Japanese software developer ExpressionTools, Inc. has released ExpressionToolsShade Professional R4/E (ETShade Pro R4/E), an English language version of their high-end 3D graphics application. With a fifteen-year history behind it, Shade offers an outstanding and intuitive user interface, leveraging Bezier curve modeling and high speed/high quality rendering. In Japan, Shade has been the leading tool for professional graphics, 3D design, industrial design and architecture, with user-base numbers in excess of 200,000.

Anime 18 is set to release MYSTERY OF THE NECRONOMICON on home video, March 13, 2001. The erotic horror series was created by the director of UROTSUKIDOJI: LEGEND OF THE OVERFIEND, Takao Nakano. In the film, an evil presence plagues the women of Japan. Volume one, "Book of the Dead," will feature two episodes. Volume two, "Black Chapter" on VHS, featuring two more episodes, and the NECRONOMICON DVD, containing all four episodes, will be released on May 8, 2001. Both the DVD and dubbed VHS versions of the series will sell for US$29.99 each.

Gobbling up the competition, HANNIBAL dined atop the box office charts in a host of new countries. In France, the cannibalistic cavalcade collected an impressive US$6.23 million in its debut. VERTICAL LIMIT climbed into fifth with a gross of $1.46 million, lifting its French cume to $4.35 million. In sixth, 102 DALMATIANS collared another $1.38 million, raising its French cume to $13.51 million. In Mexico, HANNIBAL premiered in first with an amazing ticket-take of $2.71 million. At #5, RED PLANET dusted off $390,792, growing its Mexican cume to $1.04 million.

Golden Harvest, one of the leading Hong Kong production and distribution studios, has announced that it will produce its first animated feature. The film will be based on the popular Hong Kong comic strip MY LIFE AS MCDULL, which follows the exploits of a pig named McMug. The budget for this mature-themed cartoon is set at US$1.28 million. Golden Harvest managing director Phoon Chiong Kit said, "Animations generally aren't very financially viable because it takes a lot of money to promote a new cartoon character. But with MCDULL, having the comic strip already so popular helps."

Thousand Oaks, California's Big Idea Productions, a family media company now branching out into feature films, is looking for an ANIMATION ART DIRECTOR, MODELER, SOFTWARE DEVELOPER, SUPERVISOR OF MODELING and SUPERVISOR OF POST PRODUCTION. . . Irvine, California's Blizzard Entertainment, producers of video games, including online games, is looking for PAINTERS/ ILLUSTRATORS who are adept at creating texture maps for environments and the interiors of structures. . .

The 3rd World Summit On Media For Children will happen March 23-26, 2001 in Thessaloniki, Greece. The Summit aims to create an audiovisual policy supporting the rights of children around the world. Organized by the European Children's Television Centre, the event strives to bring many people, including teachers, researchers and academics, together to investigate the relationship of children's television and new media.

A new POKEMON incarnation, THE MUMMY and SHERLOCK HOLMES are all set to hit the Kids WB! for the 2001-02 season in the U.S. The Kids WB! weekday afternoon line-up has been completely renewed. POKEMON: THE JOHTO JOURNEYS, which is the network's #1 rated kids' series for the season, along with CARDCAPTORS, POKEMON and JACKIE CHAN ADVENTURES will all be returning. Weekday mornings will gain new episodes RESCUE HEROES: GLOBAL RESPONSE TEAM and SHERLOCK HOLMES IN THE 22ND CENTURY. BATMAN BEYOND will also return in the Monday-Thursday 7-8 am line-up.

In a battle for first, THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE and HANNIBAL went toe to toe in Sweden and the U.K., with the cannibalistic cringer taking a good chunk out of the rest of the international box office. In Sweden, HANNIBAL knocked GROOVE out of the top spot with a gross of $1.02 million. GROOVE grabbed second, grossing $456,488, thereby lifting its Swedish cume to $1.44 million. Jumping up a spot to #7, CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON floated $107,750, pushing its Swedish cume to $1.23 million. In ninth, CAST AWAY rescued another $90,711, raising its Swedish cume to $2.36 million.

* Thursday, March 8 – Friday, March 9, 2001. Chennai, India.

