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AWN Headline News

Films Headline News

Vin Diesel Game for The Wheelman Property

By Rick DeMott | Wednesday, February 22, 2006 at 12:00am

Midway Games Inc., Tigon Studios, founded by Vin Diesel, and Viacom's MTV Films, Paramount Pictures and MTV Games announced a collaboration on a groundbreaking action-entertainment property, THE WHEELMAN.

THE WHEELMAN is being developed as a videogame from Midway, in association with Tigon Studios and MTV Games, intended to serve as the introduction to a series of related entertainment offerings.

Headline News

Liebesman Takes On Second Horror Prequel with Friday the 13th

By Rick DeMott | Wednesday, February 22, 2006 at 12:00am

Jonathan Liebesman is in talks to helm the remake/prequel to FRIDAY THE 13TH for Platinum Dunes and New Line Cinema, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.

Mark Wheatons script takes place at the original films Crystal Lake location, but unlike the original will feature a hockey mask wearing Jason as the central killer.

Michael Bay, Andrew Form and Brad Fuller will produce with Toby Emmerich, Cale Boyter and Jeff Katz overseeing for New Line.

Headline News

Lilo & Stitch Director’s Ghost Story Gets Dinosaur Scribe Rewrite

By Rick DeMott | Wednesday, February 22, 2006 at 12:00am

Disney has tapped Oscar-nominated screenwriter Robert Nelson Jacobs (DINOSAUR, CHOCOLAT) to rewrite LILO & STITCH writer/director Dean DeBloiss live-action script, THE BANSHEE AND FIN MAGEE, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Jacobs and DeBlois will work closely together on the revamp. DeBlios is attached to project as its producer and director. The story revolves around an ignored boy, who gains attention by posing as a ghost until he meets a real one.

Series Headline News

Rogue Hacks & Slashes With Comicbook Series

By Rick DeMott | Wednesday, February 22, 2006 at 12:00am

Rogue Pictures has nailed down the film rights to HACK/SLASH, a cult horror comicbook series, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Adrian Askarieh and Daniel Alter will produce with music video director Todd Lincoln set to direct as well as adapted the script with Martin Schenk (THE FLY remake).

Created by Tim Seeley and Stefano Caselli, the comic follows Cassie Hack and her hulking protector Vlad as they travel to small towns across the U.S. hunting down notorious slashers.

Animation Headline News

China Bans Toon Live-Action Hybrids

By Rick DeMott | Wednesday, February 22, 2006 at 12:00am

In a strange move, China's State Administration of Radio, Film and Television has banned all TV shows and films that feature live-action actors interacting with animated characters.

"These human live-action, so-called animation pieces will not receive distribution or distribution licenses," read the order, issued Feb. 15, 2006. The state-run Xinhua News Agency states that CG and 2D characters interacting with humans jeopardize "the broadcast order of homemade animation and mislead their development.

Animated Headline News

Marvel’s First Animated Movie Ultimate Avengers Arrives on DVD

By Rick DeMott | Wednesday, February 22, 2006 at 12:00am

Marvel Enterprises and Lionsgate Home Ent. (LGHE) has released on DVD the first-ever Marvel animated feature, ULTIMATE AVENGERS: THE MOVIE. Based on the best-selling Marvel Comics series, THE ULTIMATES, the film boasts Marvels Captain America, The Hulk, Iron Man and Thor. The title will be available on DVD and Universal Media Disc (UMD), compatible with the Portable Sony PlayStation (PSP). The film sells for $19.98. Bob Richardson directed and produced with character designs from Steve Gordon.

Technology Headline News

Digital Musings From the Editor:

We continue our February focus on ads with Tara DiLullos coverage of Super Bowl XL spots, several of which show off cutting edge vfx technology. She finds out how the concepts came together and how they wowed viewers. Meanwhile, Janet Hetherington goes behind the scenes to discover how technology makes new ideas possible and affordable in commercials and music videos. Alain Bielik uncovers the vfx sensations behind the Russian sci-fi blockbuster NIGHT WATCH.

Festival Headline News

Deadline Extended for Future Filmmakers Festival

By Rick DeMott | Wednesday, February 22, 2006 at 12:00am

Future Filmmakers Festival 2006Chicago, Illinois, USAJune 16-18, 2006Deadline: February 28, 2006

The Future Filmmakers Festival has the goal of allowing industry professionals and fellow peers to identify the best, brightest and innovative in youth filmmaking.

Design Headline News

Book Offers Design Basics for 3D Artists

Mindful that the competition for jobs in the 3D animation industry has never been greater, Geoffrey Kater merges the often disparate disciplines of design and computer animation in his new book, DESIGN FIRST FOR 3D ARTISTS (350 pages, $49.95, Wordware Publishing, available online and from major retailers), to teach emerging animators how to create their own personal design style. He offers to lay down exactly what it takes today to do good work and thrive in the animation market.

Animation Headline News

TESDA Developing Animation, Software Development Education

The Philippines-based Technical Education Development and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) is set to implement its first software development and animation training curricula at two new IT training centers this month, reports INQ7.net.

Co-developed by TESDA with the Philippine Software Industry Association (PSIA) and the Animation Council of the Philippines Inc. (ACPI), the curricula will focus on basic to intermediate learners as part of TESDAs human resource capacity building for the growing Philippine software development and animation industries.

