Newly launched Atlanta,
Georgia-based Giant Studios is a performance animation studio. Their
proprietary Motion Reality? system utilizes the latest advancements in
microprocessor technology and interfaces with the best animation software.
A state-of-the-art motion capture studio is available with a 50' x 50' x
24' open floor space. The system can capture and process multiple,
subject-object interactions in real-time, as well as the intricate detail
of hand and facial captures. The studio offers fully integrated

SHOWTIME will launch a new
advertising campaign for the network's exclusive, weekly online series
WHIRLGIRL, which premiered on SHO.com in February 1999. The new campaign,
designed in-house by SHOWTIME's Red Group led by Showtime Networks'
Executive Vice President, Creative & Marketing Len Fogge, will debut in
print, outdoor, and on the world wide web in August. Valued at
approximately US$1 million, the campaign will run through October 1999. To
generate greater awareness of WhirlGirl, the network will target national

TIME WARNER INC. has named Warner Bros. current chief operating officer
BARRY MEYER as the new chairman and chief executive of the film studio, and
Castle Rock Entertainment Chairman ALAN HORN as its president and chief
operating officer. The new team, which takes over October 4, replaces
Warner Bros. co-chairmen Robert Daly and Terry Semel, who announced last
month that they would step down from the studio they have run together for
nearly twenty years. Meyer joined Warner in 1971 as a director of business

Culver City, California-based advertising consultants Random/Order
Information and Entertainment has hired Robert Abel to oversee several
aspects of its consulting services, as well as to develop new content and
programming. CGI-pioneer Abel has created many landmark titles, including
commercials for Apple Computer, IBM, the Smithsonian Institution, and the
Mayo Clinic. His many technical innovations include: the first "motion
control" camera system, "streak photography," and the first algorithms for
computer animated human movement.

The Surrey Institute Of Art & Design has awarded an honorary fellowship to
Clare Kitson, Channel 4's animation commissioner, for her contribution to
British Animation. Films commissioned by Kitson at Channel 4 include Alison
Snowden and David Fine's BOB'S BIRTHDAY and ACHILLES by Barry Purves.

Disney's Whomptastic, the previously announced two hour cartoon programming
block which is set to air daily on UPN beginning September 6, has been
changed to DISNEY'S ONE TWO so that viewers will associate it with Disney's
other cartoon block, the ABC Saturday morning DISNEY'S ONE SATURDAY
MORNING. DISNEY'S ONE TWO will present the premiere of SABRINA THE ANIMATED
SERIES, as well as include the already established shows DISNEY'S RECESS,
DISNEY'S DOUG and DISNEY'S HERCULES.

Six new children's series based on popular titles from noted authors such
as Maurice Sendak, Rosemary Wells, Don Freeman and William Joyce will be
produced by Toronto-based Nelvana for distribution by the Public
Broadcasting Service (PBS) as a weekend block beginning in fall 2000. The
six book titles upon which the new series will be based are: Maurice
Sendak's SEVEN LITTLE MONSTERS, William Joyce's GEORGE SHRINKS, Don
Freeman's CORDUROY BEAR, Rosemary Wells' TIMOTHY GOES TO SCHOOL, Michael

Newly-formed, Los Angeles-based FilmWorld Inc. Chairman Menahem Golan and
President John Daly have announced the first of many films they will
jointly produce. GUNGA DIN will be based on Rudyard Kipling's story about a
young Indian boy's adventures with the British Army in India. The
screenplay is by James Silke and Joseph Goldman, and the film's release is
projected for the 2000 holiday-season in theaters throughout the world.
Golan has had a film career spanning more than thirty years in which he has

Cartoon Network will offer two premieres on Saturday, August 21 and Sunday,
August 22 at 9 pm. On both days at that time, one can see the premiere of
COURAGE, THE COWARDLY DOG, created by John R. Dilworth, about a timid dog
who defends an elderly couple from paranormal threats. Immediately
following at 9:30 pm on both days is the premiere of Bill Wray's short
film, KING CRAB SPACE CRUSTACEAN, a parody of television science fiction
series. In the film the youngest crewmember of King Crab's intergalactic

Klasky-Csupo's latest TV series, ROCKET POWER, will premiere on Nickelodeon
on Monday, August 16 at 8:30 pm (ET/PT). Set in the fictional Southern
California beach community of Ocean Shores, ROCKET POWER features the
adventures of four extreme-sports loving friends who chase the ultimate
wave, ramp, or slope in quest of an adrenaline rush. ROCKET POWER is
co-created and executive produced by Arlene Klasky and Gabor Csupo,
co-founders of Klasky Csupo, Inc. which also produces the extremely

