News :: North America

AWN Plays a Part In ASIFA-Hollywood's Animation Expo 2000

Posted In | News Categories: AWN Site News | Geographic Region: All, North America
ASIFA-Hollywood's Animation Expo 2000 will be held at the Glendale Civic

Auditorium in Glendale, California, USA on March 3 and 4, 2000. This 7th

annual animation trade and technology show focuses on the recruitment of

animation related talent and personnel, demonstrations of computer

technology, animation related products and services, and the sale of

animation art and collectibles. In addition, the Animation Expo offers

industry seminars and workshops, digital tutorials, and a showcase of

A Closer Look: Pokemania, Who's Next?

Posted In | News Categories: Anime, AWN Site News, Flash | Geographic Region: All, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, South America | Site Categories: Anime, Flash
Three new Scandinavian markets surrendered their airwaves to Pokemania.

Worldwide sensation Pokemon was recently sold to TV4 in Sweden, TV2 in

Denmark and TV2 in Norway. The show will hit the new territories in January

and February 2000. The international distributor, Lacey Entertainment, also

announced the sale of the Pikachu-vehicle to ATV in Turkey and Noga

Communications' Children's Channel in Israel.





The Pokemon phenomenon began in America in 1998 with the release of the

Cartoon Noir In LA

Posted In | News Categories: Events | Geographic Region: All, Europe, North America | Site Categories: Events
NEW!


* Friday, February 25, 2000 - Thursday, March 2, 2000. Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A.



CARTOON NOIR comes to LA. This multi-technique film is a feature-length

compilation of animated shorts from American and European artists. Featured

in CARTOON NOIR are: APE, Julie Zammarchi's darkly comic critique of

monogamy, meat eating and the daily pattern of human brutality; ALTAIR,

Lewis Klahr's collagist elegy on New York nightlife; CLUB OF THE DISCARDED,

TAIS Presents Disney Animator Peter Emslie

Posted In | News Categories: Events | Geographic Region: All, North America | Site Categories: Events
* Wednesday, January 26, 2000. Toronto, Canada.



TAIS, the Toronto Animated Image Society, will present "Creating Appealing

Cartoon Characters" with Peter Emslie. In the evening's presentation, the

long-time Disney animator will explain his personal theory on what makes

for good cartoon character design, by referring to videotape and sketching

on the spot to illustrate various points. Since 1979, Emslie has spent much

of his time drawing for the Walt Disney Company. On staff for 10 years and

Red Rover Raps Molson Spot

Posted In | News Categories: Commercials | Geographic Region: All, North America | Site Categories: Commercials
Toronto-based RED ROVER's directors Andy and Linzi Knight created the

"subliminal" message for the Molson Export "Subliminal" spot. The 30-second

spot slyly transforms the bubbles in a glass of beer into the image of

three go-go girls dancing to "And the Beat Goes On." The spot was produced

for McClaren McCann of Toronto. Linzi Knight said, "This is the kind of

commercial people look forward to seeing because they're always looking to

see if they notice anything else going. That kind of viewer attention is

ASIFA-Canada Comes On Board!

Posted In | News Categories: AWN Site News | Geographic Region: All, Europe, North America
AWN is pleased to welcome ASIFA-Canada to the AWN family.

ASIFA (International Animated Film Association) was

founded in 1957 in France by a group of professional

animators to promote the art of animation. Today, there are

ASIFA chapters in nearly thirty countries worldwide, but

Canada was one of the first countries to form its own

national chapter, ASIFA-Canada. Through its publications and

activities, the organization seeks to foster communication

More Bill Plympton

Posted In | News Categories: AWN Site News | Geographic Region: All, Europe, North America
Bill Plympton has updated his

appearances

page
. This month, "Surprise Cinema" will be appearing in

various festivals and other events in the US, Canada, France,

Belgium and Germany. Bill will be appearing at the Comics Festival

in Angouleme, France, January 26-31, and at the Zagreb World

Festival of Animated Films in Zagreb, Croatia, June 12-25, 2000.

Santiago Studios In Search Of U.S. Co-Prod.

Posted In | News Categories: Business | Geographic Region: All, North America, South America | Site Categories: Business
Several animation studios in Santiago, Chile, including Arce Studios, EMU

Ltd., ROOS Film S.A., and Trimedia S.A. have formed a partnership to

promote the animation business in Santiago. The partners are looking for

co-producers and/or investors for their products. Alvaro Arce, President of

Arce Studios, worked in the animation industry in the United States for

many years at Hanna-Barbera, The Walt Disney Company, and others. Alvaro

has several original series currently in development. Arce Studios is now

Art In Motion Exhibit

Posted In | News Categories: Events | Geographic Region: All, North America | Site Categories: Events
* Friday, January 28, 2000. Los Angeles, California, USA.

Art In Motion focuses on innovative content and diversity. The criteria for

entry is time rather than medium based, and therefore video, film and

digital projects, animations, Websites, CD-Roms etc. are all eligible.

Hybrids are particularly welcome. There will be a $1000 "Best of Show"

award and "first place" allocations in each exhibition category. For more

information contact Jim Keller or Janet Owen, festival organizers at:

Mobius Advertising Awards

Posted In | News Categories: Events | Geographic Region: All, North America | Site Categories: Events
* Thursday, February 10, 2000. Chicago, Illinois, USA.

