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AWN Headline News

Spot Headline News

Adidas Hoops Spot Made to Perfection by Method

Three NBA players are touched by the hand of the Creator and made to perfection in Method Studios latest work for Adidas and TBWA Chiat/Day. The spot, aptly titled MADE TO PERFECTION, was lensed by Rupert Sanders of Omaha Pictures and began airing Feb. 7, 2005.

Animation Headline News

Bandai Ent. To Co-Produce Original Japanese Animated TV Series Eureka Seven

Bandai Ent. Inc. has joined with several companies in Japan to produce a new original television animation series, EUREKA SEVEN, set to air Sundays at 7:00 am on Japans MBS/TBS national network beginning April 17, 2005.

Series Headline News

ADV Films Announces Release Of Blue Seed: Complete Collection

On Feb. 15, 2005, ADV Films will release the BLUE SEED Thinpak Box Set. BLUE SEED, based on the popular manga by Yuzo Takada (3X3 EYES), is an action/adventure series with a touch of horror and full of hideous, shape-shifting beasts with a bad attitude and a voracious appetite for human flesh.

Headline News

Mummy Director Enters Magic Kingdom

Universal Pictures has secured the rights to Terry Brooks' book series MAGIC KINGDOM FOR SALE, reports HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. THE MUMMY director Stephen Sommers will direct and produce. Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel will adapt the screenplay. Sommers Universal-based Sommers Co. partner Bob will produce with Circle of Confusions David Alpert.

The first volume of the series follows a widowed attorney who leaves his old life behind when he responds to a mysterious ad and spends his fortune to purchase a magical kingdom.

Studio Headline News

Miyazaki & Friends to Buy Studio Ghibli

SPIRITED AWAY director Hayao Miyazaki and a group of investors are set to buy Studio Ghibli from Tokuma Shoten Publishing Co., reports VARIETY.

Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki, director Isao Takahata, Miyazaki and other top employees have already formed an independent company in Tokyo with a market capitalization of ¥10 million ($96,000) and are seeking between $96 million-$144 million to buy out the rights to all past Ghibli productions.

Million Headline News

Shark Tale Slays Competition on DVD

DreamWorks Home Ent. has announced that last weeks DVD release of SHARK TALE garnered $80 million in North America. More than six million units sold with more than 5.5 million being DVDs. The Oscar-nominated animated feature brought in $56 million on its opening weekend and collected $160.8 million in its U.S. theatrical run.

Animation Headline News

Animation X Launches in Berlin

RUN LOLA RUN producer X Filme and David Groenewold's media investment group Promedium Gesellschaft fuer Medienfinanzierung have launched an animation firm, reports VARIETY. The Berlin-based firm will be run by Stephen Schesch, former head of the animation company Ellipse Deutschland.

Animation X has already begun its first feature, an adaptation of Tomi Ungerer's children's book THE THREE ROBBERS. The film has a budget of E3.5 million ($4.5 million) and is funded by Groenewold's GFP 2 fund.

Season Headline News

Sci Fi Renews Galactica for 2nd Season

Sci Fi Channel has ordered a second season of its hit series BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, with the number of episodes to be produced, timing for the new season and which cast members will return, to be announced.

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA has been a ratings winner for Sci Fi since its Jan. 14, 2005 premiere.

Films Headline News

7th Edition of Cartoon Movie Coming in March

The 7th edition of Cartoon Movie will be held March 10-12, 2005, at Babelsberg studios in Potsdam, Germany. The intimate conference is for filmmakers and professionals involved in the financing, production, distribution or the exploitation of European animated feature films.

It was at Cartoon Movie that the first images of BELLEVILLE RENDEZVOUS, THE LITTLE POLAR BEAR, STRINGS, LAURAS STAR and EL CID, among others, were unveiled.

Headline News

Brenda Freeman VP Consumer Marketing at VH1

Brenda Freeman joins VH1 as vp of consumer marketing, overseeing all off-channel marketing for the company. She will work closely with many facets of VH1 including the integrated marketing, ad sales, research and press groups to maximize consumer awareness of VH1's networks, platforms and initiatives.

Headline News

TELETOON Asks Johnny Bravo About Valentine's Day

Love is on the air with TELETOON, Canadas 24/7 animation broadcaster, airing especially romantic episodes for viewers to watch on Feb. 14, 2005 their favorite characters get struck by Cupid.

The network aired a special Valentines Day episode of JOHNNY BRAVO on Feb. 12 at 7:30 pm with rebroadcasts on Feb. 14 at 7:30 am and 6:00 pm. In it, Mama sets Johnny up on a blind date where Johnny finally meets the girl of his dreams and it turns out to be a night shed soon forget.

Film Headline News

BAFTA Winners Announced

THE AVIATOR has won four BAFTAs at the Feb. 12, 2005, Orange British Academy Film Awards. Martin Scorseses Howard Hughes biopic received awards in the categories Film, Actress in a Supporting Role for Cate Blanchett, Make-Up & Hair and Production Design. The effects on the film were done by Camera e-Motion, New Deal Studios and Sony Pictures Imageworks.

Home Headline News

Warner & Mattel Ride Hot Wheels on DVD & VHS

Warner Home Video Inc. (WHV) and Mattel Inc. have entered into a worldwide home entertainment distribution agreement for the companys new HOT WHEELS ACCELERACERS property. Under the terms of the multi-year agreement, WHV will have exclusive distribution rights to four HOT WHEELS movies promoting the new ACCELERACERS animated property in all territories throughout 2005 beginning with the debut release of the first installment of the four-part movie saga, ACCELERACERS: IGNITION, on March 22, 2005.

