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AWN Headline News

Headline News

4Kids' Most In-Demand Properties Go ON DEMAND

4Kids Ent. Inc. will soon give fans instant, 24-hour access to its properties with the launch of the 4Kids TV VOD Channel on Comcast ON DEMAND on Aug. 7, 2006. Featuring many of 4Kids' most popular brands including YU-GI-OH!, TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES, SONIC X, KIRBY and WINX CLUB, the new VOD Channel will offer 10 hours with new episodes added every two weeks.

Headline News

Peter Pan Sings on ABC

Sony Pictures TV-based producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron are planning a musical revival of PETER PAN for ABC, reports VARIETY. Zadan and Meron hope to have the film ready for broadcast in fall 2007.

"This is a huge priority for us and has been over the almost two years it took to get the rights," ABC movies & mini-series head Quinn Taylor said. The project "is spot on in the tradition of classic ABC musicals, with huge family appeal across every generation."

Films Headline News

Ottawa Announces Festival Films

The Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) announced the films that have been invited to compete in this years 30th anniversary event, running Sept. 20 24, 2006. From the 1,947 entries received, 106 films representing 20 countries have been chosen for Official Competitions. An additional 31 films will be shown in out-of-competition Showcase screenings.

Digital Headline News

Digital Musings From the Editor:

Its that busy time again between Comic-Con and SIGGRAPH, but VFXWORLD doesnt miss a beat. Alain Bielik reports on ILMs 3D creature animation in M Night Shyamalans LADY IN THE WATER. Orlando Luna stirs up Shake 4.1, Apples Universal Binary version of its famous compositing tool. Mary Ann Skweres gives a sneak peek of SIGGRAPH Art Gallery 2006: INTERSECTIONS. And J. Paul Peszko looks at the collaboration between concept artists and vfx pros, as we turn our attention this month to the digital artist.

Bill DesowitzEditor

Imax Headline News

Superman Returns Grosses More than $20 Million in IMAX 3-D

SUPERMAN RETURNS, which has grossed more than $290 million worldwide to date, is showing strong legs in IMAX theaters through its fourth weekend. The IMAX 3-D release earned approximately $1.4 million on 77 North American IMAX screens and an estimated $625,000 from 27 international IMAX screens between July 21-23 To date, the film has earned $20.7 million in IMAX theaters worldwide, becoming the fastest grossing digitally re-mastered IMAX release in the company's history for an impressive worldwide per screen average of $201,000.

Imax Headline News

Spider-Man 3 to Get IMAX Treatment

SPIDER-MAN 3 will have a day-and-date release in conventional theaters and on IMAX screens on May 4, 2007. The third installment of the phenomenally successful SPIDER-MAN franchise will be digitally re-mastered as part of The IMAX Experience. To date, the SPIDER-MAN series has surpassed $1.6 billion in worldwide box office receipts.

Headline News

Buzz Hays to Head 3-D Stereoscopic Production at Imageworks

Buzz Hays has been appointed senior producer for Sony Pictures Imageworks recently formalized Imageworks 3-D stereoscopic pipeline. This pipeline is dedicated to the creation of three-dimensional stereoscopic versions of standard release films for the IMAX 3-D and Real D platforms.

Hays first projects are the 3-D stereoscopic adaptations for Columbia Pictures MONSTER HOUSE for Real D theaters and the first CG feature from Sony Pictures Animation, OPEN SEASON, in IMAX 3-D.

Headline News

Digital-Tutors Announces Plans for SIGGRAPH 2006

Stop by Digital-Tutors at SIGGRAPH 2006 in Boston (booth #2616) from Aug. 1-3, to learn more about training products and services, show promotions and giveaways and the opportunities available at Digital-Tutors.

* Digital-Tutors Presents: The Softimage Training Center

Color Headline News

Magnolia Draws Colorful Crayons

Exodus Film Group announced that Magnolia Pictures has acquired North America distribution rights to its CG-animated feature THE HERO OF COLOR CITY. The film is the tale of a colorful and diverse band of crayons as they strive to protect their magical, multi-hued homeland from an evil tyrant that threatens to rid their world of joy and color. The crayons of Color City each have personalities that humorously complement their color: Red sports a fiery attitude, Blue is cool, calm and collected and Yellow, the heroine, is the most timid and fearful crayon in town.

Award Headline News

Astonishing X-Men Wins Top Eisner Award

At Comic-Con, the Oscars of the comicbook industry the Will Eisner Aewards were handed out. BUFFY creator Joss Whedon took home one of the top prizes for his work on ASTONISHING X-MEN in the Best Continuing Series award.

The full list of winners include:

Best Short StoryTEENAGE SIDEKICK, by Paul Pope, in SOLO #3 (DC)

Best Single Issue (or One-Shot)SOLO #5, by Darwyn Cooke (DC)

Best Serialized Story

Film Headline News

Iran Government Produces Animation, Khomeini Film Coming

The Iranian Center for Development of Documentary and Experimental Cinema is set to produce short and feature animation in an effort to revitalize the industry in Iran, reports IRAN DAILY.

