AWN Headline News
Independent Games Festival Wants Your Games
Independent Games Festival 2007 San Francisco, California, USAMarch 7-9, 2007Deadline: September 8, 2006
William Shatner to Host Canadian Gaming & Animation Awards
William Shatner will host the first year of the Canadian Awards for the Electronic and Animated Arts (CAEAA 2006) on Sept. 14, 2006, in Vancouver. Producers of the show say Canada is long overdue according to most animation and videogaming professionals, as Canada has earned worldwide recognition as a leader in videogame development and animation.
Strange Co. Releases Machinima Film BloodSpell Online
Edinburgh-based Strange Co. have released the first part of BLOODSPELL, a computer-animated feature film. Using computer games technology and machinima, a new way of making animated films, the studio was able to complete the film in under three years, with a mostly volunteer staff and a budget of less than 5,000 pounds.
Lost Superman Episodes Free on ReelTimeTV.net
Coinciding with Warner Bros' release of SUPERMAN RETURNS, ReelTime has made SUPERMAN, THE LOST EPISODES available for viewing at no cost. Plus, every time the series is watched, ReelTime will make a donation to the Christopher Reeve Foundation (CRF).
This collection of wartime-era SUPERMAN classic cartoons, produced by Famous Studios, never made it to the television screen in the 1940s. They were the first, most lavishly produced, as well as the most faithful to the printed comics. There is also a bonus MIGHTY MOUSE cartoon at the end.
Blade Premiere Stakes Spike TV Record
The premiere of Spike TV's first original scripted action-adventure offering BLADE: THE SERIES on Wednesday, June 28, 2006, drew record ratings for the network with a 2.0 HH rating and 2.5 million viewers, the highest premiere in network history for an original series. Additionally, show was the #1 entertainment show for the night with Men 18-34 and 18-49.
TELETOON Dives In With Adult Swim
Starting September 2006, as part of the specialty network's new fall season, The Detour on TELETOON will present Cartoon Network's Adult Swim lineup. The recent acquisition deal gives the network's post-9:00 pm block for more mature viewers scheduling rights to six new properties, and new episodes to three already well-established titles on the network.
Academy Changes Rules for Sound Editing & Shorts Oscars
The governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences approved the rules for the 79th Academy Awards at their June 27, 2006, evening session, endorsing a series of changes that the organizations president, Sid Ganis, characterized as constructive but not earthshaking.
Red Carpet Rolled Out for the Movies: Stunts & Effects Expansion Pack
Activision Inc. and Lionhead Studios have shipped THE MOVIES: STUNTS & EFFECTS EXPANSION PACK to retail stores nationwide. Building on THE MOVIES' critically acclaimed gameplay, THE MOVIES: STUNTS & EFFECTS EXPANSION PACK gives players the tools to turn ordinary scripts into blockbuster films with the addition of stuntmen, visual effects, a variety of dangerous stunts, a movie-making toolset, impressive new sets and an innovative "Freecam Mode" that allows players to adjust the camera location, angle, field of view and path.
J. J. Sedelmaier Revisits Mr. Reach
After more than 15 years, director J.J. Sedelmaier of J. J. Sedelmaier Prods. Inc. has returned to producing animation for Johnson & Johnsons Mr. Reach character in a new TV spot from McCann-Erickson in New York.
Geneon Releases Kannazuki No Miko, Strawberry Marshmallow, Elemental Gelade
In the past month, Geneon Ent. has released new volumes of KANNAZUKI NO MIKO, STRAWBERRY MARSHMALLOW and ELEMENTAL GELADE on DVD.
Love, loss and friendship collide with spectacular and devastating results as three young students imbued with heavenly powers struggle to realize their own potential in KANNAZUKI NO MIKO VOLUME TWO: LUNAR PRIESTESS. As the prophecy reveals itself, the three friends feel the strain of their destinies more and more, as their burgeoning gifts and world-shaking powers conflict with the emotional rollercoaster of adolescence.
Canada Day Cookout Kicks Off YTV’s July Lineup
This Canada Day, Saturday, July 1 from 12:00 noon to 7:00 pm, Ian Kelly (BEING IAN) is throwing the biggest bash of the summer with all of YTVs favorite Canadian cartoon pals.
With original animation created by Studio B Prods., CCI Ent., 9 Story Ent. and Breakthrough Animation in collaboration with YTVs On-Air Promotions department, characters from YTV series introduce their own shows in all-new exclusive content.
UTV Signs $14 Million From PorchLight & Mike Young Prods.
UTV Software Communications Ltd.s Animation division in India has signed up new deals worth $14 million, which includes a co-production with PorchLight on new animated feature film, as well as an animation services and a co-production agreement with Mike Young Prods. and Taffy Ent.
Horror/Sci-Fi Screenplay Competition Wants Gory Scripts
International Horror/Sci-Fi Screenplay CompetitionWorld Wide WebOct. 13-15, 2006 Deadline: July 31, 2006
Presented by the IFP/PHOENIX Film Festival, the International Horror/Sci-Fi Screenplay Competition celebrates the goriest and most hair-raising feature length screenplays.
