PITCH BLACKs Radha Mitchell will star in the film adaptation of the hit videogame SILENT HILL, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. TriStar Pictures will release the film in the States. Christophe Gans (BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF) will helm the $45 million-$50 million picture, which has started production in Toronto.
Buena Vista Home Ent. has announced it will release eight additional UMD titles on June 21, 2005, including two day-and-date with the standard DVD release. UMD is the mini-DVD format that plays on Sonys new PSP. The releases include KING ARTHUR: THE DIRECTORS CUT, TRON, KILL BILL: VOL. 2, GONE IN 60 SECONDS: UNRATED DIRECTORS CUT, ARMAGEDDON, FROM DUSK TILL DAWN, HOSTAGE and CURSED. The later two titles are the day-and-date releases.
Universal has tapped funnyman Will Ferrell to star in a big screen adaptation of campy '70s kids show THE LAND OF THE LOST, reports the trades. TV series original exec producers Sid and Marty Krofft will produce the film for the studio along with Mosaic Media Groups Jimmy Miller and Julie Wixson-Darmody. ANCHORMAN director Adam McKay will direct the film based on a screenplay by Chris Henchy (TVs SPIN CITY, ENTOURAGE) and Dennis McNicholas (TVs SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE).
The U.K.s most prestigious animation festival, Animated Encounters, handed out its awards on April 23, 2005, at a packed ceremony at Bristols Watershed, hosted by Bristol radio, GWRs popular breakfast show presenters Bush and Troy.
Picking up the Audience Award for the most popular film at the festival was Norwegian director Pjotr Sapegins THROUGH MY THICK GLASSES. Sapegin was in Bristol to receive his award in person, which was an unusual trophy specially designed by Bristol prop and model-makers Cod Steaks.
LOONEY TUNES artist David Alvarez that his indie comic strip YENNY will be syndicated by Ucomics.com. The strips follows lead girl Yenny as she deals with the trials and tribulations of daily modern life. The strips originated as part of comic ZACHA AND ANYELIN.
Brad Weston joins Paramount Pictures as co-president, production, overseeing the day-to-day development and production of the studio's annual slate of films and literary acquisitions along with fellow co-president Alli Shearmur, who was appointed on April 14, 2005. Weston will report to Paramount Pictures president Gail Berman.
A52 has finished design, animation and visual effects work for the new Infiniti M campaign from TBWAChiatDay in Los Angeles. Two campaign broadcast spots, DUSK and ALL WHEEL DRIVE, recently debuted, featuring environments created completely in CGI, as well as CGI light flourishes which are widely being used in the agencys print and outdoor elements of the nationwide campaign.
Margaret C. Whitman, president/ceo of eBay, has been elected to DreamWorks Animations board of directors.
"Meg is someone that both Roger Enrico and I have been courting to join our board of directors for many months," said Jeffrey Katzenberg, DreamWorks Animation ceo. "Having had the opportunity to work with her in the past, I know firsthand what an exceptional talent she is and believe that her expertise in building a global brand combined with her consumer technology experience really makes her a perfect fit for our company."
A Jay Jay The Jet Plane live stage show featuring Brenda Blue and Jay Jay will take place at 2:30 pm on April 23, 2005, at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books on the Reading by 9 Storytelling Stage in the Children's Area, on the UCLA campus.
ONE PIECE, an anime series featuring pirate adventures, makes its U.S. debut on April 23, 2005, during Toonami, Cartoon Network's popular Saturday night action-animé block. New episodes will air back-to-back at 10:00 and 10:30 pm. Set in the age of the greatest pirates who ever lived, ONE PIECE, from 4Kids Ent., follows the Straw Hat Pirates in search of a hidden treasure that once belonged to the legendary Gold Roger.
Cartoon Network has promoted Pola Changnon to vp of on-air and exec producer of program production. She will be responsible for managing and directing all on-air production that comprises the signature environments of both Cartoon Network and Boomerang-from network IDs and spots, to original and acquired series promotion and packaging, to interstitials and production work on network specials and stunts.
fmx/05, the 10th International Conference on Animation, Effects, Realtime and Content, commences April 27 to April 30 in Stuttgart, Germany.
Topics range from film and TV production, animation, effects and realtime to scientific applications, games and the latest software solutions. The organizers anticipate about 2,000 visitors a day, ranging from artists, technical directors, vfx supervisors and post- production companies to animators and broadcasters along with students and young professionals.
