AWN Headline News

Twentieth Century Fox's action/adventure feature ELEKTRA, which opened in the U.S. Jan. 14, 2005, had already captured audiences with its online strategy game. The ELEKTRA NINJA ASSASSIN GAME (www.elektramovie.com/game/) has logged a phenomenal 30,000 hours of gameplay with users from 163 countries since its debut last November.

Bangalore-based game development company Dhruva Interactive is planning to set up a studio in China due to what it reports is a severe workforce shortage in the animation industry in India, it was reported in the zDNet India News.

"We will be setting up a studio in China in the next 12-18 months as we cannot increase the size of our teams in India," said K. Rajesh Rao, ceo of Dhruva. "We are planning to employ about 150 people in China for the studio," he adds.

Fox Broadcasting Co. is programming to take advantage of the Super Bowl XXXIX lead-in audience on Feb. 6, 2005, to showcase THE SIMPSONS and a sneak peek at FAMILY GUY creator Seth McFarlanes new series AMERICAN DAD.

NIGHTMARE LIGHT and LUMAFORM, Artbeats' Fascinating laser effects, laser flares and lens caustics make up the NIGHTMARE LIGHT collection. These unique clips of mysterious light are perfect for any project where an eerie, enigmatic mood is desired. LUMAFORM features shimmering lights, flares and lens artifacts that are an impressive backdrop. The layered movement and spectacular colors are added pluses.

Nick Jr.s Dora the Explorer takes kids on a musical journey through the Seven Seas with the one-hour special, DORAS PIRATE ADVENTURE, airing Jan. 17, 2005, at 11:00 am on Nick Jr. In the show, Dora and her friends cant put on a pirate show until they find their missing treasure chest of costumes. The storyline is also the basis of the brand-new version of the theatrical presentation Dora the Explorer Live!, a co-production between Nickelodeon and Clear Channel Entertainment.

In an unusual move, The Art Directors Guild (ADG) included THE INCREDIBLES in its nominees for Excellence In Production Design for a Period or Fantasy Film, making it one of the few animated films to ever be considered against live-action films in the history of the awards.

INCREDIBLES production designer Lou Romano is competing for the honor against fellow production designers Dante Ferretti for THE AVIATOR, Gemma Jackson for FINDING NEVERLAND, Rick Heinrichs for LEMONY SNICKET'S A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS and Anthony Pratt for THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA.