Do you have specific questions about how they do certain visual effects? A community member offers his advice on how to shoot background plate shots when intending to add CG elements. Hosted by Terrence "T-man" Masson, Creative Planet's Visual Effects forum is not about specific software packages, but about how to improve and educate yourself by asking questions and getting constructive and honest feedback from those who have gone before. Join the party and meet the visual effects pros.

Al Shier has been promoted to visual effects producer at Venice-based Blur Studio, a 3D animation, visual effects and motion graphics design company. For the past two years at Blur, Sheir has served as a line producer and visual effects coordinator. In his new role, Shier will oversee the production of 2D and 3D visual effects and act as liaison between clients and the company's artistic staff. Shier began producing over a year ago, during which he received numerous producing credits.

Animation Foundation interviews Eric Armstrong, Animation Director at

Sony Pictures Imageworks. In the interview, Eric gives his insights

and thoughts about the role of the animation director, facial

animation and much, much more. An AWN affiliate,

Animation Foundation

is an Internet-based portal providing information about advanced

animation techniques and assisting student animators in developing

San Francisco, California-based When In Doubt Productions, Inc. is

looking for a 2D ANIMATOR/MOTION GRAPHICS for a hot-cool fusion of

storytelling, poetry, performance, music, drama and animation

project. . . Austin, Texas-based Digital People is looking for a 3D

ARTIST/ANIMATION MANAGER and a 3D ARTIST/ANIMATOR. . . Portland,

Oregon-based Will Vinton Studios, a leading animation studio

specialized in CG and stop-motion character animation, is looking for

Facets Video's fantastic animation inventory has been added to the

AWN Store! Over 3,000 new videos available worldwide! From popular

Disney titles and the Peanuts to surrealist animation from Eastern

Europe, from action-packed Japanese anime to animation created with

paper cutouts, sand, clay, puppets and computer technology, the

Facets Whole Toon Catalog is now available in the AWN Store. Betty

Boop, Fritz the Cat, Tex Avery, Looney Tunes Classics and more

Facets Video's fantastic animation inventory has been added to the

AWN Store! Over 3,000 new videos available worldwide! From popular

Disney titles and the Peanuts to surrealist animation from Eastern

Europe, from action-packed Japanese anime to animation created with

paper cutouts, sand, clay, puppets and computer technology, the

Facets Whole Toon Catalog is now available in the AWN Store. Betty

Boop, Fritz the Cat, Tex Avery, Looney Tunes Classics and more

Munich, Germany-based H5B5 Media AG is looking for 3D ANIMATORS, an

ASSISTANT VFX-PRODUCER, DIGITAL MATTE ARTISTS, MODELERS, TEXTURING

ARTISTS and CHARACTER ANIMATORS as well as ALLROUNDERS for various

documentary, fiction and science-fiction productions. . . San Rafael,

California-based Artmaze, Inc., producers of media types such as

still images, panoramas, walk through animation and real-time 3D, is

looking for a 3D MODELER and a 3D TECHNICAL DIRECTOR. . . Fremont,

The anime title, THE PROFESSIONAL: GOLGO 13 will be re-released on video. Hitting stores on VHS August 29, 2000, THE PROFESSIONAL follows hitman Duke Togo who has the cross hairs turned on him after he assassinates the son of a notorious industrial tycoon, Golgo. The film is based on the popular comic book series of the same name. Osamu Dezaki directed the film. The new release from Urban Vision Entertainment will have an English dubbed and English subtitled version, selling for US$19.95 and $29.95, respectively.

Stan Lee Media, Inc. (SLM) has teamed with Venture Soft Co., Ltd., Asia's leading creator and aggregator of anime and manga, to form a joint venture that will bring SLM's superhero and fantasy story franchises to Asia. Coming on the heels of a similar deal with Fox Kids Latin America, the Asian venture will be called SLM Japan and will continue SLM’s strategy to partner with strong regional communication companies to introduce its branded content via the Internet and then leveraging it into global partnerships.