Animation Headline News

AWN Discussion Forums - What's New? for Feb. 14, 2005

This week in AWN's Forums, theres a thread raging about contracts and companies not paying for work completed. Others are discussing the new MADAGASCAR trailer. Other posts are looking for animators to work on various projects. Other members are posting their sketches, animation and shorts are other to check out and critique. More people are chiming in on the meaning of anime debate. Others are still discussing FOSTERS HOME FOR IMAGINARY FRIENDS.

Million Headline News

Sony Brings Hit Flicks to PSP

Sony Pictures will release XXX, HELLBOY, RESIDENT EVIL 2 and ONCE UPON A TIME IN MEXICO for the PSP on April 19, 2005, reports VARIETY. SPIDER-MAN 2 will be bundled with the first million PSP units. Pricing on the PSP flicks will be announced later next week. Sony Pictures Home Ent. plans to release four to five catalog films each week for the PSP. Since the launched of PSP in Japan in December, more than one million universal media disc (UMD) movies have been sold.

Mobile Headline News

Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure Goes Mobile

Atari Inc. announced at 3 GSM World Congress that it has entered into a worldwide, multi-year partnership with Sorrent Inc., a leading creator and global publisher of mobile entertainment, to develop and publish a suite of mobile content based on the MARC ECKO'S GETTING UP: CONTENTS UNDER PRESSURE. The agreement expands Atari's platform mix for the game, which was developed in partnership with Marc Ecko Enterprises, to leverage the portability and connectivity of the mobile platform.

Software Headline News

Nominees Announced For 5th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards

The International Game Developers Association (IGDA) has announced nominees for the 5th annual Game Developers Choice Awards, the premier accolades for peer-recognition in the game industry. Recipients will be awarded on March 9, 2005, at a ceremony during the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco.

"Thousands of developers voiced their picks during the Choice Awards' open nominations process," said Jason Della Rocca, executive director, IGDA. "The high prestige of these honors comes from the fact that fellow developers recognize each other's best work."

Film Headline News

International Casts Animated for Midsummer Dream

Lumina Films has hired regional stars to voice characters for each territory version of its CG feature, MIDSUMMER DREAM, reports HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.

For the U.K., Rhys Ifans, Toby Blessed and Brian Blessed have been signed on. For Spanish-speaking territories Gabino Diego, Jose Luis Gil, Emma Penella, Isabel Ordaz, Gemma Cuervo and Carmen Machi have been hired

Headline News

Digital-Tutors Announces Fundamentals of Maya Training Kit

Digital-Tutors offers the worldwide availability of FUNDAMENTALS OF MAYA: POLYGON AND SUB-D MODELING training kit, the latest release in a library of industry leading training resources for digital artists. In more than 3.5 hours and two discs of leading edge training methods, FUNDAMENTALS OF MAYA: POLYGON AND SUB-D MODELING, guides users though the fundamentals of modeling an original concept monster in Maya.

Headline News

VCL Uses Furnace on Dhoom

The Foundrys Furnace proved to be an invaluable set of tools when Mumbai-based vfx studio VCL (Visual Computing Labs, a division Tata Elxsi) recently provided the 3D elements and compositing for the forthcoming Yash Raj feature, DHOOM. Led by VCLs creative director and vfx supervisor, Pankaj Khandpur, the team consisted of around eight compositors with the remainder working in 3D who, in less than eight weeks, completed 553 vfx shots, with Furnace being used on more than100 of them, for rig and wire removal.

Headline News

Sony Scores With a Hitch; Disney Offers a Heffalump

Sony held the first three spots on the box office chart for the Valentines Weekend ended Feb. 13, 2005, with the Will Smith-starrer, HITCH, breaking the record for romantic comedy bows with $43.1M. Screen Gems BOOGEYMAN followed with $10.2 and a two-week cume of $32.7M and Sonys ARE WE THERE YET? picked up $8.2M and $61.2M. Clint Eastwoods Oscar contender, MILLION DOLLAR BABY, moved up to fourth with some big mo, knocking down another $7.4M and $44.9M so far.

Software Headline News

Alias Announces Maya API Developers Conference

Alias has scheduled the second annual Maya API Developers Conference for June 6-8 in Santa Barbara, California. For three days, Alias offers a unique learning opportunity for software developers in the games and film industries to network with industry peers and gain insight into the Maya API (Application Programming Interface). In-depth seminars and hands on classes provide a rare chance to hear from Alias software developers and customers working in film and games.

Headline News

Nelvana Re-Cultivates Care Bears Broadcast And Home Video

Toronto-based Nelvana Ltd. has completed a series of broadcast and home entertainment deals for its popular library series CARE BEARS in Scandinavia, Greece, Israel, Poland, Bulgaria and Romania.

Nelvanas Scandinavian agent Kidz Entertainment has completed deals for the first 49 episodes in Sweden (Channel 5), Denmark (TV Danmarks) and Norway (TV2), while Greece-based Alter Channel and Kazakhstans Channel 1 & 2 have also picked up the same 49. Meanwhile, EUROCOM TV in Romania has acquired episodes 1-26 of the 1980s 2D series.

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