AWN Discussion Forums - What's New? for Sept. 11, 2006
This week in AWN's Forums, there is a thread asking for examples of good and bad acting in animation.
‘Little Mermaid’ Team Discusses Disney Past and Present
THE LITTLE MERMAID, which launched Disneys animation rebirth in 1989, made its digital debut last night (Sept. 7, 2006) at Hollywoods legendary El Capitan Theatre. The special limited engagement runs through Sept. 24, celebrating the Oct. 3 release of the special edition DVD from Walt Disney Home Ent.
Midway Developing Billy & Mandy Game for Wii
Midway Games Inc. announced the development of THE GRIM ADVENTURES OF BILLY & MANDY for the Nintendo Wii. Gamers can play as one of 15 characters from one of Cartoon Networks top-rated shows in the adventure/fighting game, which is also scheduled to be available for the PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube and Game Boy Advance this holiday season.
Cartoon Network & Adult Swim Shows Downloadable on Amazon Unbox
Turner Broadcasting System Inc. announced that programming downloads of original episodes from Cartoon Network and Adult Swim are now available on Amazon.coms new digital video download service, Amazon Unbox. The new content features such favorites as Cartoon Networks FOSTERS HOME FOR IMAGINARY FRIENDS and Adult Swims AQUA TEEN HUNGER FORCE. Amazon.com has been offering Cartoon Network and Adult Swim content via DVD as well.
Available download content from Cartoon Network and Adult Swim will include the following:* JOHNNY BRAVO
Indie Animated Shorts Available on iTunes
Shorts Intl, the programming and distribution arm of leading short films specialists Brit Shorts, announced that a special collection of 10 animated films from the world's hottest independent animators are available for purchase on the iTunes Music Store (www.itunes.com).
Pileated Pictures Answers All For Launch of Trivial Pursuit DVD For Kids
Pileated Pictures announced that it recently wrapped production of a dozen animated episodes to support the launch of Trivial Pursuit DVD for Kids. The team at Pileated handled all aspects of production for Parker Brothers, owned by Hasbro, including animation, design, voice-over production, video post work and DVD authoring.
New Pokémon to Air Exclusively on Cartoon Network
The ninth season of the popular POKÉMON series POKÉMON: BATTLE FRONTIER will air exclusively on Cartoon Network, part of Cartoon Networks Saturday morning lineup of comedic and action-adventure programming. The new season kicks off on Saturday, Sept. 9, at 9:00 am (ET, PT) with a special one-hour episode. The series will air regularly on Saturday mornings at 9:30 am (ET, PT).
Urbaniacs & Ikoncity Gamers Battle for Bragging Rights
Immersive community sites Urbanics.com and Ikoncity.com have pitted their gamers against each other in a battle for bragging rights as well as cool prizes. Members of the two sites can sign up to participate in the competition at www.ikoncity.com/battlezone10/. Top scorer will win an Urbaniacs t-shirt and the top will earn bonus Urbos, which can be used on the site to pimp out your custom Urbaniacs character.
Fox Interactive Media Offers The Simpsons Premiere Peek
Fox Interactive Media (FIM) and FOX offered fans on the Web an exclusive glimpse at the new season of THE SIMPSONS series. Through a campaign sponsored by Burger King, FIM sites will offer a promotional premier look at the first episode starting Sept. 8, 2006. In a first, online fans on three FIM sites, including MySpace.com (www.myspace.com/thesimpsons), FOX.com (www.fox.com) and IGN.com's new site IGN TV (www.igntv.com) have the exclusive opportunity to see the first seven minutes of the first episode before it airs on television.
17 Scientific Achievements in Competition for 79th Academy Awards
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Scientific and Technical Awards Committee will review 17 scientific and technical achievements for 79th Academy Awards consideration, but its not too late to submit entries. Industrial Light & Magic is being considered for two achievements each.
The list of achievements is made public to allow individuals and companies with similar devices or claims of prior art the opportunity to submit their devices or claims for review as well, said Scientific and Technical Awards committee chair Donald C. Rogers.
Dennis Hoffman to Head Production at Anthem Visual Effects
Former Digital Domain vet Dennis Hoffman has been appointed vp/head of production for Vancouver-based Anthem Visual Effects Inc. Anthem was recently awarded, for the second consecutive year, production of visual effects for Starz/IDT Ent.s anthology series MASTERS OF HORROR.
Iridas to Bring Full 2006 Product Lineup to IBC
Iridas will bring the complete 2006 SpeedGrade and FrameCycler product portfolios to IBC 2006. IRIDAS will exhibit with Ciprico (stand 7.510) from Sept. 8-12, 2006, at the Amsterdam RAI.
eyeon Connection with Autodesk Announced at IBC
Toronto-based compositing software developers, eyeon Software Inc., announced eyeon Connection at IBC 2006. This allows Fusion machines to directly access Autodesk's Media & Entertainment Stone file system over a LAN, giving the ability to interoperate with Inferno, Flame, Flint, Fire and Smoke systems without the need to import, export or publish media.
