Digital Musings From the Editor:
With VFXWorld editor Bill Desowitz away covering NAB in Las Vegas, its my turn to fill all our readers in on what is happening on the site.
With VFXWorld editor Bill Desowitz away covering NAB in Las Vegas, its my turn to fill all our readers in on what is happening on the site.
Boris FX unveiled the next generation of its award-wining Boris Red at NAB 2006. Boris Red is an integrated 3D compositing, titling and effects solution that provides integrated broadcast-quality features directly inside nonlinear editing systems. Version 4.0 introduces hundreds of new features, including more than 40 new filters, 16-bit color support and a sophisticated new paint engine.
NVIDIA Corp. announced the NVIDIA Quadro FX 4500 X2 graphics solution is the latest addition to the company's growing line of solutions for advanced visualization systems requiring scalable graphics performance. This solution joins the recently announced NVIDIA Quadro FX 5500 card with the NVIDIA Quadro SDI and G-Sync option cards the most extensive line of products for this growing market segment.
Avid Technology Inc. announced version 5.5 of Avid Studio Toolkit, which delivers significant enhancements to a set of tightly integrated, industry-leading software applications, including Avid 3D, Avid FX, and Avid DVD by Sonic. Ideal for any content creator using Avid Xpress Pro software as well as any system in the new Media Composer family. Avid Studio Toolkit delivers new creative toolsets and user interfaces for Avid FX and Avid 3D, as well as enhanced authoring options, including support for the Blu-ray Disc format.
This week at NAB, NewTek announced the forthcoming release of SpeedEDIT, VT[5] Live!, TriCaster PRO and TriCaster for Mac.
SpeedEDIT is a resolution-independent video editor designed to work quickly and efficiently on any video project, from web streams to High-Definition..
Sony Pictures Home Ent. released FINAL FANTASY VII: ADVENT CHILDREN on DVD and UMD, April 25, 2006. With direction and character designs from Tetsuya Nomura, the creator of the FINAL FANTASY VII, VIII & X games, this 100-minute feature includes the voices of Steve Burton (THE LAST CASTLE, TAKEN), Rachel Leigh Cook (JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS) and Mena Suvari (AMERICAN BEAUTY). The two-disc Special Edition will sell for $26.96.
HP announced new solutions that help companies and consumers benefit from the historic transition to digital entertainment.
The company introduced the HP Digital Media Solution, standards-based technology that automates the workflow for broadcasters and network operators, as well as a new workstation lineup with enhancements in performance and mobility for video editors and animators.
At NAB, AMD demonstrated growing momentum for AMD64 technology adoption in broadcast and digital media pipelines for the production, management and distribution of digital media content.
Red Bank International Film Festival 2006Red Bank, New Jersey, USAOctober 13-15, 2006Deadline: June 1, 2006
Red Bank - The Jersey Shore town that local filmmaker Kevin Smith made famous is set to host the 6th Annual Red Bank International Film Festival. With one of its main sites being the historic Count Basie Theatre a venue with more than 1,000 seats, a brand new state of the art sound system, and an enormous screen the festival is a showcase for any film.
The Kids' WB! 2006-2007 programming slate features four new original programs and the return of four hit series when the "Too Big For Your TV" Saturday morning schedule kicks off this September on The CW, the new broadcast network launching this fall, it was announced today (April 25, 2006) by Betsy McGowen, svp/gm, Kids' WB!
FOSTERS HOME FOR IMAGINARY FRIENDS returns with new episodes Friday nights at 7:00 pm with an encore at 10:00 pm, beginning April 28, 2006, on Cartoon Network. Mac and the gang face some funsome challenges, like superhero imaginary friends, uncovering a mysterious house photo and neighborhood kids making funny faces. The hit series from Craig McCracken, creator of THE POWERPUFF GIRLS, airs Monday-Thursday at 8:30 pm in addition to its timeslot on Fridays at 7:00.
DAZ Productions Inc., a leading developer of professional quality 3D models and software, today (April 25, 2006) announced it has acquired Eovia Corp., a based in Mountain View, California-based developer and publisher of leading 3D animation, modeling and rendering solutions. DAZ Productions has taken over Eovia's entire development, marketing and sales divisions and all the technology rights to Carrara, Eovias 3D modeling, animation and rendering software. DAZ Prods. has also acquired all technology rights to Hexagon, Eovias 3D modeling software, from Eovia Europe S.A.
Viacom Inc. announced April 24, 2006, it has reached a definitive agreement to acquire Xfire Inc., the fastest-growing online gaming communication and community platform in the world, for $102 million in cash.
