AWN Headline News
The Simpsons Primed with New Roster of Celebrity Guest Stars for 17th Season
New and returning celebrity guest voices coming up for the 17th season of THE SIMPSONS are Alec Baldwin, Kelsey Grammer, William H. Macy, Joe Mantegna, Michael York, Ricky Gervais, Terry Bradshaw, Lily Tomlin, Frances McDormand, Terry Bradshaw, boxer Joe Frazier, former basketball great Dennis Rodman and Yankee pitcher Randy Jackson. THE SIMPSONS airs Sundays 8:00 pm on FOX in the U.S.
TOKYOPOP Taps Two International Financial Pros
The TOKYOPOP Group has bolstered its worldwide finance and accounting infrastructure by appointing Cary Tan vp/controller of TOKYOPOP U.S. and Cathy Liu as group finance & administration director at TOKYOPOP K.K.
Activision & Marvel Team on New RPG Games
Activision Inc. has extended its license with Marvel Enterprises to expand their long-term, broad-based strategic alliance through an additional license agreement for a non-persistent role-playing game (RPG).
Gran Turismo 4 Ranks #1 in Sales For First Half of 2005
According to leading marketing information provider, Sonys GRAN TURISMO 4 for the PlayStation 2 ranked top in sales for the first half of 2005. The NPD Group also reported retail sales of U.S. console and portable videogames hardware, software and accessories saw an increase of 21% during the first half of 2005 (January June), compared to the same time period last year. The videogames industry saw sales figures rise to more than $4.1 billion in the first half of the year compared to $3.4 billion in the first half of 2004.
Female Leads Chosen for Stone’s 9/11 Film
Paramount has announced that Maggie Gyllenhaal and Maria Bello have been cast as the wives of Port Authority officers rescued from the World Trade Center in the studio's untitled Oliver Stone project, reports VARIETY. Nicolas Cage and Michael Pena have already been cast in the respective roles of Sgt. John McLoughlin and Officer William J. Jimeno. The film is scheduled to start filming in New York this fall.
Sony Calls Surf’s Up Cast
Jeff Bridges will lead a cast that includes, Shia LaBeouf, Zooey Deschanel, James Woods, Jane Krakowski, Jon Heder, Mario Cantone, Brian Benben and Michael McKean for Sony Pictures Animations upcoming CGI feature SURFS UP.
it was announced today by Penney Finkelman Cox and Sandra Rabins, executive vice presidents of Sony Pictures Animation.
Lucasfilm Animation Hires Kubsch to Run Singapore Operation
Lucasfilm Animation Ltd. announced that it has hired Christian (Chris) Kubsch, a production and animation exec with more than 20 years of experience, to helm its animation studio in Singapore. As gm of Lucasfilm Animation Co. Singapore B.V., Kubsch will pull together and oversee all elements of the digital animation studio, including recruiting key talent and running its day to day operations. Kubsch will report to Gail Currey, head of animation.
TCM Gives Cartoon Alley Weekly Block
Turner Classic Movies is expanding its classic cartoon franchise, Cartoon Alley, from once a month to once a week, to air every Saturday morning at 11:30 am, beginning Sept. 3, 2005. Cartoon Alley, hosted by TCMs weekend daytime host, Ben Mankiewicz, is a half-hour programming block featuring three classic cartoons themed around a particular subject.
TV-Loonland Adds Olivier Dumont & Kourtney Kaye to Key Posts
TV-Loonland is filling out its ranks, appointing Olivier Dumont as its new coo and Kourtney Kaye head of creative affairs and development.
Dumont, to be based in Paris and London, will define the strategy for the development, production and distribution of programming targeted at kids and families. He will report directly to the TV-Loonland ceo/chariman Selma Käppel and, with her, will also run the business development strategy for TV-Loonland.
Celebrate Summer By Entering Animation Block Party!
Animation Block Party - Summer EditionBrooklyn, New York USASeptember 15, 2005Deadline: August 24, 2005
Animation Block Partys End of Summer Festival is still taking entries. Where its last festival had a special (love) theme, this time around the event has no required theme for the content just the intention to exhibit the most well-rounded and diverse work it can find for one evening of animation excellence.
Prize categories include:* best in show* audience award* original design* music video
InterSense Sensors Go Gothic with Animazoo’s New Motion Capture Suit
InterSense Inc., the market leader in body worn, inertial tracking technology, continues to support Animazoo, a world leader in motion capture technology, with InertiaCube3 sensors for use in the GypsyGyro-18 MoCap suit. Animazoos most recent delivery of the GypsyGyro-18 went to Piranha Bytes, for speeding the production of character animation in the upcoming game title GOTHIC III. Piranha Bytes is a German game developer who created one of Europes most popular role playing games with its GOTHIC series.
Shark Tale Director Sets Up Studio in Marseilles, France
SHARK TALE co-director Eric Bibo Bergeron has set up a new animation studio in Marseilles, France. After spending eight years at DreamWorks, where he also made THE ROAD TO EL DORADO, Bergeron is returning to France to produce and direct his latest projects.
