Don’t Miss the Deadline for the Austin Film Fest
The 10th Annual Austin Film Festival October 9 16, 2003Deadline: July 15, 2003
AWN Headline News
Spirit Creative Makes Future Wild For Animal Planet
Animal Planets top-rated program, THE FUTURE IS WILD, returns with three all-new episodes, which take a look at how natural selection (with some CGI help) will push Earths flora and fauna to some amazing adaptations. The two-hour documentaries made their world premiere on Tuesdays, July 8, 15 and 22, 2003 from 9:00-11:00 pm.
Digital Film Tools Releases DIGITAL FILM LAB 1.0
Digital Film Lab has released DIGITAL FILM LAB 1.0, which allows filmmakers to simulate several film looks, glass camera filters, specialized lenses and optical lab processes. The program provides 8- or 16-bits-per-channel processing, and can mimic Color Correct, Bleach Bypass, Low Contrast, Flashing, Overexpose, Diffusion, Blur, Grad, Grain and Post Color Correct. By loading presets, parameters in the various modules are set to achieve a variety of different effects.
Stable Camera Moves in Adobe Premiere with SteadyMove
Oxford, U.K.-based 2d3, a developer of Emmy Award-winning professional 3D camera-tracking solutions, has announced that its new SteadyMove plug-in will be bundled with all copies of Adobe Premiere Pro. The advanced version of the shot stabilization software will be released on July 25, 2003 for $99.
In Technology, Visual Effects, Technology, Visual Effects | Headline News | Special Events: SIGGRAPH | Geographic Region: All
Yu Runs Back to Sideshow as Art Director
John Yu has returned to Sideshow, where he previously worked as a senior inferno artist/designer, as its new art director. Yu has left his post as designer at Liquid Light, where he worked on projects such as the redesign of WNBC News Channel 4, the launch of the YES Network and a Dove Shampoo campaign.
ARTS Offers $900,000 to High School Seniors
U.S. high school seniors wanting to pursue a career in the arts can apply to Arts Recognition and Talent Search (ARTS) for the chance to share $900,000. Applicants will also be eligible for $3 million in scholarships by arts colleges across the U.S, which range from $100 to $25,000. The final application deadline is October 1, 2003 with the submission/audition materials deadline being November 1, 2003. Applications may be obtained through high school art teachers, by visiting www.ARTSawards.org or calling 1-800-970-ARTS.
U.K. Glasshead Lands Blue Dragon Series
U.K.-based Glasshead Ltd. has been commissioned to produce a 13x13 animated series entitled, THE BLUE DRAGON, for 4Learning, Channel 4's education division. The series is geared toward 5-7 year olds with the goal of teaching them to look at the world in scientific ways. The series boasts voice talent such as Jane Horrocks (LITTLE VOICE & ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS) and Andrew Sachs (FAWLTY TOWERS). 4Learning plans to start airing the series in January 2004.
Animation Community Helps Save Ottawa Fest
As reported by AWN on July 3, 2002, the Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) has regained its primary funding from Telefilm Canada through the end of the fiscal year 2004. OIAF received more than 300 letters of support from all over the globe, which were forwarded to Telefilm. Supporters included Canadian animation companies such as Funbag, Head Gear, Bardel Animation and Atomic Cartoons; U.S.
Kids WB! Picks Up More Static Shock
Kids' WB! has picked up Warner Bros. Animations superhero series STATIC SHOCK for an additional 13 episodes for the 2003-2004 season. In addition, the series will be going to strip, airing Monday through Saturday.
Futurama & Family Guy To Air On TBS
TBS has picked up reruns of FUTURAMA and THE FAMILY GUY. Starting Monday, July 7, 2003, the two shows will air weekdays at 2:00 pm and 2:30 pm, respectively. This move continues the crossover between Cartoon Network and its fellow AOL Turner channels, as well as TBSs pursuit of the young adult audience.
T3 Wins Independence; Nemo Passes Shrek and Sinbad Sputters
TERMINATOR 3: RISE OF THE MACHINES may have won the Independence holiday box office race for Warner Bros., taking in $44M for the weekend and $72.3M for the five-day period (bolstered by the combined VFX of Industrial Light + Magic, Anatomorphex, Pacific Data Images, Pacific Titles & Optical and Stan Winston Studio), but the big story was FINDING NEMO.
Totally Spies Moves to Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network has acquired 50 episodes of TOTALLY SPIES, which started airing July 7, 2003 at 4:30 pm. The series, from French producer Marathon, first aired in the U.S. on Fox Family Channel in 2001. It features three teenage girls who are super agents in sort of an animated CHARLIE'S ANGELS with a distinctive visual style influenced by everything from JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS to anime.
