Europe

Activision's Spider-Man 3 Game Unleashes the Power of the Black Suit Into Retail

Activision Inc. wants gamers to unleash their dark side in the SPIDER-MAN 3 videogame, timed to hit retail with the highly anticipated theatrical release of Sony Pictures Ent.'s Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios' SPIDER-MAN 3. Based on the famous Marvel characters, the game allows players to experience, for the first time, Spider-Man's mysterious black-suited persona, as well as his heroic red suit and battle villains in a massive New York City playground teeming with activity.

In Interactive, Visual Effects, Games, Interactive, Visual Effects | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, South America

Films Headline News

Nordisk Panorama Brings Regional Films to Finland

Nordisk Panorama - 5 Cities Film Festival 2007Oulu, Finland, Sept. 21-26, 2007Deadline: May15, 2007

Nordisk Panorama Event is the main platform for short films and documentaries in the Nordic region, offering an annual business venue and showcase, spanning all professional focus areas from development and financing to distribution and exhibition.

In Call for Entries, Call for Entries | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Europe

International Headline News

Deadline Nears for Hamburg ShortFilmFestivals

23rd Int'l ShortFilmFestival & 9th Mo & Friese Children's ShortFilmFestivalHamburg, Germany June 3-11, 2007Deadline: May 19, 2007

The 23rd International ShortFilmFestival and the 9th Mo & Friese Children's ShortFilmFestival are going to present the best international short films, chosen from more than 3,800 submissions.

In Call for Entries, Call for Entries | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Europe

Cartoon Headline News

Turner Promotes Preschool Programming with Channel Changes in U.K.

Turner Broadcasting is making changes to its portfolio of kids' channels in the U.K., which is comprised of Cartoon Network, Boomerang, Toonami, Cartoon Network Too and Boomerang +1. On May 24, 2007, Toonami will change into Cartoon Network Too, available across Sky (602), Tiscali TV, Virgin TV and Top Up TV. Cartoon Network Too will feature the very best Toonami shows alongside current Cartoon Network favorites.

Meanwhile, Cartoonito, the preschool block that airs daily on Cartoon Network Too between 6:00 am and 3:00 pm will become a full preschool channel.

In Television, Television | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Europe

Animation Headline News

Snyder to Lead Turner's Animation, Young Adults & Kids Media Division

Stuart Snyder will take the reigns of Turner Broadcasting System's newly aligned portfolio of cable networks, digital properties and entertainment businesses for kids and young adults.

In People, People | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Asia, Europe, North America

Kids Headline News

AOL Launches New Animated Kol Super Gliders

AOL's kids site, KOL (www.kol.com) debuted today (May 2, 2007) the KOL SUPER GLIDERS, a cartoon series based on KOL's mascots Ariel and Kiki -- two sugar gliders (marsupials) that live at the AOL headquarters in Dulles, Virginia. In the series, Ariel, the leader of the Sugar Gliders duo, and Kiki, the smart and bubbly, yet forgetful sidekick, are responsible for stopping evil schemes around the world.

In Interactive, Games, Interactive | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Europe, North America

Television Headline News

Cinesite Gets Generation Kill VFX Assignment

Cinesite has been awarded all of the visual effects for HBO's upcoming miniseries GENERATION KILL, entailing hundreds of both 2D and 3D shots.

The seven episode series, scheduled to broadcast in spring 2008, will be based on the highly successful book of the same name by Evan Wright, which was published in 2004 and won the prestigious LOS ANGELES TIMES book award.

In Television, Visual Effects, Television, Visual Effects | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Europe

Headline News

Alienware, Dell Accelerate Gaming with NVIDIA GeForce 8800 Ultra Graphics Card

Alienware and Dell are taking enthusiasts to the next level by offering the mega-powerful NVIDIA GeForce 8800 Ultra graphics cards on high-performance Alienware Area 51, Alienware Aurora and Dell XPS gaming desktops.

