A new videogame rating category, E10+ (Everyone 10 and older), was introduced by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), to help consumers more easily differentiate between games that have content appropriate for the whole family and games that are suitable for ages 10 and older.
Just months after its debut on PBS KIDS GO! in the U.S., Scholastic Ent.s new series MAYA & MIGUEL has already been sold in more than 30 countries, including to the BBC in the U.K.; Cartoon Network Latin America; NOGA in Israel; ABS-CBN in the Philippines and Luk International in Spain and Portugal. The international broadcasters have acquired all 65 half-hour episodes of the breakthrough series.
Cartoon Network will offer one up-and-coming game developer the opportunity to create a downloadable game featuring popular Cartoon Network characters from its series in the second annual 'Project Goldmaster' competition. As part of the Independent Games Festival (IGF), 10 finalists will be selected to compete to win the top honor to develop an online game for CartoonNetwork.com's Power Play Games area.
Nancy Wolpert and Lisa Silverman-Meyers have been named vp, Home Video/DVD, and vp Strategic Planning and Marketing Services, respectively, of Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products.
"Nancy and Lisa are well-respected and talented executives and I am extremely proud to have them in the Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products group," said Leigh Anne Brodsky, president, Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products. "Their new roles acknowledge their expertise and contribution to the success of the network."
Toronto-based Switch VFX, a visual effects studio specializing in photorealistic effects and CG character creation for feature films and television, marked its first anniversary in February. Switch VFX recently completed visual effects work on the Fox/Sci Fi Channel series pilot ANONYMOUS REX and on the GalaFilm Prods. TV movie TRIPPING THE WIRE, as well as title design for the CBC miniseries WHISKEY ECHO.
Gameloft, a leading developer and publisher of videogames for mobile phones, has signed an exclusive agreement with Viacom Consumer Products Inc. to develop, publish and distribute the wireless game version of Steven Spielberg's WAR OF THE WORLDS starring Tom Cruise.
Digital-Tutors released the FUNDAMENTALS OF MAYA: UV LAYOUT training kit, the latest release in a library of industry leading training resources for digital artists of all expertise levels. In more than three hours of leading edge training methods, users will redefine their existing skills and learn powerful and progressive UV mapping techniques.
Sin Fronteras Film FestivalAlbuquerque, New MexicoApril 15-16, 2005Deadline: March 15, 2005
The Department of Latin American Studies at the University of New Mexico and SOLAS Student Association for Latin American Studies are co-sponsoring Sin Fronteras Film Festival, which will take place at the Guild Theatre. Sin Fronteras is a media festival created to showcase the works of socially conscious independent filmmakers from across the Americas.
WORLD BATTLE-FX ContestWorld Wide WebMay 31, 2005Deadline: May 31, 2005
As a way to thank its customers who recently purchased Storm and/or Water FX, TutorFX.com is hosting two new competitions. The goal of the contest is to see just how far contestants can stretch their brains using the concepts and methods learned in the recently released Water & Storm Tutor FX tutorials.
AAA Screenplay ContestWorld Wide WebJune 1, 2005Deadline: June 1, 2005
Alias announced that The DAVE School (The Digital Animation and Visual Effects School) has added a graduate level Maya software training course to its curriculum. The course, which focuses on art creation, is offered free to all graduates of The DAVE School.
Congratulations to THE INCREDIBLES, SPIDER-MAN 2 and RYAN for their Oscars and for elevating the 3D craft. VFXWORLD had a chance to chat last week with Spencer Cook, the talented animation supervisor on SPIDER-MAN 2.
Walt Disneys BAMBI (Walt Disney Home Ent., $29.99) has eclipsed all same day home entertainment competition with first day sales reaching nearly one million units on DVD and video in North America.
In keeping with the proud tradition of political satire, InnerMation, an interactive studio, is unleashing a twisted casual online racing game franchise called ROADKILL TO THE WHITE HOUSE. InnerMation is utilizing the game as a venue to showcase new talent along with Virtools high-end development tool set. A special sneak preview featuring the games ingenuity, coupled with Virtools technology, will be showcased at the Animation 2005 Lecture series of the Art Institute of California -- Los Angeles before the IDGA L.A. Chapter meeting March 3, from 6:30 - 7:30 pm.
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.
