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AWN Headline News

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.

Cartoons Headline News

Entire Pink Panther Cartoons Grace DVD

Coinciding with the launch of Fridays new PINK PANTHER feature starring Steve Martin, comes the recently released THE PINK PANTHER CLASSIC CARTOON COLLECTION on DVD (Sony Pictures Home Ent., $69.96). Now, for the first time, all 124 cartoons produced by Friz Freleng and David DePatie between 64 and 80 are available in this five-disc set. So nows your chance to study the evolution of the cartoons, from the early theatrical releases through the popular TV productions.

Effects Headline News

Master Storytellers Hosts ILM’s War of the Worlds Team

Hollywoods Master Storytellers, the long-running film series, will host Industrial Light & Magics Best Visual Effects Academy Award nominees for WAR OF THE WORLDS on Thursday, Feb. 16, at 7:30 pm. WAR OF THE WORLDS will also be Hollywoods Master Storytellers first regular presentation at its new home, Manns Chinese Theatres Complex at Hollywood & Highland.

Sound Headline News

Jakers Leads Daytime Emmy Noms For Toons

Today (Feb. 8, 2006) the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences announced the nominees for the 33rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards. Disneys KIM Possible garnered five nominations, leading all other animated fare, including a nod for Outstanding Children's Animated Program. JAKERS! THE ADVENTURES OF PIGGLEY WINKS garnered four nominations, leading all other animated fare, including a nod for Outstanding Children's Animated Program.

Story Headline News

9 Story Enters the Olympics of Children’s Television with Three Finalists

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

9 Story Ent. announced that all three of its recently produced television programs have been selected as finalists for the Prix Jeunesse.

9 Storys Emmy- and Gemini-winning animated show PEEP AND THE BIG WIDE WORLD, as well as SKYLAND and IF THE WORLD WERE A VILLAGE were all named as Prix Jeunesse finalists. Held every two years, the international competition is considered the highest honor in childrens television.

Headline News

Madonna & Animated Gorillaz to Perform on 48th Grammy Awards

Madonna and the animated group Gorillaz make their world debut performing together on one stage to open the 48th Annual GRAMMY AWARDS telecast, On Feb. 8, 2006 on CBS.

The Grammy-nominated Gorillaz will be joined onstage for the first time by five-time Grammy winner Madonna in an exclusive Grammy segment, featuring the band in 3D animated color for the first time on network television.

Disney Headline News

Disney Gets Ratatouille Pic to Release in Pixar Buy

The Walt Disney Co. and Pixar Animation Studios Inc. have agreed to extend their current distribution agreement to include Pixar's 2007 release, RATATOUILLE.

The film, about a rat that lives in a French restaurant, follows Pixar's summer 2006 release, CARS.

An existing distribution agreement would have been moot if Disney's proposed $7.4 billion acquisition of Pixar closes this summer as expected.

Awards Headline News

Rachel McAdams to Host Academy's Sci-Tech Awards

Actress Rachel McAdams will present the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Scientific and Technical Awards on Feb. 18, 2006, at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills.

McAdams, who stars in the romantic comedy, THE FAMILY STONE, made her film debut in PERFECT PIE, which was based on a work by Canadian playwright Judith Thompson. Her films include roles in MEAN GIRLS, THE NOTEBOOK, RED EYE and the 2005 summer hit, WEDDING CRASHERS.

Series Headline News

Cartoon Network Adopts The Amazing Adrenalini Brothers!

AMAZING ADRENALINI BROTHERS! animated series as found a home on all Cartoon Network feeds in Asia and Europe. Cartoon Network US and Latin America have also purchased the original shorts through Bejuba! Ent. and co-production partners Pesky and Studio B Prods.

Universal Headline News

Curious George TV Series In Production For PBS Kids

PBS KIDS has committed to airing 30 half-hour episodes of CURIOUS GEORGE, the animated preschool television series based on the children's classic book. William H. Macy will narrate the series, which is in production by Universal Home Ent. Prods. (UHEP), Imagine Ent. and WGBH Boston and targeted to launch on PBS KIDS in the fall of 2006.

Disney Headline News

Bambi II Digitally Recreates Look of Original for DVD

BAMBI II comes to DVD (Walt Disney Home Ent., $29.99) on Feb. 7, 2006, after four-year journey. Unlike other direct-to-DVD sequels, this one takes place during the original timeframe of the 42 masterpiece. It concerns the tender relationship between Bambi (voiced by Alexander Gould of FINDING NEMO) and his father, The Great Prince of the Forest (Patrick Stewart), following the death of his mother.

Headline News

Wildcat Realizm Selected for Sun XVR-2500 Graphics Accelerator

3Dlabs Wildcat Realizm graphics technology has been chosen by Sun Microsystems Inc. to provide the foundation for the newly announced Sun XVR-2500 graphics accelerator. The new Sun XVR-2500 card is available in high-end Sun Ultra45 workstations. Powered by Wildcat Realizm graphics technology, Sun XVR-2500 graphics deliver high levels of image quality and realtime visualization capabilities for a wide-range of professional applications.

