Search form

Geographical Region: Europe

Studio Headline News

Shark Tale Director Sets Up Studio in Marseilles, France

SHARK TALE co-director Eric Bibo Bergeron has set up a new animation studio in Marseilles, France. After spending eight years at DreamWorks, where he also made THE ROAD TO EL DORADO, Bergeron is returning to France to produce and direct his latest projects.

The first 3D film, A MONSTER IN PARIS, will be co-written by Bergeron and Ramzy, the two French comedians on whom the designs for the main characters are based and who will provide the French voiceovers. The film will be entirely produced in France at the new European studio.

Japan Headline News

Mind Games Played For FanTasia Prize

FanTasia, a festival showcasing contemporary international genre cinema with an emphasis on unveiling films very rarely seen in North America, wrapped up on July 25, 2005, in Montreal, awarding Yuasa Masaakis MIND GAME the prize for best animated film. The film also took home the silver prize in the most groundbreaking film category as well.

For its ninth edition, FanTasia jury was of the following members:* Érik Canuel (creator of films LA LOI DU COCHON, LE DERNIER TUNNEL and LE SURVENANT)

Union Headline News

German Theaters Want to Curb Herbie

Major theater chains in Germany have threatened to not carry Buena Vista Internationals release of HERBIE: FULLY LOADED, because the company intends to release the DVD in December, reports VARIETY. Greater Union Filmpalast and Cinemaxx have both said they will not screen the film, because the Aug. 4 theatrical debut is only four not the typical six months away from the home entertainment release.

Headline News

Daniel Battsek to Head Miramax Films

Daniel Battsek, a veteran film exec in the Buena Vista International Organization, has been named president, Miramax Films, reporting directly to Dick Cook, chairman The Walt Disney Studios. Battsek, has been serving as evp/md of distribution and production for BVI UK.

Games Headline News

Konami Acquires Game Rights For American Idol

Konami Digital Ent. Inc. announced a multi-year agreement with FremantleMedia Licensing Worldwide, Americas that gives the company the exclusive interactive videogame rights for AMERICAN IDOL. Pursuant to the agreement, FLW, Americas grants Konami the rights to develop games for current and next generation videogame systems. The games will be distributed throughout America, Canada and Latin America with more details to be revealed at a later date.

Headline News

Renowned Film Title Designer To Tackle Darkwatch Game

Capcom announced that renowned film title designer Kyle Cooper has created the opening sequence for their upcoming videogame, DARKWATCH. The flagship title from development house High Moon Studios Inc., DARKWATCH is an immersive first person shooter (FPS) for the PlayStation 2 and the Xbox, that blends the Western and vampire-horror genres. Darkwatch will be released on Aug. 16, 2005.

Entertainment Headline News

THQ Wants to Destroy All Humans! on the Big Screen

THQ Inc. announced that it has engaged United Talent Agency (UTA), a leading Hollywood talent and literary agency, to expand the brand of THQ's recently-released, top-selling DESTROY ALL HUMANS! videogame title. UTA aims to guide the property through its development into major motion picture and television projects, overseeing activities related to development, financing, production and distribution. This is the first time THQ has secured agency representation for one of its own original properties.

Design Headline News

Zack Petroc to Teach Digital Human Sculpting at Gnomon Workshop

Renowned digital modeler Zack Petroc (SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW) will teach a five-week course in Digital Sculpting of the Human Form at Gnomon Workshop. This course will run on Mondays from 7:00 to 10:00 pm, beginning Aug. 8 and running through Sept. 5. Those interested can register online, in person, via fax or postal service. For more information call 323/466-6663.

Headline News

Star-Studded Voice Talent Announced for New Marc Ecko Game

Atari Inc. and Marc Ecko announced an star-studded lineup of Hollywood talent providing voices for the characters featured in the videogame, MARC ECKO'S GETTING UP: CONTENTS UNDER PRESSURE. Sean "P. Diddy" Combs, Rosario Dawson, Brittany Murphy, George Hamilton, Giovanni Ribisi, Adam West, Andy Dick, Charlie Murphy, The RZA and Michael "M.C. Serch" Berrin will all add their voices to the first authentic videogame based on urban culture and graffiti art. Hip-hop artist Talib Kweli who will voice Trane the game's lead character was announced earlier this year.

Series Headline News

SGM Publishing Prepares To Launch Tutenstein Magazine

PorchLight Ent.s animated series Tutenstein will turn new pages in publishing history as the series about the kid pharaoh of yore catapulted into the present day finds new life as a new childrens magazine under the same name from Turkeys SGM Publishing. The monthly 40-page Tutenstein branded publication will be issued this September.

Animation Headline News

SIGGRAPH 2005 Hosts Full-Dome Animation Theater

The SIGGRAPH 2005 Computer Animation Festival will feature full-dome video projection, a rapidly growing medium of immersive display, at the 32nd International Conference on Computer Graphics & Interactive Techniques being held July 31 to Aug 4 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

The worlds best full-dome animations from DomeFest 2005 are being shown at SIGGRAPH 2005. The animations produced by students, institution, and full-dome professionals are screened daily on a 9-meter-diameter digital dome assembled specially for SIGGRAPH 2005.

