AWN Headline News

Carmen Electra (SUMMERLAND) has joined the cast of SCI FI Channel's animated series TRIPPING THE RIFT. The second 13-episode season of the risqué half-hour series from IDT Film Roman (THE SIMPSONS, KING OF THE HILL, X-MEN: EVOLUTION) is slated to debut in July. The series follows the adventures of Jupiter 42, a smuggling vessel led by a stumpy purple alien named Chode who, along with his colorful group of misfit shipmates, battles archenemies and new obstacles in space each week.

To open Mötley Crües Red White & Crüe Tour 2005 Better Live than Dead, fans will be treated to a clay-animated short featuring members of the band saving the world from imminent destruction. The short is taken from Dream Ent.s upcoming feature film DISASTER! THE MOVIE. Additionally, highlights of Dreams full-length theatrical feature, in which the band appears in a cameo role, will be shown during intermission at each concert. The film is scheduled for worldwide release later this year, with several distributors in the U.S.

The Game Developers Association of Australia (GDAA), the governing body for the Australian Videogame Industry, announced that Australian videogame companies are planning ahead and looking for talent at this years GDC to help fuel the booming games industry Downunder in years to come. During GDC 2005 in San Francisco, California (March 7-11, 2005), interested parties wishing to learn more are asked to stop by and visit the BigWorld Booth # 827 or Auran Booth # CP160 and talk with the GDAA executives.

On March 7, 2005, National Film Development Corp. Malaysia (Finas) Chairman Datuk Abdul Aziz Rahman urged Malaysian feature, documentary and animation filmmakers to look toward making films that appeal to an international market, reports BERNAMA. The Malaysian tends to make films that appeal to specific local tastes, which make quick profits.

Abdul Aziz said, "Most of them (movie producers) never think that messages conveyed to the audience should be given priority".

The 4th Tehran International Animation Festival opened March 6, 2005, at the Institute for Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults (IIDCYA) and will run through March 10. Four 2005 Oscar Award nominees are scheduled to go on screen in the festival. 1,450 Iranian and foreign animation films will be screen with 446 selected for the domestic and international competition sections. 211 are Iranian-made.

Continuing our special event specific Flash Newsletters, we will be publishing a special edition for MIP-TV. The event is fast approaching and our editorial and advertising staff is gearing up for the Flash Newsletter series. Here are the dates for the publications. Please send releases to editor@awn.com.

MIP-TV Flash NewslettersMarch 23March 30April 6

Check out our previous special Flash newsletters.