Hyderabad-based Green Gold Animation has sold the India satellite rights for its 85-minute 2D animated feature VIKRAM AUR BETAAL to Cartoon Network, reports IndianTelevision.com. The feature is targeted at an 11+ audience.
The most ancient example of animation, which was discovered at Irans 5,200-year-old Burnt City, will be displayed at the session of ASIFA, International Animated Film Association held in Seoul in August.
French children's book author Franck Le Calvez, who suited Disney claiming FINDING NEMO infringed on his creation orange-and-white clown fish named Pierrot, was convicted of fraud on April 20, 2005, and now must pay nearly $80,000 in damages and legal fees, according to Canada.com.
Cherry Road Films and Darko Ent. announced that Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson will star opposite Seann William Scott (AMERICAN PIE films, THE DUKES OF HAZZARD) and Sarah Michelle Gellar (THE GRUDGE) in the science-fiction thriller SOUTHLAND TALES for writer-director Richard Kelly (DONNIE DARKO). Sean McKittrick will produce under the Darko Ent. banner he co-founded with Kelly. Cherry Road principals Bo Hyde and Kendall Morgan will produce.
Japan's Sony Corp. and Toshiba Corp. are in negotiations to end the three-year next-generation DVD format war by teaming together to create one universal format, according to various publications. The move is seen as a compromise to ensure a bigger market as well as a way for both firms to share costs.
NewTek Inc. has named Jay Roth president of the 3D graphics division of the company. Roth, co-founder and former CEO of Electric Image Inc., has 25 years experience in the 3D visual effects and graphics industry. In his new role Roth will oversee the expansion of the 3D product line, the advancement of technical innovation in LightWave 3D, along with sales and marketing efforts relating to NewTeks 3D graphics offerings.
TrendWatch Inc., a leading market information company for the pro-video, visual effects, content creation and graphics markets, suggests in its 150-page report (Servers Holding the Workflow Together) that server growth will be strong this year.
Mark Lasoff has joined Alias Santa Barbara, California-based Custom Development Center (CDC) as entertainment consulting manager. In his new role at the CDC, Lasoff will work with Alias' software engineers to design and implement new workflow tools and custom software solutions for production facilities and key customers that rely heavily on the Maya, Alias MotionBuilder, and Alias SketchBook Pro family of products.
Its still a month away but fans crazy to see STAR WARS: EPISODE III - REVENGE OF THE SITH, have inundated Fandango, the nation's largest online and phone movie ticketing service, which is reporting unprecedented sales for the eagerly awaited movie, with sold-out shows in select markets. The George Lucas epic opens May 19, 2005.
SITH ranks as Fandango's fastest-selling movie to-date, selling five times as many tickets as the company's next best-selling movie (THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST) at this point in the film's sales cycle.
Buena Vista International Television - Asia Pacific (BVITV-AP) struck a multi-year agreement for a Jetix block on CHAMP, a new animation channel that will be carried on both cable and satellite platforms in South Korea.
CHAMP takes its name from a popular comic book series in South Korea. A joint venture between Daewon digital broadcast and CJ Media, will launch on May 2, 2005, and has positioned itself as a 24-hour channel that will showcase the best in action and adventure animation.
Helen Blayney joins Celador International as senior sales manger, kids division, where she will be responsible for sales of the companys growing portfolio of childrens programming, including ROOBARB & CUSTARD and TALES OF THE RIVERBANK. Blayney reports to Cathy Laughton, who joined London-based Celador Intl in February 2005 as head of kids programming to champion of its new kids division, Celador International Kids.
The National Assn. of Broadcasters (NAB) announced the winners of the third-annual Awards for Innovation in Media (AIMs).
The top five products within each of the Content Creation, Content Management and Content Delivery categories received recognition during NAB's Technology Luncheon, held April 20, 2005.
Within the Content Creation category, Apple's Final Cut Pro 5, Avid's Media Composer Adrenaline HD 2.1, Avid's Symphony Nitris, the JVC GY-HD100U 3-CCD HD Camera Recorder, and the Sony HDCAM SR/HDCAM Dual Format Recorder were each awarded a 2005 NAB AIM.
Verizon Wireless customers who enjoyed THE INCREDIBLES can now dial it up on their phone or favorite wireless device with the release of THE INCREDIBLES 3D mobile game on Verizon Wireless' new V CAST wireless broadband multimedia service.
