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AWN Headline News

Animation Headline News

AEAF Sydney Program Announced for December

The Australian Effects & Animation Festival (AEAF) will be held Dec. 6-8 as part of the Digital Media Festival leg in Sydney. The program will include sessions on the making of KING KONG, HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE, ZATHURA, REVENGE OF THE SITH and STEALTH.

Effects Headline News

Zoic Adds New Stage and Pyro Backlot

Zoic Studios recently added a 5,000 square-foot stage to its facilities. The stage, located adjacent to the NOHO Arts District in North Hollywood, California, features a motion control rig with camera, a full grip and lighting package, greenscreen stage, green room and hair and make up room. It also has a parking lot and an outdoor area for pyrotechnical shoots.

To date, Zoic has utilized the stage for commercial projects for HP and Samsung, as well as shoots for the television episodic CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION.

Home Headline News

Extended Return of the King Tops 8th Annual DVD Awards

The Special Extended DVD edition of THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING was the top winner with six trophies at the 8th Annual DVD Awards with Leonard Maltin. The New Line Home Ent. DVD set led all entries in the Grab.com Viewers Choice Award (tied with two others), Best of Show (tied), Blockbuster Theatrical (tie), Authoring Design, Video Presentation and Audio Presentation.

Digital Headline News

Ballistic Publishing Has EXOTIQUE Call for Entries

Ballistic Publishing is now calling all artists to submit digital images for consideration to be included in EXOTIQUE. Images can be created in any 3D or digital illustration application. Ballistic is interested in digitally-created fine art, whether it be 2D or 3D, for commercial use or personal satisfaction. Ballistic seeks all types of characters from heroes and heroines to damsels, monsters and malicious villains. All genres are welcome, whether it be science fiction, fantasy, anime, photorealism or stylized realism. Entry deadline is Oct. 3, 2005, midnight GMT.

Headline News

Sesame Workshop Responds To Hurricane Katrina

By Rick DeMott | Thursday, September 1, 2005 at 12:00am

In response to the recent news and concerns surrounding the catastrophic impact of Hurricane Katrina, Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind SESAME STREET, has updated its website to offer parents and caregivers tools that will help children cope during the aftermath of this stressful weather event. In addition, the nonprofit organization will re-air SESAME STREET's hurricane series, starting Sept. 12, and related public service announcements, starting Sept. 2.

Films Headline News

Kidtoon To Bring Scooby & Tom & Jerry to Weekend Theatrical Screenings

By Rick DeMott | Thursday, September 1, 2005 at 12:00am

Kidtoon Films, a company that distributes family films to theaters for weekend morning screenings, has announced it has acquired two new Warner Bros. Animation titles the Tom & Jerry feature THE FAST AND THE FURRY and SCOOBY-DOO IN WHERE'S MY MUMMY? Kidtoon programs also include shorts and sing-alongs.

"The Kidtoon Film promotional theatrical release brings beloved classic characters in new, fun-filled movies to the big screen for kids," said Dorinda Marticorena, vp of kids and sports marketing for Warner Home Video.

Music Headline News

EA and Grammy Foundation Partner to Expose Kids to Interactive Music Composition

Electronic Arts Inc., the world leading interactive entertainment company, and the GRAMMY Foundation have joined forces to give high school students an insiders view into careers in Interactive music composition & sound via GRAMMY Pro Session: Video Game Music And Sound Design. The GRAMMY Foundations unique Pro Session series gives students an insiders view into careers in the music industry.

Universal Headline News

Battlestar Galactica: Season One Debuts on DVD Sept. 20

The complete first season of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, Sci Fi Channel's action-packed epic, arrives on DVD Sept. 20, in Dolby 5.1 for the first time, just as the show's SEASON TWO finale airs on Sept. 23. The five-disc set (Universal Studios Home Ent, $59.98) contains more than 12 hours of content, including both the complete dramatic 13-episode season of the Hugo Award-winning show and the four-hour, TV mini-series that launched the 2003 series juggernaut.

Cartoon Headline News

Animal Logic Tickles New Programming Block for Cartoon Network

Tickle U, Cartoon Networks new programming block for pre-school children, has launched in the U.S. Animal Logic has worked with Cartoon Network to create packaging and bumps to help launch Tickle U and carry it through subsequent months of programming.

Animation Headline News

More Animation Announced at eDIT 8.

eDIT 8. Filmmakers Festival, the art and science of the moving image (Oct. 9-11, 2005, in Frankfurt, Germany), announced that this years animation master Chris Landreth will interview festival honoree Phil Tippett on Oct. 10.

