blinkx Talks Up AtomFilm Content
blinkx announced a partnership with AtomFilms, which will make more than 1,000 of AtomFilms' short film and animation titles searchable via the blinkx.tv video search service.
AWN Headline News
Corpse Bride Bows in Toronto
TIM BURTONS CORPSE BRIDE made its North American debut Saturday night at the Toronto International Film Festival, and the director and a few of his collaborators commented on the stop motion animated feature at Sundays press junket.
Skywalker Sound Names Randy Thom Director of Sound Design
Randy Thom has been appointed as director of sound design at Skywalker Sound. Thom, recipient of last years Academy Award for Best Sound Effects Editing on THE INCREDIBLES, and previously a Best Sound Oscar for THE RIGHT STUFF, began working for Lucasfilm in 1979. His film projects this year include HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE, as well as additional sound design for WAR OF THE WORLDS. A highly prolific sound designer and mixer, Thom is equally at home with animation or live action, with an additional 11 Oscar nominations during his career.
An Exorcism at the Box Office
Screen Gems THE EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE surprised everyone with its screaming debut of $30M for the weekend ended Sept. 11, 2005. Budgeted at $19M, the indie horror/courtroom drama, contains vfx from Captive Audience Prods.
War of the Worlds Helps Paramount Post Record Summer
Paramount Pictures has delivered the biggest summer at the domestic box office in the studio's history, with $503,031,989, besting the previous record of $412M, set in 1994, when the studio released FORREST GUMP.
Global Mechanic Launches New TV Series Division
Vancouver and Boston-based production company Global has created a new TV series division anchored by three new animation projects: 20 episodes of a new series for PBS and WGBH called FETCH!; three childrens books for the next season of the award-winning PBS series, BETWEEN THE LIONS, produced by WGBH Boston, Sirius Thinking Ltd. and Mississippi Public Broadcasting; and a five-episode original series created by Lincoln Pierce for a new programming block on Cartoon Network.
In Business, Flash, Visual Effects, Business, Flash, Visual Effects | Headline News | Geographic Region: All
IBM'S TotalStorage Tape Solution Implemented at Sony Imageworks
IBM has shipped its 500,000th IBM TotalStorage Linear Tape Open (LTO) drive solution to Sony Pictures Imageworks. The company purchased the new storage technology solution to back up its digital animation productions.
Bruce Rosenblum President of New Warner Bros. Television Group
WB vet Bruce Rosenblum has been named president of the newly formed Warner Bros.Television Group, to oversee and grow the entire Warner Bros. portfolio of television businesses, including worldwide production and distribution as well as broadcasting.
Man with the Screaming Brain Film Arrives on Sci-Fi Channel & Dark Horse Comics
Bruce Campbells telemovie, MAN WITH THE SCREAMING BRAIN, debuted on the Sci-Fi Channel, Sept. 10, 2005, at 9:00 pm and will be rebroadcast Sept. 15 at 9:00 pm as part of SCI FI's original movie franchise.
Self-proclaimed B-movie star Bruce Campbell of EVIL DEAD, ARMY OF DARKNESS and BUBBA HO-TEP fame co-wrote MAN WITH THE SCREAMING BRAIN with David Goodman, and also directed and starred in it as well. The film chronicles the adventures of an uptown banker who is brought back to life by a mad scientist with humorously bizarre results (www.scifi.com/screamingbrain).
Naruto Makes Cartoon Network Debut Sept. 10
NARUTO, made its U.S. and English-languae debut on Sept. 10, 2005, at 9:00 pm during Toonami, Cartoon Networks high-rated action block. The series, which first aired in Japan in 2002, has already acquired a huge fan base in the U.S. through DVD sales and bootleg tapes.
NARUTO is an adaptation of the popular manga series, NARUTO, created by Masahi Kishimoto. Cartoon Network will air 52 episodes of the anime series during Toonami, Cartoon Networks Saturday primetime action block.
Gilligan’s Island’s Bob Denver Dies
Bob Denver, the pop culture icon who will forever be remembered as the title character on GILLIGANS ISLAND, died on Sept. 2, 2005, from complications due to surgery for throat cancer. He was 70 years old. For animation fans, Denver again took on the role of Gilligan for the Filmation produced cartoon, GILLIGANS PLANET. The series lasted one season on CBS in 1982, with the original cast of characters marooned on a distant planet instead of an isolated island.
Disney Channel Kicks Off Fall Lineup
Disney Channel's September is highlighted by two new series joining the Jetix action/adventure lineup GET ED and KONG: THE ANIMATED SERIES presented mornings on ABC Family and evenings on Toon Disney.
Also in September, Toon Disney's popular Jetix block expands by 20 hours weekdays (7:00 pm 2:00 a. ET/PT) and weekends (4:00 pm 2:00 am ET/PT), delivering programming for kids 6-11, especially boys 6-11.