Los Angeles, California-based Unbound Studios, a new media company

specializing in animation and gaming for the Web, is looking for 2D

FLASH ANIMATORS, a PRODUCTION/OFFICE ASSISTANT and a TRADITIONAL

CHARACTER ANIMATOR. . . Sucker Punch Productions is looking for a 3D

MODELER and a TEXTURE ARTIST/2D ILLUSTRATOR to work on

character-based games. . . Venice, California-based Brand New School,

a broadcast motion graphics design firm, is looking for an AFTER

From popular Disney titles and the Peanuts to surrealist animation

from Eastern Europe, from action-packed Japanese anime to animation

created with paper cutouts, sand, clay, puppets and computer

technology, the Facets Whole Toon Catalog is now available in the AWN

Store. Betty Boop, Fritz the Cat, Tex Avery, Looney Tunes Classics

and more animation treasures from around the world, from the silent

era to the present have also been added! Here are a few examples of

* Saturday, September 23, 2000. Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

With host Terrence "T-man" Masson, Creative Planet's

Visual Effects

forum has become a hot topic. Check out the new threads on careers in

visual effects, crash zoom shot transitions, the shrinking miniature

FX market and the use of Macs in effects houses. Join the party and

meet the visual effects pros.





In

"Details,

Wild Brain has finished three spots for Sony Music Entertainment’s "Pass It On" campaign. "Adventure," "Love" and "Street Party" air exclusively on MTV and highlight several of Sony Music’s top artists by combining live-action music video footage with traditional cel animation. Creative director Ed Bell brought to the project his futuristic hip hop/anime designs, while director Robert Valley helped bring to life the surreal tone of the spots. "Ed Bell created a new genre of animation that isn’t confined by stylistic boundaries," said Valley.

With MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 2 still holding on in many countries, PERFECT STORM’s debut in Hong Kong and the U.K. shook up the international box office. Finishing at the top spot in the U.K., STORM grossed US$2.86 million over the weekend and $3.25 million since its Wednesday nod. Slipping to #2, STUART LITTLE grossed $2.08 million, advancing its British cume to $9.59 million. The U.K. sensation, CHICKEN RUN, amassed another $1.82 million in third, bringing its cume to $28.85 million.

* Friday, September 1 – Saturday, September 30, 2000. Sydney, Australia.

Lucasfilm and fledgling Japanese anime company, Anime World Osaka, have agreed to co-produce an animated feature film entitled, THE TINY FAIRY MIRUN. As reported in YOMIURI SHIMBUN, George Lucas will executive produce the project. Osaka is set to provide the US$18.5 million budget. Lucas is scheduled to go to Osaka in September after production calms down on STAR WARS EPISODE II to sign the official contract. In a flip-flop of the usual process, Anime World will create the master illustrations in Osaka and ship the drawings to Lucasfilm for in-betweens.

Eyeball has created eye-popping effects and animation for two spots highlighting Forum Credit Union. In the commercials showcasing the bank’s change of name from Telco Credit Union, Eyeball artists created an underwater feel with floating numbers. The spots open with numbers, icons and computer symbols streaming rapidly across the TV screen.

With more summer blockbusters arriving in international theatres, the old guard is weaning. MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 2, however, is still strong, finishing atop the charts in Italy, Sweden Japan and Spain. In its second week, M:I 2 grossed another US$700,928 in Italy, raising its cume to $6.82 million. GLADIATOR is losing its power, slipping a spot in Italy to finish at #4 with a gross of $103,693, bringing its Italian cume to $8.64 million. In Sweden, GLADITOR also finished in 4th place with a gross of $217,952, advancing its cume to $3.93 million.

Beverly Hills, California-based Dali Media Inc., a new media production company, is looking for 2D/3D CHARACTER ANIMATORS willing to work in and/or learn Flash for a freelance/staff position. . . New York-based Pratt Institute is looking for a 3D STUDIO MAX INSTRUCTOR. . . Seattle-based AtomFilms, a leader in next generation entertainment, is looking for an ANIMATION ACQUISITIONS MANAGER. . . Milano, Italy-based Green Movie Group, an independent film production and post-production company, is looking for an ANIMATION SUPERVISOR to work on a large scale animated feature film project. . .