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AWN Headline News

Festival Headline News

2006 SIGGRAPH Computer Animation Festival Deadline Nears

The call for submissions to the 2006 SIGGRAPH Computer Animation Festival (CAF) is approaching its March 3 deadline. Terrence Masson serves as the Computer Animation Festival chair.

The Computer Animation Festival is among the best and most eclectic collections of computer graphics and interactive techniques in the world. Whether you are scientist or entertainer, superstar or vagabond, studio or student, professional or amateur, the festival wants what only you can imagine.

Disney Headline News

Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Returns to Disney

Mickey Mouses predecessor, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, hops back to The Walt Disney Co. from NBC/Universal, the company that had previously owned the rights to Oswald since his theatrical debut in 1927.

As the forerunner to Mickey Mouse and an important part of Walt Disneys creative legacy, the fun and mischievous Oswald is back where he belongs, at the home of his creator and among the stable of beloved characters created by Walt himself, said Disney president/ceo Robert A. Iger.

Game Headline News

Resident Evil 4 Tops 1UP Awards for Best Videogames of 2005

Ziff Davis Media Game Group presented the third annual 1UP Awards during a special ceremony in San Francisco, California. The 1UP Awards honored videogame publishers and developers who have made a powerful impact on American culture and the entertainment industry.

International Headline News

4Kids To Ring Opening Bell of New York Stock Exchange

4Kids Ent. will ring the Opening Bell of the New York Stock Exchange on Monday, Feb. 13, 2006, in celebration of the 2006 American International TOY FAIR being held on Feb. 12-15 in New York.

Alfred R. Kahn, chairman/ceo of 4Kids Ent., will preside over the ceremony, which takes place at 9:30 am EST. Kahn will be joined on the bell podium by costumed characters from a few of 4Kids' popular properties, including CABBAGE PATCH KIDS, TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES and WINX CLUB.

Animated Headline News

IDT Brings Slate To European Film Market At Berlin Film Fest

IDT Ent. Sales will attend the European Film Market in Berlin from Feb. 9-20, 2006, for the first time with a slate of films, including the computer-animated YANKEE IRVING, which features the voices of Rob Reiner, William H. Macy and Whoopi Goldberg and is scheduled for theatrical release this summer by 20th Century Fox in the U.S. and Canada.

Headline News

Incredibles & Polar Express Win Grammys

On Feb. 8, 2006, the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences handed out its Grammy Awards and two animated films made appearances in the winners circle.

In the Best Instrumental Arrangement category, The Incredits from the INCREDIBLES soundtrack took home the prize. Gordon Goodwin was the recipient.

The Grammy for Best Song Written For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media went to the POLAR EXPRESS tune, Believe by songwriters Glen Ballard and Alan Silvestri and performer Josh Groban.

Headline News

Del Toro To Make a Killing On Carnival Row

New Line is in final talks with HELLBOY director Guillermo Del Toro to helm futuristic fantasy-thriller KILLING ON CARNIVAL ROW, reports VARIETY. Arnold and Anne Kopelson will produce via their Kopelson Entertainment banner.

New Line purchased the spec script from Travis Beacham last fall. Set in a Victorian city inhabited by humans, faeries, elves and vampires, a detective hunts down a serial killer.

New Line president Toby Emmerich and execs Keith Goldberg and Michael Disco are shepherding the project.

Series Headline News

Sick Animation Writer/Animator Developing Secret League Webtoon as Series

Marc M, the writer-animator of Sick Animation, is teaming with National Lampoon to develop his Internet cartoon series SECRET LEAGUE OF LEGIONNAIRES into a TV series for Comedy Central, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. The project is in the early development stage, having not been greenlit yet.

The story follows the strange adventures of space explorer Captain Martinez.

Kids Headline News

Madagascar Leads Kids' Choice Award Nods

By Rick DeMott | Wednesday, February 8, 2006 at 12:00am

Nickelodeon's 19th Annual Kids' Choice Awards, which will be held on Saturday, April 1, 2006, from 8-9:30 pm ET/PT, has announced this years nominees.

MADAGASCAR topped the list this year, accruing three nominations for favorite animated movie and favorite voices from an animated movie (Chris Rock and Ben Stiller), and ROBOTS received two for favorite animated movie and favorite voice from an animated movie (Robin Williams).

