Taking advantage of the buzz around the upcoming release of the English
version of PRINCESS MONONOKE directed by Hayao Miyazaki, which is due to be
released on October 29, 1999, Stone Bridge Press and Miramax Press are both
releasing tie-in books. Stone Bridge Press is publishing HAYAO MIYAZAKI:
MASTER OF JAPANESE ANIMATION by Helen McCarthy. The book mixes film-by-film
summaries with insider interviews and discussions of art, plot, production
qualities, and themes. It is a 216 page, 7x9" paperback with more than 70

BKN (Bohbot Kids Network) Bulldog Network, a programming block which debuts
in the US on August 29, 1999, has acquired the programming and licensing
rights for many worldwide territories for MONSTER RANCHER. The show will
debut as a lead entry on BKN as a daily Monday - Friday half-hour series.
MONSTER RANCHER was originally developed in Japan as a Sony PlayStation
video game by Tecmo, and the series is currently in production at TMS,
Japan's largest animation house. The series is about an 11 year old boy who

The soundtrack for Willis O'Brien's stop-motion masterpiece, KING KONG, is
being released by Turner Classic Movies Music/Rhino Movie Music. Composed
by Max Steiner, the collection includes music cues from the 1933 RKO film's
most memorable moments, featuring a nearly 25-minute suite consisting of
previously unreleased material. The liner notes includes an introduction by
Danny Elfman (of the band, Oingo Boingo, and composer of many soundtracks,
including EDWARD SCISSORHANDS, BATMAN, and SLEEPY HOLLOW), and notes by

India-based Graphiti Multimedia has completed a :20 spot for Wimpy's Fast
Food (New Delhi, India). The spot features a jolly and plump animated man
who entices viewers by wielding his fork around live footage of a Wimpy's
cheeseburger and fries. Graphiti used Cambridge Animation Systems' Animo
software. Puneet directed for production company Chaitra Leo Burnette
(Delhi).

The Walt Disney Company has named four executives to new positions. ETIENNE DE VILLIERS has been named president and managing director, Walt Disney International Europe; MICHAEL O. JOHNSON has been named president and managing director, Walt Disney International Asia; DIEGO LERNER has been named president and managing director, Walt Disney International Latin America; and PAUL SALEH has been named senior vice president and chief financial officer, Walt Disney International.

The Association of Independent Commercial Producers' (AICP) Eighth Annual
AICP Show, The Art & Technique of the American Television Commercial,
debuted at The Museum of Modern Art in New York City on June 9th, and will
tour in the United States and internationally until April 2000. The show
consists of about fifty live-action and animated spots. Selections were
made by more than 400 judges throughout the US, as well as a panel composed
of members of the industry from advertising agencies, production companies,

Toonz Animation India Pvt. Ltd., a new animation production studio in
India, will have a limited opening in August, with an official opening
following November 1-5, 1999. Toonz will offer a full-range of production
services for episodic television series and commercials. Toonz will also be
dedicated to developing original pilot shows based on Indian folklore and
mythology. "India has a rich treasury of folklore which will form the basis
for many of our pilot shows," states Bill Dennis, President and CEO. In its

Two weeks after winning for best short film at the Cannes Film Festival,
Wendy Tilby and Amanda Forbis' short film, WHEN THE DAY BREAKS (The
National Film Board of Canada), has won the Grand Prix for best animated
short film at Annecy '99, which concluded on Saturday, June 5. The film is
about a pig whose world shifts after a car accident kills a stranger (a
chicken) on her block. The complete list of award winners is as follows:
The special Jury Prize went to AU BOUT DU MONDE/AT THE END OF THE EARTH by

In March, Cheung Kong (Holdings) Ltd said it was interested in participating in a proposed project to build a Disney theme park in Hong Kong, but it depended on the outcome of talks between the government and Walt Disney Co. . . In Orlando, Florida, Walt Disney World officials said they expected more people than ever to flock to its sprawling Orlando theme park complex, after a 1998 performance that many industry analysts described as mixed. Year in and year out, Disney World proves to be the most popular tourist attraction on the planet.

