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AWN Headline News

Animation Headline News

AWN Discussion Forums - What's New? for February 27, 2006

This week in AWN's Forums, a junior member has concerns about leaving India to study classical animation in Canada because of the poor jobs prospects. Others are discussing THE CORPSE BRIDE and the work of John Hubley. Another member wants to know the least painfully way to animated tentacles. A senior member posts a link to an American Greeting e-card that might get Christians rioting. Other continue to post their work for members to critique.

Animation Headline News

ILM Relies on Vue 5 Infinite From e-on

Industrial Light & Magic is using Vue 5 Infinite, e-on softwares natural 3D environment solution, on some of its upcoming projects, filling a void in its existing tool set.

"e-on products are a great addition to our production tool set and we are planning to expand their use throughout our entire facility, said Cliff Plumer, Lucasfilm cto. You will probably be seeing a lot of Vue in future productions.

Film Headline News

ManiaTV! Announces Second Annual LIVE Internet Film Festival

ManiaTV! LIVE Internet Film FestivalWorld Wide Web June 5 11, 2006Deadline: May 26, 2006

ManiaTV! (www.ManiaTV.com), the worlds first live 24/7 Internet Television Network, is hosting its 2006 Internet Film Festival. With live viewer voting from across the world, the Internet film Festival is the online destination for aspiring filmmakers. Last years ManiaTV! Live Internet Film Festival featured some of the most inventive young directors from around the globe submitting animated shorts, commercial spoofs and feature films.

Animation Headline News

Animation Block Party Taking Entries for 2006 Event

Animation Block Party 2006Brooklyn, New York, USAJuly 22-24, 2006Deadline: June 16, 2006

Animation Block Party 2006 features more diverse award categories, a new jury of animation talents and fresh chances to exhibit films at more venues. Animation Block Party 2006 will officially transmit at Rooftop Films, Galapagos Art Space and BamCinematek.

Film Headline News

Haydenfilms Online Film Fest Open 2006 Event

Second Annual Haydenfilms Online Film FestivalWorld Wide WebAugust 30 - October 30, 2006Deadline: July 15, 2006

The Second Annual Haydenfilms Online Film Festival welcomes all student and independent films of any genre. A judging panel consisting of film experts and professors from New York University, Central Michigan University, Ohio University School of Film, Rochester Institute of Technology and others will critique each film to elect the finalists that will have their films showcased on the site for two months.

Headline News

Lucy Lawless Joins Battlestar Galactica

SCI FI Channel has added Lucy Lawless to the cast of its original series, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, as she reprises her role as D'Anna Biers in a 10-episode arc in the show's eagerly anticipated third season, which begins production in Vancouver, in April 2006.

Lawless' second guest appearance airs Feb. 24, in the episode, "Downloaded," which gives viewers their first real glimpse into the Cylon world. The second half of season 2 of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA premiered Jan. 6.

Headline News

South Park Adds Qube! Render Farm System to Pipeline

The animated SOUTH PARK series has integrated the Qube! render farm management system from PipelineFx into its Maya animation and rendering pipeline, running primarily on Apple Macintosh hardware. The award-winning series created and exec produced by Matt Stone and Trey Parker and produced by South Park Studios has aired on Comedy Central since 1997.

Effects Headline News

wondertouch Releases particleIllusion Professional Emitter Libraries

wondertouch announced the release of the Professional Emitter Libraries, a collection of six new particle emitter libraries for the company's award-winning particleIllusion 3.0 software, widely regarded for creating high-quality, complex particle animations.

Headline News

Weinstein Co. Seeks Kramer’s Evil Script

The Weinstein Co. has scooped up the rights to the script EVILSEEK from writer Wayne Kramer (THE COOLER, RUNNING SCARED) who will also direct and produce the supernatural thriller. Kramers partner Michael Pierce (RUNNING SCARED) will also produce via their True Grit Prods. banner. The Weinstein Co. will fully fund the project, which will star Thomas Jane (THE PUNISHER).

Headline News

ka-chew! Animates Title Sequence for Golf Channel’s The Daly Planet

Hollywood-based ka-chew! has completed production on the animated titles sequence for pro golfer John Dalys show THE DALY PLANET, airing on The Golf Channel. Using 2D animation created by Dave Vandervoort, director Dave Foss incorporated photos, live footage and graphics to create a spacey, Jetsons-like feel, emphasized by a giant globetrotting animated John Daly, to help launch the show.

Animation Headline News

FICCI Forms Animation & Gaming Forum

Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has launched the first focused forum that will drive the agenda of animation and gaming industry in India. The forum aims to be the apex institution and the single point referral for anyone who is a part of the industry.

Film Headline News

First Post-WWII Japanese Animated Film Restored

The Fukuoka City Public Library has restored to its original length the first animated film made in Japan after World War II, reports JAPAN TIMES. A complete version of PRINCESS OF BAGHDAD had not existed for years.

The library will show the 48-minute movie based on THE ARABIAN NIGHTS on Saturday and Sunday at its theater.

A Fukuoka resident donated a nearly complete version to the library in 2004. Since then, the library collaborated with the National Film Center in Tokyo to restore the film to its original length.

Film Headline News

Blur's Gopher Broke Short Sandwiched With Doogal Release

Blur Studios 2005 Oscar-nominated short film, GOPHER BROKE, will screen before the CG-animated feature film, DOOGAL, opening today, Feb. 24, 2006, in more than 2,200 theaters in North America.

GOPHER BROKE, written and directed by Jeff Fowler and exec produced by Blur Studio co-founder Tim Miller will be screened ahead of the feature released by the Weinstein Co. with a special introduction from Academy Award-winning actress Judi Dench.

Marvel Headline News

Marvel Ent. Regains Hulk Rights

By Rick DeMott | Thursday, February 23, 2006 at 12:00am

In its fourth quarter report, Marvel Ent. Inc. revealed that it has regained the film rights to the Incredible Hulk character and is very aggressively developing a sequel to the HULK feature film. Marvel Studios head Avi Arad said in the Earnings Conference Call that Universal would still distribute the sequel.

Universal Headline News

Universal Studios Adds Kong & Fast and the Furious Rides

By Rick DeMott | Thursday, February 23, 2006 at 12:00am

The Studio Tour at Universal Studios Hollywood announced new enhancements for spring 2006, including new attractions showcasing THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS: TOKYO DRIFT and KING KONG, as well as the opportunity to see more working TV and movie sets than ever before, including sets from CROSSING JORDAN and the top-rated CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION. The enhancements represent the most sweeping changes made to the Studio Tour in more than a decade and the greatest number of new additions to the park since the first trams rolled along the landmark Universal backlot in 1964.

Headline News

Crave Ent.’s "Chip" VanDeVelde Passes Away

By Rick DeMott | Thursday, February 23, 2006 at 12:00am

Mark "Chip" VanDeVelde, vp at Crave Ent., passed away on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2006. VanDeVelde was part of the SVG Distribution / Crave Ent. since 1998.

Before coming to Crave, VanDeVelde served as the national sales manager for Konami.

Visitation will be held at the McDonald-Allen-Grennan Funeral Home on Thursday, Feb. 23 from 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm and the funeral service will be held on Friday, Feb. 24, at 10:00 am at St. Mary's Catholic Church.

Kids Headline News

Galli Galli Sim Sim Makes Its Mark In India On Cartoon Network

By Rick DeMott | Thursday, February 23, 2006 at 12:00am

GALLI GALLI SIM SIM, the localized version of the award-winning children's series SESAME STREET, makes its home in India this year on leading kids' channels Cartoon Network and POGO. Nafisa Ali, chairperson, Children's Film Society, India inaugurated the GALLI GALLI SIM SIM set at Filmcity, Noida.

Joining the four colorful Muppet characters Chamki, Aanchoo, Googly and Boombah, who were unveiled in December, GALLI GALLI SIM SIM residents include human characters representing different genders, regions and religions.

Headline News

Humane Society Says Cheers to Wallace & Gromit at Genesis Awards

By Rick DeMott | Thursday, February 23, 2006 at 12:00am

DreamWorks' Academy Award-nominated WALLACE & GROMIT: THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT is among 20 distinguished news and entertainment media honorees being acknowledged for positive coverage of animal issues at the 20th Anniversary Genesis Awards. WALLACE & GROMIT won for Outstanding Feature Film Animated. HSUS said the prize was For unleashing the inimitable duo on an eccentric adventure, in which Gromit's canine savvy helps them win through with a unique and humane version of pest control.

Anime Headline News

New York Comic-Con Ready to Roll

By Guest (not verified) | Thursday, February 23, 2006 at 12:00am

New York City has had its share of comicbook conventions in the past, but few of them have filled more than a hotel ballroom or two. With 10,000 people already pre-registered, the Big Apple is bracing for The New York Comic-Con, its first major comics gathering. The three-day event is set to debut Friday, Feb. 24, 2006, and occupy a huge chuck of the citys massive Javits Convention Center.

Home Headline News

King Kong Going Ape on DVD March 28

Universal Studios Home Ent. has announced that Peter Jackson's KING KONG will be released on DVD March 28, 2006, just 100 days after its theatrical release. There will be two editions: a movie-only single disc ($30) and a two-disc special edition ($31) that includes the final entries in the online production diaries (three hours of post work from Weta Digital), a mockumentary on Skull Island and a tribute to '30s era New York City and the influence of the original KONG. Weta also designed the DVD cover art.

Digital Headline News

Bauhaus Announces New Fully Digital Storyboarding System

Bauhaus Software will offer Boardomatic v2, a new fully digital storyboarding system for Bauhaus Mirage, the company's award-winning 2D animation product. Designed for 2D animators and storyboard artists accustomed to working on paper, Boardomatic v2 combines a customizable template system, automatic pan generation, print formatting and much more.

Headline News

PNY Technologies Offers NVIDIA Quadro FX 4500 SDI

PNY Technologies Inc. is now shipping the latest in its line of high-def graphics-to-video solutions, the NVIDIA Quadro FX 4500 SDI. Adopted by major television networks and film companies, NVIDIA Quadro SDI solutions have been integrated with numerous broadcast and video applications from industry leaders to enable high-def live-to-air 3D graphics, broadcast news, traffic and weather graphics, 2K digital film playback and digital intermediate uses.

Headline News

Gnomon Workshop Releases New ZBrush and XSI Training DVD

The Gnomon Workshop has released Aaron Sims' newest title from his TETHERED ISLANDS DVD training series: BUILDING CREATURES USING ZBRUSH.

Sims uses an assortment of software packages to create his characters, and in this newest installment he gives us a look into the process he uses to build a creature in ZBrush, and then render it in an XSI scene.

Kids Headline News

SpongeBob SquarePants Special Nets 8.6 Million Viewers

That ever cheerful talking yellow sponge squeezed out another huge night of ratings with the SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS Lost In Time primetime special, which aired Feb. 20, 2006, at 8 pm on Nick. The half-hour special episode marked the highest-rated program on all TV with kids 2-11 for the year behind the Super Bowl, and the highest-rated broadcast on all of Nickelodeon since 2001. Lost In Time was the highest-rated episode of SPONGEBOB ever with kids, scoring triple digit increases among all demos.

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