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AWN Headline News

Animation Headline News

John Lasseter Becomes ShoWest’s First ‘Pioneer of Animation’

John Lasseter will be given the first Pioneer of Animation Award at the ShoWest exhibitors convention next Tuesday evening (March 14) in Las Vegas fola screening of CARS at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel. Disney will release CARS June 9.

CARS is Lasseters first directorial effort since TOY STORY 2 in 1999, following A BUGS LIFE (1998) and TOY STORY (1995). In addition to being a co-founder and exec vp creative of Pixar Animation Studios, Lasseter is now chief creative officer of the combined Disney/Pixar animation departments.

Imax Headline News

Sony’s Animated Open Season to Open in IMAX 3-D

OPEN SEASON, the first 3D-animated feature from Sony Pictures Ent., will open in IMAX 3-D simultaneously with the conventional release on Sept. 29. Sony Pictures Releasing will be the exclusive distributor of movie to IMAX theaters worldwide.

OPEN SEASON is directed by Roger Allers (THE LION KING), Jill Culton (who worked on Disney/Pixars MONSTERS, INC. and TOY STORY 2) and co-director Anthony Stacchi (whose credits include ANTZ).

OPEN SEASON stars the vocal talents of Martin Lawrence, Ashton Kutcher, Debra Messing and Gary Sinise.

Movie Headline News

Ninja Turtles to Go Head-to-Head with Meet the Robinsons

The first 3D-animated TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES feature from The Weinstein Co. and Warner Bros. Pictures will find its way to theaters in North America on March 30, 2007. That means it will go head-to-head with Disneys next 3D-animated feature, MEET THE ROBINSONS, which has just been pushed back from Dec. 15 of this year.

Warner Bros. Pictures will handle domestic distribution and the Weinstein Co. will distribute overseas.

Disney Headline News

New Cars Trailer to Premiere March 9

Walt Disney Pictures has launched the official website for Pixars CARS (http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/cars/) and will premiere the latest theatrical trailer March 9 on a variety of broadcast outlets, basic cable channels, Internet sites, in person at the Disney Theme Parks, ESPN Zones, Disney Stores (in more than 300 mall and shopping center locations across the U.S. and Canada) and on the ABC SuperSign in Times Square.

Season Headline News

SCI FI to Premiere Battlestar Galactica Season 3 in October

As SCI FI's hit series BATTLESTAR GALACTICA gears up for this Friday's 90-minute season 2 finale, the channel begins preparations for the October premiere of the show's eagerly anticipated third season. Production on season 3 begins in Vancouver in April.

Returning to its Friday night slot with a complete 20-episode order, season 3 of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA will contain vfx by Zoic Studios.

Headline News

CG Pioneer's Retrospective Art Show Debuts at SIGGRAPH 2006

SIGGRAPH 2006, the 33rd conference and exhibition on computer graphics and interactive techniques, held in Boston on July 30-Aug. 3, features the first, extensive retrospective of graphics pioneer Charles A. Csuri's computer art and animation.

Headline News

ATI Unleashes Mobility Radeon X1800 Notebook Series

ATI Technologies Inc. has once again raised the bar for notebook gaming with the launch of its Mobility Radeon X1800 series. Delivering the world's fastest gaming performance in today's most graphically intensive games-including Shader Model 3.0- the feature-rich Mobility Radeon X1800 XT takes the lead in the highly competitive notebook gaming segment and is closely followed by Mobility(TM) Radeon X1800.

Film Headline News

Singapore Film Fest Promotes Film As Artistic Medium

Singapore Film Fest Promotes Film As Artistic Medium19th Singapore International Film FestivalSingapore, SingaporeApril 13-29, 2006

Launched in 1987, the Singapore International Film Festival sets out to promote film as an artistic medium, provide the opportunity to audiences to view films not otherwise released commercially, create awareness of the finer points of filmmaking through seminars and workshops by overseas professionals, pave the way for a Singapore film industry and provide an international showcase for Asian Cinema.

Headline News

U.S. Born & Raised Anime Series Kappa Mikey Takes to Worldwide Waves

KAPPA MIKEY, the first global acquisition by MTV Networks, and the only anime series to be entirely created and produced in the U.S., is now airing on Nicktoons Network at 8:00 pm on Saturdays. It repeats on Nicktoons Networks' primetime programming block from 7:00 pm to midnight Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Beginning in May, KAPPA MIKEY will roll out across Nickelodeon's international channels, including Nick Asia, Nick UK, Nick Spain, Nick France and Nick Europe.

