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AWN Headline News

Million Headline News

DreamWorks Animation Dumps Tortoise & Tusker, Reports 2005 Slump

DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. announced results for the fourth quarter and full year ending Dec. 31, 2005.

Within the release, DreamWorks officially nixed past projects TORTOISE AND THE HARE and TUSKER. Both films were written off for book purposes in 2003. Because DreamWorks Animation plans to abandon the rights to these films in 2006, it receives the associated tax benefit at this time. This has resulted in an increase to net income of approximately $28.0 million, or $0.27 per share, in the fourth quarter.

Headline News

Second Life Machinima Film Bells and Spurs Premieres at SXSW

Linden Lab, creator of the virtual world SECOND LIFE, announced the release of BELLS AND SPURS, a machinima film based on the cowboy poem "Silver Bells and Golden Spurs" and created entirely within SECOND LIFE. The film will have its real world premiere Saturday, March 11, 2006, during the Screen Burn Beta Festival at the 13th annual SXSW Interactive Festival in Austin. To see the film and tour the virtual back lot where Bells and Spurs was filmed, visit www.bellsandspurs.com.

Films Headline News

Walerian Borowczyk, Surrealist Auteur, Dies

Walerian Borowczyk, an internationally known surrealist filmmaker, died of heart trouble on Feb. 3, 2006, in Paris, where he had resided since the late 1950s, reports THE NEW YORK TIMES. He was 82.

Originally trained as a painter and graphic artist, he made several dozen films, both animated and live-action, in the decades after World War II. Terry Gilliam, Jan Svankmajer and the Brothers Quay site him as an influence.

Headline News

Weinsteins Plan More Crouching Tiger In Theaters & On Stage

Bob and Harvey Weinstein are developing a stage version of martial arts Oscar winner CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON as well as the five books into a TIGER film franchise of three prequels and a sequel, reports VARIETY.

The Weinstein Co. have gained the worldwide rights to develop and produce a stage adaptation of Chinese author Wang Du Lu's CRANE IRON PENTALOGY, a series of books the fourth installment being CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON.

Short Headline News

John Cusack Booked for Stephen King’s 1408

John Cusack will headline in the theatrical adaptation of Stephen King's short story 1408 for DERAILED director Mikael Hafstrom, producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Dimension Films, reports VARIETY. The script was written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski (ED WOOD).

Cusack will play a debunker of paranormal occurrences who encounters real horror when he checks into notorious Room 1408 at the Dolphin Hotel.

1408 debuted in the King audio book, BLOOD AND SMOKE, and was later included in King's 2002 short story collection, EVERYTHING'S EVENTUAL.

Production Headline News

Corpse Bride Upsets at British Animation Awards

CORPSE BRIDE upset favorite WALLACE & GROMIT: THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT and THE TRIPLETS OF BELLEVILLE to win Best European Animated Feature at this years British Animation Awards hosted by the comedian Jeremy Hardy and held at the Shaw Theatre in London. Aardmans BBC-3 special ANGRY KID: WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE walked off with the Best TV Special award and Hat Trick and Decodes BROMWELL HIGH Baby Boom won the Best Comedy Award.

Headline News

Microsoft Unveils Ultra-Mobile Personal Computers

Microsoft offered details for Ultra-Mobile Personal Computers (UMPCs), a new category of mobile computing devices that features small, lightweight, carry-everywhere hardware designs coupled with the full functionality of a Microsoft Windows-based PC and a choice of input options, including enhanced touch-screen capabilities. Much like a pocket PC, it will be ideal for gaming and for creating 3D models while on the go.

Mobile Headline News

NAB2006 Introduces Web & Mobile Development Conference

The Web & Mobile Development Conference will be launched at NAB2006 on April 25-26, 2006, in Las Vegas. This new educational technology conference, targeted toward professional Web designers, developers and content providers, will debut as part of the NAB2006 MultiMedia World Conference package.

Animation Headline News

AWN Discussion Forums - What's New? for March 6, 2006

This week in AWN's Forums, a member needs some help on their first attempt with stop-motion. Another member vents about a bad freelance gig. Theres a thread debating color theory. Others are asking for business partners. A thread celebrates avatar fanart. A student member from India continues to get advice on studying classical animation in the States. As well as, tools for teaching animation, the business of animation and, as always, brand new stuff to check out in show and tell!

