'Shrek the Third': They've Come a Long, Long Way...
Bill Desowitz goes on his merry way through Shrek the Third to report on the many advancements at PDI/DreamWorks.
Bill Desowitz goes on his merry way through Shrek the Third to report on the many advancements at PDI/DreamWorks.
HP and AMD's technology helped power DreamWorks Animation's Shrek the Third, opening today [May 18, 2007].
HP ProLiant servers, workstations and notebooks, powered by AMD64 processors, enabled the creation of technically challenging, detail-rich images and effects in the latest film in the successful SHREK series. Additionally, producers benefited by using HP Halo Collaboration Studios to connect DreamWorks teams from across the globe in a live virtual environment.
The Gnomon Workshop offers the sixth Sculpture title from artist John Brown. A long awaited addition to John's brilliant sculpture series; this tutorial leads you with a master's skill through the process of sculpting the female form. Watch as John Brown brings to life a fantasy femme fatale figure, in full detail throughout two hours of instruction.
THE SIMPSONS sees its season 18 finale with two episodes airing in a one-hour block 8-9:00 pm on May 20, 2007, on FOX.
Former Tennis Pro and current Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) ambassador Anna Kournikova is teaming with Cartoon Network on GET ANIMATED WITH ANNA KOURNIKOVA, a new in-classroom DVD program that demonstrates fun exercises to help kids stay healthy and active. It features multiple Cartoon Network animated stars joining Kournikova and BGCA kids in various demonstrations.
The program will be introduced to some 4,000 Boys & Girls Clubs across the country starting June 4, 2007, and will reach more than four million kids between the ages of 6-13.
The Museum of the Moving Image is hosting a screening of PAPRIKA. This acclaimed new anime film from Satoshi Kon (PERFECT BLUE, MILLENIUM ACTRESS) -- about a sleep researcher whose alter ego investigates criminal cases by entering dreams -- will be followed by a discussion about dreams, science and movies with Dr. Robert Stickgold, the Harvard scientist known for his work on sleep and dreams, and Gilberto Perez, the Sarah Lawrence film scholar and author of THE MATERIAL GHOST: FILMS AND THEIR MEDIUM. The event is made possible by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and Sony Pictures Classics.
Eleven students from nine different colleges and universities have been named winners in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' 34th annual Student Academy Awards competition. They will participate in a week of industry-related activities and social events culminating June 9, 2007, with the awards presentation ceremony at the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater. One film student from Germany also has been selected to receive this year's Honorary Foreign Student Film Award.
The winners are (listed alphabetically by film title within category):
BabyFirstTV, America's only 24/7 commercial-free channel offering quality, innovative child development programming specifically for infants, babies, toddlers and their parents, has appointed Jeffrey Quinn as svp, of marketing. Based in the Los Angeles headquarters of BabyFirstTV, Quinn will direct the channel's industry and consumer marketing, advertising and promotional operations.
Blend Films and Microcinema have released LIQUID TALES -- THE ANIMATION OF PATRICK SMITH, the complete collection of animated films by Patrick Smith. For the first time, his bizarre, morphing style and symbolic stories of identity and emotion have been assembled onto this single DVD. The disc includes five animated films, extra features and more.
Ubisoft has shipped DRIVER '76 for the PSP and announced the May 2007 release of WARTECH SENKO NO RONDE, an arcade fighter for Xbox 360.
DRIVER '76 features all-new content with 27 new missions exclusively designed for portable game play. DRIVER '76 is the first all-new edition of the famed DRIVER series to be released since Ubisoft acquired the franchise in 2006. Developed by Sumo Digital Ltd. and Ubisoft's Reflections studio, DRIVER '76 is rated "M" for Mature and sells for $39.99.
Home Box Office announced it is now accepting entries for its 10th Annual HBO Short Film Award at Film Life's 2007 American Black Film Festival (ABFF). The competition honors the writing and directing talents of Black filmmakers. A grand prize of $20,000 will be presented by HBO at the ABFF, taking place in Los Angeles, Oct. 25-29, 2007.
The HBO Short Film Award has been presented as part of the ABFF's competitive film showcase since its inception in 1998. This year also marks the 10th anniversary of HBO as founding and title sponsor of the festival.
