Kevin Prendiville, former visual effects supervisor at Ring of Fire, has joined The Syndicate as the studio's new VFX supervisor and lead flame artist. Previously, Prendiville was the Henry artist at Hollywood-based visual effects house Novocom, where he worked on commercials for Discover Card, AT&T, Miller Lite, Chevy Blazer, Levis, Allsport and Mountain Dew. His music video work at Novocom included clips for Michael Jackson and Lenny Kravitz, and a special effects heavy Garth Brooks track that won the Country Music video of the year award in 1995.

Vancouver-based computer animation studio Mainframe Entertainment, Inc. is bringing two new animated projects to this year's NATPE: ALIEN LEGION and MAXINE 5. ALIEN LEGION, based on the cult comic book series created by Carl Potts, follows the futuristic exploits of the Legion's Force Nomad and its multi-species ranks of alien legionnaires. Culled from the unwanted of three galaxies, legionnaires are the expendable shock troops and peacekeepers of the new intergalactic realm.

Although Disney chose to give Hayao Miyazaki's SPIRITED AWAY a modest release in the U.S., the film has managed to catch the eye of critics. Already winning Best Animated Feature from the New York Critics Circle, The Los Angeles Critics Association and the National Board of Review, SPIRITED AWAY is now finding its way on to critics' "Best of 2002" lists.

A highlight of the holiday hit film CATCH ME
IF YOU CAN, which opened in theaters nationwide on December 25, 2002, is the distinctive opening credits created by
London's Nexus Productions. Nexus was called upon by DreamWorks to
create an opening sequence for the film, which stars Leonardo
DiCaprio and Tom Hanks and is directed by Steven Spielberg. In CATCH
ME IF YOU CAN, DiCaprio plays Frank Abagnale, Jr., who at the age of
17 became the most successful bank robber in the history of the

The animated adventures of MR. BEAN is heading to Scandinavia. The 26 x 30-minute series has been sold to SVT, Sweden and YLE, Finland by Fremantle International Distribution, which distributes both the original live-action series and the animated series. SVT will start to broadcast the series on December 23, 2002 and it will run through early February. The series launch date on YLE is still to be announced. MR.

Chicago International Children's Film Festival

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Thursday, October 23 - Sunday, November 02, 2003

Entry Deadline: Thursday, May 01, 2003

David Pritchard, former CEO and president of Film Roman, has launched Fat Rock Entertainment, a new venture dedicated to producing and distributing family-friendly films. Fat Rock has licensed multiple properties from Hasbro, including MY LITTLE PONY and SUPER SOAKERS, upon which it will build its first slate of films. The first of the films is expected to debut in theatres in July 2003. The G-rated films will be in the $5-10 million budget range and will be a combination of live-action and digital animation.

Australian visual effects company Photon VFX, best known for its work on SCOOBY DOO and FINAL FANTASY, was the effects company behind the main character in the Warner Bros. horror flick GHOST SHIP -- the ship itself. The effects laden film is the largest feature film project to be shot and had all visual effects produced entirely in Australia.

From KISS to clones, Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana Limited brings an eclectic slate of programming to NATPE this January. Gene Simmons, lead singer of the rock band KISS, has created MY DAD THE ROCK STAR, a 26 x 30-minute animated comedy targeted to 6-12 year-olds. The series centers on Willy Zilla, a 12 year-old kid who just wants to lead a quiet, normal existence.

Children's book publisher and distributor Scholastic now has rights to publish all novelizations, coloring and activity books, picture and storybooks based on DreamWorks' next five animated films, which include SHARKSLAYER and a sequel to the 2001 Oscar-winning hit SHREK.

CMP Media's Gama Network announced the finalists in the fifth annual Independent Games Festival (IGF) Competition. Selected by a panel of game industry professionals, 10 finalist teams will compete for the $15,000 Seamus McNally Grand Prize as well as other awards honoring technical excellence, game design, visual art and audio awards.

