CBeebies and King Rollo Films, MAMA MIRABELLE'S HOME MOVIES represents the first time National Geographic Kids Ent. and PBS KIDS have teamed up to bring a children's show to television.

Movie Headline News

Fox Launches Simpsons Movie Website, Relaunches Store

With THE SIMPSONS MOVIE hitting theaters on July 27, 2007, 20th Century Fox has launched the official movie website www.simpsonsmovie.com/. The interactive site features various games, including THREE CARD MOE, BALL OF DEATH and WRECKING BALL. Visitors can also download wallpaper, buddy icons, screensavers and ring tones as well as take a virtual tour of Springfield itself. Additionally, users can create their own Simpsons character avatar then go visit Moe's Tavern, where their character can hang out with Homer. Moreover, the site will feature trailers and teaser clips.

Films Headline News

India's UTV Begins Trading on London AIM Market

On Monday, July 2, 2007, Indian production company UTV Motion Pictures Plc began trading on London's junior market AIM, reports REUTERS. Shares jumped 6% over by the close of its first day, finishing at $3.075. The total value of the shares is $320.2 million.

UTV plans to invest the money earned on AIM into 30 productions over the next two years. The firm has 25 films in the pipeline and has put its funds behind such Hollywood films as THE NAMESAKE and M Night Shyamalan's upcoming THE HAPPENING.

Headline News

EM.TV AG Moves to Separate Sports & Entertainment Businesses

At its annual general meeting in Munich on June 26, 2007, the management board of EM.TV AG -- in future EM.Sport Media AG -- laid out its plans for strong revenue growth during the upcoming years.

Following the strategic decision, announced on March 22, 2007, to concentrate future business on the sports sector and to dispose of its interests in the entertainment sector (children's and youth programs), the company is striving to at least double its revenues from the sports sector from around 220 million euros (2006) to significantly more than 400 million euros by 2010.

Animation Events

Animation Army July Meeting

By Guest (not verified) | Sunday, July 1, 2007 at 11:00am
Begins: July 1, 2007

Animation Army holds monthly events where artists can meet and mingle with other artists. For the July meeting, Akiko Ashley will premiere the 10-minute, 3D short, KURIOCITY. The screening will begin at 9:00 pm. The overall event runs from 8:00 - 10:00 pm and will take place at the Bigfoot Lodge, 3172 Los Feliz Blvd., Los Angeles, California 90039. For more information, visit www.animationarmy.com.

Awards Events

11th Annual Webby Awards

By Guest (not verified) | Saturday, June 30, 2007 at 11:00am
Begins: June 30, 2007

The Webby Awards is the leading international award honoring excellence on the Internet. With more than 5,500 website entries from around the globe, no other interactive award compares. And now, reflecting the Web's emergence as the premiere venue for groundbreaking advertising and original entertainment content, the 11th Annual Webby Awards is honoring two new disciplines alongside Websites: Interactive Advertising and Online Film & Video.

Animation Events

Anima Mundi 2007

By Guest (not verified) | Friday, June 29, 2007 at 11:00am
Begins: June 29, 2007

Anima Mundi is the International Animation Festival of Brazil, which brings to the Brazilian audience the best selection of films and videos from around the world. It is a variety specially designed for the adults and the children. Categories in competition: Short Films, Feature Films, Shorts for Children, Brazilian Animation, Portfolio, First Work and Animation in Progress. The event runs in Rio de Janeiro from June 29 - July 8, then moves to S?o Paulo from July 11-15. For more information, visit www.animamundi.com.br.

Film Events

Bronx Independent Film Festival

By Guest (not verified) | Friday, June 29, 2007 at 11:00am
Begins: June 29, 2007

A century ago two of the best-known silent film studios, Edison and Biograph, called The Bronx home. The Bronx Independent Film Festival pays homage to and revitalizes this history of film in The Bronx and provides a new avenue for filmmakers to submit work and a place for audiences to appreciate it.

The Bronx Stage & Film Company is accepting short and feature film submissions for the 5th Bronx Independent Film Festival scheduled for June 29

Blogs

RATATOUILLE (2007) (****)

I'd like to introduce you to the first real contender for Best Film of 2007. Brad Bird is the best American director working in animation today. Knowing that he came onto the project midway is amazing, because he has made the best American animated film since TOY STORY 2 and his own IRON GIANT. He has also pushed the boundaries of American animation into a more adult realm. It's still a film for the whole family, but I suspect parents will get more out of it than their kids.

Remy (Patton Oswalt, TV's THE KING OF QUEENS) is a rat with a keen sense of smell. He loves fine cooking, which puts him at odds with is moldy meat-and-potatoes father, Django (Brian Dennehy, COCOON) and simple taste brother, Emile (Peter Sohn, story artist at Pixar). When they get forced out of their home in the country, the rat clan ends up in Paris. Remy gets separated from the rest and is inspired to check the city out by a figment of his imagination in the form of his favorite chef Gusteau (Brad Garrett, TV's EVERYONE LOVES RAYMOND). He ends up in the deceased Gusteau's famed restaurant, which is now run by the short tyrant Skinner (Ian Holm, LORD OF THE RINGS), who is more interested in using Gusteau's fame to sell a line of frozen foods than to run the once five-star eatery.

