AWN Headline News

NVIDIA Corp. unveiled a new beta program for the companys Gelato 2.1 final-frame rendering software as well as the Quadro Plex 1000, the world's first dedicated Visual Computing System (VCS). Coinciding with the announcement of the Gelato 2.1 beta is of the launch of Gelato Zone (www.nvidia.com/gelato), a new online community for artists and animators. NVIDIA will demonstrate its new software and hardware at its booth #1017 at SIGGRAPH 2006, Aug. 1-3, 2006, at the Boston Convention Center.

BROKEN SAINTS, the Flash-animated graphic novel epic that was told in byte-size installments over the course of three years, is now assembled in a comprehensive four-disc collectors set DVD, available Aug. 1, 2006, for the first time in the U.S. from Fox Home Ent. ($49.98). The original Web premiere of BROKEN SAINTS has received more than five million visitors and numerous awards, including the Audience Award For Online Animation at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival and Producer Of Year at the 2005 Canadian New Media Awards.

As standard definition video is being replaced with high-definition, many production facilities must still utilize their existing content libraries. NewTek SpeedEDIT allows producers to mix multiple formats (avi, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, QuickTime) and multiple resolutions (SD 4:3, SD 16:9, HD 720p and 1080i) on the same timeline without transcoding or rendering.

As a follow up to last year's blockbuster BATMAN BEGINS, Christopher Nolan is set to direct Warner Bros. Pictures' THE DARK KNIGHT, written by Jonathan Nolan, based on a story by Christopher Nolan and David Goyer. In addition to Christian Bale returning as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Warner Bros. has announced that Heath Ledger (BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN) has been cast as The Joker. The film will be produced by Emma Thomas, Charles Roven and Christopher Nolan.

At SIGGRAPH, Mova, a San Francisco-based motion-capture studio, unveiled its new Contour Reality Capture System, which allows film and game makers to use digital cameras to capture and depict full-motion, photorealistic computer-generated characters and other imagery. Movas booth at SIGGRAPH is #1027.

"Mova Contour takes us from motion capture to reality capture," said Steve Perlman, founder/president of Mova.

Nicole Kidman has signed on to play the villainous and glamorous Mrs. Coulter in New Line's adaptation of Phillip Pullman's HIS DARK MATERIALS: THE GOLDEN COMPASS, reports VARIETY. The $150-million budgeted film is scheduled to start lensing in September at London's Shepperton Studios.

Chris Weitz will direct from his own script. British actress Dakota Blue Richards will make her major screen debut in the lead role of Lyra Belacqua, who must travel to a parallel universe to save her best friend from the forces of evil.

Only a few weeks after joining, Oscar-winner Hayao Miyazaki has resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, VARIETY reports.

A spokesman for Studio Ghibli stated the reason the director resigned was his desire to "concentrate on his creative activities." Miyazaki is in pre-production on his next feature and does not want to be distracted by Academy duties.

Miyazaki received an Oscar for his film SPIRITED AWAY and was nominated this year for HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE.

The latest Acrobat edition of Animation World Magazine is now online for download this month covering recruiting and jobs. Jan Nagel gets to the root of why and how people transform mundane jobs into fulfilling careers and make transitions in response to changes in the animation industry. Pamela Kleibrink Thompson provides the ins and outs of cutting a killer demo reel, which will help you open door to employment. Marisa Materna looks into the progress of AnimationMentor.com bringing animation education into the comfort of our homes via the Internet.