In addition, Landreth will present the making of his Academy Award-winning short, RYAN, during the panel Great Animation and Storytelling, also on Oct.10 (designated Animation Day), hosted by AWN/VFXWORLD publisher Dan Sarto. Juan Pablo Etcheverry (MINOTAUROMAQUIA) and Oury Atlan (OVERTIME) will discuss their work as well.

Cartoon Headline News

Cartoon Network Starts Up New Primetime André Benjamin Project

Cartoon Network announced today (Aug. 31, 2005) production has begun on an animated primetime ANDRÉ BENJAMIN series scheduled to debut in fall 2006. Created by André Benjamin (André 3000 of OutKast) and Tom Lynch, the untitled half-hour series features a group of musically gifted kids and an unlikely visitor that brings sunshine to their lives. Twelve half-hour episodes and a one-hour premiere are being produced at Cartoon Network Studios in Burbank, California.

Series Headline News

PorchLight Ent. Buys the Farm from Australia

PorchLight Entertainment has acquired exclusive distribution and licensing and merchandising rights to NEW MACDONALDS FARM, Beyond Distributions hit childrens series which airs on Australias Network Nine.

The hit series, targeting kids 2-5, features child-like farmers Max and Milly in a combination live-action and puppetry setting. There are 45 half-hour episodes completed with an order for 45 more. PorchLight will market the series for domestic broadcast distribution and actively seek U.S. licensees.

Animation Headline News

Ottawa Animation Fest to Spotlight Singapore

The Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) focus on Singapore at the 2nd annual Television Animation Conference (TAC), which takes place Sept. 21-22, 2005. Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA) is sending production and policy executives from Singapore's animation industry to the conference and meet with Canadian counterparts at a roundtable to establish business contacts explore co-production possibilities.

Film Headline News

Time to Submit Shorts for the BAFTA Awards

BAFTA AwardsLondon, U.K. February 19, 2006Deadline: October 31, 2005

The British Academy Film recognizes that it is essential to reward and nurture the immense diversity and talent demonstrated by filmmakers producing short film and animation. Shorts offer both new and established talent alike the chance to create experimental and innovative films and, by rewarding excellence within these fields, BAFTA aims to raise the profile of these talented individuals and of shorts in general.

Animated Headline News

Get Your Break in Scriptapalooza TV

Scriptapalooza 7th Annual Television Writing Competition World Wide WebFebruary 15, 2006Deadline: October 15, 2005

Scriptapalooza TV, has grown in reputation and stature over the last three years with several of its past winners gaining access to top television production companies and literary representatives.

Media Headline News

Antics Pre-Viz Aids Virgin Radio TV Campaign

Antics Technologies recently helped TENFOUR Media deliver three :20 commercials for the forthcoming Virgin Radio TV campaign, The Music We All Love. The three pieces were shot in HD and edited on VelocityHD at ahc Post. Given the need to see more than a 2D version of the storyboard, and the tight schedule, TENFOUR Media approached Antics to use its Pre-Viz tool to work out some of the more complex aspects of the shoot.

Headline News

GenArts to Unveil New Sapphire Plug-Ins at IBC

GenArts Inc announced that the IBC will mark important milestones for the company: the unveiling of the next version of Sapphire Plug-ins for Avid AVX 2.0, the availability of Sapphire Plug-ins v3.07 for 64-bit Discreet systems and the introduction of new managing director Anish Dhanda. The conference takes place in Amsterdam from Sept. 9-13.

Headline News

National Lampoon Gives Gumby Post Modern Treatment

In celebration of the series' 50th anniversary, National Lampoon Inc., Premavision and Clokey Prods. announced plans to recraft the beloved GUMBY TV series for a new generation.

The edgy, irreverent reinvention, called GUMBY: THE LOST TAPES, will see National Lampoon create and produce all-new dialog (and, in some cases, music) tracks for the classic clay animation series. GUMBY: THE LOST TAPES will offer an original take on the TV staple, updating the series' legendary characters Gumby, Pokey, the Blockheads and Nopey.

Headline News

Million Dollar Baby Writer’s Next Bout with Bond

MILLION DOLLAR BABY scribe Paul Haggis has been hired to rewrite the script for Sony and MGM's 21st installment of the lucrative Bond franchise, according to HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. The movie is based on the 1953 Ian Fleming novel, CASINO ROYALE, which is the first, darkest and most violent of the Bond books. Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, who penned the Bond films THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH and DIE ANOTHER DAY, took the spin at the screenplay.

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