The 2005 International Emmy Awards
New York, New York, USA
November 19-20, 2005
Deadline: April 1, 2005

The International Council of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences is organizing its iEmmys Festival and International Emmy Awards. The event highlights excellence in television from producers from all over the world. The festival features industry speakers, discussions and screenings. The winners are selected by members of the international council. For additional information, visit www.iemmys.tv or e-mail awardsdept@iemmys.tv.

Leigh Anne Brodsky, president of Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products, has created two new positions and added new responsibilities for several executives to increase her division’s global presence.

Jim Davey has been named svp, Global Consumer Products Marketing and Planning while Tanya Haider becomes vp, Nickelodeon & Viacom International Consumer Products. The positions were created to bring global planning and execution to key franchises for Nickelodeon and Viacom.

The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, one of America’s oldest and most prestigious sporting events, is partnering with DreamWorks Animation SKG to bring Gromit of WALLACE & GROMIT fame to highlights of the show online. This marks the first time in Westminster’s history that the dog show has accepted a sponsorship partner outside of a dog food company.

Mainframe Ent. ceo Rick Mischel will discuss "The Resurgence Of Animation: Working to B.C.'s Advantage" at the Vancouver Board of Trade's Distinguished Speaker Program on Feb. 3 in the Waterfront Ballroom of the Fairmont Waterfront located at 900 Canada Place Way, Vancouver, British Columbia.

Pipelinefx, a leading provider of enterprise renderfarm management software for 3D animation and interactive entertainment, has closed its Series A investment round led by Hawaii venture capital firm PacifiCap Group Llc. Several members of the UH Angel investment network also participated in the transaction.

MTV Networks announced its first-ever global program acquisition, securing the worldwide broadcast rights to Animation Collective's property KAPPA MIKEY, for Nicktoons in the U.S. and Nickelodeon's international channels. The deal comprises 26 half-hour episodes of the animated action comedy that will premiere on the channels in 2006. Also part of the agreement, MTV Networks International secures international distribution rights for third-party broadcast sales.

Breakthrough Animation has appointed HOLA Ent. as the agent selected to represent the company’s animated comedy-adventure series ATOMIC BETTY in Latin America. Following on the heels of the Cartoon Network Latin America deal, HOLA will concentrate on the broadcast rights for Free Television for the animated series.

Corus Entertainment is shuffling around its television division, as Peter Moss, evp of programming takes on the role of creative consultant; Joanna Webb becomes vp, programming, W Network; and Phil Piazza joins Corus as vp, programming, children’s television.

Moss will now help guide Corus original productions and advise the senior programming team on scheduling and buying strategies, while he spends more time on directing and producing.

6th Annual First Boards Awards
New York, New York, USA
April 7, 2005
Deadline: January 28, 2005

The 6th Annual First Boards Awards will honor international emerging talent in the commercial production industry. Winners and runners up will be celebrated at the First Boards Awards party in New York and profiled in the April issue of BOARDS MAGAZINE.

Talent entered can only have been working in their craft for since January 1, 2003. Awarded categories include Directors, Editors, Composers, Animators, Creative Teams and Designers.

IDT Ent. Sales (IDTeS) announced that Ledafilms S.A. has acquired all television broadcasting rights throughout Latin America for select IDTeS animated and live-action properties. The distribution agreement covers 34 Latin American countries and Spanish speaking regions, including Mexico, Argentina, Venezuela and Brazil.

Marketing consultant Jan Nagel, has been tapped by Steven Ching, ceo of AGOGO Corp. Hong Kong, to represent AGOGO and its Animation Services Hong Kong in the U.S.

Visual effects supervisor, inferno artist and designer Aron Baxter has left his post with Nice Shoes to join sister facility Guava. The move is the first step in a new expansion effort at Guava. The studio expects to make significant additions to its creative staff and technical resources early in 2005. With Baxter moving to Guava, Nice Shoes has promoted inferno artist John Shea from a nighttime position to days.

Woodstock Film Festival 2005
Woodstock, New York, USA
September 28 - October 2, 2005
Deadline: June 13, 2005

BFC Berliner Film Companie has partnered with Brooksfilms and MGM Domestic Television Distribution, a unit of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. to create an hour-long pilot and 13x30 animated television series based on the classic Mel Brooks 1987 feature, SPACEBALLS.

Brooks and Thomas Meehan, authors of the original screenplay, will write the pilot and supervise writing on the rest of the series. Brooks will provide the voice of two main characters, President Scroob and Yogurt.

The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled that Stan Lee is entitled to 10% of the profits Marvel has received since Nov. 1998 from studios for the right to produce and distribute motion pictures and television productions based on Marvel's characters, and from movie-based toys manufactured and sold by Marvel itself.

Taffy Entertainment’s licensing division has closed five additional deals in the U.S. for PET ALIEN, the groundbreaking new CGI character-comedy premiering on Cartoon Network Jan. 23, 2005, at 10:00 am. The deals include Baby Boom Consumer Products for cuddle pillows, Beverly Hills Teddy Bear Company for gift and specialty market plush, Children’s Apparel Network for apparel, Fast Forward for bags and backpacks, and Mello Smello for stickers.

2005 AICP Show
New York, New York, USA
June 14, 2005
Deadline: February 18, 2005

HypeFest Screenplay Competition 2005
Hollywood, California, USA
July 29-31, 2005
Deadline: April 1, 2005

For January 18, 2005, ADV Films will release SAIYUKI: REQUIEM, THE MOTION PICTURE and FARSCAPE: STARBURST EDITION, COLLECTION TWO.

Electronic Arts has announced the development an interactive TV show, allowing viewers to control the characters like in THE SIMS, and a change in the deal to acquire 50% of Digital Illusions (DICE), reports REUTERS. The company is in early talks with production companies and might use a voting system to allow viewers to determine the actions of the characters.