Film Headline News

Ubisoft & IFC Host Assassin's Creed Inspired Short Film Competition

Assassin's Creed Inspired Short Film CompetitionWorld Wide WebNov. 30, 2007Deadline: Aug. 20, 2007

Ubisoft and the Independent Film Channel (IFC) are hosting a short film contest inspired by the videogame, ASSASSIN'S CREED, due out in November.

Documentary Headline News

Early Deadline Nears for Big Sky Documentary Film Fest

2008 Big Sky Documentary Film FestivalMissoula, Montana, USAFeb. 14-20, 2007Deadline: Oct. 20, 2007

The Big Sky Documentary Film Festival is one of the premier venues for nonfiction film in the American West. The festival will screen 100 films, including world and U.S. premieres, classics, rare and experimental works on Montana's largest screen at the historic Wilma Theater in downtown Missoula, Montana. In addition to seven days of screenings, many public and VIP events including panel discussions, galas, receptions and networking roundtables.

Imax Headline News

Beowulf IMAX 3-D to Get Simultaneous Release

IMAX Corp., Paramount Pictures, Shangri-La Ent. and Warner Bros. Pictures announced that Robert Zemeckis' BEOWULF will be released domestically in IMAX 3-D simultaneously with the motion picture's premiere in conventional theaters on Nov. 16, 2007. The film will be released internationally within three weeks of the domestic launch.

Production Headline News

Donnie Darko Director Puts Diaz in Box

DONNIE DARKO director Richard Kelly's next film will be the horror pic, THE BOX, starring Cameron Diaz, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Darko Ent.'s Sean McKittrick and Kelly will produce with Ted Hamm exec producing.

The film will center on an unhappily married couple that discover a small wooden box gives the holder instant wealth but also instantly kills a stranger. Kelly adapted the screenplay from Richard Matheson's short story, BUTTON, BUTTON, which was previously turned into an episode of the TWILIGHT ZONE in the 1980s by Matheson under a pseudonym.

Series Headline News

Kevin Costner Funding Explorers Club Animated Webseries

Kevin Costner is getting into animation, reports VARIETY. He will produce, fund and voice the animated webseries, THE EXPLORERS CLUB. The 12x4 series will be written and directed by creator Black Lamp Prods.,' Chris Baird, Jon Baird and Keith Quinn. Chiodo Bros. Prods. will produce the animation.

Costner hopes to build buzz on the Internet for the property than transform it into a live-action feature for him to star in and possibly direct. A feature script is in the works and will be finished before the webseries launches.

Anime Headline News

Heroes' James Kyson Lee To Host Anime Access' Anime Expo Coverage

Anime Network has announced that HEROES star James Kyson Lee will guest host its popular original series, ANIME ACCESS, which gives viewers a virtual backstage pass to anime's hottest events. This time the ANIME ACCESS crew heads to Long Beach, California, to go behind the scenes of North America's largest anime convention, from June 29 through July 2, 2007.

Studio Headline News

Studio Arts Offers 'Tra-Digital' & Advanced ZBrush Classes This Summer

Studio Arts will start its latest round of classes for summer 2007 quarter commencing Monday, July 9. 2007.

Of special interest are several specially-designed 2D "tradigital" animation classes in Flash for TV, Bauhaus Mirage and Adobe AfterEffects. Beginning in fall, Studio Arts will round its 2D computer animation curriculum with its new series of Toon Boom 2D courses.

Disney Headline News

Veteran Disney Animator/Filmmaker Art Stevens Dies at Age 92

Veteran Disney animator/filmmaker Art Stevens, who co-produced and co-directed THE FOX AND THE HOUND, and co-directed THE RESCUERS during his illustrious 44-year career at the Disney studio, passed away at the age of 92 on May 22, 2007, at his home in Studio City, California, after suffering a heart attack in his rose garden.

Studios Headline News

Helmintoller New S4 Studios Creative Director

Thomas Helmintoller joins S4 Studios in the newly created post of creative director. A specialist in graphics production for trailers, music videos, movies and home video packaging, Helmintoller designed air combat sequences of DER ROTE BARON (THE RED BARON), an international co-production being distributed by Warner Bros. in October 2007.

Headline News

George of the Jungle Kicks Off Summer Premieres on TELETOON

TELETOON in Canada unveils six brand new shows launching this July, including the world premiere of the new GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE animated TV series, as well as the animated reality show, TOTAL DRAMA ISLAND, IGGY ARBUCKLE and BAKUGAN. On Friday, June 29, 2007, viewers may catch a special sneak-peek of four of the new summer shows beginning at 4:00 pm.

TELETOONâs special summer programming block airs weekday mornings 8-11:00 am.

Headline News

Fox Searchlight Has Near Death Experience

Fox Searchlight has optioned the spec script NEAR DEATH from writer Carter Blanchard (SMOKE), according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Aaron Kaplan and Sean Perrone are set to produce.

Details on the psychological sci-fi thriller are minimal, but it will deal with near-death experiences.

Claudia Lewis and Jeremy Steckler are shepherding for the studio.

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