This Week’s Animation Trivia Quiz for October 24, 2005
Test your skills and challenge your brain with AWN's Animation Trivia Quiz.
In Headline News | Geographic Region: All
AWN Headline News
Manga Ent. Releases Street Fighter Alpha: Generations
On Oct. 25, 2005, Manga Ent. will release of the all new anime co-production STREET FIGHTER ALPHA: GENERATIONS. Alongside a host of new action figures, trading cards and games which will be released by a score of different companies in conjunction with national STREET FIGHTER month this October, ALPHA: GENERATIONS brings the untold origin story of STREET FIGHTERs most intriguing and popular characters to DVD.
Become a Republican Now Tooning on the Web
Perhaps giving JibJab a run for its website political humor money is BECOME A REPUBLICAN (www.thefrown.com/frowners/becomerepublican.swf) on The Frown.com. Written and drawn by Brian Frisk, the animated comic satirically points out the benefits of going from being a blue state voter to a red state voter in the U.S.
With music by Shok, the style and character design seems to be inspired by UPA and THE SIMPSONS.
EA Gears Up Training Program in Montreal
Electronic Arts (EA) is investing up to $2.6 million for a training program to grow its workforce of gamemakers at EA Montreal (EAM) with the technical and creative skills they need to develop the next-generation of interactive entertainment. Michelle Courchesne, Quebec minister of Employment and Social Solidarity, said that Emploi Quebec will contribute $660,000 toward this initiative.
Harry E. Sloan New Chairman/CEO of MGM
Harry E. Sloan, a member of the MGM board of directors, has been named chairman/ceo of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. Sloan will also invest in MGM and become part of the ownership group, which ownership is currently as follows: Providence Equity Partners (29%), Texas Pacific Group (21%), Sony (20%), Comcast (20%), DLJ Merchant Banking Partners (7%), and Quadrangle Group (3%).
Zizzle Sizzles with Pirates of the Caribbean Toys
Zizzle Llc will deliver the first mass-market toy line ever offered behind Disneys PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN franchise, which encompasses the recently announced DEAD MANS CHEST sequel and the yet to be named final film in the trilogy.
Amelie Helmer Has The Life of Pi
AMELIE director Jean-Pierre Jeunet is the latest helmer to sign on to direct Fox 2000's adaptation of the Man Booker Prize-winning Yann Martel novel LIFE OF PI, reports VARIETY. Jeunet will also team with his writing partner Guillaume Laurant to pen the script.
Novel follows the journey of a 16-year-old boy from India to Canada. After a ship wreck, the boy becomes the sole human survivor on a lifeboat with a hyena, an injured zebra and a hungry tiger.
In Films, Visual Effects, Films, Visual Effects | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Asia, North America
Swordfish Writer to Turn Hitman Game Into Diesel Feature
Fox has hired SWORDFISH writer Skip Woods to turn the videogame HITMAN into a feature film vehicle for Vin Diesel, according to VARIETY. The studio purchased the film rights to the Eidos game in June from producers Chuck Gordon and Adrian Askarieh. Diesel is set to exec produce with Daniel Alter producing and Fox president of production Hutch Parker and evp Alex Young overseeing. The story follows international assassin, Agent 47, who works for a mysterious agency dubbed the Agency.
Toy Play Announces Lineup & New Licenses For 2006
Toy Play Llc, a division of global consumer products innovators The Betesh Group, will unveil its new lines of licensed dolls, toys, furniture, play tents, slumber bags and room décor and at the 2006 Fall Toy Show, October 24-27 at the Toy Play showroom located at 1107 Broadway, Suite 700. New licenses include HI HI PUFFY AMIYUMI and SUPERMAN.
GeForce GPUs Selected for Call of Duty 2
NVIDIA GeForce graphics processing units (GPUs) have been selected by Activision as the preferred platform for CALL OF DUTY 2, the sequel to Infinity Wards 2003 Game of the Year.
In Interactive, Visual Effects, Games, Interactive, Visual Effects | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America
2005 DVD Screeners From Disney to Feature Latest Cinea Anti-Piracy Protection
Launching an aggressive new effort to combat piracy, The Walt Disney Studios will utilize state-of-the-art encryption technology from Cinea, a subsidiary of Dolby Laboratories, for 2005 DVD awards screeners. The agreement marks a milestone in the search for an industry-wide solution to deter movie piracy.
Among the likely contenders for DVD awards screeners are CHICKEN LITTLE, HOWLS MOVING CASTLE, THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE, SHOPGIRL AND CASANOVA.
Weinstein Co. Completes Initial Funding; Hookwinked! to Open Christmas Day
The Weinstein Co., the media enterprise launched this month by Bob and Harvey Weinstein, announced that it has completed a $490 million private placement of equity. TWC has a significant number of well-known strategic, financial and individual investors among its equity holders, including affiliates of GLG Partners, Goldman, Sachs & Co., Perry Capital, Quinta Communications S.A., Softbank Corp., TF1 S.A., WPP, a Mark Cuban investment company, and Vivi Nevo, among others. The Weinstein brothers are the founders of Miramax Films.
