AWN Headline News

Vancouver-based animation company SecondSun Entertainment and Minds Eye Entertainment, will produce CREEPSHOW, a new half-hour animated series in development with YTV for an older 12-17 audience. "It will be a suspense thriller series with all kinds of bizarre characters and unique plot twists and turns to keep kids on the edge of their seats," series producer Chris Delaney. "We are confident that the series edgy and stylish content will appeal to teenage viewers in Canada and around the world," Minds Eye Entertainments executive producer Kevin DeWalt. SecondSun designer John Delaney (BATMAN, SUPERMAN, FUTURAMA) has created a stylish, hybrid look for the series that combines an anime style with North American design sensibilities. Delaney (CHRISTOPHER THE CHRISTMAS TREE, THE LITTLEST ANGEL) is developing the creative concept with consultants Ivan Cohen and Barney Cohen (FOREVER NIGHT, SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH). A teen character in each episode will encounter a seemingly normal, everyday situation that quickly turns into a variety of terrifying, suspense filled situations. It may be that a babysitter is attacked by 'monster' children or a robot comes to life and does battle with its owner. Aaron L. Gilbert brought the parties together who will executive produce the series with DeWalt. CREEPSHOW is licensed from Jim Dudleson's Taurus Entertainment (NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD). Minds Eye International, a division of Minds Eye Entertainment, will distribute the series worldwide. Production is expected to begin in Vancouver in the fall of 2003. Established in 1986, Minds Eye Entertainment (formerly Minds Eye Pictures) is a fully integrated production, post-production and distribution entity with offices across western Canada. Check out the company's Website at www.mindseyepictures.com. SecondSun Entertainment (secondsunentertainment.com) is a "transmedia" company specializing in the creation of animation based content for various media platforms, formed in May 2002 by the amalgamation of Brainchild Studios Inc. a 3D company, its interactive game division Furious Entertainment, and Delaney & Friends Cartoon Productions Ltd., a 2D animation company.

Bolstered by the success of it's first Oscar-winning CGI short, THE CHUBBCHUBBS!, Sony Pictures Imageworks is releasing another computer animated short, EARLY BLOOMER, on May 9, 2003. Kevin Johnson created and directed the coming-of-age tale about a tadpole as he tries to fit in with his mischievous pond pals. The short began as an in-house training exercise at SPI under the guidance of exec director of training and artist development, Sande Scoredos, for its animators and effects artists to work on the latest methods and new tools to explore visual storytelling.

Abbe Daniel has joined Click 3x in New York City as executive producer for broadcast to oversee the studios broadcast department which provides brand development, design and production services for broadcast and cable entities. Daniel had been working with Click 3x on a freelance basis for several months, producing projects for iN DEMAND, Nickelodeon, Lifetime and Discovery. She worked for several years as coordinating producer for award-winning television journalist Bill Moyers on a series of acclaimed documentaries for PBS and helped launch NOW WITH BILL MOYERS.

Boris FX, a leading developer of integrated effects technology for video and film production, will be showing the next version of its award-winning application, Boris RED at the NAB 2003 convention in Las Vegas. Boris RED 3GL, an integrated 3D compositing, titling and effects application now implements OpenGL, delivering unprecedented performance at an affordable price to more than 20 nonlinear editing applications, according to Boris Yamnitsky, founder/president of Boris FX. The new compositing software also features more than 30 dynamic new filters, tools and technologies.

Hong Kong-based animation studio STVDIO Media has produced an animated spot for Coca-Colas Slurpee "Brainfreeze" product in Singapore and its agency M&C Saatchi. DR. BRAINFREEZE'S LABORATORY features the creator of the ice-cold Slurpee drink, Dr. Brainfreeze, who loves his drink even though he has to go to great lengths to thaw out his head after each sip. He employs various gadgets such as hairdryer and a blowtorch-wielding robot to thaw out. The animators used a DEXTER'S LABORATORY inspired style for the mad doctor.

