AWN Headline News

EA Signs New Dynamic In-Game Advertising Deals

Electronic Arts Inc. announced two separate agreements with Massive Inc. and IGA Worldwide Inc. in a move that will offer to marketers on a global basis new dynamic advertising opportunities across select EA franchises on the Xbox 360.

A portfolio of EA games developed for the Xbox 360 and PC worldwide will be incorporated into Massive's Video Game Network. Massive is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Microsoft. Financial terms of today's agreement were not disclosed.

In Interactive, Games, Interactive | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Europe, South America

Mobile Headline News

Aardman Launches New Mobile TV Channel On Orange

Aardman Animations will, this week, launch its own mobile TV channel on the Orange TV service.

The channel, Aardman Animations will consist of a video loop, refreshed weekly of its own content combined with some of the best animation sourced elsewhere in Britain and around the world.

In Interactive, Games, Interactive | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Europe

Headline News

Sesame Workshop Helps Preschoolers Prepare For Unsettled Times

Sesame Workshop and Bear Stearns, a leading investment banking and securities trading and brokerage firm, have teamed up to launch a new educational outreach program designed to help children 2-5 and their families prepare physically and emotionally for the challenges of today's complex world and the possibility of confronting traumatic events.

In Education and Training, Education and Training | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Universal Headline News

Peter Jackson to Produce Dambusters Remake

Production will soon begin on DAMBUSTERS, the World War II adventure based on one of the most daring missions in aeronautic military history, for Universal Pictures in association with StudioCanal. Peter Jackson will produce and vfx vet Christian Rivers will make his directorial debut.

In Films, Visual Effects, Films, Visual Effects | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America

Animation Headline News

Animation to Bow on Blu-ray and HD-DVD

Warner Home Video announced that the stop-motion TIM BURTONS CORPSE BRIDE will debut in high-def on Blu-ray Disc (BD) on Sept. 26, while three Looney Tunes shorts (including RABBIT HOOD and ROBIN HOOD DAFFY) will be the first classic animation high-def bow on the same day in the rival HD-DVD format as bonus features on THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD set.

In Home Entertainment, Home Entertainment | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Australia

Series Headline News

Original Star Trek Series to Get CG Makeover

STAR TREK is getting a 21st century makeover. CBS Paramount Domestic Television is releasing digitally remastered HD episodes of the iconic 1960s sci-fi series, with all new vfx and music, to celebrate the groundbreaking series' 40th anniversary, it was announced by John Nogawski, president of CBS Paramount Domestic Television.

In Television, Visual Effects, Television, Visual Effects | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Headline News

Atomik Mike to Join KidsQuest Adventures TV Show

Across the Pond Studios has optioned its ATOMIK MIKE for use on the new Comcast Cable morning TV program, KIDSQUEST ADVENTURES. The TV series is scheduled to begin airing this fall.

ATOMIK MIKE creators Stephan Nilson and Israel Cruz will write the ATOMIK MIKE segments, with Nilson also serving as one of the shows exec producers.

In Television, Television | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Asia

Animation Headline News

Recruiting Vet Rachelle Lewis Starts Up Animation/VFX Talent Agency

Rachelle Lewis, a long-time professional recruiter in the entertainment industry, has started her own recruiting company, Rachelle Lewis Recruiting and Talent, which specializes in placing animation and vfx artists for studios worldwide.

"My company specializes in placing animation and vfx artists for feature, TV and gaming," Lewis told AWN/VFXWORLD. We also represent artists who have television or feature treatments and help them in developing and pitching their ideas to major studios."

In Business, Business | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Europe

Media Headline News

Robert B. Clasen to Head Starz Ent. Group & IDT Ent. Merger

IDT Ent. has been renamed Starz Media and Starz Ent. Group has been renamed Starz Ent., both wholly owned subsidiaries of Starz Llc., which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Liberty Media Corp. Liberty recently acquired IDTE from IDT Corp. Robert B. Clasen will serve as chairman/ceo of both entities and of Starz Llc., which will be the umbrella company overseeing the two operating units.

In People, People | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, North America

Series Headline News

Terminator TV Series Gets Greenlight

Warner Bros. TV has hired David Nutter to helm the pilot for THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES, prompting Fox Broadcasting to officially greenlight production on the TERMINATOR-based project, reports VARIETY. Andy Vajna and Mario Kassar's C2 Pictures, which produced TERMINATOR 3, is producing with Warner Bros. TV. Nutter will also exec produce with Kassar and Vajna.

Fox picked up the script from exec producer Josh Friedman (WAR OF THE WORLDS) last fall.

Casting will begin immediately, with filming set to start early next year in New Mexico.

In Television, Visual Effects, Television, Visual Effects | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, North America

Holiday Headline News

Holidaze Dancing on DVD in Nov.

HOLIDAZE: THE CHRISTMAS THAT ALMOST DIDNT HAPPEN will premiere in this upcoming holiday season with a DVD launch scheduled through Wal-mart in mid-November. The franchise features a newly created set of holiday characters captured in stop-motion animation.

In Home Entertainment, Home Entertainment | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Film Headline News

Gellar Addicted to Asian Remakes

Sarah Michelle Gellar is set to star in supernatural thriller ADDICTED, which will be is loosely based on 2002 South Korean picture, JUNGDOK, according to VARIETY. The Yari Film Group is financing and producing with Vertigo and Spitfire.

Joel Bergvall and Simon Sandquist, who helmed the acclaimed Swedish film THE INVISIBLE, will direct from a screenplay by Michael Petroni.

The story chronicles the tale of woman whose husband and brother-in-law end up in a coma after a horrible accident. When the brother-in-law wakes up, he claims he is her true husband.

In Films, Visual Effects, Films, Visual Effects | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Film Headline News

Sean Connery Seeks £3 Million For Animated Feature

Sir Sean Conners Billi Prods. Ltd. and Glasgow Animation are looking to raise £3 million to take their animated CGI short film property SIR BILLI to full length feature.

In Films, Films | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Headline News

World Leading Studios Join ADAPT 2006 In Montreal

Digital 04 Studios is proud to announce the addition of LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic and Autodesk Inc. to the //ADAPT digital art production techniques conference taking place on Sept. 23-24, 2006, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Montreal.

In Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Headline News

Digital Musings From the Editor:

As August comes to a close, VFXWORLD continues its focuses on new technology. Renee Dunlap looks at the early buzz behind Movas Contour Reality Capture System; Karen Raugust reports on how the Art Directors Guild and the Society of American Cinematographers are trying to create and promote a non-linear workflow and its impact on the VFX industry; and Paul Peszko examines several new emerging technologies that are helping 3D become more dynamic and interactive.

In Visual Effects, Visual Effects | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Headline News

Luxology Releases imageSynth Plug-in for Photoshop Community

Luxology Llc. is now offering its imageSynth plug-in for Adobe Photoshop CS and CS2 software. imageSynth is advanced technology that allows Adobe Photoshop users to quickly and easily create seamless textures, synthetic images, backgrounds and generate high-resolution images from low-resolution sources. Previously available exclusively to modo users, the imageSynth plug-in is now available to the entire Photoshop community and can be purchased directly from the Luxology website.

In Technology, Visual Effects, Technology, Visual Effects | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Festival Headline News

eDIT 9.Filmmaker's Festival Announces Program

The complete program is now available online for the Visual Effects Societys eDIT 9. Filmmakers Festival in Frankfurt, Germany, Sept. 24-26.

The festival program is subdivided into the following thematic program areas: feature film, animation, commercials, television, media industry and for the first time documentary. In addition, the festival's guests of honor will be interviewed at the Festival Honors Salon.

In Event, Visual Effects, Event, Visual Effects | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Europe

Star Headline News

LucasArts, ILM, Autodesk Join ADAPT 2006 Conference in Montreal

LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic and Autodesk will participate in to the ADAPT 2006 digital art production techniques conference taking place on Sept. 23-24 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Montreal.

Our goal is to create an environment where art can be studied, discussed and enjoyed. It is heartwarming to see the support and trust from the industry in what is only our first edition, said Digital 04 Studios co-founder Emile Ghorayeb.

In Event, Visual Effects, Event, Visual Effects | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Mainframe Headline News

Rainmaker To Complete Acquisition of Mainframe

Rainmaker Animation & Visual Effects has entered into an agreement to acquire all of Mainframe Ent., with the new corporate name to be Rainmaker Ent. Inc. (REI).

This was the result of Rainmaker acquiring the balance of the 38% of the outstanding shares of Mainframe not owned by Rainmakers majority owned subsidiary, RNK Capital Ltd. Partnership (RNK Capital LP), by way of an amalgamation, resulting in a cash purchase price of $0.24 per share.

In Business, Business | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, North America, South America

Brickyard Headline News

Brickyard VFX Completes Chili Peppers, Sunshine Music Videos

Artist-owned-and-operated visual effects studio Brickyard VFX has wrapped two new music videos. The first video was directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris and promotes the song "Tell Me Baby" for The Red Hot Chili Peppers. The second promotes DeVotchKa's "Till the End of Time" from LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE.

In Commercials, Visual Effects, Commercials, Visual Effects | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Animation Headline News

$5M Gift Creates John C. Hench Division Of Animation & Digital Arts USC

The School of Cinema-Television at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles has established the John C. Hench Division of Animation & Digital Arts via a $5 million endowment gift from the estate of the late Disney animation artist Hench (PETER PAN, DUMBO, FANTASIA, 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA, ALICE IN WONDERLAND).

In Education and Training, Education and Training | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Headline News

SPE Networks Re-Organizes

In an effort to streamline operations and facilitate the expansion of its two channels AXN ASIA and Animax ASIA SPE Networks Asia underwent a re-organization. In the last three months, the organization moved to consolidate the functions of program and brand marketing under the two channel brands AXN and Animax. In the past, staff from programming, marketing and creative services reported to their respective functional heads.

In Anime, People, Anime, People | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Asia, Europe

Headline News

EA’s Madden NFL 07 Hits Store Shelves

Electronic Arts announced that MADDEN NFL 07, the newest iteration of the EA SPORTS best-selling football franchise with the exclusive videogame license of the NFL and PLAYERS INC, is in stores everywhere. MADDEN NFL 07 features the all-new Lead Blocker Control and the new highlight stick so players can run like the real players run. NFL Superstar: Hall of Fame mode comes to Madden NFL 07 this year, where you can live the life of an NFL Superstar.

In Interactive, Games, Interactive | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Europe

Animation Headline News

ADV Films Releases Godannar, Shadow Skill, Gatchaman

ADV Films, on Aug. 29, 2006, released the seventh and final volume in its modern mecha romance epic GODANNAR: WAR BRIDE. In addition, previously in August, ADV release new DVD editions of SHADOW SKILL and GATCHAMAN.

In Anime, Home Entertainment, Anime, Home Entertainment | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Asia, Europe

Headline News

First of Six Edgar & Ellen Specials Premieres in Sept.

Nicktoons Network, Nickelodeons 24-hour animation network, will be airing six new half-hour specials of EDGAR & ELLEN, the animated tales of mischievous twins that originated as short form programming on the network. The first of these specials, ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUTES, coinciding with the back-to-school season, will premiere Saturday, Sept. 2, 2006, at 8:30 pm. Viewers may catch a sneak peek of the special by logging on to www.nicktoonsnetwork.com and www.edgarandellen.com.

In Television, Television | Headline News | Geographic Region: All