ATTIK provided production details on its Scion TRANSFORMER spot, one of three :60 theatrical commercials conceived by ATTIK and produced by Sydney-based visual effects, animation and design company Ambience Entertainment. The animated spot is targeted specifically at young males in the U.S. and dramatically fictionalizes the evolution of Scion's first models, the Scion xA and xB, from robot form.
First Annual Game Commercial AwardsWorld Wide WebJanuary 13, 2004Deadline: November 12, 2003
Nexsan Technologies, a leader in innovative storage solutions, announced that its new ATABeast is now shipping in volume and available worldwide. The ATABeast disk vault sets the bar in high-end, high capacity storage, delivering industry-leading features with unparalleled density and security. ATABeast offers a TCO that also establishes new standards of affordability.
Visual effects vet Hael Kobayashi has joined Animal Logic, the Sydney-based visual effects house as digital artists manager to oversee recruiting, training and career development of the studios expanding ranks of digital artists.
The popular KRAZY KAT cartoon series from King Features Syndicate back in the early '60s lands on DVD Nov. 11, 2003 in a two-disc set (Koch Vision, $29.98). Newly remastered and containing four hours of classic animation, the collection includes 39 episodes, including two extended bonus entries, featuring lovable Krazy Kat, Ignatz, the brick-throwing little mouse, and Offissa Pupp, inspired by cartoonist George Herriman's off-beat strip in 1913.
Californias governor-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger makes his first-ever videogame appearance in Ataris TERMINATOR 3: RISE OF THE MACHINES for the next-generation game consoles released on Nov. 11, 2003 in collaboration with Intermedia, IMF, C2 Pictures and Columbia TriStar International. The videogame includes an exclusive Making Of The Video Game documentary containing footage of, and interviews with, Schwarzenegger and the entire cast, as well as a behind-the-scenes look at the making of a Hollywood videogame.
Moneyshots recently completed visual effects on a series of spots for Reebok featuring the NFL Summit Heavyweight Jacket and Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback Donavan McNabb. Directed by The Odiorne Brothers for Arnell Group, the 30- and 10-second spots were shot in Philadelphia over three days, and utilize a series of scenes connected by the winter breaths of Eagles players and fans.
Spanish international sales firm Lumina Films has gained the overseas sales rights outside Spain to the Spanish 3D feature film MIDSUMMER DREAM, reported VARIETY. Dygra Films, producers of hit film THE LIVING FOREST, created the film. The $8 million film is a co-production with Portugal's Appia Filmes and is based on Shakespeares A MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM.
Bionatics has announced the signing of a partnership with Discreet to bundle its EASYnat software with 3ds max 6. As part of the deal, all 3ds max 6 will be integrated with the EASYnat growth engine, shipped with a basic library of four plants. The plant library can then be increased through the Bionatics Website.
Salma Hayek has joined the voice cast of Puerto Rico-based Muvi Films SIAN KA'AN that consists of Alfred Molina (FRIDA, Michelle Rodriguez (GIRLFIGHT), Cheech Marin (UP IN SMOKE) and opera legend Placido Domingo. The film will be recorded in both Spanish and English by the bilingual cast.
Universal Home Entertainment Productions (UHEP) has announced that an animated preschool series based on H. A. and Margret Reys children's classic, CURIOUS GEORGE is in development with Imagine Entertainment and PBS-affiliate WGBH Boston. The series is scheduled to debut in early 2006 after the theatrical release of an animated CURIOUS GEORGE feature on November 4, 2005. The show will incorporate early childhood science and math educational content.
Warner Bros. Pictures THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS topped the North American box office for the weekend ended Nov. 9, 2003, taking in $48.5 M, but fell 47% short of its predecessor, THE MATRIX RELOADED. However, REVOLUTIONS (with vfx by ESC FX, Animal Logic, BuF Compagnie, Giant Killer Robots, Tippett Studio and Tweak Films) in its revolutionary worldwide release broke the five-day overseas record with a yield of $201M. The third installment had stiff competition from New Line Cinemas ELF (vfx from Amalgamated Pixels and Rhythm & Hues), which collected $31.1M for second place.
