* Thursday, April 5 – Sunday, April 8, 2001. Taos, New Mexico, U.S.A.

India-based Pentamedia Graphics has agreed to buy California-based movie production company Improvision for US$19.8 million in stock. Pentamedia first teamed with Improvision as co-production and distribution partners for the animated film SINBAD: BEYOND THE VEIL OF MISTS. Currently, a sequel to that 3D motion-capture film is in production. Improvision's purchase will "help strengthen Pentamedia's pre-production and post-production skills and also its distribution reach in the United States," the company said.

* Monday, December 3 – Saturday, December 8, 2001. St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. John, Virgin Islands, U.S.A.

Entry Deadline: August 31, 2001

* Thursday, April 5, 2001. Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.



ASIFA-Colorado is presenting a discussion by Polish computer animator Zbigniew Dowgiello. He will screen excerpts from his computer animated film and discuss the ways in which computers empower today's artists' ideas and visions of the world and universe. The event will begin at 6:30 pm. For more information contact ASIFA-Colorado at: ASIFA-Colorado @ RMCAD, 6875 E. Evans Ave., Denver, Colorado 80224, U.S.A.; Tel.: (800) 888-ARTS or (303) 753-6046; Fax: (303) 759-4970; or E-mail: ASIFA-Colorado@rmcad.edu.

* Tuesday, September 25 – Sunday, September 30, 2001. Calgary, Canada.

Entry Deadline: July 15, 2001

* April 2001. Hollywood, California, U.S.A.

* Wednesday, April 4 – Sunday, April 8, 2001. Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.A.



The fifth annual KC Filmmakers Jubilee is a celebration of independent filmmaking. All experimental and animation entries must be 30 minutes or less. A US$1000 prize will be awarded in each category. For more information contact: Tel.: (913) 649-0244; E-mail: kcjub@kcjubilee.org; or Web: http://www.kcjubilee.org/.

Austin, Texas' Austin Community College, a higher education institution that offers degrees in graphic design, multimedia and Web design, is looking for a 3D ANIMATION INSTRUCTOR to teach a variety of traditional animation, 3D modeling and 3D computer-based classes. . . Worthington, Ohio's Big Fish Animation, a production company, is looking for ANIMATORS and ARTISTS to create 3D environments for commercials and other projects. . .

Twelve new events have been added to the Calendar of Events, including: Cal Arts' "The One Second Film" March 8, Valencia, California, U.S.A.; VEAF Digital Media Trade Show, April 4-6, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Stuttgart Luwigsburg Filmfest, June 6-12, Stuttgart, Germany; and the 8th Bradford Animation Festival, November 16-18, Bradford, U.K. With multiple search capabilities, AWN's new calendar of events gives you a customized way to look through the upcoming events - by Name, Location, Entry Deadline, Category, Event Type and more.

Test your skills and challenge your brain with AWN's Animation Trivia Quiz. This week, we're asking questions about Oscar nominees and winners. What Oscar-winning animator took over the National Film Board of Canada from Norman McLaren? What was the year that UPA produced all three of the Oscar nominees for best animated short? What was Paramount's only Oscar-winning cartoon? Good luck...you'll need it!

* Saturday, March 3, 2001. Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

* Thursday, March 8, 2001. Valencia, California, U.S.A.

* Saturday, October 27 – Monday, October 29, 2001. Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

1st Entry Deadline: March 8, 2001

2nd Entry Deadline: March 22, 2001

3rd Entry Deadline: April 5, 2001

* September 2001. Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

Early Submission Deadline: April 30, 2001

Final Entry Deadline: May 15, 2001

Image Entertainment is releasing a compilation of animated romantic tales from the National Film Board of Canada, which have either won or been nominated for the Academy Award. Hitting stores on February 27, 2001, BEST OF THE BEST: ROMANTIC TALES will feature Oscar winner David Fine and Alison Snowden's BOB'S BIRTHDAY, along with A CHAIRY TALE, GEORGE AND ROSEMARY, STRINGS, THE STREET, WALKING, PAS DE DEUX, THE ROMANCE OF TRANSPORTATION IN CANADA, THE DRAG and THE FAMILY THAT DWELT APART. The DVD will retail for US$24.99.

While HANNIBAL took a strong hold around the international box office, Disney's THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE danced its way to number one in Sweden. In Italy, HANNIBAL reclaimed the top spot with a gross of $3.47 million, elevating its cume to $9.12 million. At #5 in Italy, CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON floated another $820,649, pushing its total to $1.97 million. In Australia, HANNIBAL retained the #1 slot, grossing $3.29 million, thus escalating its cume to $3.54 million. At #2, CAST AWAY foraged $755,639, lifting its Australian cume to $10.39 million.

As part of InternetWorld (Los Angeles, California, U.S.A., March 12-16, 2001), FlashCore, the new media community that hosts the Flash User Group, is presenting an online entertainment forum Wednesday, March 14, 2001. The keynote address will begin at 5 pm, and the speaker is TBA. Beginning at 5:45 pm, Clive Henrick, multimedia developer, Netgroupie.com, will run a demonstration of integrating DVD and Flash with the Web using InterActual Player 2.0.

On Thursday, March 22, 2001, the Toronto Animated Image Society (TAIS) presents a double event: Richard Reeves and Frozen Moments. Animator Richard Reeves will be on hand to introduce his award-winning films "Sea Song" and "Linear Dreams" and premiere some new works. Richard has mastered the technique of creating animated films by scratching, bleaching and painting on raw 35mm movie film to create beautiful animated films without using a camera.

Venice, California's Digital Domain, one of the largest visual effects studios in Los Angeles, which creates digital effects for feature films, commercials and location-based entertainment projects, is looking for a RENDER WATCHER. . . Philadelphia, Pennsylvania's Drexel University, Department of Media Arts, is looking for an ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, COMPUTER ANIMATION to teach undergraduate courses. Depending on interest and expertise, there may be opportunities to teach in other areas including: 3D modeling, compositing, gaming, story conceptualization and character development/direction. . .

* Friday, November 16 – Saturday, November 17, 2001. New York, New York, U.S.A.

Entry Deadline: April 13, 2001