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Geographical Region: Europe

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Futurikon Marks Big Success at MIP Jr.

With MIPCOM Jr. wrapping up its run on Oct. 3, 2004, the conference posted improved attendance and proved a big success for Futurikon productions. The number of companies attending increased from 367 to 426. Total participants increased from 704 to 772. Additionally, 356 new programs were presented compared to 339 the previous year.

Media Headline News

Classic Media Announces International Launch of VeggieTales

Classic Media has completed multiple sales in several major territories for the companys award-winning VEGGIETALES animated series. Rights to the series have been sold to Niche Marketing and Crossroads in Australia and New Zealand, Top Tape in Brazil and Chile, Sam Film in Iceland, Maxfun Arthouse in Hong Kong, Pandasia Ent.

Headline News

MoCap Legend Selects Ascension's ReActor 2 for Cotoons TV Series

Legendary broadcast animation studio director Herve Tardif (DONKEY KONG COUNTRY) has chosen Ascension Technology's ReActor2 -- active-optical motion-capture workstation -- for his latest TV production. COTOONS is a seven-minute, 26-episode 3D animated childrens series being created by Tardif's Paris-based animation studio 3dclic.

Wild Headline News

Miramax and Wild Brain Combine for CGI Opus Feature

Miramax/Dimension Films and San Francisco-based animation studio Wild Brain Inc. have agreed to a multi-year, multi-film agreement to co-finance and co-produce CG-animated films. Each will each finance 50% of the production on agreed projects. Miramax/Dimension will distribute the films worldwide in all media.

The first joint production is expected to be OPUS, which Craig Mazin (SCARY MOVIE 3) will adapt from the Pulitzer Prize-winning comic strip, BLOOM COUNTY, created by Berkeley Breathed.

Headline News

MPC Serves Up Ace VFX for Wimbledon

As the sole visual effects facility on Working Title Films WIMBLEDON, Moving Picture Co. (MPC) completed 230 vfx shots with a high level of involvement throughout the entire production. The feature was digitally graded in the MPC Digital Lab under the guidance of Martin Kenzie. Australian Wimbledon champion Pat Cash served as tennis advisor on the film, which was granted unprecedented access to 2004s Championships by The All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club (AELTCC).

Media Headline News

New George Of The Jungle Swings Into Production

By Rick DeMott | Thursday, September 30, 2004 at 12:00am

Studio B and Classic Media announced that they will produce and distribute a new GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE Flash-animated series. Originally a primetime animated series from Jay Ward, the new series (52x11) has been commissioned by Canadian animation broadcaster Teletoon and is slated for broadcast in 2006.

Headline News

First Speakers Confirmed for UK CGI Festival

The inaugural UK CGI Festival announced its first speakers participating at the two shows scheduled for Nov. 9-10 in Leeds (at the Royal Amouries Museum) and Dec. 7-8 in London (at the Business Design Centre).

The focus will be on educational and practical approaches to both CGI techniques and technologies. Workshops and masterclasses will be lead by top talent. In addition, award-winning animated films developed in Europe will be showcased, and there will be an expo featuring the latest tools and techniques.

Highlights of the Leeds show will include:

Advertising Headline News

Sharks Advertising Festival Awards Prizes

By Rick DeMott | Tuesday, September 28, 2004 at 12:00am

TBWA network agencies created the biggest impact at the 42nd Sharks Advertising Festival in Galway. Dublin Agency Cawley Nea TBWA won the Irish Grand Prix and a host of other Awards for its Today FM campaign. Its sister agency TBWA London won the Cinema Grand Prix, 3 Craft and two Gold Sharks for the Playstation 2 Mountain ad. The Festival Grand Prix was won by BBHs Getting Dressed commercial for Lynx.

Games Headline News

GameRacer Indoor Racing Simulator Comes to North America

By Rick DeMott | Tuesday, September 28, 2004 at 12:00am

GameRacer, the Indoor Racing Simulator that is hugely successful in Europe, is coming to North America. With a racing seat mounted to a highly adjustable frame that enables the gamer to connect a steering wheel and pedal set, GameRacer allows players to actually sit the drivers seat of their favorite racing games.

"GameRacer(TM) has been very successful," said GameRacer designer, Ted Poole. This success is due to GameRacer's instant appeal. You only have to try it once and you have to have one."

Series Headline News

Jetix Awards Hasbro Toy License

By Rick DeMott | Tuesday, September 28, 2004 at 12:00am

Jetix Europes consumer products division, JCP, announced that it has appointed Hasbro as the master toy licensee for its latest animated urban action series with a working title of THE INSIDERS. The first consumer products and the toy line will be launched in autumn 2005, with more extensive lines to follow in 2006.