The Disney Channel will debut a new animated series DISNEYS DAVE THE BARBARIAN, from Walt Disney Television Animation, in January 2004. Created by Doug Langdale, DISNEYS DAVE THE BARBARIAN follows the comedic adventures of an offbeat family in the Middle Ages as they protect themselves and their kingdom from a world of odd foes. Dave is joined by his primping older sister Candy and his fierce younger sister Fang.
Cartoon Network U.K. has teamed up with animation students from the London Animation Studio at Central Saint Martin's College of Art and Design, who have produced four high-quality IDs now airing across Europe on the channel.
Award-winning animator Patricia Beckmann has been named chair of the animation department in the School of Film and Digital Media at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD).
She is overseeing the departments new major in animation, which launched in fall 2003 along with majors in broadcast design, interactive design and game development and visual as well as an undergraduate degree program in sound design.
On Nov. 6, 2003, the Producers Guild of America hosted Digital Animation Producers: From Pencils To Pixels, where execs and producers from the major studios discussed 3D industry trends and challenges. The panel discussion was moderated by Obie Scott Wade, president, ObieCo. Entertainment, who is writing and directing AL ROACH: PRIVATE INSECTIGATOR, a digital film noir pilot for Turner Classic Movies.
STAR WARS fans may get an animated fix as Cartoon Network starts airing in the U.S. STAR WARS: CLONE WARS, an epic micro-series consisting of 20 animated, three-minute shorts, beginning Nov. 7, 2003 at 8:00 pm.
Walt Disney has greenlit two new 3D projects from LILO & STITCH creator Chris Sanders and veteran animator Glen Keane. Carolyn Soper, vp of production for Walt Disney Feature Animation, briefly discussed the projects at a Producers Guild function on Nov. 6, 2003.
Disney's Buena Vista Home Entertainment announced that the FINDING NEMO DVD and VHS set a new first day sales record of eight million units sold, bringing in approximately $130 million, reported VARIETY. This feat beats Columbia TriStar's SPIDER-MANs first day sale record of 7 million units. The ocean adventure brought in $340 million at the box office making it the biggest grossing film of the year so far and estimates have the home entertainment versions of the fishy flick bringing in nearly $400 million in its first week.
THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS made its worldwide debut on Nov. 5, 2003, taking in $43.1 million from 18,000 screens. The final installment in the cyber saga brought in $24.3 million in the U.S. and Canada where it played in 3,502 theaters. This amount makes it the third biggest Wednesday bow of all time in North America behind only STAR WARS: EPISODE I - THE PHANTOM MENACE ($28.5M) and THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS ($26.2M).
Its that time of year again please update your company profile in the Animation Industry Database! The newest editions of AWN's global animation, visual effects and gaming-related industry business directories will be published this coming January.
AWN recently launched of our newest resource site, the AWN Book Corner. Looking for books related to animation, then the Book Corner is the best place for you to visit. Readers can search through tomes dealing with 2D & 3D graphics, animation, applications, cinematography, digital video, entertainment, gaming, history & theory, post-production, programming & scripting and Web & multimedia. You can also browse books by title, author or publisher.
AWN recently launched the Educator's Forum.
This week in AWNs Theatrical Release Database we have lots of new trailers for highly anticipate animated and f/x laden flicks. On the animation front, take a look at the anime hit INNOCENCE: GHOST IN THE SHELL II, Disneys 2D farm flick HOME ON THE RANGE, the TV-series-turned-feature TEACHERS PET and follow-up to DreamWorks blockbuster SHREK 2. We also have the first glimpses of Summer 2004 tentpoles THE PUNISHER and THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW. As well we have posted the director of RING 2.