Charlie Breakiron has signed on as lead animator at Serious Robots, a cutting-edge 3D broadcast animation and visual effects shop in Raleigh, North Carolina. In his new role, Breakiron will be heading up all 3D computer graphics at Serious Robots (www.seriousrobots.com). The 14-year veteran has served at leading graphics houses such as Fox Animation Studios (TITAN AE); Quiet Man in New York (AT&T, Disney); Janimation in Dallas (new Barney show, K-Mart); Metropolitan Audio-Visual (Diamondback logo effects) and more. Pixel Liberation Front (PLF) hired Breakiron for a cinematic promoting the 3D action/adventure game MEDAL OF HONOR. "Charlie is nationally ranked talent," stated Tom Waring, CEO of Trailblazer Studios, the parent company of Serious Robots. "When he first came in, his outstanding capabilities were obvious immediately. He also generated great chemistry with our team. After only several days it was clear Charlie was the caliber of artist we need. Were hoping to put together a dream team at Serious Robots, and Charlie will be an integral part of that."

The current state of the "business of animation," wage levels and areas of opportunity were just some of the topics discussed at the fifth annual Animation Nation meeting held April 1, 2003 at the Pickwick Center in Burbank, California. Organized by Animation Nations founder and inspirational leader Charles Zembillas, the annual meeting provides a forum for discussion on a wide range of topics concerning the animation community.

Radium, with studios in San Francisco and Santa Monica, California, has hired three new people to bolster various areas of the growing visual effects company. Julie Luehrman is on board as VP marketing & sales, based in the companys San Francisco location. Executive producer Matthew McManus and technical operations manager Michael Chizzo have joined the Los Angeles office.

As SOUTH PARK approaches it's 100th episode on April 9, 2003, the demented duo who create and exec produce the Comedy Central hit animated series for adults have re-upped with the cable channel through the end of 2005 with an option for an additional year. The deal has Trey Parker and Matt Stone making 15 episodes of SOUTH PARK each year, giving them time to work on other projects during a summer hiatus. If they exercise their option in 2006, that would stretch SOUTH PARK to a 10th season, making it the longest-running primetime comedy series in basic cable history. A pretty long stretch for two guys who claim they never wanted to do animation and don't particularly like it. But it pays the bills and given them a certain cache to go after live-action dreams in their quest to become the next Monty Python. Anne Garefino, exec producer of the series since the beginning, renewed her deal with the network as well. Comedy Central president/CEO Larry Divney claims SOUTH PARK is a huge part of Comedy Central's current and future success. He said, "I really love working with Matt and Trey. They are brilliantly creative producers and I'm just thrilled to have them commit to continuing our relationship well into the future. It's great for our viewers, our affiliates and our advertisers." Parker and Stone's deal was negotiated by their attorney Kevin Morris of Barnes, Morris, Klein & Yorn and agents Mike Simpson and Gaby Morgerman of the William Morris Agency. Garefino's deal was also negotiated by WMA and she is represented by Chris Silbermann of the Broder, Webb, Chervin, Silbermann firm. Comedy Central is the only all-comedy network seen in more than 82 million homes in the U.S. The cabler is owned by Comedy Partners, 50-50 joint venture of Time Warner Entertainment Co. and Viacom, visit www.comedycentral.com.

German children's TV firm EM.TV & Merchandising again reported a major year-end net loss of $335M on March 31, 2003. EM.TV's revenues reached $272M, down 5% from 2001's adjusted sales. EM.TV cites the major write-off connected to its stake in the Formula One racing circuit and it is still reeling from the aftereffects of the bankruptcy of the KirchGroup. EM.TV CEO Werner Klatten said he expects to improve his company's position significantly soon by the sale of the Jim Henson Co. and acquisition of former Kirch broadcaster DSF, both anticipated to be completed by the end of this month. Klatten said restructuring of EM.TV should be completed in 2003 while the operating board continues to focus on new genres and target groups, especially sports.

Create TV & Film Ltd., the newly-established independent production company formed earlier this year out of LEGO Media Internationals TV and film division, has defined its new management team and structure. Vanessa Chapman has become managing director of Create, as well as global controller, TV, film & strategy. Michael Carrington is now head of television and new media, responsible for providing creative, editorial and managerial leadership across the company's television and new media activities.