AWN and VFXWorld are giving our readers a chance to enter the NAB 2004 Festival Sweepstakes.AWN and VFXWorld are giving our readers a chance to enter the NAB 2004 Festival Sweepstakes. Here's your chance to win one of two free Broadcast & Media Conferences Package Passes at this year's NAB in Las Vegas, Nevada, April 17-22, 2004! This package, which normally costs $925, includes access six conference sessions, Super Sessions, All-Industry Keynote, Exhibits, one luncheon ticket, RTNDA@NAB Sessions and the FCC and GR Breakfasts.

MATRIX REVOLUTIONS, the concluding chapter in the blockbuster MATRIX film trilogy, bows on DVD April 6, 2004 (Warner Home Video, $29.95). One of the great aspects of the two-disc set is the way it shows off ESC Ent.'s neglected vfx in the various docs and featurettes. Follow the white rabbit to go further into the elaborate features and effects.

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Lucasfilm has announced that STAR WARS: EPISODE III will be released to theaters in the U.S. and Canada on Thursday, May 19, 2005. The release will be nearly simultaneous around the globe. In Japan, the film will be released in July, the month in which all previous STAR WARS premiered.

BARBERSHOP director Tim Story has signed on to direct 20th Century Fox and Marvel's FANTASTIC FOUR, reports LATINO REVIEW. It has been rumored that THE SHIELD star Michael Chiklis is being eye for the Benjamin Grimm/The Thing role and Tim Robbins may play Dr. Doom. George Clooney has long been rumored to be the top choice to play Four leader Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic.

Discreet has begun shipping its smoke 6 system on the Intel-based IBM workstation running Linux. The smoke 6 editing and finishing system is already available on the Silicon Graphics Octane2 and Silicon Graphics Tezro visual workstations. The addition of Linux workstation support and new pricing ensures that the smoke 6 system is accessible to broadcasters and the growing segment of mid-range post-production facilities.

Coinciding with the network broadcast premiere of HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS, ABC will be airing a 10-minute sneak peak of HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN. The broadcast will take place May 9, 2004 at 7:00 pm.

Universal Studios Hollywood has announced the debut of "Van Helsing: Fortress Dracula," an all-new attraction inspired by Universal Pictures' VAN HELSING opening simultaneously with the film's nationwide debut on May 7, 2004. The attraction will transport guests to a world inhabited by Dracula, The Frankenstein Monster and The Wolf Man. The attraction will feature special effects as well as hundreds of artifacts, original props and set pieces, created for the movie.

After losing their jobs at Discreet in England because of outsourcing, a team of computer gurus who worked on THE LAST SAMURAI, THE MATRIX and MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE have auctioned their services off on eBay, Britain’s GUARDIAN reported on Wednesday.

We bid farewell to March and our focus on new frontiers with Tito Belgrave's fascinating look at "Photogrammetry: A Study of Image-Based Modeling." IBM has caused quite a stir with the ability of artists to explore 3D objects and scenes captured from real world photography, and Belgrave breaks it down nicely. Meanwhile, April kicks off our timely emphasis on gaming, what with GDC behind us and E3 just down the road.

Coming in from Wizard World's Los Angeles convention, producer Tom DeSanto revealed to Inland Empire Strikes Back (www.iesb.net) that Oscar-winning FOREST GUMP director Robert Zemeckis will helm THE TRANSFORMERS feature. In addition, the site claims that New Line Cinema will distribute the film and TV series' voice actors Frank Welker and Peter Cullen will reprise their roles. The tentative date for the film's release is Dec. 2006. Until further confirmation can be made this is just hearsay, but both Zemeckis and New Line have been attached to possible participators in the past.

Tokyo-based Robot Communications relied on Discreet’s 3ds max to create the introductory cinematic opening sequence for ONIMUSHA 3: DEMON SIEGE, the final installment in the critically acclaimed game series from Capcom. The game, running on Sony Computer Ent.’s PlayStation 2 platform, has been available in Japan since February 2004, and is expected to be available April 2004 in North America.

LucasArts and IGN/GameSpy have signed a multi-title, multi-platform technology licensing agreement to facilitate online gameplay for titles developed by LucasArts' internal and third-party teams. Titles already scheduled to have technology embedded include: STAR WARS: BATTLEFRONT PC, STAR WARS: BATTLEFRONT PS2 and STAR WARS: REPUBLIC COMMANDO PC. IGN/GameSpy will supply LucasArts four distinct Software Development Kits (SDKs) toolkits that integrate with the company's games to provide matchmaking, community, administrative and networking functionality.

Oregon3D has purchased a license from Newlands & Co. Inc. for rights to the data that comprises a 3D prototype of the city of Portland, Oregon. Oregon3D plans to use the Portland City model for realtime visual simulation projects, allowing users to fly through the virtual city in realtime.

Comcast Corp. announced that it has signed an agreement with Vulcan Programming Inc. to acquire TechTV Inc. Comcast plans to merge TechTV with G4, the Comcast-owned television network devoted to videogames and the gamer lifestyle. The deal increases Comcast’s content portfolio and expands G4’s distribution. The combined channel will be available to 44 million cable and satellite customers nationwide.

VFXWorld has learned that Walden Media has selected Rhythm & Hues to recreate the beloved characters for the upcoming movie based on C.S. Lewis’ classic children’s tale, THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE, a co-production with Walt Disney Pictures. According to Richard Hollander, president of R & H's film division, the studio is in the process of building its team from within R & H.

Focus Features has opened a new action, thriller and urban dedicated label called Rogue Pictures, reported VARIETY. Supervision of the new unit will be headed by Focus' management team. Focus president of distribution Jack Foley will be the go-to man on Rogue releases. The first film to be released by the new arm with the forthcoming CHILD'S PLAY sequel, THE SEED OF CHUCKY, directed and written by series creator Don Mancini.

HimAnI Prods. has completed work on SCOOBY-DOO 2, HELLBOY and TREMORS 4 and continues contributing effects shots to the hit ABC TV series ALIAS.

For Warner Bros.' SCOOBY DOO 2: MONSTERS UNLEASHED (opening March 26), HimAnI designed, created and produced more than 30 vfx shots. These range from matte paintings and set extensions to the creation of "ghost ships" and an animated "ghost sword." HimAnI worked directly with visual effects supervisor Peter Crosman.

Disney's latest animated short, LORENZO, premiered earlier this month at the Florida Film Festival in Orlando, and VFXWorld is proud to provide the first inside look at this darkly funny tale about a narcissistic blue cat with a curse on its tail.

The Orphanage has announced that it will produce a film adaptation of Bill Sienkiewicz's graphic novel, STRAY TOASTERS, reported VARIETY. The pic will be directed by Jeff Renfroe and Marteinn Thorsson, whose ONE POINT O feature competed at this year's Sundance Film Festival. Sienkiewicz, Renfroe and Thorsson have all contributed on the screenplay. Orphanage head of production Amy Israel will produce with R.D. Robb, Renfroe, Thorsson and Sienkiewicz.

Shuffle Inc., an international television commercial production company with offices in Venice, California, and Tokyo, Japan, has launched Shuffle USA as a new operating unit.