4Kids' Summit Media Group Names Lee Ravdin President
The Summit Media Group, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of 4Kids Ent., has named Lee Ravdin as president, replacing Sheldon Hirsch, who recently resigned as ceo of Summit for personal reasons.
The Summit Media Group, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of 4Kids Ent., has named Lee Ravdin as president, replacing Sheldon Hirsch, who recently resigned as ceo of Summit for personal reasons.
Magnolia Pictures and Shorts International have partnered to bring the Academy Award-nominated live-action and animated short films to select U.S. theaters before the Oscar broadcast on March 5, 2006. The films will later be available through HDNet and Magnolia's new Home Entertainment division, as well as across other platforms that include ShortsTV on mobile phones.
Movie Trailer Showdown CompetitionLondon, U.K.June 14, 2006Deadline: May 1, 2006
Frozen Moon Prods. Ltd. is hosting the Movie Trailer Showdown Competition. As an individual, team or company, the contest challenges entrants to make a film trailer no longer than 1.5 minutes.
Animadrid 2006Madrid, Spain September 29 October 6, 2006Deadline: June 25, 2006
The 6th edition of Animadrid was organized with the purpose of fostering the film and audiovisual arts by promoting independent animation productions and providing an assembly point for artists and audiences in the international community. ANIMADRID 2006 will hold its regular four competitive sections:
* Official competitive section of international feature films. Films of more of 45 minutes of running time, produced after the 1st of January 2005.
The Weinstein Co. has partnered with FamilyMediaGuide.com to develop the MEET DOOGAL AND FRIENDS MATCHING GAME, an interactive online game and sweepstakes, based on the animated movie, DOOGAL, opening in theaters in the U.S. on Feb. 24, 2006.
Originally released in Europe as SPRUNG: THE MAGIC-ROUNDABOUT, The Weinstein Co. (enjoying box office success with the animated flick HOODWINKED) picked up the picture and had it re-cut it, recorded new voices and renamed it DOOGAL, with U.S. direction by Butch Hartman.
Anthem Visual Effects has completed more than 200 visual effects for MASTERS OF HORROR, a series of 13 original one-hour movies in HD co-produced by IDT Ent., Industry Ent. and Nice Guy Prods.
Anthem employed greenscreen shots, 3D motion tracking and compositing (using Mac in OS X) to create CG elements and construct 3D environments from bloody knives and disturbing eyes to a creepy cliffs edge shack in the moonlight, a woman with the legs of a deer and a rat with a human face.
Toronto-based Comet Ent. Inc. announced today (Feb. 15, 2006) it has entered into an agreement with Spanish-based Dachefa Audiovisuales, SL. to co-produce the animated series COOLCITY. The series pilot will be introduced at MIP-TV 2006 in Cannes, April 2-8.
Logo, the network for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) viewers, has greenlit a diverse slate of scripted series ranging from traditional drama to edgy comedy, including two animated series, RICK AND STEVE and SLINK. These and live-action comedy series, THE RULES, and the drama, HEARTLAND, were announced today (Feb. 15, 2006) by Brian Graden, president, MTV Networks Music Group Ent. and president, Logo.
Animations sweetheart John Lasseter found himself wedged between the vfx giant pics WAR OF THE WORLDS and KING KONG as they all commanded the awards and praise at the 4th Annual VES Awards tonight, (Feb. 15, 2006) at the Hollywood Paladium in Hollywood to a sold-out crowd attending the Visual Effects Society black-tie fete recognizing outstanding visual effects in 20 categories of film, television, commercials, music videos and games. WAR OF THE WORLDS and KING KONG each won in three categories.
With Bill Desowitz on vacation with his family, its been left to me to recap the last week in VFXWorld history.
JAKKS Pacific, Inc., in conjunction with Disney Publishing Worldwide, will offer TeleStory products with content based on the library of classic and popular Disney characters. The TeleStory interactive books connect directly into a standard TV using JAKKS' Plug & Read technology and serve as a fun, introductory reading guide for preschool-aged children.
Building off its success as an international publisher of video and computer games based on leading international children's characters, The Game Factory announced a significant expansion in its 2006 product portfolio at the 2006 American International Toy Fair. More than 20 titles, developed for young gamers, will ship for the Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2 and PC-CD ROM platforms. Titles can be purchased via national toy, electronic, videogame, software and mass-market retailers.
Santa Monica-based motion design and production company, Blind, has completed production on a spot for the new Polaris ATV. The inspiration for Ordinance 2006 was an old military instruction film from the 60s. The look was a combination of CG, illustration and archival material from Polaris. The challenge was to use these elements to make it cool, hip and rugged.
The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror films announced the nominations for the 32nd annual Saturn Awards. George Lucas' STAR WARS: EPISODE III REVENGE OF THE SITH led all nominees with 10 nominations.