Digitally Restored Cinderella to Premiere at El Capitan
Walt Disney's fully restored animated classic, CINDERELLA, which debuts on DVD Oct. 4 (Buena Vista Home Ent., $29.99), will be digitally projected during a special theatrical engagement at Hollywoods El Capitan Theatre, Sept. 15-25, 2005.
Charlie Arrives on DVD Nov. 8
Tim Burtons CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, which collected a sweet $205 million at the box office with the help of vfx from Moving Picture Co., Framestore CFC, Cinesite (Europe), Digital Domain, Darkside Effects Ltd. and Neal Scanlan Studio, makes its DVD debut on Nov. 8 (Warner Home Video, $30.97 two-disc deluxe edition, $28.98 single disc).
Special edition bonus features include:
* Five making-of featurettes:
Chocolate Dreams: Learn about Burton's vision for the film and how he adapted the story.
In Home Entertainment, Visual Effects, Home Entertainment, Visual Effects | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Europe
T-Splines Maya Plug-in 1.0 Starts Shipping
T-Splines LLC, leading developer of 3D animation modeling software, has begun shipping the T-Splines Maya plug-in 1.0, opening a new frontier in 3D modeling by solving two problems that have plagued the 3D modeling industry since its inception: greater surface control and seamless merging. A free trial of the T-Splines Maya plug-in Learning Edition may be downloaded at the T-Splines website, www.tsplines.com.
17 Scientific Achievements in Competition for 78th Academy Awards
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Scientific and Technical Awards Committee will review 17 scientific and technical achievements for 78th Academy Awards consideration, according to committee chair Richard Edlund, but its not too late to submit entries. Pixar Animation Studios and Industrial Light & Magic are being considered for two achievements each.
"This list of achievements is announced to allow individuals and companies with similar technology or claims of prior art the opportunity to submit their technology for review," said Richard Edlund.
News Corp. to Acquire IGN Ent.
News Corp. announced today that it had signed a definitive agreement to acquire IGN Ent. Inc, a leading community-based Internet media and services company for videogames and other forms of digital entertainment, for approximately $650 million in cash. IGN and its network of sites would then be folded into News Corp.s Fox Interactive Media unit.
Gary Marsh New President, Entertainment, Disney Channel Worldwide
Gary Marsh moves up to the newly created global position of president, entertainment, Disney Channel Worldwide, responsible for overseeing development and production of Disney Channel Worldwide's entire slate of original programming - both live action and animated - leading the effort to create world-class Disney and Jetix-branded programming for kids and families around the world.
Comedy Central Picks Up Drew Carey's Green Screen Show
Comedy Central has acquired DREW CAREY�S GREEN SCREEN SHOW, which will premiere Sept. 26, 2005, at 9:00 pm. The live-action/animated improv comedy first aired on The WB last fall.
South Park Creators Re-Up Three More Years & 42 New Episodes on Comedy Central
Comedy Central and SOUTH PARK creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone have renewed their contract in a deal that will keep the creative duo at the cable channel through the end of 2008.
Viewers may look forward to three more years of SOUTH PARK episodes with 14 new episodes each year. Parker and Stone will continue under the new agreement to write, direct, voice and edit every episode, as they have since the creation of the show.
Submit Your Animation, Machinima and Game Trailers to the ION Fest
ION Animation, Games and Film Festival 2005Los Angeles, California USADecember 2 4, 2005Deadline: September 30, 2005
The ION International Animation, Games and Film Festival will return to Los Angeles this fall and organizers are looking for submissions of animated films, machinima, game trailers, music videos, live-action short films, short documentaries, TV spots, movie trailers and films made for mobile devices such as cell phones and PDAs.
Last Chance to Enter Urban Mediamakers Film Fest
Urban Mediamakers Film Festival 2005Atlanta, Georgia, USAOctober 14-16, 2005Deadline: September 15, 2005
Kansas City Filmmakers Jubilee Beckons!
The Kansas City Filmmakers Jubilee 2006Kansas City, Kansas, USAApril 7-13,2006Deadline: December 1, 2005
MTV Films Suffers with Midway’s Horror Game
MTV Films announced that it has acquired an option on the worldwide film rights to the award-winning, action-horror videogame property, THE SUFFERING, from Surreal Software, a subsidiary of Midway Games Inc.
Revolution Sponsors Henchman vs. Sidekick
Revolution Studios has optioned a comedy pitch titled HENCHMAN VS. SIDEKICK via the studios former founding partner Todd Garner's new production house Broken Road, reports VARIETY. The spoof follows the fight between a sidekick and a henchman after their respective superhero and supervillain kill each other. Writers Kathy Gori and Alan Berger hatched the idea.
