The WAR OF THE WORLDS graphic novel from Best Sellers Illustrated is in development for television by producer Richard G. Murphy.
"This is an entirely fresh take on WAR OF THE WORLDS, which focuses on how a diverse group of New Yorkers fights back against the Martians," said Murphy, whose credits include UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: THE RETURN and TIMECOP.
Tor Books has teamed up with SCI FI Channel to bring readers the finest new voices in science fiction and fantasy. Each month, one Tor title will receive the SCI FI Essential stamp of approval, which will appear on the spine and cover of the book. Tor and SCI Fi will partner on live author chats on SCIFI.COM, and sample chapters and sneak peeks of upcoming books in the program on the site www.scifimonthlypick.com.
Paul Giamatti (SIDEWAYS), David Hyde Pierce (FRASIER) and Molly Shannon (SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE) will lend their voice talents to SCI FI Channel's AMAZING SCREW-ON HEAD. Currently in production, this humorously quirky animated pilot is slated to premiere in 2006.
Paul Winchell, a ventriloquist, inventor and children's TV show host best known for creating the voice of Winnie the Pooh's animated friend Tigger, died on June 24, 2005, in his sleep at his home in Moorpark, California. He was 82.
Actor John Fiedler, whose distinctive high-pitched voice brought life to Winnie-the-Poohs Piglet, died on June 25, 2005. He was 80.
Fiedler began voicing Piglet in the Oscar-winning short WINNIE THE POOH AND THE BLUSTERY DAY in 1968 and continued up until his death. His other animation roles included Porcupine in THE FOX AND THE HOUND, Sexton Mouse in ROBIN HOOD, Deacon Owl in THE RESCUERS and a small role in THE EMPERORS NEW GROOVE.
Animation World Network and VFXWorld are proud to announce that we are a special media sponsor for the Visual Effects Societys eDIT 8. Filmmakers Festival in Frankfurt, Germany, Oct. 9-11, 2005. We will be sponsoring eDward VI, a young filmmakers contest and awards which celebrates the work of talented artists under the age of 30. Filmmakers from all over the world participate each year, creating 30-second films based on the given theme.
A special SAG board meeting will be held next Wednesday (June 29, 2005) to further address the national executive committees rejection of the contract hammered out with the gaming industry, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. NEC turned down the offer despite the support on negotiators.
Starz Ent. Group Llc. (SEG) presented its first Starz Ion Award to animator Jennifer Shiman at the Maui Film Festival earlier this week during the festival's Cosmic Closing Night Party. Shiman, creator of Angryalien.com, was honored for her 30-second animated bunny shorts that spoof famous Hollywood films.
The Starz Ion Award was developed to recognize creativity and innovation and to pay tribute to emerging talent in the field of short form entertainment. Shiman's bunny shorts have been featured on Starz, Starz On Demand and Starz Ticket.
Twentieth Century Fox and Canal Plus will co-finance BABYLON A.D., a big-budget futuristic thriller to be directed and written by GOTHIKA helmer Mathieu Kassovitz, reports VARIETY.
Inspired by Maurice Dantec novel BABYLON BABIES, tale is set in the near future where genetic manipulation occurs. In the book, a mercenary charged with bringing a young woman from Russia to Canada learns that she has been infected with a synthetic virus, which could wipe out all humans on Earth.
26th Oporto International Film FestivalPorto, PortugalFebruary 24 - March 4, 2006Deadline: December 15, 2005
Nickelodeon introduces an offering of paid downloadable games for kids on Nick.com and Nickjr.com with the re-launch of Nick Arcade (www.nickarcade.com/) on July 1. To introduce the gaming platform, Nick Online has partnered with industry leaders Big Fish Games and TryMedia.
"Nick Arcade provides a unique platform of rich game experiences for our audience that they can download and own," said Mike Skagerlind, svp/gm, Nickelodeon Online. "With the combined expertise of Big Fish Games and TryMedia, Nickelodeon will move to the forefront of this arena."
According to a recent POCKET GAMES readership research study conducted by videogame magazine publisher Ziff Davis Media Game Group, portable gamers are shifting to an older and more diverse demographic segment than it has been historically. POCKET GAMES readers are now 20 years old on average, and 13% of the readership is female compared to 9% in 2003.
San Diego International Children's Film Festival San Diego, California, USAOctober 21 - 30, 2005Deadline: August 31, 2005
San Diego International Children's Film Festival will showcase full-length films for children of all ages & teens, shorts for children ages 7 & under, at the Museum of Photographic Arts in San Diego's historic Balboa Park.