Canadian independent animation studio AurenyA Entertainment has completed production on the 3D animated half-hour television special, THE ELFKINS FIRST CHRISTMAS. Produced in partnership with Dinosaur Soup Productions, Beaver Creek Creations and Independent Moving Pictures, the show tells the tale of the Elfkins, mythic creatures who live in a parallel universe. When they learn of the existence of human children, the Elfkins discover the true meaning of Christmas.

The winners of the Australian Effects and Animation Festival (AEAF) Awards were announced December 3, 2002 at the Sydney Convention Center in Sydney, Australia. Australian entries made up more than half the winners, with Aussie companies like Fuel International (Best Title) and Animal Logic (Best Game) picking up awards. STAR WARS: EPISODE II "ATTACK OF THE CLONES" won for Best Feature Film Visual Effects and STUART LITTLE 2 took the honors for Best Feature Film Animation.

William "Tex" Henson, who supervised animation on ROCKY & BULLWINKLE and was a force behind the popularity of CHIP 'N DALE, died Monday, December 2, 2002 of head injuries after being hit by a pickup truck in Dallas, Texas. He was 78 years old. Born in Dallas, Henson moved to California to join Disney Studios in 1944, where he was an animator on films such as SONG OF THE SOUTH, PECOS BILL and PETER AND THE WOLF. He was also one of the forces behind Chip & Dale's leap from bit players to outright stars. The chipmunk duo went on to star in 23 theatrical cartoons.

THE SAVE-UMS, DECODE's new preschool series is one of a trio of pick-ups by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) for its ABC Kids block. Created by Dan Clark of the Dan Clark Company, THE SAVE-UMS (52 x 11-minutes) lets preschoolers learn the principles of cause and effect and the impact of cooperative play. In addition to THE SAVE-UMS, the broadcaster has acquired the new adventure series KING for 8-12 year-olds and GIRLSTUFF BOYSTUFF, described as an animated FRIENDS for tweens.

The National Film Board of Canada is now making it easier for U.S. residents to purchase its acclaimed videos and DVDs with the launch of its new online store. Among its nearly 6,000 titles are compilations of Oscar-winning and nominated animated films and best-selling videos like LEONARD MALTIN'S ANIMATION FAVORITES FROM THE NATIONAL FILM BOARD OF CANADA. The NFB also offers documentaries, dramas, educational and kids' titles in its online store. As a special introductory offer, for a limited time the NFB is giving away STRANGE INVADERS mousepads free to all new users who register.

Egmont Imagination has recently completed a host of new deals for its 2D Flash-animated stunt-action series THE AMAZING ADRENALINI BROTHERS. Both Nickelodeon U.S. and Europe (in a pan-European deal), Cartoon Network Japan, ABC Australia, as well as Astral Quebec in Canada, have all picked up the broadcast rights for the program. A winner of the "Prix Des Internautes" (People’s Choice) award at the 26th Annecy International Animation Festival, this 10 x 2.5-minute series is aimed at all audiences six years old and up.

Digital artist/designer Nico Puertollano has been added to the staff of New York-based Rhinoceros Visual Effects and Design. Prior to joining the staff, Puertollano had worked for Rhinoceros and a number of other companies as an independent artist and designer. As a freelance artist with Rhinoceros, Puertollano worked on a variety of projects including the short animated film FROM THE 104TH FLOOR, commercials for Phoenix Mutual, Arby’s and Bengay, as well as projects for Sony, USA Networks, Samsung Digital and others.

WinFemme Film Festival

Los Angeles, California, USA

Thursday, September 04 - Sunday, September 07, 2003

Entry Deadline: Saturday, May 31, 2003

Visual effects and design company A52 recently completed visual effects and CGI work for RSA USA and director Adrian Moat for Nissan Maxima's "Paint Remover," which illustrates the speed of the Maxima automobile in a surprising way. Conceived by TBWAChiatDay's project art director Jason Stinsmuehlen and copywriters Eric Grunbaum and Neil Hughlett, the concept of the spot was a new Nissan Maxima races through the desert so fast that its paint completely peels away.