Companies to review winning scripts for possible representation include: * Lionsgate, a leading Hollywood production company* Jaret Ent., a Hollywood management/production company* Energy Ent., a Hollywood management/production company
Navarre's FUNimation Channel Signs IPTV Distribution Agreement with Optical Ent.
FUNimation Ent. has finalized a distribution agreement with Optical Ent. Network (OEN), the leading provider of IPTV and broadband services optimized for fiber-to-the-home (FTTH). FUNimation Channel becomes part of the FISION service, OEN's lineup of 400 IPTV channels available in the Houston area. The FUNimation Channel is a 24-hour digital channel featuring programming from top anime brands in the U.S. and will be added to OEN's FISION lineup in fall 2006.
Superman Returns with $21 Million on Opening Day
SUPERMAN RETURNS took off with a solid $21M for Warner Bros. on Wednesday, which includes Tuesday night preview showings. For opening days, it ranks 29th on the all-time list, surpassing BATMAN BEGINS ($15.1M, a Warner Bros. benchmark) and eighth for Wednesday openers.
Of that $21M total, SUPERMAN RETURNS collected about $1.2M from 76 IMAX theaters. On Friday, the movie bumps up from 3,915 theaters to 4,065, making it the fourth largest all-time release. Box office information obtained from boxofficemojo.com.
Gnomon Workshop Releases First Maya Cloth Training DVD
The Gnomon Workshop has released its first Maya Cloth DVD. The need for realistic clothing and fabric has become commonplace in today's effects films and feature animation. CLOTH 101: FUNDAMENTALS covers the process of modeling and animating cloth garments. Mark E.A. de Sousa, Cloth and Hair supervisor at Sony Pictures Imageworks, shares his production-tested techniques as he discusses how to control garment characteristics and demonstrates how to integrate dynamic fields.
Frantic Flies With Superman Returns
Frantic Films delivered 140 vfx shots for Warner Bros. SUPERMAN RETURNS, its largest project to date. Having previously worked with director Bryan Singer on X2: X-MEN UNITED, Frantic was again enlisted for six major sequences. In the process, the company used its current proprietary software and created new technology.
CG Feature To Help Cure Cancer
Lord Prods. Llc. and Strategic Dreamers Llc., in conjunction with JC2 Animated Ent., are in production on the CG animated film titled, THE LEGEND OF SECRET PASS, for which a percentage of its proceeds will go to cancer research. The fully funded film is set for release in 2008.
Set in the American southwest, THE LEGEND OF SECRET PASS will follows the magical clash between the animal and human worlds when a young Native American boy must win the help of the Thunderbirds of Native American folklore to overcome a wicked spirit and ancient evil.
Stan Lee’s Who Wants To Be A Superhero? Gets Airs Date
SCI FI Channel has announced a July 27, 2006 launch date for Stan Lee's POW! Ent.'s new reality television show, WHO WANTS TO BE A SUPERHERO?
POW! Ent. along with the SCI FI Channel and Nash Ent. (MEET MY FOLKS, FOR LOVE OR MONEY, WHO WANTS TO MARRY MY DAD?), are producing this new six-episode, one-hour weekly competition reality series that will challenge a lucky few to create their very own superhero and reward the winner with the best reality competition prize yet: immortality.
Sony Sallies Up with Southland Tales
Despite a critical drubbing at Cannes, Richard Kellys SOUTHLAND TALES will be released in the U.S. by Sony Pictures, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. The studio, which will also release the film on DVD, has not decided which label at the company the theatrical release will be under.
3D Animated Krishna Film in the Works
Due to the success of the animated film HANUMAN, filmmaker Prahlad Patel is developing another mythological movie in 3D animation based on the tales of Lord Krishna, according to Hindu.com. Patel said the full-length feature would focus on Krishnas life and teachings. Production is set to start in September. The script is finished and the producers plan to have the film ready for release in 2007.
Voice Actor Lennie "Pufnstuf" Weinrib Dies at 71
Voice actor Lennie Weinrib, whose most famed role was as the title character in the 1969 live-action series, H.R. PUFNSTUF (which he also co-wrote), died June 28, 2006, at his home in Chile. He was 71 years old.
For his animation career, Weinrib provided the voice for Scooby's impetuous nephew Scrappy-Doo in SCOOBY-DOO AND SCRAPPY-DOO (1979) and THE SCOOBY AND SCRAPPY-DOO PUPPY HOUR (1982). He was also in the voice cast of the first Scooby series, SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU! (1969) and THE NEW SCOOBY-DOO MOVIES (1972).
aniBOOM Announces Judges for First aniBOOM Award
Interactive animation content site aniBOOM announced the six judges who will be presiding over the first aniBOOM Award. Starting on Sept. 1, 2006, the full aniBOOM portal will launch and be open to the public for viewing and rating.
The Fundamentals of Animation Coming to Book Shelves in July
In July, AVA Publishing (UK) Ltd. will release Paul Wells new book, THE FUNDAMENTALS OF ANIMATION. The book will sell for $29.95.