The first 3D film, A MONSTER IN PARIS, will be co-written by Bergeron and Ramzy, the two French comedians on whom the designs for the main characters are based and who will provide the French voiceovers. The film will be entirely produced in France at the new European studio.
Urbaniacs Throttle Henchlings, Test Trivia in New Games
The be-your-own-superhero site Urbaniacs has launched the beta versions of two new games HENCHLING THROTTLE and TRIVIA ROYALE. In HENCHLING THROTTLE, players don the identity of either Freaky Sneaky Tiki, Tricky Kicky Chick, Afro-liscious Funk Daddy or Super Speedy Dude in a mission to rescue townfolk from the GoatFists shadowy henchlings that are prowling the city. TRIVIA ROYALE is an Urbaniacs trivia game that tests members knowledge of all things Urbanville.
Mind Games Played For FanTasia Prize
FanTasia, a festival showcasing contemporary international genre cinema with an emphasis on unveiling films very rarely seen in North America, wrapped up on July 25, 2005, in Montreal, awarding Yuasa Masaakis MIND GAME the prize for best animated film. The film also took home the silver prize in the most groundbreaking film category as well.
For its ninth edition, FanTasia jury was of the following members:* Érik Canuel (creator of films LA LOI DU COCHON, LE DERNIER TUNNEL and LE SURVENANT)
NBC Universal Talks DreamWorks Purchase
NBC Universal is in talks to buy DreamWorks SKG, in what could be a deal worth $1 billion, according to the trades. Universal Studios already distributes DreamWorks' videos and DVDs via Universal Studios Home Video, and its films internationally through United Pictures International, the foreign distributor jointly owned by Universal and Paramount. Additionally, the two studios have co-financed films such as the 2000 Oscar-winner GLADIATOR and Steven Spielberg's upcoming MUNICH, which Universal will release in December.
NovaLogic Fires Up Delta Force - Black Hawk Down Game
DELTA FORCE - BLACK HAWK DOWN, NovaLogic Inc.'s highly anticipated tactical shooter, is now available at retail stores in the U.S. with a portion of all game sales going to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. The game is available for For Xbox and PlayStation2 and is rated "T" for teen by the ESRB.
3Dtotal To Release Digital Art Masters Book
3Dtotal is set to release DIGITAL ART MASTERS VOLUME I. The book is a collection of 3D and 2D artwork, which has been featured in the gallery of 3Dtotal.com. Sections of the book include scenes, characters, fantasy, sci-fi and cartoon section spread over 192 pages. Each piece has a breakdown and overview of how it was made written by the artist. These are not simple step by step tutorials but more the thought process behind the artwork. The book will sell for $59.
Mind The Gap Develops New Pipeline for Laika
New firm Mind The Gap Inc. has been contracted by Laika Ent. to develop an asset and production tracking system. With an in-depth understanding of Laika Ent.'s production and technical needs, Mind The Gap is supporting the company's animated feature film initiatives by strengthening it's workflow with integrated systems to track production resources, assets, rendering, and disk space.
Digital Musings From the Editor:
Next week, AWN and VFXWorld will be heading to SIGGRAPH. Editor Bill Desowitz will be attending the event and will have his take on the proceedings shortly after. As well Mary Ann Skweres will be unveiling info on the SIGGRAPH Art Gallery tomorrow, which coincides with the July theme of Digital Art. In August, she will also be covering the SIGGRAPH Electronic Theater presentation for us.
Closing out the big films for July, Skweres will chronicle the heroics of SKY HIGH while Alain Bielik reports back on Rob Cohens jet-paced action flick, STEALTH.
Visit AWN & VFXWorld At SIGGRAPH!
If youre attending SIGGRAPH, drop by and visit AWN and VFXWorld at Booth #1069. As a special treat, AEON FLUX creator Peter Chung will be signing exclusive t-shirts, sporting a character from his new feature project. Hell be at the booth on Aug. 2 from 11:00 - 12:30 pm.
If you want to set up a sales meetings, contact Dan Sarto at dan@awn.com and for editorial meetings contact AWN editor-in-chief Sarah Baisley (sarah@awn.com) or VFXWorld editor Bill Desowitz (bill@awn.com).
Gaiam Acquires GoodTimes
Gaiam Inc., a lifestyle-media company catering to people who value personal development, natural health and inspirational entertainment, announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire substantially all of the assets of GoodTimes Ent.
DreamWorks is Loving It At McDonald’s
DreamWorks Animation SKG and McDonald's Corp. announced a two-year worldwide marketing and promotional relationship. The first film associated with the tie-in will be SHREK 3, slated for release in 2007, and will include such signature promotions as McDonald's Happy Meals.
Universal Brings God of War Game to Big Screen
Universal has bought the film rights to Sony Computer Ent.s videogame GOD OF WAR, reports VARIETY. Mosaic Media Group's Charles Roven and Alex Gartner are set to produce.
Taking place in ancient Greece, the story follows the adventures of the warrior Kratos, who battles mythological creatures like Medusa, Cyclops and the Hydra while along his quest to discover Pandora's Box and destroy Ares, the god of war.
Released in March to much acclaim, the game was created by David Jaffe and Shannon Studstill.