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AWN Headline News

Disney Headline News

Disney Channel Worldwide Integrates Walt Disney Television Animation

Walt Disney Television Animation (DTVA) has been folded into Disney Channel Worldwide with a corresponding new departmental structure for the division. Rich Ross, president, Disney Channel Worldwide, made the announcement today, (Nov. 15, 2005) on the heels of the resignation of Barry Blumberg, former president, Walt Disney Television Animation, yesterday.

Animation Headline News

AWN Discussion Forums - What's New? for November 14, 2005

This week in AWN's Forums, members are abuzz about Mike Judge saying the 10th season of KING OF THE HILL will be the last. A junior member has some questions about the Graphic Artist Guild Pricing and Ethical Guidelines book. A member from Germany wants to know from other members what bugs the about the film and animation industry. Another thread ponders whether with Disney entering 3D animation whether 3D is dead. Moderator Larry L.

Imax Headline News

Goblet of Fire to Open in Record Number of IMAX Theaters

When Warner Bros. Pictures releases HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE: THE IMAX EXPERIENCE on Nov. 18, it will debut in a record 72 IMAX theaters, with an additional 18 to open in the coming weeks. This will eclipse the mark set by CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY: THE IMAX EXPERIENCE this past summer.

Of the 72 IMAX theaters opening day and date, 66 of the locations are domestic, which is significantly more than the 49 domestic IMAX screens that HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN: THE IMAX EXPERIENCE opened in June 2004.

Headline News

NVIDIA Releases GeForce 7800 GTX 512

NVIDIA Corp. announced the availability of the new NVIDIA GeForce 7800 GTX 512 graphics processing unit (GPU). The companys award-winning GeForce 7800 GTX graphics chip already powers what many experts consider to be the fastest graphics cards around. With the new GeForce 7800 GTX 512, NVIDIA has released a new, supercharged version of the GPU that delivers tremendous performance in todays PC games.

Digital Headline News

Digital Dimension Makes Space for Zathura

Award-winning visual effects studio Digital Dimension delivered 200 vfx shots for ZATHURA: A SPACE ADVENTURE, the Columbia Pictures sci-fi adventure that opened Nov. 11.

Director Jon Favreau and visual effects supervisor Joe Bauer, with whom Digital Dimension collaborated most recently on ELF, brought the company on board to create signature effects for the movies digital star fields and to help them achieve action sequences in space using seamlessly composited practical miniatures along with CG elements.

Headline News

Imagica Purchases monet for Competitive Edge

Tokyo-based Imagica will be using monet from Imagineer Systems in its commercial post-production division, which relies heavily on 2D tracking. Imagica needed a way to speed up the tracking process and improve quality, and cited monet as the only accurate 2D tracking system available that would allow them to achieve this.

Headline News

Viewers Return for More Chicken Little

CHICKEN LITTLE, Disneys first full 3D-animated feature, won the box office derby in its second outing for the weekend ended Nov. 13, 2005, despite competition from ZATHURA, the other movie aimed at families. Benefiting from Veterans Day falling on Friday, CHICKEN LITTLE lost only 21% and took home $31.6M for Buena Vista, giving it a cume of $80.4M. Apparently the extra ticket price for the digital 3-D version, boosted the gross as well. Look for CHICKEN LITTLE to play through the holidays and earn somewhere in the $150M vicinity.

Headline News

Sinbad Sinks at Sony

STEALTH director Rob Cohens big-budget spectacle THE 8TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD has been called off at Sonys Columbia Pictures, reports the L.A. TIMES.

Amy Pascal, head of the motion picture group for Sony Pictures Ent., said in the piece, "It didn't seem like a good idea for us to make that movie after STEALTH.

The $135-million STEALTH lost Sony nearly $50 million after grossing a measly $32.1 million domestically. Cohen declined to comment.

Film Headline News

nWave Flies Into the 3-D Animation Biz

Location-based entertainment firm nWave is moving into the 3-D biz with its next animated film, FLY ME TO THE MOON, VARIETY reports. The makers of HAUNTED CASTLE has set aside a budget of $21 million for the CG film, which follows three tween houseflies that stow away on the Apollo 11 moon mission. nWave hopes to have the film ready for summer 2007.

Universal Headline News

Universal Wants The Psycho Comic

Universal has hired Chris Morgan (FAST AND FURIOUS: TOKYO DRIFT) to adapt Dan Brereton and James Hudnalls comicbook THE PSYCHO, reports VARIETY.

Set in a world where an illegal drug can give people superpowers or death, the story follows a rogue CIA agent who risks his sanity to become a "psycho" as a way to rescue his girlfriend and expose a political conspiracy.

David Engel will produce for Circle of Confusion, with partners Lawrence Mattis and Jason Lust exec producing. Universal production vp Jeff Kirschenbaum will shepherd the film.

Headline News

From Mad Black Woman to Venus Kincaid for Darren Grant

Following up his debut on the surprise hit DIARY OF A MAD BLACK WOMAN, Darren Grant has been hired by Fox 2000 for the live-action adaptation of the webtoon, VENUS KINCAID, according to VARIETY. The Love Brothers of Gettosake Ent. created the series, which chronicles a female African-American government agent who is transformed into a teenaged girl with all of her adult knowledge still intact. ZOOM production company Underground Films' Nick Osborne and Trevor Engelson are producing with Scott Cherrin exec producing. Lori Lakin is writing the screenplay.

Animation Headline News

Fire Ball & Kung Fu Hustle Win Chinese-Lingo “Oscars”

Taiwan's 42nd Golden Horse Awards considered the Chinese-language equivalent of the Oscars awarded this years prizes on Nov. 13, 2005. THE FIRE BALL, produced by Wang Film Prod. Co. Ltd., was awarded the Best Animation prize. KUNG FU HUSTLE was named Best Movie with the films helmer Stephen Chou named Best Director. The other films nominated for Best Animation were DRAGONBLADE, released by DCDC (HK) Ltd., and VEN. YIN SHUN, from Da-Ai Television. The ceremony was held in Keelung.

