Larry Birstock returns to Hollywood-based Post Logic Studios as ceo. He replaces Steve Hendricks, who served as ceo from 2005 to the present, revitalizing Post Logic as an independent post-production and digital intermediate facility. Birstock previously served as evp from 2000 to 2005.
Authors Angie Jones and Jamie Oliff offer up a new book, THINKING ANIMATION: BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN 2D AND CG, which, as its title suggests, is designed to help traditional artists embrace new technology needed to stay employed. THINKING ANIMATION (www.thinkinganimation.com) is a one-of-a-kind book that emphasizes how artists can use traditional animation techniques and principles with today's computer-generated animation technology. Released June 27, 2006, the 300-page book is available from Thomson Course Technology (www.courseptr.com) for a retail price of $39.99.
A.D.Vision Inc. announced a substantial investment in the company today (June 27, 2006) by Japanese Contents Investment LPS (JCI), an investor group led by Sojitz Corp., in exchange for a minority equity stake. Additionally, was made by ARM Corp., a subsidiary of JCI, made a separate capital commitment for the acquisition of new filmed content.
Through its home video, broadcast, licensing, theatrical and publishing divisions, Houston-based A.D.Vision is the leading producer/distributor of Japanese animation and anime-related content outside Japan.
LivePitch OnStageSeattle, Washington, USAJuly 13, 2006Deadline: June 30, 2006
Sprint, Cingular and Amp'd Mobile are set to judge the first ever LivePitch OnStage game competition at the Mobile Game Conference. Game developers and publishers are invited enter their new games, demos or concepts to score an opportunity to pitch live onstage before a panel of judges who can actually make a difference in their game's future. Think of it as AMERICAN IDOL for mobile game development.
scr(i)pt magazine Open Door Contest World Wide WebJuly 1, 2006Deadline: July 1, 2006
Screenwriters Challenge 2006World Wide WebSeptember 23, 2006 Deadline: July 19, 2006
All aspiring and competitive screenwriters worldwide are invited to participate in the Screenwriters Challenge 2006. Writers compete to see who can produce the best short screenplay (20 pages max.) on an assigned genre and subject in one week. Winners advance to compete for more than $14,000 in cash and prizes by writing a short script in just 24 hours.
Fox Ent. is looking for a few good animated laughs to bolster its Sunday toon stronghold anchored by THE SIMPSONS and FAMILY GUY, according THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.
Fox Ent. president Peter Liguori told the trade that he and his development staff are in the thick of an aggressive summer hunt for new comedy projects that can be launched when AMERICAN IDOL returns for a sixth edition in January 2007.
THQ Inc. is helping fans of Disney/Pixar film CARS continue the ride with a videogame, based upon the animated feature. The game, released for play on PlayStation2, Xbox GameCube, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, PSP, Windows PC and Mac, is available at retail outlets in the U.S. It will also be available worldwide in 18 languages, and in more than 40 countries, including China, Thailand, Japan, Russia and Poland. Also this fall, the CARS videogame is expected to release for Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii.
Ink-and-paint artist Suzi Dalton died April 10, 2006, at the age of 95, The Animation Guild website reports. She received a Golden Award from The Animation Guild Local 839 in 1985, for her then 50 years in her craft.
From 1934, until her retirement in 1973, she worked as an inker, drybrush artist and final checker for numerous studios, including Boyd LaVero, Mintz, Warners, Iwerks, MGM, Betty Brenon, Lantz, Snowball, Hanna-Barbera, Filmation, Celine Miles, Bakshi-Krantz and Cannawest.
There's a new future for the popular FUTURAMA TV series with Comedy Central picking up rights to air at least 13 additional, soon-to-be-produced episodes, which will air in 2008.
This augments the initial license agreement Comedy Central entered into with Twentieth Century Fox Television last fall for Matt Groening's and David X. Cohens Emmy-winning animated comedy series FUTURAMA according to David Bernath, svp programming, Comedy Central.
Avid Technology Inc. announced that Chapman University, which offers a variety of undergraduate and graduate liberal arts degrees, has made a significant investment in Avid solutions for its new state-of-the-art film and media arts center in southern California. The new $41million, 76,000-square-foot facility, Marion Knott Studios, will serve as the home of the Dodge College of Film and Media Arts at Chapman University.
Adam Sandler and his magical Universal Remote were enough to lure viewers away from CARS, as CLICK debuted at the top of the box office chart for the weekend ended June 25, 2006. The Sony/Revolution comedy/fantasy with vfx from Sony Pictures Imageworks grabbed $40M vs. $23.2M for the Disney/Pixar animated feature, which has now collected $156.6M in three weeks. Paramounts NACHO LIBRE dipped to third in its second stead with $12.6M and a cume of $53.2M.
