Business
Union supporters carried signs
and formed a picket line in
front of the new Nicktoons studio in Burbank last month.
Photo © Animation World Network.
Toon Union Pickets Nick.
On Monday, February 9, approximately 35 people walked in a picket line
on the sidewalk in front of Nickelodeon's "brand spanking new"
animation studio at 231 Olive Avenue in Burbank, California. The picketers,
comprised mostly of members of several unions under the I.A.T.S.E. umbrella
of motion picture-related Union chapters 767, 871, 705, 44 as well as the
Motion Picture Screen Cartoonists (M.P.S.C.) Union local 839, were there
"to let Nick understand that in Los Angeles, animation is done by
union labor," said M.P.S.C. president Tom Sito, who works at DreamWorks
Feature Animation. Nickelodeon representatives declined to comment. Nicktoons,
a Viacom company, employs approximately 300 people in the Los Angeles studio,
which produces animated series such as Angry Beavers, Hey Arnold,
Kablam! and Oh Yeah! Cartoons! The M.P.S.C. Union local 839
currently has more than 2,500 members, working at 12 studios including
DreamWorks, Disney and Warner Bros.
Perpetrator Posts Private Pixar E-Mail. Richmond, California-based
computer animation company, Pixar Animation Studios, has reportedly filed
a law suit over an anonymous e-mail message that accurately names some
400 Pixar employees' names, positions, and respective salaries. The e-mail
was sent via computer in early February under the name of Pixar CEO Steve
Jobs, who has denied sending it. Pixar, a publicly-traded company, is concerned
that the message could have a negative effect on employee relations and
recruiting efforts. Pixar officials were not available for comment.
L.A. Mayor Brings Industry Execs to China. Eight delegates have
been selected to travel to China with Los Angeles Mayor Richard J. Riordan,
to promote business development between L.A. and China. Included in the
delegation are representatives from several entertainment companies interested
in creating original programming for the Chinese market. Among them are
Terry Thoren, CEO of Klasky Csupo, Michel Welter, president of international
production for Saban Entertainment and Charles Rivkin, president and COO
of Jim Henson Productions. With Mayor Riordan and a group of his statesmen,
they will travel to Beijing and Shanghai in early March to meet with governmental
agencies such as The Ministry of Radio, Television & Film and The Institute
of Foreign Affairs, as well as private industry broadcasters. Other industries
are represented on the panel by Iwerks Entertainment (themed entertainment),
The International Channel (cable TV), Paramount International Television
(distribution), Creative Artists Agency (talent), ARCO (energy), Lowe Enterprises
(theatres), Bank of America (banking) and Hughes (aircraft).
Zoom Cartoons Entertainment
created animated| sequences
for IBM which were showcased at the 1998 Winter
Olympics in Nagano. Image © and 1993 NAOC.
7th Level Alums Form Zoom Cartoons. Two employees of 7th Level Studios have announced their
exit and the formation of a new digital animation company, Zoom Cartoons
Entertainment. Former 7th Level producer Susan [Deming] Bernstein and vice
president of animation Dan Kuenster, have set up shop in Los Angeles. Zoom
Cartoons' first project is a spot for IBM which is being presented at the
1998 Olympic Games in Nagano, Japan. The studio is currently in production
on a 30-minute animated sequence for Bandai Entertainment's direct-to-video
feature based on the Tamagotchi toy, Now Museum, Now You Don't,
which will be released this year.
Universal Forays Into Features. Universal Pictures has confirmed
the formation of Universal Pictures Animation and Visual Effects, a new
division dedicated to developing and producing fully animated feature films,
with a particular focus on CGI. Co-heading the division are John Swallow,
senior vice president of production technology and former Warner Bros.
Feature Animation development executive Doug Wood, who joined Universal
in November 1997 as vice president of animation production and creative
affairs for the new division. Other than the two executives' assistants,
Universal intends to keep the new division a "lean operation,"
said Swallow. While other major studios have created large feature animation
divisions (Warner Bros. or Fox) or formed partnerships with production
studios (Disney/Pixar or DreamWorks/PDI), Universal's approach to feature
animation is unique in that they will outsource all production work to
external companies. Three projects have been announced, all of which are
in development: Frankenstein, a remake of the classic horror tale
by Mary Shelley, Alien Pet Store, with illustrator Keith Graves
and producer John Williams, and Miss Spider, based on the popular
children's books by David Kirk. Universal is close to signing a deal with
a leading computer animation studio for production of Frankenstein,
but no production deals have been announced. Universal expects to have
its first film from this new venture ready for release by summer of 2001.
Send your newsworthy items, press releases, and reels to:
Email: editor@awn.com
Fax: (213) 464-5914
Mail: Animation World Magazine
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