Talk about good timing. Just as British Telecoms NETWORKING spot gets nominated by the VES for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Commercial, VFXWORLD just happens to have an informative previs piece by Karen Raugust, including a QuickTime plug-in so you can view the completed spot as well as earlier versions. Theres dazzling vfx work by The Syndicate, too.
After first introducing their product at last Augusts Magic, several key licensees of BETTY & VERONICA have set the spring and fall roll-outs for their licensed apparel and accessory lines. The product lines stem from agreements with the BETTY & VERONICA licensees and the propertys licensing representatives Archie Comics Ent. Inc. and Miramax Films. Representing Archie Comics Ent. and Miramax Films in negotiating the agreements was Los Angeles-based licensing agency Brand Central Llc.
Swedens Traktor has optioned Paul Sloans sci-fi thriller screenplay, SIPHON, reports VARIETY. Traktor will produced the flick with Bryan Brucks. Set in a futuristic world, a female detective tracks a serial killer that may not be human with a most advanced technology available.
Buena Vista has set plans for a June 2005 release of Hayao Miyazakis highly anticipated animated feature, HOWLS MOVING CASTLE. Since its release in Japan six weeks ago, the film has garnered more than $100 million at the box office. In South Korea, the film is smashing box office records in becoming the most successful Japanese film ever in South Korea.
This week in AWNs Theatrical Release Database, we have two date changes and new pages as well as a plot update.
This week in AWN's Forums, theres a new thread that takes a look at the theatrical animated features of 2005.
PROMAX&BDA Europe 2005Athens, GreeceApril 4-5, 2005Deadline: January 21, 2005
PROMAX&BDA Europe covers the European work being done in promotion, marketing and broadcast design. The Europe Awards recognize the excellent work of promotion, marketing and broadcast design professionals in electronic media. Conference topics include:
* A Boring Banker Fights Back* Throwing a pebble in the pond - Guerilla Marketing* State of Our Art another exciting showcase of the best work the industry has to offer.
Cartoons on the Bay 2005Positano (SA), ItalyApril 27 - May 1, 2005Deadline: February 15, 2005
Cartoons on the Bay is an international event with awards, workshops, lectures, TV and theatrical previews, and events centering on the ever-changing world of television animation. The Pulcinella Awards Competition is open to all products in animation for television and the Internet, including pilots of series. The Competition is also open to short films.
2005 Yorkton Short Film & Video FestivalYorkton, Saskatchewan, CanadaMay 26-29, 2005Deadline: February 15, 2005
The Yorkton Short Film & Video Festival, now in its 58th year, is the longest running festival of its kind in Canada. Over the years, the festival has garnered an esteemed reputation as one of the country's top film and video festivals; a reputation that attracts outstanding entries and personalities from across Canada.
As a companion to its invaluable TREASURES DVD series, Disney has launched the first volume of the CLASSIC CARTOON FAVORITES collection on Jan. 11, 2005. The initial hour-long discs are devoted to Mickey, Donald, Goofy and Chip n Dale (Walt Disney Home Ent., $14.99 each).
* The Mickey shorts previously available but mostly out of print include: MICKEYS CIRCUS, MICKEYS GARDEN, ON ICE (1935); ORPHANS PICNIC and MOVING DAY (1936); HAWAIIAN HOLIDAY (1937); and THE LITTLE WHIRLWIND (1941).
M. Night Shyamalans latest thriller, THE VILLAGE, about a 19th community and its uneasy truce with scary creatures that live in the nearby forbidden forest, comes to DVD Jan. 11, 2005 in the deluxe Vista Series (Buena Vista Home Ent., $29.99). Digital vfx are kept to a minimum and are obviously transparent, but credit goes to Industrial Light & Magic, Illusion Arts Inc. and Steve Johnsons Edge FX Inc.
Bonus features include:* Deleted Scenes with director's introduction* "Deconstructing THE VILLAGE" -- a look at the making of the film
THE INCREDIBLES won the top prize for animated feature while SPIDER-MAN 2 was named best popular movie of the year at 10th annual Critics' Choice Awards broadcast Jan. 10, 2005 on The WB from the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles.
FINDING NEVERLAND was named best family film.
Navarre Corp., a leading publisher and distributor of a broad range of home entertainment and multimedia software products, is in the process of acquiring 100% of the general and limited partnership interests in FUNimation Productions Ltd. and The FUNimation Store Ltd., a transaction anticipated to close before May 15, 2005.