BATMAN BEGINS placed second, with nine nominations, followed by THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE and HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE, which both received eight nominations.
POW! Ent. has announced that it has acquired the exclusive rights and ownership in perpetuity to the name "Stan Lee," his likeness, brand and signature slogans "Stan Lee Presents," "Excelsior" and "Stan's Soap Box." POW! also acquired most of the intellectual properties created by Stan Lee during the period beginning after his tenure as Marvel's cco, editor in chief and publisher and predate POW! Ent. The rights are in addition to new properties that are being developed by Stan Lee for other major entertainment conglomerates on behalf of POW! Ent.
American Black Film Festival 2006Miami, Florida, USAJuly 19-23, 2006Deadline: April 7, 2006
Film Life and HBO will host the American Black Film Festival (ABFF). HBO is the ABFF's founding and title sponsor and Wal-Mart Voices of Color is the presenting sponsor.
The 2006 ABFF program includes independent film screenings, network and studio premieres, panels, workshops and seminars led by accomplished industry professionals. Other highlights include live entertainment, exclusive networking events and the ABFF Awards presentation.
Toon Boom Animation Inc. celebrates the strong opening of CURIOUS GEORGE, a 2D animated feature from Imagine Ent. and Universal Pictures that employs the software company's Opus to the production of this globally known character. Ranking third place in past weekend box office, the feature offers an all-new adventure based upon the beloved tales of George, the inquisitive little guy with an insatiable taste for action.
The Quigley Corp. announced that it has partnered with Universal Pictures for a Cold-Eeze promotion tied to CURIOUS GEORGE, the new 2D animated film that opened in the U.S. on Feb. 10, 2006. Promotion activities include a sweepstakes and a self-liquidating offer that launched with an ad in PARENTING MAGAZINE in January.
The Weinstein Co. has acquired the rights to ESCAPE FROM PLANET EARTH, a CG-animated comedy feature to be written by Tony Leech and Cory Edwards, the duo behind the box office animated hit HOODWINKED. Leech is set to direct the project and Preston Stutzman of Blue Yonder Films will produce it along with Jonathan Shestack (AIR FORCE ONE), Brian Inerfeld and Gregory R. Little with Mainframe Ent., which will animate the film in Vancouver. Jeremy Stein of Jon Shestack Productions will co-produce. Mainframes ceo Rick Mischel will exec produce.
Don't end up in the doghouse for forgetting to buy your significant other a Valentines Day card. Warner Bros. Online has come the rescue with the "Scooby's Sweetheart Card Creator" on www.scoobydoo.com. The card creator allows site visitors to design their own Valentine's Day cards for free and print them out from any printer.
Universal Pictures has obtained the rights to Christian Gossett's award-winning comicbook THE RED STAR, tapping NIGHT WATCH director Timur Bekmambetov to develop and possibly direct the sci-fi epic, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.
Marc Platt will produce from his Marc Platt Prods., along with Bekmambetov via his Tengri shingle. Jim Lemley and Jason Netter will also produce. Gossett and Ken Levin will serve as exec producers.
The epic war saga is set in a re-imagined Soviet Union, where militarized sorcery and monolithic technology live side by side.
20th Century Fox is ready to blast off on STARSHIP DAVE with Eddie Murphy starring and Peter Segal (THE LONGEST YARD) directing, VARIETY is reporting. The film was originally set up at Paramount. Deep River Prods. will produce along side Guy Walks Into a Bar.
The film follows a crew of miniature human-looking aliens who search for a way to save their doomed world.
David Friendly and Marc Turtletaub are producing for Deep River with Jon Berg and Tom Komarnicki for Guy Walks Into a Bar. Segal's producing partner Michael Ewing will also produce.
Michael Bay's Platinum Dunes is set to produce the 11th film in the FRIDAY THE 13TH franchise for New Line, reports VARIETY. Bay will produce with Platinum Dunes partners Brad Fuller and Andrew Form.
Mark Wheaton (SON OF THE MORNING STAR) has been hired to pen the prequel that will deal with the origins of the Jason Voorhees. New Line hopes to release the film on Friday, Oct. 13, 2006.
Studio president Toby Emmerich shepherding with execs Cale Boyter and Jeff Katz.
The finalists for the jury judged categories for the British Animation Awards (BAAs) were announced on Feb. 6, 2006. The awards, to be held on Thursday, March 9, 2006, at the Shaw Theatre, will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the only ceremony in Britain to recognize all forms of animation.
Aardman Animation is in the running for a total of three awards. In addition to Best Feature for WALLACE & GROMIT: THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT, their ANGRY KID will compete in the Best TV Special Category and CREATURE COMFORTS is pitched for Best Comedy.