LightWave 3D VFX Invade Fall 2005 TV Season
NewTek Inc. announced that artists from Eden FX and Zoic Studios are relying on LightWave 3D for the production of content and shots for a large number of new and returning primetime shows for the fall 2005 season. NewTeks Emmy-winning 3D application is being used extensively for visual effects for such series as LOST, ALIAS, COMMANDER IN CHIEF, SURFACE, INVASION, THRESHOLD, E-RING, PRISON BREAK, CSI, CSI: MIAMI and OVER THERE.
Doom Leads Box Office
DOOM (with vfx by Framestore CFC and Double Negative) proved to be a tepid box office leader, despite its popularity as a First Person Shooter videogame. For the weekend ended Oct. 23, 2005, the Universal release debuted at $15.4M. Bowing in second place was DreamWorks family drama, DREAMER: INSPIRED BY A TRUE STORY (with vfx by Hammerhead), which brought in $9.1M. Following in third was Aardman/DreamWorks WALLACE & GROMIT: THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT. The stop-motion gem (with vfx from MPC) took in $8.5M and now has a three-week cume of $43.9M.
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This Week’s Animation Trivia Quiz for October 17, 2005
Test your skills and challenge your brain with AWN's Animation Trivia Quiz.
In Headline News | Geographic Region: All
AWN Discussion Forums - What's New? for October 17, 2005
This week in AWN's Forums, members have started discussing THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA. Theres a new thread talking about good books members have read lately. Another member needs some tips on Flash assembly. Others are debating TV shows with great writing. Moderator Larry L. returns from Paris and gives praise to the students there. In addition, there are posts discussing FOSTERS and HOWLS MOVING CASTLE. Other members continue to post their sketches and animation for others to critique.
Thomas C. Emma New Business Affairs VP at MarVista Ent.
Thomas C. Emma joins MarVista Ent. in the newly created position of vp, business affairs for the companys production, acquisition and distribution activities, as well as utilize his experience in new media and new business development to guide their participation in future business opportunities.
His entertainment career includes senior level management positions at Artist View Ent., The American Film Marketing Assoc., Hal Roach Studios, Harmony Gold and Philips Media Inc.
SEBI Bars Pentamedia from Capital Market
The Securities and Exchange Board of India Oct. 4 barred Pentamedia Graphics Ltd., from issuing any new shares or dealing in securities, considered a punishment for issuing fake shares reports India-West (www.indiawest.com).
According to the SEBI, Pentamedia had issued a duplicate set of its own shares pledged with one bank and used the shares to borrow money from another lender, through an associate.
CaféFX Provides VFX for Shopgirl
CaféFX blends reality and fantasy in a series of 3D effects for the main titles and several key sequences in SHOPGIRL, the romantic comedy starring Claire Danes and Steve Martin, based on Martin's bestselling novella. The movie, directed by Anand Tucker and distributed by Touchstone Pictures, opens today (Oct. 21).
particleIllusion Upgrade Promotion Offered to Combustion Users
wondertouch announced a special limited-time upgrade promotion that allows registered owners of the Autodesk Combustion 3 or Combustion 4 desktop software programs to receive more than 50% off of particleIllusion 3.0, the latest version of the company's cornerstone, sprite-based particle effects software application. The promotion, which ends Nov. 15, enables Combustion 3 or Combustion 4 software owners to purchase the standalone version of particleIllusion 3.0 for Windows or Mac OS X platforms, at a reduced price of $179, a savings of $220.
Pixel Corps Offers Classes on Apple Shake, Compositing and Digital Greenscreens
Pixel Corps, the global learning guild for aspiring and professional digital craftsman, revealed its fall class line-up scheduled for Nov. 1-8 in San Francisco. Taught by industry veterans such as Alex Lindsay, Steve Wright and Marty Rosenberg, this four-part series of comprehensive workshops will cover everything from mastering Apple Shake 4 and the secrets of compositing, to shooting and lighting a visual effects shot on a fully-equipped greenscreen stage.
Little Animation Creates Enriched Play New Media For Kids
Little Animation Inc. has announced that their Enriched Play, new media project for kids, EARTH to ROSIE! will be presented at the next Earth Charter Summit EC+5 Event, on Nov. 7, 2005, in Amsterdam.
Creepshow Remake in the Works
As a way to restart the franchise, Warner Bros. Pictures is developing a remake of the original 1982 horror film, CREEPSHOW, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Roy Lee and Doug Davison of Vertigo Ent. will produce along side Taka Ichise of OZ LA, Tony Ludwig and James Dudelson, the original rights holder. WB is looking for writers.
Dakota Fanning To Voice Title Character In LAIKA’s Coraline
LAIKA announced that Dakota Fanning (DREAMER, WAR OF THE WORLDS, MAN ON FIRE) will voice the title character in LAIKA Ent.s first full length animated feature, CORALINE.
The acclaimed animation director Henry Selick (NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS, JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH) is writing and directing the film, which is based on the international bestselling novel by Neil Gaiman. Former 20th Century Fox chairman/ceo Bill Mechanic and his Pandemonium Films will co-produce with LAIKA. Mary Sandell is producer for LAIKA.
