Namco Hometek has secured the gaming rights to CURIOUS GEORGE from Universal Studios Consumer Products Group, according to HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.
The game titles will be associated with Universal Pictures and Imagine Ent.'s animated feature film, based on the books by H. A. and Margret Rey. Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Jon Shapiro and David Kirschner produced the film, which will arrive in theaters Feb. 10, 2006.
fmx, in Stuttgart, Germany, has emerged as the leading DCC conference in Europe. And later this week, Digital Eye columnist Peter Plantec reports on some of the latest trends from the April 05 edition, including the growing outsourcing problem and how companies are refining their tools and workflows to increase productivity and reduce costs the same theme that emerged from NAB2005.
The Hanna-Barbera DVD collection continues this week with the May 10 release of two spinoffs from WACKY RACES: DASTARDLY & MUTTLEY IN THEIR FLYING MACHINES and THE PERILS OF PENELOPE PITSTOP (Warner Home Video, $34.98). The three-disc sets each contain all 17 episodes from 69.
The SIGGRAPH 2005 Papers program, the forum for presenting the finest research in computer graphics and interactive techniques, has selected 98 papers for presentation from a total of 461 submissions.
The leading contributors to this year's Papers program include: Microsoft Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Stanford University, Mitsubishi Electric Research Labs, the University of Washington, Carnegie-Mellon University, California Institute of Technology and ETH Zürich.
![NewTek Releases Free Feature Update to LightWave [8]](https://www.awn.com/sites/default/files/styles/small_featured/public/image/featured/17790-newtek-releases-free-feature-update-lightwave-8.jpg?itok=MmWjxWEA "NewTek Releases Free Feature Update to LightWave [8]")
![NewTek Releases Free Feature Update to LightWave [8]](https://www.awn.com/sites/default/files/styles/tiny_featured/public/image/featured/17790-newtek-releases-free-feature-update-lightwave-8.jpg?itok=04H9d-9u "NewTek Releases Free Feature Update to LightWave [8]")
NewTek Inc. announced the release of the free 8.3 update to Emmy award-winning LightWave 3D, and a new breakthrough LightWave [8] upgrade price of $250 for registered owners of previous LightWave versions, available through June 30, 2005. Version 8.3 offers full support of the new generation multi-core processor systems, enhanced vector blur routines and improved integration with other production tools via updated PSD support.
John Landgraf has been named president/gm, FX Networks, replacing former FX Networks president/ceo Peter Liguori who joined FOX Broadcasting Co. as its president of Entertainment. Landgraf will be responsible for all business and programming operations including program development, scheduling, marketing, public relations, research and business affairs for FX Networks, which consists of FX and Fox Movie Channel.
Changes in top leadership roles at MTV and VH1 include the appointment of Christina Norman as president of MTV: Music Television and Tom Calderone as gm of VH1.
Majesco Ent. Co. talked its way into a deal to develop a videogame based on TAXI DRIVER, the classic Martin Scorsese-directed film from Columbia Pictures, now commemorating the 30th anniversary of the historic motion picture.
Papaya Studio is developing TAXI DRIVER into a game, via a licensing agreement with Sony Pictures Consumer Products (SPCP), and is scheduled to ship in spring 2006.
Following rumors of the shows demise, HBO officially cancelled its supernatural sideshow drama, CARNIVALE. Sagging ratings and the departure of creator/exec producer Daniel Knauf to produce a new comedy series on Showtime were the top factors in the cable nets decision.
"We have decided not to renew CARNIVALE," said Carolyn Strauss, president of entertainment at HBO. "We feel the two seasons we had on the air told the story very well and we are proud of what everyone associated with the show has accomplished."
DreamWorks Animations first quarter of 2005 was not as stellar as many had hoped. Despite being on track to become one of the biggest selling home video releases of all time, SHREK 2 did not meet the company's retail sales expectations. This sales shortfall resulted in a higher level of returns than expected. As a result, DWA recorded no revenue from SHREK 2 in the quarter other than from licensing and merchandising.
SHREK producer John H. Williams has partnered again with U.K.-based sales and financing company Odyssey Ent. to bring the animation producer's latest project, RIBBIT, to the market, according to HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. The new deal between Williams Ealing Studio-based Vanguard Animation and Odyssey is the fourth time Odyssey has taken international sales duties for the Oscar-winning producer's properties.