Animation Headline News

NaturalMotion Releases Free endorphin Learning Edition

NaturalMotion Ltd. announced the immediate availability of the companys free endorphin Learning Edition (eLE). Based on the award-winning 3D character animation software endorphin 2.0, the eLE has no time restrictions, includes all relevant product documentation and offers a comprehensive support network via the companys endorphin forum. The software is fully functional; however, it is motion file export disabled and is not to be used for commercial production.

Headline News

Konami to Publish Wallace & Gromit Film-based Videogame

Konami Digital Entertainment America will publish the official videogame based on Aardman Animations and DreamWorks upcoming movie, WALLACE & GROMIT: THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT. The game offers huge free-roaming gaming environments, inventive action, plentiful gadgets, numerous mini games and humorous visuals that are true to the distinctive look of the film, plus other actions and characters the filmmakers had hoped to include in the feature.

Studios Headline News

U.K. ‘VFX|Production Grade’ Course to Launch in October

CG training facility Escape Studios offered new details about the new VFX|Production Grade initiative previously announced last spring. Launching in October 2005, this new course, which is funded by the Skillset Film Skills Fund, offers the most intensive and focused production training available for the aspiring CG artist. The free program consists of five months of full-time training at Escape Studios working on production projects followed by a two-month work placement at a top U.K. post-house.

Films Headline News

Bitfilm Deadline This Week!

Bitfilm Festival 2005Hamburg, GermanyNovember 2-6, 2005Deadline: July 15, 2005

The Bitfilm Festival for digital film and new media shows films that use digital technology in a creative and innovative way. There are six categories:

* 3D SPACE Computer-generated 3D animations * FX MIX - Digitally composed hybrids, mixing for example live action and animation * FLASH ATTACK - Films produced in Macromedia Flash * MACHINIMA - Movies made in real time with game engines

Film Headline News

Five European Shorts to Compete for Cartoon d'Or Award

Five European short films have been selected to compete for the 15th Cartoon d'Or award to be handed out at the awards ceremony September 24, 2005, at Cartoon Forum, which takes place Sept. 21-24 in Kolding, Denmark.

The films were chosen by a jury from a field of 26 projects that won prizes at Cartoon's partner European festivals: Annecy, Bratislava, Bristol, Brussels, Espinho, Genzano di Roma, Fredrikstad, Stuttgart and Utrecht.

With this prize, the filmmakers will obtain 15,000 euros to put toward production of a series or a feature.

Series Headline News

Olson Tapped To Adapt Monster Manga

New Line Cinema has tapped Josh Olson (A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE) to adapt Naoki Urasawas best-selling manga series, MONSTER, into a live-action feature, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. In addition, Olson will write a treatment for a sequel, which he would also write.

Headline News

Shout! Factory Adopts Heathcliff & The Catillac Cats Collector DVDs

The Shout! Factory signed an exclusive licensing agreement with DIC Entertainment to release a slate of hit animated television series from DICs catalog as collector DVD sets. The first title under the new agreement is a four-disc collection, HEATHCLIFF & THE CATILLAC CATS, which will to be released on Sept. 20, 2005. Other titles will include THE LEGEND OF ZELDA, SUPER MARIO BROS. SUPER SHOW, INSPECTOR GADGET and SABRINA THE ANIMATED SERIES.

Headline News

AWN & VFXWorld Reminds Filmmakers’ To Enter eDit/VES’ eDwards

Animation World Network and VFXWorld would like to remind young filmmakers that we are a special media sponsor for the Visual Effects Societys eDIT 8. Filmmakers Festival in Frankfurt, Germany, Oct. 9-11, 2005. We will be sponsoring eDward VI, a young filmmakers contest and awards which celebrates the work of talented artists under the age of 30.

Television Headline News

SPTI Names Rozanne Englehart New VP, Programming and Research

Rozanne Englehart joins Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) as vp, programming and research. Based at SPTI's headquarters in Culver City, California, she will provide research and analysis of feature film and television programming performance worldwide in support of SPTI's three lines of business: distribution, international production and international networks. This includes designing quantitative and qualitative research and managing a team performing analysis to make strategy recommendations.

Series Headline News

CiTV Renews Grizzly Tales For Gruesome Kids

CiTV has recommissioned its hit series GRIZZLY TALES FOR GRUESOME KIDS from Honeycomb Animation and Elephant Productions.

The British Animation Award-winning series, narrated by Nigel Planer and based on the successful books by Jamie Rix, will return to TV in early 2006 with a new series producers claim, will scare even the naughtiest of children into submission.

Disney Headline News

Trouillet Upped To VP Tech & Broadcast Operations, Continental Europe

The Disney ABC Television Group has promoted Rodrigue Trouillet to the newly created position of vp technology & broadcast operations, Walt Disney Television International, Continental Europe. Trouillet will continue to be based in France and will be responsible for the broadcast operations management of the branded TV & Jetix channels based in the EMEA region (France, Germany, Italy, Iberia). He will lead the development and implementation of new businesses, acting as a central body of expertise with a focus on systems, processes and technology.

Pages