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AWN Headline News

Digital Headline News

Meet the Robinsons to Go Disney Digital 3-D

After the successful launch of CHICKEN LITTLE in Disney Digital 3-D, which had an opening gross of approximately $2.1 million in 79 specialty theaters, Walt Disney Pictures will do it again with its next 3D-animated feature, MEET THE ROBINSONS, opening December 2006. To date, CHICKEN LITTLE has garnered more than $83 million at the domestic box office

Effects Headline News

Escape Studios to Launch First Houdini Class in November

Escape Studios and Side Effects Software will partner to provide training in the U.K. animation and visual effects market for the Houdini line of products. Houdini has long been recognized as a key contributor to feature film production pipelines and is a popular choice for technical directors working on high-end visual effects (CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, ANT BULLY, STEALTH, the SPIDER-MAN franchise, THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy).

Headline News

Comet Ent. & BBI Computers Telecom Join Forces

Tonronto-based companies Comet Ent. Inc. & BBI Computers Telecommunications have signed a joint venture for the development of several business opportunities including:

* Distribution of Olympic licensed products for the upcoming Olympic games.* Distribution and promotion of sports events merchandise.* Promotion of Olympic athletes.* Promotion of Greek participation in AMERICAS CUP.* Marketing campaign for the promotion of the Greek Film industry.* Creation and development of the animation industry in Greece.

Headline News

Eric Kops New Paramount Pictures SVP Worldwide Publicity

Eric Kops has been named svp, national publicity, Paramount Pictures, to lead the department in strategizing and executing national campaigns for the companys diverse slate of upcoming releases, including GET RICH OR DIE TRYING, AEON FLUX and YOURS MINE AND OURS. He will be based at the companys worldwide headquarters in Los Angeles.

Kops joins the Paramount team from MGM, where he led the campaigns on such commercial and critical hits as the James Bond installment DIE ANOTHER DAY, the LEGALLY BLONDE and BARBERSHOP series, HOTEL RWANDA, GHOST WORLD AND SAVED.

Toon Headline News

Toon Boom Releases Opus II & Harmony Service Packs

Toon Boom Animation has released Opus II Service Pack 1 and Harmony Service Pack 1. As Harmony incorporates all Opus capabilities, all added features and enhancements apply to both products. Service pack highights include:

* Support of news scanners, namely Fujitsu fi-5750c and Epson GT 15000

* New shortcuts, optimized memory management and workflow enhancements in the Scanning module

* Optimization of templates management

* Batch rendering improvements

* Several other bug fixes

Headline News

Walden & New Line Journey in 3-D

By Rick DeMott | Thursday, November 17, 2005 at 12:00am

Walden Media and New Line are teaming to co-finance JOURNEY 3-D, a modern spin on the Jules Verne classic JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH. Academy Award-winning effects man Eric Brevig will make his directing debut on the film, which will be based on a screenplay by D.V. DeVincentis (HIGH FIDELITY). Visual effects vet Charlotte Huggins will produce the project, which is set to start production in April.

Film Headline News

Punisher Actor Role-Plays for Mutant Chronicles

By Rick DeMott | Thursday, November 17, 2005 at 12:00am

Pressman & Co. Films has hired THE PUNISHER actor Thomas Jane to star in its sci-fi/action film, THE MUTANT CHRONICLES, which is based on the role-playing board game of the same name, according to VARIETY. Producer Ed Pressman has had his project in development for nearly 10 years. At AFM, he signed a deal with Voltage Pictures for them to serves as the foreign sales representative for the film.

Films Headline News

Academy Releases Best Animated Feature Contenders

By Rick DeMott | Thursday, November 17, 2005 at 12:00am

Ten films will compete in the Best Animated Feature Film category in the 2005 Academy Awards competition. Disney leads the pack with three eligible films CHICKEN LITTLE, HOWLS MOVING CASTLE and VALIANT. The only other company with more than one contender is DreamWorks with WALLACE & GROMIT: THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT and MADAGASCAR. Foxs ROBOTS and Warner Bros.' CORPSE BRIDE are the only other wide released films to make the list. Triumph Films has entered STEAMBOY and Pentamedia and the Weinstein Co.

Disney Headline News

JoJo Flies During Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

By Rick DeMott | Thursday, November 17, 2005 at 12:00am

JoJo, the star of Disney Channel's JOJO'S CIRCUS, a Playhouse Disney series for preschoolers, will be unveiled as a giant helium balloon next week in the 79th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. At more than 60 feet high, it is one of the biggest balloons in the parade, which runs from New York Citys Upper West Side to Herald Square.

Digital Headline News

Digital Musings From the Editor:

We turn our attention to gaming in November, perfectly timed with next weeks launch of Microsofts Xbox 360 next-gen console. Fred Galpern looks at how advanced 3D graphics and better game engines will help improve cinematics and in-game animation, while Janet Hetherington explores the greater production and content demands placed on games adapted from blockbuster movies.

Software Headline News

IMAGICA Embraces Toxik Software

IMAGICA Corp. has added 15 seats of Autodesk Toxik software to its post-production pipeline, along with training from Autodesk Consulting. Autodesk has also released the first feature extension to the Toxik collaborative visual effects and compositing software. This extension, called Blend and Comp, contains tools that make frequent digital compositing tasks easier.

Studio Headline News

Alienbrain Studio 7.5 Now Available

Avid Technology Inc., announced the worldwide availability of its leading asset management system for digital content production, Avid Alienbrain Studio 7.5. Designed to meet the needs of art teams working on next-generation game development and industrial design projects, Alienbrain Studio 7.5 comes in two new configurations with new pricing: Alienbrain Essentials (starting at $495) and Alienbrain Advanced ($1,495).

