Byron Bay Film Festival Byron Bay, AustraliaFebruary 9-17, 2007Deadline: October 14, 2006
The BBFF 2007 festival will run Feb. 9-17, 2007. The theme for BBFF 2007 is looking to the future and the festival aims to explore the possibilities of filmmaking and related technology. In tune with the theme, BBFF is particularly looking for entries from films full of animation or visual effects or which are high-definition.
Toronto-based Portfolio Ent. Inc. has upped Aron Dunn from development exec to manager of creative development. In his new role, Dunn will over see the acquisition of new intellectual properties and shepherd them through the development process. He will also explore the extension of all brands across multiple delivery platforms including web, mobile and game applications.
The first ever symposium on Animation and Visual Effects to be held in Wellington, New Zealand, called AnimfxNZ, will be launched Nov. 4-5, with the Visual Effects Society (VES) as a partner.
We were thrilled to be invited by Positively Wellington Business to play a role in this exciting event, said Eric Roth, exec director of the VES. This will be an opportunity for Los Angeles and the rest of the world to see first hand all the cool things that New Zealand is up to.
Paramounts JACKASS: NUMBER TWO debuted at the top of the box office chart with $29M for the weekend ended Sept. 24, 2006. Debuting in second place with $10.5M was JET LIS FEARLESS from Rogue Pictures (with vfx from Menfond Electronic Art & Computer Design Co.). Last weeks winner, GRIDIRON GANG, from Sony Pictures, slipped to third place, picking up $9.4M for a two-week cume of $26.9M. MGMs FLYBOYS (with vfx from Double Negative) bowed in fourth with $6M.
Oscar-winning sound designer Gary Rydstrom, who moved over from Skywalker Sound to Pixar to direct animation, has helmed the animation studios latest short, LIFTED, about a bumbling alien student who attempts his first-time abduction of a slumbering farmer. The five-minute short will have its world premiere Oct. 12, 6:00 pm, at the Chicago International Film Festival at Columbia College.
Rydstrom, a Chicago native, will deliver a 90-minute presentation covering the pre-production of LIFTED, screen the film and discuss his education and career.
After nabbing James Camerons long-awaited AVATAR, Weta Digital is on the rise again: Twentieth Century Fox has chosen the Oscar-winning New Zealand studio to oversee vfx duties on THE FANTASTIC FOUR: RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER, reports THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.
Character actor Doug Jones (PANS LABYRINTH, HELLBOY and HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY) will provide performance capture work in the creation of Marvel Comics Silver Surfer in much the same way that Andy Serkis portrayed Gollum and King Kong.
The 2006 Cartoon d'Or has been awarded to Joanna Quinn of the U.K. for her short, DREAMS & DESIRES: FAMILY TIES. The hysterically funny 2D short with its reality show camera angle point-of-view is sweeping international animation contesta, racking up wins at Ottawa and Cartoon Forum this past weekend, as well as three awards at Annecy and two at Zabreb earlier this year.
The 30th Ottawa Intl Animation Festival came to a close on Sunday, Sept. 24, 2006, with the awarding of its prizes. The jury consisting of Konstantin Bronzit, Rob Coleman and Jeff Scher awarded the Nelvana Grand Prize for Best Independent Short Animation to Joanna Quinns DREAMS & DESIRES: FAMILY TIES, which previously in the year won three awards at Annecy.
The Grand Prize for Best Commissioned Animation went to FedEx STICK, directed by Framestore New Yorks David Hulin, which also won the prize for Promotional Animation.
Atom Ent. has opened the first NewsGames channel (www.addictinggames.com/newsgames.html) at the fast-growing online games destination, AddictingGames, and will develop dozens of new titles each year plus promote the best user-generated games that mock the most popular headlines and cultural topics of the day.
NBC Universal has tapped Atmosphere Visual Effects again for the third season of SCI FI Channels BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, consisting of 20 one-hour episodes. This marks the third consecutive season that Atmosphere has provided visual effects for the series.
SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS - SEASON 4, VOL. 1 (Paramount Home Ent., $36.99) featuring the first 20 episodes of fourth season arrived on DVD earlier this month. The popular Nick animated series, continuing the nautical nonsense at Bikini Bottom with SpongeBob, Patrick and all their pals, arguably contains a decline in quality with the departure of creator Stephen Hillenburg. However, its still SPONGEBOB and a must have for fans of the witty series.
Bonus features:* Original Uncut Animatics For Fear Of A Krabby Patty and Dunces and Dragons
Softimage Co. announced the worldwide availability of SOFTIMAGE|CAT v. 2.5, the popular plug-in for Autodesk 3ds Max software. The SOFTIMAGE|CAT software is a complete character animation system with a unique toolset allows artists to animate quickly in a flexible environment. Part of Avids recent asset acquisition of Character Animation Technologies Ltd., SOFTIMAGE|CAT version 2.5 is the latest update to the newest member of the Softimage suite of character production tools, and is currently deployed in the game development, film and post industries.