3Dlabs First to Ship OpenGL Shading Language Compiler
3Dlabs Inc., Ltd., a leader in professional visual processing, has released new drivers for its Wildcat VP family of professional graphics accelerators with a preliminary implementation of the new OpenGL Shading Language. 3Dlabs is the first company to ship an implementation that utilizes this high-level shading language, which was recently ratified by the OpenGL Architecture Review Board as official extensions to OpenGL, and is expected to form the foundation of the upcoming OpenGL 2.0 standard.
Disney Int'l TV Promotes Kreissl
Walt Disney Television International promoted Michael Kreissl from managing director of Disney Channel Germany to vp, programming and production of WDTV-I, Europe, Middle East and Africa. Kreisel will continue his position with the German channel and will oversee planning of the programming schedules and production for eight Disney channels (France, Spain, Germany, Portugal, Scandinavia, U.K. and Middle East) in addition to 42 Disney branded blocks across 32 countries. Kreissl reports to John Hardie, svp and managing director of Walt Disney Branded TV, Europe, Middle East and Africa.
First King of the Hill Season Now on DVD
KING OF THE HILL SEASON ONE, the start of the Texas-sized redneck comedy by Mike Judge (BEAVIS AND BUTTHEAD) and Greg Daniels (THE SIMPSONS), bursts onto DVD (Fox Home Entertainment, $39.98), July 1, 2003. The collectible three-disc set follows the daily lives of "propane and propane accessories" salesman Hank Hill and his wild family and friends. More than seven million fans tune in each week to enter this ruckus world of BBQ and power tools animated by Film Roman.
Snowden-Fine To Make Simon Simple With Studio B
The Oscar-winning creators of the acclaimed animated TV series BOB AND MARGARET, Alison Snowden and David Fine, are set to produce their latest primetime animation series, SIMON SIMPLE, with Vancouver's award-winning Studio B Productions. The 26x22 series is in development for Canadian broadcaster TELETOON.
Extraordinary Misunderstanding About Spielberg Leaving Indy IV
Despite a recent comment by Sean Connery (while promoting THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN in Las Vegas) that Steven Spielberg might not direct INDY IV, a spokesman for the director told VFXWorld.com that he fully intends to shoot the movie in 2004 for release in the summer of 2005.
"Somebody, somewhere, must have misunderstood something," the spokesman said. "The
Bluth & Goldman to Create I-Ninja Videogame
Veteran feature animators Don Bluth and Gary Goldman (THE SECRET OF NIMH, TITAN, A.E.) have teamed up to create and direct the in-game cinematics for Namco's upcoming videogame, I-NINJA, a comic adventure starring a hero fully loaded with the most up to date weaponry. The game will be released by the end of 2003 on Sony's PlayStation 2 and Nintendo's GameCube consoles.
Ottawa Saved… For Now
Chris Robinson, artistic director for the Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF), has informed AWN that Telefilm Canada, the federal film funding branch of the Ministry of Heritage, has renewed the festivals funding for the 2003-2004 fiscal year. More details will be posted when they arrive.
Marvel Sues Sony Yet Again
On Friday, June 27, 2003, Marvel Enterprises filed yet another lawsuit worth $10M against SPIDER-MAN partner Sony, this time specifically Sony Electronics, reported VARIETY. Marvel claims in the suit, filed in L.A. Superior Court, that Sony Electronics refused to license the Spider-Man character for its electronic products like radios and portable CD players and has advised sister company Sony Pictures to do the same with competitors.
New Filmmaker! Slamdance Wants Your Films
Slamdance Film Festival January 17-24, 2004Early-postmarked deadline: August 29, 2003 Final postmarked deadline: October 10, 2003.Park City, Utah
CINANIMA Puts Out Call For Entries
The 27-year-old CINANIMA - The International Animated Film Festival of Espinho, Portugal has put out a call for entries. The deadline for entries is July 25, 2003. To celebrate this year's edition, the organization has prepared some programs, retrospectives, seminars, workshops and exhibitions in addition to the International Competitive Section. No entry fees are required.
FIKE Puts A Shout Out For Your Shorts!
FIKE 2003: Évora International Short Film FestivalNovember, 14 - 22, 2003Deadline: August 31, 2003.Évora, Portugal
Plympton's Mutant Aliens Lands on DVD
MUTANT ALIENS, the latest feature by maverick animator Bill Plympton, who is graphic in both his art and point of view, resurfaced in a fully-loaded DVD on July 1, 2003 (Ventura Distribution, $19.90). In MUTANT ALIENS, an astronaut left in space returns after 20 years with a vengeance after being betrayed by a greedy corporate shark.
Humunculus Produces 3D Spots for Rugrats Go Wild
Broadcast design and animation company Humunculus produced two colorful musical broadcast spots promoting Nickelodeon and Paramount Pictures' RUGRATS GO WILD. The two :60s are titled SPIKE SPEAKS! and TOGETHER! The first debuted May 15 and the second premiered on May 26.
