300 Animation Inc. is looking for an AGENT . . . Rotherham, England's Aardvark Swift Consulting Ltd. is looking for a CHARACTER ANIMATOR and a GRAPHICS TRAINER . . . Los Angeles, California's Unbound Studios is looking for an EXECUTIVE INTERN and a PRODUCER INTERN . . . New York, New York's COVI Studios is looking for a CEL ANIMATOR . . . Mumbai, India's Crest Communication Limited is looking for a COMPOSITOR . . . New York, New York's Dogmactic Inc is looking for an ANIMATOR . . . EmailYourCV is looking for a UK GAMES ARTIST . . . Barcelona, Spain's Filmax is looking for a CLEAN UP ARTIST .

Production is underway at Sony's Culver City studios on MTV's animated series SPIDER-MAN. Now in college, Peter Parker must juggle academics, work as a Web designer for the Daily Bugle, his relationship with Mary Jane Watson, fighting super-villains and criminals and maintain his secret identity as Spider-Man. The series is being created in CG but will have a classic animation look, and feature a seemingly realistic neon lit city.

Distribution outfit peppermint has struck a first-time deal with Columbia Tri-Star International Television (CTIT) and BBC Choice for the new adult animation series PETEY & JAYDEE GO EXPLORING. The series of 52 x 45-second vignettes follow the adventures of two quirky aliens as they take viewers on an irreverent joyride. CTIT plans to air the series on Japan's all-anime cable-satellite channel Animax. They also acquired all television, merchandising and broadband distribution rights for Sony Entertainment Television (SET) in Latin America.

Anima Mundi Web Calls For Entries.

Third Annual Web Animation Competition, Online.

Tuesday, May 01 - Sunday, July 21, 2002.

Entry Deadline: Monday, May 27, 2002.

Last October, MIPCOM 2001 Personality of the Year, MTV's Tom Freston, stated in response to the events of September 11th and the diminished attendance of the market, "TV will bounce back." This year's MIPTV, which took place in Cannes from April 15 to 19, 2002, showed strong evidence that the television community is on the way to recovery. Organizer Reed Midem reported over 2,600 buyers from 1,052 companies attended the market and representing an increased number of buyer companies, up 20% from last year.

The regional awards for excellence in film and television in British Columbia, Canada, The Leo Awards, announced their nominees on April 11, 2002. Winners in 74 categories will be announced at two separate ceremonies on May 10 and May 11, 2002. Vancouver-based studios Mainframe and Studio B dominated the animation noms, with Mainframe picking up nominations for series' ACTION MAN and REBOOT as well as four nominations for the direct-to-video BARBIE IN THE NUTCRACKER including Best Animation Program and Best Children or Youth Series.

Washington, DC's Capital Children's Museum is looking for a VIDEO EDITING/DOCUMENTARY INTERN . . . Sunnyvale, California's Clay Pixel Studios is looking for a COMPUTER ANIMATION ENTREPRENEUR . . . Cornerstone Animation Inc. is looking for an EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT. . . Beit Shemesh, Israel's Digital Production Solutions is looking for a 3DSMAX ANIMATOR . . . Port Monmouth, New Jersey's Dream Balloon Productions, Inc. is looking for a 2D CHARACTER ANIMATOR and an ANIMATION BUDGET DIRECTOR . . . HyperGalaxy, Inc. is looking for a SALES REPRESENTATIVE . . .

Seamus Blackley, co-creator of Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox, resigned Monday, April 22, 2002, less than a week after the company slashed prices on the game console in Europe and Australia. REUTERS reported Blackley intends to launch a new game-industry startup and says his resignation was not related to Xbox's sluggish sales. But just six weeks after its debut, Microsoft has reduced prices for the Xbox game console in Europe and Australia. Effective April 26, 2002, the Xbox will sell in Europe for 299 euros (US$266) or 199 pounds (US$288), and in Australia for A$399 (US$215).

Coming on the heels of an announcement that the latest Disney/Pixar collaboration, MONSTERS, INC., has become the second highest grossing animated film of all-time, the two companies have announced their next three films. First up is FINDING NEMO. Set in Australia's Great Barrier Reef, the film follows two fish, a father and his son Nemo, who become separated undersea. FINDING NEMO is set for release in summer 2003, and is written and directed by Andrew Stanton, co-director and co-screenwriter of A BUG'S LIFE. It stars the voice talent of Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres and Willem Dafoe.

NewKidCo International Inc. has entered into a worldwide multi-year agreement with Nickelodeon to publish video games based on the Nick Jr. show DORA THE EXPLORER. The agreement grants NewKidCo the rights to create interactive products for all leading video game systems. The series follows Dora, a young Latina who lives inside a computer and uses her knowledge of English and Spanish to communicate with her friends, overcome obstacles and reach her goals. The series currently airs 11 times a week, both on Nick Jr. and as part of CBS' weekend programming.