Jetix Europe announced today (Sept. 22, 2006) that Michael Lekes has resigned from his position as svp of programming for personal reasons. He leaves the company at the end of September after four years service. Jetix Europe actively seeking a replacement to take over the leadership of its content division as soon as possible.
Award-winning animation vet Tony Leondis will direct Exodus Film Groups CG-animated feature comedy, IGOR, which will be distributed by The Weinstein Co.
Leondis credits include Disneys HOME ON THE RANGE, DreamWorks THE PRINCE OF EGYPT and THE ROAD TO EL DORADO, and DisneyToon Studios KRONKS NEW GROOVE and LILO & STITCH 2: STITCH HAS A GLITCH.
The Kids WB! 2006-2007 programming slate kicks off on Sept. 23, 2006, on The CW Network, the new broadcast network launching this month. It features four new, original shows and the return of four established hit series on the Saturday morning schedule.
Following the record-breaking success OF PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST, Walt Disney Pictures has initiated another movie project based on a Disneyland ride: The Jungle Cruise, reports THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.
SMALLVILLE showrunners Al Gough and Miles Millar are in talks to write JUNGLE CRUISE, an adventure movie and potential franchise that is being produced by David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman through their Mandeville Films label.
The ride was one of the 22 original attractions when the park opened in 1955.
Warner Home Video has officially announced Bryan Singers SUPERMAN RETURNS on DVD, HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc for Nov. 28 ($28.98 for single-disc DVD with no bonus features, $34.99 for two-disc special edition DVD, $39.99 for HD-DVD/DVD combo and $34.99 for Blu-ray).
Mark Kimball and Rick Sayre have joined the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Science and Technology Council, bringing the groups membership to 25.
Kimball, the director of digital production at the Walt Disney Co., shared a Scientific and Engineering Award in 1991 for the design and development of the CAPS production system for feature film animation. Sayre, the supervising technical director at Pixar Animation Studios, shared a Technical Achievement Award in 1996 for the creation and development of the Direct Input Device.
Carol Lee has been named vp, home entertainment, North America, Granada International, based at the companys U.S. headquarters in Sherman Oaks, California, and is responsible for delivering Granada Internationals substantial programming library across all digital platforms. She will be involved in securing new distribution deals, overseeing product release strategy and expanding sales opportunities.
New Line Cinema has signed a two-year, first-look production deal with Samuel L. Jackson.
Jackson most recently starred in NEW LINES SNAKES ON A PLANE, which debuted at #1 in its Aug. 18 opening weekend. He has appeared in more than 100 films, which have collectively grossed approximately $6 billion at the box office more than any other actor in the history of filmmaking. Jackson has starred in such recent hits as COACH CARTER and George Lucas trio of STAR WARS prequels.
BKN Home Ent. Ltd. announced today (Sept. 21, 2006) that its all-new CGI 3D animated movie, A CHRISTMAS CAROL, makes its U.S. theatrical debut on Nov. 4. Movie distributor Kidtoon Films will be screening the feature at some 100 U.S. theaters nationwide Nov. 4-26 during weekend matinees.
The Kidtoon Films program is a G-rated movie matinee event designed for kids and families with cartoon shorts, music videos and sing-alongs before the movie, complete with giveaways such as stickers, temporary tattoos, activity books or toys after the movie.
The University of Southern California announced that the Lucasfilm Foundation, the private charitable foundation set up by alumnus George Lucas, will provide $75 million for the construction of new educational buildings and renovations of existing structures at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. In addition, the Foundation has agreed to provide a $100 million endowment for the school.
SCI FI Channels highest rated tale of intergalactic survival continues when BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: SEASON 2.5 debuts on DVD on Sept. 19, 2006 (Universal Studios Home Ent., $49.98).
Digital Domain has hired a trio of top senior execs from Industrial Light & Magic as it attempts to re-emerge as a vfx powerhouse. Mark Miller, a 22-year vet of ILM, most recently vp and senior exec in charge of production and marketing, has been named president of Digital Domain, reporting to ceo Carl Stork. Cliff Plumer will retain his cto title at Digital Domain and will lead the companys planned expansion of its technological resources and in the convergence of film and videogames. Kim Libreri, a vfx supervisor at ILM (POSEIDON), will join Digital Domain as vp, advanced strategy.
This month we turn our VFXWORLD focus on TV, as Ellen Wolff starts things off by speaking with Entity FX president/vfx supervisor Mat Beck about raising the bar in the upcoming sixth season of SMALLVILLE.Meanwhile, in terms of movies, Alain Bielik explores the WWI aerial exploits of FLYBOYS with vfx producer Peter Chiang and Double Negatives vfx producer Fay McConkey, as well as the inventive animation and vfx turned in by Partizan Lab in Michel Gondrys THE SCIENCE OF SLEEP. Both open Friday, Sept. 22.
Bill DesowitzEditor