Cartoon Network and VIZ Media announced a joint venture called Toonami Jetstream, a new broadband service that will provide on-demand, full-length streaming episodes of a number of hit anime and action series, including NARUTO and SAMURAI JACK. In addition, users will also be able to watch full-length episodes of series like HIKARU NO GO, MÄR and THE PRINCE OF TENNIS that are not offered on U.S. broadcast or basic cable television. In this joint venture, Cartoon Network and VIZ Media will jointly manage and administer acquisitions and programming.
BOXX Technologies Inc. officially launched BOXX APEXX 8, a personal workstation specifically designed to maximize productivity of visual effects professionals. With eight Dual-Core AMD Opteron processors, this new super-workstation is capable of working in full 2K film resolution and has enough memory (up to 128GB) to work in realtime on extremely large files. BOXX unveiled the APEXX 8 during the National Association of Broadcasters Convention (NAB) at the ProMax booth, SL 534, April 24-27, 2006.
ATI Technologies Inc. announced a complete top-to-bottom line of next generation FireGL workstation graphics accelerators for professional users. The new family of products range from an ultra high-end one gigabyte configuration to 128MB model, and are all based on ATI's scalable, ultrathreaded architecture with Avivo video and display technology.
Lightstorm producer Jon Landau told VFXWORLD at Sunday's (April 23, 2006) NAB Digital Cinema Summit in Las Vegas that director James Cameron will emphasize performance capture technology as part of his upcoming digital 3-D feature production plans.
Betsy McGowen joins The CW as svp/gm, Kids' WB! on The CW, it was announced by Dawn Ostroff, who becomes president of entertainment, The CW, to whom McGowen will report. The CW is the new fifth broadcast television network scheduled to launch in the fall 2006 and is a joint venture between Warner Bros. Ent. and CBS Corp. McGowen will oversee all series development, current programming and scheduling as well as brand, image and marketing for Kids' WB! on The CW.
SILENT HILL from Sony claimed the number one position at the weekend box office as it debuted with $20.1M for the period ended April 23, 2006. Moviegoers will still in the mood for horror as Dimension's SCARY MOVIE 4 dropped slightly to the second spot with $16.8 M for a two-week cume of $67.5M.
THQ Inc. announced its 2006 videogame lineup based on Nickelodeon's top brands for kids. Games based on the TV series SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS, AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER, DANNY PHANTOM and UNFABULOUS, as well as a new installment of Nicktoons, are anticipated to ship across multiple game systems in 2006. THQ is also scheduled to release BARNYARD based upon Paramount Pictures'/Nickelodeon Movies' upcoming summer theatrical release.
AOL has launched KOL Jr. (www.koljunior.com/), a website for kids 2-5. The site contains original cartoons, games, music, bedtime stories and other fun, interactive features designed to help parents introduce the Internet to their young children. The launch of KOL Jr. also marks the debut of a brand new cartoon called PILAR'S ADVENTURES, which covers topics that engage preschoolers' imaginations while helping them deal with everyday life experiences.
MTV: Music Television announced nominees for the 2006 MTV Movie Awards with two adult comedies 40-YEAR OLD VIRGIN and WEDDING CRASHERS, each receiving five nominations. Also vying for the spotlight are BATMAN BEGINS, HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE, HUSTLE & FLOW, SIN CITY and STAR WARS: EPISODE III REVENGE OF THE SITH with three nominations each. Filming June 3, 2006, at Sony Picture Studios in Culver City, California, the awards will premiere to audiences nationwide on Thursday, June 8, at 9:00 pm ET/PT on MTV.
Benderspink and producer Josh C. Kline are set to adapt the classic Japanese anime STAR BLAZERS into a live-action feature, according to the HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Known as SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO in Japan, the 1970s franchise spun off three television series, five animated features and a host of merchandise. Voyager Ent. brought the series to the U.S. in the early 1980s.
SAG's national board has unanimously ratified its new contract for basic cable animation, reports the trades. The contract, which went into effect with Friday's approval, is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2006, and will run through June 30, 2008.
The new deal nets a 20% increase in residuals after 16 years under an original pact with such companies as Walt Disney Pictures & Television, Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios.
Animation World Network and VFXWorld would like to remind young filmmakers that we are a special media sponsor for the Visual Effects Societys eDIT Filmmakers Festival in Frankfurt, Germany, Sept. 24-26, 2006. We will be sponsoring eDward VII, a young filmmakers contest and awards which celebrates the work of talented artists under the age of 30.