AWN Headline News
Final Call for Brooklyn International Film Festival
9th Brooklyn International Film FestivalBrooklyn, New York, USAJune 2-11, 2006Deadline: March 15, 2006
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Toon Directors Go Live-Action In The Theatrical Release Database
This week in the Theatrical Release Database, we have two animation directors making their live-action debuts.
This Week’s Animation Trivia Quiz for February 13, 2006
AWN Discussion Forums - What's New? for February 13, 2006
This week in AWN's Forums, members continue to debate the videogame industrys success and how it relates to the animation community as a whole.
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.
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.
Tim Burton Talks Animated Features New York City
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.
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.
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.
Greg Thompson New CBLDF Deputy Director
At this weekend's WonderCon convention in San Francisco, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund has announced that creator Greg Thompson has been named as the organization's new deputy director.
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.
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:
Screenlife Announces 2006 Arrivals
Screenlife Llc., creator of SCENE IT? The DVD Game, the top-selling board game in the world for the second year in a row, is adding more than a dozen new licensed and independent titles to its collection this year.
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.
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.
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.
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.