Imagina 2005 Takes Shape
The 23rd edition of Imagina, the European Digital Content Creation Trade Show, will take place in Monte Carlo, Monaco, Feb. 2-5, 2005.
Geographical Region: Europe
Internationale Kurzfilmtage Oberhausen Wants Your Shorts!
Internationale Kurzfilmtage OberhausenOberhausen, GermanyMay 5 - 10, 2005Deadline: January 7, 2005
Cartoon Network Serves Up Transformers & Movies Thanksgiving Day
For the big Thanksgiving holiday weekend in the U.S., Cartoon Network will be serving up several special telecasts on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 25, 2004, including a TRANSFORMERS: ENERGON marathon and three back-to-back animated motion picture features.
Lucas Digital’s Morris Departs to Pursue Computer Animation
Jim Morris, president of Lucas Digital for 11 years, is heading south to produce computer-animated movies. Chrissie England, svp of production at ILM, has been promoted to president of ILM.
Jim, Chrissie and their team at ILM have been working hard over the last 18 months to implement sweeping changes in both the operations and structure of ILM, commented Lucasfilm Ltd. president Micheline Chau. Now that those initiatives have been launched, Jim is taking this opportunity to move on to other areas of the entertainment business.
The Smurfs Return to U.S. TV on DIC Kids
Things will be looking Smurfy, (which is a good thing) on the DIC Kids Network when it starts airing one of the worlds most popular and successful animated series in television history, THE SMURFS. DIC Entertainment (DIC) acquired the broadcast rights to 26 half-hour episodes of the hit series produced by Hanna-Barbera in the 80s from Warner Bros. Domestic Cable Distribution.
East Meets DECODE in Raft of Sales
DECODE Entertainment is strengthening its position in Asia, the Middle East and Eastern Europe, announcing recent sales of its programming library to these regions.
In Asia, WHAT ABOUT MIMI? was sold to Indian kids channel Hungama TV, while Disney Channel in Taiwan and Indonesian rights buyer Spectrum Films have picked up pre-school series THE SAVE-UMS! Public broadcaster RTM Malaysia is committing to the first season of FRANNYS FEET and free-to-air channel ATV in Hong Kong is snapping up the second season.
Getting Animated Up North at NFB
The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) has announced a raft of animation projects, including a short about a cannibal, a French co-production and program to expose Inuit artists to animation.
Pet Alien Adopted by U.S. Broadcasters Cartoon Network and Animania HD
PET ALIEN, Taffy Entertainments groundbreaking, new 3D, CGI character-comedy was acquired today (Nov. 22, 2004) by Cartoon Network to debut on the cablenet in the second quarter of 2005. The series started airing on Animania HD on Nov. 20 at 7:00 pm.
Longano Named CMO at Videogame Ad Network Firm Massive
Nicholas Longano, previously of Vivendi Universal Games, has been named chief marketing officer of Massive Inc., the creator of the world's first video game advertising network. As cmo, Longano will be responsible for continuing to expand Massive's dominant leadership position in the in-game advertising market by building the largest network of publishers and titles into a recognized and legitimized media solution for advertisers.
Wachowskis Develop V for Vendetta
MATRIX creators Andy and Larry Wachowski and Joel Silver will produce a film adaptation of Alan Moore's futuristic graphic novel V FOR VENDETTA, reports VARIETY. MATRIX first assistant director James McTeigue is in negotiations with Warner Bros. to make his directing debut on the film.
Taking place in an alternate future, in which Germany wins World War II and Great Britain becomes a fascist state, a terrorist freedom fighter named V begins a violent guerilla war to destroy totalitarianism. A young woman he rescues from the secret police joins his cause.
MetaSAN 2.0 Offers New Paradigm for Workgroup Collaboration
Tiger Technology GmbH announced availability of MetaSAN 2.0, the latest version in the companys flagship high-speed file sharing software line. MetaSAN 2.0 offers extensive new productivity enhancements, including cross-platform operating system support, per-node bandwidth allocation, Avid Unity MediaNet storage virtualization, native OS file system and rights management and 24/7 mission-critical ready with true realtime failover capability.
Disney Ships Content to Finland
Disney has signed a multiyear, free television deal with Channel Four Finland (Nelonen) for the broadcast of movies, series, animation and telepics, reports VARIETY. The agreement sends f/x films like PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL and THE VILLAGE and animated series like DISNEY'S 101 DALMATIANS: THE SERIES and DISNEY'S DOUG to Finnish TV sets. Alison Homewood, Buena Vista Intl. TV vp, and Pirjo Airaksinen, Nelonen svp of programming, at brokered the deal.
Winners Of The 2004 BAF! Awards Announced
The National Museum of Photography, Film & Television has announced the winners of this years BAF Awards as part of the 11th Bradford Animation Festival, which took place on Nov. 13, 2004. The BAF Awards celebrate the best new animation from around the world. This years event received a record 1,065 film submissions from 52 countries -- a 78% rise on last years submissions.
