China's national broadcaster, CCTV and Nickelodeon are co-producing the first kids' show in China, THE CCTV-NICKELODEON KIDS' CHOICE HONORS. The event will be held at Tian Qiao Theatre in Beijing on Sept. 10, 2005, at 7:30 pm and will be televised on CCTV14 on September 23 at 8:00 pm and, additionally, on CCTV1 and CCTV4, reaching 300 million households throughout China.
The disappointing summer ended with a bang, as Foxs action thriller, TRANSPORTER 2 (with vfx by big red pixel), broke the Labor Day opening record with $20.1M for the holiday period ended Sept. 5, 2005. Overall, the Labor Day box office topped last years, as the summer closed 9% lower than the record-breaking 94 season.
Marvel Enterprises Inc. announced the completion of a $525 million non-recourse debt facility, which will finance Marvel's production of up to 10 films based on characters from its stable of comicbook characters, including Captain America, Nick Fury and The Avengers. Paramount will distribute the film slate, with the first theatrical release expected for summer 2008. This arrangement gives Marvel complete creative control, the ability to build a film library and greater profit potential than it has received from films licensed to other studios.
Heavenspot, a Hollywood-based full service international design agency, recently completed the interactive website launch for TENACIOUS D IN THE PICK OF DESTINY, a feature film that will be released by New Line Cinema in early 2006 starring Jack Black and Kyle Gass.
The interactive site package includes Flash animation, an original interactive interface, a progressive design aesthetic and high quality Flash video.
Reel Women International Film Festival 2005Hollywood, California, USAMarch 23-26, 2006Deadline: December 1, 2005
Reel Women International Film Festival celebrates the role of women in cinema behind and in front of the lens. Categories include features, documentaries, shorts, animation and students. All film entries must be directed by a woman, or written and produced by women. Regular deadline is Oct. 14 and the late deadline is Dec. 1. For more information, visit www.rwiff.com.
Silver Lake Film Festival 2006Silver Lake, California, USAMarch 23-31, 2006Deadline: December 15, 2005
The organizers of Silver Lake Film Festival, one of Los Angeles' leading showcase for independent film, have announced its sixth annual edition with the ArcLight Cinemas Hollywood once again serving as the primary venue.
In 2004 Silver Lake Film Festival screened more than 285 feature, documentary and short films.
Ann Arbor Film Festival 2006Ann Arbor, Michigan, USAMarch 21-26, 2006Deadline: December 1, 2005
Nick Jr. will spin off Dora the Explorers wildly popular cousin Diego to his own action-adventure series in September. The animated preschool show GO, DIEGO, GO! will debut in primetime on Nickelodeon on Sept. 6, at 8:00 pm, and will then join Nick Jr.s regular weekday lineup the next morning at 11:00 am. Eight-year-old Diego, a bilingual animal rescuer and nature expert who has the ability to talk to animals, takes preschoolers on interactive, high-stakes journeys inspired by the rich environments of Latin America and by the animals that make their homes in those habitats.
Earthworks Ent. has been selected by Millimages to represent the U.S. merchandise licensing and publishing rights for its popular animated TV series 64 ZOO LANE.
Joining a lineup of more than 350 licensees worldwide, Playmates Toys announced that it will launch an extensive array of brand new STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE dolls and toys in 2006 as the brands master toy licensee. First introduced in 1980 by the brands owner/creator, American Greetings Corp., STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE became one of the biggest licensing programs of its time, generating more than $1 billion in retail sales between 1980 and 1985.
Electronic Arts (EA) announced a series of executive changes as the company prepares for the next generation of growth. Effective immediately, Paul Lee will serve as president of EA Worldwide Studios, replacing Don Mattrick, who has chosen to seek other opportunities after 23 years of leadership at EA and Distinctive Software (acquired by EA in 1991). David Gardner will now serve as coo of EA Worldwide Studios.
Leading EA's publishing organization will be Gerhard Florin, evp of International Publishing, and Frank Gibeau, evp of North American Publishing.
The ultimate TITANIC DVDs will be released on Oct. 25 in a special edition, a special collectors edition and a deluxe collectors edition, it was announced by Paramount Home Ent., Twentieth Century Fox Home Ent. International and James Camerons Lightstorm Ent. The three-disc special collectors edition ($29.99) will be available in the U.S., Japan and Korea, while the two-disc special edition will be available in Europe, Australia and Latin America.
We at AWN were relieved to hear at last from Beau Perschall, vp of publishing for Turbo Squid, who reports the New Orleans-based 3D software company has weathered hurricane Katrina. He shared that the company is slowly reconnecting its many tentacles while the site has remained alive through the ordeal.
He was able to evacuate his family to stay with friends in North Carolina and is hearing that his house and others are intact for the most part.
STROKER & HOOP, a new 30-minute animated comedy series created and written by Casper Kelly and Jeff Olsen, joined Adult Swim on Sept. 4, 2005.
Numerous animated flicks will be on the big screen at this year's Palm Springs International Festival of Short Films, to be held from September 20 to 26 at the Camelot Theatres in Palm Springs.
The fest has announced its roster of 324 films, selected from more than a record-setting 2,400 worldwide entries, up 10% from last year. It will showcase 86 world premieres, 27 North American premieres and 15 U.S. premieres. Some of the animated films:
6:30 pm, Tuesday, Sept. 20 Opening Night: International Award Winners
THE TRUE STORY OF SAWNEY BEANE about a cave-dwelling Scottish cannibal family won the McLaren Award for New British Animation at the 59th Edinburgh International Film Festival. The six-minute film written and directed by Elizabeth Hobbs and co-produced by Katja Anderson for Red Kite Animations and Michael Fukashima for the National Film Board of Canada in association with Scottish Screen.
The Walt Disney Studios has appointed Steve Bardwil to the newly created position of evp of legal affairs, responsible for overseeing all legal affairs for the various entertainment business units studio wide including Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, Miramax Films, Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Walt Disney Feature Animation, DisneyToon Studios and Buena Vista Theatrical Group and its publishing units.
SCI FI's wildly successful original movie franchise soared to its best-ever household ratings (2.6 HH) with PTERODACTYL, which was first broadcast Aug. 27, 2005. This film produced exclusively for and by SCI FI Channel will air again tonight, Sept. 1 at 9:00 pm.
Li Ka-shing, one of the worlds richest men, will invest more than RMB 2 billion to create a company for online games animation, reports CHINA KNOWLEDGE. Experts believe that the main investors of the development project will be Li Ka-shings Cheung Kong Holdings, and Hutchison Whampoa (60% stake) as well as some local enterprises in Guangzhou (40% stake). The facility will be located near the Guangzhou International Toy and Gift Centre.
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.
OC3 Ent., a leading provider of facial animation technology in games, will use Fonix VoiceIn speech recognition technology in the middleware FaceFX product.
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.
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.
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.
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.
