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AWN Headline News

Film Headline News

Red Bank International Film Fest Calls for Entries

Red Bank International Film Festival 2006Red Bank, New Jersey, USAOctober 13-15, 2006Deadline: June 1, 2006

Red Bank - The Jersey Shore town that local filmmaker Kevin Smith made famous is set to host the 6th Annual Red Bank International Film Festival. With one of its main sites being the historic Count Basie Theatre a venue with more than 1,000 seats, a brand new state of the art sound system, and an enormous screen the festival is a showcase for any film.

Series Headline News

KIDS' WB! On The CW Sets 2006-2007 Saturday Morning Programming Schedule

The Kids' WB! 2006-2007 programming slate features four new original programs and the return of four hit series when the "Too Big For Your TV" Saturday morning schedule kicks off this September on The CW, the new broadcast network launching this fall, it was announced today (April 25, 2006) by Betsy McGowen, svp/gm, Kids' WB!

Headline News

New Foster’s Home Season Starts April 28

FOSTERS HOME FOR IMAGINARY FRIENDS returns with new episodes Friday nights at 7:00 pm with an encore at 10:00 pm, beginning April 28, 2006, on Cartoon Network. Mac and the gang face some funsome challenges, like superhero imaginary friends, uncovering a mysterious house photo and neighborhood kids making funny faces. The hit series from Craig McCracken, creator of THE POWERPUFF GIRLS, airs Monday-Thursday at 8:30 pm in addition to its timeslot on Fridays at 7:00.

Software Headline News

DAZ Prods. Acquires Carrara Maker Eovia

DAZ Productions Inc., a leading developer of professional quality 3D models and software, today (April 25, 2006) announced it has acquired Eovia Corp., a based in Mountain View, California-based developer and publisher of leading 3D animation, modeling and rendering solutions. DAZ Productions has taken over Eovia's entire development, marketing and sales divisions and all the technology rights to Carrara, Eovias 3D modeling, animation and rendering software. DAZ Prods. has also acquired all technology rights to Hexagon, Eovias 3D modeling software, from Eovia Europe S.A.

Cartoon Headline News

Cartoon Network & VIZ Media Announce Broadband Joint Venture

Cartoon Network and VIZ Media announced a joint venture called Toonami Jetstream, a new broadband service that will provide on-demand, full-length streaming episodes of a number of hit anime and action series, including NARUTO and SAMURAI JACK. In addition, users will also be able to watch full-length episodes of series like HIKARU NO GO, MÄR and THE PRINCE OF TENNIS that are not offered on U.S. broadcast or basic cable television. In this joint venture, Cartoon Network and VIZ Media will jointly manage and administer acquisitions and programming.

Digital Headline News

BOXX Launches APEXX 8 Professional Workstation

BOXX Technologies Inc. officially launched BOXX APEXX 8, a personal workstation specifically designed to maximize productivity of visual effects professionals. With eight Dual-Core AMD Opteron processors, this new super-workstation is capable of working in full 2K film resolution and has enough memory (up to 128GB) to work in realtime on extremely large files. BOXX unveiled the APEXX 8 during the National Association of Broadcasters Convention (NAB) at the ProMax booth, SL 534, April 24-27, 2006.

Headline News

ATI Introduces Complete Line of Next Gen FireGL Graphics Accelerators

ATI Technologies Inc. announced a complete top-to-bottom line of next generation FireGL workstation graphics accelerators for professional users. The new family of products range from an ultra high-end one gigabyte configuration to 128MB model, and are all based on ATI's scalable, ultrathreaded architecture with Avivo video and display technology.

Headline News

Lightstorm Evaluating Performance Capture Vendors

Lightstorm producer Jon Landau told VFXWORLD at Sunday's (April 23, 2006) NAB Digital Cinema Summit in Las Vegas that director James Cameron will emphasize performance capture technology as part of his upcoming digital 3-D feature production plans.

Kids Headline News

Betsy McGowen to Head Kids' WB! on The CW

Betsy McGowen joins The CW as svp/gm, Kids' WB! on The CW, it was announced by Dawn Ostroff, who becomes president of entertainment, The CW, to whom McGowen will report. The CW is the new fifth broadcast television network scheduled to launch in the fall 2006 and is a joint venture between Warner Bros. Ent. and CBS Corp. McGowen will oversee all series development, current programming and scheduling as well as brand, image and marketing for Kids' WB! on The CW.

Headline News

Silent Hill Scares Off Box Office Competition

SILENT HILL from Sony claimed the number one position at the weekend box office as it debuted with $20.1M for the period ended April 23, 2006. Moviegoers will still in the mood for horror as Dimension's SCARY MOVIE 4 dropped slightly to the second spot with $16.8 M for a two-week cume of $67.5M.

Nickelodeon Headline News

THQ Announces Its 2006 Nickelodeon Videogame Lineup

THQ Inc. announced its 2006 videogame lineup based on Nickelodeon's top brands for kids. Games based on the TV series SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS, AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER, DANNY PHANTOM and UNFABULOUS, as well as a new installment of Nicktoons, are anticipated to ship across multiple game systems in 2006. THQ is also scheduled to release BARNYARD based upon Paramount Pictures'/Nickelodeon Movies' upcoming summer theatrical release.

