Quittapahilla Film Fest Wants Your Toons
Quittapahilla Film FestivalAnnville, Pennsylvania, USAOctober 1 3, 2004Deadline: July 1, 2004
Geographical Region: All
Kansas International Film Fest Puts Out Call!
The Kansas International Film FestivalKansas City, Kansas, USASeptember 10 16, 2004Deadline: July 2, 2004
Publish Your Kid's Book With GiGi Books!
GiGi Books Children's Book Contest World Wide Web September 15, 2004Deadline: August 1, 2004
Cartoombria Issues Call for Entries!
Cartoombria: International Exhibition of New Animated ImagesPerugia, ItalyDecember 1 - 8, 2004Deadline: September 30, 2004
Caligari Announces Light Edition of gameSpace
Caligari announced the release of gameSpace Light (gSL), a special edition of the company's game graphics authoring software. gameSpace Light is designed to introduce independent game developers, students and hobbyists to 3D game content creation using Caligari's trademark first-person-perspective design interface.
UGO Airs E3 Inspired Shorts
UGO Networks (www.ugo.com), a leading online magazine for guys, is teaming with a group of Hollywood film producers to create three shorts set at the E3 Expo. The short films -- DREAM GIRL, CREATION and A.D.D. MAN SAVES E3 will take a humorous, irreverent look at the world of videogames and the Electronic Entertainment Expo. Emmy-winning producers Ian Sander and Kim Moses; Dark Light Pictures; Greg McClatchy of Motor Ent.; FilmworksFX and director Stuart Acher participated in the creation of the shorts.
In Interactive, Visual Effects, Games, Interactive, Visual Effects | Headline News | Geographic Region: All
Zemeckis Brings Polar Express Style to Measle and the Wrathmonk
Warner Bros. and Robert Zemeckis' ImageMovers have bought the film rights to Ian Ogilvy's yet-to-be-published three book series, MEASLE AND THE WRATHMONK with the intention to turn the story into a "performance capture" animated film like Zemeckis' POLAR EXPRESS, reports VARIETY. Zemeckis, along with ImageMovers partner Jack Rapke and president Bennett Schneir, made the purchase.
Wolfgang Petersen Casts Spell on Xanth Fantasy Series
Warner Bros. has snatched up the rights to the fantasy novel series XANTH to be produced by TROY helmer Wolfgang Petersen along with TROY writer David Benioff and Diana Rathbun of Petersen's Radiant Prods, reports VARIETY. Radiant's Samuel Dickerman will exec produce.
A SPELL FOR CHAMELEON is the first book in the series, which chronicles a boy named Bink in the world of Xanth, where all the inhabitants must possess magical powers or face banishment.
Production Begins on Mexican Toon, Maya
This week marks the start of production on the Spanish-language feature MAYA, produced by actor Bruno Bichir and pop singer Emmanuel for Escarabajo Producciones. Ricardo Arnaiz will direct the $3 million budgeted film with animation supervision being handled by Mike Kunkel (TARZAN, HERCULES). Music will be supervised by Antonio Zepeda. Lending voice talent will be actor Andres Bustamante (TV's TELETON). The film is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2005.
Hasbro Opens Up Shrek 2 Toy Box
Hasbro Inc. welcomes Shrek and friends back with a full line of SHREK 2 plush, playsets, figures and games available in spring 2004 at retail stores in the U.S.
The Hasbro's SHREK 2 line includes WISE CRACKIN' SHREK/DONKEY, kind of an interactive companion doll. Press on his fuzzy muzzle and say "I love you, Donkey" to activate the plush donkey's buddy mode. But watch out, when he hears "Go away Donkey" his mood turns sour. (Approximate retail price: $29.99 for kids 5+.)
Drew Carey’s Green Screen Show Gets Greenlight
DREW CAREYS GREEN SCREEN SHOW, a live-action/animated improv comedy, got the greenlight along with five other new primetime TV series to air in fall 2004 on The WB, it was announced May 18 at the nets upfront presentation to advertisers in New York City. WB ceo Jordan Levin, and chairman, Garth Ancier, unveiled their 2004-2005 primetime schedule in front of 4,000 advertisers, affiliates and national media.
Send Your Script to Spec Scriptacular
Spec ScriptacularWorld Wide WebJune 1, 2004Deadline: June 1, 2004
Troy Overpowers Van Helsing
Warner Bros.' TROY (with vfx from Cinesite (Europe), Framestore CFC and The Moving Picture Co.), easily outperformed VAN HELSING in its debut for the weekend ended May 16, 2004, bringing in a good but not great $46.8M.
Locarno Film Festival Beckons!
57th Locarno International Film FestivalLocarno, SwitzerlandAugust 4 - 14, 2004Deadline: June 11, 2004
The Locarno International Film Festival is renowned for its tradition of experimentation, discovery, eclecticism and passion for auteur cinema, and for the convivial and friendly networking opportunity for distributors, buyers, producers and journalists from around the world.
