Discreet and Mobile Game partners announced the 14 finalists in the first international 3D Mobile Game Gaming Contest.
Tim Burton's underrated BIG FISH, the imaginative and heartfelt father-son drama starring Ewan McGregor and Albert Finney, is sure to find renewed life on DVD (Columbia TriStar Home Ent., $28.95) when it's released on April 27, 2004. The Alabama-based yarn about reality and fantasy and the nature of storytelling features some slight yet effective vfx from Sony Imageworks, and represents the director's first foray into the world of Digital Intermediate, which is used marvelously during the fantasy sequences.
MASTERSFX has promoted Dan Rebert to the new position of FX producer. The company is involved in the production of special effects for KINGDOM HOSPITAL, SIX FEET UNDER, STARGATE SG-1 and STARGATE ATLANTIS, among several others.
Rebert originally joined MASTERSFX in 2000 as art director and shop supervisor. Since joining MASTERSFX, he has worked on numerous projects and continues to explore and develop new effects technology.
The Harvey Awards, the top honor in comics, has announced this year's nominees. The big news for animation fans is the nomination of Gene Deitch's CAT ON A HOT THIN GROOVE for Best Domestic Reprint Project. This year's ceremony will take place at the new Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art on June 26, 2004 as part of the Third Annual MoCCA Art Festival.
Discreet has announced accelerating momentum amongst broadcasters and post-production facilities around the world purchasing Discreet systems to deliver on their standard-definition (SD) and high-definition (HD) requirements. From Madrid to Mumbai, and New York to Los Angeles, broadcasters are relying on Discreet's systems to create sophisticated programming, including graphics, promos, commercials and episodics.
TOKYO GODFATHERS, the third feature by Satoshi Kon, arrived April 13 on DVD on (Columbia TriStar Home Ent., $26.96) and demonstrates further thematic and stylistic growth of this anime director. Taking inspiration from John Ford's classic THREE GODFATHERS, and produced by the Mad House animation studio, Kon focuses on Tokyo's oddest trio of homeless in search of the parents of an abandoned baby on New Year's Eve.
The recently released PANIC ROOM three-disc special edition (Columbia TriStar Home Ent. $39.95) sets a whole new standard in virtual film school education on DVD. Director David Fincher reveals his obsession with details, which is a prevalent theme throughout the individual commentary tracks that accompany the slick-looking thriller on disc one. The second disc focuses on pre-production, particularly the groundbreaking previs animated storyboards utilized by previs supervisor Ron Frankel.
Matrix Stream Canada is conducting a search for video content material to fill up new digital Video-on-demand channel network. The call is open, but not limited, to children's, sports, documentaries, comedy, animation, movies and other content.
Anima Mundi Web 2004World Wide WebJune 18, 2004Deadline: May 31, 2004
Irving Plonskier joins Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) as exec director, advertising sales, Latin America to direct SPTI's pan-regional advertising sales business.
Discreet has begun shipping its smoke 6 system on the Intel-based IBM workstation running Linux. The smoke 6 editing and finishing system is already available on the Silicon Graphics Octane2 and Silicon Graphics Tezro visual workstations. The addition of Linux workstation support and new pricing ensures that the smoke 6 system is accessible to broadcasters and the growing segment of mid-range post-production facilities.
Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) is bringing its big animated series, ASTRO BOY, to MIP-TV at stand M5.01. ASTRO BOY is amongst a diverse slate from SPTI, which includes Stephen Kings KINGDOM HOSPITAL, JOAN OF ARCADIA, MISSING, THE RESIDENTS, BEWITCHED IN TOKYO, SEA OF SOULS and POOR ANASTASIA.
HimAnI Prods. has completed work on SCOOBY-DOO 2, HELLBOY and TREMORS 4 and continues contributing effects shots to the hit ABC TV series ALIAS.
For Warner Bros.' SCOOBY DOO 2: MONSTERS UNLEASHED (opening March 26), HimAnI designed, created and produced more than 30 vfx shots. These range from matte paintings and set extensions to the creation of "ghost ships" and an animated "ghost sword." HimAnI worked directly with visual effects supervisor Peter Crosman.
