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AWN Headline News

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.

Disney Headline News

Don Hahn Interim Head of Walt Disney Feature Animation

Disney Studios chairman Dick Cook announced to studio employees via email that Don Hahn, producer at Walt Disney Feature Animation, will assume the role of interim head of WDFA until the Pixar acquisition is complete.

Animation website CGCHAR (www.cgchar-animation.com) first published the full text of the email which reads:

Disney Headline News

Disney ABC Kids Networks Unveils 2006-7 Programming Slate

Disney ABC Kids Networks unveiled its programming slate for the 2006-07 television season during its upfront meeting with advertisers, a powerful mix of live-action and animated programming, reaching every segment of youth from kids and tweens to preschoolers, across its multiplex of television platforms ABC Kids, Toon Disney, Jetix and Disney Channel. The slate totals 849 new episodes, 11 new series and 25 new movies, including seven from the Disney Channel Original Movie franchise.

Nickelodeon Headline News

Key Senior Management Shuffle for Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids & Family Group

Nickelodeon president Cyma Zarghami, recently named head of the newly formed MTVN Kids and Family Group, has announced key executive promotions to support Nick's growth as a multiplatform kids and family brand.

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.

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