Concept Art and VFX: Managed Collaboration
J. Paul Peszko finds a collaborative relationship between conceptual artists and vfx teams on the biggest of visual effects blockbusters.
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John A. Davis Eyes Heinlein’s Star Beast
ANT BULLY director John A. Davis divulged at Comic-Con that he is planning to direct a live-action/animated feature based on sci-fi author Robert Heinleins STAR BEAST, which is being developed at Warner Bros.
STAR BEAST takes place 400 years in the future and concerns a boy and his enormous pet that turns out to be a genius alien. The alien would be CG and animated by Davis DNA Prods. in Dallas, Texas, which animated Warner Bros. THE ANT BULLY (opening July 28, 2006) as well as the JIMMY NEUTRON feature and TV series.
Mickey’s Other Mouse-tro: An Interview with Floyd Gottfredson
Jim Korkis speaks with Floyd Gottfredson, who brought Mickey Mouse to the world via daily comic strips.
Next Limit Releases Maxwell Render 1.1
Next Limit Technologies offers Maxwell Render 1.1, a render engine based on the physics of real light. Its algorithms and equations reproduce the behavior of light in a totally realistic way. All of the elements in Maxwell, such as light emitters, material shaders, cameras etc., are entirely based on physically accurate models.
Additionally, inside Maxwell, materials are modeled in a physically correct manner. Consequently the results produced by Maxwell are highly accurate renders of the real world.
‘Studio in a BOXX’ Giveaway at SIGGRAPH 2006
BOXX Technologies Inc. announced that it will be offering SIGGRAPH 2006 attendees an opportunity to win the core building blocks of a vfx studio, Studio in a BOXX, during the show in Boston on Aug. 1-3. The set is comprised of two 3DBOXX 7500 Performance Series workstations, two high-quality 20 displays from Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., three RenderBOXX 8200 Series render nodes and a Wacom Cintiq 21 Tablet.
In Event, Visual Effects, Event, Visual Effects | Headline News | Special Events: SIGGRAPH | Geographic Region: All
Kids Flip For Nicktoons
Nicktoons Network is giving kids everywhere a chance to learn about animation by handing out flip books that play back full-motion clips from two new original animated shows with a simple flip-of-a-thumb. The flip books will be distributed free to kids all summer long through the Nicktoon Networks cross-country mobile tour.
Monster House Helmer Adapts Ember
MONSTER HOUSE director Gil Kenan is developing a live-action adaptation of THE CITY OF EMBER, based on the 2003 book by Jeanne DuPrau, reports SCI FI WIRE.
"It's science fiction, and that's all I'm going to say," Kenan said in a recent interview. "It's a post-apocalyptic children's film. It's going to be closely based on the novel."
EDWARD SCISSORHANDS and CORPSE BRIDE screenwriter Caroline Thompson will pen the script with Playtone and Walden Media producing.
NYIT Launches Master of Fine Arts Program in Graphic Arts
New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) announced the launch of a new Master of Fine Arts (MFA) graduate program with a specialization in computer graphics and animation.
Avanca 2006 International Meeting of Cinema, TV, Video and Multimedia
Begins: July 26, 2006
Avanca Film Festival presents a forum for the best in cinema, TV, video and multimedia. The event features screenings, surprises, workshops, exhibitions, meetings and discussions.
NATPE TV Producers
Begins: July 26, 2006
The National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE) is expanding the format of its highly successful Annual TV Producers
Reg Hartt Presents A Tribute To Robert McKimson
Begins: July 26, 2006
A tribute to an animation Master. Rare uncensored 16mm prints. For info on Robert McKimson go to: http://looney.goldenagecartoons.com/articles/mckimson.html
Digital Musings From the Editor:
Its that busy time again between Comic-Con and SIGGRAPH, but VFXWORLD doesnt miss a beat. Alain Bielik reports on ILMs 3D creature animation in M Night Shyamalans LADY IN THE WATER. Orlando Luna stirs up Shake 4.1, Apples Universal Binary version of its famous compositing tool. Mary Ann Skweres gives a sneak peek of SIGGRAPH Art Gallery 2006: INTERSECTIONS. And J. Paul Peszko looks at the collaboration between concept artists and vfx pros, as we turn our attention this month to the digital artist.
Bill DesowitzEditor
Illustrators Enter Animated World
Karen Raugust looks at how comicbook and childrens book illustrators are trying their hand at animation, and vice versa.
ANIMANIACS & PINKY AND THE BRAIN VOLUME 1 Now on DVD
Lock the Warner water tower and guard the laboratory because the ANIMANIACS and PINKY AND THE BRAIN escaped to DVD on July 25, 2006, from Warner Home Video.
In Headline News | Geographic Region: All
'Lady in the Water': Shyamalan’s Latest Creature Feature
Alain Bielik uncovers ILMs creature work in M. Night Shyamalans latest fable, Lady in the Water.
Superman Returns Grosses More than $20 Million in IMAX 3-D
SUPERMAN RETURNS, which has grossed more than $290 million worldwide to date, is showing strong legs in IMAX theaters through its fourth weekend. The IMAX 3-D release earned approximately $1.4 million on 77 North American IMAX screens and an estimated $625,000 from 27 international IMAX screens between July 21-23 To date, the film has earned $20.7 million in IMAX theaters worldwide, becoming the fastest grossing digitally re-mastered IMAX release in the company's history for an impressive worldwide per screen average of $201,000.
Cinesite to Handle His Dark Materials
Cinesite has been awarded a major body of visual effects work for the forthcoming New Line cinema film HIS DARK MATERIALS. This follows Cinesites significant investment and expansion of its 3D team and capacity over the past two years.
David Pritchard New President at GigaPix Studios
David Pritchard, former president/ceo of Film Roman has joined animation and visual effects studio GigaPix Studio as president, replacing John Savage who recently vacated that position.
Romano Upped to SVP, Corp. Communications for Nick, MTVN Kids & Family Group
Marianne Romano has been promoted to SVP, corp. communications, for Nickelodeon, MTVN Kids and Family Group.
THQ Forges Incinerator Games
THQ Inc. has formed its new development team, Incinerator Games, the latest addition to THQ's growing internal studio system. Based in Carlsbad, California, Incinerator is comprised of veterans of the TWISTED METAL, NFL GAMEDAY and MLB 2006, the show projects from Sony's 989 studios, as well as the Midnight Club franchise from ROCKSTAR. Incinerator is primarily focused on development for next generation consoles.
Walt Disney Co. to Acquire Indian Kids Channel & Invests in UTV
The Walt Disney Co. plans to acquire Hungama TV, a leading Indian children's television channel, and take an equity interest in media company UTV Software Communications Ltd. as the media giant strengthens its presence in a rapidly growing media market, where local content production is key. Both transactions are subject to certain conditions and regulatory approval.
Hungama TV coo Zarina Mehta will work with the Disney team on the organizational and operational integration of Hungama TV into Disney's portfolio of kids' channels.
Ottawa Announces Festival Films
The Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) announced the films that have been invited to compete in this years 30th anniversary event, running Sept. 20 24, 2006. From the 1,947 entries received, 106 films representing 20 countries have been chosen for Official Competitions. An additional 31 films will be shown in out-of-competition Showcase screenings.
In Event, Event | Headline News | Special Events: Annecy | Geographic Region: All, Europe, North America, South America
4Kids' Most In-Demand Properties Go ON DEMAND
4Kids Ent. Inc. will soon give fans instant, 24-hour access to its properties with the launch of the 4Kids TV VOD Channel on Comcast ON DEMAND on Aug. 7, 2006. Featuring many of 4Kids' most popular brands including YU-GI-OH!, TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES, SONIC X, KIRBY and WINX CLUB, the new VOD Channel will offer 10 hours with new episodes added every two weeks.
Peter Pan Sings on ABC
Sony Pictures TV-based producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron are planning a musical revival of PETER PAN for ABC, reports VARIETY. Zadan and Meron hope to have the film ready for broadcast in fall 2007.
"This is a huge priority for us and has been over the almost two years it took to get the rights," ABC movies & mini-series head Quinn Taylor said. The project "is spot on in the tradition of classic ABC musicals, with huge family appeal across every generation."
The Penguin Flash 2006
Begins: July 25, 2006
The festival is review professional and amateur flash animations. At festival it is planned: round tables, an exchange of experience, personal contacts of colleagues on shop. An establishment of business contacts between partners of the project and animators. On preliminary selection for participation in Festival animation products of all studios and amateur authors, in .swf format without restriction in mbytes and minutes are accepted without restriction all. Works more 7Mb to send on CD or DVD by mail.
