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AWN Headline News

Production Headline News

Harmony Gold Honors United Nations’ 60th Anniversary

In honor of its 60th anniversary this year, the United Nations (UN) will debut a special public service announcement (PSA) at MIP-TV 2005. The 60-second spot, produced by Harmony Gold, is part of a broader effort to increase awareness of the work of the UN during this special period culminating with the 60th opening session of the UN General Assembly in the fall.

Kids Headline News

PBS Kids Sprout on Demand Launches on Comcast

Comcast announced the start of something big for families of preschoolers with the launch of PBS KIDS Sprout On Demand, a new video-on-demand (VOD) service that makes some of the best-known and most-loved preschool television shows available at any time families want to watch them. In addition to the new VOD service, a 24x7 digital cable channel will launch this fall, making PBS KIDS Sprout. PBS KIDS Sprout was created as a partnership between Comcast, PBS, HIT Ent. and Sesame Workshop.

Rocket Headline News

Finalists For $50,000 Shaw Rocket Prize Announced

The Shaw Rocket Fund announced the 2005 finalists for the $50,000 Shaw Rocket Prize. The four finalists were selected by an international jury of leaders in childrens TV from the U.K., U.S., Australia, Germany and Canada. The finalists are:

* DEGRASSI: THE NEXT GENERATION Produced by Epitome Pictures Inc., Toronto A topical live-action youth drama airing on CTV, the characters deal with real life challenges of becoming an adult.

* FRANNYS FEET Produced by DECODE Ent. Inc., Toronto

Game Headline News

Connery Back as Bond — For Videogame

Sean Connery will reprise his role as James Bond for Electronic Arts' forthcoming videogame version of FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, according to the HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. The first Bond actor will provide his voice and likeness as is was in the 1963 MGM classic. Original characters from the film included in the game will be Q (Desmond Llewelyn), Donald "Red" Grant (Robert Shaw), Rosa Klebb (Lotte Lenya), Tatiana Romanova (Daniela Bianchi), Kerim Bay (Pedro Armendariz) and Miss Moneypenny (Lois Maxwell).

Entertainment Headline News

Majesco Inks Worldwide Publishing Deal For Aeon Flux Games

Majesco announced it has secured the worldwide rights to publish AEON FLUX for the Xbox and PlayStation 2. The game is scheduled to coincide with the theatrical release. Majesco's AEON FLUX ties together the animated series, which ran on MTV from 1992-1997, and the motion picture, which is slated for release in fall 2005.

Cartoons Headline News

Oh Yeah Cartoons! Returns To Nickelodeon

After three successful seasons, with 99 original cartoons and three spin-off series, OH YEAH! CARTOONS returns to production for Nickelodeon. Frederator Studios and Nickelodeon are calling for new submissions for a fourth season to be broadcast in fall 2006. Seeking storyboard pitches for comedy shorts, seven minutes in length, OH YEAH! CARTOONS is looking for a large selection of films created in any style of animation. Further details can be found at www.frederator.com/ohyeahseason4.php.

Technology Headline News

NVIDIA Launches nForce4 SLI Intel Edition

NVIDIA Corp. announced the immediate availability of the company's new NVIDIA nForce4 SLI Intel Edition media and communications processors (MCPs) for Intel platforms. This new line of core-logic solutions incorporates a host of new, leading edge, NVIDIA features never before available on the Intel platform, including NVIDIA SLI technology, hardware-based firewall security, advanced storage solutions and native Gigabit Ethernet networking.

Headline News

Dan Ritchie announces PD Pro Digital Painter v3.1

Dan Ritchie, author of the award-winning paint and animation software Project Dogwaffle and PD Pro, has announced the availability of a new update called version 3.1, available for as a free download to users of PD Pro 3.0 and as a full version installer to new users.

Animation Headline News

Kaze, Ghost Warrior Facial Animation Tool Released

Timothy Albee, creator of the 3D-animated KAZE, GHOST WARRIOR short, has released, in conjunction with programmer Mac Reiter of Mac Reiter Creations, has released the facial animation tool developed for the project that cut his production time considerably.

