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.
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AWN Headline News
This Week’s Animation Trivia Quiz for February 13, 2006
Test your skills and challenge your brain with AWN's Animation Trivia Quiz.
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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.
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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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
