This week's updates to the Calendar of Events include:

Illustrator and cartoonist Gray Morrow (born Dwight Graydon Morrow, 1934) passed away at his home in central Pennsylvania on Tuesday, November 6, 2001. Although he had suffered with health problems the last few years, his death was unexpected. "Gray was both a participant in and a witness to comics history," said Insight Studios Group's Mark Wheatley, who edited GRAY MORROW VISIONARY, published last summer. "He was a master illustrator who had the respect and friendship of his peers.

This week's updates to the Calendar of Events include:

* Animation Workout, Guest Director Herb Tannen: Tuesday, November 13, 2001, Burbank, California USA.

* Webproducteurs World Tour 2001: Wednesday, November 28, 2001, Los Angeles, California USA.

* Animazing Holiday Event: Thursday, December 13, 2001 - Tuesday, January 15, 2002, New York, New York USA.

* KidScreen Summit: Monday, February 25 - Wednesday, February 27, 2002, Los Angeles, California USA.

Canadian independent entertainment company CinéGroupe is beginning production on two new animated TV series, THE THREE PIGS and EDWARD, bringing its current production slate to nine new and five returning animated and live-action entertainment productions set for airing on U.S., Canadian and international television networks during the 2001-2002 television season.

The 18th Annual Chicago International Children's Film Festival (CICFF) handed out its awards for this year’s festival at a gala celebration held at the Chicago Cultural Center on Sunday, November 4, 2001. The 10-day festival is the largest competitive festival of films for children in North America. Awards were handed out by two juries, the Adult Jury, whose members include media professionals from the film and video, animation, television, radio and print industries, and the 70 member Children’s Jury, comprised of children ages 7-13.

Thursday, April 11 - Sunday, April 14, 2002. Taos, New Mexico, USA.


Entry Deadline: Tuesday, January 15, 2002.

Pixar Animation Studios, which currently has the United States’ top motion picture for a second week in a row, recently reported a 30 percent decline in third quarter earnings. Pixar said earnings fell to $6.2 million or 12 cents per diluted share in the third quarter, which concluded at the end of September 2001, a month before MONSTERS, INC. hit theaters. This figure is down from $8.8 million or 18 cents per share in the period a year ago. Pixar also announced that it is raising projections for 2001 EPS from the previous range of $0.50 to $0.58, to a new estimate of about $0.60.

Douglas Greiff has left his position as VP of program development at Nickelodeon to join Hip TV as partner and head of production. Specializing in Latin-themed programming, Hip TV has produced original programming in English, Spanish and Portuguese for USA Networks, E! Entertainment Television, The Discovery Channel and Fox Sports World, among others. Hip TV founder Beatriz Acevado said, “I’m delighted to have Doug as a partner in Hip TV.

The LEGO Company has partnered with Canadian entertainment company CinéGroupe and secured full global merchandising rights to the television show GALIDOR: DEFENDERS OF THE OUTER DIMENSION. The show is scheduled to premiere in February 2002 on the Fox Kids Network in the U.S. and on YTV in Canada. The series GALIDOR: DEFENDERS OF THE OUTER DIMENSION is inspired by Web characters created by writer-creator-producer Tom Lynch, and combines live-action with computer-generated animation, 3D backgrounds and special effects.

Saturday, November 17, 2001, Los Angeles, California USA. An Evening of Diversions - Featuring intriguing amusements inspired by the Devices of Wonder exhibition, An Evening of Diversions invites audiences to step back in time 100 years, when the new century offered mind-boggling technological advancements. Produced by Community Arts Resources, the evening features cinema's first frames, a magic lantern show and other acts of wonder that amazed the public in 1901. No reservations required. At the J. Paul Getty Museum on Saturday November 17, 6:00 - 9:00 pm.

Thursday, April 11 - Sunday, April 14, 2002, Taos, New Mexico USA. Entry Deadline: Tuesday, January 15, 2002. Established as an artists' colony more than a century ago, Taos is known for it's eclectic mixture of cultures, traditions & philosophies. It is in this light that festival organizers program over 150 new indie films & videos, incl. features, documentaries, animation, videos & shorts during its four-day event.

Big Idea Productions is looking for TEMPORARY LIGHTING ARTISTS for three to seven months . . . Venice, California's Cyberploc Studio is
looking for a JUNIOR 3D ANIMATOR and a SENIOR 3D ANIMATOR . . . HoChiMinh City's Demen Animation Studio is looking for an ANIMATION AGENT . . . Digital Creations is looking for a FLASH

This week's updates to the Calendar of Events include: Devices of Wonder: From the World in a Box to Images on a Screen: Tuesday, November 13, 2001 - Sunday, February 03, 2002, Los Angeles, California USA. An Evening of Diversions: Saturday, November 17, 2001, Los Angeles, California USA . . . York Independent Film Festival: Saturday, February 23 - Sunday, February 24, 2002, York, UK . . . Taos Talking Picture Festival: Thursday, April 11 - Sunday, April 14, 2002, Taos, New Mexico USA.

Tuesday, November 13, 2001 - Sunday, February 03, 2002, Los Angeles, California USA. Through nearly 400 objects from the 17th century to the present, Devices of Wonder explores our long and playful entanglement with the magical technologies and artful instruments that we have placed between our eyes and the world. Centuries before the advent of cyberspace, humans created a host of gadgets to enhance visual perception.

The Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television announced the winners of the 16th Annual Gemini Awards, celebrating excellence in Canadian English-language television. Best Animated Program winner was the Collideascope production OLLIE'S UNDER THE BED ADVENTURES. The series, about a young boy who invents a world under his bed, has been picked up by Teletoon in Canada for an additional 13 half hours (in both English and French), and is being distributed internationally by Decode Entertainment.

This week's updates to the Calendar of Events include: Japanese Animation: Anime And Its Influences: Wednesday, November 14, 2001, Los Angeles, California USA and eDIT 2001: Sunday, November 11 - Tuesday, November 13, 2001, Frankfurt am Main, Hessen Germany.

The Walt Disney Company has completed its previously announced acquisition of Fox Family Worldwide, Inc. from Haim Saban and Fox Broadcasting Company. The acquisition closed on October 21, 2001 with a final purchase price of $5.2 billion, including approximately $2.9 billion in cash and the assumption of $2.3 billion in Fox Family. Michael D.

Canadian family entertainment company CINAR Corporation has recently repaid an existing bank loan which was due on October 15, 2001. The corporation had US$26 million outstanding as of November 30, 2000 and this amount has now been repaid in the current fiscal year.

Anime at AFI Fest 2001: Thursday, November 01 - Sunday, November 11, 2001, Hollywood, California USA. Two Japanese animated feature films (dubbed in English) will premiere at AFI Fest 2001 at the Pacific Theatre in Hollywood (6433 Hollywood Blvd.). AH! MY GODDESS will screen Saturday, November 3rd at 4 pm and ESCAFLOWNE: A GIRL IN GAIA will screen Saturday, November 10th at 4 pm. Advance tickets available by calling 866 AFI-FEST or through www.afifest.com.

VidTranS 2002: Mastering Broadband Video Technologies: Sunday, March 03 - Wednesday, March 06, 2002, Lake Buena Vista, Florida USA. Entry Deadline: Thursday, February 28, 2002. VidTranS offers a specific focus on the interaction of new digital video and broadband telecommunications technologies and on how this interaction will affect service providers, equipment manufacturers and end users.