Cathy Laughton joins London-based Celador Intl in February 2005 as head of kids programming to champion of its new kids division (Celador International Kids) and will be responsible for sales of the companys portfolio of childrens programming as well as the development of new program acquisitions.
Laughton has 15 years experience in television distribution, which includes stints with Nelvana Enterprises (U.K.) Ltd, Jim Henson Co. and HIT Entertainment Plc.
On January 11, 2005, Central Park Media will release TIME BOKAN and BLACK JACK: MUTATION on DVD each priced at $19.99. Both DVDs will have audio tracks in both English and Japanese with English subtitles.
TIME BOKAN pits teams of bad guys against each other to be crowned the meanest villains ever. To be a cartoon super villain, it takes a ruthless heart, a cunning mind and the most ridiculous mecha on the planet.
Universal Studios Home Video will premiere THE LAND BEFORE TIME: INVASION OF THE TINYSAURUSES on DVD and video Jan. 11, 2005. Featuring the voice talent of Oscar nominee Michael Clarke Duncan (THE GREEN MILE) and Camryn Manheim (THE PRACTICE), the new direct-to-video marks the 11th installment of the most successful feature-length children's video franchise of all time. The DVD and VHS are priced at $19.98.
The story follows Littlefoot, Ducky, Cera, Spike and Petrie as they meet a herd of mysterious tiny dinosaurs.
DVD Bonus features include:
Chorion has secured an agreement for the distribution of a NODDY TV series in Japan. A distribution agreement between Chorion and OLC/Rights Entertainment Japan (ORE), the Tokyo-based intellectual property rights subsidiary of theme park owner Oriental Land Co. Ltd, will see Chorions 100x10 CGI-animated series, MAKE WAY FOR NODDY, debut in Japan on no fewer than three major television networks, starting in the second half of 2005.
McG's production firm Wonderland Sound & Vision and James Stern's Endgame Ent. are set to co-produce horror flick, STAY ALIVE, reports VARIETY. First time director/writer Brent Bell will helm the picture, which follows a group of New Orleans teens as they play a videogame that spurs the losers own death in real life. Endgame will finance the film, which will start shooting in March. Matthew Peterman. McG, Peter Schlessel and Stern will produce, with Wonderland's David Manpearl as co-producer.
Prism Ent. and Nickelodeon U.K., are rolling out their online kids environment the BIN WEEVILS into new territories in a far-reaching agreement with pan-European kids network, Nickelodeon Europe. From early 2005, children visiting the Websites of Nickelodeon channels in Sweden, Italy and Spain will all be able to join in the comedy-driven animated characters. To date, 281,632 children have registered as BIN WEEVILS at www.nickelodeon.co.uk and in November 2004 alone the site received 2,671,516 hits.
At the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas conference in India that began Jan. 6, 2005, Indian animation firms stressed the ownership of intellectual property rights (IPR) as the key way for the industry to stretch out into the global marketplace, reports INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE.
"India and China are the two places where the action is going to be," Vishal Gondal, founder and director of Indiagames Ltd. "There is a great potential for Indian animation and gaming companies to create own IPR and then hit the global market in a big way.
Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) has promoted Christoph Pachler from exec director to vp, business development, in charge of strategic planning and new business initiatives for SPTI's three business lines: distribution, international networks and international production. His primary focus is on identifying new opportunities to expand SPTI's international networks portfolio, including the launches of new networks and acquisition of existing channels, as well as the acquisition of local production companies worldwide.
Laura Michalchyshyn has joined the Sundance Channel as evp, programming & marketing, responsible for all creative expressions of the Sundance Channel brand, both on and off-Channel, including original programming, film acquisition, program planning, on-air promotion and the creative strategy and implementation of all off-Channel consumer marketing.
Michalchyshyn, who will be based in New York City, will report to Sundance Channel Founder Robert Redford and Larry Aidem, president/ceo.
SHREK 2 was a triple favorite at the People's Choice Awards, picking up honors for best animated motion picture, top film comedy and best sequel during the telecast Jan. 9, 2004, on CBS, at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.
Donkey, voiced by Edie Murphy in SHREK 2, also won for favorite animated movie star while the Fairy Godmother, voiced by Jennifer Saunders, also in SHREK 2 was named best movie villain.
DreamWorks SHREK 2 was the only animated winner in THE PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS, which gauge fan appeal.
BrainPOP's has created a new TSUNAMI movie to give kids the information they need to make connections and gain understanding of the devastation caused by natural disasters. The film is available for free distribution to every media company and Website.
