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AWN Headline News

Imax Headline News

Superman Returns to Partially Fly in IMAX 3-D

SUPERMAN RETURNS will become the first live-action Hollywood feature to be converted from 2D to IMAX 3-D. IMAX Corp. will use its proprietary 2D to 3-D conversion technology to convert approximately 20 minutes of the film into An IMAX 3-D Experience.

"Releasing select sequences of SUPERMAN RETURNS in IMAX 3-D marks a groundbreaking moment in movies," said Dan Fellman, president of Domestic Distribution at Warner Bros. Pictures. "This film is going to give fans an opportunity to be immersed in a major live-action motion picture like never before."

Kids Headline News

Nat Geo Kids Ups Michael Karsh to Manage Current Series & Development

National Geographic Television & Films (NGT&F) Kids programming and production unit has promoted Michael Karsh to manager, current series & development. Karsh will serve as the primary exec on several projects in various stages of development and production.

Studio Headline News

Apple Ships First Universal Final Cut Studio 5.1

Apple is now shipping the first Universal version of its Final Cut Studio video production suite that delivers up to 2.5x the performance when running on a MacBook Pro notebook computer. Final Cut Studio features state-of-the-art tools that complement Final Cut Pro 5, including Soundtrack Pro, a new audio editing and sound design application that makes video projects sound as good as they look; Motion 2, the first realtime motion graphics application with GPU accelerated 32-bit float rendering; and DVD Studio Pro 4 for professional DVD authoring.

Mobile Headline News

NVIDIA Offers First Quadro FX Mobile Workstation

NVIDIA Corp. announced a new line of NVIDIA Quadro FX graphics solutions. This new lineup includes:

* The NVIDIA Quadro FX 350M: the company's first professional GPU designed specifically for thin and light mobile workstations.* The NVIDIA Quadro FX 1500M: offering outstanding application performance and the industry's highest image precision and quality.* The NVIDIA Quadro FX 2500M: bringing an industry best 512MB of graphics memory for customers looking for the highest performance.

Headline News

Vicon iQ 2.5 Now Available

Vicon has released Vicon iQ 2.5, the most recent installment of the company's industry-leading Vicon iQ software. Vicon iQ has consistently streamlined and automated motion capture workflows by providing intuitive controls and a user interface that simplifies the tasks associated with recording and managing even the most complex motion capture data.

Home Headline News

Sony’s UMD Format Dying Off

With its year anniversary upon us, PSPs proprietary Universal Media Disc may soon be a home entertainment avenue of the past, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Universal Studios Home Ent., Paramount Pictures Home Ent. and Image Ent. have stopped releasing titles on the UMD format while retailers are shrinking the amount of shelf space they've been devoting to UMD movies. Rumors are abuzz that Wal-Mart will soon discontinue the sale of UMDs completely. Moreover, Buena Vista Home Ent. and 20th Century Fox Home Ent. have significantly pulled back on their UMD release schedules.

Million Headline News

Chicken Little Clucks in Cash on DVD

Buena Vista Home Ent.'s CHICKEN LITTLE has clucked up enough cash to secure the top spot on the First Alert DVD sales chart for the week ending March 26, 2006. VideoScan data reports that CHICKEN LITTLE, which grossed more than $135 million in theaters, outsold second-ranked debut DREAMER: INSPIRED BY A TRUE STORY, from DreamWorks, by a nearly 4-to-1 margin. Paramount's seventh-season set of Comedy Central's SOUTH PARK debuted at #9. In rental stores, Chicken Little arrived ay #7, with $3.9 million.

Cartoon Headline News

Cartoon Network Creates World’s First Animated/Live-Action Game Show

Cartoon Network U.K. is producing SKATOONY, the worlds first animated game show with real life kid contestants. It is scheduled to premiere in October 2006.

Hosted by animated characters Chudd Chudders and The Earl, the 13x30 series is animated entirely in-house by the Cartoon Network team at its London headquarters. Each week real-life and cartoon contestants will play each other through three rounds of challenges, with the final contestant taking everything in an against-the-clock challenge.

Series Headline News

Five New Series Come to Adult Swim In 2006

Completing its first full year as an individually rated network, the late-night service announced the new slate of programming on deck for 2006 at the Adult Swim Upfront event in New York. New series for the year are DEATH CLOCK METALOCALYPSE, FRISKY DINGO, ASSY MCGEE, SAUL OF THE MOLE MEN and LUCY, THE DAUGHTER OF THE DEVIL.

Headline News

Bill Plympton’s Early Works Now on DVD

The early work of Academy Award-nominated Bill Plympton has been gathered together in one compilation. PLYMPTOONS: THE COMPLETE EARLY WORKS OF BILL PLYMPTON compiles all of his commercials, animated spots and short films and is available for $26.95.

Headline News

VOOM HD Networks Launches Gameplay HD Channel

VOOM HD Networks partners up with leading game industry companies to offer exclusive content on Gameplay HD, the first high-definition channel dedicated solely to videogaming. The channel features three tiers of exclusive programming centered on the interests of gamers, including gaming news, original series and specials, and global gaming community coverage featuring tournaments and competitions.

Headline News

Capcom Releases Mega Man Powered Up For PSP

Capcom released MEGA MAN POWERED UP for the PSP. The original MEGA MAN, which was originally released on the Nintendo Ent. System, undergoes a complete transformation in MEGA MAN POWERED UP. The title features a totally redesigned look and feel, combined with new gameplay options. MEGA MAN POWERED UP is rated E for everyone by the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) and is now available at retailers across North America.

Film Headline News

Brain Zoo Taps André Bustanoby as VFX Supervisor

Brain Zoo Studios has hired former Stan Winston exec producer and visual effects supervisor André Bustanoby to supervise visual effects at Brain Zoo Studios as part of an expansion into film and TV while continuing to serve the interactive entertainment client base.

Bustanoby brings 12 years of film and television visual effects experience to the Brain Zoo team, having worked on such high-profile projects as TITANIC, FANTASTIC 4, SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW and, most recently, EIGHT BELOW.

Headline News

Brer Rabbit Hip-Hops on DVD

It may not be SONG OF THE SOUTH, but THE ADVENTURES OF BRER RABBIT (Universal Home Ent., $22.98) is as close as were going to get to Uncle Remus famous tales on DVD for a while. This 2D animated direct-to-DVD from Universal Cartoon Studios, Cuckoos Nest Studios and Wang Film Prods. offers a modern, musical retelling of the clever and mischievous Brer Rabbit, as he outwits Brer Fox, Brer Bear and the rest of the Brer critters. Byron Vaughns directs an all-star lineup that includes Wayne Brady (Brer Wolf), Nick Cannon (Brer Rabbit), Danny Glover (Brer Turtle), D.L.

Film Headline News

Looney Bin Wins Animation Prize at Ann Arbor Film Fest

The Ann Arbor Film Festival wrapped up its 2006 event on March 26, 2006 with the awarding of its prizes. The Chris Frayne Award Best Animated Film went to MARVELOUS KEEN LOONEY BIN by Lizzi Arkana. Moreover, David Chais FUMI AND THE BAD LUCK FOOT won the Prix DeVarti Funniest Film award. In honorable mentions, Bruce Alcocks AT THE QUINTE HOTEL was a recipient. For a complete list of winners, visit www.aafilmfest.org/.

Headline News

SAG Toons In More Residuals For Cable VO Actors

SAG and industry producers have tentatively come to terms on a new basic cable animation contract, which increases residual payments by 20%, reports the trades.

Word came down on Monday the same day that negotiating resumed on a separate live-action basic cable series contract. SAG has already mentioned a strike if they dont get an acceptable raise in residuals.

Both contracts were last negotiated 16 years ago when cable TV was a relatively new.

Textures Headline News

Naked Sky Ent. & Allegorithmic Announce Deal to License ProFX for RoboBlitz

Naked Sky Ent. announced that it has licensed Allegorithmic's ProFX procedural texture authoring and rendering system for its upcoming title ROBOBLITZ, expected to be one of the first Unreal Engine 3 titles to ship on Xbox 360 Live Arcade and the PC.

Cartoon Headline News

Cartoon Network Brings Animated Shorts Back To The Cinema

Cartoon Network UK is bringing animated shorts back as a way of promoting its TV brand. This seven-figure campaign is Cartoon Networks single largest ever marketing initiative.

From April, in a national campaign negotiated by MediaCom, major kids films at Odeon (Carlton Screen Advertising) and Vue (Pearl and Dean) cinemas will be preceded by six-minute Cartoon Network shorts which will receive an estimated 20 million admissions per year.

Concept Headline News

d'artiste: Concept Art Entry Deadline Nears

The entry deadline to submit work to Ballistic Publishings D'ARTISTE: CONCEPT ART is April 3, midnight GMT. D'ARTISTE: CONCEPT ART is the fourth title in the D'ARTISTE DIGITAL ARTISTS Master Class series. D'ARTISTE: CONCEPT ART features the community's leading digital artists demonstrating their techniques and approaches. More than just tricks and techniques, d'artiste delves into each artist's overall approach, their choice of subject matter and what inspires them.

Headline News

Pixel Farm Ships PFClean, Goes ‘MacTel’

The Pixel Farm, a company focused on innovation in the field of high-end digital post-production, has released PFClean1.5. Since its release in 2005, PFClean has already been adopted by a growing number of DI and post-production facilities worldwide including, Hollywood Intermediates, Ollin Studios and Hungarian Film Labs.

Headline News

King Kong Conquers DVD

Peter Jacksons KING KONG, which took the Oscar for Best Visual Effects for Weta Digital, roars onto DVD March 28, 2006 (Universal Studios Home Ent., $30.98) in a two-disc special edition loaded with extras.

The DVD, featuring collectable original package artwork specially designed by the artists at Weta Digital, offers an informative inside look into the creation of the films two cinematic worlds: Skull Island and 1933 New York City.

Headline News

Animated Planet of the Apes TV Series Bows on DVD

As part of the limited edition, 14-disc PLANET OF THE APES: THE ULTIMATE DVD COLLECTION ($179.98) that streets March 28, 2005, Twentieth Century Fox Home Ent. offers for the first time the animated TV series, RETURN TO THE PLANET OF THE APES.

From the Oscar-winning creators of THE PINK PANTHER (David H. DePatie & Friz Freleng) comes this high-concept cartoon from 75 populated by familiar characters from the PLANET OF THE APES films and live-action TV series, including Cornelius, Zira and General Urko .

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