Awards Headline News

Taiwanese Film Wins China’s National Film Awards

At the 25th Golden Rooster Awards, the national film awards in China, Taiwans THE BUTTERFLY LOVERS won the Best Animation award. The surprise winner was released last year by Central Motion Pictures Corp. of Taiwan. The other animation nominees included GELANTE CHUANZHANG DE NURE (CAPTAIN GRAND'S DAUGHTER), HE (LOTUS) and MOBISI HUAN (THRU THE MOEBIUS STRIP). The awards were held on Nov. 12, 2005, in Sanya on the southern island of Hainan. For the first time, the Golden Rooster Awards were open to ethnic Chinese cast and crew members in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

Disney Headline News

Barry Blumberg Resigns President’s Post at Walt Disney TV Animation

After 11 years overseeing Walt Disney Television Animation (WDTVA), ultimately as president, Barry Blumberg announced his resignation from the group. He will remain with the company through the end of January to aid in the integration of the WDTVA Group into Disney Channel Worldwide. An announcement concerning the restructuring of Walt Disney Television Animation and its integration into Disney Channel Worldwide will be forthcoming.

Series Headline News

AOL and Warner Bros. to Launch New Broadband Network In2TV On AOL.com

AOL and Warner Bros. Domestic Cable Distribution are collaborating to form a new broadband network in early 2006. The network, called In2TV (on AOL.com), will give consumers access to thousands of episodes from popular TV series to stream on demand for free on the Web, including full-length episodes from favorite series such as WELCOME BACK KOTTER, SISTERS, BEETLEJUICE, LOIS & CLARK, LA FEMME NIKITA and GROWING PAINS. Along with full-length episodes, In2TV will also include interactive features such as games, quizzes, polls, trivia contests and more.

Films Headline News

Innamation Films Signs “Fleming” Scribe For Christmas Rescue Rewrite

Innamation Films has hired Damian Stevenson to pen a screenplay re-write for THE CHRISTMAS RESCUE, the Los Angeles animation companys first full-length, direct-to-video feature.

Stevenson recently made headlines for selling his screenplay FLEMING, a biopic on James Bond creator Ian Fleming, to Warner Bros. for an undisclosed sum.

Effects Headline News

Pixar’s Jim Morris to Receive VES Board of Directors Award

Pixar producer and former ILM senior exec Jim Morris, currently overseeing an Andrew Stanton (FINDING NEMO) feature to be released in summer 08, will receive the Board of Directors Award from the Visual Effects Society. This award will be presented at the 4th Annual VES Awards on Feb.15, 2005, at the Hollywood Palladium, and follows last weeks VES announcement that Pixar founder John Lasseter will receive the 2005 Georges Melies Award for artistic excellence and lifetime achievement.

Headline News

SpongeBob Sets Off on Snail Trail for Lost Pet in Primetime Special

SpongeBob inadvertedly causes his beloved pet snail Gary to crawl away and sets off in a desperate search to bring him home in Wheres Gary, a half-hour SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS special premiering on Nickelodeon Friday, Nov. 11, 2005, at 8:00 pm.

Animation Headline News

China Gets Game

A ceremony was held earlier this week in Shanghai to launch a state-level base for the development of the fledging online game animation industry in China, reports ASIA PULSE.

Located in the Zhangjiang High-tech Zone in east Chinas Shanghai municipality, this is the third such kind of 3D industrial base for online game animation in the country following those set up in Sichuan and Guangdong provinces.

Studios Headline News

Amberwood Acquires Two Properties From Australia's Mini Studios

Amberwood Ent. has licensed exclusive rights to produce two of Mini Studios pre-school properties -- ROB THE ROBOT and DEBRA THE ZEBRA.

Spotted at MIP-TV 2005, Ottawa-based Amberwood immediately followed up with Melbourne-based Mini Studios (www.ministudios.com.au) to secure both series for production. Jonathan Wiseman, director of sales & marketing at Amberwood said, "The innovative concepts and fresh look of Mini Studio's properties will most certainly catch the eyes of many broadcasters worldwide. We are excited to have partnered with this talented company."

Mattel Headline News

VIZ Media Names Mattel As Master Toy Licensee For Zatch Bell!

VIZ Media announced that it has named Mattel as master toy licensee for ZATCH BELL! by Makoto Raiku. The announcement is the most recent development for ZATCH BELL! since VIZ Media was granted the North and South American broadcast and licensing rights in June 2004. Additionally, the company has entered into partnerships with Cartoon Network (where ZATCH BELL! premiered in March 2005 on the Toonami block) and Bandai for videogames and collectible card games in the past year.

Headline News

Bioncle Scribe Sells Another Sci-Fi Script

BIONICLE: THE FEATURE scribe Brett Matthews has sold another sci-fi spec script this time to Warner Bros. Pictures, according to VARIETY. Titled MAINLINE, the story is being kept under close wraps. Dylan Sellers Prods. vp of production Jesse Ehrman along with Dylan Sellers brought the project to Warners creative exec Geoff Shaevitz, who will shepherd the film for the studio.

Kids Headline News

Backyardigans Headed to Home Vid, Discovered in Latin America

Nelvana has announced two new deals for its property THE BACKYARDIGANS one with Paramount Home Ent. Intl and the other with Discovery Kids in Latin America.

The agreement with Paramount Home Ent. Intl is for the video release of THE BACKYARDIGANS in the U.K., Latin America, Spain, Germany, Italy, France and Scandinavia.

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