Invincible Still Unbeatable
Buena Vistas real-life football drama, INVINCIBLE, held the top spot at the box office for the second consecutive week over the Labor Day Holiday weekend ended Sept. 4, 2006. INVINCIBLE caught $12.1M for a cume of $34.7M. Two newcomers occupied second and third place: Lionsgates CRANK and Warner Bros. update of THE WICKER MAN (with vfx by Worldwide FX, Pacific Title and Lava Studio). CRANK pulled in $10.4M compared to THE WICKER MANs $9.6M. Fox Searchlights LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE dipped to fourth while increasing its percentage with $7.6M for a cume of $33.7M.
Framestore & MPC to Handle Prince Caspian VFX
London-based Framestore CFC and Moving Picture Co. (MPC) will be the lead vfx houses on THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA sequel, PRINCE CASPIAN (a summer 2008 release from Disneys Buena Vista), reports IGNFILMFORCE and confirmed by the production company. Dean Wright resumes overall vfx supervision. Framestore and MPC have worked on several Hollywood franchises, including HARRY POTTER and X-MEN, and are among several London vfx houses that have recently expanded their 3D character animation.
New Viva Pinata & Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monsters Premiere on 4Kids TV
Celebrating its fifth season on Fox, 4Kids TV 4Kids Ent.'s four-hour Saturday morning programming block presents its most action-packed slate of original programming to date on affiliates nationwide, adding four new series to its already successful lineup of popular returning shows. VIVA PINATA and YU-GI-OH! CAPSULE MONSTERS premiere on Sept. 9, 2006 (check local listings for time). TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: FAST FORWARD got a jumpstart on July 29 at while Chaotic starts airing on Sept. 30.
David Pierce New Atari President/CEO
David Pierce is the new president/ceo of Atari Inc., assuming the responsibilities of ceo previously held by Bruno Bonnell. Pierce is in charge of the operational management of Atari and will partner with Bonnell to achieve strategic objectives while Bonnell will continue to serve as the company's chairman/coo, steering the creative vision for Atari.
Philippe Dauman Succeeding Tom Freston as Viacom President/CEO
Various news organization report that Viacom Inc. exec chairman/founder Sumner Redstone has ousted Tom Freston and the company's board of directors has appointed Philippe P. Dauman, 52, president/ceo. The board also named Thomas E. Dooley, 49, to the newly created position of svp/chief administrative officer.
Growing Up Creepie Tops Discovery Kids New Fall Lineup
For the new fall season, Discovery Kids has a new animated series, GROWING UP CREEPIE, about a girl who was raised by bugs, plus new seasons of FLIGHT 29 DOWN, ENDURANCE, TUTENSTEIN and SERIOUS as well as two specials with a social conscience, SAVING A SPECIES: THE GREAT PENGUIN RESCUE (hosted by Elijah Wood) and A YEAR ON EARTH, that examine how kids can play a role in protecting the environment.
Battlestar Galactica: The Resistance Premieres Exclusively on SCIFI.COM
In a broadcasting first, SCI FI will launch its season online, with a five-week, 10-episode online-only prequel season called BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: THE RESISTANCE. Premiering today (Sept. 5, 2006) SCIFI.COM will begin airing two- to three-minute episodes every Tuesday and Thursday at midnight, at www.scifi.com/battlestar, leading up to the Oct. 6 season 3 premiere on television.
Change the Way You Work & Play with Razer Pro|Solutions
Why compromise? Change the Way You Work and Play with the Razer Pro|Solutions Pro|Click v1.6. Take advantage of its increased precision to manipulate graphics with faster speed and better control. Increase your productivity up to 36% to 49% with less repetitive mouse movements. Enhance your accuracy via the 1600 dpi infrared optics. Maneuver flawlessly with the acoustic Teflon feet that assure smooth motion; and never power down with the Always-On mode that allows for instantaneous response at all times.
The Secret World of Og Makes Animated Series Debut on CBC-TV
Pierre Berton's THE SECRET WORLD OF OG premieres as an animated series on CBC Television in Canada, Saturday, Sept. 9 at 9:30 am. The series of nine episodes will continue to air weekly on Saturday mornings.
This Week’s Animation Trivia Quiz for Sept. 5, 2006
AWN Discussion Forums - What's New? for Sept. 5, 2006
Miami International Film Fest Beckons!
Miami International Film Festival 2007Miami, Florida, USAMarch 2-11, 2007Deadline: Oct. 6, 2006
The 24th annual Miami International Film Festival brings the best of world cinema to South Florida and plays a leading role in maintaining and further enriching its film culture. MIFF uses the unique geographical and cultural position of Miami to be a premiere venue for the exhibition of international and U.S. films, with a special focus on Ibero-American cinema. Both juried and audience awards are given in Documentary and Dramatic categories.
Scriptapalooza TV Writing Contest Still Accepting Entries
Scriptapalooza 8th Annual Television Writing CompetitionWorld Wide WebOct. 15, 2006Deadline: Oct. 15, 2006
The Scriptapalooza Television Writing Competition going into its 8th year has decided to start accepting reality shows. Scriptapalooza TV has seen two writers win Emmys, one writes for Comedy Central and numerous writers have gotten agents, managers and meetings.
Hiroshima Awards Top Prize to Milch
Hiroshima International Animation Festival, which was held from Aug. 24-28, 2006, has awarded its top prize to Igor Kovalyovs MILCH.
