Nothing Real, a leading Los Angeles-based software provider of
high performance tools designed for the digital image creation market,
is showcasing its flagship compositing software product Shake at this year's SIGGRAPH.


Shake is a next-generation compositing system that offers a broad range
of 2D features for film, broadcast, interactive games and multimedia
effects applications. Shake offers dramatic speed and efficiency
advances over traditional compositing packages, without the need for
specialized hardware.

This October MIPCOM and MIPCOM Junior will once again bring together the
television producers, distributors, buyers, and programmers of the world in
Cannes, France. MIPCOM Junior takes place October 2-3, and MIPCOM takes
place October 4-8. MIPCOM will also include for the first time a three day
conference on the convergence of TV and Internet from October 4-6.
Featuring special keynotes, strategic panels and case studies/workshops,
MIPCOM will bring together players from the TV industry, new media networks

The six month Bristol Animation Course is now available at the University of the West of England, Bristol. It is supported by several animation studios in the region, including Aardman Animations. The course aims to train animators in the craft skills of character and performance animation, enabling them to work in a professional animation studio. The course delivers a Post Graduate Certificate in Extension Studies. According to UWE, 85% of past students have been employed in the industry. There are five places for 2D and five for model animation.

Crater Software, a Spanish-Canadian software development collaboration, announced plans to launch a series of "satellite" versions of CTP, the company's 2D animation software, at this years' Siggraph. The launch of four CTP Satellites - Paint, Scan, Render and the already-released Pencil-test - will coincide with the release of CTP Version 1.3, also being showcased at the show.

Crater Software, a Spanish-Canadian software development collaboration, announced plans to launch a series of "satellite" versions of CTP, the company's 2D animation software, at this years' Siggraph. The launch of four CTP Satellites - Paint, Scan, Render and the already-released Pencil-test - will coincide with the release of CTP Version 1.3, also being showcased at the show.

REALAX introduces new modules and features of its powerful 3D-realtime tool RXscene.


The widely recognized and extremely easy to use 3D-tool allows the quick and
simple creation of 3D-realtime simulation. Existing 3D construction data can be
imported in RXscene, combined with computation data using the RXscript-API,
and simulated in realtime. The virtual test environment is ideally suited for
Digital Prototyping and Digital Mockup (DMU). Different camera positions

This week's updates to the Calendar of Events include Cartoombria
International Animation Festival in Italy, and the San Francisco
Independent Film Festival. The Calendar of Upcoming Events is a
constantly changing reference source for what's happening around the
World of Animation. Use it to stay abreast of animation related
activities across the globe. If you know of animation related events
that we don't have listed, send an email with the pertinent facts to
annick@awn.com. We'd love to publish your event information for free!

The fifth annual Anima Mundi festival has had its run July 9-18 in Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil. At this festival the audience is the jury, and they have
chosen:


Best Brazilian Film - DE JANELA PARA O CINEMA (RAINBOW'S END) by Quiá
Rodrigues.


Best Film of the Official Selection - GOGWANA by Deiniol Morris, UK.


Second Best Film of the Official Selection - AU BOUT DU MONDE (AT THE ENDS
OF THE EARTH) by Konstantin Bronzit, France.


Third Best Film of the Official Selection - RECI, RECI, RECI (WORDS, WORDS,

Toronto-based NELVANA has hired Cathy Laughton as managing director of its
London-based operations. Laughton will be responsible for the overall
management of the UK office. Her responsibilities include the acquisition
of new properties for production/licensing development, sales to the UK,
Germany, Scandinavia, and Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxemborg),
and securing co-production opportunities. Laughton joins Nelvana from the
Jim Henson Company where she served as director of international television
distribution.

