AWN Headline News

Headline News

Benoit Runel New BKN New Media Ltd. Managing Director

BKN International AG has appointed Benoit Runel md of the companys largest operating subsidiary, BKN New Media Ltd. in Great Britain. Runel will oversee all sales and marketing for the BKN in the U.K., Germany, Benelux, Scandinavia, North America and emerging markets, such as Eastern Europe, Africa and the Middle East. He will also oversee all development and pre-production activities in the London-based studio, as well as secure and manage all co-productions with international partners.

In People, People | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Europe

Advertising Headline News

Exent Technologies Launches In-Game Advertising Solution

Exent Technologies, a global market leader in broadband-based solutions for monetization of PC and videogames, has launched a suite of in-game advertising solutions enabling in-game ads for new and existing titles without the need to access the videogames source code or any SDK integration.

In Interactive, Games, Interactive | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Europe, North America

Media Headline News

DECODE and Halifax Film Go Public as DHX Media

Leading kids and family entertainment specialist DECODE Ent. and Canadian independent The Halifax Film Co. have joined forces to create DHX Media.

The new entertainment ventures shares launched on both the AIM in London and the Toronto stock exchange, the TSX, with trading starting on May 19. 2006.

In Business, Business | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, North America

Kids Headline News

'FETCH! With Ruff Ruffman' Unleashed on PBS KIDS GO!

The first episode of FETCH! WITH RUFF RUFFMAN part game show, part reality TV, and part spoof debuts online at www.pbskidsgo.org/fetch May 22, 2006. The series, targeting kids 6-10, mixes unscripted live-action with animation with an educational and comical take on one of America's most popular television genres.

The show features real kids, real challenges, real science, and an unreal animated host, a dog named Ruff Ruffman. Online, FETCH!s website offers FETCH! viewers the opportunity to play along with the show, even after the TV is turned off.

In Interactive, Games, Interactive | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Headline News

Da Vinci Goes Over Box Office Hedge

Capturing $77M, THE DA VINCI CODE exceeded low expectations and overcame negative reviews during its opening weekend ended May 21, 2006. In fact, the controversial blockbuster from Sony Pictures (with vfx from MPC and Rainmaker UK, among others) collected an exceptional opening worldwide gross of $238.1, according to the studio, second only to STAR WARS: EPISODE III. Sony is even contemplating making Dan Browns literary prequel, ANGELS AND DEMONS, into a movie.

In Films, Films | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Headline News

Double Negative Decodes Da Vinci Code

Double Negative (UNITED 93, HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE and BATMAN BEGINS) was selected to create a number of sequences to enhance THE DA VINCI CODE, which opened to smash business for the weekend period ended May 21, 2006.

In Films, Visual Effects, Films, Visual Effects | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Animation Headline News

Catscratch Wins at 2nd China Int’l Cartoon & Animation Festival

Nickelodeon's CATSCRATCH was awarded Best Foreign Animation Series recently at the 2nd annual China International Cartoon & Animation Festival, which took place April 28-May 3, 2006, in Hangzhou, China. CATSCRATCH was judged by a panel of nine judges from the China Film Association, International Animated Film Association, China Animation Academy, Korea Animation Association and design industry.

In Awards, Awards | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Asia, Australia, Europe

Series Headline News

X-Files 2 Discovers Writer

Frank Spotnitz, the man behind much of the mythology of THE X-FILES, has been hired to help write the next movie based on the hit series, reports SCI FI WIRE.

Long in development, the second X-FILES film has mainly been held up by legal matters between series creator Chris Carter and 20th Century Fox. "David, Gillian and I, and even Chris Carter, all have deals in place, and once the legal issues are over with, we will go on with it," Spotnitz said. "I'm hoping it will get resolved soon."

In Films, Visual Effects, Films, Visual Effects | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Television Headline News

Ubisoft Developing Lost Videogame

Ubisoft announced a long-term worldwide licensing agreement with Touchstone Television to develop and publish a videogame based on the Emmy Award-winning television series LOST. Developed by Ubisoft's Montreal studio and scheduled to hit retail shelves worldwide in 2007, the game will be offered for home and portable consoles as well as PCs.

In Interactive, Visual Effects, Games, Interactive, Visual Effects | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Story Headline News

WB Picks Up Anime Brave Story for Germany

Warner Bros. has snatched up the German rights to anime feature BRAVE STORY, helmed by Koichi Chigira, VARIETY reports. Fuji TV and Gonzo Digimation produced the film, which is being representing internationally by Pony Canyon. Warner Bros. is already the films distributor in Japan and has the first option in various other regions. Budgeted at 1 billion yen ($9 million), the film is based on a manga by Miyuki Miyabe about a boy who lives in a world called Vision.

In Anime, Films, Anime, Films | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Asia, Europe

Animation Headline News

May Issue of the Animation Guild's The Peg-Board Now Online!

Did you know that it's a violation of California law for an employer to restrict you from revealing or talking about how much money you're paid?

In Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Animation Headline News

This Week’s Animation Trivia Quiz for May 22, 2005

Test your skills and challenge your brain with AWN's Animation Trivia Quiz.

In Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Animation Headline News

AWN Discussion Forums - What's New? for May 22, 2005

This week in AWN's Forums, members are discussing their thoughts on OVER THE HEDGE.

In Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Henson Headline News

Weinstein Co. Launches CG Unstable Fables Video Line

The Weinstein Co. (TWC) is getting more animated with a new brand of direct-to-video CG feature length films, UNSTABLE FABLES, being produced by The Jim Henson Co. (JHC), Flame Ventures and Prana Studios, with screenplays be overseen by Roger S.H. Schulman (SHREK, MULAN II). The new Unstable Fables brand offers irreverent versions of well-known classic tales and incorporate modern twists on the stories. The first titles being produced are based on GOLDILOCKS, THE THREE LITTLE PIGS and BILLY GOATS GRUFF.

In Home Entertainment, Home Entertainment | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Asia

Studios Headline News

THQ Acquires Vigil Games

Interactive entertainment software publisher/developer THQ Inc. has acquired Austin, Texas-based, game developer Vigil Games. The Virgil team will be led by David Adams, previously creator/director of several projects for NCSoft and famed comic artist Joe Madureira, best known for his work on Marvel Comic's Uncanny X-Men and his creator-owned comic series, BATTLE CHASERS. Vigil is currently working on new content for next-gen scheduled for release in 2008.

In Business, Business | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Europe

Dreamworks Headline News

HP, AMD Power Over the Hedge

HP technology helped DreamWorks Animation SKG create the 3D-animated feature, OVER THE HEDGE, which was released today in U.S. theaters and is showing at the 59th Cannes International Film Festival.

HP, which is DreamWorks Animation's preferred technology provider, delivered servers, workstations and HP Halo collaboration studios to meet the demanding business and production needs required to create the new animated comedy.

In Films, Films | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Special Headline News

Fairly OddParents Holds 'American Idol-Style' Contest in Hour-Long Special

Nickelodeon's THE FAIRLY ODDPARENTS pays homage to the AMERICAN IDOL craze with its very own Idol-like singing competition in FAIRY IDOL, a one-hour special premiering May 19, 2006, at 8:00 pm. The special stars former AMERICAN IDOL contestant Diana DeGarmo, as the singing voice of her biggest fan, Cosmo. The older-skewing special repeats on Nickelodeon May 20 at 7:00 pm and May 21 at 5:00 pm.

In Television, Television | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Effects Headline News

Rainmaker Announces New Animation and VFX Facility in London

Rainmaker has established a new facility in the Soho district of London: Rainmaker Animation and Visual Effects UK Ltd. In fact, all the visual effects in the St. Sulpice sequence of THE DA VINCI CODE were completed there. Led by Rainmaker visual effects supervisor Mark Breakspear and visual effects producer Nick Drew, the crew produced the longest visual effects sequence in the film.

In Business, Business | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Animation Headline News

Houdini 8.1 Public Beta Released

Side Effects Software, developer of the award-winning Houdini family of 3D software, announced the public beta of Houdini 8.1. This new version features an artist-friendly Auto Rig, Muscle System, Character Picker and Pose Library, as well as enhancements to the Rigid Body and Wire dynamic solvers. CG artists from around the world are invited to download the Houdini 8.1 public beta for free from www.sidefx.com as part of the Houdini Apprentice Program.

In Technology, Technology | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Animation Headline News

endorphin Used to Create Realistic Chaos in Poseidon

NaturalMotion Ltd. announced that its award-winning endorphin software was used by Giant Killer Robots to create several character animation sequences for POSEIDON. endorphins ability to quickly and easily generate realistic animation allowed the teams to create very demanding and destructive shots that would have been near impossible to achieve using traditional tools.

In Films, Visual Effects, Films, Visual Effects | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Dell Headline News

Dell to Make AMD Switch

Dell announced that it would begin using processors from AMD in place of those from Intel to help regain lost market share. Dell said that the AMD-based Dell high-end servers with four Opteron processors would be introduced by the end of this year.

Kevin B. Rollins, Dell ceo, emphasized, however, that it is a fairly small category that has been given to AMD, and that Intel would continue to remain the supplier of most processors used by Dell.

In Technology, Technology | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Animated Headline News

SDAFF’s Final Deadline Nears!

San Diego Asian Film Festival 2006San Diego, California, USAOctober 12-19, 2006Deadline: June 7, 2006

In Call for Entries, Flash, Call for Entries, Flash | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, North America

Award Headline News

Academy Announces 2006 Student Academy Award Winners

Thirteen students from nine different colleges and universities have been named winners in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' 33rd annual Student Academy Awards competition. They will participate in a week of industry-related activities and social events culminating June 10, 2006, with the awards presentation ceremony at the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater. One film student from South Africa also has been selected to receive this year's Honorary Foreign Student Film Award.

The winners are (listed alphabetically by film title within category):

In Awards, Awards | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, South America

Film Headline News

Adobe Celebrates Student Filmmaking at Cannes

Adobe Systems Inc. announced that it is sponsoring the American Pavilion Student Filmmaker Program at the Cannes Film Festival, May 17 through May 28, 2006. Students representing 30 film schools in North America, the U.K., India and South Africa will be paired with professional filmmakers and instructors to create documentaries on their experience at Cannes using the Adobe Production Studio, Macromedia Flash and Macromedia Studio 8. Documentaries will be broadcast daily on the Adobe.com website.

In Event, Flash, Event, Flash | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Asia

Entertainment Headline News

IDT Ent. Gets Sheepish With CG Feature

IDT Ent. has announced the start of production on a new CG-animated feature film, titled SHEEPISH. The film, in production at the companys West Coast headquarters in Burbank, is a comic twist on the old saying beware of wolves in sheeps clothing. Animation will be done at IDT Ent.s studio in Toronto.

In Films, Films | Headline News | Geographic Region: All