Marcy Page, chairperson of the jury, said, The films were exceptional. When the jury work began we thought that with the number of awards we had to give that there would surely be enough to single out our favorites. But finally, the jury could have easily given out a dozen (for two) more awards!
The complete list of winners follows.
Grand PrixMILCH by Igor Kovalyov
Anime Network Distribution Reaches To 40 Million
Anime Network has reached a new distribution milestone. Americas #1 anime channel is now available to 40 million homes across the U.S. and Canada a 233% increase and more than three times its reach in less than two years.
We are obviously pleased to have made such significant progress, said Kevin McFeeley, Anime Networks vp of affiliate sales. Yet, we are even more encouraged by the possibilities for even further growth as we seek out new and exciting platforms on which to deliver content to our fans.
Nominees Announced for eDward VII
The nominations for eDward VII, the young filmmaker's award on Time Travel, have been announced: Robert Waddilove, Jens Tomat, Andreas Gaschka, Kai Oliver Schonrath/Jan Christoph Bieselt, Sascha Schreier/Simon Rauland/Markus Härtel, Erika Kram, Thomas Heinrich, Daniel Stieglitz, Ditte Soria, Alex York.
Three of these will be invited to Frankfurt, Germany, and awarded at eDIT 9. Filmmaker's Festival, Sept. 24-26.
AWN and VFXWORLD are special media sponsors of eDward VII.
Cars DVD Officially Announced
Disney/Pixars CARS has been officially announced for a Nov. 7, 2006, DVD street date (Walt Disney Home Ent., $29.99). The John Lasseter 3D-animated feature has garnered $242M domestically (ranking seventh all-time) and $401M worldwide.
VFX/Animation Emmy Winners Laud Work
A few of last months 58th Annual Creative Arts Emmy Award-winning teams discussed their work for ROME (Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Series), THE TRIANGLE (Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Miniseries) and BEFORE THE DINOSAURS (Outstanding Animated Program For Programming One Hour Or More).
Flyboys to Have Massively Multiplayer Online Game
iEntertainment Network, the award-winning developer of the World Famous WARBIRDS TOTALSIMS series, will develop the first Massively Multiplayer Online Game to tie in with the theatrical release of FLYBOYS, the true life World War I aerial adventure (with vfx by Double Negative and Framestore CFC), to be released on Sept. 22 through MGM.
Curious George’s Next Big Adventure Begins Labor Day On PBS Kids
Imagine Ent., WGBH Boston and Universal Studios Family Prods., with the support of CURIOUS GEORGE publisher Houghton Mifflin, are bringing the insatiably curious monkey to PBS KIDS daily, beginning Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 4, 2006. The series will debut as part of PBS KIDS new hosted preschool destination.
DAGNABIT! Relocates
DAGNABIT! animation studio is relocating in September to Two Midtown Plaza in the heart of Atlanta (sharing space with The LvngRm and TOYBOX). It will celebrate its five year anniversary at its new location this coming November.
This change of venue will better position DAGNABIT! to interact with Atlanta's bustling ad agency and post-production communities, and puts them within striking distance of The High Museum of Art. Directors John Ryan and Robert Pope will return to the city as well.
Feedback Declared Winner On Who Wants To Be A Superhero?
"Enough with the lecture villain... it's time for some Feedback!" is the catch phrase of the winning contestant on SCI FI Channels WHO WANTS TO BE A SUPERHERO?
Last night (Aug. 31, 2006) on the series finale, Stan Lee chose Feedback, a.k.a. 33 year-old Matthew Atherton of Rancho Cucamonga, California, as champion. Athertons alter ego will come to life in the pages of a Dark Horse comicbook written by Lee and released later this year. The character will also be featured in a future SCI FI Channel original movie.
YTV Extends Programming for Labor Day
YTV cant extend summer, but it plans to extend its programming this Labor Day. On Monday, Sept. 4 from 9:00 am until 4:00 pm, YTV is going to air seven extended 45-minute episodes of viewers favorite YTV series, including: HEY ARNOLD, CATSCRATCH, THE FAIRLY ODDPARENTS, SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS, JIMMY NEUTRON: BOY GENUIS, DANNY PHANTOM and MY LIFE AS A TEENAGE ROBOT. Viewers can catch sneak peeks of new fall programs as well as new episodes from returning YTV series in between each extended episode.
New Fantastic Four Animated Series Forges Ahead On Cartoon Network
The all-new FANTASTIC FOUR animated series will premiere Saturday, Sept. 2, 2006, at 8:00 pm during Toonami on Cartoon Network in the U.S. Cartoon Network has exclusive domestic rights to the 26-episode, half-hour FANTASTIC FOUR series produced in France by Moonscoop (formerly Antefilms, the creators of CODE LYOKO) with Marvel Studios Cartoon Network and M6.
Crest Animation Studios & RichCrest Secures $40 Million Financing
DE Shaw group has invested in a 14.99% stake in Mumbai-based Crest Animation Studios and another 26% in its U.S. subsidiary Rich Crest Holdings for an aggregate infusion of up to $40 million.
RichCrest Animation Inc., located in Burbank, California, has entered into an agreement with Lions Gate Inc. for the production of three full-length, 3D feature films.
The first movie, SYLVESTER AND THE MAGIC PEBBLE, is scheduled for release in 2008. The second movie project titled, ALPHA & OMEGA, is in the development and is planned for release in 2009.