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.
ResPower Inc. now supports rendering for e-on Softwares Vue 4 Professional scenery on the ResPower render farm.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Animac, the International Animated Cinema Exhibition 2005Lleida, Spain February 14 27, 2004Deadline: November 30, 2004
Activision Value Publishing has announced that it has teamed with game developer WXP and paintball legend Greg Hastings to create the first-ever paintball game for a major videogame console -- GREG HASTINGS' TOURNAMENT PAINTBALL for the Xbox. This single and multiplayer game combines the strategy and teamwork of a sports title with the view of a first-person action game. The game will be available this fall and is currently rated "RP" by the ESRB.
European visual effects society eDIT | VES, whose upcoming festival runs in Frankfurt, Germany from Sept. 26 28, 2004, will award Academy Award winner Vilmos Zsigmond (THE DEER HUNTER, HEAVEN'S GATE, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND), aka Master of Light, the Festival Honors. The award will be handed out on Sept. 26 at the opening gala of eDIT | VES 2004. Zsigmond will discuss "The Art of Cinematography" during the festival on Sept. 27 at 7:00 pm. More information can be found at www.edit-ves.com.
Cambridge Animation Systems, developer of Animo 2D software, has moved its company headquarters from England to The Digital Hub, in Dublin. Cormac Slevin, who has been with the company since 1998, will manage the new office.
The company has restructured its management team. Peter Florence, an original founder of Cambridge Animation Systems, will stay on as a shareholder alongside the new investment group; Digital Animation Media Ltd.
The 15th CARTOON FORUM will be held Sept. 22-25, 2004 in Santiago de Compostela Spain. This marks the third time this "co-production forum", which is dedicated to the financing of European animation programs for television, has been held in Spain since it first one held in 1990 in Lanzarote. The 10th edition was held in Cordoba.
Imagina 2005Monte Carlo, MonicoFebruary 2 5, 2005Deadline: November 30, 2004
Activision Inc. has announced that CALL OF DUTY: UNITED OFFENSIVE has shipped to retail outlets nationwide. Developed by Gray Matter Interactive Studios, CALL OF DUTY: UNITED OFFENSIVE is rated "T" (Teen -- Blood, Mild Language, Violence) by the ESRB and carries a suggested retail price of $29.99.
Massive Software founder and product manager Stephen Regelous has been nominated for a World Technology Network Award in the entertainment category. Determined by a vote of industry peers, the awards are presented by the World Technology Network (WTN) to recognize work that has a high level of innovation and lasting significance in such fields as biotechnology, space, energy, ethics, design and entertainment. Winners will be named Oct. 8 at the World Technology Awards in San Francisco.
DreamWorks Animation credits mental ray for helping it achieve the extremely high visual target for its new 3D-animated feature, SHARK TALE, which recently premiered at the Venice Film Festival and opens Oct. 1, 2004.
Genny Tartakovsky and Cartoon Network were double-winners in the primetime Emmy race for animation while STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE took series honors for visual effects at The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences 2003-2004 Creative Arts Primetime Emmys for programs and individual achievements at the 56th Annual Emmy Awards presentation September 12, 2004, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
Universal Pictures has secured the services of director Andrzej Bartkowiak (CRADLE 2 THE GRAVE) for the feature adaptation of legendary videogame DOOM, reports VARIETY. Bartkowiak will be replacing Enda McCallion, who was to make his directorial debut on the film. McCallion had to leave for personal reasons. Filming is set to start in mid-October. Lorenzo di Bonaventura and John Wells are producing the film from a screenplay by Dave Callaham. The zombie hacking videogame was produced by id Software and Activision.
Prague, Czech Republic-based Cenega Publishing has announced the launch of the official EL MATADOR game site at www.elmatador-game.com. The Website will feature news, screenshots, artwork, renders and various downloads.
With launching this Website, we want to allow gamers their first sneak preview of EL MATADORs visual game experience, exciting storyline, and recently updated game developments, said Richard Moravec, international marketing manager.
KAENA: THE PROPHECY, Frances answer to the 3D animation of Pixar, DreamWorks and Blue Sky, was released Sept. 7 on DVD (Columbia TriStar Home Ent., $24.96). The sci-fi/fantasy, directed by Chris Delaporte, which started out as a short to promote a videogame, melds anime and European influences. Its about a mysterious alien planet whose evolution is tied to an immense tree and the fight for freedom led by a teenager. English-language voice over work is provided by Kirsten Dunst, the late Richard Harris and Anjelica Huston.
Boomerang, Turner Broadcasting's top-performing cartoon channel in the U.K. for kids 4-9 is getting a brand new look with its best loved characters taking center stage.
The reface aims to make the channel more accessible and appealing to its large pre-school audience and create a fun environment for viewers of all ages to watch its lineup of shows, which include TOM & JERRY, THE FLINTSTONES, WACKY RACES and SYLVESTER & TWEETY, from its library of Hanna-Barbera and Looney Tunes cartoons.
On Sept. 1, 2004, TV-Loonland filed to have its 7,156,969 shares listed on the British AIM market as a second listing. The shares are expected to be admitted and start trading on September 30, 2004, subject to the LSEs approval. The filing used a fast track route process an abbreviated admission procedure for companies already listed on other selected stock exchanges.
In reproducing the famed spider walk from THE EXORCIST for the prequel, EXORCIST: THE BEGINNING, Pixel Magic of Toluca Lake, California (www.pixelmagicfx.com), called on the 3D scanning expertise of Eyetronics.
National Geographic Channel employs some of the best CGI techniques to help explain to viewers how but not always why an unimaginable disaster can happen, from the crash of the Concorde to the Oklahoma City bombing and more in a new series, SECONDS FROM DISASTER, that premieres at 8:00 pm on Aug. 31, 2004 on NGC.
Eovia Corp. introduced Carrara 4, the powerful, approachable, complete 3D solution, replacing Carrara Studio 3, now available in Pro and Standard versions. Carrara 4 Pro delivers an enhanced breadth of capabilities and power for professionals while Carrara 4 Standard provides the same approachable interface at an even more affordable price for non-experts.