The complete list of winners:
Grand Prix (overall winner)
ADV Films to Release Farscape: Starburst Edition on DVD
On November 16, 2004, ADV Films will release the first volume of the new expanded and updated FARSCAPE: STARBURST EDITION. The new collection includes documentaries on the series, new audio commentaries with the cast and crew and behind the scenes footage.
Disney Publishing Adds Crossgen Ent. To Comics Portfolio
Disney Publishing Worldwide (DPW) has acquired of the assets of CrossGen Entertainment Inc., an innovative publisher of comicbooks and graphic novels. CrossGens stable of epic fantasy and science fiction properties include ABADAZAD, RUSE, WAY OF THE RAT, MERIDIAN, MYSTIC, ROUTE 666 and SOJOURN. Disney represents approximately 50% of all childrens comic magazines sold around the world, reaching readers of all ages, with 220 million comics each year.
The Incredibles Holds Off The Polar Express
With only a 28% dropoff in its second weekend, Disney/Pixars THE INCREDIBLES continued its box office assault for the period ended Nov. 14, 2004. The 3D-animated superhero homage tallied $50.2M on its way to $143.2M, which sent Pixar stock soaring to a record $90 a share on Monday.
Popeye Celebrates His 75th Birthday
Popeye celebrates his 75th birthday this year with a retrospective at the Museum of Television and Radio, which was unveiled on Nov. 13, 2004 and features rarities and collectibles from the cartoon hero's career.
"There are very few characters that are that old and still in the public consciousness," said Barry Monush, curator of the exhibit. "It's quite impressive to stick around that long and stay recognizable."
New York Court Favors Films by Jove Over Russian Film Dupes
On Nov. 5, 2004, a New York Federal Court upheld its August 2001 summary judgment granted in favor of Films by Jove, ruling it was improper for the Russian government to try to influence the outcome of the litigation by retroactively changing its laws. The Hon. David G. Trager found in favor of Films by Jove filed suit in 1998 to prevent illegal duplication of Soyuzmultfilm Studio's animated film library by Joseph Berov, a Russian émigré video distributor from Brighton Beach, NY. Films by Jove vs. Joseph Berov, Case No. 988-CV-7674 (DGT).
Tom Goes to The Mayor Joins Adult Swim Nov. 14
TOM GOES TO THE MAYOR, a new animated comedy series from creators Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim and exec producer Bob Odenkirk, redefines limited animation with its odd mix of photoreal cutouts in a fully-realized suburban environment. The half-hour comedy joins Cartoon Networks Adult Swim on, Nov. 14, 2004, at 11:30 pm.
LooneyTunes.com Posts New Toons
Warner Bros. Online has officially unveiled the new LooneyTunes.com Website with the first original Looney Tunes shorts (online or offline) in more than a year. In addition, the site has more games, a new Showcase section where fans can get the latest Looney Tunes news, an updated Looney Shop and more Looney Loot.
ShoPro Names Bandai America Master Licensee For Zatch Bell!
ShoPro Ent. has signed a comprehensive licensing deal with Bandai America for a line of ZATCH BELL! video and trading card games that will be sold throughout the mass market. The news follows the recent announcement that ZATCH BELL!, an action adventure series aimed at boys 8-14, will make its television debut on Cartoon Network in spring 2005. The videogames will be available on all major platforms: PS, PS2, X-Box, GameCube, and Gameboy Advance.
Amberwood's Animated Series Bears Int’l Sales
Amberwood Entertainment has licensed 26 half-hour episodes of its new animated series, THE SECRET WORLD OF BENJAMIN BEAR, to YLE for broadcast in Finland and TSR for broadcast in Switzerland.
This series, commissioned by Canada's Family Channel, was co-produced with Scotland's Red Kite Productions and has been licensed in numerous territories worldwide.
Mickey and Friends Debut in 3D on Christmas DVD
Earlier this year, VFXWORLD was the first to cover the transition from 2D to 3D for Mickey Mouse and his Disney pals on the TWICE UPON A CHRISTMAS DVD (Buena Vista Home Ent., $29.99). Well, the DisneyToon Studios DVD-premiere, with CG animation split between Blur Studio in Venice, California, and Sparx in Paris, France, arrives in stores Nov. 9, 2004.
Largo Winch Strip Goes Mobile
DUPUIS, publisher of the cartoon strips LARGO WINCH, and Overloaded | Fun Everywhere have signed a deal for the development and exploitation of the cartoon strip and TV character on mobile phones. The first mobile game will be available for download to mobile phones before February 2005 and available at operators and mobile portals around the world.
Enter Your Films in AniFest 2005
AniFest 2005Trebon, Czech RepublicMay 5 11, 2005Deadline: January 14, 2005
