Malibu, California-based JAKKS Pacific Inc. announced that it has signed a worldwide license with Lucasfilm Ltd. to produce TV Games products based on the STAR WARS franchise. The STAR WARS TV Games lineup is slated to launch in fall 2005, and is expected to retail for approximately $20.
The 2004 edition of the 3D Awards names 'Finding Nemo' the best 3D animated feature film; 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' is crowned with the prize for best feature film visual effects.
Spreading its areas of interest and wealth around, IDT Entertainment announced May 6, 2004 it has acquired a minority equity interest in POW! Entertainment LLC, headed by comic book legend Stan Lee. In addition, IDT Ent. has acquired exclusive distribution rights for all POW Ent. animated DVD properties plus the companies will co-produce and co-develop a minimum of six animation projects for direct-to-DVD distribution and broadcast.
The summer movie season kicks off this Friday with the highly anticipated release of VAN HELSING, and Ellen Wolfe will have the opening day scoop on how ILM has reimagined Dracula, Frankenstein, the Wolf Man and a few other scary creatures.
DreamWorks Consumer Products has lined up a host of partners to support the computer animated feature film SHARK TALE, which arrives in theatres October 1, 2004. The film has attracted a diverse mix of promotional support including returning partners Burger King Corp., General Mills and Hewlett-Packard, as well as new partnerships with Coca-Cola, Krispy Kreme and Great Clips.
The Art Institute of California - San Francisco is hosting special Summer Studio Workshops, June 22-25, giving high school seniors the opportunity to explore the creative arts, meet fellow young creative people and learn about new design technologies. The hands-on workshops will be held for students interested in learning more about videogame development, computer animation, graphic design, fashion design, interior design and Web design. Students can choose one of five different workshops.
SPE Networks Asia will launch the highly successful anime channel, Animax, in India on July 5, 2004, on the heels of a successful Animax Asia rollout three months ago. Animax South Asia will be the first and only 24-hour-a-day network in India dedicated to popular animation from Japan.
Customized for India and dubbed in Hindi and English, Animax will target Indias youth and young adults with animation programming. The One Alliance will distribute Animax across India, and SET India will represent Animax in advertising sales.
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has selected 29 students from 17 colleges and universities as finalists in its 31st annual Student Academy Awards competition. A third of the finalists will compete in the Animation category. Gold, silver and bronze medals, along with accompanying cash prizes of $5000, $3000 and $2000, may be awarded in each of the four categories. Winning filmmakers will participate in a week of industry-related and social activities, culminating in the presentation ceremony on June 13, 2004.
The animation finalists are:
Longtime senior television exec Ed Wilson, who recently left his position as president of NBC Enterprises, has joined the FOX Broadcasting Co. as president of the FOX Television Network. Wilson will be responsible for supervising all affiliate relations, advertising sales, legal, broadcast standards and Fox Ent. Group (FEG) integrated marketing operations for the network. He will also work closely with FEG on business development opportunities for the network.
Due to fan demand, DreamWorks has moved up SHREK 2 opening date from May 21 to May 19, 2004. Tickets for the blockbuster sequel will be available for advance sale on the Internet, beginning on May 7, 2004.
The IEMA (Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association), the trade organization representing the video and computer game industry's category-leading retail companies, announced that Yair Landau, the vice-chair of Sony Pictures Ent. and president of Sony Pictures Digital, will deliver the keynote address at the 2004 IEMA Executive Summit -- the association's annual conference.
L.A. How To Break Into Videogame Industry: Conference and Resume Workshop Los Angeles, California, USAMay 8, 2004
Fresh Films Teen Filmmaking ContestWorld Wide WebNovember 1, 2004Deadline: May 23, 2004
Winterfresh Gum and Dreaming Tree Films is sponsoring the Fresh Films Teen Filmmaking Contest. The contest gives teens a chance to enter their film ideas for the opportunity to film their story. Two winning ideas will receive help from Dreaming Tree Films to produce the short film along with help from the winner's friends. For more information, visit http://www.winterfresh.com/films.
INdTV Holdings, LLC a newly formed media company led by former U.S. vp Al Gore and successful entrepreneur Joel Hyatt, acquired Newsworld International (NWI) from Vivendi Universal Entertainment for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition was announced during the annual NCTA convention in New Orleans. NWI will be developed by its new owners into an independent network offering innovative alternative programming created by and for a target audience of 18-34 year-olds.
