Search form

AWN Headline News

Film Headline News

Spot Director Helms Hexxx for Mandalay

German-born commercial director Marc Schoelermann will make his feature film debut on Mandalay Pictures HEXXX, reports VARIETY. The supernatural thriller starring THE O.C. star Mischa Barton is set to go before cameras this spring.

Little detail is known about John Raffo and Mark Gibson script, which centers on college students in New Orleans.

Apartment 3B Prods. principal Jennifer Klein will produce with Mandalays evp David Zelon shepherding the project.

Mandalay picked up the film in turnaround from MGM late in 2005.

Animation Headline News

Imagina Winner Snags Animex Student Animation Awards

The winners and runners up for the Animex Student Animation Awards were announced at Animex Talk! on Friday, Feb. 10, 2006, by Shelley Page, European representative for Feature Animation DreamWorks, David Sproxton and Philip Hunt.

Coming off its grand prize win at Imagina, CLIK CLAK by Supinfocom Arles students Aurélie Fréchinos, Victor-Emmanuel Moulin and Thomas Wagner won in the 3D Computer Animation Category.

Show Headline News

Animal Logic Wins Best in Show at Mobius Awards

Animal Logic, Sydney, NSW, with George Patterson Y&R in Melbourne and Plaza Films, Sydney, has won Best of Show in Television at the 2005 international Mobius Advertising Awards. They won for "Big Ad," created for Carlton Draught of Fosters Australia.

Animal Logic used 3D software to create the many extras needed to create the commercial, which is reminiscent of a pending battle of epic proportions. Animal Logic also provided the visual effects for five Mobius winners.

Animation Headline News

Indian Animation Industry Set to Reach $950 Million

A Nasscom report on animation and gaming industry states that the Indian animation industry is expected to reach $950 million and the gaming industry to $300 million by 2009, Sify.com reports. However, the report states that Indian companies will need to improve synergy between talent and technology as well increase professional training to obtain this landmark.

At present 1,500-odd animators work in India, but the demand could reach as high as 30,000.

Awards Headline News

Dora Wins Top Toy Brand at T.O.T.Y. Awards

The Toy Industry Association kicked off the 103rd American International Toy Fair with the sixth annual T.O.T.Y. (Toy Of The Year) Awards. The Feb. 11, 2006, ceremony was attended by almost 700 industry leaders and innovators. The T.O.T.Y. Awards (pronounced Toh-Tee) are designed to salute the creativity, success and playful spirit of the toy industry by honoring the best toys developed by the international toy industry for North American consumers.

Mobile Headline News

NVIDIA & DiBcom Team on Digital TV For Mobile Devices

NVIDIA Corp. and DiBcom, the leader in semiconductor technology for mobile digital TV, are teaming to create a DVB-H reference design for mobile handset TV platforms.NVIDIA Corp. and DiBcom, the leader in semiconductor technology for mobile digital TV, are teaming to create a DVB-H reference design for mobile handset TV platforms. By working together, the two companies can offer a solution that will deliver dramatic advancements in the broadcast quality of mobile TV on next-generation mobile handsets.

Animation Headline News

Latest Acrobat AWM Focuses on TV

The latest Acrobat edition of ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE is now online with a focus on television. Joe Strike looks into the growing trend of celebs stepping behind the production scenes of animation and this affects the overall industry. Christopher Panzner looks into the growing amount of European productions on U.S. networks to find out the real reason behind the trend. Karen Raugust looks at how the growing demand for interstitial content is creating opportunities for large animation houses and independent animators alike.

Animation Headline News

Renegade Animation & Robert Zappia to Deliver Santa Animated Feature

Renegade Animation embarks on its own first feature, partnered with writer/director Robert Zappia to produce an animated, holiday-themed feature film, WHO STOLE SANTAS SACK? for release in late 2006. Carole Ann Zappia and two-time Emmy winner Marco Zappia will exec produce through Easy To Dream Ent.

Film Headline News

A Scanner Darkly Movie Trailer Premieres On Amp’d Mobile Handsets

Warner Independent Pictures debuts its trailer for A SCANNER DARKLY on Ampd Mobile handsets today (Feb. 13, 2006), giving mobile customers in the U.S. get the first look at a feature film trailer before it hits theaters or the Web.

