Warner Bros. Pictures has confirmed that Helena Bonham Carter has joined the all-star cast of HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX. Bonham Carter will play Bellatrix Lestrange, Sirius Black's cousin and a Death Eater, who is one of Lord Voldemort's followers.
Luxology Llc. announced the immediate availability of modo 202, an update to its 3D modeling, painting and rendering software. Boasting a peak rendering speed that is more than 40% faster than modo 201, registered modo 201 customers can upgrade to modo 202 free of charge, and a free 30-day full-featured evaluation version is now available for download from www.modo3d.com.
John K.s When Cartoons Were FunnyStudio City, California, USAAugust 10, 2006
Van Eaton Galleries presents John Kricfalusi speaking on the subject "When Cartoons Were Funny." The fundraiser for the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive begins at 7:00 pm. John K. will screen some of his favorite cartoons of all-time.
Massive Software has shipped version 2.6 of its artificial life-based 3D animation software. The advancements are on display at the Massive Software Booth #1023 at SIGGRAPH 2006.
Version 2.6 builds on Massives Academy Award-winning technology, providing increased pipeline flexibility, expanded rendering options and smarter agents that allow studios of any size and scope to create highly realistic and emotive performances using autonomously responding characters. Key features of the Massive 2.6 release include:
Softimage Co. announced SOFTIMAGE|FACE ROBOT version 1.5 an update to the industrys first software application dedicated to the creation of lifelike facial animation. This release offers a game export solution which allows artists to deliver high quality, in-game acting with detailed facial nuances, with support for all major game platforms. In addition, significant performance improvements to the software have also been implemented and support for the new Mova Contour Reality Capture system is now included.
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.
VICON announced a new set of hardware advancements for its VICON MX motion capture solutions. These new features simplify high camera-count motion capture set up, automate simultaneous live-action footage capture, provide powerful and production-friendly near-infrared strobes and round out the MX line with a two million-pixel, full grayscale MX camera, VICON MX20+.
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.
From its SIGGRAPH booth #1706, Autodesk Inc. announced that plug-ins are available for use with the new 64-bit versions of Autodesk 3ds Max and Autodesk Maya animation, modeling and rendering software, thanks to a partnership with HP and Intel. Plug-ins for these new Autodesk 3D software versions were created by members of the Autodesk Developer Network (ADN) Sparks program.
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.
4th Annual International Student Film Festival HollywoodNorth Hollywood, California, USANovember 1-5, 2006Deadline: August 31, 2006
The International Student Film Festival Hollywood offers student filmmakers from all over the world a unique opportunity to gain the recognition of film industry leaders, creating career development opportunities in their home countries as well as in the U.S. For more information, visit www.isffhollywood.org.
CBS, DIC and AOL present "KOLs Secret Slumber Party on CBS" set to premiere Saturday, Sept. 16, 2006, on the CBS Television Network. The three-hour, E/I-compliant branded programming block exclusive to broadcast television is comprised of four animated series and two new live-action shows. The slate includes MADELINE, SABRINA: THE ANIMATED SERIES, TROLLZ, HORSELAND, CAKE and DANCE REVOLUTION! The programming block is targeted to children 6-12.
VFX powerhouse studio Digital Domain has received a $31 million investment from Falcon Investment Advisors and GunnAllen Financial.Rafael Fogel, a principal at Falcon, will join the Digital Domain board of directors, which is led by Digital Domain co-chairmen John Textor and director Michael Bay.
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.
Sony Pictures Animation has announced that HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA will be the companys third animated project, following Sony Pictures Animation, OPEN SEASON, on Sept. 29, 2006, and SURFS UP!, on June 8, 2007. All three films will be released by Columbia Pictures.
At SIGGRAPH 2006, D2 Software Inc., a subsidiary of Digital Domain, Inc., is announcing strong momentum for its NUKE high-end compositing software with four visual effects companies in the U.S. and Canada purchasing the software in June and July. Mr. X, Image Engine, Furious FX and SpeedShape all selected NUKE to handle high-end compositing work for film, video and animated projects.
Mark Burnett Prods. and AOL are collaborating with DreamWorks Animation and Aardman Features to create the FLUSHED AWAY UNDERGROUND ADVENTURE, DreamWorks first online game with custom animation integration, based upon the animated feature, FLUSHED AWAY, which opens in U.S. theaters on Nov. 3, 2006.
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.
Empire Pictures has signed an agreement with Transcience Corp. to develop an animated film and possible franchise from the infamous children's toy line, THE AMAZING LIVE SEA-MONKEYS, reports VARIETY. As part of the deal, Empire obtained entertainment rights to the line, which has been sold in more than 50 countries over the past 45 years.
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.
Warner Bros. and Graham King's Initial Ent. Group have snatched the rights to Kit Whitfields werewolf novel BENIGHTED, according to VARIETY. King is set to produce with NARNIA helmer Andrew Adamson, whose eyeing the project as a directing job.
Originally published in the U.K. as BAREBACK, BENIGHTED is an alternate reality story where 90% of the population is werewolf and the other 10% must keep the peace during the full moon. Random House, which published in the U.K., is set to publish the book in the U.S. as well.
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.
Producer/director Sam Raimi and his producing partner Joshua Donen have optioned the film rights to Terry Goodkind's bestselling SWORD OF TRUTH adventure series to turn into a miniseries, published by Tor Books, the ComingSoon.net website reported.
Goodkind's novels have been international bestsellers, translated into 20 foreign languages, with more than 10 million copies in print. The SWORD OF TRUTH series began in 1994 with WIZARD'S FIRST RULE. The 10th novel in the series, PHANTOM, is on sale now. The 11th and final volume is under contract to be published in 2008.
Disneys original animated comedy series THE REPLACEMENTS, will air Sept. 8, 2006, at 9:00 pm on the Disney Channel. The show, about orphaned tween siblings who can replace any adult in their life with the help of a mysterious agency, will move to its regular timeslot beginning Sept. 8 at 8:00 pm.
Universal's MIAMI VICE (vfx by EntityFX, Illusion Arts and Eden FX) made off with a cool $25.7M to take top spot at the box office for its debut, bumping Disneys PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MANS CHEST (with vfx support from ILM) to second place, taking in $20.6 M for a treasure chest total now of $358.5M. Following in third was Fox's JOHN TUCKER MUST DIE) opening with $14.3M. Dropping slightly to forth place was all-CG MONSTER HOUSE scare fest from Sony and Sony Pictures Imageworks, taking in $11.6M for a two-week cume of $44M. All this competition pushed Warner Bros.