Channel 4/NMPFT Animator In Residence SchemeAugust 31, 2004London, U.K.Deadline: August 31, 2004
Cartoon Network's is offering a homespun new comedic action/adventure cartoon, MEGAS XLR, featuring reptilian aliens from the future bearing down on New Jersey, seeking to destroy an 80-foot robot thats been reconditioned by 20-something gearhead raised on videogames. Its an original concept from creators George Krstic and Jody Schaeffer., which premiered May 1, 2004 at 9:00 pm with 25 episodes to follow Saturday nights on Cartoon Network.
According to TRENDWATCH, 22% of all U.S. studios/facilities do 3D modeling/animation/rendering (including character set-up, enveloping/skinning, lighting, etc.).
Significantly, this number jumps up to 68% for vfx/animation studios/facilities specializing in 3D work. Also, 35% of post-production studios/facilities do this type of 3D work as well. This number is up from 31% of post houses doing this work in TRENDWATCH's summer 2003 survey.
Excerpted from the TRENDWATCH VISUAL EFFECTS/DYNAMIC MEDIA REPORT Issue #4, Winter 2003-2004.
Codemasters, the U.K.-based computer and videogame developer and publisher, used Kadaras MOTIONBUILDER to produce TOCA RACE DRIVER 2: THE ULTIMATE RACING SIMULATOR. Codemasters was able to save tremendous production time and money on its latest dynamic game due to MOTIONBUILDER's extremely fast realtime interaction, robust tools (such as control rigs and motion blending) and seamless integration with other 3D packages.
Alias announced that the Maya Complete 6 and the Maya Unlimited 6 software are now shipping globally to all new and upgrading customers. Customers on Alias' maintenance program were first able to download the software on April 26. Debuted at NAB. Maya 6 responds to the everyday production demands of 3D artists in the film, broadcast, game development, digital publishing and visualization markets.
Bill Desowitz sits down with the pioneering Ray Harryhausen to discuss the continuing influence of his special effects animation on todays creature features.
At long last, SAMURAI JACK - SEASON 1 (Warner Home Video, $29.98) debuts on DVD on May 4, 2004. The UPA-inspired series from Genndy Tartakovsky, creator of DEXTER'S LABORATORY, is the tale of a young samurai cast far into the future by the evil shape-shifting wizard Aku. With award-winning artwork and intricate, action-packed plots, the many journeys of Samurai Jack are intriguing and artful. Extras include Tartakovsky commentary, a making-of doc, original artwork and original animation test.
French director Sylvain Chomet's highly acclaimed THE TRIPLETS OF BELLEVILLE comes to DVD on May 4, 2004 (Columbia TriStar Home Ent., $24.96) with the best opportunity to broaden its appeal. The mostly hand-drawn tale (with a pinch of 3ds max thrown in, including the wheel) of bicycling, gangsters and the music hall is a unique experience to behold.
Extras include:
* Three behind-the-scenes featurettes with commentaries: Opening Sequence, Restaurant Performance, Tuning the Wheel
The live-action PETER PAN, another underrated gem from 2003, comes to DVD May 4, 2004 (Universal Home Video, $26.98) showing off CGI as gorgeous eye candy. The vfx (courtesy of ILM, Sony Pictures Imageworks, Digital Domain, Riot, among others) help push the wonder and whimsy of J.M.
ADV Films has announced its slate of May anime releases. The titles include BASTOF SYNDROME: FEAR AND LEMONS, ANGELIC LAYER: INHERIT THE LAYER, LEGEND OF THE MYSTICAL NINJA: LOVE IS A POWERFUL WEAPON, WELCOME TO THE KALEIDO STAGE, SAIYUKI: TROUBLE IN PARADISE and SLAYERS: PREMIUM.
Melbourne Digital Media Festival has announced that it will screen STARSHIP TROOPERS 2: HERO OF THE FEDERATION, the sequel to Paul Verhoevens 1997 cult hit STARSHIP TROOPERS. The film marks the directorial debut of Academy Award-winning visual effects supervisor Phil Tippett (who worked on VFX for the original). STARSHIP TROOPERS 2: HERO OF THE FEDERATION will debut this month from Columbia TriStar Home Ent. on Special Edition DVD.
