Animation World Magazine, Issue 2.4, July 1997


People

Hollywood Shuffle


Suzan Pitt
will join the full-time faculty of Ringling School Of Art & Design in the fall, relocating to Florida from New York, where she has been a director with Ink Tank. . . . . Walt Disney Television International's Asia Pacific division has created the new position of vice president and managing director of broadcasting, naming former Carlton Communications head of operations Robin Paxton to the post in Hong Kong. . . . James Green left his post at Buena Vista in Japan, to relocate to San Francisco as head of international marketing for Pixar. . . . Also making a move from Disney to Pixar is Sarah McArthur, who exits as vice president of production at Walt Disney Feature Animation to assume the same position at Pixar. . . . . ILM has named Kevin Townsend to the new position of vice president and general manager, and promoted Marcie Malooly and John Denis to executive producers in the San Francisco and Los Angeles production facilities, respectively. . . . Klasky Csupo promoted Laslo Nosek to vice president and director of creative services, a role in which he will oversee artistic development of all the studio's projects.. . . . Susanne Murdoh has been named sales manager for Manhattan Transfer. . . . Walt Disney TV International appointed Simon Kenny and Keith Legoy senior vice presidents and managing directors for Latin America and Europe, respectively. . . . . Film Roman executive vice president Bill Schultz, will be leaving his post at the end of the month, after which he will continue to consult part time for the company. Schultz, who was second in charge under CEO Phil Roman, has been with Film Roman for eight years. . . . . Digital Domain has recruited Edward Kummer away from his post as senior manager of digital production for the animation department at Walt Disney Studios, to take on the position of vice president of digital operations for the Venice, California effects house. He replaces Ruth Scovill, who recently left Digital Domain and headed over to DreamWorks. . . . Klasky Csupo has named Debbe Goldstein to the new position of director of recruitment. Goldstein joins Klasky Csupo from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena where she was assistant director of admissions. . . .Los Angeles-based video game publisher Activision has assigned Robert Morgado, former Warner Music Group CEO, to their board of directors. . . . Rhythm & Hues has signed two new directors for exclusive commercial representation, Gary Gutierrez, formerly of Complete Pandemonium and Richard Taylor, formerly of The Front, Duck Soup's live-action/new media arm. . . .

Chel White has joined Curious Pictures.

Curious Pictures has signed animator/director Chel White for commercial representation. White, who is known in the animation community for his film Choreography for the Copy Machine (Photocopy Cha Cha), will remain based in his Portland, Oregon studio. . . . Klasky Csupo Commercials has signed three new directors for exclusive commercial representation, Vancouver independent and Lupo the Butcher creator Danny Antonucci, New York independent George Griffin, and CGI specialist Miles Flanagan . . . . Gil Gagnon has been promoted to vp of production at Cinesite, where he has worked since 1992, most recently as production manager. . . . Anne Allen Mcgrath has been named head of publishing efforts for Dreamworks consumer products division, a role in which she will oversee development of publishing programs based on films such as the animated feature Prince of Egypt. McGrath formerly held a similar position at Disney. . . . .

DreamWorks Animation Appoints Ann Daly. Former Walt Disney Company executive and President, Domestic Home Video, Buena Vista Home Video, Inc., Ann Daly has been named head of DreamWorks SKG's Feature Animation division. Daly will share this responsibility with Ron Rocha. During her time at Walt Disney, Daly was a video industry pioneer, starting in 1994 by initiating high-quality, family-oriented films produced exclusively for video. Among others, the animated Aladdin sequels The Return of Jafar and Aladdin and the King of Thieves were produced under her supervision as she was responsible for all marketing, sales, distribution, production and all area's of the company's operations. "Ann, one of the top women executives in the entertainment industry, has been responsible for developing some of the most innovative and dynamic marketing concepts in the video business...During our years together at Disney, she was unquestionably among the most talented and creative executives I had the pleasure of working with," stated Jeffrey Katzenberg. Prior to 1992 when she was named President, Daly was Senior Vice President, Marketing, of the division. She was employed by Disney for 14 years.

Animator and children's book author Kelly Asbury.

DreamWorks Animator Kelly Asbury Publishes Book Series.

DreamWorks animation director Kelly Asbury is launching his first series of children's books through Henry Holt & Co. publishers. The series includes three illustrated titles: Rusty's Red Vacation, Bonnie's Blue House, and Yolanda's Yellow School, which he hopes will expand into a rainbow of books including orange, green and purple. After trying for 14 years to get the books published, Asbury said that his opportunity arose when he met children's book illustrator and James and the Giant Peach animated feature film concept artist Lane Smith (The Stinky Cheese Man), who "really liked the books and helped me pave the way to publishers in New York." Storyopolis, a bookstore in West Hollywood, Los Angeles, hosted a reading of the books by actress Jennifer Tilly on May 31, and will offer a limited edition of lithographs from the book (call 1-800-95-TALES for information). Asbury was co-head of story on DreamWorks' Prince of Egypt and is currently directing animation on DreamWorks' feature adaptation of William Steig's children's book, Shrek.

Industry Mourns Death Of Phyllis Craig.
The animation community lost a true friend in May. Phyllis Craig, a 45 year animation veteran, passed away over the weekend following a short and unexpected hospital stay. Please visit the tribute to Phyllis in this issue, featuring photos, newspaper clippings and personal memories from Phyllis' friends and business associates.


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