Nickelodeon Headline News

Nick Sets Development Slate & Creates Inkubators Animation Lab

At its 2006-07 upfront presentation, Nickelodeon announced a slate that will include content developed from such platforms as feature films, videogames, broadband and international production, as well as a multi-million dollar development slate for non-linear productions. New projects have been commissioned from Steve Oedekerk, The Wayans Brothers, Alison Taylor, Jorge Gutierrez and Sandra Equihua Nick will also premiere 254 new episodes during the 2006-07 season, as well as new platforms for content including video podcasts.

Million Headline News

Pixar Reports Incredible Profits in 2005

Pixar Animation Studios reported 2005 was the companys most profitable year ever. For the fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2005, Pixar earned $152.9 million, or $1.24 per fully diluted share, on revenues of $289.1 million. Topping earnings of $141.7 million on revenues of $273.5 million for the year ended Jan. 1, 2005.

Animation Headline News

Softimage Launches Face Robot

With facial animation becoming more of a necessity the Oscar-winning KING KONG relied on it heavily Softimage unveils SOFTIMAGE | FACE ROBOT this month, the industrys first software application dedicated to the creation of believable facial animation for high-end film, post and games productions.

Headline News

Stan Lee & John Dykstra To Auction Off Shoes

Stan Lee, creator of Spider-Man, the Incredible Hulk and the Fantastic Four, and John Dykstra, Academy Award winner for visual effects on STAR WARS and SPIDER-MAN 2 are auctioning off their shoes to raise money for mentoring throughout the world. The Get in Their Shoes Campaign is a call to action by successful business leaders, athletes, entertainers and politicians to rally youth and aspiring leaders to lift themselves out of their limiting circumstances by proactively interviewing successful professionals within their own communities.

Henson Headline News

Jim Henson Co. Toons Up With Varjak Paw

The Jim Henson Co. has optioned feature film rights to SF Saids fantasy novels VARJAK PAW and its sequel THE OUTLAW VARJAK PAW, reports VARIETY. The company plans to develop the property as an animated film.

The books illustrator Dave McKean, who directed the Henson film MIRRORMASK, is set to direct. McKean will team with Said to adapt the screenplay.

The original book follows a Mesopotamian blue kitten as he learns he is part of a mystical tradition of magical martial arts and sets out to save his family.

Headline News

House of Sand and Fog Helmer To Direct Giver

HOUSE OF SAND AND FOGs Vadim Perelman is set to adapt and direct a film based on Lois Lowry's Newbery Award-winning fantasy novel THE GIVER for 20th Century Fox and Walden Media, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Perelman will work from an earlier draft written by Todd Alcott.

The story is set in an idyllic future society where all memory of human history has been erased. A 12-year-old named Jonas life is turned upside down when he inherits the role of the Giver the sole keeper of human emotions.

Sound Headline News

Comic Book Movies & Skywalker Sound Announce Strategic Partnership

Comic Book Movies, an entertainment company established by veteran film producer and comicbook authority Michael Uslan and visionary financier M. Jonathan Roberts, has announced a strategic partnership with Skywalker Sound for all post-production and sound services for their upcoming slate of features films, television and animation productions.

World Headline News

SpongeBob SquarePants Dives Onto PSP

THQ Inc. announced that SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS: THE YELLOW AVENGER has shipped for PSP. Based on the characters of Nickelodeon's chart-topping animated television show, the game explores a new dimension of SpongeBob as a superhero and is now available at retail outlets nationwide.

Digital Headline News

DI Colorist Doug Delaney Joins Post Logic Studios L.A.

Leading longform post-production company Post Logic Studios has hired digital intermediate colorist Doug Delaney, who is best known for his work on the digital intermediate for THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING. As one of three colorists supervised by Peter Doyle and cinematographer Andrew Lesnie, ASC, Delaney spent more than five months in New Zealand on the meticulous color grading of the effects-laden epic.

Special Headline News

It's Time To Get Involved With AWN's MIP-TV Special Newsletters!

Continuing our special event specific Flash Newsletters, we will be publishing special editions for MIP-TV. The markets are fast approaching and our editorial and advertising staffs are gearing up for the MIP-TV-specific Flash Newsletter series. Here are the dates for the publications. Please send your news two weeks prior to the publication date.

MIP-TV Flash NewslettersMarch 14March 21March 28

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.

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