Effects Headline News

CaféFX Helps Build Sin City

When director Robert Rodriguez of Troublemaker Studios set out to make a stark black-and-white movie based on three of the books from Frank Millers SIN CITY ("A Hard Goodbye," "That Yellow Bastard," and "The Big, Fat Kill") he was determined to be true to that original style and to make a film that looked like nothing else. Shooting actors on greenscreen, he employed ComputerCafé Group's CaféFX to create the backgrounds for one of the episodes, essentially, to create Sin City from the ground up.

Shows Headline News

Send Your Digital Art to LACDA Competition

LACDA Digital Art & Photography CompetitionLos Angeles, California, USAMay 29, 2005Deadline: May 22, 2005

Los Angeles Center For Digital Art announces its juried competition for digital art and photography. Entrants submit three JPEG files of original work. All styles of 2D artwork and photography where digital processes of any kind were integral to the creation of the images are acceptable.

Spot Headline News

Sin City Beats Beauty Shop

Robert Rodriguez faithful adaptation of Frank Millers SIN CITY exceeded all expectations in its box office debut for the weekend ended April 3, 2005, bringing home $29.1M for Dimension (thanks to vfx support from CafeFx, Hybride and The Orphanage). Debuting in a distant second was MGMs comedy, BEAUTY SHOP, which collected $12.8M. Sonys GUESS WHO, last weeks winner, dropped to third place with $12.7M and a two-week cume of $41M.

Headline News

Zoic Helps Drive New Cadillac Campaign

Award-winning Zoic Studios has just contributed to a three-spot package for Cadillac that showcases the appeal of both of the SRX and CTS to various and diverse audiences. The campaign is unique in that it encompasses a variety of tones and narratives, each appropriate to the spotlighted vehicle.

Games Headline News

Avid Kicks-Off ‘SOFTIMAGE|XSI Mod Tool Lock & Load’ Challenge

Avid Technology Inc. announced the SOFTIMAGE|XSI Mod Tool Lock & Load Challenge. The challenge sponsored in part by HP, NVIDIA and Gamedev.net gives gamers the opportunity to win more than $25,000US in prizes for developing mods modified content for popular video games using the SOFTIMAGE|XSI Mod Tool v4.2, the freely available version of the companys professional 3D animation software.

Disney Headline News

Disney Channel Adds New Latino Hero In Handy Manny

Disney Channel will add a new multi-cultural series about making things work, HANDY MANNY, to its Playhouse Disney, a learning-focused programming block for preschoolers. The 3D computer-animated show will premiere in early 2006.

Headline News

Dorothy Prior Ankles Children's BBC

Dorothy Prior is leaving her post as head of Children's BBC after two years to become controller of production resources in May, reporting to director general Mark Thompson, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.

The pubcaster is searching for her successor, who will take on the sprawling BBC children's activities, which includes commissioning and scheduling a hefty slate, as well as run preschool web CBeebies and CBBC, aimed at older kids.

Children's shows are also big overseas earners for commercial arm BBC Worldwide, making the job all the more important.

Creative Headline News

Mike Young Prods./Taffy Promote Fisher & Sullivan

Josh Fisher has been promoted to cp creative affairs at Mike Young Productions (MYP)/Taffy, the Los Angeles- and London-based indie animation house while Maura Sullivan has also been promoted from studio production manager to vp operations at the company.

Fisher who has been with the company for two years He will report to company principals Mike Young, Liz Young and Bill Schultz on upcoming productions, as well as liaise with international network partners.

Headline News

Luxology Offers Free Production Evaluation Version of modo

Luxology Llc. announced the immediate availability of a free production evaluation version of modo, its powerful new subdivision surface and polygonal modeling platform. Fully functional and unrestricted, the production evaluation version of modo is unique to the industry where software demos and learning editions often disable features or create other limitations.

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