Shahram Safajou, director of the public relations office of the center, said, that under the new policies, the projects will maintain an independent identity and embrace the rich cultural-artistic background of the Iranian animators.

Headline News

Longoria Plays Dead Fiance

Eva Longoria (DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES), Paul Rudd (THE 40-YEAR OLD VIRGIN) and Lake Bell (SURFACE) are set to star in the supernatural comedy, HOW I MET MY BOYFRIEND'S DEAD FIANCE, VARIETY reports. The Gold Circle Films project will start filming Aug. 24, 2006, in Hollywood, with Jeff Lowell making his directorial debut. Lowell's script follows a female psychic (Bell) who falls in love with a skeptic (Rudd), while the ghost of his dead fiance, played by Longoria, tear them apart.

Animation Headline News

China to Speed Up TV Animation Censoring Process

In a new Chinese government regulation, the censoring process of domestic animation will be sped up to aid the development of the industry, reports XINHUA.

Starting in August 2006, the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) will decide whether or not to approve animated productions every month. Previously, regulators only authorize productions twice a year in January and July.

Headline News

Lost Ren & Stimpy Found on DVD

Paramount Home Ent. and Spike TV have released REN AND STIMPY: THE LOST EPISODES on DVD. After a 10-year hiatus, John Kricfalusi resurrected his classic cartoon for Spike TV no holds barred.

Contents include: Disc One:* Introduction from Weird Al Yankovic* Hello from John K.* Three never-before-seen episodes:Naked Beach FrenzyStimpys Pregnant (Pt. 1 and 2)The Altruist (Pt. 1 and 2) combined extended length episode

Films Headline News

Kelly Ripa Joins Fly Me To The Moon Cast

Kelly Ripa (ABC's LIVE WITH REGIS AND KELLY) joins an all-star cast for FLY ME TO THE MOON, the first ever, feature-length, computer-generated animated film, conceived and created entirely in 3-D. The film, produced by Illuminata Pictures and nWave Pictures, is directed by nWave co-founder Ben Stassen, who has created, directed and produced world-famous ride and attraction films, including WILD SAFARI (nWave Pictures Distribution), HAUNTED CASTLE (nWave) and ALIEN ADVENTURE (nWave).

Awards Headline News

Scientific/Technical Oscar Deadline Aug. 1

Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2006, is the deadline to submit scientific and technical achievements to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for 79th Academy Awards consideration.

In late May, application forms were sent to more than 850 companies and individuals within the sci-tech community both in the United States and abroad.

Film Headline News

THQ Releases New Monster House Videogame

THQ Inc. has released MONSTER HOUSE videogame for the PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube, GameBoy Advance and Nintendo DS. The game is based on the recently released MONSTER HOUSE film by award-winning producers Steven Spielberg and Robert Zemeckis, and director Gil Kenan. Many could be seen playing it at the recent Comic-Con International 2006.

Studios Headline News

Savage Exits GigaPix Studios

John Savage has resigned as president of CGI animation company, GigaPix Studios, according to GigaPix ceo Chris Blauvelt.

"I accept John's decision to move on and wish him the very best in his future endeavors," said Blauvelt. "We have initiated a search for a replacement for John and anticipate an announcement shortly."

Headline News

Bauhaus Announces Strategic Investment from Texas

Bauhaus Software, a leading provider of 2D animation and vfx tools, has received a strategic investment from the State of Texas Emerging Technology Fund (TETF). This funding will be used to expand Bauhaus development team, invest in more research, develop new products, and augment marketing. Bauhaus is also focused on furthering relationships with South Texas colleges & universities, through both R&D exchange programs and internships.

Headline News

Animaniacs & Pinky and the Brain Debut on DVD

Lock the Warner water tower and guard the laboratory because the Animaniacs and Pinky and the Brain are escaping to DVD on July 25, 2006 (Warner Home Video, $44.98). For the first time, fans can own ANIMANIACS VOLUME 1, including 25 episodes featuring the crazy Yakko, Wakko, Dot and crew. Enthusiasts can also add to their classic animation DVD collection the 22 episodes from the Emmy-nominated series PINKY AND THE BRAIN, as they attempt to take over the world in PINKY AND THE BRAIN VOLUME 1.

Animation Headline News

DreamWorks Animation to Have Major Presence at SIGGRAPH 2006

On the heels of the successful worldwide launch of its latest 3D-animated feature, OVER THE HEDGE, DreamWorks Animation will assert a major presence at SIGGRAPH 2006 in Boston at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (July 30-Aug. 3).

DreamWorks Animation, which will fly more than 80 artists and executives from California for the event, will deliver six sketch presentations, have a major recruiting suite in the Convention Center (Room 252A) and host the SIGGRAPH Educators' Luncheon Symposium for the third year in a row.

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