Gnomon School of Visual Effects will present "An Evening with Dan Curry," vfx supervisor and producer of the recent iterations of STAR TREK, which have earned him seven Emmys, a Visual Effects Society Award and three International Monitor Awards.
The evening in which Curry will discuss his nearly 20-year career will take place at Gnomon on May 31, from 6:00-9:00 pm.
New York-based Big Tent Ent. announced a broadcasting agreement with Nicktoons Network based on Big Tent's hit property THE STAR GIRLS. Nicktoons Network will debut PLANET GROOVE FEATURING THE STAR GIRLS, a new series of 13x2 minute animated music videos based on the original music from Australia's chart-topping group.
Luc Besson's film production company, EuropaCorp, is going public, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. The company has filed for a listing in the Euronext Paris market.
EuropaCorp's productions include TRANSPORTER 2, UNLEASHED and ARTHUR AND THE INVISIBLES. The company has eight films in development, including TAKEN, with Liam Neeson, and a third TRANSPORTER film with Jason Statham.
Besson controls EuropaCorp through the holding company Front Line and will mostly likely hold a majority stake in the firm following the IPO.
Marriott International Inc., Nickelodeon, (MTV Networks and Miller Global Properties, Llc., an international real estate investment and development company, today (May 31, 2007), announced an agreement to co-develop a breakthrough new lodging resort brand and concept for travelers seeking fun and adventure, "Nickelodeon Resorts by Marriott." They plan to have 20 potential hotels under construction by 2020, with first hotel expected to open in San Diego in 2010
Ubisoft has shipped the SURF'S UP videogame to store shelves, in anticipation of the June 8, 2007, release of the Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures Animation theatrical release of SURF'S UP.
SURF'S UP for the PSP, consoles and PC are rated E10+ and have a MSRP of $49.99 for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii; a MSRP of $39.99 for the PlayStation 2, PSP and GameCube; and a MSRP of $19.99 for the PC. SURF'S UP for the Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance is rated E and has a MSRP of $29.99.
Neopets.com, the worldâs leading youth community and online virtual world, will debut the first series of animated NEOPETS MINI-SHOWS on Nickelodeon television, beginning June 23, 2007. The Mini-Shows will air in between Nickelodeon programming and reveal pivotal story moments from the world of Neopia, such as characters outsmarting each other, escaping dangers, taking chances or setting evil plans in motion.
National Geographic Kids Ent. (NGKE) has secured the television development rights to award-winning author Jerdine Nolen's popular children's book PLANTZILLA, it was announced today (May 31, 2007), by Donna Friedman Meir, president of NGKE.
Nolen, David Catrow, illustrator of the book's exotic and colorful backdrops, and writer Mark Drop have joined the creative team at National Geographic to help develop the on-screen version of PLANTZILLA for television aimed at kids 6-11.
Teri Meyer has been promoted to the newly created position of evp of worldwide publicity for Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Marketing. She will be responsible for formulating and executing worldwide publicity campaigns for all live-action and animated features released under The Walt Disney Pictures (live action and animation), Touchstone Pictures and Hollywood Pictures banners.
Alan Fine has been appointed to the newly created position of evp/chief marketing officer of Marvel Characters Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Marvel Ent., which owns and licenses Marvel's intellectual property library. Fine will be responsible for directing and coordinating Marvel's efforts to support and strengthen its brands.
Fine, who joined Marvel in 1996, will retain his current title of ceo of Marvel's publishing and toy divisions.
AWN and Sony Pictures Animation present a special behind-the-scenes mini-site for Sony's upcoming animated feature, SURF'S UP, which splashes into theaters on June 8, 2007.
The latest Acrobat edition of Animation World Magazine is now online and ready for download. This issue tackles the world of direct-to-video. Despite a recent burst in production of animated shorts, short film compilation discs remain a tiny niche within the DVD market. Karen Raugust reports. John Cawley looks into the business of expanding a franchise in the world of direct-to-video. Janet Hetherington examines how original animated direct-to-DVD animated adventures based on toy brands may extend the play value of popular toys.
Joe Strike reports on how they attained such lush-looks in Shrek the Third, Surfs Up and Ratatouille, thanks to the latest simulation, lighting and rendering advancements.
At long last, our fifth podcast episode is online.
Test your skills and challenge your brain with AWN's Animation Trivia Quiz.