On Saturday, July 31, director Brad Bird introduced his specially selected
segment of THE IRON GIANT, which was then shown in an exclusive Webcast
sneak preview. Fans, who have been following the film during its production
and have been fueling the overwhelming early buzz, proved eager for the
exclusive look, prompting Warner Bros. to re-broadcast Bird's introduction
and the 10-minute segment on Thursday, August 5 beginning at 5 pm (PST) and
continuing until midnight (PST) at www.theirongiant.com. Warner is using

North East Calgary, Canada-based Chromacolour International Limited, an
international leader in the manufacture and sale of traditional and digital
animation materials, software, and equipment, has appointed John Munro to
the position of Vice-President of Marketing and Sales. "Since joining
Chromacolour, John has made great strides towards developing and
implementing a strong marketing and sales strategy for the Company's core
animation business. John has introduced a number of programs and systems

Among the events at this year's ComicCon International, the country's
largest comic book convention, will be a celebration of the Animation
Renaissance which will include previews of upcoming animation from MTV
Animation, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, and more, as well as discussions
with the creators who are shaping the future of animation. Among the
scheduled guests are voice actress June Foray (ROCKY AND BULLWINKLE) and
BATMAN BEYOND series producer, Paul Dini. Chris Prynoski, creator of the

This year, SIGGRAPH '99, the International Conference on Computer Graphics
and Interactive Techniques, is being held in downtown Los Angeles at the
L.A. Convention Center. The conference program will include papers, panels,
courses, sketches, and applications. The event will also include an
animation festival; art gallery: technOasis; Emerging Technologies: The
Millennium Motel; Creative Applications Lab: The Digital Cafe; and The
Studio showcasing the latest implementations of technology. The Electronic

Warner Bros.' newly released shark thriller, DEEP BLUE SEA, with digital effects by ILM and Cinesite,
finished third, grossing an estimated $18.6 million at the U.S. weekend
boxoffice for a total of $24.7 million. DreamWorks SKG's THE HAUNTING, also
with digital effects by ILM, finished fourth, grossing an estimated $15.1
million for a total of $63.8 million; The Walt Disney Company's INSPECTOR
GADGET, with digital effects by DreamQuest, finished fifth, grossing an
estimated $14 million for a total of $47.7 million; Lucasfilm's STAR WARS

Nickelodeon's PHRED ON YOUR HEAD is a show in which Phred, an original
animated character who appears on the forehead of a different real kid
every day, and the kid whose forehead Phred appears on, introduce an
irreverent collection of classic segments from such educational shows as
SESAME STREET and THE ELECTRIC COMPANY, in addition to new material that is
educational and entertaining. Working from sketches provided by New
York-based Data Motion Arts (DMA), Possible Worlds and MTV Animation

J.J. Sedelmaier Productions has completed a third season of SATURDAY NIGHT
LIVE's TV FUNHOUSE. Segments included THE AMBIGUOUSLY GAY DUO in "Letters,"
in which the duo answered questions about their crime fighting techniques
and costumes, and "Boys," in which the duo's interest in crime fighting is
traced to their high school days.

New York City-based QUIET MAN has completed "Caterpillar," a :20 CGI show
open for the Sci-Fi Channel, a cable service. The spot features a robot
caterpillar who changes into a metallic spider. Todd Mueller directed.

The fifth annual Anima Mundi festival has had its run July 9-18 in Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil. At this festival the audience is the jury, and they have
chosen:


Best Brazilian Film - DE JANELA PARA O CINEMA (RAINBOW'S END) by Quiá
Rodrigues.


Best Film of the Official Selection - GOGWANA by Deiniol Morris, UK.


Second Best Film of the Official Selection - AU BOUT DU MONDE (AT THE ENDS
OF THE EARTH) by Konstantin Bronzit, France.


Third Best Film of the Official Selection - RECI, RECI, RECI (WORDS, WORDS,

Toronto-based NELVANA has hired Cathy Laughton as managing director of its
London-based operations. Laughton will be responsible for the overall
management of the UK office. Her responsibilities include the acquisition
of new properties for production/licensing development, sales to the UK,
Germany, Scandinavia, and Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxemborg),
and securing co-production opportunities. Laughton joins Nelvana from the
Jim Henson Company where she served as director of international television
distribution.