rhinofx created the effects on LOGICAL ENGINEERING, the :30 GMC spot that aired nationally in August. Working with Jim Sonzero of RSA USA, Los Angeles, California, and Lowe, New York, the rhinofx team was headed by senior inferno artist/partner Vico Sharabani.
The Digital Animation & Visual Effects School has added Ron Thornton to its team of instructors. Thornton was a founder of the legendary Animation house Foundation Imaging in Valencia, California, and a pioneer in the use of computers for vfx. His credits include BABYLON 5Babylon 5 (for which he won the Emmy for best visual effects), STAR TREK VOYAGER, DEEP SPACE 9 and ENTERPRISE. He was recently nominated for his work on the series finale of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER.
The first five commercials in a new animated campaign for Pepperidge Farm have just been completed by Hibbert Ralph Animation in the U.K. The campaign was designed by American illustrator Kevin Kobasic, and directed by HRAs Jerry Hibbert for Young & Rubicam New York. The spots feature Jon, the Pepperidge Farm deliveryman, delivering a variety of Pepperidge Farm products Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies, Mini Cookies, Swirl Bread, Farmhouse Bread and Texas Toast.
Jan Carlee, a director with broad experience spanning animation and visual effects for feature films and commercials, has joined Wild Brains director roster. He will direct projects for commercials, television and film, as well as be an integral part of Wild Brains on-going development efforts in the feature film arena.
DECODE Entertainment has further consolidated its presence in the U.K. kids market, signing its first deal with CiTV to broadcast WHAT ABOUT MIMI? in its 2003 fall schedule.
THQ is developing SCOOBY-DOO! MYSTERY MAYHEM, based on the classic SCOOBY-DOO cartoon series, for Xbox, GameCube and the PlayStation2 and will be released winter 2003. SCOOBY-DOO! MYSTERY MAYHEM for Game Boy Advance is now available at retailers throughout North America.
The International Festival of Cinema and Technology announces its animation award winners from its IFCT 2002-2003 World Tour. Tim Finns LIMBOSCAPE took the best animation prize with AN APPLE A DAY, directed by Juan Duque, took the best computer animation award. The tour began December 2002 in Paris, France and concluded August 24 in New York City.
Pleasant Grove, Utah-based Eggington Prods educational 3D series, X-POWER, has begun its 10-episode run on PBS. Designed to help children learn algebra, each 15-minute episode follows a team of five young adventurers and their alien guide as they are enlisted to do battle against the Others, using Algebra knowledge as their weapons. X-POWER was produced by Slim Goodbody Corp. and is being distributed by GPN Educational Media.
Acme Filmworks recently wrapped production on a new 2D Flash-animated Vegas-themed ad for the Wisconsin Lottery. Designed by Emmy Award-winning animator Dave Wasson, the spot features retro graphics and a jazzy score recalling the 1950s Vegas style. Beginning with a quick impression of the Strip, the ad moves through roulette, 7-11, blackjack and slots, positioning Wisconsin's new "scratcher" card in the middle of the screen.
In further belt-tightening, the Walt Disney Co. plans to shut down Walt Disney Animation (Japan) in Tokyo. Part of DisneyToon Studios that specializes in DVD-premieres (101 DALMATIANS II: PATCH'S LONDON ADVENTURE) and smaller-budgeted theatrical releases (PIGLET'S BIG MOVIE, THE TIGGER MOVIE), the Japanese facility employs about 100 animators and will cease operations after completing the WINNIE THE POOH spin-off, THE HEFFALUMP MOVIE. Work for 2004 and beyond will quickly segue over to Walt Disney Animation (Australia), which recently made JUNGLE BOOK II.
AMD has announced the grand prize winner in the AMD Athlon 64 processor High-Tech Treasure Hunt. Marty Rice of Cleveland, Ohio, won the grand prize of an AMD Athlon 64 processor-based desktop system and $6,400 cash. The virtual geocaching contest asked participants to find 64 global locations that have significance to 64-bit computing, AMD or technology. More than 10,000 people entered the contest between August 25 and September 15.