Warner Bros. Ent. Inc. and Universal Orlando Resort are partnering to create the world's first fully immersive HARRY POTTER themed environment based on the bestselling books by J.K. Rowling and feature films from Warner Bros. Envisioned as a "theme park within a theme park" and titled "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter," the new environment will become part of the experience within Universal's Islands of Adventure theme park at the Universal Orlando Resort.
This week in AWN's Forums, a member is looking for a great animation history book that covers all of animation. Another thread is collecting Flash/traditional animation tutorials. Another member has a question on voice acting. There's a thread on animation unions. A member also needs advice of lip syncing. As well as, tools for teaching animation, the business of animation and, as always, brand new stuff to check out in show and tell!
Warner Bros. Pictures is moving ahead with a live-action adaptation of DC Comics' TEEN TITANS, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Weed Road's Akiva Goldsman and Kerry Foster are producing. SMALLVILLE producer/writer Mark Verheiden will pen the screenplay.
The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced the nominees for four new Emmy Awards for original entertainment programming -- comedy, drama, children's and variety created specifically for broadband, including computers, mobile phones, PDAs and similar devices. In the variety category, animated series IT'S JERRYTIME! from Jerry and Orrin Zucker, was nominated.
The nominees in the children's category include PBS' CYBERCHASE, WarnerBrothers.com's SCOOBY-DOO: HAUNTS FOR THE HOLIDAYS and Cartoon Network's THE GRIM ADVENTURES OF BILLY AND MANDY.
With 300 brining sword-and-sandals flicks back in a big way, Millennium Films has begun development on a new Hercules feature film, VARIETY reports. Avi Lerner, Boaz Davidson, Danny Dimbort and Trevor Short will produce. Davidson, Millennium's president of production, and Joe Gatta, the company's evp, developed the property ancient Greek myth. Sean Hood (HALLOWEEN: RESURRECTION) will write the screenplay and no director has been hired. The plot details are being kept under wraps.
20th Century Fox has added Zooey Deschanel (THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY, ELF) as the female lead in M. Night Shyamalan's THE HAPPENING, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. She will join Mark Wahlberg in the disaster flick, which puts a family on the run from a natural crisis that threatens human life on Earth.
Lensing will start in August in Philadelphia.
Shyamalan, Samuel Mercer and Barry Mendel are the producer with Jose Rodriguez associate producing.
India's UTV Motion Pictures will co-fund the project.
With more than 2,000 exhibits, 500 authors, more than 60 conference sessions as well as a special area for rights business, BookExpo America allows attendees to see all the latest titles across genres, uncover hidden gems, network and meet the industry contacts. For more information, visit www.bookexpoamerica.com.
Mark and Jeanne Simon, founders of SellYourTvConceptNow.com, are hosting a free event for anyone who has an idea for a TV show and wants to pitch it to the networks. The free teleseminar/webinar will begin streaming at 9:00 pm ET/ 6:00 pm Pacific.
Topics covered will be: * The Seven Biggest Show-Pitching Mistakes * Five Questions You Must be Able to Answer in a Pitch * Attendee Questions
Attendees may call into the conference or listen to it stream live over the Internet.
Filmaka's aim is to encourage and inspire filmmakers from all around the globe with its upcoming May competition. Its new theme is "The Game."
Film entries must run between 1-3 minutes in length and can be in any language (English subtitles are encouraged). Each month the top 15-20 Filmaka's win cash prizes and the chance show their filmmaking talent to its award-winning jury. Jurors include Colin Firth, Werner Herzog, Neil LaBute, John Madden, Paul Shrader and Wim Wenders.
Well, I'm three for three on keeping the This Weekend's Film Festival alive as a weekly segment on this site. Because there wasn't any worthwhile DVD releases this Tuesday to build the lineup around, I had to come up with another theme to tie the films together. It's far from Valentine's Day, so why romance you might be thinking. Well, it's my 5th wedding anniversary on June 1st and in celebration I thought it was as good as time for any to look at five great films for the romantic at heart. Some of the films in the lineup are fairly straight forward… but I know you're gonna want to know how a zombie film, which I referred to in my original review as "the goriest film I've ever seen," works into this week's group of films.
Midnight Pictures, Wes Craven's production company, has in final talks with Dennis Iliadis (HARDCORE) to direct a remake of THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT, reports VARIETY. Adam Alleca has already signed on to adapt the screenplay. Rogue Pictures will fund and release the picture.
Craven will produce alongside Marianne Maddalena and Sean S. Cunningham.
The remake will keep the core premise of killers coming to stay at the home of the parents of one of their victims, but bring a more realistic tone to the characters.
