AWN Headline News

Headline News

Humane Society Says Cheers to Wallace & Gromit at Genesis Awards

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.

In Awards, Awards | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Anime Headline News

New York Comic-Con Ready to Roll

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.

In Anime, Event, Anime, Event | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

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.

In Home Entertainment, Visual Effects, Home Entertainment, Visual Effects | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Asia

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.

In Technology, Technology | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

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.

In Technology, Visual Effects, Technology, Visual Effects | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Europe

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.

In Education and Training, Visual Effects, Education and Training, Visual Effects | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

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.

In Television, Television | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Comedy Headline News

Comedy Central Mobile Goes Adult Animation With Samurai Love God

Comedy Central will launch its first original animated mobile series SAMURAI LOVE GOD, to premiere in first quarter 2006 and launch cross carriers with eight two-and-a-half minute episodes. The adult series features the voices of adult film star Jenna Jameson and THE DAILY SHOW correspondent Ed Helms.

In Interactive, Games, Interactive | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Headline News

Cosgrove Hall Ups Chris Bowden & Francis Vose

Francis Vose has been upped to creative director of Cosgrove Hall Films while Chris Bowden becomes exec producer. Lee Marriott has also accepted the post of financial and commercial director, according to Cosgrove Hall md Anthony Utley.

In People, People | Headline News | Special Events: MIP-TV | Geographic Region: All

Film Headline News

Fort Myers Beach Film Festival Issues Call for Entries

Fort Myers Beach Film Festival Fort Myers Beach, Florida, USAApril 27 - 30, 2006Deadline: March 15, 2006

In Call for Entries, Call for Entries | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, North America

Film Headline News

Broad Humor Film Fest Looking For Funny Female Films

The Broad Humor Film Festival Venice Beach, California, USAJune 30 July 2, 2006Deadline: May 12, 2006

The Broad Humor Film Festival is an event highlighting female-directed and female-written comedies. The festival puts the spotlight on women who write and direct comedic films. Filmmakers, writers and theatergoers who love well-crafted humor will come together for a weekend of films, workshops, panels and events. All film submissions must be both written and directed by a woman. All screenplays must be written by women writers.

In Call for Entries, Call for Entries | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, North America

Film Headline News

Simone Grattarola Joins Rushes Telecine

Senior colorist Simone Grattarola joins Rushes expanding telecine department following on from the recent announcement of a multi-million pound investment at Rushes for 2006.

In People, Visual Effects, People, Visual Effects | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Europe

Films Headline News

Vin Diesel Game for The Wheelman Property

Midway Games Inc., Tigon Studios, founded by Vin Diesel, and Viacom's MTV Films, Paramount Pictures and MTV Games announced a collaboration on a groundbreaking action-entertainment property, THE WHEELMAN.

THE WHEELMAN is being developed as a videogame from Midway, in association with Tigon Studios and MTV Games, intended to serve as the introduction to a series of related entertainment offerings.

In Interactive, Games, Interactive | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Headline News

Liebesman Takes On Second Horror Prequel with Friday the 13th

Jonathan Liebesman is in talks to helm the remake/prequel to FRIDAY THE 13TH for Platinum Dunes and New Line Cinema, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.

Mark Wheatons script takes place at the original films Crystal Lake location, but unlike the original will feature a hockey mask wearing Jason as the central killer.

Michael Bay, Andrew Form and Brad Fuller will produce with Toby Emmerich, Cale Boyter and Jeff Katz overseeing for New Line.

In Films, Visual Effects, Films, Visual Effects | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Headline News

Lilo & Stitch Director’s Ghost Story Gets Dinosaur Scribe Rewrite

Disney has tapped Oscar-nominated screenwriter Robert Nelson Jacobs (DINOSAUR, CHOCOLAT) to rewrite LILO & STITCH writer/director Dean DeBloiss live-action script, THE BANSHEE AND FIN MAGEE, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Jacobs and DeBlois will work closely together on the revamp. DeBlios is attached to project as its producer and director. The story revolves around an ignored boy, who gains attention by posing as a ghost until he meets a real one.

In Films, Films | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Series Headline News

Rogue Hacks & Slashes With Comicbook Series

Rogue Pictures has nailed down the film rights to HACK/SLASH, a cult horror comicbook series, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Adrian Askarieh and Daniel Alter will produce with music video director Todd Lincoln set to direct as well as adapted the script with Martin Schenk (THE FLY remake).