The SLI-Ready GeForce 8800 Ultra graphics processor delivers outstanding graphics quality for even the most challenging and complex gaming and multimedia applications.

In Technology, Technology | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Australia, Europe

Million Headline News

Winx Club Charters Big Screen Adaptation

Rainbow CGI, RAI Fiction and RAI Cinema have announced that WINX CLUB will make the jump to the big screen in WINX CLUB, IL SEGRETO DI UN REGNO (WINX CLUB, THE SECRET OF A KINGDOM), according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. The 25 million Euros ($34.13 million) budget will make it the most expensive animated feature in Italian history.

The series follows five teenage fairies that battle evil witches who want to destroy their club.

Iginio Straffi, founder of production company Rainbow CGI, will direct the film.

In Films, Films | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Europe

Festival Headline News

PLATFORM Festival Announces New Media Lineup

PLATFORM International Animation Festival announces the new media and mobile devices selections, finalizing the complete lineup for competition debuting in Portland, Oregon, June 25-30, 2007. The festival competition will include categories covering commercial and independent films, student animation and films for new platforms, including indoor and outdoor installations, cell phones and internet. Winners of all the competitions will be announced during the closing ceremonies of the festival on June 30, 2007. In total, more than $50,000 will be awarded.

In Event, Event | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Australia, Europe, North America

Headline News

Sony Pictures Imageworks Shares Latest Work at fmx/07

Sony Pictures Imageworks will be showing off some of its latest work at fmx/07, including SURF'S UP and SPIDER-MAN 3. Imageworks members will present info and insights during the digital arts event, which takes place from May 1-4 in Stuttgart, Germany. Imageworks also will present a 3-D screening of MONSTER HOUSE, which received an Academy Award nomination for best animated feature.

In Event, Event | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Europe

Television Headline News

Calemzuk New President of Fox Television Studios

Emiliano Calemzuk has been named president of Fox Television Studios (FtvS), following five years serving as president of FOX International Channels Italy.

In People, People | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Asia, Australia, Europe

Mobile Headline News

Brak Show Goes Mobile in the U.K.

GlobalFun, a wireless entertainment development and publishing company, and www.adultswim.co.uk have teamed up to develop mobile games.

The deal sees GlobalFun developing a mobile game based on the [adult swim] program THE BRAK SHOW. The mobile game is a sim/social type of game in the vein of THE SIMS and contains well-known elements and characters from the popular show. GlobalFun will also, for certain selected markets, distribute the title to its carrier and B2C.

In Interactive, Games, Interactive | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Asia, Europe

Animated Headline News

Russia's First Animated Cartoon TV Channel Starts Broadcasting

In April, the first 24/7 animated cartoon TV channel "2o2" has started broadcasting in Russia, reports russia-ic.com.The new 2o2 is airing cartoons from England, France, Italy, Czechia and Japan, but the majority of air-time is given to American animated cartoons. Russian films comprise two hours per day.Targeted at an audience, 11-34, the site reports that about $15 million will be spent on the TV channel's content and promotion this year.

In Business, Business | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Asia, Europe

Animation Headline News

Breakthrough Animation Developing Primetime Animated Series

To meet what Breakthrough Animation Inc. perceives is a demand for primetime programming targeted to the 18-35 demographic, the Canadian studio has started development on two new animated properties, THE ORPHANAGE and FOOLZ 'N THE HOOD. Both series will be available for broadcast, broadband and mobile platform formats.

In Television, Television | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Australia, Europe, North America

Animation Headline News

Toei Animation Fifth Season of Digimon to Jetix

Toei Animation has licensed the fifth season of the hugely popular animated series DIGIMON to Disney ABC Cable Networks Group for a fall 2007 debut on Toon Disney's Jetix block.

In Television, Television | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Asia, Europe

Studios Headline News

Massive Software in European Tour with Pixar Hosted by Escape Studios

Massive Software is hitting the road in May with stops in London, Newscastle and the fmx/07 conference in Stuttgart, Germany.