VIZ Media has announced today that MEGAMAN NT WARRIOR is taking the battle against cyber crime to kids across Europe with an on-pack and in-pack promotional campaign with Frito Lay.
The promotional effort, launching in Benelux, will eventually encompass a number of European territories, and will run through spring 2006. MEGAMAN fans will find entertaining premiums in their Frito Lay snacks.
Nickelodeon has partnered with Chevrolet in a multi-million advertising and promotional multiplatform deal.
"We are thrilled to welcome General Motors to Nickelodeon as an advertiser," said Jim Perry, svp, Nickelodeon Ad Sales. "This partnership highlights the ubiquity of our brand, particularly for non- traditional advertisers, and will give Chevrolet and its new Uplander buyers the ability to connect with the Nickelodeon audience on a multiplatform level."
Turbo Squid recently announced the release of Flight Studio 1.5 from Bluerock Technologies. Flight Studio 1.5 offers visual simulation professionals the ability to:
* Import, edit and export OpenFlight scene graphs and databases from within 3ds Max easier and more efficiently* Quickly and efficiently build accurate models and complex scenes* Leverage features such as an easy-to-use hierarchy browser, familiar user interface controls, and direct node attribute editing* Retain scene graph structure and attributes
Vicon, developer of Academy Award-winning motion capture technology, has sold Curious Pictures in New York a top-of-the-line 16-camera Vicon MX 40 motion capture system. This marks the first sale of Vicon motion capture to the New York television and commercial production market, and underscores the recent advancements in Vicons realtime technology to meet the challenges and demands of creating and directing motion capture animation for broadcast.
Executives, filmmakers and animators from DisneyToon Studios are donning hammers, nail, paint and brushes to lend a hand to Habitat for Humanity by building a home in Glendale, California for a needy family. The crew started work today (May 10, 2005) at 8:00 am and will continue on until Friday, May 13.
Sherman Oaks, California-based Swordplay Entertainment Inc., has begun principal production on the animated feature film, CONAN: RED NAILS, based on the classic story by the best-selling fantasy author Robert E. Howard, a new 2D/3D animated feature film, targeting a fall 2006 release on video/DVD, with a theatrical release pending test screening. New Line Home Entertainment has acquired all North American distribution rights to the animated feature film.
ADV Films has announced three new titles set to hit the streets on May 10, 2005 the second volume of CROMARTIE HIGH SCHOOL, volume five of CHRONO CRUSADE and the second season box set of MUTANT X.
The 58th Cannes Film Festival will honor George Lucas for his film career with the celebrated "Trophy of the Festival" onboard Cunard Line's Queen Mary 2, on May 15, 2005, to an audience of hundreds of Cannes attendees.
On that same day in Cannes, Lucas will debut the long-anticipated, worldwide preview of STAR WARS: EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH. The film opens in theaters worldwide on May 19.
PorchLight Ent. has announced that Discovery Kids and Jetix Europe have ordered 13 new episodes of the Emmy award-winning animated series, TUTENSTEIN. The new episodes are scheduled for delivery in 2006. Discovery Kids Channel and Jetix Europe are the series partners in the U.S. and Europe respectively. In the U.S., Tutenstein airs on the Discovery Kids channel and the Discovery Kids Saturday morning block on NBC.
Computer Animation Appreciation SeminarHong Kong, ChinaJuly 2005Deadline: April 30, 2005
Off your Box CompetitionWest Midlands, U.K. May 20, 2005Deadline: May 20, 2005
Screen Media Lab is holding the first annual Off your Box competition and it needs talented, creative people to get involved and win great prizes. Prizes include Sony PSP, Apple Mac mini and Apple iPod shuffle. Short films, animation and interactive media are all eligible. This years theme is Future Living or City Culture. For more information, visit www.offyourbox.co.uk.
This week in the Theatrical Release Database, we have changes to solely superhero features.
Anima Estudios has announced with the support of Fidecine Mexico the release of its second feature animated film, IMAGINUM. The film will be released in theaters nationwide in August 2005, distributed by Videocine, the movie production and distribution company of Televisa.
The main characters are voiced by Eugenio Derbez (Mexico´s most popular comedian), Giovanni Florido, Ilse Olivo and Ruben Trujillo.
Test your skills and challenge your brain with AWN's Animation Trivia Quiz.