The 29th Mobius Advertising Awards is a yearly event recognizing

outstanding television and radio commercials, as well as print advertising

and package designs. The competition is open to television commercials and

campaigns which have been produced, screened or aired in the past 12

months. The animation-related categories include: Animation-Computer,

Animation-Non-Computer, and Animation-Computer & Non-Computer. For more

Disney's Legendary Marc Davis Dies

Posted In | News Categories: In Passing | Geographic Region: All, North America | Site Categories: In Passing
On Wednesday, January 12, 2000, Walt Disney's legendary animator Marc Davis

passed away at Glendale Memorial Hospital shortly following a stroke. He

was 86 years old. Davis was a member of Disney's inner circle known as the

"nine old men." During his 43-year tenure at the studio, Davis brought to

life such classic characters as Bambi, Cinderella, Alice, Briar Rose,

Maleficent and Cruella DeVil. In addition to creating many of Disney's

female characters, he served as a key player in the development of many of

Moondance International Film Festival

Posted In | News Categories: Events | Geographic Region: All, North America | Site Categories: Events
* Friday, January 14 - Sunday, January 16, 2000. Boulder, Colorado, USA.

The Moondance International Film Festival's objective is to promote and

encourage women screenwriters and women who make independent films, in any

genre, including animation. There will be one winner in each category:

Filmmaker, Screenwriter, or Documentary Filmmaker. Awards: $2000 for best

original screenplay, $2000 for best independent film, and $1000 for best

documentary film. There will be 2 semi-finalists in each category. All

Link's Teddybears Hits Trio Channel

Posted In | News Categories: Television | Geographic Region: All, North America | Site Categories: Television
London-based Link Entertainment Television has sold the rights to

TEDDYBEARS to U.S.-based Trio Channel, a new satellite channel broadcast on

Direct TV and TCI Hits. Trio's 26 episode purchase comes on the heals of

another recent deal for Link with Canada's SCN for all 52 episodes of the

lovable bears television adventures.

Improv-Ice Debuts Rocket for FXDeko Effects

Posted In | News Categories: Television | Geographic Region: All, North America | Site Categories: Television
On December 2, 1999, USA Networks' Live Telecast of IMPROV-ICE, debuted

graphics done by Pinnacle Systems' Rocket for FXDeko. Rocket for FXDeko is

a template-based tool that allows the generation of real-time 3D elements

which can be automatically updated by live data streams. Rocket integrates

with Pinnacle's award-winning FXDeko character generators and adds further

dimension to live broadcasts including textured, reflective and transparent

Canadian Drawn Screening

Posted In | News Categories: Events | Geographic Region: All, North America | Site Categories: Events
* Tuesday, January 25, 2000. Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A.

Canadian Drawn, a screening of animation from the Canadian Film Board, will

be presented at 7:30 pm. The event highlighting the amazing work of the

Film Board will be held at Macquariam, 1800 Peachtree St. NW. This

screening is sponsored by ASIFA-Atlanta, a social organization for people

interested and professionally involved in animation. For information

contact Joni Strandquest at (770) 457-3455.

Eyeball Bounces Forth New USA Network Tags

Posted In | News Categories: Commercials | Geographic Region: All, North America | Site Categories: Commercials
New York-based EYEBALL created 10 second ID tags for seven USA Network

shows including: BAYWATCH, LA FEMME NIKITA, XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS and LAW

AND ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT. A circular frame opens around footage from

the USA program as the tag line "You Are Here" appears amidst flag stripes

and flashes. Brighter colors were used for the more light-hearted shows,

while a grittier mood was created for the more serious dramas. Daniel Fries

was the Creative Director at Eyeball.

Three Companies Produce Campbell's Popeye Spot

Posted In | News Categories: Commercials | Geographic Region: All, North America | Site Categories: Commercials
Popeye the Sailor makes his newest appearance in the Toronto-based

TOPIX/MAD DOG, Chuck Gammage Animation and Generator Film produced spot for

Campbell's Soup. The 30 second spot for new Chunky Prime Rib features

integrated 3D animation, live-action and cel animation. Our hero Popeye

opts for a can of Chunky soup over his standard spinach to save the lovely

Olive Oyl. The spot was produced for Toronto-based ad agency Young &

Rubicam. TOPIX/Mad Dog producer Anne Deslauriers oversaw the 3D animation

Video game pioneer slated for ZDTV show

Posted In | News Categories: Television | Geographic Region: All, North America | Site Categories: Television
ZDTV, a 24-hour cable television channel about computing, technology and the Internet, will have Atari founder Nolan Bushnell on BIG THINKERS. Hosted by Mark Eddo, BIG THINKERS features in-depth discussions with the most visionary and influential men and women working in the high-tech industry today. The episode with Bushnell, the creator of PONG, will air January 5, 2000 at 10:30 pm. These interviews, plus additional footage not shown on air, will be available in streaming video on the show's companion Web site.

Quebec Animation Makes Quite A Team

Posted In | News Categories: Business | Geographic Region: All, North America | Site Categories: Business
Twenty 2D/3D animation and special effects companies from Quebec, Canada

have formed a union in order to better promote the award winning work done

in the region. Called Quebec Animation, the association is supported by the

Quebec Minister of Industry and Commerce, the Quebec Minister of

Communications and Culture, the Quebec Minister of International Relations,

the Montreal Bureau of Cinema, and the Canadian Service Center in

Multimedia Applications (CESAM). The association sets up a focal point for

Women In Animation Writers' Group

Posted In | News Categories: Events | Geographic Region: All, North America | Site Categories: Events
* Thursday, January 13, 2000. Westwood, California, U.S.A.

The Women In Animation Writers' Group begins a new series of seminars at

Saban Entertainment at 7:30 pm. Have you always wanted to write for

animation, but you don't where to start? What's the difference between

writing for animation and live-action? What are some of the techniques for

writing gags? Join us and find out! For more information please contact

Jean Ann Wright at (818) 360-8321. RSVP required.