TV-Loonland head Peter Voelkle has left the company as shadows of tax evasion charges loom over him from the Munich district attorney's office, reports VARIETY. However, Voelkle will remain as a strategic and planning consultant. Head of finance and controller Selma Behlueloglu will take Voelkles place.
For the first time, Disney content will be available in Thailand via a distribution deal with P. Southern Network (PSN), reports VARIETY. PSN is working with Thailand's Cable TV Assn., a group of 500 cable TV operators, to include the Disney Channel and Playhouse Disney in their basic programming package. Animated programs will be dubbed into Thai and live-action programs will have subtitles. Disney plans to provide local content in the near future.
MTV Networks announced its first-ever global program acquisition, securing the worldwide broadcast rights to Animation Collective's property KAPPA MIKEY, for Nicktoons in the U.S. and Nickelodeon's international channels. The deal comprises 26 half-hour episodes of the animated action comedy that will premiere on the channels in 2006. Also part of the agreement, MTV Networks International secures international distribution rights for third-party broadcast sales.
TOKYOPOP has recruited two of the animation worlds most celebrated scribesCraig Bartlett and Mark Seidenbergto develop television scripts inspired by two of its hot youth properties, STRAY SHEEP and KARMA CLUB.
First on deck, veteran screenwriter Bartlett, creator and writer of HEY ARNOLD! and JOHNNY BRAVO, has just wrapped development on a kids comedy series based on the beloved characters in Tatsutoshi Nomuras international sensation STRAY SHEEP. The series debuted in 1994 as a series of animated shorts on Japanese television.
Breakthrough Animation has appointed HOLA Ent. as the agent selected to represent the companys animated comedy-adventure series ATOMIC BETTY in Latin America. Following on the heels of the Cartoon Network Latin America deal, HOLA will concentrate on the broadcast rights for Free Television for the animated series.
Twelve TV France International member-companies, distributors of French television productions, will be represented at the TV France International stand at this years NATPE, held at the Mandalay Bay Resort Hotel.
Avid Technology Inc. announced that the Los Angeles Film School has equipped its media labs with 21 Avid Xpress Studio systems. The school is the latest in a growing number of education institutions to install the all-in-one production system, which seamlessly integrates video editing, audio production, 3D animation, compositing and titling and DVD authoring software with professional video and audio production hardware -- all on a single computer.
Videogame publisher Ubisoft has signed a deal with Sony Pictures Consumer Products to publish games based on the first two 3D animated films from Sony Pictures Animation, OPEN SEASON and SURFS UP. It marks the first in a long-term interactive collaboration, as well as Ubisofts first foray into adapting CGI films. Terms were not disclosed.
Both games will be developed by Ubisoft's Montreal studio, with OPEN SEASON scheduled for a September 2006 release and SURF'S UP slated for summer 2007.
Mainframe Ent. ceo Rick Mischel will discuss "The Resurgence Of Animation: Working to B.C.'s Advantage" at the Vancouver Board of Trade's Distinguished Speaker Program on Feb. 3 in the Waterfront Ballroom of the Fairmont Waterfront located at 900 Canada Place Way, Vancouver, British Columbia.
Disney/Pixars THE INCREDIBLES is up for four Oscars in the list of nominees just released by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the 77th Annual Academy Awards, starting with Best Animated Feature, where it is pitted against DreamWorks SHREK 2 and SHARK TALE. Festival favorites in the Animated Shorts category are Chris Landreths RYAN (CFB), Sejong Parks BIRTHDAY BOY, Mike Gabriels LORENZO (Disney), Bill Plymptons GUARD DOG and Paul Jeff Fowlers GOPHER BROKE (Blur Studios).
Animation director Andy Jones leaves Digital Domain for Sony Pictures Imageworks, where he will serve a similar capacity for the robust animation team. Jones last supervised I, ROBOT, which was nominated today for a Best Visual Effects Oscar.
