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AWN Headline News

Nick Headline News

Nick Mobile on V CAST Kicks Off

Nickelodeon, the top entertainment brand for kids, and Verizon Wireless, the leading wireless service provider in the U.S., jointly announced the launch of Nick Mobile today, (May 5, 2005) to bring Nickelodeon video content to Verizon Wireless' V CAST wireless phones. Music videos from DORA THE EXPLORER, BLUE'S CLUES, THE BACKYARDIGANS and LAZYTOWN will be the first available content on Nick Mobile, with Nickelodeon TV programming scheduled to roll out this summer.

Headline News

Mega Bloks & Bardel Fire Up Dragons DVD Movie Sequel

Mega Bloks Inc. is partnering with Bardel Entertainment Inc. to make a sequel to last year's DRAGONS FIRE & ICE epic movie adventure. YTV will broadcast the new DRAGONS METAL AGES in fall 2005 while the previous distribution partners Lions Gate, Paramount, and Alliance Atlantis Motion Picture Distribution LP are onboard again for the global home entertainment distribution of the second Dragons movie.

Season Headline News

SpongeBob SquarePants 4th Season Premieres on Nick May 6

SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS returns for a fourth season premiering with a new half-hour episode, Fear of a Krabby Patty/Shell of a Man, on May 6, 2005, at 8:30 pm on Nickelodeon (ET/PT). This episode about working stress is the first of 20 all-new adventures to premiere on Nick in 2005/2006.

A favorite of viewers of all ages, the series launched in July 1999 and has held rank as the number-one kids show on broadcast and cable television for three years. New SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS episodes will continue to air on Fridays at 8:30 p.m.

Disney Headline News

Disneyland Golden Anniversary Launched

Today (May 5, 2005) launched the 18-month celebration of Disneylands 50th anniversary, dubbed The Happiest Celebration on Earth. At a ceremony beside the newly redecorated and resplendent Sleeping Beautys Castle at the Magic Kingdom in Anaheim, California, honorary ambassador Julie Andrews and Art Linkletter, the original Disneyland host, reminisced about visiting the park for the first time with Walt Disney, who first opened the groundbreaking park on July 17, 1955.

Movie Headline News

MTV Announces Movie Award Nods

MTV announced the nominees for the "2005 MTV Movie Awards." Vfx and animated films make up the host of Best Movie nominees, which includes KILL BILL VOL. 2, SPIDER-MAN 2 and THE INCREDIBLES. It was also announced that FEVER PITCH star Jimmy Fallon is set to host the star-studded awards show. The 14th annual awards ceremony will air on June 9, 2005, at 8:30 pm (ET/PT). The winners will be revealed at the "2005 MTV Movie Awards," which will be taped on June 4 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

Books Headline News

Harvey Award Nominations Announced

This year's nominees for the 18th Annual Harvey Awards, chosen solely by industry professionals, have been announced, with DC and Fantagraphics leading the way with the most nominations.

The new Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art, in New York City, will host the awards ceremony at the historic Puck Building on June 11, 2005, as part of the Fourth Annual MoCCA Art Festival Weekend. Jeff (Bone) Smith will be the keynote speaker.

The nominees for the 18th Annual Harvey Awards are:

Best New Talent

Digital Headline News

Planet Digital Announces New Maya Course Offerings

Planet Digital Education expands its line of prestigious 3D modeling and animation courses to include Maya training. As one of only 22 Certified Autodesk Media and Ent.Training Centers in the U.S., Planet Digital's schedule is primarily populated with Autodesk's staple courses taught by Maya experts.

Creative Headline News

Susan Kirch Upped in DisneyToon Creative Affairs

B. Susan Kirch has been promoted to vp, creative affairs for DisneyToon Studios, responsible for developing original scripts and stories as well as sequels to Disney¹s animated successes. Kirch will be working with filmmakers through all stages of production on films that will be distributed by Disneys Buena Vista Home Entertainment and Buena Vista Pictures Distribution¹s theatrical division.

Kirch reports jointly to Sharon Morrill, president of DisneyToon Studios and to Ellen Gurney, svp of creative affairs.

Film Headline News

Digital Musings From the Editor:

With Bill Desowitz away covering Disneylands 50th festivities, Ill be recapping the past week on VFXWORLD and give you a hint of what is to come. The summer film season has official kicked off and Mary Ann Skweres covers last weeks box office champ THE HITCHHIKERS GUIDE TO THE GALAXY. Alain Bielik gets extreme with his coverage of XXX: STATE OF THE UNION.

Animation Headline News

Countdown to KAFI 2005!

By Guest (not verified) | Wednesday, May 4, 2005 at 12:00am

Animation as entertainment, education, employment and art will be in the spotlight when the third Kalamazoo Animation Festival International (KAFI) is staged the weekend of May 13-15, 2005.

Finalists are now listed for both the animation competition and the Cartoon Challenge. Close to 500 films were submitted this year.

Animation Headline News

German Short Wins ANIMA ‘05

ANIMA'05 - III Còrdoba Animation Festival, which took place in Córdoba, Argentina, April 27-30, 2005, handed out its awards on the closing day of the event. German director Gil Alkabetz took home the top prize for his film MORIR DE AMOR.