Headline News

New Finding Nemo Game Dives Onto Nintendo DS

By Rick DeMott | Wednesday, February 8, 2006 at 12:00am

THQ Inc. announced the release of FINDING NEMO: ESCAPE TO THE BIG BLUE for Nintendo DS.

The original FINDING NEMO videogame, which launched May 2003, has earned best-seller status as a "Greatest Hit" on Sony PlayStation 2, a "Platinum Family Hit" on Microsoft Xbox and a "Players Choice" on Nintendo Game Cube. In addition, THQ has shipped more than seven million units across multiple platforms in more than 40 international territories.

Headline News

LeapFrog Scores With New LeapsterTV and LeapFrog Baby Titles

By Rick DeMott | Wednesday, February 8, 2006 at 12:00am

LeapFrog Enterprises Inc. announced two new learning platforms LeapsterTV a new game console that extends the popular franchise to ages three and older and Little Leaps Grow-with-Me Learning System.

LeapsterTV, an educational game console that plugs into the family television, works with the Leapster educational software library, and the console's big buttons and easy-to-use joystick are designed with three-year-olds in mind.

Headline News

Curious George Writer Possibly Murdered

By Rick DeMott | Wednesday, February 8, 2006 at 12:00am

News reports coming out of Florida are reporting that the death of CURIOUS GEORGE writer Alan J. Shalleck is being investigated as a homicide.

THE PALM BEACH POST writes that Shalleck's bloodied body lay under garbage bags in his driveway for more 24 hours until it was found early Tuesday morning. He lived in a mobile home at the Royal Manor Estates, a senior citizen retirement village. He had worked at a local outlet of Borders Books & Music, but had not showed up for work in two days.

Film Headline News

Inaugural Silk Screen Asian American Film Fest Calls for Entries

By Rick DeMott | Wednesday, February 8, 2006 at 12:00am

Silk Screen Asian American Film FestivalPittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USAMay 12-20 2006Deadline: February 27, 2006

Silk Screen Asian American Film Festival is a multiple-day international film festival. With more than 30 feature films in multiple venues, a Launch Party Gala, workshops and presentations, Silk Screen will be an annual event showcasing Asian made films as well as films made by Asian Americans.

Headline News

Animation Students Help to Promote Awareness of Nature

The Art Institute of Washington, a branch of The Art Institute of Atlanta, is developing and producing 2D and 3D student-driven animation projects that will educate and promote public awareness of the Patuxent Research Refuge, a nature facility in Maryland.

Series Headline News

DIC & Warren Buffett Pony Up for Secret Millionaire’s Club DVD Series

DIC Ent. (DIC) and legendary investor, Warren Buffett, are pooling their assets to create a new direct-to-DVD animated series, THE SECRET MILLIONAIRES CLUB, to promote financial literacy to kids. Now in production, THE SECRET MILLIONAIRES CLUB features 13 titles with the first two titles scheduled for release in fall 2006 released by a major home entertainment distributor and will be available for worldwide distribution.

Game Headline News

EA and Paramount Pictures Delivers The Godfather The Game Beginning March 21

Electronic Arts will release THE GODFATHER THE GAME videogame on March 21, 2006, in North America and on March 24 the game will be available on retain shelves in Europe. Developed by EA, the open-world videogame is based on the critically-acclaimed book by Mario Puzo and the classic film by Paramount Pictures through a strategic licensing relationship with Viacom Consumer Products. Gamers worldwide may step into the Dons dangerous world of intimidation and negotiation via their PlayStation2, Xbox or PC.

Motion Headline News

Ubisoft Installs Vicon MX40 System

Ubisoft Montreal has installed the 24-camera Vicon MX40 system. The leading game publisher is home to a new purpose-built motion capture studio equipped with a 4,500-square-foot stage designed primarily for full-body performance. Ubisoft Montreal decided to bring motion capture in-house to develop pipelines that tie directly into its game engines and game designs, and to eliminate the logistical costs of traveling to U.S. West Coast-based motion capture service bureaus.

Headline News

The Pixel Farm to Release PFTrack 3.5

The Pixel Farm announced that it will start shipping PFTrack 3.5 in March. Already one of the most advanced camera tracking and motion analysis products available, this latest version reaches new heights of operability, with many additional features including a more sophisticated camera solver, segmented shot solving, improved geometry tracking and extensive UI and workflow improvements.

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