Walt Handelsman has created a new editorial animation skewering recent comments made by right-wing pundit Ann Coulter about a group of 9/11 widows enjoying their husbands deaths.
In the animation, Coulter sings new lyrics to "My Favorite Things," including "I write evil stuff ... for the money it brings."
DISCOP 06, the only television content & formats market strictly targeted at central & eastern European marketplaces, will open to record numbers in all categories this week, it was announced by Patrick Jucaud, gm, DISCOP; and Rick Feldman, president/ceo, National Assoc. of Television Program Executives (NATPE), DISCOPs joint partner.
Now in its 15th year, the market will open in Budapest on June 22 at noon in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the Hungarian revolution.
SILVERDOCS: AFI/Discovery Channel Documentary Festival announced its award winners, culminating the weeklong festival activities that included screening 100 films from 22 countries, free outdoor screenings and live performances, and a four-day concurrent International Documentary Conference attended by more than 500 filmmakers, film and television execs and media professionals exploring The Future of Real. Winning filmmakers received more than $42,000 in cash, goods and in-kind services.
Comicbook and animation maverick Alex Toth died May 27 at his drawing table at home in Burbank, reported THE L.A. TIMES. He was 77.
"For 50 years he did what he wanted to do smoke cigarettes, sit on the couch and draw," his daughter Dana Palmer said. "But in his final year there was such a great spirit in him, and he had made peace with everybody on Earth that he needed to make peace with."
Toth is best known for his character designs for such Hanna-Barbera productions as SUPERFRIENDS, SPACE GHOST and HERCULOIDS.
As part of the Queens 80th birthday celebration, Aardman Animations founders Peter Lord and David Sproxton have been made Commanders of the British Empire, or CBEs.
Commander of the British Empire is the third ranking title of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire the British order of chivalry established on June 4, 1917, by King George V. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions. Commander class does not accord the recipient the title of sir or dame.
After conquering the digital music business, Apple is now in talks with the movie studios to make feature films available through its iTunes Music Store, reports various news outlets.
However, the main issue is price. Apple ceo Steve Jobs, who is personally involved in the talks, proposed selling all films at a flat price of $9.99, which the studios flatly rejected.
Speaking at an Independent Film & Television Alliance production conference in Beverly Hills, Netflix vp of original programming Eric Besner said on Friday his company plans to launch a proprietary set-top box with an Internet connection that can download movies overnight.
Besner said the business model is still being worked out, but the download service would work much like the monthly subscription fee for its conventional DVD rentals. Service could launch as early as this year.
Digital Anarchy, a leading provider of cost-effective vfx software for Adobe, Apple and Autodesk products, announced version 3.0 of the acclaimed Knoll Spark Pack. The new features in this package gives increased control over the look of hundreds of lighting effects, and furthers the creative abilities of broadcast designers and visual effects artists to deliver innovative effects in 2D composites.
Luxology Llc. announced the immediate availability of modo 201 Signature Courseware from 3DGarage.com. Taught by leading 3D animator and author, Dan Ablan, the modo 201 Signature Courseware complements existing modo educational materials to further streamline learning path for the many CG artists moving to capitalize on modos powerful feature set and productivity advantages.
Continuing our special event specific Flash Newsletters, we will be publishing a special edition for SIGGRAPH. The market is fast approaching and our editorial and advertising staff is gearing up for the SIGGRAPH-specific Flash Newsletters. Here are the dates for the publications. Please send your news two weeks prior to the publication date.
SIGGRAPH NewsletterJuly 18July 25
All your news can be sent to editor@awn.com. For sales opportunities, contact Dan Sarto at dan@awn.com or call (323) 606-4200.
Lifemode Interactive, creators of LifeStudio:Head facial animation and lip-synch technology, have signed a major distribution deal with Turbo Squid, a leading distributor of digital products and home of the world's largest collection of royalty free 3D assets.
Now all game designers, 3D artists and animators will be able to find Lifemodes products at www.turbosquid.com. LifeStudio:Head 2.7 is available in three versions: Editor Package, Artist Package and a full Pro Package, which now includes both 3ds Max and Maya plug-ins.
The latest Animation World Magazine Acrobat edition is now online and free for a limited time. This edition covers the ever-expanding world of gaming. Joe Strike uncovers the voice over actors finding lucrative work in the videogame industry. Janet Hetherington takes a look at how videogame art is jumping off the screen and into the gallery. Christopher Harz looks into the field of educational videogames, moving games from the home into the classroom and office.
Disney/Pixars CARS had plenty in the tank to outpace the competition in its second weekend at the box office. For the period ended June 18, CARS grabbed $33.7M, down 44%, for a cume of $117M. Following in the second through fourth spots were newcomers NACHO LIBRE, THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS: TOKYO DRIFT and THE LAKE HOUSE.
The Animation Guild celebrates the sixty-fifth anniversary of the 1941 Disney strike in the June issue of its newsletter, The Peg-Board...
Autodesk Inc. announced that its technology was used to create high-definition television (HDTV) content for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Autodesk solutions provide digital artists with the creative tools and processing power necessary to quickly and efficiently produce content containing the level of detail required for HDTV programming. Post-production facilities that relied on Autodesk technology include: Deep Blue Sea, Locomotion, METAphrenie, Method Studios and The Mill.
Each month, ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE focuses its attention on a particular theme.
Adult Swims first season of THE VENTURE BROS., a spoof of JONNY QUEST, from Noodlesoup Prods., is currently available on DVD (Warner Home Video, $29.98). All 13 episodes from Cartoon Network plus the pilot and Christmas are contained in this two-disc collectors edition featuring the adventures of dim-witted twins, Hank and Dean, who tag along with their scientist father and unsuccessfully try to combat oddball villains. The series offers the voice work of Patrick Warburton, who plays Brock Sampson, the family bodyguard.
Other extras include:
Test your skills and challenge your brain with AWN's Animation Trivia Quiz.
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.
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 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.
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.'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.
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.
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.