Created by Tim Seeley and Stefano Caselli, the comic follows Cassie Hack and her hulking protector Vlad as they travel to small towns across the U.S. hunting down notorious slashers.

In Films, Visual Effects, Films, Visual Effects | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Animation Headline News

China Bans Toon Live-Action Hybrids

In a strange move, China's State Administration of Radio, Film and Television has banned all TV shows and films that feature live-action actors interacting with animated characters.

"These human live-action, so-called animation pieces will not receive distribution or distribution licenses," read the order, issued Feb. 15, 2006. The state-run Xinhua News Agency states that CG and 2D characters interacting with humans jeopardize "the broadcast order of homemade animation and mislead their development.

In Business, Business | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Asia

Animated Headline News

Marvel’s First Animated Movie Ultimate Avengers Arrives on DVD

Marvel Enterprises and Lionsgate Home Ent. (LGHE) has released on DVD the first-ever Marvel animated feature, ULTIMATE AVENGERS: THE MOVIE. Based on the best-selling Marvel Comics series, THE ULTIMATES, the film boasts Marvels Captain America, The Hulk, Iron Man and Thor. The title will be available on DVD and Universal Media Disc (UMD), compatible with the Portable Sony PlayStation (PSP). The film sells for $19.98. Bob Richardson directed and produced with character designs from Steve Gordon.

In Home Entertainment, Home Entertainment | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Technology Headline News

Digital Musings From the Editor:

We continue our February focus on ads with Tara DiLullos coverage of Super Bowl XL spots, several of which show off cutting edge vfx technology. She finds out how the concepts came together and how they wowed viewers. Meanwhile, Janet Hetherington goes behind the scenes to discover how technology makes new ideas possible and affordable in commercials and music videos. Alain Bielik uncovers the vfx sensations behind the Russian sci-fi blockbuster NIGHT WATCH.

In Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Asia

Festival Headline News

Deadline Extended for Future Filmmakers Festival

Future Filmmakers Festival 2006Chicago, Illinois, USAJune 16-18, 2006Deadline: February 28, 2006

The Future Filmmakers Festival has the goal of allowing industry professionals and fellow peers to identify the best, brightest and innovative in youth filmmaking.

In Call for Entries, Call for Entries | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, North America, South America

Design Headline News

Book Offers Design Basics for 3D Artists

Mindful that the competition for jobs in the 3D animation industry has never been greater, Geoffrey Kater merges the often disparate disciplines of design and computer animation in his new book, DESIGN FIRST FOR 3D ARTISTS (350 pages, $49.95, Wordware Publishing, available online and from major retailers), to teach emerging animators how to create their own personal design style. He offers to lay down exactly what it takes today to do good work and thrive in the animation market.

In Books, Books | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Animation Headline News

TESDA Developing Animation, Software Development Education

The Philippines-based Technical Education Development and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) is set to implement its first software development and animation training curricula at two new IT training centers this month, reports INQ7.net.

Co-developed by TESDA with the Philippine Software Industry Association (PSIA) and the Animation Council of the Philippines Inc. (ACPI), the curricula will focus on basic to intermediate learners as part of TESDAs human resource capacity building for the growing Philippine software development and animation industries.

In Education and Training, Education and Training | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Headline News

NVIDIA Completes Acquisition of ULi Electronics

NVIDIA Corp. announced that it has completed the acquisition of ULi Electronics Inc., a leading developer of core logic technology.

The acquisition represents the company's ongoing investment in its platform solution strategy and is expected to strengthen its sales, marketing and customer engineering presence in Taiwan and China.

In Business, Business | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Asia, Europe

Headline News

Lion King Stage Show To Open In Shanghai

The Walt Disney Co. announced its award-winning musical THE LION KING will open at Shanghais Grand Theatre on July 18, 2006, and play for 100 performances.

The engagement will be presented by The Shanghai Grand Theatre in association with The Walt Disney Co., who is the title sponsors of the production. Special support has also been provided from the China Culture Development Fund, with media support from Wenhui-Xinmin United Press Group.

In Places, Places | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Asia, Australia

Animation Headline News

UTV Invests $5 Million in Animation

Indias UTV has invested in a brand new animation facility at its Andheri Studio with 225 workstations replete with blade render farms and 3ds Max software. The investment of close to $5 million will allow the more than 25,000-square-foot facility to complete High Definition (HD) work for its clients in North America and Europe.

The studio is working on 15 direct-to-video features as well as a 52-episode TV series and 20 short series.

The facility operates 24/7 with a built up capacity to execute more than 150 minutes of 3D animation a month.