Walt Disney International Europe and Buena Vista Internet Group (BVIG) have
promoted Andrew Barron to executive vice president of new media and
business development for Walt Disney International Europe; and Chafic Najia
to senior vice president and managing director of Buena Vista Internet
Group Europe. Barron joined WDTV-I in 1995 as director of business
development. Since then he has been responsible for identifying and
negotiating several Disney Channel agreements, as well as equity

On September 14, Kid Rhino will release the soundtrack album for the upcoming feature length Scooby-Doo video, SCOOBY-DOO! AND THE WITCH'S GHOST, which is scheduled for release on October 5. In SCOOBY-DOO! AND THE WITCH'S GHOST, Scooby and Mystery Inc. travel to a small New England town to learn why it's being spooked by witches' ghosts. Scooby-Doo and the Mystery Machine will appear in the flesh at the Rhino Retrofest, August 13 to 15, at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica, California, USA. Suggested retail price for the CD is US$13.98 and US$9.98 for the cassette.

The July '99 issue of "Storyboard," the Newsletter for the French Animation
Producers' Union, is now available [in French], featuring the most recent
European industry news.


SPFA July Issue

The Action Young Independent Talent Award is an annual contest organized by
Films Action Inc., in partnership with Ina-Imagina. This 3D contest's goal
is to promote new 3D computer artists talents. Prizes include hardware and
software packages. The best animation will be transferred to 35 mm. Entry
deadline is October 10, 1999. The festival takes place in Paris, France
January 28-February 3, 2000. For more information contact Films Action,
Laurent Rodon, 25 rue Le Peletier, 75009 Paris, France; Tel: +33 1 47 70 45

DEPTH is a project of Village Arts (Animha Productions). DEPTH is looking
for challenging contemporary Puppet or 3D Model animation of any genre.
DEPTH accepts films from around the world in any of the following
categories: Experimental, Professional, and Student & Non-Professional. All
films submitted will be considered equally for screening. Provisional entry
deadline is July 30, 1999. For more information contact DEPTH, Village
Arts, Stable House, Water Lane, Loftus, Saltburn, TS13 4JT, England; Tel:

The Annual Society for Animation Studies (SAS) Conference will be hosted by
Griffith University and will feature papers by Maureen Furniss on motion
capture, Chris Robinson on Estonian animation, Richard Leskosky on
animating between the lines, Jean-Paul Goergen on hand-drawn sound in
Germany in the 1930s, Suzanne R. Williams on the aesthetics of computer
games, Marilyn Carney on Australian women animators, Bryan Barker on the
impact of CinemaScope on animation production, Cathyrn Vasseleu on "Time

Hollywood-based Super 78 used Adobe After Effects 4.0 to design the 2D
graphics for a :30 spot, "Wanna Bet?," for YouBet.com, a new thoroughbred
horseracing on-line wagering service.

Animation filmmaker, teacher, and author John Canemaker has been awarded a
Rockefeller Foundation residency grant in Bellagio, Italy. From July 27
through August 25, he will stay at the 16th century Villa Serbelloni on
Lake Como, where he will work on a storyboard for a personal animated film.
From August 31 through September 5, he will be a guest of FANTOCHE, the
Swiss Animation Festival in Baden, where he will present two
lecture/screenings on Animated Surrealism and Jazztoons: Jazz and Animation.

The ASIFA Italy web site has been updated. Read the most recent issue of the ASIFA Italy Newsletter, NOTIZIE ASIFA ITALIA, featuring: "Japanimation At The Annecy Festival;" "Luigi Liberio Pensuti, Italian Animation Pioneer;" an interview with Terry Brian by Italian model-maker Francesca Ferrario;" Bendazzi on European animation in the book "The World History Of Cinema;” plus, a list of upcoming Italian events. Available in Italian only.


www.awn.com/asifa-italia

This week's updates to the Calendar of Events includes ten new animation-related events, including: The BAFTA Interactive Entertainment Awards in London, the Ourense Independent Film Festival in Spain, and Cinequest San Jose Film Festival 2000 in California.

Once again, Bill Plympton has updated his appearances page. This month, "I Married a Strange Person" will be appearing in various festivals and other events in Canada, Germany, Finland and Ukraine. "Mondo Plympton" will be screened in the US, Brazil and Germany. Bill will also be attending the events in Canada, Brazil and Germany.


www.awn.com/plympton/appearances.html