MIP-TV News: DLT Ent. Going Buggs! At MIP
DLT Entertainment is attending this years MIP-TV with a number of its highly successful comedies MY FAMILY, HIGH STAKES and A TRIBUTE TO SPIKE along with the animated series GOING BUGGS!
AWN Headline News
MIP-TV News: 4Kids Ent. Brings 7 New Properties to MIP-TV
4Kids Entertainment, Inc. has announced that it will be bring seven properties to MIP-TV 2004 for the first time. These programs include TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES, YU-GI-OH!, POKÉMON, KIRBY: RIGHT BACK AT YA!, ULTIMATE MUSCLE, THE WINX CLUB and SHAMAN KING.
In Television, Television | Headline News | Special Events: MIP-TV | Geographic Region: All, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America
MIP-TV News: DIC Ent. Looks To Acquire Shows for DIC Kids’ Network
DIC Ent.s evp of creative affairs Robby London will be attending MIP-TV as a buyer to acquire, for the first time, educationally qualified programming to air in the U.S. on DIC Kids Network. The programming will make up a three-hour programming block for kids designed to meet core FCC requirements.
Digital Musings From the Editor:
TV's first CG-animated primetime series, GAME OVER, premieres tonight at 8:00 pm on UPN, and VFXWorld explores Toronto-based DKP Effects' cutting edge work on this video-game satire from Carsey-Werner-Mandabach. Read how DKP is meeting delivery challenges with artful technology that flows through their proprietary "GRID." Very topical, considering that we're highlighting new digital/3D frontiers in March.
NXN to Launch alienbrain Studio 7 at GDC
NXN Software, the leader in digital asset management solutions, recently acquired by Avid Technology, will introduce alienbrain Studio 7 at the Game Developers Conference in San Jose, California, on March 24-26 (booth #423). The new generation of the award-winning alienbrain Studio is designed to allow creative teams to significantly improve their performance through process optimizations, enhanced usability and innovative feature upgrades, including new change management functionality.
Animated Van Helsing and Riddick DVDs Prove 2D Isn't Dead at Universal
First CURIOUS GEORGE and now the upcoming DVD premiere movies for VAN HELSING and THE CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK. Just proves that 2D animation is alive and well at Universal.
With two major tent pole releases coming this summer, the studio is extending the marketing reach with two animated prequels produced exclusively for DVD with the participation of stars Hugh Jackman and Vin Diesel and directors Stephen Sommers and David Twohy: VAN HELSING: THE LONDON ASSIGNMENT (May 11) and THE CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK: DARK FURY (June 15).
Szymanski Take SVP Post at Sony Pictures Imageworks
Stan Szymanski has been promoted to svp of digital production at Sony Pictures Imageworks, effective immediately. For the past eight years, Szymanski has served as vp of digital production at Imageworks, where he supervised the overall direction and day-to-day operations.
Game Over Begins 3D Debut On UPN March 10
UPN's new comedy, GAME OVER, network primetime's first-ever CGI-animated series, will debut tonight March 10, 2004 at 8:00 pm, which follows the far-from-ordinary suburban Smashenburn family living in an alternate videogame universe comprised of off-beat characters, action heroes, monsters and cartoon characters inspired by popular videogames.
Win DVDs in Universal Classic Monster Illustration Contest!
Universal Classic Monster Illustration Contest World Wide WebApril 27, 2004Deadline: April 10, 2004
VIDFEST Issues Last Call for Entries!
Vancouver International Digital Festival (VIDFEST)Vancouver, British Columbia, CanadaSeptember 25 26, 2004Deadline: March 15, 2004
VIDFEST is for the creators and producers of digital content. It's a chance to meet with peers from all over the world, see their work, develop new partnerships, and engage your mind by listening and talking to people who explore and push the boundaries of creativity in digital media.
In Call for Entries, Call for Entries | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, North America, South America
Fox Has The Passion on DVD
Twentieth Century Fox Home Ent. confirmed that it has snapped up domestic DVD rights to Mel Gibson's THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST, which has earned an astounding $213.8M in 12 days. Fox, which has a first-look deal with Gibson's Icon Pictures and passed on domestic theatrical distribution, is also negotiating to distribute in key foreign theatrical markets. No release date has been officially set for the DVD, but one unconfirmed online report says it's August.
In Home Entertainment, Visual Effects, Home Entertainment, Visual Effects | Headline News | Geographic Region: All
Jetsons and Jonny Quest Bound for DVD
With THE FLINTSTONES and SCOOBY DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? debuting on DVD next week in full season glory, Warner Home Video is following up on May 11, 2004, with two more entries in the "Hanna-Barbera Golden Collection": THE JETSONS: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON and JONNY QUEST: SEASON ONE. Each four-disc set, featuring more than 11 hours of original TV programming and bonus content, will retail for $64.92.
SpongeBob Goes Prehistoric on DVD
SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS - SPONGEBOB GOES PREHISTORIC (Paramount Home Ent., $16.99) is the latest themed disc highlighted by last week's well-received Nick special, SPONGEBOB GOES PREHISTORIC, which drew nearly six million viewers on March 5, 2004. Includes eight other episodes: "Nature Pants," "Fools In April," "I'm With Stupid," "Patty Hype," "Squid On Strike," "The Great Snail Race," "Plankton's Army" and "Squilliam Returns."