FIAE 2007 - International Festival of Erotic AnimationRio de Janeiro, BrazilNov. 6-8, 2007Deadline: Aug. 1, 2007
The FIAE 2007 - International Festival of Erotic Animation aims to contribute to the discovery and revealing of new films and new directors, within the universe of erotic animation, in Brazil and abroad. The event will be at the Movies Odeon BR, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
As The Simpsons reaches its 400th episode, Joe Strike chronicles the rise of the longest running sitcom's rise from a symbol of the fall of Western society to a symbolic American icon.
Sabrina Schmid travels to Stuttgart for the Festival of Animated Film to report her impressions about the animations, the filmmakers, the events and the atmosphere.
The Walt Disney Co. China announced it will release a Chinese-language movie, THE MAGIC GOURD, its first co-production with the state-run China Film Group, this summer, reports ASSOCIATED PRESS.
Based on a novel written by the late Chinese children's writer Zhang Tianyi, the film, a mix of live-action and animation, is about a boy who discovers a gourd that, much like a genie, grants him wishes. The story has already been adapted into a TV show by state-run CCTV.
Activision has inked a deal with Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox to lend their likenesses and voices to TRANSFORMERS: THE GAME. The title ships June 19, 2007, for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS and PC.
Following its big dollar purchase of SPIDER-MAN 3 basic cable rights, FX has inked a five-pic deal with Sony, which includes GHOST RIDER, says VARIETY. The cable network will pay Sony approximately $30 million for four years of exclusivity for the Nicolas Cage comicbook adaptation as well as the Sandra Bullock thriller PREMONITION. Additionally, FX will gain a two-year exclusive window for UNDERWORLD: EVOLUTION and THE GRUDGE 2. The fifth title in the deal is the WHEN A STRANGER CALLS remake, which FX will get for two-years following its initial run on TNT.
Sony Pictures Imageworks officially announced that it is expanding into Albuquerque, New Mexico, "to harness the power of scalable capacity and favorable economics."
According to the LOS ANGELES TIMES, more than 100 jobs will relocate from Culver City to New Mexico, which is providing a combined 25% rebate on taxable production and post-production expenses.
Peter Liguori, president, entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Co., today, (May 17, 2007), unveiled the FOX primetime schedule for the 2007-2008 television season, which includes four returning animated primetime series: AMERICAN DAD, FAMILY GUY, KING OF THE HILL and THE SIMPSONS.
This is the first edition of the This Weekend's Film Festival. Hopefully, this will become a weekly feature of the site. But who knows what will get in the way. Each week will have a new theme. The only criteria for the fest's lineup are that I've already reviewed the film and that it's at least available on DVD. For the most part the films will be three star flicks, but a there may be an occasion to embrace less than positively reviewed films. I hope to bring attention to films I like and hope this is a fun way to encourage people to check them out and even better… have a fun thing to do on a weekend or two.
This week I'm building the lineup around PAN'S LABYRINTH, which just arrived on DVD. I felt it was the best film I saw from 2006. So the Friday evening film is Guillermo del Toro's fairy tale for adults. Fantasy films are on the rise lately thanks to the LORD OF THE RINGS series. Del Toro took many risks with this dark story that takes deep emotional issues and presents them on a grandly magical scale. The layered story works on more than one level. Visually arresting, the film will leave its images imprinted on your mind forever. For more on the film, read my original review.
After 10 years in Santa Monica's landmark "graffiti" building, visual effects company Digiscope has moved to a spacious new facility. The new location, a modern glass and brick architectural building across from Digiscope's former home, features a newly constructed digital projection theater in a light-filled, collaborative environment.
Leading visual effects software developer, The Foundry, has announced the appointment of Ron Brinkmann as special advisor to its NUKE development team.
Luxology announced modo 301, a major upgrade to its 3D content creation software for Mac OSX and Windows. A milestone on the modo roadmap, modo 301 is an "all systems grow" release that includes comprehensive improvements to modeling, painting and rendering and the addition of two new core capabilities: sculpting and item animation. Luxology plans to ship modo 301 during summer 2007.
Kanipakam Creations, in association with RVML Animation Studios, is producing an animated film, LAVA KUSA -- THE WARRIOR TWINS. The story is about Lava and Kusa, the twin sons of Lord Rama, from the legendary epic Ramayana.
The mythological animation film is being made in three languages -- Hindi, Telugu and English. Veturi Sundarama Murthy has written the songs while renowned music director SL Vaidyanathan composed the music, which is already recorded, reports REWINDPRESS.COM.