A number of this seasons most anticipated games have been created with Autodesks 3ds Max and Maya 3D animation, modeling and rendering software products.
Insomniac Games RESISTANCE: FALL OF MAN and Monolith Prods. F.E.A.R. were created with Autodesk software and are expected to become blockbuster games for Microsofts Xbox 360 and Sonys PlayStation 3 (PS3).
THQ Inc. has released Disney/Pixar's CARS for Xbox 360, in conjunction with the Cars holiday DVD launch on Nov. 7, 2006. This follows the launch of this past summer's blockbuster cross-platform launch of the game for the PlayStation2, Xbox, Nintendo GameCube, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, PSP, PC and Mac. The Xbox 360 version is available nationwide for a suggested retail price of $49.99. CARS is also scheduled to release for Nintendo Wii on Nov. 13.
South Korean star Jun Ji-hyun has signed on to make her English-language debut in the live-action remake of BLOOD: THE LAST VAMPIRE, titled BLOOD VAMPIRE, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Ronnie Yu (JET LIS FEARLESS) is directing.
The $30 million production will be produced by Bill Kong and France's Pathe Ent.
Jun starred in the Korean blockbuster IL MARE, which was remade as Warner Bros. THE LAKE HOUSE.
On Saturday, Nov. 4, 2006, the prizes of the 49th International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film were awarded. Filmmakers, the audience and international festival guests celebrated the winning films in the Leipzig CineStar.
The International Jury for Animated film awards for Animated films and videos include:
Golden Dove connected with 5,000 partially founded by Filmverband Sachsen e. V. RABBIT by Run Wrake (U.K.)
Silver Dove connected with 2,000
Catherine Deneuve and Gena Rowlands have been tapped to provide voices for the English-language version of the French animated film PERSEPOLIS, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Sony Pictures Classics is releasing the film in the U.S.
Based on Iranian author Marjane Satrapi's graphic novel autobiographies, the tale is the true story of a precocious girl growing up in Iran during the Islamic revolution. Deneuve will voice the lead character's mother, which she is also doing for the French version. Rowlands will provide the voice for her grandmother.
Marvel Ent. initiated financial guidance for 2007 and revised its financial guidance for 2006. The financial guidance was provided in conjunction with the reporting of operating results for the third quarter and nine-month periods ended Sept. 30, 2006.
For Q3 2006, Marvel reported net income of $13.2 million, or $0.16 per diluted share, net of a $0.7 million charge for FAS 123R share-based payments. This compares to net income of $23.4 million, or $0.23 per diluted share, in the year-ago third quarter period, which did not include any stock option expense.
REALVIZ is making VTour software available on the Macintosh platform. REALVIZ VTour, which launched in March, draws on the award-winning technology of Stitcher and ImageModeler, and offers users of all levels an innovative and effective solution for the creation of photoreal 3D environments from 2D pictures or panoramas. VTour has been specifically developed for use in a wide range of applications, such as virtual walkthroughs, 3D simulation, virtual reality, urban planning and videogames, and is also well suited for the creation of virtual sets for film and television.
Scott Guthrie has been promoted to svp, North American sales and distribution, for THQ. He will manage the company's North American sales, retail marketing, sales planning and operations teams, which directly serve retailers throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
Universal Pictures-based Rogue is set to distribute Paul W.S. Anderson's adaptation of Konami classic videogame, CASTLEVANIA, reports VARIETY. Rogue will handle the rights in North America as well as the U.K., Spain and German-speaking territories. Producer and co-financer Crystal Sky will control the rights in the rest of the world.
The $50 million film, written by Anderson, takes place in multiple eras, mainly transpiring in 15th century Transylvania. This take on the Dracula legend will utilize elements from the real life story of the Romanian prince Vlad the Impaler.
The worldwide Internet audience has decided in a public voting about the winners of the Bitfilm Awards. More than 750 films from 51 countries have applied for the prizes in seven categories.
The winners are:
T-Com 3D Space AwardVERSUS by François Caffiaux, Romain Noel and Thomas Salas (France)
Adobe FX Mix AwardTRAVEL DIARY by Keng-Ming Liu (Taiwan/U.S.)
MTV Flash AwardBLOW by Hermes Mangialardo (Italy)
Hamburg Machinima Award
Square Enix Inc. has released FINAL FANTASY XII, the latest entry in the timeless franchise that has sold more than 68 million units worldwide, which is now available in retail outlets in the U.S.