Extras include BATTLE FOR BIKINI BOTTOM PC Game demo.
Entertainment Rights Secures Pan-European Deal For Duel Masters
Entertainment Rights has sold its hot property for boys, DUEL MASTERS, to Turner Broadcasting System Europe, which will see the cartoon airing on screens in the U.K., Ireland, Italy, Spain, Scandinavia, Central and Eastern Europe, reaching 30+ million households via Cartoon Network and Toonami in the U.K.
DUEL MASTERS started life as a Manga comic, which gained a huge following in Japan. The television series is a combination of 2D animation with CGI effects done by Shogakukan's famous production arm, Shopro, who also produced the hit shows POKÉMON and HAMTARO.
TOKYOPOP Counts on Finance Vet Lebowitz As CFO
Mark Lebowitz joins TOKYOPOP Inc. as cfo, with more than 15 years of proven financial and operational experience in the entertainment, distribution, media, international and manufacturing sectors. The former Sony Pictures Entertainment pro will use his strong analytical, leadership and business development expertise to champion the company's financial and operating performance and build upon the phenomenal success TOKYOPOP has seen in the past several years.
FOX Ups 3 Marketeers To SVP
FOX Broadcasting Co. upped creative marketing exec Rafe Oller to svp, creative marketing and branding, while Brian Dollenmayer and Scott Lauritzen have both been promoted to svp, On-Air Promotion.
Stalins Elevated To SVP, MGM International Television Distribution
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer has promoted Carolyn Stalins to svp, international television distribution, overseeing distribution in the important French and U.K. markets for MGM's features and TV series and NBC Studios' TV series, as well as the catalogues of MGM/UA, Orion, Polygram and NBC.
Warner Bros. To Release YU-GI-OH!: The Movie Aug. 13
4Kids Entertainment Inc. made a deal Warner Bros. Pictures to distribute YU-GI-OH!: THE MOVIE, the first theatrical motion picture based on the hit YU-GI-OH! animated TV series. YU-GI-OH!: THE MOVIE produced by 4Kids Entertainment in association with Shueisha, TV Tokyo and Nihon AD-Systems will be released across the U.S. on Aug. 13, 2004 and will be released internationally in markets outside of Asia beginning in late August 2004.
Moonscoop Sells French Animated Series to Cartoon Network U.S.
Paris-based Moonscoop, the newly combined distributor for Antefilms Prods. and France Animation, has sold its first series, CODE LYOKO, to a U.S. broadcaster. Cartoon Network has acquired 26 episodes of the animated series that blends traditional 2D and 3D animation, which will be a part of the network's new Miguzi weekday afternoon franchise that launches on April 19, 2004.
In Television, Television | Headline News | Special Events: MIP-TV | Geographic Region: All, Africa, Asia, Europe
Animo Linked with Plastic Animation Paper
Cambridge Animation Systems has announced that the forthcoming Animo version 6.0 software will feature compatibility with Plastic Animation Paper (PAP), the acclaimed tablet-based animation application from Krogh Mortensen Animation (KMA) of Copenhagen, Denmark. The links from PAP into Animo covers all stages of the 2D animation process from drawing to output. Animo 6.0 is scheduled for release in spring 2004.
Seabiscuit Helmer Toons into Despereaux Feature
Gary Ross, writer/director of the Academy Award-nominated live action feature SEABISCUIT, has begun development on an animated feature based on Kate DiCamillo's Newberry Medal-winning children's book, THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX: BEING THE STORY OF A MOUSE, A PRINCESS, SOME SOUP, AND A SPOOL OF THREAD, reported HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Universal Pictures optioned the novel and Ross will produce the film at his Larger Than Prods. The story follows an exiled mouse, a light-loving rat and a young servant girl with cauliflower ears as their lives get mix-up with a princess.
Sega Developing Advanced Mouth Movements Technology
Sega has announced its development of new software for future use in games that will allow for more realistic mouth movements with character voices. Magical VEngine form these movements by comparing vowels and consonants sounds against each other then use the data to create more natural facial movements in realtime. In addition, the software will analyze voice actors' speech automatically choosing the proper facial animations, thus expressing more accurate moods. Sega will unveil the technology at the Tokyo Institute of Technology at the end of the month.
In Interactive, Visual Effects, Games, Interactive, Visual Effects | Headline News | Geographic Region: All
American Royal Arts Offers Signed SpongeBob Art
American Royal Arts has announced the very first release of signed original production artwork from Nickelodeon's SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS. The collection of cels and drawings are from various episodes, including the world premier releases of "Squidward, the Unfriendly Ghost" and "Jellyfish Jamboree." Each piece is hand-signed by the voice of SpongeBob -- Tom Kenny. American Royal Arts is offering original production drawings, original production cels, cel progressions and key master set-ups.
Surrealist Film Festival Trips for Entries
The 8th International Surrealist Film FestivalStamford, Connecticut, USAApril 11 2004Deadline: March 26, 2004
Sony Imageworks Adds CINEMA 4D to Pipeline
Sony Pictures Imageworks has added CINEMA 4D to its matte painting production pipeline. The award-winning software is used for modeling, animation and rendering in the computer animation environment. Imageworks chose MAXON's software after testing CINEMA 4D in the production environment.
