Jamie Kershaw has been named vp of business and legal affairs at The Jim Henson Co. He will be responsible for the business and legal affairs of all U.S. film, TV and ancillary activities, and will report to Peter Schube, president and coo.
Both SPIDER-MAN 2 and RYAN, Oscar winners for Best Visual Effects and Best Animated Short Film, utilized Maya 3D software from Alias. In fact, RYAN director Chris Landreth is an Alias alum.
NewTek Inc. announced a limited time upgrade offer for LightWave 3D. Users of a select set of 3D graphics and design applications will be able to purchase a competitive upgrade to LightWave 3D for $495. Current users of LightWave 3D will be able to add an additional seat at this price as well, allowing them to affordably run the software on multiple computers. The promotions are available today through NewTek authorized resellers, or directly from NewTek through April 30, 2005.
LEMONY SNICKET'S A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS visual effects supervisor Stefen Fangmeier will make his directorial debut on the film adaptation of ERAGON, reports PRODUCTION WEEKLY. Production on the Fox 2000 picture will begin in July in Europe. JURASSIC PARK III scribe Peter Buchman adapted the screenplay from Christopher Paolinis bestselling fantasy novel. The story follows a farmboy who discovers a dragon egg, which leads to him becoming a Dragon Riders and battling a wicked king.
Paramount Pictures has acquired the film rights to Robert Kirkman's Image Comics title, INVINCIBLE, reports VARIETY. Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Circle of Confusion partner David Alpert will produce the film for the studio. Kirkman will adapt the superhero comic, which tells the trials and tribulations of teenaged Mark Grayson, whose father is the worlds most powerful superhero. Circle's Lawrence Mattis, Jason Lust and David Engel will exec produce. Di Bonaventura's vp Erik Howsam, who brought the property to the studio, will shepherd the project.
Today the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences announced the nominees for the 32rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards. Disneys KIM Possible garnered five nominations, leading all other animated fare, including a nod for Outstanding Children's Animated Program. THE BATMAN and BLUES CLUES came in a close second with four nominations apiece. DORA THE EXPLORER and JAKERS! took home three noms with DUCK DODGERS and POSTCARDS FROM BUSTER receiving two nods.
Sony Online Ent. Inc. (SOE), a worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online (MMO) gaming, announced information on the release of THE BLOODLINE CHRONICLES, the first Adventure Pack for the hit online fantasy game EVERQUEST II. THE BLOODLINE CHRONICLES gives players hours of new content in a rich, story-based realm located beneath the surface of Norrath. THE BLOODLINE CHRONICLES will be available via digital download beginning March 21, 2005, for US $4.99, and requires a current subscription to EVERQUEST II to play.
Sliced Bread Animation have been commissioned by Sony Europe to produce a 24-part original online animation series to be broadcast weekly exclusively on the My Sony magazine Website (www.sony.co.uk/trona).
Jetix, action/adventure programming block on Toon Disney and ABC Family kicks off its first year anniversary by greenlighting a new original animated series, GET ED, from Walt Disney Television Animation (WDTA) to air this fall, and additional season pickups for three key original series SUPER ROBOT MONKEY TEAM HYPERFORCE GO!, W.I.T.C.H. and POWER RANGERS: MYSTIC FORCE (working title).
Boasting an all-new digital restoration derived from the original camera negative a first for Disney BAMBI debuts on DVD March 1, 2005 (Disney Home Ent., $29.99). The sublime 1942 animated masterpiece, featuring Bambi, Thumper, Flower, Owl and all of their memorable forest friends, elevated the craft with a newfound naturalism and lyricism, inspired, in large part, by the exotic beauty of background artist Tyrus Wong.
Disney's LITTLE EINSTEINS, an innovative new TV series for toddlers, emanating from the popular videos and CDs from The Baby Einstein Co., will premiere in October 2005 during the daily Playhouse Disney programming block on Disney Channel. The series and a Disney DVD/video release in August will build on the cachet of the infant/preschool brand Baby Einstein.
Test your skills and challenge your brain with AWN's Animation Trivia Quiz.
MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE, a new television series starring Mickey Mouse and his pals, produced by Walt Disney Television Animation, will join Disney Channels learning-based Playhouse Disney programming block for preschoolers in early 2006.
This week in AWN's Forums, a junior member wants to know what are some good training DVDs to pick up. Others put their thoughts and congratulations for Brad Birds Oscar win. Another post asks where do they find freelance animators. In the Educators Forum, a member needs help finding a text to use for a primary school level. Also theres a new post regarding Animation Mentor. Elsewhere, various members want critiques on their work ranging from storyboards to shorts.
BFC Berliner Film Company has named veteran industry executive Roger R. Smith as special advisor to help launch the companys expansion into the home video and DVD markets. Smith will work closely with Rainer Soehnlein, ceo of BFC Berliner Film Companie Distribution GmbH and Sonja Brugger, co-ceo of BFCs distribution arm.
The prospects are looking good for a national animation fund in the U.K., according to Jonathan Peel, chair of Millimages UK and chair of the animation policy group of the British producers association PACT.
FlickerLab has wrapped up its new spot, APPARITION, an effects-laden :30 released in Spain for Ford Europe/Agency Bassat Ogilvy, Madrid.
Fox 2000 has optioned Stuart Hill's fantasy bestseller THE CRY OF THE ICEMARK, reports VARIETY. London-based Jigsaw Films Courtney Pledger and Sarah Radclyffe are set to produce. The book's U.K. publisher Barry Cunningham will serve as exec producer via his year-old Chicken House Ent. division, which handles the film and TV rights of his authors.
The quasi-Nordic prehistoric tale follows a teenage queen and her best friend as they form an alliance with werewolves, vampires and talking snow leopards to battle a massive army that is invading their homeland.
Like a typical Hollywood marriage, it seems that Peter Jacksons made in heaven collaboration with New Line has come upon irreconcilable differences. On Feb. 28, 2005, Jacksons Wingnut Films filled suit in Los Angeles claiming New Line and its subsidiary Katja Motion Pictures failed to properly calculate revenue from LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, reports the AP.
The WB has greenlit a pilot for an animated sketch-comedy show based on LiquidGeneration.com, reports VARIETY. The Website features irreverent Flash animation that parodies pop culture. LiquidGeneration.com founder/CEO Bruce Freud will exec produce with Brad Saranecki, Kim Klechner and Jerry Offsay. Freud was formerly the programming chief at Showtime.
Rendercore Inc. announced the release of the latest software support with Final Render and Cinema 4D on Rendercore's state-of-the-art renderfarm at its headquarters in downtown Los Angeles, California.
Legendary producer Robert Evans and comicbook genius Stan Lee are set to produce a new superhero franchise for Paramount Pictures titled, FOREVERMAN, reports THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. HELLBOY scribe Peter Briggs will pen the screenplay in collaboration with Lee. Idiom Films will produce the feature along with Evans and Lees POW! Ent. No details have released about the characters or story.
IMAX Corp. and Warner Bros. Pictures announced that BATMAN BEGINS will be simultaneously released to IMAX and conventional 35mm theatres on June 17, 2005. The film, which explores the origins of the Batman legend and the Dark Knight's emergence as a force for good in Gotham, will be digitally re-mastered into the IMAX Experience with proprietary IMAX DMR (Digital Re-mastering) technology for the IMAX release. Warner Bros. Pictures will be the exclusive distributor of BATMAN BEGINS to IMAX theatres worldwide.
Animation Entertainment releases its 13th "Festival" compilation titled, COMPUTER ANIMATION FANTASIES, on DVD.
Featuring the very best in CGI short films, this new collection includes the award-winning film, THIS WONDERFUL LIFE, with its ultra realism and touching story, the hilarious antics of CHAIN SMOKER, and the fun musical rhythms and storyline of TRAFFIC JAM. The collection also includes TODAY'S SCIENCE TOMORROW'S ART, ONE LUCKY NIGHT, THE DENTIST, HENRY'S GARDEN, THE EIDOLONS OF EDNA, SWINGY AND THE MAGIC HAT and ORNAMENTS.
