AWN Headline News
Pink Panther Returns on DVD
Steve Martin steps into the role of bumbling Inspector Clouseau made famous by the late Peter Sellers in this family-friendly remake of THE PINK PANTHER, which recently bowed on DVD (Sony Home Ent., $28.95). Say what you will about the success or failure of Martins wild and crazy interpretation, but the title sequence from Kurtz and Friends Animation is true to form. Judge for yourself, as the Animated Trip featurette covers the animated opening credits with interviews with director Bob Kurz, animator Eric Goldberg and editor Ken Smith.
AWN Discussion Forums - What's New? for June 19, 2006
This week in AWN's Forums, a debate has begun over why animators up and quit jobs. Theres a continuing thread on character animation in Flash. Others are talking about the continued string of Pixar success. Another member needs advice on ways to improve their drawing skills. A junior member wants some suggestions on building a portable animation studio. Theres also a thread over the poor treatment of the CHIPMUNK ADVENTURE DVD cover.
FUNimation Channel Launches in Los Angeles
FUNimation Ent., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Navarre Corp. and the market share leader for home video sales of Japanese animation in the U.S., announced today (June 16, 2006) that the FUNimation Channel is now live in Los Angeles via digital broadcast on LA 18.3. The FUNimation Channel provides 24-hour digital programming featuring top anime brands in the U.S. to more than five million households in the Los Angeles area.
Joanna Quinn Wins Zagreb 2006
Wrapping up its run on June 17, 2006, the 17th Zagreb, World Festival of Animated Films, awarded its Grand Prix to Joanna Quinn's multiple-Annecy winner, DREAMS AND DESIRES FAMILY TIES. Her short was a two-time winner, also taking home the Jury International Film Critics prize. The top audience award went to PRO IVANA DURAKA, (IVAN THE FOOL) by Mikhail Aldashin and Oleg Uzhinov.
Below is a complete list of winners:
GRAND COMPETIONGrand Prix DREAMS AND DESIRES FAMILY TIES, by Joanna Quinn, U.K.
Golden Zagreb Award
Nick Jr. To Sneak Peek Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! On Multiplatform Pre-Launch
Nick Jr.'s will "sneak peek" its newest preschool show, WOW! WOW! WUBBZY!, across several media platforms, beginning Tuesday, June 20, 2006. The 26-episode series premieres on Nick Jr. on Aug. 28.
Mattel Named Cartoon Network Master Toy Licensee
Cartoon Network Enterprises (CNE, Cartoon Networks worldwide consumer products division) struck a long-term global partnership with the worlds leading toy company, Mattel Inc. for a multi-year, multi-property deal. The master toy license agreement covers original Cartoon Network properties for the 6-11 age group and also carries a first-look option on all newly created original series and programming.
ka-chew! Brings Motion to Un-Sweet Anti-Tobacco Ad
Mississippi-based Maris, West & Baker is launching a new ad to teach children about the harmful effects of tobacco. "Candy Factory" is the latest :30 spot for the award-winning creative agency to begin airing this month throughout the state of Mississippi. "Candy Factory" is the second recent anti-tobacco spot that Maris, West & Baker has produced for its client, The Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi.
Homer Simpson Voted America's Craziest Dad
A survey of 100,000 U.S. members of Casino Fortune, the oldest online casino, revealed Homer Simpson as the Craziest TV Dad. Sixty-seven wild TV fathers, nearly all from sitcoms, were nominated, and 20 of those were voted onto the Craziest TV Dad list.
Post Logic N.Y. Hires Commercial Colorist Milan Boncich
Post Logic N.Y. has signed well-known commercial colorist Milan Boncich. Boncich has worked with some of the most prominent directors and dps in the worlds of advertising, film and visual effects. He was the longtime senior colorist at Tape House Editorial until 2002 when he joined Moving Images.
The addition of Boncich to Post Logic N.Y.s talent roster reinforces the companys ongoing commitment to the commercial market and its intention to compete for that business at the highest levels.
Rainmaker Makes Dog Talk for Garfield Sequel
Rainmaker Ltd. Partnership (Rainmaker) completed 170 CG shots on the new Fox release, GARFIELD: A TAIL OF TWO KITTIES. Full CG face replacements were completed on the film's new character, Winston the bulldog, and on eight other talking animals. Completing the task in just eight weeks, the Rainmaker team was led by visual effects supervisor Charlene Eberle and visual effects producer Jinnie Pak.
Target Ent. Grows New Licensing Deals on Fifi and the Flowertots
Target Ent. has germinated a batch of new licensing deals for Chapman Ent.s preschool property, FIFI AND THE FLOWERTOTS.
Although the property was only launched at the UK Brand Licensing Show in October 2004, the licensing team at Target has already amassed 34 separate agreements for the U.K., in addition to the master toy, publishing and home entertainment deals already done by Chapman Ent.
Boomstone Ent. Starts Up Multi-Cultural Musical Children's Series
Boomstone Ent. Inc. is in production on a new childrens all Canadian animated project, LITTLE MELODY, featuring the musical adventures of Little Melody, her magical flute, Toot, and best friend and narrator Mrs Quill, a friendly Bluebird voiced by Margot Kidder (SUPERMAN, SMALLVILLE). Little Melody is slated for fall 2007 release.