In Call for Entries, Call for Entries | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Europe, North America
Passion of the Christ Coming to DVD
Mel Gibson's biblical blockbuster, THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST, will debut on DVD Aug. 31, 2004 (Fox Home Ent., $29.98) in a bare bones single disc edition, presented at the maximum bit rate. So don't expect any nifty bonus features for at least a year, including how Keith Vanderlaan's Captive Audience handled the numerous digital effects that were supervised by Ted Rae.
As of May 9, THE PASSION has grossed $360M domestically and $222M overseas.
In Home Entertainment, Visual Effects, Home Entertainment, Visual Effects | Headline News | Geographic Region: All
Sidewalk Moving Picture Fest Pay Cash For Toon Winners
The Sidewalk Moving Picture FestivalBirmingham, Alabama, USASeptember 23 26, 2004Deadline: June 15, 2004
Shikiya New Mktg/Distrib. Exec at MGM
Steven T. Shikiya as been promoted to svp of marketing and distribution at MGM Studios, a division of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. Shikiya will oversee all finance, planning and operational support for the domestic theatrical marketing and distribution groups for MGM Studios and United Artists, MGM's specialty film label.
Art Institute of CA-SF Announces New Scholarships For Game Pros
The Art Institute of California San Francisco (http://www.aicasf.aii.edu) has announced a new scholarship program designed for videogame industry professionals interested in furthering their education. The school is offering special scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 to individuals who are or have worked in the game industry. Scholarships must be applied for tuition in the school's Game Art & Design (Bachelor of Science) or Visual & Game Programming (Bachelor of Science) degree programs.
Miller To Head Walt Disney Int’l (Asia-Pacific)
Doug Miller has been appointed evp/md of Walt Disney International (Asia-Pacific), as well as svp/md of Walt Disney Television International (Asia Pacific), overseeing all Disney television activities in the region. Miller will continue to lead television development for the company in Asia and is based in Hong Kong.
FrameForge Demoed at Cannes
Innoventive Software, LLC (http://FrameForge3D.com/) announced that its previsualization and storyboarding software FrameForge 3D Studio will be continually on display at Movie Soft's Booth 1901 in the Film Market-Palais during this year's Cannes Film Festival. Software architect and lead programmer Ken Schafer will conduct live software demonstrations daily from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm from May 12 - May 21, 2004. Movie Soft is France's specialty retailer of screenwriting and film industry related software.
Indian Actress Nagma to Direct English 3D Film
Aashish Chananas Media Factor has teamed up with Indian actress Nagma to produce a 3D animated children's feature. Nagma will direct and create the story for the film, which will be in English. Nagma is multi-dashed celeb in India dabbling in fashion, the Art of Living spiritual movement as well as politics.
Passion's Lighting Struck Assistant Director Unveils Artwork
Jan Michelini, an assistant director on THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST, unveiled in the U.S. his artwork inspired by the filming of the movie at a celebrity studded reception on May 12, 2004 at Kolibri Gallery. The 24 year-old Italian-born Michelini was affectionately nicknamed "Lightning Boy" by Mel Gibson and producer Steve McEveety when he was struck by bolts of lightning on two separate occasions while filming the "The Crucifixion" and "Jesus delivers the Sermon on the Mount" scenes.
NAB Announces AIM Editors' Choice Award Winners
The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has announced the winners of the 2004 Editors' Choice Awards, an extension of its annual NAB Awards for Innovation in Media (AIM) program. The winners are Apple's Motion in the Content Creation category, Fast Forward Video's Covert DVR in the Content Management grouping, and VBrick Systems, Inc.'s EtherneTV within the Content Delivery class.
In Awards, Visual Effects, Awards, Visual Effects | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Asia, Europe
Sony Pictures Classics To Bring Flying Daggers to States
Sony Pictures Classics has acquired the North American rights to Zhang Yimou's HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS, which is screening out of competition at the Cannes Film Festival. Yimou's last film the highly anticipated Academy-Award nominated HERO will be released by Miramax in the U.S. August 20, 2004.
Sony Pictures Classics in a statement said, "This is our sixth film from a filmmaker regarded as one of the very best in the world. It is an honor and thrill for us to be working once again both with Zhang Yimou and our good friend, his producer, Bill Kong."
Shrek 3 & 4 in the Works
DreamWorks principle Jeffrey Katzenberg announced at the Cannes Film Festival that work has already begun on SHREK 3 and SHREK 4. Katzenberg said that after the first film the studio worked out the story of Shrek and the unanswered question left open in the original. SHREK 2, which hits theaters on May 19, 2004, answers the issues surrounding how Princess Fiona was left in the tower and how her parents would react to Shrek as her husband.