Kids Headline News

Valentine’s Day Celebration Comes To JayJay.Com

For Valentines Day, PorchLight Ent.s Jay Jay The Jet Plane is sending out a special invitation for children to create their own homemade valentines and submit them for viewing on www.jayjay.com. Once created, the valentines can be sent to Jay Jay, Lina, Tracy or any of the special Tarrytown friends. The valentines can be created in any fashion, using glitter, crayons or paper and glue.

All cards should include the childs first name, age and mailed to:Jay Jay the Jet Plane11777 Mississippi AvenueLos Angeles, California 90025

Home Headline News

Yu-Gi-Oh! Gets Freaky for Valentine’s on DVD

4Kids Ent. Home Video Inc., in association with FUNimation Ent., will release its YU-GI-OH! VOLUME 4.2: MY FREAKY VALENTINE DVD on Feb. 7, 2006. This eight episode, three-hour DVD features two multi-episode storylines.

In My Freaky Valentine Part I, II & III, Mai has done the unthinkable and joined the enemy. Using the sinister sorcery of Seal of Orichalcos, Mai unequivocally plots to trap Joeys soul for Dartzs evil master plan. Has Mai been brainwashed? Or is there a deeper and darker reason for the sudden change?

Studios Headline News

Hecht’s Worldwide Biggies To Produce First Animated Theatrical Release

Hot off its deal with Nickelodeon, Worldwide Biggies Inc. has entered into an agreement with Ilion Animation Studios to produce the studios first CG theatrical release entitled PLANET ONE. Albie Hecht, the ceo of Worldwide Biggies Inc., and Ilion have signed the Oscar-nominated writer of SHREK and SHREK 2, Joe Stillman, to pen the script. Ilion Animations Studios is the theatrical animation company started by the founders of Pyro Studios, best known as the creators of the international hit videogame series COMMANDOS.

Awards Headline News

Clik Clak Tops Imagina Awards

The Imagina Awards hands out it prizes on Feb. 2, 2006, in Monte Carlo.

Supinfocom Arles nabbed the Grand Prix for Aurélie Fréchinos, Victor-Emmanuel Moulin and Thomas Wagners CLIK CLAK. Oscar-nominated short GOPHER BROKE nabbed the Prix du Court-Métrage. Visual effects films receiving awards included CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY and BATMAN BEGINS. Foxs ROBOTS took home the Prix du Long-Métrage.

Headline News

Weta Dives Into Water Horse

Walden Media, Beacon Pictures, Revolution Studios and Ecosse Films have teamed to produce a feature based on children's fantasy novel THE WATER HORSE, by British author Dick King-Smith. Weta Digital and Weta Workshop have been tapped to handle the visual effects.

Robert Nelson Jacobs will write the script and Jay Russell will direct. Production is set to start in May in New Zealand.

The book follows a lonely boy in Scotland who finds a mysterious egg from which hatches a "water horse" a mythical sea monster of Scottish legend.

Dreamworks Headline News

Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit Scares Up Spot on DVD

The Academy Award-nominated WALLACE & GROMIT: THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT is premiering on DVD and VHS Feb. 7, 2006, from DreamWorks Home Ent. The film is featured on more than 50 top ten lists and honored with multiple critics awards and industry honors including 16 Annie Award nominations.

Story Headline News

Shrek 2 & Spirit Director Goes Live Action With Thief of Always

SHREK 2 co-director Kelly Asbury has written and will direct the live-action screenplay adaptation of Clive Barker's THE THIEF OF ALWAYS for 20th Century Fox and Seraphim Films, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.

Asbury and Barker met at an authors festival where Asbury was invited to discuss his nonfiction book DUMMY DAYS. Asbury and Barker struck up a conversation, which lead to Barker asking Asbury to write and direct the screen adaptation of his 1992 juvenile dark fantasy novel.

Headline News

Fleischer Animator Myron Waldman Dies

Myron Waldman, an animator and illustrator who worked at Fleischer Studios on BETTY BOOP, POPEYE, SUPERMAN and CASPER THE FRIENDLY GHOST shorts, died Feb. 4, 2006, at New Island Hospital in Bethpage, New York, reports THE NEW YORK TIMES. He was 97 and lived in Wantagh, New York. This family said the cause of death was congestive heart failure.

Animation Headline News

Animation Show 3 Now Accepting Submissions

The Animation Show a collection of the world's greatest animated short films is now accepting submissions for its third season. Personally programmed by co-producers Mike Judge (BEAVIS AND BUTT-HEAD, KING OF THE HILL, OFFICE SPACE) and Academy Award-nominated animator Don Hertzfeldt, the show aims to celebrate and showcase independent animation via the theatrical, DVD and television markets.

The deadline for theatrical submissions is July 1, 2006.

Festival Headline News

Avanca Surveys the Current Entertainment Industry

Avanca 2006 International Meeting of Cinema, TV, Video and MultimediaAvanca, PortugalJuly 26-30, 2006Deadline: May 2, 2006

Avanca Film Festival presents a forum for the best in cinema, TV, video and multimedia. The event features screenings, surprises, workshops, exhibitions, meetings and discussions.

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