While HANNIBAL took a strong hold around the international box office, Disney's THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE danced its way to number one in Sweden. In Italy, HANNIBAL reclaimed the top spot with a gross of $3.47 million, elevating its cume to $9.12 million. At #5 in Italy, CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON floated another $820,649, pushing its total to $1.97 million. In Australia, HANNIBAL retained the #1 slot, grossing $3.29 million, thus escalating its cume to $3.54 million. At #2, CAST AWAY foraged $755,639, lifting its Australian cume to $10.39 million.

Venice, California's Digital Domain, one of the largest visual effects studios in Los Angeles, which creates digital effects for feature films, commercials and location-based entertainment projects, is looking for a RENDER WATCHER. . . Philadelphia, Pennsylvania's Drexel University, Department of Media Arts, is looking for an ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, COMPUTER ANIMATION to teach undergraduate courses. Depending on interest and expertise, there may be opportunities to teach in other areas including: 3D modeling, compositing, gaming, story conceptualization and character development/direction. . .

Time to create that great animation! This week's specials focus on the creation process.



- Start out with Steven Katz's international best seller "Film Directing: Shot by Shot." Used by the top animation schools, this visual feast will become your favorite reference tool.

Gillian Samuels has joined Digital Pictures as marketing director and executive producer. In the new role, Samuels will oversee the development of the firm's brand, capitalize on new and existing markets and help expand their design and high-end visual effects capabilities in both television and film. Previously, as director of marketing and client services at Garner MacLennan Design, Samuels was responsible for the marketing and developing of the Broadcast Design division.

With it already grossing out audiences in the States, HANNIBAL has begun to take a slice out of the international box office. In Italy, the blood-thirsty thriller claimed the top spot with a gross of $5.65 million. In fifth, CAST AWAY floated an additional $679,996, raising its Italian cume to $12.78 million. CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON descended into sixth with a ticket-take of $529,624, lifting its Italian total to $1.14 million. In eighth, 102 DALMATIANS barked up another $284,555, bringing its Italian cume to $4.48 million.

The 3rd World Summit On Media For Children will happen March 23-26, 2001 in Thessaloniki, Greece. The Summit aims to create an audiovisual policy supporting the rights of children around the world. Organized by the European Children's Television Centre, the event strives to bring many people, including teachers, researchers and academics, together to investigate the relationship of children's television and new media.

Michel Welter has been named president of CinéGroupe International. In this newly created position, Welter will head the company’s international corporate development efforts in addition to overseeing all aspects of international sales for the company including distribution, licensing and merchandising. Prior to coming to CinéGroupe, he was president of Saban Enterprises International, where he managed the worldwide licensing and merchandising activities of Saban Entertainment and developed new international ventures.

* Thursday, October 18 – Sunday, October 21, 2001. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Entry Deadline: July 1, 2001

Twelve video game companies have filed a joint suit against four individuals accusing them of offering unauthorized versions of such games as PAC-MAN and DONKEY KONG on the Web. The suit seeks to shut down sites operated by Dasheill Ponce De Leon of Houston, John Sterling of Beaumont, Texas, Byron Beck of Monrovia, California and Kuei Lin Lo of Amherst, Massachusetts. The complaint also seeks monetary damages of US$150,000 for each copyright infringement.

CAST AWAY is still holding strong at the international box office. In Germany, the desert island adventure rounded up another $3.73 million, escalating its cume to $21.46 million. VERTICAL LIMIT climbed into second with a gross of $1.84 million, raising its German cume to $4.34 million. In third, BEDAZZLED seduced $1.4 million, bringing its German cume to $4.49 million. THE LEGEND OF BAGGER VANCE made its German nod in fourth with a gross of $663,408. At #8, CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON collected $477,415, pushing its German cume to $2.35 million.

The next International Student Animation Festival of Ottawa (SAFO) will be held October 18-21, 2001. Now in its third edition, the Ottawa International Student Animation Festival provides a dynamic showcase of the most fresh and innovative animation from around the world. The official competition is divided into five categories: High School Student Films; Undergraduate Student Films (Post-Secondary); Graduate Student Films (Post-Secondary); First Film (e.g. Professional/Independent/Co-op Produced Films); and Children's Animation (Under 12 Years Of Age).