The Imagine Cup 2004Sao Paulo, BrazilJune 15, 2004Deadline: May 1, 2004
The Imagine Cup is a worldwide tournament challenging the globes best and brightest students to use technology to enhance peoples lives. Student teams, representing more than 70 countries, will compete regionally and online for six months, in a range of categories, from mobile device application design to filmmaking. The finalists will meet in Sao Paulo, Brazil, for a gala awards ceremony. The winning teams will receive more than $85,000 in prizes.
Stan Szymanski has been promoted to svp of digital production at Sony Pictures Imageworks, effective immediately. For the past eight years, Szymanski has served as vp of digital production at Imageworks, where he supervised the overall direction and day-to-day operations.
Vancouver International Digital Festival (VIDFEST)Vancouver, British Columbia, CanadaSeptember 25 26, 2004Deadline: March 15, 2004
VIDFEST is for the creators and producers of digital content. It's a chance to meet with peers from all over the world, see their work, develop new partnerships, and engage your mind by listening and talking to people who explore and push the boundaries of creativity in digital media.
Academy and The Moving Picture Co. team on new Guinness MOTH spot for AMV BBDO. With the Academy producing the commercial, The Moving Picture Co. handled post-production and 3D computer animation.
From the highly acclaimed anime director, Satoshi Kon (PERFECT BLUE, MILLENNIUM ACTRESS) TOKYO GODFATHERS will debut on DVD on April 13, 2004, from Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment. The Capra-esque tale of adventure from three homeless people - alcoholic Gin, drag queen Hana, and teenage runaway Miyuki as they discover an abandoned baby in a pile of garbage and venture to return her to her parents.
Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment has announced that it will release the Oscar-nominated animated film THE TRIPLETS OF BELLEVILLE on DVD May 4, 2004. Completed over a remarkable five-year process, THE TRIPLETS OF BELLEVILLE was written and directed by French-born artist Sylvain Chomet, who previously received an Academy Award nomination for his animated short film, THE OLD LADY AND THE PIGEONS.
Jamie Weissenborn has been named to the newly created position of vp, global advertising sales, international networks, Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI). Based at SPTI's headquarters in Culver City, California. Weissenborn will manage advertising sales for SPTI's multi-territory programs airing across AXN and Sony Entertainment Television (SET), part of SPTI's International Networks portfolio.
H2V Entertainments Manga Latina Productions, along with Britain-based UKFS as a financing co-producer, are teaming with the U.K.s Treehouse Productions to turn AP Comics first full-color comic book, MONSTER CLUB, into an animated feature film. Manga Latina is also turning its property ALIEN AND AJAX into a full-length animated feature. H2Vs Louie Porco and Henrique Vera-Villanueva will exec produce both films.
ANIMA MUNDI 2004Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, Brazil July 9 25, 2004Deadline: March 26, 2004
ANIMA MUNDI is the only event dedicated entirely to the art of animation in South America and attracts an audience of more than 65,000 people. The event runs July 9 to 18 in Rio de Janeiro and July 21 to 25 in São Paulo. It is free to enter.
Cartoon Network lost a kids programming vp when Linda Simensky migrated to PBS late in 2003, and has since gained a former PBS kids programming alum. Alice Cahn has been named vp of development for Cartoon Network's kids businesses, focusing on original entertainment programming for children ages 4-7, and will work with the company's online, marketing, ad sales and licensing teams to expand Cartoon Network's youth-targeted business off-air.
New 3D CG feature animation studio, CritterPix Studios, located in San Rafael, California, has secured representation of Hollywood heavyweight attorneys, Jake Bloom, of Bloom, Hergott and Diemer, and also that of Fred Bernstein of Manatt, Philips and Phelps, to land a distribution deal with a studio for CritterPixs first feature project.
The CRITIC - THE COMPLETE SERIES comes to DVD Jan. 27, 2004 (Columbia TriStar, $49.95) in a three-disc set featuring all 23 episodes with its dry wit intact. Created by Al Jean and Mike Reiss of THE SIMPSONS, the ill-fated CRITIC bounced around from ABC to Fox to Comedy Central to the Internet, attracting a small but devoted following that adored the movie parodies. Jon Lovitz voices the animated Jay Sherman, the sad sack of TV film critic who gives thumbs down to every pathetic movie he's forced to review.
Extras include:* Commentary on eight episodes