Animated Headline News

Tim Burton Talks Animated Features New York City

By Guest (not verified) | Monday, February 13, 2006 at 12:00am

CORPSE BRIDE director Tim Burton was on hand in New Yorks Union Square Virgin Megastore on Feb. 11, 2006, for an afternoon of DVD signing, photographs and handshakes.

Hundreds of fans spent hours snaked around the store entrance, down the street and past the multiplex a block away for their chance to say hi to the former Disney animator turned fantasy filmmaker. Burtons return to his stop-motion roots has earned CORPSE BRIDE a nomination for this years Best Animated Feature Oscar.

Kids Headline News

Nickelodeon Unveils Three New Toy Lines at Toy Fair

Nickelodeon is presenting at Toy Fair three new favorites: THE BACKYARDIGANS and GO, DIEGO, GO! for preschoolers and AVATAR, THE LAST AIRBENDER for kids 6-11. These properties join two of the network's most successful franchises: DORA THE EXPLORER and SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS, with fun product for every kid.

Headline News

2D Animation Featured in Top Box Office Spots

Inspector Clouseau and his animated buddy returned to top the box office in the Sony Pictures' remake of the PINK PANTHER (2D animated titles by Kurtz & Friends), which debuted $20.2M for the weekend ended Feb. 12, 2006. Audiences obviously weren't tired of sequels either as New Line's FINAL DESITNATION 3 opened in the No. 2 spot with $19.2M. Scampering into a respectable third place on its debut was the 2D-animated CUROUS GEORGE from Universal and Imagine Ent., taking in $14.7M. Moviegoers obviously were ready for fresh film, giving another new release, Warner Bros.

Headline News

Burton & Elfman To Sign Corpse Bride DVDs in L.A.

On Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2006, Warner Home Video and Best Buy are hosting a special in-store CORPSE BRIDE DVD signing, featuring co-director/producer Tim Burton and composer Danny Elfman. The event will take place at Best Buy at 1015 La Brea Avenue, Hollywood, beginning at 8:30 pm.

Headline News

Dungeon & Dragons: Wrath of the Dragon God Roars onto DVD

Warner Home Video has released the direct-to-DVD sequel, DUNGEON & DRAGONS: WRATH OF THE DRAGON GOD ($24.98). The film was directed by Gerry Lively and stars Bruce Payne, Mark Dymund and Clemency Burton-Hill.

Based on the popular role-playing game, this sequel to the theatrically released DUNGEON & DRAGONS follows five champions of Izmer who must perform prodigious feats of brain, brawn and sorcery.

Bonus special features include:

Murder Headline News

Two Men Arrested in Curious George Writer’s Murder

National news outlets are reporting that police have arrested two men in connection with the murder this week of CURIOUS GEORGE collaborator Alan J. Shalleck.

Rex Ditto, 29, and Vincent Puglisi, 54, were arrested shortly before midnight on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2006, and were later charged with murder.

A lawn-maintenance man found Shallecks body in his driveway Tuesday morning, covered with black trash bags. The body had been lying there for more than a day.

Team Headline News

Super Robot Monkey Team Episodes Debut in Widescreen

SUPER ROBOT MONKEY TEAM HYPERFORCE GO! creator and exec producer Ciro Nieli presents his proudest episodes in a two-part special with widescreen versions of "Wormhole," airing Feb. 13, 2006, at 8:30 pm and Belly Of The Beast, airing Feb. 20 at 8:30 pm during the action/adventure Jetix block on Toon Disney.

Nickelodeon Headline News

Julia Pistor Upped to Nickelodeon Movies EVP

Veteran feature development exec Julia Pistor has been promoted from svp to evp, Nickelodeon Movies, overseeing the development, production and release of all feature films produced under the Nickelodeon Movies banner, part of the newly formed MTV Networks Kids and Family Group. Pistor had been svp of the division since 2000.

Visual Headline News

Cars Stars Named Presenters for Sold Out VES Awards Show

Actress Bonnie Hunt will be a presenter at the fourth annual Visual Effects Society (VES) Awards at the Hollywood Palladium on Feb. 15, 2006, for the annual gathering of visual effects and animation professionals. Hunt will be joining Katherine Helmond, Cheech Marin, Edie McLurg, Craig T. Nelson and John Ratzenberger, it was announced today by VES exec director Eric Roth, who said the awards show is now sold out.

Pages