Luma Makes a ‘Covenant’ with VFX
Luma Pictures completed more than 75 visual effects shots for THE COVENANT, the new supernatural thriller from ScreenGems and Lakeshore Ent., and director Renny Harlin (opening Sept. 8, 2006). Included in the package are the films eerie opening sequence in which four teenage boys leap off a towering cliff, a mystical rite of passage sequence, as well as its climactic battle sequence.
University of the Arts Students Using Intel-based Rendering Technology
University of the Arts Media Arts Department have begun using an Intel Core 2 Duo processor workstation system and an Intel Pentium D processor server render farm for its students high-end animation and digital films. The new Intel processors reduce render times for UArts students who explore complex environments, dynamic character movement and dense texturing as they create their work.
Wildform Releases New Software WildPresenter Lite
Wildform, Inc. announced the release of a new, consumer priced Lite version of its popular presentation program, WildPresenter, which allows users to create Flash slide shows, flow charts, ads, online lessons and sales presentations.
Users can combine text, images, audio, artwork and shapes as well as add hundreds of animations, slide transitions and Flash features such as play controls, preloaders, links and mouse-overs. Additionally, users can import and then edit, combine and manipulate any Flash SWF and FLV file.
Video Games Live Returns To The Hollywood Bowl
Off the heels of sold-out shows around the world, videogame composers Tommy Tallarico and Jack Wall are bringing their videogames music concert back to the Hollywood Bowl for the second time on Sept. 21, 2006. The new Video Games Live concert features music from the most popular video ames performed by top orchestras and choirs, combining exclusive video footage and music arrangements, synchronized lighting, solo performers, electronic percussionists and interactive segments.
Spammers Using Animated Subliminal Messages
Sophos, a global network of virus, spyware and spam analysis centers, has announced that it has found spammers using animated graphics to display subliminal messages encouraging investors to buy stocks in "pump-and-dump" stock scam. Spammers have moved to using animated GIFs as an attempt to try and avoid detection by anti-spam products.
Brother Bear Sequel Tops DVD Sales Charts
Buena Vista Home Ent.s BROTHER BEAR 2 has landed in the top slot on the national DVD sales chart for the week ending Sept. 3, according THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. This is the second big direct-to-video animated sequel for Buena Vista this year with Februarys BAMBI 2, which still is among the top 10 DVD sellers of the year. In other animated charts toppers, Paramounts SOUTH PARK SEASON 8 DVD set ranked #8 in its first week.
Kent Rice to Head Starz Animation
Kent Rice has been named ceo of Starz Animation, a division of Starz Media, to develop and produce animated feature-length movies. Rice reports to Clasen.
Rice is a 20-year vet with executive level management experience in cable operations, telecom and TV programming, both in domestic and international markets. Most recently, he had been executive adviser to Starz Ent., helping acquire the newly named Starz Media and the integration of Starz Media with Starz Ent.
Lionel Marty Upped to Taffy Ent. President of Worldwide Distribution
Taffy Ent., the brand management company for childrens and animation company MoonScoop and U.S.-based animation studio Mike Young Prods. (MYP), has promoted Lionel Marty in its Paris office to president of worldwide distribution. In the newly created position, Marty heads television and video sales for all Taffy Ent.s library of popular kids programming worldwide, including the MYP-produced multi-award-winning JAKERS!, for which Taffy holds worldwide television distribution rights, and MoonScoops hit show, CODE LYOKO.
Jim Packer to Lead MGM Worldwide Television Distribution Group
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM) is restructuring its worldwide television distribution operation, hiring senior management and bringing a number of new high profile programs to buyers around the globe. Seasoned distribution exec Jim Packer assumes the new title of president and remains in charge of television distribution worldwide, including U.S. barter sales and syndication, as well as all emerging forms of television programming distribution on a worldwide basis.
Denver Chosen for World Premiere of Musical ‘Little Mermaid’
Denver Center Attractions 2007 season contains the world-premiere production of Disneys THE LITTLE MERMAID musical at The Ellie Caulkins Opera House in the summer of 2007.
This project is terribly exciting and a huge coup for Denver, said Randy Weeks, president and coo of The Denver Center for the Performing Arts. We are looking forward to taking our relationship with Disney Theatricals to a new level this season.
New NVIDIA GeForce 7 Series GPUs Deliver Value to PC Gamers
NVIDIA Corp. redefined performance expectations for graphics cards at two of the most popular price segments for PC gamers. Available immediately, NVIDIA SLI-ready GeForce 7900 GS graphics processing units (GPUs) deliver exceptional performance and cutting-edge features at the widely accessible $199 to $249 price point. Available Sept. 14, the GeForce 7950 GT GPU brings increased performance and a 512MB frame buffer to the $299 to $349 price segment.
Digital-Tutors Releases Rendering Techniques in XSI Training
Digital-Tutors announced the availability of RENDERING TECHNIQUES IN XSI, the newest release in an expanding library of interactive video-based training for emerging digital artists. Artists will learn innovative techniques and a unique approach to rendering in XSI and compositing using the integrated FX Tree. RENDERING TECHNIQUES IN XSI provides over 2.5 hours of project-based training to increase the artist's productivity and understanding of rendering and compositing while using the powerful tools and features in XSI.