Creative Headline News

TV-Loonland Appoints Amy Jackson Creative Affairs VP

Amy Jackson joins TV-Loonland as vp, creative affairs. Based in TV-Loonland's New York office, Jackson will be responsible for overseeing creative programming output as well as overseeing the creative development and production while maintaining and building production and strategic relationships with U.S. broadcasters, publishers, creators, rights owners and other potential partners.

Film Headline News

Ottawa Awards Top Prize to Ryan & Raining Cats & Frogs

The 2004 Ottawa International Animation Festival announced the winners of the official competition during its closing ceremonies held Sept. 26, 2004 at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. Taking the top prize was Chris Landreths groundbreaking short RYAN, an animated documentary about the famed NFB animator Ryan Larkin.

Production Headline News

Cartoon Network Studios Promotes Pelphrey to Production VP

Cartoon Network Studios has promoted Jennifer Pelphrey from director to vp of production. In her expanded role, Pelphrey will oversee day-to-day production of all the studios original series, maintaining responsibilities for scheduling, budgeting and administrative management.

Cartoon Headline News

Fast Film Wins 2004 Cartoon D’Or

The 2004 Cartoon dOr has been awarded to Virgil Widrick of Austria for his short, FAST FILM. An homage to movie history, it combines elements from live-action films with printed and folded objects in a fast-moving and highly original production.

The four other nominees were CONCERT FOR A CARROT PIE by Heiki Ernits and Janno Poldma (Estonia), LE RÉVOLUTION DES CRABES by Arthur de Pins (France), LINVENTAIRE FANTOME by Franck Dion (France) and THROUGH MY THICK GLASSES by Pjotr Sapegin (Norway).

Digital Headline News

Framestore CFC Provides Layer Cake VFX

Framestore CFC provided a total of 20 vfx shots along with digital mastergrade for the new British thriller, LAYER CAKE, which opens Oct. 1 in the U.K. It stars Daniel Craig, Kenneth Cranham, Michael Gambon, Nathalie Lunghi and Sienna Miller. Based on JJ Connelly's London crime novel, LAYER CAKE marks the directorial debut of producer Matthew Vaughn (LOCK, STOCK AND TWO SMOKING GUNS).

Production Headline News

The N Teams Up With MarVista & Brookwell McNamara

On the heels of the recently announced groundbreaking co-production and distribution agreement between MarVista Ent. and Brookwell McNamara Ent. (BME), the two companies announced that they have teamed up with The N, the nighttime network for tweens and teens, on a new, multi-series production and development deal for the network. The first of three series will be 22 half-hour episodes of the original teen drama, BOARDING SCHOOL.

Award Headline News

eDIT | VES to Honor Stanley Kubrick

By Rick DeMott | Thursday, September 23, 2004 at 12:00am

European visual effects society eDIT | VES, whose upcoming festival runs in Frankfurt, Germany from Sept. 26 28, 2004, will award the legendary filmmaker Stanley Kubrick the Festival Honors. Kubrick pushed the boundaries of special effects with his masterpiece 2001: A SPACE ODDESSY. The award will be handed out on Sept. 26 at the opening gala of eDIT | VES 2004. The posthumous award will be accepted by Kubricks wife Christiane. More information can be found at www.edit-ves.com.

Headline News

Digital Musings From the Editor:

While Kerry Conran tells VFXWORLD about the challenges and pleasures of pulling off his immensely ambitious debut, SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW, visual effects supervisor Gianluca Dentici takes us on a journey to Italy to discover some of the challenges and pleasures of working in his burgeoning vfx industry.

Television Headline News

Disney Promotes Key Communications Execs

The Disney-ABC Television Group has instituted a new communications structure by promoting two key execs Sue Binford, who will now oversee all corporate communications and Kevin Brockman, who will now oversee all entertainment communications.

Final Headline News

Square Enix Ships Final Fantasy XI Expansion - Chains of Promathia

By Rick DeMott | Wednesday, September 22, 2004 at 12:00am

Square Enix Inc. announced that CHAINS OF PROMATHIA, the expansion to the award-winning massively multiplayer online role-playing game FINAL FANTASY XI, has shipped to retailers. With a combined community in Japan and North America of more than 500,000 players, and the recent Sept. 17 launch for regions in Europe, FINAL FANTASY XI brings gamers together from around the world in this ever-expanding adventure.

Headline News

TV-Loonland & ZDF tivi Team on Rudi and Trudi

By Rick DeMott | Tuesday, September 21, 2004 at 12:00am

TV-Loonland will join with ZDF tivi to produce the series RUDI AND TRUDI. TV-Loonland and ZDF Enterprises will start marketing the worldwide TV and subsidiary rights at MIPCOM. Production of the series is slated to begin in the fall. Broadcast launch in Germany is planned for spring 2006.

Peter Völkle, ceo of TV-Loonland said, "We are very pleased about the new co-production with ZDF. It is the continuation of many years of successful collaboration.

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