Headline News

NVIDIA Completes Acquisition of ULi Electronics

NVIDIA Corp. announced that it has completed the acquisition of ULi Electronics Inc., a leading developer of core logic technology.

The acquisition represents the company's ongoing investment in its platform solution strategy and is expected to strengthen its sales, marketing and customer engineering presence in Taiwan and China.

Headline News

Lion King Stage Show To Open In Shanghai

The Walt Disney Co. announced its award-winning musical THE LION KING will open at Shanghais Grand Theatre on July 18, 2006, and play for 100 performances.

The engagement will be presented by The Shanghai Grand Theatre in association with The Walt Disney Co., who is the title sponsors of the production. Special support has also been provided from the China Culture Development Fund, with media support from Wenhui-Xinmin United Press Group.

Animation Headline News

UTV Invests $5 Million in Animation

Indias UTV has invested in a brand new animation facility at its Andheri Studio with 225 workstations replete with blade render farms and 3ds Max software. The investment of close to $5 million will allow the more than 25,000-square-foot facility to complete High Definition (HD) work for its clients in North America and Europe.

The studio is working on 15 direct-to-video features as well as a 52-episode TV series and 20 short series.

The facility operates 24/7 with a built up capacity to execute more than 150 minutes of 3D animation a month.

Anime Headline News

Toon Radio Acquires Anime Genesis for Podcasts

Toon Radio has acquired the broadcast rights to the anime talk show podcast, ANIME GENESIS for its Internet broadcast. The a weekly hour-long anime talk show keeps listeners up to date on the latest happenings in the world of anime and manga, with commentary and discussion from the hosts.

Series Headline News

Cartoon Network Latin America Acquires Monster Series & Special

Cartoon Network Latin America has acquired animation series, BROTOWN, JUNGLE BEAT and the animated special, APE, from Monster Distributes and its Latin American agent HOLA Ent.

JUNGLE BEAT (13x5), from Sunrise Media, has also just been sold to Rai Cinema Italy, Orf Austria, Multithematiques France and Lagardere Images in the Middle East. Previously sold to many other territories, the non-dialogue CGI series, the first animated series from Zimbabwe, features a cast of animals including Giraffe, Monkey, Bee and Tortoise, in bizarre situations with hilarious results.

Special Headline News

It's Time To Get Involved With AWN's GDC & MIP-TV Special Newsletters!

Continuing our special event specific Flash Newsletters, we will be publishing special editions for GDC & MIP-TV. The markets are fast approaching and our editorial and advertising staffs are gearing up for the GDC & MIP-TV-specific Flash Newsletter series. Here are the dates for the publications. Please send your news two weeks prior to the publication date.

Games Developers Conference 2005 Animation Flash NewsletterMarch 7

MIP-TV Flash NewslettersMarch 14March 21March 28

Animation Headline News

AWN Discussion Forums - What's New? for February 20, 2006

This week in AWN's Forums, a junior member has questions about combining 2D and 3D. Another member has a question about buying a good sound card. Theres a thread on the NEW YORK POST article that claims former Disney head Michael Eisner trying everything to stop Disneys acquisition of Pixar. Theres a junior member who is bored and needs some good suggestions on animation to check out. A member wants to know what the going rate is for concept artists. Theres a thread on VFX in Asia.

Game Headline News

THQ Releases of Paws & Claws Pet Resort for Game Boy Advance

THQ Inc. has released PAWS & CLAWS PET RESORT, a videogame for animal lovers pamper their favorite creatures at their own pet resort. Published by THQ's ValuSoft division, PAWS & CLAWS PET RESORT is rated "E" for Everyone and is available for Game BoyAdvance at retail outlets throughout North America for $19.99 SRP.

Headline News

Activision Wins Gaming Rights to Transformers Franchise From Hasbro

The Hasbro Properties Group, the intellectual property development arm of Hasbro, Inc. has granted Activision Inc., a leading publisher of interactive entertainment software products, the global rights, excluding Japan, to develop console, handheld and PC games based on Hasbro's renowned TRANSFORMERS brand. The first game will be tied to the much-anticipated July 4, 2007, movie release of the live-action TRANSFORMERS film from DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures.

Studio Headline News

TELETOON Airing BC Kids’ PSAs

Canadian specialty network broadcaster TELETOON has begun airing three public service announcements (PSAs) developed by BC children. CAMP TELETOON is a community-based partnership initiative between Vancouver-based Arts Umbrella, TELETOON and Vancouvers Studio B Productions. The PSAs were produced in just under a three-week period this past August, by 12 children (ages 9-12) who received scholarships to animate what was on their minds. The 30-second PSAs are titled The Environment, Cooperation and Self-Esteem and will air nationally on the English network, starting Feb. 20, 2006.

Kitty Headline News

Hello Kitty to Star in Clay Animation TV Series

Hello Kitty, the feline icon of cuteness, and her friends will star in a TV series to be aired in more than 15 countries, it was revealed by the Sanrio company and reported by the AFP (AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE) news service.

HELLO KITTY, STAMP VILLAGE, a 26-part series done in clay animation featuring the adventures of the mouthless cat and her companions in a forest, will be completed this month and will air in Asia, Europe and North America.

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