Developed exclusively for the PlayStation2, FINAL FANTASY XII has already sold more than 2.4 million units in Japan since its release on March 16, 2006, and has won numerous Game of the Month awards from the industry's top publications in America and is one of the highest-reviewed games of the year.
eDward - The Young Filmmaker's Award is the international film competition of the eDIT 9. Filmmaker's Festival. For three weeks, ending Nov. 15, members of the AWN Showcase will be able to vote for their favorite 30-second film among this year's 10 finalists. The eDward online audience choice award complements the jury award decided at the festival in Frankfurt, Germany.
Jillianne K. Reinseth joins Studio B Prods. as director of development. She will head up Studio Bs new in-house content creation division, called the B-HIVE, and develop projects from external pitches as well.
Reinseth was a development producer with broadcaster Jetix Europe; senior manager, creative affairs at Walt Disney TV Animation; and also was manager, original series for ABC Cable Networks Group (Disney Channel).
Luxologys modo won a MACUSER Maxine editorial award for the best 3D/Animation Software of the Year at last weeks MacExpo conference in London. Awarded by MACUSER, one of the U.K.s leading Macintosh magazines, the Maxine award was presented on Oct. 26 at a ceremony held at The Hurlingham Club, an elegant and historical estate in Fulham, England.
Fox Animation has revived the languishing toon adaptation of Roald Dahl classic THE FANTASTIC MR. FOX, reports VARIETY. Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach adapted the script with Anderson set to direct as well as produce with Scott Rudin. The film will use multiple animation style, but will primarily use stop-motion.
The book centers on a fox that tries to outwit three stupid farmers, who have resorted to extreme actions to stop the fox from stealing their chickens.
At LIMA-Gala in Munichs Bayerischer Hof, the EM.TV Group were awarded two LIMA Awards. EM.Ent. GmbH took home Licensing Agent/Licensor of the Year, followed by the prize in the License Theme category for the 2006 FIFA World Cup Licensing Program.
Electronic Arts launched MEDAL OF HONOR HEROES for PSP in North America with the title rolling out worldwide later next month. This release rounds out EAs October lineup, which included BATTLEFIELD 2142, THE SIMS 2 PETS, TIGER WOODS PGA TOUR 07 and FIFA SOCCER 07.
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts has announced the nominees for this year's British Academy Children's Film and Television Awards in association with Electronic Arts. The winners will be announced at the ceremony on Sunday, Nov. 26, 2006 at the London Hilton.
The nominees are:
ANIMATION THE AMAZING ADRENALINI BROTHERS! David Hodgson, Dan Chambers, Claire Underwood (Pesky Ltd., Studio B Prods., CITV)
KING ARTHUR'S DISASTERS Edward Bignell, Julian Scott (Zenith Ent. Ltd./CiTV)
Veteran Hollywood entertainment attorney/litigator David Graber joins Wild Brain Inc. as general counsel and head of business affairs, where he will oversee all business and legal affairs for the studio corporate, film, television, interactive and home video.
The U.S. VOD premiere of THE GUYVER, a sci-fi anime legend, starts Oct. 26, 2006, on Anime Network.
This week in AWN's Forums, a senior member has questions about voice acting in England. There are several threads buzzing about KAPPA MIKEY. Many members have added their thoughts to a post from a student who wonders whether he has enough passion for animation to pursue it as a career. Others are talking about Disneys new portfolio submission website. Also on the Disney front, members are posting their opinions on what they thinks about the Mouse Houses latest short, LITTLE MATCH GIRL.
Integrated brand management specialists Elastic Rights will be handling TV and video rights in Iberia for MUSHIKING, THE GUARDIANS OF THE FOREST. The 52x30 beetle adventure animation series, produced by TMS Ent. (www.tms-e.co.jp) and based on Sega's no. 1 arcade game, MUSHIKING THE KING OF BEETLES, is the latest property to be picked up by Elastic Rights for Spain and Portugal.
Peter Dougherty joins Cartoon Network in the newly created position of svp, branding, responsible for the creative execution and communication of the Cartoon Network brand and its multiple properties to target audiences in the U.S. The includes overseeing the network's on-air environment and franchise presentations; in-house creative services responsible for print, electronic and outdoor advertising and collateral; execution of sponsored promotions, sweepstakes and contests; and creative development for Cartoon Network Enterprises' growing licensing and merchandising business.
NVIDIA Corp. announced NVPerfKit 2.1, a comprehensive suite of next-generation performance tools for the debugging and profiling of OpenGL and Direct3D software applications for Windows and Linux.
This month we turn our focus internationally. Adrian Pennington has a fascinating report on the explosion of 3D character animation among the four leading London vfx studios: Cinesite, Moving Picture Co., Double Negative and Framestore CFC, which has also launched an animation division and is the midst of making THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX.