When SUPERMAN RETURNS debuts on IMAX screens June 27 and June 28 with 20 minutes in 3-D, the conversion was achieved with the help of inventor and computer graphics pioneer David M. Geshwind, president of Three Dimensional Media Group Ltd. (3DMG).
The company has licensed two U.S. Patents to enable IMAXs conversion. However, while Superman may be faster than a speeding bullet, time constraints prevented IMAX from converting the entire movie.
GenArts Inc. announced the immediate availability of Sapphire Plug-ins version 2 for Apples Shake. This release contains 20 additional effects, including a new FilmDamage effect, and a wide array of new features and improvements such as on-screen widgets for easy parameter adjustment, and an improved user interface for all color parameters.
In a meeting on Saturday, June 24, 2006, at Trilogy Studios in Santa Monica, the president of the Dominican Republic Leonel Antonio Fernandez Reyna, along with Trilogy execs, set plans in motion for an outsourcing program that they hope to have in place before the end of the year, beginning with Trilogy's first title, DAYBREAKERS. If all goes well, Trilogy Studios will assist and act as the Dominican's liaison to the entire games industry for future outsourcing initiatives.
Puzzle/Strategy games drive one-third of the total mobile game revenues, according to Telephia, the leading provider of performance measurement information to the mobile industry. The Telephia Mobile Game Report for Q1 2006 shows that four of the top five revenue-generating titles fall into the Puzzle/Strategy (casual games) category, with TETRIS, TETRIS DELUXE and BEJEWELED securing the top spots. TETRIS and TETRIS DELUXE secured 5.2 and 3.6% of the total mobile game revenue share for the quarter, respectively, while BEJEWELED posted a 2.6% share. JAMDAT MAHJONG and MS.
Comic-Con is fast approaching and we want to know what youll have in store for the big event.
Twentieth Century Fox and producers John and Jordan Davis have snatched up the rights to the young adult fantasy book series by Scott Westerfeld, which starts with UGLIES, reports VARIETY.
Futuristic story finds kids labeled "uglies" until they turn 16 and get surgically transformed into the attractive "pretties," who live to the glamorous part of town. A precocious teen is threatened with being denied the procedure unless she spies on a friend who skipped the operation and joined a rebellious group.
Animation World Magazine is doing an article on poster art for our July issue.
For MTV2s new SicEmation lineup, Cuppa Coffee and Six Point Harness have provided work on the new CELEBRITY DEATHMATCH and WHERE MY DOGS AT? respectively.
As the largest stop-motion studio in North America, Cuppa Coffee was brought on board by MTV2. It was important to keep the feel of the original series and build on that to offer a slicker sharper looking show, explains series director Andrew Horne. Of course we wont stray far from what makes the show funny; blunt force trauma.
Test your skills and challenge your brain with AWN's Animation Trivia Quiz.
In another chapter in the on-going Winnie the Pooh legal battle, the Supreme Court refused on June 26, 2006, to decide whether the granddaughter of A.A. Milne, creator of Pooh, can recapture control of the copyright, reports CNN.
Milne wrote the Pooh books between 1924 and 1928 and granted a U.S. license to Stephen Slesinger in 1930, which Slesinger signed over to Stephen Slesinger Inc. Later Slesinger Inc. sublicensed certain rights to Walt Disney Prods.
This week in AWN's Forums, a member presents the definition of frustration. Another thread is collecting members favorite animation style. Others are talking about the return of 2D to Disney. A member has a question regarding character design in Flash. Others are talking about return of FUTURAMA. A potential student has questions about Animation Mentor. As well as, tools for teaching animation, the business of animation and, as always, brand new stuff to check out in show and tell!
Leading post-production sound facility Pacific Soundwaves announced that animation sound specialist Michael Geisler has joined the company as supervising sound editor. Bringing the award-winning sound designer/editor on staff enables Pacific Soundwaves to better address the very specific needs of animated film, television, gaming and interactive projects. A highly-regarded audio pro and founder of sound postproduction company BadaBing BadaBoom, Geisler is now serving his extensive base of animation clients as a member of Pacific Soundwaves team, at its top-of-the-line Burbank facility.
TV France will be taking a stand and send 36 members to the 17th International Documentary Market, Sunny Side of the Doc, which takes place June 27-30, 2006 in the Espace Encan in La Rochelle, France.
