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AWN Headline News

Headline News

Alias to License Diva

First Alias furthered its continuing strategic partnership with Weta Digital, now the 3D graphics technology powerhouse has formed a stronger alliance with Los Angeles-based motion capture production company House of Moves. Alias will develop and integrate House of Moves' Diva software into future versions of Maya.

Disney Headline News

Pixar to Go its Own Way

It's official: Pixar has concluded discussions to extend its long-term partnership with The Walt Disney Co., and will go its own way as a potential indie powerhouse with its own strong brand identity. The Emeryville, California-based CG animation studio still has two features to deliver to Disney: THE INCREDIBLES in 2004 and CARS in 2005, but is now free to continue negotiations for a distribution deal with another studio. Last August, Pixar chairman and ceo Steve Jobs initiated talks with Fox and Warner Bros.

Headline News

AWN Discussion Forums - What's New? for Jan. 29, 2004

This week in AWN's Forums our members have already begun discussing Pixar severing ties with Disney. The Oscar have also sprung up discussion with bloggers posting thoughts about the irony if BROTHER BEAR won as well as their picks for what they feel will win. One of our member is asking for help with a Photoshop problem. Other are posting their life drawings. Lots of talk still comes in about the Net first Flash feature. Also, tools for teaching animation, the business of animation and, as always, brand new stuff to check out in show and tell!

Headline News

Lucy Liu Guests On Jackie Chan For Chinese New Year

International action hero Jackie Chan is celebrating the Chinese New Year during the third annual Jackies Chantastic Chinese New Year, and welcomes his good friend Lucy Liu as a guest voice on his Kids WB! hit anime- style comedy/adventure series, JACKIE CHAN ADVENTURES, at 8:00 am on Jan. 31, 2004. In addition, Michael Rosenbaum of The WB's hit SMALLVILLE also makes a special guest-voice appearance.

Headline News

Basil Booming With Licensing Deals

Entertainment Rights' top rating children's TV star, BASIL BRUSH, is teaming up with The Children's Society to help raise funds for the charity's work with disadvantaged kids via an exclusive two-year agreement with ER to produce four Basil Brush pin badges. The badges will sell for £1 each in high street retailers in the U.K.

Headline News

eyeon Releases Courseware Edition 2 for Digital Fusion/DFX+

eyeon Software Inc. announced the availability of its latest courseware series, Edition 2, an integrated system-based learning experience, exploring the tools within Digital Fusion/DFX+ while outlining features, benefits and varying degrees of application. Edition 2 is a valuable resource for anyone looking to broaden their compositing foundation.

Headline News

Les Armateurs Set for Kirikou 2, Nearing Next Chomet Film

By Rick DeMott | Wednesday, January 28, 2004 at 12:00am

Les Armateurs has announced that it will go into production on a prequel to its Annecy grand prize-winning feature KIRIKOU AND THE SORCERESS, titled THE CHILD KIRIKOU, reported VARIETY. Michel Ocelot, director and writer of the original, will write the new tale and direct it along with Benedicte Galup. Ocelot will split the directing duties because he is working on another project. The film has a budget set at $6 million and should reach theaters by the end of 2005.

Digital Headline News

Tom Ascheim New Nickelodeon Digital Television EVP/GM

Tom Ascheim takes on the newly created position of evp/gm, Nickelodeon Digital Television, overseeing all four of Nick's premiere digital television channels, which include Noggin, The N, Nickelodeon Games and Sports (GAS) and Nicktoons, as well as Nickelodeon Video on Demand (VOD) offerings.

Comics Headline News

IDT Finds Archie Comics Fun To Acquire

IDT Entertainment is fast approaching buying up all the ingredients it needs to be a completely diversified, worldwide entertainment conglomerate with its latest acquisition of a 5% equity interest in Archie Comics Entertainment, LLC. This agreement gives IDT the rights to co-develop and co-produce select animated properties based upon Archie Comics Ent. characters.

Headline News

Alice Upgraded to Masterpiece DVD

Walt Disney's ALICE IN WONDERLAND (1951) may not be to everyone's liking, but it at least deserves careful consideration, since it really shines on the new two-disc Masterpiece Edition (Buena Vista Home Ent., $29.99) that hits stores Jan. 27, 2004. The feature has been cleaned up and remastered and shows off more vividly the work of the many talented animators (including Mary Blair, Bob Carlson, Marc Davis, John Hench, Ub Iwerks, Ollie Johnston, Milt Kahl, Ward Kimball, Eric Larson, Fred Moore and Frank Thomas).