Headline News

Students: Time To Enter Angelus Film Festival

2006 Angelus Student Film Festival Hollywood, California, USAOctober 21, 2006Deadline: July 1, 2006

The Angelus Student Film Festival cultivates and honors future filmmakers as they explore and create works that respect the dignity of the human person. Angelus Award winning films reflect values such as redemption, spirtuality, dignity, tolerance, equality, diversity, hope and triumph of the human spirit.

Brown Headline News

DIC Names Kaaren Lee Brown to Oversee Programming for CBS Saturday Morning Block

On the heels of the recent announcement of the partnership between CBS and DIC Ent. to launch CBSs Secret Saturday Morning Slumber Party, DIC has appointed Kaaren Lee Brown svp of creative affairs. Brown will oversee all aspects of programming for the new branded Saturday morning kids programming block.

Film Headline News

Milano Film Festival Issues Call For Entries

11th Milano Film FestivalMilan, ItalySeptember 2006 Deadline: May 31, 2006

The 11th edition of Milano Film Festival will be held next September in Milan, at the Piccolo Teatro and Castello Sforzesco. The event features two International Competitions open to feature and short films of any genre, language, running time and format, provided that they have been produced after Jan. 1, 2005.

Headline News

The Batman & Teen Titans Complete First Season on DVD

Warner Home Video and DC Comics have teamed up to release first seasons of two of the popular cartoon action series, THE BATMAN: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON and TEEN TITANS: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON, both available now in Dolby Surround Stereo for $19.98 on DVD.

Entertainment Headline News

Toonacious Family Ent. Engages C&I Partners to Fund Animated Films

Toonacious Family Ent. has contracted with C&I Partners to raise funds for CG and 2D animated feature films with budgets targeted from $30 to $60 million. Toonacious has a slate of five animated features in development and will oversee all aspects of production from the Burbank, California, studio.

Cartoon Headline News

My Gym Partner's a Monkey in Full Swing on Cartoon Network

MY GYM PARTNER'S A MONKEY has swung onto Cartoon Network, featuring the animated antics of a 12-year-old boy accidentally attending an all-animal and aquatic creature middle school. The series, which had a sneak-peak on Feb. 20, 2006, airs Fridays at 9:00 pm on Cartoon Network.

Because of an administrative mix-up (a typo changing Lyon to Lion), Adam Lyon, a human boy, is accidentally transferred to the all-animal Charles Darwin Middle School, where the animal inhabitants of the local zoo and aquarium send their kids.

Studio Headline News

British and Canadian Tooners Partner on New Ricky Sprocket — Showbiz Boy

Studio B Prods. and TELETOON are partnering with Alison Snowden and David Fine (the Oscar-winning creators of BOB AND MARGARET) and Bejuba! Ent. for the animated series, RICKY SPROCKET SHOWBIZ BOY. Studio B Prods. will be co-producer and animation studio for the series with Snowden Fine. Bejuba! will distribute and exec produce the series set to air on Canadian specialty broadcaster TELETOON in the fall 2007.

Headline News

Meet the Robinsons Pushed Back to 2007

MEET THE ROBINSONS, Walt Disney Feature Animations 3D-animated follow-up to CHICKEN LITTLE, has been pushed back from Dec. 15 to March 30, 2007 (with a simultaneous platform in Disney Digital 3-D), the studio confirmed. This will apparently give first-time director Steve Anderson more time to finish and fine-tune, not surprising given the new Pixar merger and the director-friendly mandate under president Ed Catmull and chief creative officer John Lasseter.

Headline News

Howl’s Castle Moves to DVD

The Oscar-nominated HOWLS MOVING CASTLE from Hayao Miyazaki bows on DVD March 7, 2006, along with MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO and WHISPER OF THE HEART (Walt Disney Home Ent., $29.99). Based on the English novel by Diana Wynn Jones, HOWLS is a fascinating mixture of Eastern and Western sensibilities. Once again, the director follows the magical and spiritual adventures of a young heroine (in this case, Sophie, a hat maker) amid the tumult of war and sorcery. Stylistically, Miyazaki blends 3D environments much more significantly than in the past.

Home Headline News

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Now on DVD

HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE, the fourth feature in the popular POTTER franchise, debuts March 7 on DVD (Warner Home Video, $30.97 for two-disc special edition). GOBLET OF FIRE will also be available in UMD format for PSP.

Films Headline News

TWC Hires Director Justin Klarenbeck

Director Justin Klarenbeck has signed with TWC for exclusive representation in commercials as the company continues to add highly accomplished, multi-talented filmmakers to its staff. Klarenbeck, whose expertise ranges from visual effects to directing talent, is probably best known for his automotive work, within credits including virtually every leading automaker. His recent work includes spots for Toyota, Chevy, Lexus, Honda and Mercedes Benz.

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