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AWN Headline News

Film Headline News

Horror Filmmakers Wanted for NYC Horror Fest

2006 New York City Horror Film FestivalNew York, New York, USAOctober 2006Deadline: September 15, 2006

The New York City Horror Film Festival is Americas largest genre film festival. Held yearly at the prestigious Tribeca Cinemas, the NYCHFF prides itself on having the best industry networking, the biggest parties and being the most highly attended and globally recognized genre film festival in America. For more information, visit www.nychorrorfest.com.

Headline News

Sun-Maid Girl Gets CGI Makeover

The Sun-Maid Girl, famous for her red bonnet and for holding a tray of freshly picked grapes, has received a CGI makeover in honor of her 90th anniversary, courtesy of Synthespian Studios, founded by Jeff Kleiser and Diana Walczak.

This American icon recently took on animated form in nationwide TV commercials, print ads and a newly designed website (www.sunmaid.com).

Licensing Headline News

Steven M. Grossman Exits 4Kids Ent. COO Post

4Kids Ent. announced that Steven M. Grossman, evp/coo and member of the board of directors, has stepped down from the company and from the board. Grossman's responsibilities will be shared among the current members of the senior management team, led by chairman/ceo Alfred R. Kahn, cfo Bruce R. Foster and general counsel Samuel R. Newborn.

Series Headline News

Animation Director Brad Case Dies

Animator/director Brad Case died March 19, 2006. He was 93.

His career spanned from 1934 until his retirement in 1999, having worked for Iwerks, Disney, MGM, Lantz, Raphael Wolff, Sutherland, Paul Fennell, Tempo, Calvin Co., Academy, ERA Prods., Hanna-Barbera, Larry Harmon, UPA, Warner Bros., Nicholson, Sanrio, DePatie-Freleng, Marvel, Graz Ent. and New World.

Anime Headline News

Geneon Ent. Brings Popular Anime Titles To Podcasts

Following its recent success in the portable community with the release of its anime titles on UMD, Geneon Ent. has expanded into the ever-growing world of podcasting. Featuring trailers and television commercials that include the popular superhero series VIEWTIFUL JOE and the gritty samurai series SAMURAI CHAMPLOO, Geneon Ent. will be adding three new podcast streams each week on iTunes, and will soon expand the content to include behind-the-scenes features, sneak previews and exclusive footage only available through the podcast.

Media Headline News

SAE Institute Expands in Middle East

Following the tremendous success of courses offered at its Dubai hub, SAE Institute, the largest film, audio engineering and animation training provider in the world, is looking at expanding to other countries in the region.

Marco Bettelli, SAE's Dubai gm, said that the SAE Institute's regional campus at Dubai Knowledge Village (KV) has captured the imagination of aspiring filmmakers, animators and music professionals from around the region and is considering opening branches in Middle Eastern countries like Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon.

Headline News

Three Actors Take A Ride on Water Horse

Emily Watson, Ben Chaplin and Alex Etel (MILLIONS) have signed onto THE WATER HORSE, based on the Dick King Smith novel, reports the trades. Jay Russell is set to direct the film, which is scheduled to start filming in early May in Scotland and New Zealand.

The co-production between Walden Media, Beacon Pictures and Revolution Studios chronicles the tale of a lonely boy in Scotland (Etel) who discovers a mysterious egg on the shore of a lake. When the egg hatches, a mythical sea monster of Scottish legend called the water horse" emerges.

Headline News

San Bernadino County Libraries Pull Manga History Book

Bill Postmus, chairman of the board of supervisors of suburban San Bernadino County, California, has ordered the county's libraries to remove the scholarly text, MANGA: SIXTY YEARS OF JAPANESE COMICS, from circulation, reports ICv2.com. On the county's website, he called the book obscene and added, "that book is absolutely inappropriate for a public library and as soon as I was made aware of it yesterday, I ordered it to be removed immediately."

Animation Headline News

S4 Studios & Sunwoo to Get Wild Baby on Direct-To-DVD Series

S4 Studios Llc. has teamed with Sunwoo Ent. to produce six half-hour episodes of WILD ANIMAL BABY, a mixed-media 3D animation, Flash animation and live-action series for the non-profit Washington, D.C.-based National Wildlife Federation. The 12x11 preschooler-targeted series will be distributed on home video via the NWF website (www.nwf.org/wildanimalbaby).

Sega Headline News

SEGA Acquires Notable San Francisco-Based Developer

SEGA Holdings U.S.A. Inc. has acquired acclaimed developer Secret Level Inc. to establish new internal development arm in North America. Founded in 1999 and headed by Jeremy Gordon, San Francisco-based Secret Level is a leading videogame developer well-known in the industry for developing cutting-edge next-generation technology.

The Secret Level, Inc. development studio will continue to operate out of its current office in San Francisco.

Business Headline News

Simon Taylor New Legal & Business Affairs VP for BVITV EMEA

Simon Taylor joins Buena Vista International Television (BVITV) EMEA as vp, legal & business affairs. In this London-based role, Taylor will be responsible for managing all legal and business affairs for BVITVs TV and new media distribution business.

Within this, he will work closely with both Tom Toumazis, evp/md, BVITV EMEA and Peter Wiley, Disneys svp and European general counsel. Taylor will manage a BVITV legal & business affairs team of 11 based in London and Paris. He will also become a member of BVITVs executive team.

Headline News

Imagineer Releases monet v2, mokey v4

Imagineer Systems announced the immediate availability of monet v2 and mokey v4. monet is a unique tracking and compositing toolset for commercial, film and corporate video post-production work such as virtual product placement and visual effects work. mokey offers an essential toolset for removing wires, rigs, logos, scratches and other undesired elements in commercial, film and corporate video post-production work. Both products will be on display in Las Vegas at NAB 2006 (booth #SL5564).

Season Headline News

Ubisoft to Offer Interactive Open Season Videogame

Ubisoft announced that the OPEN SEASON videogame, based on Sony Pictures Animation's first feature-length 3D-animated movie (opening Sept. 29), will ship mid-September on all available videogame platforms. Developed by Ubisoft's award-winning Montreal studio, OPEN SEASON will allow gamers to relive the humor and adventure of the movie by creating a fun and immersive interactive world that conveys the same comedic storyline, zany characters and artistic images projected in the animated film.

Media Headline News

Nominees For 1st Internet, Cellphone & iPod Emmy Announced

The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced the nominees for the first Emmy Award to be presented for original entertainment programming created specifically for non-traditional viewing platforms, including computers, mobile phones, iPods, PDAs and similar devices. The new Emmy Award will first be presented at the 33rd Annual Creative Arts Daytime Emmy Awards, hosted by Meredith Vieira, on April 22, 2006, at New York Citys Marriott Marquis.

Advertising Headline News

Massive CEO Claims Gaming Ads To Reach Nearly $2B by 2010

During the keynote address delivered at the 2nd annual Advertising in Games conference in New York, Massive Inc. ceo Mitch Davis predicted that ad spending on in-game advertising will reach between a $1.6 and $1.8 billion in the U.S. by 2010, accounting for roughly 3% of total media spending, reports MEDIAWEEK. In comparison to previous estimates, Davis' claim is far larger than forecasts issued by both JupiterResearch and The Yankee Group last year.

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