Image Infotainment to Launch Three-Year Digital Media Course
Image College of Arts, Animation and Technology (ICAT), a division of Chennai-based Image Infotainment Limited, will launch a three-year full-time program in digital media, which includes animation, visual effects, game design or game development, reports THE BUSINSS STANDARD.
Philip Thomas, manager (admissions) of ICAT, said that the digital media industry across the world was in need of more fusion artists, those who combine artistic and technical skills.
Qi Commercials & Golden Square Post Launch Digital Production Operation
Baggy Shorts, a dedicated portfolio of directors with digital production skills and a satellite of Qi Commercials, and Disqo, a division of Golden Square Post Prod., have formed an affiliation with the aim of offering creative and production expertise in the digital arena.
Banff World Television Festival Ends On A High Note
Wednesday, June 14, 2006, marked the close of another exceptional Banff World Television Festival, with more than 1,450 delegates in attendance, and a combined 1,700 delegates taking in both the television festival and its sister-event, nextMEDIAThe Future of Digital Content. With jam-packed panel and session rooms and a whirl of special events, the festival generated the signing and greenlighting of new deals, as well as the opportunity for delegates to turn their project ideas into reality.
Veteran Disney Character Designer Opens Special Exhibit
The Creative Talent Network and Van Eaton Galleries will present SCRIBBLIN ON SCRAP WITH RIK MAKI an exhibition and sale of original art by one of the most prolific and influential artists working in feature animated films, including THE LION KING, HERCULES, A BUGS LIFE, FINDING NEMO and TREASURE PLANET.
Wallace & Gromit & Simpsons Win Reuben Award
The National Cartoonists Society announced the winners of the 2006 Reuben Awards, including the selections for the Reuben Award for Cartoonist of the Year, at a black tie dinner on May 27, in Chicago. For the animation world, awarded Nick Parks WALLACE & GROMIT: CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT the prize for feature animation. For TV animation, David Silverman won for his work on THE SIMPSONS.
Read How To Grow Your Career in Animation
For the first time, award-winning filmmaker David B. Levy has collected the insights of more than 100 professionals from the top of the animation industry into a new book titled, YOUR CAREER IN ANIMATION: HOW TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE, which tackles the most crucial issues that animation artists face today.
Spielberg Developing Wormhole Adventure
Paramount Pictures and Steven Spielberg are developing a space travel tale about a group of explorers who travel through a wormhole into another dimension, reports VARIETY. Spielberg plans to direct with Lynda Obst producing.
Based in real science, the plot will be based on a treatment by Kip S. Thorne, a Caltech physicist who's an expert on relativity. Thorne is most famous for his controversial theory that wormholes not only exist, but can be accessed and used as portals for time travel.
Paramount & Pitt Ready For Zombie War
Paramount Pictures has snatched up the screen rights to the Max Brooks novel WORLD WAR Z: AN ORAL HISTORY OF THE ZOMBIE WAR in a high-six-figure deal, according to VARIETY. Brad Pitt's Plan B is set to produce.
Brooks' follow-up to satire THE ZOMBIE SURVIVAL GUIDE spurred a bidding battle, which also included Warner Bros. and Leonardo DiCaprios Appian Way.
The story is a somber tale of the aftermath of a war fought against an army of humans who were inflicted with a virus, died and were reanimated into flesh-eating zombies.
Conan the Barbarian Remake Swings at WB
Warner Bros. has hired Boaz Yakin (REMEMBER THE TITANS) to write and possibly direct a re-envisioned CONAN THE BARBARIAN, based on Robert E. Howards original character, VARIETY reports. WB hopes to start production in early 2007 with Irving Azoff, Jon Jashni, Richard Alexander and Akiva Goldsman producing. Peter Sederowsky and Fredrik Malmberg of Paradox Ent., the intellectual property company that owns the rights to the Howard estate, will exec produce.
Louise O’Toole To Head Taffy Ent. New London Office
Louise OToole has signed on as md, U.K. at Taffy Ent.s new London office. OToole reports to Taffy Ent. joint ceos Mike Young and Bill Schultz, as well as president Liz Young. Her colleagues at Taffy Merchandising and Distribution include evp Regis Brown and vp of U.S. licensing Eric Stein.
Amputee Chicken Co. Starts Up in Bristol
New animation studio, Amputee Chicken, has launched with its first short film, IF I HAD A HAMMER. Downloadable from the Web (www.amputeechicken.com), IF I HAD A HAMMER is now set to make the festival scene worldwide in the coming months.
Kim Fleary New EVP, Comedy Development for The CW
Kim Fleary has been named evp, comedy development, The CW. Fleary, who will oversee the development of all scripted comedy series for The CW reports to Dawn Ostroff, president, entertainment, The CW.
"Kim's breadth of experience and vision have helped create many hit comedies in her career and we're confident she will repeat her success at The CW," said Ostroff. "She has keen creative and comedic instincts and is a wonderful collaborator on every level."