The three animation divisions that make up the newly formed Vancouver-based SecondSun Entertainment, are merging under one roof. As of May 1, 2002 3D division Brainchild Studios, 2D division Delaney & Friends Productions and Interactive Game Division Furious Entertainment will begin operation in a combined production and administration facility. SecondSun's new office will be in the heart of British Columbia's film and TV studio district, 15 minutes from Vancouver, in the city of Burnaby.

Los Angeles, California's ANIMAX Interactive is looking for a CHARACTER DESIGNER . . . Calgary, Alberta's Applied Multimedia Training Centers is looking for a 3D ANIMATION INSTRUCTOR and a CLASSICAL ANIMATION INSTRUCTOR . . . Laguna Beach, California's Art Institute of Southern California is looking for a CHAIR OF ANIMATION . . . Chilliwack, British Columbia's Beauwest Productions is looking for a 3D ANIMATOR . . . Lombard, Illinois' Big Idea Productions is looking for an ASSOCIATE PRODUCER, an OUTSOURCE PRODUCER and a TD/SOFTWARE DEVELOPER . . .

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

Capilano College Grad Show - 2D & 3D: Saturday, April 27, 2002, North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. . . School of Visual Arts Dustys Film Festival & Awards: Monday, May 13 - Thursday, May 16, 2002, New York, New York USA. . . L!CENSING 2002: Tuesday, June 11 - Thursday, June 13, 2002, New York, New York USA . . . National Lum & Abner Society Convention: Friday, June 14 - Saturday, June 15, 2002, Mena, Arkansas USA.

Artifact Entertainment is looking for a MAYA ANIMATOR and a TEXTURE/MAYA MODELER . . . Chilliwack, British Columbia's Beauwest Productions is looking for a 3D ANIMATOR . . . Chelsea, Massachusetts' Big Ape Entertainment is looking for a MODELER/ANIMATOR/FX SPECIALIST . . . Spain's Black Maria Studios is looking for an ANIMATION SCRIPTWRITER . . . Victoria, British Columbia's Digital Dimension Animation School is looking for a MAYA INSTRUCTOR/DIRECTOR . . . EmailYourCV is looking for a GAME DESIGNER and a UK GAMES ARTIST . . . High Road Productions is looking for an ARTIST/ILLUSTRATOR . . .

Representing their first sale to Japan, TV-Loonland has sold the home video and DVD rights of the animated series LITTLE GHOSTS to Japanese home entertainment corporation TDK. The show has also been sold to Indonesian agent PT-NAINA, who will distribute all rights of the series to buyers in the Asia Pacific region. Australia’s public broadcaster ABC Australia is currently airing LITTLE GHOSTS and will be launching the series on home video through their subsidiary ABC Video in spring 2002.

Each week, Animation World Magazine offers new articles, special features and theme-based coverage of the art, craft and industry of animation. New this week:



- Force of Hobbit: Mythmaking at Weta

It is said that love is the mythology that two people create together. At Weta, Ltd., in New Zealand, it is love at first byte.



- Deitch on Pintoff

Santa Barbara-based Foothill Entertainment, Inc. and BRB Internacional of Spain have inked a deal to develop, produce and distribute the series PIRATE SCHOOL. Production on the 26 x half-hour series is due to start mid 2002, with delivery commencing from September 2003. The 2D animated series will air on CBBC in the UK, which has an option to order a further 26 episodes.

On March 14, 2002 Microsoft Corp. debuted its next-generation game console Xbox in Europe and Australia. A total of 20 games were available at the time of the launch, with an additional 40 scheduled to be available by the end of June 2002. The launch day game lineup included the Microsoft Game Studio releases HALO, PROJECT GOTHAM RACING and ODDWORLD: MUNCH'S ODDYSEE. Xbox is now on sale in Australia, the United Kingdom and across Europe for a suggested retail price of $649 Australian and 479 Euro or £299.

4Kids Entertainment's first original animated television series, CUBIX - ROBOTS FOR EVERYONE!, has been renewed for a second season on Kids' WB! Under the terms of the renewal agreement, 4Kids will bring thirteen new episodes of the CGI animated series to Kids' WB! during the 2002-2003 season. CUBIX follows the adventures of 13-year-old Andy, a robot whiz, who brings to life a robot named Cubix that has been discarded as useless. The series was created by 4Kids in partnership with Korean animation house Cinepix and Korean broadcaster Daiwon.

Melbourne International Animation Festival, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Tuesday, June 25 - Sunday, June 30, 2002.

Entry Deadline: Thursday, April 25, 2002.