The festival held its first-ever event in April, showing 65 short films from around the world. Actor-director LeVar Burton appeared at the festival, as did several other filmmakers.
The Disney-ABC Television Group has appointed Siobhan Kenny vp, communications, Walt Disney Television EMEA, for the European, Middle Eastern and African (EMEA) territories. She will be responsible for the implementation and coordination of all corporate and entertainment communication strategies across the EMEA territories, and will play a key role as a senior member of the Walt Disney Television EMEA executive team.
Vi Ly has been appointed as the new Dean of AcademicAffairs for The Art Institute of California Los Angeles, where she had been serving as the assistant dean of Academic Affairs since 2004. Previously she was department chair of the Media Arts & Animation and Game Art & Design programs.
Acclaimed spot and features director Steve Beck has been hired by Rhythm + Hues Studios to bolster its commercial group.
This follows R+H (www.rhythm.com) bringing on Paul Babb as its new live action exec producer, as the studio has refocused its energies to create what it calls, The Complete Digital Studio a full service shop for both advertising agencies and production companies.
As the initial part of its greater 64-bit plan, Alias is shipping mental ray Standalone 3.4 64-bit, which is fully compatible with the Maya 6.5 software. The 64-bit software offers faster processing times, and the ability to create and accurately render more complex scenes and images for film, games, broadcast, digital publishing and design visualization.
Digital-Tutors announced the worldwide availability of the highly awaited BASICS: INTRODUCTION TO REALFLOW training kit the first in-depth training resource for RealFlow. An evaluation version of RealFlow 3, is included with the training kits, allowing users immediate access to the software and training.
Dan Maas of Maas Digital has created an animation charting NASA's Deep Impact spacecrafts trek from Cape Canaveral to its collision with the comet Tempel 1 in the early morning hours of July 4, reports SPX.
Using detailed research and hours of conversations with mission engineers and scientists, Maas has recreated every detail from the precise structure of the spacecraft to the celestial bodies it takes pictures of along its journey.
Spider-Man Merchandising LP (Marvel Enterprises & Sony Pictures Consumer Products) won top honors last night as SPIDER-MAN 2 was named the 2004 Overall Best License of the Year at the Annual LIMA Gala and Awards Ceremony for the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers Assoc. (LIMA). The presentation, honoring the best and most creative and innovative programs and products in the multi-billion dollar worldwide licensing industry was held on June 22, 3005, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City.
MTV Films has acquired the film rights to VALIANT, a teen novel about fairies by THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES author Holly Black, according to the trades. Chuck Roven and Alex Gartner will produce through their Mosaic Media Group in conjunction with MTV Films. Paramount Pictures will distribute.
Published by Simon and Schuster on June 1, the book follows on a 17-year-old runaway who joins a group of squatters living in the New York subways. She soon discovers that her new friends hold the dark secret that many New Yorkers are actually a species of fairy.
DisneyToon Studios has promoted two execs with Brian Snedeker, previously svp of creative affairs for DisneyToon Studios, assuming the title of svp of pre-production and Karen Ferguson taking on the role of vp of 3D production.
Snedeker will report directly to Sharon Morrill, president of DisneyToon Studios. In his new undertaking, Snedeker will oversee pre-production as well as take an active role in the production phase of all animated films made by the studio.
Mattel Inc. signed a multi-year licensing agreement to serve as master toy licensee for ONE PIECE, a popular animated series airing on 4Kids TV, 4Kids Entertainment's Saturday morning children's programming block on FOX, as well as on Cartoon Network's Tonami block on Saturday evenings.
The master toy license grants Mattel the exclusive rights for a full range of products including action figures, play sets, role-play items, games and puzzles. ONE PIECE toys are anticipated to be available at retail in the U.S. and Canada by December 2005.
JAKKS Pacific Inc. has signed licensing agreements to market and distribute multiple Plug It In & Play TV Games titles and GAMEKEY expansion packs based on HIT Entertainment's internationally renowned children's brands, including The Wiggles, Barney, Bob the Builder, Thomas & Friends and Angelina Ballerina.
Banjax has opened a new digital animation studio based in Belfast's Titanic Quarter, to produce province's first major animated feature film and breathe life into the creative industries in Northern Ireland.
Banjax founders Darryl Collins, formerly of Blackstar, and award-winning director and writer Richard Morss and director/animator Alastair McIlwain, are focusing on the export potential of two major projects in a global industry sector that is expected to grow 10-fold over the next five years. Their efforts are being supported by Northern Ireland agencies.