Manga Video will release BLACK JACK in the US on June 29, 1999. Directed by
Osamu Dezaki, this 1993 direct to video release from Japan is based on a
manga by Osamu Tezuka that was first serialized in Japan from 1973-78.
Tezuka is known as the father of animation and comic books in Japan, and
specifically as the creator of such TV series as ASTRO BOY and MARINE BOY,
as well as award-winning shorts such as JUMPING. In BLACK JACK, Dr. Black
Jack, an unlicensed but extremely successful surgeon, is a lone wolf who

Don Spielvogel, President of VirtualMagic Animation, Inc., and Jeffrey
Harrison, Chairman/CEO of ImagineAsia Studio, announce the formation of
VirtualMagic ASIA, a new digital ink, paint and compositing service in the
Philippines that will operate as a subsidiary of VirtualMagic Animation,
Inc. headquartered in North Hollywood, California. VirtualMagic ASIA is a
corporate venture between two animation and digital service studios,
VirtualMagic Animation, Inc. and ImagineAsia Studio, of Manila.

The 26th annual Daytime Emmy Awards were announced on May 21st at New
York's Madison Square Garden Theatre. ARTHUR won Outstanding Children's
Animated Program; Rob Paulsen, the voice of "Pinky" on STEVEN SPIELBERG
PRESENTS: PINKY AND THE BRAIN, won for Outstanding Performer in an Animated
Series; PINKY AND THE BRAIN won for Outstanding Special Class/Animated
Program; VOLTRON won for Outstanding Sound Editing; THE NEW BATMAN/SUPERMAN
ADVENTURES won for Outstanding Sound Mixing - Special Class; STEVEN

Animation company Film Roman has announced that due to production
differences Fox will take over production responsibilities on June 1 for
Family Guy, which is currently in production on its second season. The
primetime show Family Guy airs at 8:30 pm on Sunday in the coveted spot
after The Simpsons and has been a hit with biting, racy humor. While Fox
spokespeople say that it will be handled "in-house," a specific division or
Fox-owned company has yet to be named. Film Roman, which produced 15

Iwerks Entertainment Inc. continued its improved operating performance in
fiscal 1999 by reporting revenues of $10,423,000 for the third quarter
ended March 31, 1999, representing a 133 percent improvement over the same
period last year when it reported revenues of $4,483,000. The third-quarter
net loss of $389,000, or 3 cents per share, compared favorably with the
prior year's net loss of $5,077,000, or 42 cents per share. EBITDA
[earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, depletion, amortization and

A BUG'S LIFE, a Walt Disney Pictures presentation of a Pixar Animation
Studios film, has climbed to $358 million in worldwide box office receipts
to become one of the top-grossing animated films of all time. With its
domestic gross of $163 million, the film has already become the fourth
biggest animated feature released in the United States (behind THE LION
KING, ALADDIN and TOY STORY). Internationally, A BUG'S LIFE has a
gross-to-date of $195 million and has set records in the United Kingdom,

The Kushner-Locke Co. has announced that they have entered an agreement
with Toei Animation to license Toei's animated product. Toei has one of
the largest animation libraries in the world. K-L plans to use the newly
acquired product to launch its own Spanish language animation channel in
Latin America. The deal gives K-L 1400 half-hour episodes, in the first
three years, of Toei animated product including the popular series
SAILOR MOON and DRAGON BALL Z. Toei is one of the leading animation

MIP TV, the international television programme market, where sellers and buyers from all over the world exchange product, takes place April 12th to 17th in Cannes, France. This year’s MIP is expected to reflect a rebounding international TV market. More than 100 TV series from around the world we be offered at MIP, such as DARIA, FAMILY GUY, FUTURAMA, and NORMAN NORMAL. The calendar of events include the following animation related programmes:


MONDAY APRIL 12TH

BOO WONG has been promoted to head the CGI Department at
Curious Pictures, the bi-coastal, live-action, graphics, special effects
and animation studio, it was announced today by Executive Producer/Head of
Production Richard Winkler. Wong, 33, succeeds Tammy Walters, who recently
left the company to pursue a career as a producer. In her new post, Wong
will be responsible for the overall operation of the CGI department
including scheduling, media flow, resource management, evaluation and

ImagineAsia Studios is seeking a LIGHTWAVE/SOFTIMAGE TRAINER for a 3+ month commitment in Metro Manila, Philippines. Transportation, accommodations and meals are provided. ImagineAsia Studios is an exciting state-of-the-art digital animation studio currently in production on Columbia TriStar/Cine Groupe's "Heavy Metal F.A.K.K.2". Candidate must be highly experienced in the latest versions of Lightwave/Softimage. Areas of critical focus include character modeling, lighting, texturing and animation. Strong demo reel and excellent English communication skills required.

California SUN Festival will happen April 10, 1999 at California State University Northridge. This year's festival has seen an increase in the number of entries from the international animation community, with films from Australia, Canada, China, England, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Indonesia, Japan, and the USA. 57 films were chosen for screening.