Discreet, a division of Autodesk, Inc., announced the worldwide availability of 3D Studio MAX Release 3 software, the latest release of its award-winning, professional, 3D modeling and animation solution designed specifically for Intel architecture and Microsoft Windows NT. Shipping with the 3D Studio MAX R3 software is a free update to Character Studio" Release 2.2. With an enhanced collaborative workflow environment and powerful new renderer, 3D Studio MAX supports hundreds of third-party commercial and free plug-ins, many of which will be available for 3D Studio MAX R3 software today.

Discreet, a division of Autodesk, Inc., announced the worldwide availability of 3D Studio MAX Release 3 software, the latest release of its award-winning, professional, 3D modeling and animation solution designed specifically for Intel architecture and Microsoft Windows NT. Shipping with the 3D Studio MAX R3 software is a free update to Character Studio" Release 2.2. With an enhanced collaborative workflow environment and powerful new renderer, 3D Studio MAX supports hundreds of third-party commercial and free plug-ins, many of which will be available for 3D Studio MAX R3 software today.

New York City-based Cyclotron@Post Perfect has signed Alex Seiden as
Creative Director. Seiden will direct commercial projects. Seiden comes
from ILM where he was a Director & Visual Effects Supervisor on such films
as JURASSIC PARK, DRAGONHEART, and STAR WARS: THE SPECIAL EDITION. He also
directed a PSA for the American Psychiatric Association, and numerous
live-action second unit and special effects shoots.

Mark Lasoff has joined Stan Lee Media Inc. as executive vice president to
oversee production of the Web-based company's upcoming super hero projects.
Prior to this, Lasoff created visuals for Disney's upcoming CGI feature
DINOSAURS, which will mix live-action backgrounds with animated characters,
and was part of the visual effects team for TITANIC.

Gold Coast, Australia-based EA Australia, a subsidiary of Redwood City,
California-based Electronic Arts, has hired Steve Dauterman to head a new
development studio located in Australia. Dauterman, formerly Director of
Development for LucasArts, had been with the Lucas group for ten years,
initially as Financial Analyst for Lucasfilm before moving across to
LucasArts in 1992. Since working at LucasArts he has overseen the
development of such worldwide interactive titles as "Rebel Assault," "Dark

Sherman Oaks, California-based Warner Bros. TV Animation Studio has
completed a spot featuring the classic cartoon characters, Tom and Jerry,
in Promise Buttery Light "Butter Trouble," a :30 for New York-based agency
McCann Erickson. In the cel-animated spot, Tom attempts to trick Jerry by
switching Promise Buttery Light for plain butter.

Stockholm, Sweden-based Filmtecknarna F. Animation has completed the
animation for "Chilled Cream," a three-spot campaign for British beer
company Boddington. The three ads combine 2D animation with 3D background
and CGI effects. The design of the characters and the overall look of the
films were created at Filmtecknarna under the creative direction of Stig
Bergqvist and Jonas Dahlbeck. The sound editing and overall production
management was handled by London-based Nexus Films with producer Chris
O´Reilly in charge.

White Plains, New York-based J.J. Sedelmaier has completed two :30 spots
for Old Navy. "Girls Zip Pocket Flares" features a young magician who
conjures up and controls Old Navy's new zip pocket jeans for her friends.
In "Boys Boarder Jeans," boys show off their large style jeans while
walking the dog, sawing a log, talking to a frog, and paying the rent while
skateboarding. The spots feature a '60s retro-style designed by David
Sheldon.

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