Professional jury members were Giannalberto Bendazzi (Italy), Irene Blei (Argentina) and Pablo Rodríguez Jáuregui (Argentina). Student's jury members were Federico Caram, Armando Frezze, Silvana Staudinger (Students from the Dept. of Film and TV, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba).

Headline News

Nick Latin America & Mattel Latin America Renew Multi-Platform Agreement

Nickelodeon Latin America and Mattel Latin America announced that after a very successful partnership during 2004, the companies have renewed their multi-platform agreement for a second consecutive year. The alliance goes beyond traditional advertising and includes original programming, online components, and programming rights for Nickelodeon centering on Mattel's MY SCENE property.

Nick Headline News

MTV & Nick’s New Developments In China

MTV Networks vice chairman Bill Roedy announced several new developments for its businesses in China, including a strategic partnership for digital music content with the world's second largest mobile player, China Mobile, and the premiere of locally produced animation and live-action programming created through its joint venture with the Shanghai Media Group (SMG) HAHA Nick.

Awards Headline News

SDA Awards the Best in Technical DVD Work

SDA Home Entertainment 2005 DVD Technical Awards Las Vegas, Nevada, USAJuly 27, 2005Deadline: May 13, 2005

For the past several years, the Video Software Dealers Association has acknowledged outstanding DVD product through its DVD Technical Awards. It recognizes such features as commentary, supplementary materials, menu features and more. To be eligible, titles must have been released between April 1, 2004 March 31, 2005.

Design Headline News

Ex’pression Hosts 1st Annual High School Animation and Design Festival

1st Annual High School Animation and Design FestivalEmeryville, California, USAJune 4, 2005Deadline: May 14, 2005

Expression College for Digital Arts is hosting the first Bay Area High School Animation and Design Festival, from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm at the Bay Street AMC Theaters. AMC Theaters will have a screening of work from semi-finalists from 10:00 am to 11:00 am where the winners will be announced. A reception at Expression College will follow.

Studios Headline News

Lionhead Studios Integrates SOFTIMAGE|XSI into Game Pipeline

U.K.-based Lionhead Studios, creator of the FABLE and BLACK & WHITE game franchises, is adopting SOFTIMAGE|XSI software as the standard 3D art and animation tool for future development projects. Artists at Lionhead plan to use SOFTIMAGE|XSI software to create and animate the characters, props and environments for their next generation of PC and console games. The transition is set to take place in multiple phases starting next month.

Animation Headline News

Story Telling Through Animation Arrives in Book Stores

Charles River Media announces new book, STORY TELLING THROUGH ANIMATION. This book provides an in-depth guide to the process of conceiving, planning and producing an animated or live-action media production. It covers specific information for many forms of visuals, including traditional cel, stop motion, Flash or CG with a focus on the most critical aspect of any production the story.

Headline News

Geneon Release Third Volume of The Daichis

The Daichis are at it again as they fight highly evolved aliens and brave family stress in THE DAICHIS VOLUME 3 PAY DAY, arriving on May 3, 2005 from Geneon Ent. THE DAICHIS ranked among the top 15 anime series of 2004, according to PLAY MAGAZINE. With an original story by Shoji Kawamori (BLUE SUBMARINE MAINE #6, ESCAFLOWNE, MACROSS PLUS), direction by Satoshi Kimura (TENCHI THE MOVIE 2 - DAUGHTER OF DARKNESS) and animation by Group TAC (STREET FIGHTER ALPHA MOVIE, SAIYUKI), THE DAICHIS credit list includes the top creative talents in the anime industry.

Headline News

Ex’pression College Awarded National Accreditation

Expression College for Digital Arts announced that it has been awarded National Accreditation by the ACCSCT (Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology). Accreditation is a means of assisting private career schools and colleges to become stronger and better institutions by setting standards of educational quality. Accreditation supports the efforts of institutions to achieve maximum educational effectiveness for students, employers and the public.

Headline News

Samuel L. Jackson Becomes Animated As Afro Samurai

Samuel L. Jackson is set to voice and produce the animated action/adventure AFRO SAMURAI for Spike TV, with Japanese anime studio Gonzo and Japan's largest TV network, Fuji Television. The five-episode series will premiere on Spike TV in 2006.

Animation Headline News

Pileated Pictures Prides Itself on Animating for PBS’ Between the Lions

Pileated Pictures has completed 16 animated shorts that will open and close for the hit PBS show, BETWEEN THE LIONS, as well as a music video, which will air on several episodes.

The shorts are 30-second mini-rap songs, presenting vocabulary words highlighted within a particular episode. The shows cast of lions raps the lyrics, while Pileateds animation appears in thought bubbles above the big cats heads.

Company Headline News

Nippon Toy Titans Converge as Bandai Buys Namco

Japanese toy giant Bandais got game, acquiring Nippon videogame giant Namco for $1.7 billion in cash and stock, in a huge development for the gaming industry.

Bandai owns the POWER RANGERS and DIGIMON, while Namco owns the classic PAC-MAN and new hit games such as TEKKEN. The financial and trade wires are buzzing about how this combination will create Japans second-biggest maker of toys and videogames.

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