A precursor for where television is going, on the first day of NATPE, DIC Entertainment and SmartVideo Technologies Inc. announced they are joining forces to create DIC Kids Network, the worlds first animation channel for cell phones.
Corus Entertainment is shuffling around its television division, as Peter Moss, evp of programming takes on the role of creative consultant; Joanna Webb becomes vp, programming, W Network; and Phil Piazza joins Corus as vp, programming, childrens television.
Moss will now help guide Corus original productions and advise the senior programming team on scheduling and buying strategies, while he spends more time on directing and producing.
On Jan. 25, 2005, ADV Films will release on DVD MARTIAN SUCCESSOR NADESICO: ESSENTIAL ANIME COLLECTION, VOLUME 3, the final volume of the animation series.
ASIFA-Hollywoods 32nd Annual Annie Awards announced its lineup of star presenters. This years black-tie ceremony is hosted by Annie-nominated comic actor and prolific voice artist Tom Kenny, recently best known as the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants.
ShoPro Ent. Inc. and VIZ Llc., two prominent North American-based companies specializing in Japanese content, are merging this spring to create a new entertainment company. The still unnamed venture, to be based in San Francisco, will leverage the unique collaboration, vision and ownership of three global powerhouses in Japanese manga and animation, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc. and Shogakukan Production Co. Ltd. (ShoPro Japan).
6th Annual First Boards AwardsNew York, New York, USAApril 7, 2005Deadline: January 28, 2005
The 6th Annual First Boards Awards will honor international emerging talent in the commercial production industry. Winners and runners up will be celebrated at the First Boards Awards party in New York and profiled in the April issue of BOARDS MAGAZINE.
Talent entered can only have been working in their craft for since January 1, 2003. Awarded categories include Directors, Editors, Composers, Animators, Creative Teams and Designers.
Expose Yourself 2 World Wide WebMarch 9, 2005Deadline: January 31, 2005
Since its launch on December 3, 2004, Alias Expose Yourself 2 online contest has enticed talented illustrators, designers and artists to enter their sketches for a chance to win valuable prizes, widespread exposure and community respect. This years contest is sponsored by Artificial Mind and Movement (A2M), Motion Computing, Microsoft and Wacom.
FRAMES 2005Mumbai, IndiaApril 4-6, 2005Deadline: February 15, 2005
This week we have over a dozen updates in the AWNs Theatrical Release Database.
Test your skills and challenge your brain with AWN's Animation Trivia Quiz.
This week in AWN's Forums, the big news is the launch of the Valentines Day design contest.
DAZ Prods. has made its two most popular 3D figures available for free to the public. Michael 3.0 and Victoria 3.0 are arguably the most widely supported 3D figures anywhere and are used by thousands of digital artists, illustrators and animators in projects such as print illustration, Web design, art, animation and film projects.
Zoic Studios recently collaborated with directing team StyleWar and advertising agency McCann Erickson on a new spot that announces the opportunity to win an internship courtesy of MasterCard. Based on the visual concept of a career path being akin to a board game of choices, CAREER PATH is a stylized fusion of live-action and CG animation.
![BOXX’s HD [pro] RT Workstations Power Dust to Glory Post](https://www.awn.com/sites/default/files/styles/small_featured/public/image/featured/16851-boxx-s-hd-pro-rt-workstations-power-dust-glory-post.jpg?itok=1SwVkIqw "BOXX’s HD [pro] RT Workstations Power Dust to Glory Post")
![BOXX’s HD [pro] RT Workstations Power Dust to Glory Post](https://www.awn.com/sites/default/files/styles/tiny_featured/public/image/featured/16851-boxx-s-hd-pro-rt-workstations-power-dust-glory-post.jpg?itok=1akM3KCd "BOXX’s HD [pro] RT Workstations Power Dust to Glory Post")
BOXX Technologies announced that its HD [pro] RT workstations, coupled with Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe After Effects and CineForms Prospect HD running on Microsoft Windows XP, fueled the post-production pipeline and DI workflow for the upcoming DUST TO GLORY documentary about the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 race.