Effects Headline News

Double Negative Goes Organic for Goblet of Fire

Under the guidance of vfx supervisor Mark Michaels and CG supervisor Richard Clarke, Double Negative created 500 shots in 15 months for Warner Bros. Pictures HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE (opening Nov. 18), more than any other vfx facility working on the movie. The work comes on the heels of highly acclaimed Double Negative work for SAHARA, KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, THE JACKET, PRIDE & PREJUDICE, DOOM and BATMAN BEGINS.

Series Headline News

Aquaman Swims on the WB

By Rick DeMott | Wednesday, November 16, 2005 at 12:00am

Riding positive fan response to a guest appearance of the character on SMALLVILLE, The WB has greenlit a pilot for a potential AQUAMAN series, reported VARIETY, which The WB later confirmed. Produced by Warner Bros. TV and writers Al Gough and Miles Millar (SPIDER-MAN 2), the show will center on a twentysomething Arthur Curry, aka Aquaman. Gough and Millar will exec produce with SMALLVILLE vet Greg Beeman directing the pilot.

Dreamworks Headline News

Activision & DreamWorks Animation Sign Multi-Year, Multi-Property Deal

By Rick DeMott | Wednesday, November 16, 2005 at 12:00am

Activision Inc. and DreamWorks Animation SKG jointly announced that the companies have agreed to a new long-term, broad-based strategic alliance. The companies signed a multi-year agreement, which grants Activision the exclusive videogame rights to upcoming feature films from DreamWorks Animation.

Animation Headline News

Is the Australian Animation Biz Dead?

By Rick DeMott | Wednesday, November 16, 2005 at 12:00am

Is the animation industry in Australian on its last legs? In a report on SMH.com, the head of Walt Disney Co.'s Australian operations thinks this may be the case with the closing of DisneyToon Studios Australia (DTSA).

However, DTSA gm Philip Oakes is bit more positive. He plans to launch a new animation house in Sydney.

Awards Headline News

Academy of Machinima Announces Machinima Awards Winners

By Rick DeMott | Wednesday, November 16, 2005 at 12:00am

The Academy of Machinima Arts & Sciences (AMAS), an organization that provides advocacy, education and community for Machinima, announced the winners of the 2005 Machinima Awards (The Mackies), which were unveiled in an awards presentation during the Machinima Film Festival on Nov. 11, 2005.

Television Headline News

TV Academy Creates Emmy Category For New Delivery Platforms

The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) will award a new category of the Emmy for original programming created specifically for non-traditional viewing platforms, including computers, mobile phones, PDAs and similar devices.

The Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Content for Non-Traditional Delivery Platforms, to be judged by a blue ribbon panel of media professionals selected by the NATAS, will be given in recognition of creativity in editorial content and video production.

Animation Headline News

Animation Educator/Animator/Writer Wendy Jackson Hall Passes Away

Independent animator/educator/writer Wendy Jackson Hall passed away Nov. 14, 2005, at Harrison Hospital in Bremerton, Washington. She was hospitalized over the past weekend for blood clots in her lungs and was trying to get stabilized enough undergo biopsies for cancer when she died at age 32 of complications from the clots.

Kids Headline News

WGBH & Discovery Kids Offer Second Serving of Peep for Thanksgiving

WGBH and Discovery Kids are serving up some feathery fun for Thanksgiving with all-new episodes of the animated preschool science series, PEEP AND THE BIG WIDE WORLD. Join Peep, the newly-hatched chicken, Chirp, the smart and sassy robin, and Quack, the endearingly egotistical duck, as they flap their way through five new, wide-ranging, hair-raising, always comical (mis)adventures, debuting Nov. 14�18, 2005, at 9:00 am and 11:30 am on the Discovery Kids Channel and then on Nov. 21-25 at 8:00 on TLC, as part of the READY SET LEARN! preschool block.

Headline News

Animal Logic Penicilled in at AWARD Awards

Animal Logic was recognized with two Silver Pencils and a Bronze Pencil at the AWARD Awards (Australasian Writers and Art Directors Assn.) on Nov. 11 at Wharf 8 in Sydneys Pyrmont. Meanwhile, Cutting Edge, won a Bronze for computer-generated work on BUTTERFLIES (Australian Rugy Union).

Production Headline News

Maya Key on Animated Happily N’Ever After

Alias and BFC Berliner Film Companie Prods. GmbH (BFC) have extended their partnership by utilizing Maya as the core 3D technology used in the upcoming 3D animated feature, HAPPILY N´EVER AFTER, produced by John H. Williams (the SHREK movies and VALIANT). BFC relies on its relationship with Alias professional services for support and custom software development to rapidly prototype new features that meet its particular production requirements.

Headline News

Autodesk Introduces Flame for Linux

Autodesk Inc. launched its Academy Award-winning Discreet Flame visual effects system on dual-core workstations running the Linux operating system. The Discreet Flame system is already available on workstations running the IRIX operating system. As a result, film studios, broadcasters and post-production facilities will have more flexibility and choice in shaping their digital content creation pipelines.

Game Headline News

Quantic Dream Uses Vicon MoCap on INDIGO PROPHECY Game

The Vicon motion capture system has been utilized by French studio Quantic Dream on the new console/computer game INDIGO PROPHECY (known as FAHRENHEIT overseas).

The breakthrough third-person action-adventure game, published by Atari and lauded for its blending of cinema and interactivity, has quickly become an international bestseller.

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