Walt Handelsman has created a new editorial animation skewering recent comments made by right-wing pundit Ann Coulter about a group of 9/11 widows enjoying their husbands’ deaths.

In the animation, Coulter sings new lyrics to "My Favorite Things," including — "I write evil stuff ... for the money it brings."

This week in AWN's Forums, a debate has begun over why animators up and quit jobs. There’s a continuing thread on character animation in Flash. Others are talking about the continued string of Pixar success. Another member needs advice on ways to improve their drawing skills. A junior member wants some suggestions on building a portable animation studio. There’s also a thread over the poor treatment of the CHIPMUNK ADVENTURE DVD cover.

This week in AWN's Forums, members are debating art vs. animation schools and hand drawn vs. computer animation. Others are discussing the state of animation in India. There’s a thread discussing how Pixar does it. Moderator Larry L chimes in with his thought on life after SCAD. Another thread answers some questions about character animation using Flash. Another members vents about some optioning troubles. As well as, tools for teaching animation, the business of animation and, as always, brand new stuff to check out in show and tell!

Animax Ent. won a Sports Emmy Award for OFF-MIKES, the weekly original animated series they produce for ESPN.com. Animax Ent. and ESPN.com won for Outstanding Achievement in Content for Non-Traditional Delivery Platforms, a category that the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences debuted this year. This is Animax’s first Emmy Award.

Interactive animation company aniBOOM announced the First aniBOOM Awards. Fans of animation throughout the world will be able to vote on their favorite submissions from professional and independent participants alike and help determine the winners of $50,000 in prize money.

Adobe Systems Inc. announced that it is sponsoring the American Pavilion Student Filmmaker Program at the Cannes Film Festival, May 17 through May 28, 2006. Students representing 30 film schools in North America, the U.K., India and South Africa will be paired with professional filmmakers and instructors to create documentaries on their experience at Cannes using the Adobe Production Studio, Macromedia Flash and Macromedia Studio 8. Documentaries will be broadcast daily on the Adobe.com website.

San Diego Asian Film Festival 2006
San Diego, California, USA
October 12-19, 2006
Deadline: June 7, 2006

fmx/06, the 11th International Conference on Animation, Effects, Realtime and Content from May 3-6, 2006 in Stuttgart, Germany, announces its prizes. With more than 5,000 international visitors – 40% more than last year – fmx/06 included 350 speakers from all over the world presented more than 300 lectures, demos, workshops and screenings about creation, production and distribution in all forms of digital content.

Comedy Central has ordered 10 episodes of Augenblick Studios' GOLDEN AGE, the first adult animated series to be produced by a major television network for broadband. The series premiered May 8, 2006 and will show weekly on its broadband channel, Motherload (www.comedycentral.com/motherload).

This animated dark comedy reveals the shocking true stories of the world’s strangest cartoon characters. Each episode uses a blend of mixed media to satirize classic cartoons from the past.

fmx/06, the 11th International Conference on Animation, Effects, Realtime and Content, will take place May 3-6, 2006, in Stuttgart, Germany.

This week at NAB, NewTek announced the forthcoming release of SpeedEDIT, VT[5] Live!, TriCaster PRO and TriCaster for Mac.

SpeedEDIT is a resolution-independent video editor designed to work quickly and efficiently on any video project, from web streams to High-Definition..

This week in AWN's Forums, a member asks — where are all those memorable stories and characters? Another member has some Flash questions. There’s a new thread discussing animation demo reels. There’s a heated discussion about Cartoon Network adding live-action programming to its lineup. Another member needs help identifying a LIQUID TV short. A member has some questions about the legality of spoofing Disney. As well as, tools for teaching animation, the business of animation and, as always, brand new stuff to check out in show and tell!

On Tuesday, April 18, 2006, the music television network — fuse, premiered EMPIRE SQUARE, its entry into the in-your-face, envelope-pushing animated cable series sweepstakes.

EMPIRE SQUARE and its creators hail from England: Lloyd Salmons and Ant Cauchi of the design shop Outside Line (creators of the Beatles’ website and currently designing Quadrophenia’s DVD release) and Dave Rowntree, drummer for Blur. The show began as downloadable three-minute segments for British mobile phone users, but was snapped up by Fuse and expanded into a half-hour show.

S4 Studios Llc. has teamed with Sunwoo Ent. to produce six half-hour episodes of WILD ANIMAL BABY, a mixed-media 3D animation, Flash animation and live-action series for the non-profit Washington, D.C.-based National Wildlife Federation. The 12x11 preschooler-targeted series will be distributed on home video via the NWF website (www.nwf.org/wildanimalbaby).

On April 26, 2006, ZOOM SUIT #1 hits comic shops featuring an overt cover contest and a gaggle of covert “Easter Eggs” revealing phone numbers and websites that take readers out of the comic and into the middle of an Internet conspiracy. The comic is based on short film that has appeared in more than 60 film festivals since the world premiere at the Palm Beach International Film Festival on April 18, 2005 where it won “Best Animation.”

Warner Bros. Interactive Ent. has launched the new JUSTICE LEAGUE HEROES site — www.justiceleagueheroes.com.

The highly anticipated Xbox, PS2 and PSP game features the all-time most popular super hero group from the DC Comics universe including Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter and Zatanna.

This week in AWN's Forums, the debate between Blu-ray and HD-DVD has begun. A member wants to know what others feel are requirements for any good animation DVD library. A junior member is asking for some career advice from the pros. Another member has some questions about character animation in Flash. A senior member wants to know if there is any test that can determine if your skills meet with production standards. Lots of members are sending out their congrats to Nick Park and John Canemaker on their recent Oscar wins.

Dargaud Distribution, home to one of Europe’s largest animation catalogs, has restructured its sales team, starting with appointing Leon Perahia as the new president of Dargaud Distribution with Véronique Chalandar as deputy gm. Claude de Saint Vincent, ceo of the Dargaud and Dupuis’ Group, announced the appointments.

Perahia has worked at Dupuis since 1986 in various positions, including finance director and producer. He oversaw production on a number of series, including the popular SPIROU, FLASH GORDON, CEDRIC and KID PADDLE.

KAPPA MIKEY, the first global acquisition by MTV Networks, and the only anime series to be entirely created and produced in the U.S., is now airing on Nicktoons Network at 8:00 pm on Saturdays. It repeats on Nicktoons Networks' primetime programming block from 7:00 pm to midnight Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Beginning in May, KAPPA MIKEY will roll out across Nickelodeon's international channels, including Nick Asia, Nick UK, Nick Spain, Nick France and Nick Europe.

Nearly 1,400 designers, developers and artists have descended on Seattle for Flashforward 2006 — an annual conference, according to P-I REPORTER. During the gathering at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center, Adobe and show producer Lynda.com are stressing that much has changed since Flash's debut 10 years ago.