SMALLVILLE creators Al Gough and Miles Millar's spec script SALISBURY was picked up for Disney, and will soon make their feature directing debut, per VARIETY.

Gough and Millar will also produce the film in a deal worth seven figures. The duo just produced the HANNAH MONTANA movie for the studio and have a first-look deal there.

Plot is under wraps, but the title refers to a fictional town, and the plot will somehow revolve around a young cast and a supernatural element. Film's cost is estimated at $40 million.

Frantic Films Software, the R&D arm of visual effects studio Frantic Films VFX and a division of Prime Focus Group, had its high-volume point-based particle renderer Krakatoa used by Los Angeles-based vfx studio Ingenuity Engine on a TV commercial for Zabeel Investments. Directed by Graeme Joyce, BEDOUIN is a cinematic exploration into the rich possibilities of investing in the United Arab Emirates. The spot is airing in the Middle East market and premiered in September.

Sundance Channel unveiled a refreshed network look on December 3, to coincide with the launch of its new original series SPECTACLE, ELVIS COSTELLO WITH... The updated look has been designed by Buster and will eventually extend to all graphic design related to the network including its website.

The MoonScoop Group's Taffy Ent. has secured a deal with Virgin 17 to bring season two of the acclaimed anime TV series BLEACH to France, beginning early 2009.

This week in AWN's Forums, members are discussing layoffs in India, the use of psychology in creating an animated film and a new member would like some tips on basic copyright information. A member is interested in becoming a voiceover actor and wants some members to collaborate on a Web series. How does one monetize independent animation? Are CorelDRAW vector images importable for animation programs like Toon Boom Studio or Anime Studio Pro? Members are asking.

Japanese artist Takashi Murakami will be opening an animation studio in Los Angeles next summer, according to the LOS ANGELES TIMES.

Called Japan's Andy Warhol, and based in Tokyo, Murakami is known for his oversized anime style and already has a studio in New York. The new studio will operate under Kaikai Kiki, his production and artist-management company. Murakami works in painting and sculpture, film and mass-produced goods all under one company.

After her successful co-directorial debut on SUPERMAN DOOMSDAY, Lauren Montgomery takes full command of the helm for WONDER WOMAN, the next entry in the popular series of DC Universe animated original PG-13 films. Warner Premiere, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation are set to release the all-new film on March 3, 2009, distributed by Warner Home Video. The animated original movie will also be available OnDemand and Pay-Per-View as well as available for download day and date.

Adobe Systems has announced the call for entries for the ninth annual Adobe Design Achievement Awards (ADAA).

Manchester agency The Neighbourhood, headed by Ben Davies Managing Director, Jon Humphreys Creative Director and Tim Woods Technical Directorm, scooped the Grand Prix at the third annual Fresh Digital Awards, with their STORIES FROM THE NEIGHBOURHOOD work.

The Fresh Digital Awards 2008 took place on Thursday November 20, 2008 at the Deansgate Hilton Hotel in Manchester with a record attendance of more than 300 guests to witness the best show of regional creativity and innovation in Digital outside of London.

Alfred Gough and Miles Millar have been hired by Warner Bros. to write ROBOTECH, an adaptation of the anime classic, per THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.

Tobey Maguire is attached to star, and is producing with Akiva Goldsman, Chuck Roven and Drew Crevello.

ROBOTECH was a cartoon series from Harmony Gold USA and Tatsunoko Productions. Three Japanese anime series were re-edited and re-dialogued to give producers enough episodes to air as a daily syndicated series in the 1980s.

Animation is not just kids' stuff anymore, and Nexus Productions Ltd. is in the thick of the changing creative and business market for animated films of all kinds. The London-based company, founded 10 years ago to create creative, family animation for commercials, music videos and shorts, has recently doubled its size, secured new avenues of funding, and positioned itself to take advantage of a revolution in the field. In addition, two recent short films produced by Nexus, THIS WAY UP and DAMAGED GOODS, have qualified for the 2008 Academy Award for animated short.

Eleven "Dirty Presidents" animated segments, created by agency Stun Creative and its motion graphics division Buster Design, will air during a special election night marathon of Discovery Channel's DIRTY JOBS with Mike Rowe. The segments will air between 8-11 p.m. ET/PT, including a special 9 p.m. episode in which Rowe pays tribute to our dirtiest of past presidents.

Motion graphics powerhouse FISH EGGS gave a complete face-lift to entertainment magazine show EXTRA for its 15th season premiere. The re-brand included not only a sexy new glossy black metallic treatment to update their existing package, but also created an entirely new customizable toolkit and interactive elements that allows the producers to stay a step ahead of what they see as their biggest competition -- the Internet.

This year's EA British Academy Children's Awards will take place on Sunday, November 30, 2008 to celebrate excellence in all art forms of the moving image for children -- in film, television, video games and online.

In animation, CHARLIE AND LOLA, ELIOT KID, SHAUN THE SHEEP and SKUNK FU! are nominated for best animation, and CHARLIE AND LOLA, LITTLE PRINCESS, PEPPA PIG and ROARY THE RACING CAR are nominated for best preschool animation.

DR. SEUSS' HORTON HEARS A WHO!, RATATOUILLE, STARDUST and WALL-E are nominated for best feature film.

Warner Bros. has purchased Japanese action thriller anime NINJA SCROLL and will adapt it for the American cinema, per VARIETY. WATCHMEN writer Alex Tse will write the screenplay.

Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way will produce, with Jennifer Davisson and Mike Ireland producing. Appian will co-produce with Mad House.

The story takes place in feudal Japan, and follows a ninja for hire who is forced to fight an old enemy trying to overthrow the government. DiCaprio will not appear in the film.

Underground Economy, the new motion graphics division of Sea Level VFX, has created a :60 animated viral short to promote the Obama-Biden 08 ticket called TRUE COLORS.

Animation studio Toei Animation is partnering with online media distribution giant, Crunchyroll, to provide streaming, subscription and download-to-own options for DIGIMON ADVENTURE 02, FIST OF THE NORTH STAR, PRETTY CURE, and SLAM DUNK, available now. More information can be found at www.crunchyroll.com.

HP has introduced a high-performance thin client and blade workstation that provide virtualization customers a true workstation experience combined with the security, ease of management and lowered total cost of ownership of thin client computing.

Offering significantly more processing and graphics performance, the new HP gt7725 Thin Client and HP ProLiant xw2x220c Blade Workstation deliver a leading remote experience for 3D mechanical computer-aided (MCAD) applications, rich media, flexibility and performance.

When ASUS selected the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280 GPU for its new CG6155 extreme gaming machine, it wasn't simply because of its raw graphics horsepower. Creating the best gaming PC used to be a simple matter of using CPUs and GPUs with highest available raw power to deliver the fastest gaming experience. But while CPU performance and raw graphics rendering are still important, new advances in physics, multi-GPU technology, 3D stereo, and parallel computing have amplified the importance of the GPU, making the right GPU a critical component in consumers' buying decisions.

Pluto's design, animation, visual effects and integration skills are highlighted in two eye-catching projects for Cox Communications and Detroit agency Doner. The two campaigns, comprising a total of nine spots, promote Cox' high-speed Internet and digital media services, and while they involve markedly different styles of animation, both required complex, multi-faceted execution by Pluto's team of artists.