Bratz Coming to the Big Screen
MGA Ent. Inc., Avi Arad Prods. and Crystal Sky Pictures will team to bring MGA's famous BRATZ dolls to the big screen. A screenplay, tentatively entitled BRATZ, is in the process of being written with a targeted production start of late fall 2006 in Los Angeles.
Under the deal, Crystal Sky Pictures will finance a live-action feature film based on the popular BRATZ characters. MGA's founder/ceo Isaac Larian, Avi Arad and Crystal Sky's chairman Steven Paul will produce the picture, and Crystal Sky Pictures president Benedict Carver will exec produce.
Weinsteins Pick Up Tsui Hark’s Seven Sword Rights
The Weinstein Co. (TWC) has acquired all theatrical and video rights in the U.S. to the martial arts epic, SEVEN SWORDS, directed by the master of kung-fu action films, Tsui Hark (ZU WARRIORS, ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA). Cheung ChiSing and Chun TinNam adapted the screenplay based on the original novel, SEVEN SWORDSMEN FROM MT. TIAN, and it was produced by Lee JooIck, Ma Zhongjun and Pan Zhizhong. Richard Wong, Hong BongChul and Zhang Yong serve as exec producers.
Buena Vista Games Rolls Out Games for Forthcoming Films
Buena Vista Games, Inc. (BVG), the interactive entertainment arm of The Walt Disney Co., announced its largest and most diverse lineup ever of console, computer and handheld videogame titles at E3 last week.
Vivendi Games Rolls Out Top Tier Product At E3
Vivendi Games (VG) rolled out its top tier lineup at E3 last week. Among the companys highly anticipated titles shown during E3 was Blizzard Ent.s WORLD OF WARCRAFT: THE BURNING CRUSADE, the expansion pack to the worlds most popular massively multi-player online role-playing game (MMORPG). Sierra Ent.
TreehouseDirect To Sell Nelvana TV Shows Online
Corus Ent. has announced its launch plans for a new direct-to-family digital download service TreehouseDirect. The storefront will allow for the purchase of single episodes, bundles or full seasons of popular preschool programs.
TV, Internet, Design, Innovative & Integrated Media Clios Announced
Juries for the 47th international Clio Awards announced Grand Clio winners for best-in-show. On May 15, 2006, juries awarded a total of 29 Gold Clio winners for the evening at the Clio Content & Contact, Print, Internet, Design, Innovative and Integrated Media Awards Gala at the Jackie Gleason Theater in South Beach, Miami, part of the annual Clio Festival, May 13-16, 2006. Clios in the Television/Cinema and Radio categories were announced May 16.
McLaren Retrospective in Official Selection at Cannes
For the first time, Cannes Classics will feature an animator, and the honor goes to Norman McLaren, who won the Short Film Palme dor in 1955 with BLINKITY BLANK. A selection of 13 McLaren films has been put together in homage to the great filmmaker and to celebrate 65 years of animation at the National Film Board of Canada.
3ds Max Book Written Strictly For Architectural Visualization Industry
From author Brian L. Smith and publisher 'friends of ED', comes the first 3ds Max book ever written strictly for architectural visualization, titled, FOUNDATION 3DS MAX 8 ARCHITECTURAL VISUALIZATION.
Topics covered include:* How to model an architectural scene and create stunning materials that breathe life into your projects* How to use real-world photometric lights and global illumination to achieve photorealism* Efficient project workflow and scene assembly
ASIFA-East Fest Announces Awards
The New York chapter of ASIFA, the International Animated Film Society gave out its 37th annual awards in a ceremony held in the downtown Manhattan auditorium of the New School/Parsons School of Design on mM
The winners were selected from submitted films voted on by chapter members at a series of screenings. Twenty-seven awards were given out in four categories: Student Films, Commercials, Sponsored Films Over 2:00 and Independent Films. In addition to 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners, craft awards were given out for achievements in design, animation, humor and education.
This Week’s Animation Trivia Quiz for May 15, 2006
AWN Discussion Forums - What's New? for May 15, 2006
This week in AWN's Forums, members are talking about the French animated feature, ASTERIX AND THE VIKINGS.
Paul Yanover New Disney Online EVP/MD
Paul Yanover, a 12-year Disney vet and current head of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Online (WDPRO), has been named evp/md of Disney Online (DOL), the business unit of the Walt Disney Internet Group (WDIG).
Brian Offutt New SVP, Entertainment Products, Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Prod
Brian Offutt, the former head of Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products' Los Angeles office, has relocated to New York City as svp, entertainment products, to oversee the NVCP home entertainment, publishing and record business for Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., Noggin and The N, as well as the home video/DVD, book publishing and videogame businesses for Comedy Central, Spike TV and TV Land and the book publishing business for Paramount. These are all networks and the movie studio within the Viacom family that are handled for licensing and merchandising by NVCP.
Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends Game Launches
On May 15, 2006, CartoonNetwork.com launched BIG FAT AWESOME HOUSE PARTY, a free yearlong interactive game that allows players to immerse themselves in the hit series, FOSTERS HOME FOR IMAGINARY FRIENDS, by creating their very own imaginary friend. Players will be encouraged to explore the ever-changing adventures with their new imaginary friend, play mini-games, collect upgrades and take part in every aspect of life at Madame Fosters famous house.
Gnomon Workshop Releases Two 3ds Max Training DVDs
The Gnomon Workshop now offers two new DVDs by CG supervisor Tim Jones. The creation of digital environments for the highest caliber game cinematics and short films has been Jones area of expertise at Blur Studios. In these DVDs, he shares his techniques for modeling, texturing, lighting, rendering and compositing highly realistic digital sets in 3ds Max.
ENVIRONMENT CREATION FOR PRODUCTION: 3DS MAX MODELING AND TEXTURING WITH TIM JONES.
eyeon Makes Dreams Come True for Wish Films
Wish Films, a brand new production company based at Elstree Film Studios, has enlisted the help of eyeon Software to make Fusion an integral part of its pipeline.
Mark Ford and Stephen Charles are the driving force behind their new Wish Films studio. Recently at Lynx Video, a facility based in Denham, West of London, Ford and Charles operated the Flame/Smoke/Maya and Avid/Online suites, respectively. Successfully breaking into Wish Films, they have been commissioned to build a new post-production facility using Fusion 5.
The Orphanage Wraps VFX Shots for Cannes-Bound Host
The Orphanage recently completed six months of vfx work on THE HOST, South Koreas most ambitious movie to date, which will have its world premiere on May 21 in the Directors Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival (which runs May 18-21).
Mayday for Poseidon
Paramounts MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III sunk Warner Bros. POSEIDON at the box office for the weekend period ended May 14, 2006. Despite a second-week drop of nearly 48%, M:I:III (with vfx from ILM) posted $25M for a cume of $85.1M. POSEIDON (with vfx from ILM and MPC) debuted with a disappointing $22.1M. Dropping to third place was Sonys RV, with $9.9M and a three-week cume of $43.2M. Foxs romantic comedy, JUST MY LUCK debuted in the fourth spot with $5.6M. Freestyles AN AMERICAN HAUNTING followed in fifth with $3.56M and $10.8M.
Being Ian Wins Top Toon at Leo Awards
The 8th annual Leo Awards took place on May 12-13, 2006, at the Westin Bayshore Vancouver. The Leo Awards are where the best film and television talent and programs in British Columbia are honored for their work.
In animation, the top winner was Studio Bs BEING IAN, which took home the prize for Best Animation Program or Series. Additionally, Mark Shirra of the Vancouver Film School won Best Student Production for his animated short, A GREAT BIG ROBOT FROM OUTER SPACE ATE MY HOMEWORK.
THQ Unveils New Properties at E3
Last week at E3, THQ Inc. unveiled the company's portfolio internally developed next-generation console and Windows PC titles, mass-market licensed products and all new content for handheld and gaming system wireless devices.
Cohen Slings Arrow with Warner Bros.
Rob Cohen has been tapped the helm ARROW, a martial arts flick being produced by Basil Iwanyks Thunder Road at Warner Bros. Pictures, reports the trades. Details of Brandon Noonans script are being kept secret. Thunder Road's Mary Viola is shepherding the project, along with Marc Pitre for Cohen. Dan Lin and Jess Rosenthal are overseeing for the studio.
Weinstein Co. to Take 'Igor' to Int'l Territories
The Weinstein Co. will represent all international rights to the CG-animated feature comedy, IGOR, from Exodus Film Group. IGOR is being produced by John D. Eraklis and seasoned animation exec Max Howard, who has collaborated on such animated blockbusters as THE LION KING, ALADDIN, SPACE JAM and THE IRON GIANT. The Weinstein Co. will distribute the film in North America and will begin selling the international territories at the Cannes Film Festival.
EM.Ent. Grants TF1 VOD Rights for French Market
EM.Ent. GmbH and French TV station TF1 have struck a far-reaching co-operation within the video-on-demand sector, encompassing the regions France, Monaco, Andorra and the French overseas territories.
WB Int’l TV Dist, Ups Andrew Shipps to Marketing SVP
Warner Bros. Ent. 14-year marketing and publicity vet Andrew Shipps has been upped to svp, marketing, Warner Bros. Intl TV Dist. (WBITD) to direct the studio's international television marketing team plus develope and supervise the implementation of global marketing strategies for its content offerings in the international television marketplace. He will oversee campaigns for original series produced by Warner Bros. Television, Telepictures Prods. and Warner Bros.
Toon Boom Releases Workout Series
Toon Boom Animation Inc. has released the Toon Boom Animation Workout Series. Touching on all aspects of animation creation, the Toon Boom Animation Workout Series is a dedicated program of exercises designed to help users develop the techniques and skills necessary to get the most out of the Toon Boom product family.