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AWN Headline News

Design Headline News

Eden FX Introduces New CG Creatures to Enterprise

Visual effects shop Eden FX continues its role as the primary provider of CG work for the syndicated Paramount Television series ENTERPRISE, which launched its third season Sept. 10 at 8:00 pm on UPN. Eden FX will be providing more of its Emmy-Award winning vfx, including two new, entirely computer-generated creatures.

Headline News

Genetica Releases Seamless Texture Maker

Spiral Graphics announced the release of its anticipated Genetica seamless texture maker. Genetica, the industry's first node-based texture maker to specialize in the generation of seamless textures, intends to dramatically improve the productivity of game designers, 3D artists and others.

Motion Headline News

Kush Games Teams With Motion Analysis to Create More Realistic Hockey Game Play

For ESPN NHL HOCKEY, Motion Analysis Studios took realism to the next level by teaming with developer Kush Games and setting up motion capture cameras literally on an ice rink. "To get a motion capture shoot set-up and running in just one day, especially at a location outside of our studio, was a major accomplishment," said Jeff Swenty, head of production for Motion Analysis.

Headline News

BVITV Promotes 3 European Sales

Buena Vista International Television (BVITV) has promoted three members of its London, Munich and Rome-based programming sales teams.

Carsten Fink, based in Munich, has been promoted from director of sales to exec director, sales, German-speaking markets. Carsten Fink joined BVITV in 2000 from United Distributors, where he was an international sales manager. Fink leads German-speaking sales for such territories as Germany, Austria and Switzerland and reports to BVITVs vp of sales, Alison Homewood.

Framestore Headline News

Shark Awards For Animation Goes to Framestore

By Rick DeMott | Tuesday, September 16, 2003 at 12:00am

The 41st Shark Awards at Kinsale took place on September 13, 2003. Framestore CFC landed both the Best Animation award for Audis DRINK LIKE A FISH and the Best Production/Special Effects award for Johnnie Walkers FISH. This follows up Framestores win last year for Best Post-Production on Levi's ODYSSEY spot.

Mainframe Headline News

Mainframe To Join Film Roman In DPS Shopping Bin

Newark, New Jersey-based Digital Production Solutions (DPS), the animation unit of IDT Media, continues its buying spree, having signed a letter of intent to acquire a controlling interest in Mainframe Entertainment, Inc., a leading Canadian creator of computer animation for TV and direct-to-video products.

Macfarlane Headline News

MacFarlane Goes For Two Series At FOX

FOX Broadcasting gave Matt Groening two tries at animated series and was amply rewarded with THE SIMPSONS and FUTURAMA. Now Seth MacFarlane, creator of FAMILY GUY, which aired on FOX for three seasons, is creating a pilot sitcom tentatively titled, AMERICAN DAD, according to VARIETY. If greenlit, the series could launch in fall 2004.

MacFarlane plans to provide several voices on AMERICAN DAD, as he did on FAMILY GUY. Helping him create, write and exec produce the pilot are FAMILY GUY veteran writers Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman.

Film Headline News

Carlton Strikes Multiple Deals for Last Unicorn

By Rick DeMott | Tuesday, September 16, 2003 at 12:00am

Carlton International has struck multiple feature, TV and home entertainment deals for its childrens animated classic, THE LAST UNICORN. First, Carlton has signed a deal with movie production company Continent Film Ltd for a live-action re-make. In addition, the film has been licensed for broadcast to Roadshow Television in Australia. Video deals have been signed with NVC Felix Film in Poland and Goldvision in France and French-speaking territories.

Headline News

Disney Interactive Takes Home Top WebAward

By Rick DeMott | Tuesday, September 16, 2003 at 12:00am

The Web Marketing Association has announced the winners of its seventh annual WebAward Competition for Website development. More than 1,000 sites from 19 countries were judged in 80 industry categories. This year Disney Interactive took home the Best of Show WebAward for its outstanding work on Hot Shot Business (www.disney.go.com/hotshot/index2.html). The site was also awarded Best Education and Best Game WebAwards. Hot Shot Business is a fast-paced simulation game for budding entrepreneurs, allowing kids to open their own pet spa, skateboard factory or comic shop.

Headline News

Hasbro Pitches G.I. Joe as Live-Action Feature

By Rick DeMott | Tuesday, September 16, 2003 at 12:00am

Hasbro Inc. has hired Hollywood heavyweight Lorenzo di Bonaventura to shop its classic G.I. JOE franchise around to studios as a live-action feature film, reported DAILY VARIETY. Di Bonaventura track record as an exec at Warner Bros. includes such franchises as THE MATRIX, HARRY POTTER, SCOOBY-DOO and BATMAN. Screenwriter Michael Gordon (LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN OBRIEN) has already been attached to pen a script.