Talespinners 2Montreal, Quebec, CanadaOctober 24, 2003Deadline: October 24, 2003
Recording star Mya will perform the original theme song, Everything or Nothing, for the latest videogame in the Bond franchise, JAMES BOND 007: EVERYTHING OR NOTHING, from Electronic Arts.
12th Stuttgart International Festival of Animated FilmStuttgart, GermanyApril 1-6, 2004Deadline: December 1, 2003
Buena Vista International Television (BVITV) has concluded multi-year, multi-genre licensing agreements for the daytime and primetime programming on terrestrial channel Super RTL in Germany. The sale of childrens and family programming includes live-action and animated features, TV movies, as well as Disney-branded animated and live-action kids series.
9D8µTState University Art Museum Short Film and Video FestivalTempe, Arizona, USAApril 2004Deadline: February 13, 2004
Sponsored by the Arizona State University Art Museum, the Arizona State University Art Museum Short Film and Video Festival highlights the best in short subjects. The event is free to enter and no paper work is needed. The screening of the films will take place at the museum with the exact date announced later in the year. For more information visit asuartmuseum.asu.edu/filmfest/.
Z Animation (www.zanimation.tv), a new animation production house specializing in television commercials, has opened with offices in Los Angeles and New York City. Founded by exec producer Peter Barg, the company features a roster of 16 directors, graphic artists and illustrators.
Boris Red 3GL, an ideal solution for editors that require broadcast-quality features for titling, effects, compositing and 3D directly inside their nonlinear editing system, began shipping Sept. 17, 2003. With more than 40 dynamic new filters, enhanced tools and innovative technologies, Red 3GL offers OpenGL in an expanded compositing and effects environment to maximize creative potential.
Chalk up another horror dominance of the box office chart. UNDERWORLD, the vampire/werewolf flick from Screen Gems (with vfx from FrameStore CFC and Luma Pictures), debuted in the top spot for the weekend ended Sept.21, 2003 with $21.7M.
The 2003 Cartoon dOr has been awarded to Sandra Desmazières for her first short film, SANS QUEUE NI TÊTE. It had already received the Prize Gaston Roche at the Espinho Festival 2002. Produced in the framework of ENSAD (Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs), the film, made of animated painting, relates a nonsensical and absurd day where boredom and routine mingle.
STAR WARS: EPISODE III wrapped principal photography at Fox Studios Australia on Sept. 17, 2003, five days ahead of schedule, according to a Lucasfilm announcement.
"It's almost unheard of for a major motion picture to come in under-schedule," boasted producer Rick McCallum of the shoot that was originally scheduled for 12 weeks.
The WB's popular SUPERMAN spinoff series, SMALLVILLE, comes to DVD in THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON set (Warner Home Video, $64.92) on Sept. 23, 2003. The deluxe six-disc package offers the origins of the characters, numerous plotlines and deleted scenes and other bonus features.
HOLES, the family adventure concerning an ancient family curse and kids forced to dig holes to build character, comes to DVD (Walt Disney Home Entertainment, $29.99) on Sept. 23, 2003. Starring Stanley Yelnats (Disney Channel's EVEN STEVENS), HOLES is based on the Newberry award-winning book by Louis Sachar.
Front Porch Digital Inc. has named Nikesh Kalra U.S. director of sales and marketing. Kalra brings more than 10 years of experience selling digital media solutions in the media and entertainment sector.
TV Land will replay its first computer-animated special, THE ALAN BRADY SHOW, Oct. 5, 2003 (10:30-11:00 PM, ET/PT), giving the cabler another chance to gauge audience response in determining the commercial viability of a potential series. THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW spin-off features Emmy Award-winner Carl Reiner reprising his caustic character in voice-over.
