Press Release from Anime Expo

Anaheim, California and Tokyo, Japan (April 13, 2009) -- Anime Expo is proud to announce the attendance of the world renowned South African born producer and composer Daisuke Ishiwatari to the nation's largest anime and manga convention held July 2-5, 2009 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. More information can be found on the website www.anime-expo.org.

Florida Supercon Adds Tony Moore to June 5-7, 2009 Show
Florida Supercon 2009
Miami, Florida, USA
June 5-7, 2009

Press Release from Florida Supercon

Press Release from Frantic Films VFX

Hollywood, CA (April 13, 2009) -- Award-winning VFX studio Frantic Films VFX, a division of Prime Focus Group, has contributed 334 shots to the forthcoming feature film DRAGONBALL: EVOLUTION from Twentieth Century Fox. Directed by James Wong, the movie releases in the U.S. nationwide on April 10, 2009 and stars Justin Chatwin, Emmy Rossum, Jamie Chung, and Chow Yun-Fat in the live-action film adaptation of the popular Japanese manga comic book series.

Internet TV service Veoh Networks and FUNimation Ent. have entered into a distribution agreement through which Veoh will offer dozens of popular anime titles. Veoh will support its robust anime line-up with the launch of a dedicated FUNimation channel which will house in one easy-to-navigate place the extensive programming. The FUNimation channel will launch this week with nearly 200 hours of content and is being spotlighted on Veoh’s home page.

For all those job-hunters in creative fields who need a strategic edge in the salary negotiation process -- or who simply could benefit from the motivation salary knowledge can provide, Industry Wages Inc. has delivered a new tool. The company has launched the website VFXWages.com (http://www.vfxwages.com) as a free way for these professionals and students to determine the latest information on salaries and hourly wages in their market.

Mandalay Pictures will adapt Japanese manga series FULL METAL PANIC to the big screen, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.

The property, from writer Shoji Gatoh's serialized novel series, is about a teenage anti-terrorist commando who protects a high school girl with mystical powers. Zac Efron, also in talks with Warner Bros. on JONNY QUEST, is said to be connected with PANIC.

History was in the making at Bhaidas hall, Vile Parle, on April 3 as the first Frameflixx awards started with an audience of more than 900 students coming from all over the country (via CGTantra.com). Mohan Kapoor was the host of the show.

Frameboxx also saluted the art of animation by showcasing the famous work by Sri Bhem Sen Khurana, EK ANEK AUR EKTA (1974) popularly known as EK TITLI. A 3-D glimpse of the film was shown to salute to the world of animation.

The names of the winners are as follows:

Motion graphics

The 3rd Annual ELAN Awards announced the three honorary awards, as voted online, are...

FUNimation Ent. and Japanese producer Toei Animation Co. have entered into a digital content partnership in which the U.S. anime leader will distribute seven series from Toei's catalog starting Friday, April 3.

English-subtitled episodes from AIR MASTER, CAPTAIN HARLOCK, DIGIMON ADVENTURE 02, FIST OF THE NORTH STAR, GALAXY EXPRESS, PRETTY CURE and SLAM DUNK will be offered in the U.S. by streaming via FUNimation's online video portal, www.funimation.com/video.

How do you distill the world's collective understanding and evidence of UFOs into three-and-a-half minutes? That was the challenge facing visual design and motion graphics studio yU+co., led by Creative Director Garson Yu, for the main title sequence to Disney's RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN, opening in theatres on March 13.

'RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN represents the third time yU+co. worked with director Andy Fickman after THE GAME PLAN and SHE'S THE MAN. ''This project was especially challenging, but we're proud we could bring Andy's vision for the titles to life," Yu said.

Los Angeles-based creative production and post studio DUCK is bringing the dynamic four-man directing team of nObrain onboard to complement their existing roster of talent. The Paris-based collective, composed of Directors Sebastien Fourcault, Nicolas Pasquet, Charles Keramoal, and Sylvain Lefebvre, is known for boundless creativity in merging high-energy animation with live-action footage for TV, music videos, and spot work.

Portfolio Ent. suits up for MIPTV with HOOD, an original, cross-platform, half-hour animated comedy-adventure series about the exploits of a secret global organization of exceptional teens who don super-charged hoodies to defend the Earth from all manner of weirdness and danger. Working with TELETOON Canada to develop the series, Portfolio Ent. is also exploring the use of innovative digital content to support and enhance the super-powered show.

Fusion CI Studios and Department of Motion Graphics pooled talents recently to create this lively spot for New Zealand creative agency, Sugar and client, Fonterra. Fonterra's new "smart" water, Whole, leaps into the air then transforms itself into shape after shape -- first a brain, then a bridge, then bananas -- displaying a vigorous character and life of its own.

Electronic Arts and Starz Media's Film Roman are starting production on an animated movie based on DANTE'S INFERNO. The feature-length project will expand on the story in EA's new, game coming out for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in 2010.

BRB Internacional, based in Madrid, will be developing the merchandising for the latest anime phenomenon DEATH NOTE in Spain for the first time. The Spanish company has been chosen by VIZ Media -- licensor of this successful anime that has turned into a mass phenomenon in Japan, The United States and France -- as licensing agent of this property for Spain and Portugal. The TV series DEATH NOTE is a police thriller about a supernatural notebook of death according to which the person whose name appears on it will die shortly.

Madrid-based BRB Internacional announced it will be developing merchandising based on anime hit DEATH NOTE in Spain for the first time. The Spanish company has been chosen by VIZ Media as the licensing agent of the property for Spain and Portugal.

DEATH NOTE is a police thriller about a supernatural notebook where if your name appears you will soon die. In Spain, the series is airing through Animax and it will be aired in an open broadcast format soon. Selecta Vision has launched the DEATH NOTE DVD in Spain.

March 17 releases include the DVD/Blu-ray debut of PUNISHER: WAR ZONE, plus AZUR & ASMAR, the second through fourth seasons of A PUP NAMED SCOOBY DOO, two volumes of THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN and season one of THE ZETA PROJECT on DVD. Saturday, March 21 brings the DVD bow of TWILIGHT and the Blu-ray release of BOLT.

AZUR & ASMAR: THE PRINCES' QUEST on DVD

Bang Zoom! will be holding a beginner's level Voice Acting Workshop on Saturday, March 28, 2009 in San Francisco. This is a unique opportunity to take the same course that is typically only offered at our studios in Los Angeles. They are limited to only 15 spots in this class, so act quickly to secure your spot.

The 13th edition of Cartoons on the Bay, the International Television and Multimedia Animation Festival promoted by Rai and organized by RaiTrade in cooperation with RaiFiction and with the contribution of the Sistema Turistico Locale Terre di Portofino (Local Tourist System - Lands of Portofino), will be held from April 2-5 in the Tigullio Gulf of Italy for the first time.

PINOCCHIO's 70th anniversary edition hits DVD and Blu-ray today, March 10, along with a four-film BATMAN anthology on Blu-ray, SOUTH PARK (12th season) on Blu-ray for the first time, HOWARD THE DUCK on DVD for the first time, SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK and TRANSPORTER 3 on DVD/Blu-ray and an edition of WOODY WOODPECKER favorites on DVD.

ALL-STAR SPORTS DAY! on DVD