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AWN Headline News

Headline News

Pixel Magic Performs Spanglish VFX

How did Pixel Magic create realistic driving and flying sequences for James Brooks dialogue-heavy film SPANGLISH (opening Dec. 17 through Columbia Pictures) without hindering his ability to elicit great performances on set? Answer: By creating a shooting environment that complemented the director's style.

Headline News

NewTek Demos 64-Bit LightWave 3D with AMD Opteron In L.A.

NewTek Inc., demonstrated the forthcoming 64-bit implementation of Emmy-winning LightWave 3D at an exclusive event in Los Angeles on Tuesday. LightWave 64-bit was shown on an AMD Opteron system running Windows XP Professional x64 Edition beta OS. Currently in beta at a limited number of sites, LightWave's 64-bit port was demonstrated before an audience of film and television visual effects producers, game developers and artists and press at The Highlands Hollywood in Los Angeles.

Headline News

Special Extended Return of the King DVD Now Available

The wait is overthe four-disc THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING SPECIAL EXTENDED DVD EDITION (New Line Home Ent., $39.99) hit stores on Dec. 14, 2004. As expected, it contains more than 50 minutes of new footage, including a cameo by director Peter Jackson being quelled by an arrant arrow, and 300 new vfx shots (for a 250-minute running time).

Headline News

40th Anniversary Mary Poppins DVD Like a Spoonful of Sugar

The recent 40th anniversary Re-Premiere of the beloved MARY POPPINS at the El Capitan whetted the appetite, reuniting Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke with fellow actors Glynis Johns and Karen Dotrice (who played mother and daughter) and supreme craftsmen Ollie Johnston, Peter Ellenshaw, Eustace Lycett, Bill Justice and Richard Sherman, among others.

Interactive Headline News

DECODE Lands Several Interactive Deals Including Nintendo DS

DECODE Ent. has won a raft of online commissions. The company is also breaking new ground in content for handheld platforms, interactive television, PC and Web and is extending its gaming technology development with an innovative project for the Nintendo DS system.

Film Headline News

Shark Tale Director Gets Unprofessional with Live-Action Script

SHARK TALE co-writer/co-director Rob Letterman has inked a deal with Universal to write his first live-action film, reports VARIETY. The film is titled THE UNPROFESSIONALS, a military comedy similar in tone to STRIPES. THE FAST AND FURIOUS producer Neal Moritz is in talks to produce. Universal production exec Scott Bernstein will shepherd the project.

Music Headline News

Incredibles Grabs Golden Globe Nomination

The Hollywood Foreign Press Assoc. announced the nominations for the 62nd Annual Golden Globe Awards on Dec. 13, 2004, at 5.30 am PST. Animation fans will be happy to know that THE INCREDIBLES landed a nomination in the Best Motion Picture -- Musical or Comedy category. Toons have won the category before TOY STORY 2 took the award in 2000.

Total Headline News

Ocean’s 12 Steals the Show

Warner Bros. OCEANS 12 debuted at the top of the box office with an impressive $39.1M take for the weekend ended Dec. 12, 2004, followed by New Lines BLADE: TRINITY, which bowed with $16M. Buena Vistas NATIONAL TREASURE slipped to third place with $9.8M and a total of $124M. Meanwhile, Warner Bros. THE POLAR EXPRESS is hanging in there, helped in part by IMAXs record-breaking $18M gross in 3D.

Imax Headline News

Polar Express Has Global 3D Legs for Imax

Warner Bros. THE POLAR EXPRESS continues to break box office records for IMAX this holiday season. In just five weeks, Robert Zemeckis all-CGI Christmas tale with Tom Hanks has become the highest grossing DMR (Digital Re-mastering) release ever for the large format giant.

Film Headline News

Incredibles & Daggers Above Parr with Nation’s Film Critics

Several American film critics groups picked Brad Birds THE INCREDIBLES and Zhang Yimous HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS as their top flicks of 2004.

The L.A. Film Critics awarded the Pixar powerhouse Best Animation and Best Music Score, which went to Michael Giacchino. On the visual effects front, HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS knifed Best Foreign-Language Film and received a runner-up nod for Huo Tingxiaos cinematography.

Headline News

Davey & Goliath Mark the Reason for the Season on Hallmark

DAVEY AND GOLIATH is making its return to television after a 30-year absence, in a new one-hour special, DAVEY AND GOLIATHS SNOWBOARD CHRISTMAS. The world premiere will air Dec. 19 at 12:00 noon (ET/PT) on Hallmark Channel, presented by Faith & Values Media. An encore broadcast of the program will air on Dec. 26 on Hallmark Channel at 12:00 noon (ET/PT).

Headline News

Magneto Gets Next X-Men Spinoff

Twentieth Century Fox has hired Sheldon Turner to pen a Magneto spinoff film from the X-MEN franchise, reports VARIETY. This will be the second film spun off from the series with Fox previously greenlighting WOLVERINE to be written by Troy scribe David Benioff. Ian McKellen has played the angry mutant leader in the X-MEN features, however the spinoff will be a prequel dealing with the characters experiences as a boy during World War II. The Prof.

Headline News

Jungle Cruise & Swiss Family Robinson Swim Forward

Walt Disney has given is Mandeville Films production shingle the go-ahead on a remake of the SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON as well as a feature based on the classic Disneyland theme park ride JUNGLE CRUISE, reports VARIETY. Despite Disney saying it wouldnt produce any more features based on theme park rides after the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN sequels, producer/ Mandville head David Hoberman announced in May 2004 that the studio has looking at JUNGLE CRUISE as a possible feature.

Headline News

Left Hand of Darkness Gripping Big Screen

Phobos Ent. has obtained the media rights to Ursula K. Le Guin's sci-fi novel THE LEFT HAND OF DARKNESS, reports VARIETY. Phobos head Sandra Schulberg hopes to exploit the property as both a feature and videogame.

The story is set on lost planet called Winter, whose inhabitants can physically change genders. A human emissary is sent to connect with the people of Winter to bring them back into the galactic community.

Le Guin's EARTHSEA has been adapted as the Sci Fi Channel minseries from Hallmark. This series airs Dec. 13-14, 2004.

Visual Headline News

Legend of EarthSea Debuts on Sci Fi Tonight

Based Ursula K. Le Guin's sci-fi novel, Hallmark presents LEGEND OF EARTHSEA, a two-night miniseries airing on the Sci Fi Channel at 9:00 pm ET/PT. The fantasy adventure is directed by Robert Lieberman (TVs THE DEAD ZONE).

Visual effects credits include:* Visual effects supervisors: Lee Wilson, Anthem Visual Effects; Eric Grenaudier, Sam Nicholson, Stargate Visual Effects* Visual effects producers: Lisa Sepp-Wilson, Anthem Visual Effects; Shauna Bryan McLeod, Stargate Visual Effects

Game Headline News

Tigar Hare Creates Cinematics for GoldenEye: Rogue Agent Game

Tigar Hare Studios has created nine minutes of cinematic animation for GOLDENEYE: ROGUE AGENT, developed by Electronic Arts for the PlayStation2, Nintendo, Xbox and GameCube platforms.

Tigar Hare also created a :60 3D-animated theatrical trailer for HALO 2, Microsoft Game Studios record-breaking game title developed exclusively for Xbox by Bungie Studios. In its first 24 hours, HALO 2 sold 2.4 million units, or $125 million worth in North America.

Animation Headline News

AWN Discussion Forums - What's New? for Dec. 13, 2004

This week in AWN's Forums, a senior member shares a picture of his new baby girl. A junior member wants advice of timing rates in Flash. More members give their answers to the question -- what is it that you want that no one can give you this Christmas? Another thread collects the odd jobs that people do until they land their next animation gig. Another member asks about animation education in India. Others are posting their work, asking technical advice and software questions.

Kids Headline News

GameDAILY Launches New Kids-Only Website

GameDAILY has announced that GameDAILY Kids, a new Website aimed at providing kids with information on videogames, has launched. Located at www.gamedailykids.com, GameDAILY Kids provides young gamers with reviews, previews and fun features on the videogames that are best suited to their age group.

Interactive Headline News

Nancy Drew Series Ranked No. 1 PC Adventure Game Franchise

Her Interactive announced that the NANCY DREW game series, developed by Her Interactive and published by Her Interactive and DreamCatcher Games, is ranked the No. 1 PC Adventure franchise in unit sales, according to the NPD Group Inc.

Helping boost the NANCY DREW franchise into the No. 1 spot are two new titles, NANCY DREW: CURSE OF BLACKMOOR MANOR and NANCY DREW: THE SECRET OF SHADOW RANCH, which are ranked three and four respectively.

Effects Headline News

Zemeckis to Receive VES Lifetime Achievement Award

The Visual Effects Society will honor Robert Zemeckis (THE POLAR EXPRESS) with its second Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2005 VES Awards ceremony, to be held Feb. 16 at the Hollywood Palladium. George Lucas, chairman, VES Awards Honorary Committee, was the first recipient this year.

Services Headline News

Thomson Acquires MPC in Major VFX Expansion

Thomson has acquired The Moving Picture Co. (MPC) from British broadcaster, ITV, for £52.7 million (76 million). MPC, which is located in the Soho district of London and employs around 400 people, is an industry-leading provider of vfx and post-production services to both the feature film and commercial advertising industries.

Kids Headline News

It's A Wish-Filled Holiday On Kids' WB!

Kids' WB! is celebrating the holidays throughout the month of December with the tube sock named Holiday Sock hosting the programming block. On Dec. 11 (8:00 am - 12:00 pm ET), the network invites viewers to the fourth annual "Holiday Sock Party" from the North Pole. From more than 10,000 entries received, eight lucky kids will have their wishes granted.

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