All AWN Content

Animated Exeter has launched two new bursaries for Devon. The Honeycomb Animation 2D Bursary 2006 is set up to encourage new talent in 2D animation and the Phoenix Media Digital Animation Bursary 2006 is aimed at supporting new and existing talent and develop the overall practice of digital media in the region.

Eyetronics has successfully completed the scanning of over 1,200 Major League baseball players and coaches for the Major League Baseball Players Assn. (MLBPA). The announcement was made by Nick Tesi, vp of operations for Eyetronics in the U.S., who helped supervise the scanning operation that rolled out in spring training camps in Florida and Arizona.

THQ Inc. has released LET'S RIDE: DREAMER INSPIRED BY A TRUE STORY for the Game Boy Advance. Published by THQ's ValuSoft division, LET'S RIDE: DREAMER INSPIRED BY A TRUE STORY, based upon the DreamWorks movie, is rated "E" for Everyone and is available at retail outlets throughout North America for $19.99 SRP.

Framestore CFC has announced the formation of Framestore Feature Animation. Heading the new venture will be David Lipman, who joins the company as managing partner after eight years at DreamWorks Animation, where his roles included producer on SHREK 2 and co-exec producer on SHREK.

Maureen Stapleton, who won an Academy Award in 1981 for her supporting role as anarchist activist Emma Goldman in Warren Beatty's REDS, died March 13, 2006. She was 80. The longtime smoker died from chronic pulmonary disease in Lenox, Massachusetts, in the Berkshire hills, where she had been living, son Daniel Allentuck said.

Revealed at the Walt Disney shareholders meeting last week, Brad Bird will take the creative reins of Pixar Animation Studios' RATATOUILLE. Developed in-house for several years, Oscar-winning short-film director Jan Pinkava (GERI'S GAME) was long attached to the project as its helmer, but officially no director has been chosen yet.

The story follows a skinny rodent who views himself a gourmand, living in a Parisian restaurant.

A sneak peek of the film was introduced by John Lasseter and shown to attendees at Friday's meeting.