Kids Headline News

AOL Launches KOL Jr. on the Open Web

AOL has launched KOL Jr. (www.koljunior.com/), a website for kids 2-5. The site contains original cartoons, games, music, bedtime stories and other fun, interactive features designed to help parents introduce the Internet to their young children. The launch of KOL Jr. also marks the debut of a brand new cartoon called PILAR'S ADVENTURES, which covers topics that engage preschoolers' imaginations while helping them deal with everyday life experiences.

Headline News

Adult Comedy Leads 2006 MTV Movie Award Nods

MTV: Music Television announced nominees for the 2006 MTV Movie Awards with two adult comedies 40-YEAR OLD VIRGIN and WEDDING CRASHERS, each receiving five nominations. Also vying for the spotlight are BATMAN BEGINS, HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE, HUSTLE & FLOW, SIN CITY and STAR WARS: EPISODE III REVENGE OF THE SITH with three nominations each. Filming June 3, 2006, at Sony Picture Studios in Culver City, California, the awards will premiere to audiences nationwide on Thursday, June 8, at 9:00 pm ET/PT on MTV.

Live-action Headline News

Star Blazers Anime Going Live-Action

Benderspink and producer Josh C. Kline are set to adapt the classic Japanese anime STAR BLAZERS into a live-action feature, according to the HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Known as SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO in Japan, the 1970s franchise spun off three television series, five animated features and a host of merchandise. Voyager Ent. brought the series to the U.S. in the early 1980s.

Work Headline News

SAG OKs Cable Toon Deal

SAG's national board has unanimously ratified its new contract for basic cable animation, reports the trades. The contract, which went into effect with Friday's approval, is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2006, and will run through June 30, 2008.

The new deal nets a 20% increase in residuals after 16 years under an original pact with such companies as Walt Disney Pictures & Television, Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios.

Special Headline News

AWN & VFXWorld Reminds Filmmakers’ To Enter eDit/VES’ eDwards

Animation World Network and VFXWorld would like to remind young filmmakers that we are a special media sponsor for the Visual Effects Societys eDIT Filmmakers Festival in Frankfurt, Germany, Sept. 24-26, 2006. We will be sponsoring eDward VII, a young filmmakers contest and awards which celebrates the work of talented artists under the age of 30.

Headline News

Seeking News For BookExpo 2006 & L.A. Screenings!

We want to get the word out about what youre doing at BookExpo 2006 and the L.A. Screenings. If youre going to be exhibiting or just attending, let us know so that your companys info can get into our news and newsletters. Send all press releases or pertinent information to Sarah Baisley at editor@awn.com.

Animation Headline News

AWN Discussion Forums - What's New? for April 24, 2006

This week in AWN's Forums, a member asks where are all those memorable stories and characters? Another member has some Flash questions. Theres a new thread discussing animation demo reels. Theres a heated discussion about Cartoon Network adding live-action programming to its lineup. Another member needs help identifying a LIQUID TV short. A member has some questions about the legality of spoofing Disney. As well as, tools for teaching animation, the business of animation and, as always, brand new stuff to check out in show and tell!

Digital Headline News

James Cameron Stresses VFX Impact on Digital 3-D at NAB

Director James Cameron, who has sworn allegiance to digital 3-D in all future production plans, including his upcoming back-to-back features, AVATAR and BATTLE ANGEL, offered an optimistic roadmap during his keynote at Sunday's (April 23, 2006) NAB Digital Cinema Summit in Las Vegas. He noted the success of both POLAR

EXPRESS in IMAX 3-D and CHICKEN LITTLE in digital 3-D as proof that there is an audience willing to pay a premium for a more immersive theatrical experience, but cautioned that "content will drive this [revolution]."

Sound Headline News

Jakers! and The Batman Double Daytime Emmy Winners

JAKERS! THE ADVENTURES OF PIGGLEY WINKS and THE BATMAN were the big animation winners, with two Emmys each, as the National Television Academy presented the 33rd Annual Creative Craft Daytime Emmy Awards on Saturday, April 22, 2006, during simultaneous black-tie ceremonies held at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City and the Grand Ballroom at Hollywood and Highland in Los Angeles. Outstanding Children's Animated Program was awarded to JAKERS!

Digital Headline News

Massive Software Goes Primetime with Television Effects by CBS Digital

CBS Digital recently purchased Massive, embracing the artificial life-based software by Massive Software to speed turnaround of increasingly complex visual effects scenes on THE TWELFTH MAN (a pilot being produced for FOX Television), as well such projects as THE POPE and CAT7. Artists at the Los Angeles studio sought out the unique autonomous agent capabilities of Massive to efficiently fill large stadiums with realistic AI-enabled-characters for the basketball-themed show.

Autodesk Headline News

Broadcasters Worldwide Turn to Autodesk Solutions

Autodesk graphics and editing systems continue to be adopted globally by broadcasters. Broadcasters are relying on Autodesk's high-performance systems for use in news, sports, promotions and branding, in order to deliver high-impact visual content in the increasingly competitive battle to capture viewers' attention.

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