Series Headline News

Van Helsing to Inspire TV Series

By Rick DeMott | Tuesday, September 16, 2003 at 12:00am

Universal and NBC have struck a deal to create a dramatic TV pilot based on the 2004 summer thriller VAN HELSING. Entitled TRANSYLVANIA, the show will not be a spinoff or sequel, but will take place in the same universe as the feature. This deal is the first between NBC and Universal since negotiations by GE to purchase Universal from Vivendi began. The films director Stephen Sommers (THE MUMMY) first came up with the idea for the TV series over a year ago when he was hired to direct the feature.

Entertainment Headline News

Egmont Exec Starts Up Bejuba! Entertainment

Following the demise of Egmont Imagination earlier this year, the company's former U.K. managing director, Tatiana Kober, has launched Bejuba! Entertainment, based in Toronto with an office in Los Angeles. The company will specialize in financing, exploitation and distribution of intellectual property rights across all key markets and platforms.

Headline News

Bionicle Movie Sees Light of Day on DVD

BIONICLE: MASK OF LIGHT, the first computer-animated feature based on the popular LEGO franchise, arrives on DVD Sept. 16, 2003 presented by the LEGO Co., co-producer Create TV and Film, Miramax Films and Buena Vista Home Entertainment ($29.99). The animation was performed by Los Angeles-based Creative Capers Entertainment and Taipei-based studio CGCG. Having already captured millions of 12-year-old boys in the U.S.

Headline News

KromA Clones Ricky Martin

Los Angeles-based KromA (www.kroma.biz) created 100 dancing clones of Ricky Martin in providing computer animation and vfx services for JERAMENTO, the pop superstar's new music video. Directed by Joseph Kahn, the video is the latest from Martin's new album ALMAS DEL SILENCIO.

Headline News

Fox and Blue Sky Have Iguana by the Tale

In a further sign of its aggressive commitment to computer animation, Fox Animation and Blue Sky Studios are prepping a feature based on the laidback children's book THE IGUANA BROTHERS: A TALE OF TWO LIZARDS, the trades reported and the studio confirmed. Written by Tony Johnson and illustrated by Mark Teague, IGUANA concerns two brothers in Mexico (Dom and Tom) that will try almost anything, including going vegetarian and acting like dinosaurs.

Production Headline News

Miller Moves Up at ILM

Mark Miller has been promoted from exec in charge of production to vp/sr exec in charge of production at Industrial Light & Magic. The 19-year ILM vet will be responsible for overseeing and managing the production department and its staff, as well as take a leading role in ILMs strategic marketing and bidding efforts.

Headline News

14 Scientific Achievements Compete for 76th Academy Awards

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Scientific and Technical Awards Committee will review 14 scientific and technical achievements for 76th Academy Awards consideration, according to committee chair Richard Edlund, but its not too late to submit entries.

Cartoon Headline News

Numbers Grow at Cartoon Forum

Participation in the Cartoon Forum continues to swell with 800 professionals attending the four-day event Sept. 17-21, 2003 in Varese, Italy from 14 European countries, including two new UE member countries, Poland and Slovakia. Some 315 producers will be looking for the best financing while 108 broadcasters and 154 investors are looking for the best programs, with 285 million euros to be negotiated. They will see presentations for 82 animated series or TV specials, comprising 503 hours of animation.

Headline News

Mexico Scores at the Box Office

ONCE UPON A TIME IN MEXICO, Robert Rodriguez's homage to Sergio Leone, topped the box office chart for the weekend ended Sept. 14, 2003. The Sony movie (with vfx by Hybride Technologies) scored with $23.4M. Ridley Scott's MATCHSTICK MEN, debuted in second (with vfx by Sony Pictures Imageworks), picking up a more modest $13M for Warner Bros. In third place, was another debut, the indie horror film CABIN FEVER (with vfx by K.N.B. EFX Group).

Effects Headline News

The Simpsons and Firefly Win Animation and VFX Primetime Emmys

THE SIMPSONS and FIREFLY were the big Emmy winners for animation and visual effects, respectively, at The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences 2002-2003 Creative Arts Primetime Emmys for programs and individual achievements at the 55th Annual Emmy Awards presentation September 13, 2003, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

Film Headline News

Millennium Actress Opens In Limited Run

MILLENNIUM ACTRESS, the first film to be released under Go Fish Pictures, DreamWorks new distribution arm, opened Sept. 12, 2003 in a limited run. The Japanese production by MAD HOUSE (PERFECT BLUE, VAMPIRE HUNTER D and METROPOLIS) reunites director Satoshi Kon and screenwriter Sadayuki Murai, who first collaborated together on Kons award-winning debut feature PERFECT BLUE. Taro Maki (TENCHI FOREVER) served as the exec producer. Susumu Hirasawa composed the score, and Takeshi Honda was the editor and director of animation.

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