Quiet Man Cruises into Holiday Season with Visa
Visual effects and animation company, Quiet Man, goes boating in their latest spot for Visa via BBDO. A preview of the upcoming holiday season, the spot started airing Nov. 1.
Visual effects and animation company, Quiet Man, goes boating in their latest spot for Visa via BBDO. A preview of the upcoming holiday season, the spot started airing Nov. 1.
Autodesk Inc. has released a new configuration of its Academy Award-winning Discreet Inferno visual effects system for the Japanese market. The system is designed to meet the specific platform performance and branding requirements of many Japanese post-production facilities.
NaturalMotion Ltd. announced the immediate availability of the companys free endorphin 2.5 Learning Edition (eLE). Based on endorphin, NaturalMotions award-winning character animation software, the new eLE includes all relevant product documentation and a comprehensive support network via the companys active endorphin forum. The software has no time restrictions and is fully functional; however, it is motion file export disabled and is not to be used for commercial production.
Helping to give game enthusiasts another way to get their fix, Concrete Pictures has teamed with MTV on two new promotional campaigns. The Philadelphia-based creative production company has applied its signature edge and ingenuity to GAMØRZ WEEK and TITLE TRACK, both part of the networks ongoing efforts to connect with the growing and increasingly vocal gaming demographic.
London based vfx house, MPC (The Moving Picture Co.) has licensed FlowLine, a fluid simulation system developed by Munich-based vfx house Scanline, which simulates and renders photoreal fire and water. MPC and Scanline are working together on integrating FlowLine into MPCs large-scale production pipeline.
MPC has elected to work with Scanline to continue ongoing internal R&D focus on the development of its sophisticated in-house character/creature pipeline.
California State University, Chico has purchased 100 seats of Bauhaus Softwareâs Mirage product. Integrated directly into the universityâs graphics and animation curriculum, Mirage will enable students to learn classical and modern 2D animation, in a completely paperless environment.
When Zagreb 2005 wrapped up its festival on Oct. 30, 2005, the international jury handled out its Grand Prize to Denmarks TERKEL IN TROUBLE. The A Film production was directed by Stefan Fjeldmark. Thorbjrn Christoffersen and Kresten Vestbjerg Andersen. Taking the Golden Zagreb prize was Annecy winner DISTRICT! (NYOKER!) from the Hungarian firm Lichthof Prods. Aron Gauder directed.
The National Museum of Photography, Film & Television announced the winners of this year's BAF Awards as part of the 12th Bradford Animation Festival, which took place on Nov. 19, 2005 in Bradford, U.K. The BAF Awards celebrate the very best new animation from around the world, with more than 750 submissions whittled down to 30 films for the official selection.
Below is a complete list of winners.
Grand Prix (overall winner)TREE ROBO Dir, Moon-Saeng Kim
After years of dealmaking, New Line has finally signed the key players in making RUSH HOUR 3 happen, according to VARIETY.
The longtime hold out Chris Tucker will receive $20 million against 20% of gross, as well as a second-picture commitment for $20 million on a film to be determined later. The actor will not hold script approval as long as the final draft is similar to what writer Jeff Nathanson pitched.
Co-star Jackie Chan will net $15 million against 15% of the gross as well as control the films distribution rights in China and Hong Kong.
With the sad news of the passing of famed producer Derek Lamb and animator Wendy Jackson Hall, ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE will be publishing a tribute story to both individuals in December. Lamb started his animation career with the National Film Board of Canada in the 1960s. He worked extensively as a writer, director and producer in Canada, the U.S. and Europe, both in commercial and experimental film. Jackson Hall was part of the early core of AWN and ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE and went on to champion animation as an animator, teacher and writer.
Dimension Films has signed an agreement to acquire the North American distribution rights to the feature adaptation of Tecmo videogame, DEAD OR ALIVE, VARIETY reports. THE TRANSPORTER helmer Corey Yuen is directing. Devon Aoki, Sarah Carter, Natassia Malthe, Matthew Marsden, Jaime Pressly, Eric Roberts and Holly Valance will star.
HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE had the best opening yet for the popular franchise, raking in $102.3M for the weekend ended Nov. 20, 2005. In fact, the Warner Bros. wizard fantasy is second only to REVENGE OF THE SITHS $108.4M for openers this year. The first POTTER directed by Mike Newell and the first to don a PG-13 rating, THE GOBLET OF FIRE also boasts more impressive vfx from Double Negative, Framestore CFC, MPC, ILM, Cinesite, Animal Logic, The Orphanage, BUF and Rising Sun.
Polhemus has released the PATRIOT, a 6 Degree-of-Freedom (6DOF) tracking product, which been verified to meet the requirements of Class B digital device standards.
The PATRIOT is now available in both Class A and Class B emissions standards. The new Class B version of the PATRIOT meets the more stringent emissions requirements specified by the FCC and CE standards. The Class B PATRIOT also has a new look and is easily identified by the white plastic chassis. PATRIOT B can now be used in more rigorous residential and industrial laboratory environments.
At this years International Childrens Film Festival in Hyderabad, the tiny eastern European country of Estonia is showing a big presence, reports the BUSINESS STANDARD. In 2003 at the 13th Childrens Film Festival, the Estonian short CONCERT FOR A CARROT PIE won the Silver Elephant in the best animation short film category.
3D Buzz has released a new Video Training Module (VTM) series entitled HALF-LIFE 2 LEVEL DESIGN. This VTM will introduce students to Hammer, the powerful level editing tool within HALF-LIFE 2'S SDK. Lessons include full covering of Hammer's UI, creation and editing of geometry, creation and placement of entities, including props, weapons, lights, NPCs and more. Students will also see the entire process of creating a basic level, so that they can follow along and see how to start generating your own environments. The VTM is free and ready for download at www.3dbuzz.com.
Classic Media is set to release a new animated Frosty the Snowman feature as well as the first two volumes of KING KONG: THE ANIMATED SERIES.
THE LEGEND OF FROSTY THE SNOWMAN DVD ($21.98) is an all-new animated comedy adventure based on the original 1969 television classic. Burt Reynolds narrates the movie and sings the popular title song. In addition, Tom Kenny, the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants, also stars.
The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has announced the new additions to this years event. For the 79th annual Macy's Parade, four new character balloons and a specially created work of flying art take to the sky on Thanksgiving Day. The new balloons include Nickelodeon's DORA THE EXPLORER, United States Potato Board's Healthy MR. POTATO HEAD, Disney Channel's JOJO'S CIRCUS and Warner Bros.' SCOOBY-DOO, as well as, a new novelty sized balloon designed by world-renowned artist Tom Otterness, Macy's Parade Humpty Dumpty.
A new music video, with animation by Bill Plympton, will be premiering on MTV on Monday, Nov. 21, 2005. The video is for a song called "Heard 'Em Say" by Kanye West, and should air during TRL on MTV on Monday afternoon. Plymptons third music video, and perhaps the most high profile one he's worked on, depicts Kanye as a mythical urban cabdriver.
Zagreb 2006Zagreb, CroatiaJune 12-17, 2006Deadline: February 15, 2006
Zagreb: 18th World Festival of Animated Films is an ASIFA sanctioned competitive festival. The festival was formed in 1969 to encouraging creativity, which eschews pre-set patterns and ideas/notions/conceptions, and finds new ways of exploring the possibilities of film animation. Awards with cash prizes will be given as follows: grand prize, best first production, best student film, plus five special prizes and three special distinctions.
Cisco Systems Inc., the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet, signed a definitive agreement to acquire Scientific-Atlanta Inc. Scientific-Atlanta is a leading global provider of set-top boxes, end-to-end video distribution networks and video system integration. The combined entity creates a world-class universal digital communicator for watching video, making phone calls and shopping online.
Paramount Pictures has entered into a three-year first look deal with SOUTH PARK creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, setting them up as ceos of their new company Trunity. Trunity, a Mediar company, a division of True Mediar, a Unity Corpbopoly, will be based on the Paramount lot.
PERFECT HAIR FOREVER, a comedic anime series with Adult Swim sensibilities, will premiere on Nov. 20, 2005, at 12:45 am and, beginning Nov. 27, the series will air at 12:30 am Cartoon Network.
An all-news original series, created at Williams St., Adult Swims production facilities,