Movie Headline News

Two Thumbs Up to The Critic on DVD

The CRITIC - THE COMPLETE SERIES comes to DVD Jan. 27, 2004 (Columbia TriStar, $49.95) in a three-disc set featuring all 23 episodes with its dry wit intact. Created by Al Jean and Mike Reiss of THE SIMPSONS, the ill-fated CRITIC bounced around from ABC to Fox to Comedy Central to the Internet, attracting a small but devoted following that adored the movie parodies. Jon Lovitz voices the animated Jay Sherman, the sad sack of TV film critic who gives thumbs down to every pathetic movie he's forced to review.

Extras include:* Commentary on eight episodes

Series Headline News

Dilbert Completely on DVD

DILBERT - THE COMPLETE SERIES from '99 comes to DVD (Columbia TriStar, $49.95) Jan. 27, 2004. Check out all 30 episodes on this four-disc set from the first and second seasons and discover why the most popular comic strip of the decade made a smooth transition to animated series, thanks to irreverent writer/producer Larry Charles (SEINFELD and MAD ABOUT YOU).

Company Headline News

Company 3 Hires VFX Editor Doolittle

Extending its capabilities in feature film post-production, Santa Monica-based Company 3 has hired visual effects editor and artist Rob Doolittle. Doolittle, who previously collaborated with Company 3 on BAD BOYS II, has broad experience in designing and executing VFX for features. Formerly an applications specialist with visual effects hardware manufacturer Quantel, Doolittle also is a leading expert in that company's Generation Q projects used in on-lining for film and high resolution video projects.

Headline News

Shrek 2 Director To Do Live-Action/CGI Imaginary Children

Southpaw Entertainment has announced that it has hired SHREK 2 and SPIRIT director Kelly Asbury to write and direct a live-action/CGI fantasy adventure, titled IMAGINARY CHILDREN, reported VARIETY. Southpaw's Richard Lewis and Scott Peters came up with the concept, which follows a cartoonist whose characters consume his life's so much that he is estranged from his real child. Lewis will finance the project on his own with investments from his Southpaw partner eBay co-founder Jeff Skoll.

Headline News

East Lansing Youth Film Competition Announces Winners

The seventh annual East Lansing Children's Film Festival has announced the winners of the 2004 Youth Film Competition.

The winners are:Elementary School Division:* 1st Place: ANIMALS IN SPACE, Zoe Allen-Wickler, Suttons Bay* 2nd Place: THE MAGIC PUMPKIN, Shelby Wakenight, Marble Elementary, East Lansing* 3rd Place: THE GINGERBREAD MAN VISITS FLOYD ELEMENTARY, Mrs. Chartier's 2nd Grade Class, Floyd Elementary, Midland* Honorable Mention: OWNERS AWAY DOGS PLAY, Dana Wessels, Suttons Bay

Middle School Division:

Software Headline News

Videogame Sales Hold Steady High In 2003

Retail sales of U.S. videogames, which includes portable and console hardware, software and accessories, remained largely unchanged over the previous year's record-breaking performance, according to a leading marketing information provider, the NPD Group. The console industry saw sales figures fall 2.7% to $10 billion in 2003, compared to $10.3 billion in 2002.

Animation Headline News

Animator Helps World See Mars Rovers

Viewers around the world watching the animated simulations of the Mars rovers mission are watching the work of a young, lone animator, using LightWave, to make the mission come to life when communications and cameras arent cooperating. He is Dan Maas, operating out of his own studio, Mass Digital in Ithaca, New York, far from NASA in Texas, JPL in Pasadena and Mars, where the two rover explorers are now carrying out their missions.

Company Headline News

UTV To Launch Indian Kids Net

Mumbai-based UTV has announced it will launch a Hindi language kids network. The channel will air dramas, comedies, movies, animation and documentaries targeted toward kids 4-19. This will be the first children's network from a company based out of India.

Recently, Turner Intl. India debuted its Pogo channel. Turner launched Cartoon Network in India in 1995.

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