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Crystal Reel Awards Celebrates the Best in Florida Filmmaking
17th Annual Crystal Reel AwardsOrlando, Florida, USANov. 11, 2006Deadline: Sept. 15, 2006
The Florida Motion Picture and Television Association (FMPTA) is hosting the Crystal Reel Awards (CRA). The Crystal Reel Awards have been compared to Floridas version of the Oscars and the Emmys with many different categories (behind and in front of the camera) from students to professionals. Entries are limited to work produced in the State of Florida between Jan. 1, and Dec. 31, 2005.
Uli Meyer Animation’s MonsterMania! Goes Into Production
Uli Meyer Animation has started production on MONSTERMANIA!, a fully computer-animated feature film comedy featuring the classic movie monsters.
Scripted by award-winning British horror writers Michael Marshall Smith and Stephen Jones, based on an idea by Uli Meyer, Stephen Jones and Michael Marshall Smith, MONSTERMANIA! has been in active development for the past three years at the companys London-based animation studios.
ADV Releases Papuwa, Farscape Starburst, Chance Pop Session
ADV Films will release the first volume in the new series PAPUWA, a new FARSCAPE STARBURST Edition and a thin-pack collection of CHANCE POP SESSION on Aug. 8, 2006. Additionally, ADV released the complete collections of CROMARTIE HIGH SCHOOL and EXCEL SAGA.
Apple Unveils New Mac Pro Featuring Quad 64-bit Xeon Processors
Apple launched the new Mac Pro, a quad Xeon, 64-bit desktop workstation featuring two new Dual-Core Intel Xeon processors running up to 3.0 GHz and a new system architecture that delivers up to twice the performance of the Power Mac G5 Quad. The introduction of the Mac Pro marks the completion of a rapid and seamless transition for Apple, with the entire Mac family now using Intel's latest processors.
Metalocalypse Strikes Cord on Adult Swim Premiere
Adult Swims newest original series, METALOCALYPSE, which premiered Aug. 6, 2006 at 11:45 pm, earned the networks best premiere delivery and ratings to date in 2006, according to preliminary data from Nielsen Media Research. The animated satire on extreme rock bands ranked #1 in its time period among adults and men 18-24 and men 18-34. The premiere also charted strong double-digit delivery and ratings gains among all targeted young adult demos.
BBC & Nicktoons Onboard for Collingwood O’Hare’s The Secret Show
BBC Worldwide has acquired global program distribution, merchandising and DVD rights to U.K. independent Collingwood OHare Ents new series, THE SECRET SHOW. BBC Worldwide Americas sales team has already licensed 26 episodes to Nicktoons Network, the 24-hour animation network owned by Nickelodeon, in the U.S. The series airs on Nicktoons Network in January 2007 following its broadcast on CBBC.
Commissioned by the BBC, THE SECRET SHOW will be aired on the BBCs pre-teen digital channel CBBC.
Andrew Perlman New Classic Media Digital Media VP
New York-based family entertainment company Classic Media has named industry veteran Andrew Perlman to serve as its new vp of Digital Media, responsible for managing the mobile and online content distribution strategy for the companys diverse library and characters, consisting of more than 3,000 titles, which also includes its subsidiary, Big Ideas VeggieTales brand.
Michael Gersh New ReelTime VP Corp. Communications
ReelTime Rentals Inc., the first broadband network offering a true full screen, DVD quality, "point, click and watch" online television experience, announced Michael Gersh is onboard as vp of corporate communications. Gersh is responsible for ReelTimes website, the writing and production of sales and promotional pieces, media and investor relations, as well as serving as in-house press spokesman.
This Week’s Animation Trivia Quiz for August 7, 2006
AWN Discussion Forums - What's New? for August 7, 2006
This week in AWN's Forums, theres a new thread dedicated to good podcasts about animation. A member is getting advice on how to turn his big Flash bummer into an animation success. Others discuss why drawing is important. Theres a thread discussing racist imagery in classic cartoons. A member has a question about copyrighting scripts. Others are posting their work or equipment for sale. As well as, tools for teaching animation, the business of animation and, as always, brand new stuff to check out in show and tell!
Career Coach: Show Me the Money
Pamela Kleibrink Thompson tackles the toughest request a new hire has to ask their new employer show me the money.
Romero Travels to Solitary Isle
Co-financing partners, Hyde Park Ent. and Kadokawa Pictures, have hired George A. Romero to write and direct the thriller SOLITARY ISLE, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.
Based on a short story by Koji Suzuki (THE RING, DARK WATER), the $20 million-budgeted film will follow an expedition to a deserted island, which turns deadly as the explorers face an unknown force.
The film most likely will be distributed by 20th Century Fox, where Hyde Park has a five-year, first-look deal. Hyde Park Intl holds the foreign rights.
Weinsteins Bring Jerry Lewis Back as Nutty Professor
The Weinstein Co. has snatched up the rights to produce an animated version of THE NUTTY PROFESSOR, in which Jerry Lewis will provide the voice of at least two characters. Mainframe Ent. will produce and animate the project, which will be released direct-to-video by Genius Products Inc.
SIGGRAPH 2006 Attracts Nearly 20,000 in Boston
SIGGRAPH 2006, the 33rd conference on computer graphics and interactive techniques, registered 19,764 artists, research scientists, developers, filmmakers and academics from 80 countries for its conference in Boston last week (July 31-Aug. 3). More than 230 companies exhibited, including 76 first-time exhibitors.
Autodesk to Launch ‘The Area’ Community Portal
Autodesks Media & Ent. division will launch a new community portal on Aug. 22 called The Area (www.the-area.com), which will enable artists to network with peers and enjoy a repository of Autodesk 3D content. Content will be posted by community members and Autodesk.
Initially, the site will focus on content created using Maya, Autodesk 3ds Max, Autodesk Motion Builder or VIZ used in games, film, post-production or design visualization. Membership is free.
Talladega Nights Races First
The Will Ferrell NASCAR comedy, TALLADEGA NIGHTS: THE BALLAD OF RICKY BOBBY, raced to the top of the box office chart in its first outing. For the weekend ended Aug. 6, 2006, the Sony release scored a whopping $47Mthe best comedy opener of the year and a personal best for Ferrell. Debuting in second place with $15.8M was the 3D-animated BARNYARD from Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies and director Steve Oedekerks O Ent.
iThentic Looking For Shorts For Mobile Distribution
iThentic.com is looking for original animated short to distribute over cellphones. The company is looking for film under three minutes and 15 MB file size. Visit www.ithentic.com for details or contact rachael@ithentic.com for more information. Entries that arrive before Aug. 15, 2006, will be considered for iThentics September release.
August Gets Even Hotter On TELETOON
TELETOONs highlights for August 2006, kick off with the debut of the new series, DI-GATA DEFENDERS. Premiering on Aug. 5 with a special 90-minute CINETOON presentation of the first three episodes, the series will regularly air Saturdays at 7:00 pm starting August 12.
Viewers Program YTV ZAPX In August
In August 2006, YTVs programmers are taking a summer break, allowing viewers to help decide what movies to air on YTVs popular movie block ZAPX, hosted by Simon every Sunday at 6:00 pm. Kids can vote online at www.YTV.com for the movies they want to see. Each week YTV offers kids a new themed block of movies to vote for including: ZAPX Prankster Movies on Aug. 13, ZAPX Summer Phreakend Movies on Aug. 20 and ZAPX Teen Queen Movies on Aug. 27.
TOKYOPOP Goes Where No Manga Has Gone Before — Star Trek
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of STAR TREK, TOKYOPOP and CBS Consumer Products have joined forces to produce STAR TREK: THE MANGA, based on the original STAR TREK TV series. Like the television classic, these new journeys venture into the terrain of social politics, personal reflection and bare-knuckled brawls between Captain Kirk and the galaxy's most cunning alien species.
Party To Honor David Chai & Arne Wong
ASIFA-SF is hosting a party to honor David Chai and Arne Wong, two members who showed work at Annecy this year. Chai
2006 Architectural 3D Awards Competition
Following up on last year's huge success, CGarchitect.com is hosting the 3rd annual Architectural 3D Awards to be awarded at this year's VisMasters Design Visualization Conference. The Awards Competition is open to everyone in the Architectural Visualization industry to highlight the best imagery and animations done in 2005/2006.
2006 Script Pimp Screenwriting Competition
The 2006 Script Pimp Screenwriting Competition allows fledgling writers the chance to break into the industry. The 2006 Script Pimp Screenwriting Competition is an international competition open to all original, English-written feature film screenplays that have yet to be produced, optioned or sold. For the 4th consecutive year, Script Pimp will host the 2006 Script Pimp Awards Party at the Hollywood Improv. More than 20 companies have already reserved their tickets to meet the writers of Script Pimp's twenty best in 2006. Industry: email pro@scriptpimp.com to make reservations.
VisMasters Design Visualization Conference
The VisMasters Design Visualization Conference is a one-day event focused on the business, art and technology of design visualization. Featuring speakers from some of the most prestigious and well know architectural and visualization firms, participants from all facets of the industry will find a new found appreciation for the art of visualization and insights into what lies ahead.