Hosted by Escape Studios in London, the events will demystify the working processes between Massive, the AI-driven animation system software and Pixar's RenderMan rendering powerhouse.

In Anime, Event, Visual Effects, Anime, Event, Visual Effects | Headline News | Special Events: Annecy, SIGGRAPH | Geographic Region: All, Europe

Interactive Headline News

Canada Dominates Interactive Emmy Awards

The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced the winners for the International Interactive Emmy Awards, organized for the second year in a row in Cannes, France in partnership with Reed MIDEM and hosted by actor Roger Bart (DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, THE PRODUCERS).

In Awards, Awards | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Europe, North America

Pitch Headline News

Pennarelli Wins Pitch Me! at Cartoons on the Bay

Davide Rosio from Movimenti Prod. in Italy, is the winner of the Cartoons On The Bay Pitch Me! Event. He picked up his prize for pitching PENNARELLI, the project he directed with Giorgio Scorza and Davide Beltramini at the festival show on Friday, April 20, 2007, at the Augusteo Theatre.

The Pitch Me! event is for cartoonists, scriptwriters, studios, independent producers and anyone else who wants to launch a new Italian animation project.

In Awards, Awards | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Europe

Headline News

Cake Conquering Europe With SKUNK FU!

The fifth most watched series at MIPCOM Junior 2006, SKUNK FU!, is bent on conquest of key European territories with sales by Cake Distribution to France 5, NRK and RAISAT. Outside Europe, recent sales have included a pan regional deal with Cartoon Network Asia.

In Television, Television | Headline News | Special Events: MIPCOM | Geographic Region: All, Asia, Europe

Digital Headline News

//ADAPT 2007 Conference in Montreal Announced

Digital 04 Studios announced the return of its popular conference in Montreal geared toward the digital art industry. Named Advanced Digital Art Production Techniques (//ADAPT), the conference will feature more than 20 digital art masters, world famous film, vfx and videogame studios.

In Event, Event | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Europe

Film Headline News

Annecy Announces In and Out of Competition Features

The Annecy International Animated Film Festival has announced the feature films that will screen in and out of competition at the 2007 event. The selection jury -- which included distributor Lucie Kalmar, producer Bruno Gaumetou and director Thierry Schiel -- choose a very international group of films for competition.

In Event, Event | Headline News | Special Events: Annecy | Geographic Region: All, Asia, Europe

Animation Headline News

Charlie and Lola Wins at Cartoons on the Bay

Cartoons on the Bay has announced the winners of the Pulcinella Awards for this year. The awards in the international competition for television animation went to:

* TV Series for Infants -- CHARLIE AND LOLA -- U.K. (Tiger Aspect Prods.)

* TV Series for Children -- RUBY GLOOM -- Canada (Nelvana)

* TV Series for All Ages -- MINUSCOLO -- France (Futurikon)

* TV Series Action and Adventure -- THE SECRET SHOW -- U.K. (The Secret Show Ltd.)

* Pilots for TV Series -- MONSTER SAFARI -- U.S. (Nickelodeon)

In Awards, Awards | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Asia, Europe, North America

International Headline News

York International Ready For Surge In New Media Licensing

York International's new emphasis on new media licensing positioned it uniquely to partner with the wide range of emerging Internet and satellite based entities registered for MIPTV. CEO Tanya York explained, "Our library is great for home video, but as the new technologies take over, we are now in a perfect position to assist our clients with Internet and new media based content needs."

In Television, Television | Headline News | Special Events: MIPCOM, MIP-TV, NATPE | Geographic Region: All, Europe

Headline News

TV2 Picks Up Icon Animation's Lola & Virginia

Icon Animation, a leading production and distribution company in Spain specializing in youth programming, has followed a slew of recent deals for its popular girl-skewed show, LOLA & VIRGINIA, with a sale to TV2 Norway at MIPTV.