Indies Turn to Features
Independent animated feature film production is on the rise as costs come down and self-financing becomes a reality.
Tagged With: Production
Yuri Norstein Wins Honor from Japanese Government
Famed Russian animator and director, Yuri Norstein, has been awarded the Order of the Rising Sun by the Japanese government, reports the NewsRu.com. An official release said the animator received the award for remarkable services to Japan.
Norstein is best known for his films THE HEDGEHOG IN THE FOG and THE TALE OF TALES. Due to production and funding problems, the filmmakers adaptation of Gogols THE OVERCOAT has been in production for years.
Fulle Elevated to EVP Production at Sony Pictures Imageworks
Jenny Fulle has been named evp of production and exec producer for Sony Pictures Imageworks.
Steamboy Gets U.S. Release Date
Sony Pictures has announced that AKIRA director Katsuhiro Otomo's new film STEAMBOY will be released in U.S. theaters on March 18, 2005. The film is the most expensive anime feature ever produced at $20 million and began production in 1995. Financial issues have plagued the production. The film screened at both the Venice and Toronto International Film Festivals. Set in Victorian England, the retro sci-fi epic follows how a powerful new energy source changes the "Age of Steam."
VFXWorld Moderates Sky Captain Panel Tomorrow at iHollywood Forum
iHollywood Forum will host its third annual Digital Studio Summit on Nov. 2, 2004, at the Monica Laemmle Theatre in Santa Monica, California, from 9:00 am-5:00 pm.
Mulan Special Edition Now on DVD
MULAN returns to DVD on Oct. 26, 2004 (Walt Disney Home Ent. $29.99), in a colorful special edition featuring deleted scenes (including more ambitious alternate openings), the never-before-heard song Keep Em Guessing (sung by composer Matthew Wilder), new games and activities, a new music video with Jackie Chan and Disneys new EasyFind menus for quick navigation.
Mirage Animation Offers Animation Financing Scheme
Mirage Animation, a new animation firm headquartered in Montreal, with offices in Los Angeles and New Delhi, is offering a new alternative to the rising costs of animation and game art production. Coming out of its first MIPCOM, Mirage Animation will defer all production related expenses (layout, ink-and-paint, backgrounds, compositing and effects) against broadcast contracts.
Producers would be responsible for pre-production and post costs and would be required to provide Mirage with signed broadcast agreements and evidence that they can finish the post-production.
An Evening with C.O.R.E. Feature Animation
Begins: October 19, 2004
C.O.R.E. Feature Animation will be in London from October 18th to the 22nd to look for professional, experienced, talented staff to work on "The Wild" - the first feature length animated motion picture produced in Canada to be released by a major studio. The film is currently in production with an international crew of dedicated professionals, and they're augmenting their staff in the following areas: lighters lighting TD's generalist TD's compositors animators software developers & production staff .Their positions are available now through approximately the end of August 2005. C.O.R.E.
INTERVIEWS AND AN EVENING IN LONDON WITH C.O.R.E. FEATURE ANIMATION
Begins: October 19, 2004
C.O.R.E. Feature Animation will be in London from October 18th to the 22nd to look for professional, experienced, talented staff to work on "The Wild" - the first feature length animated motion picture produced in Canada to be released by a major studio. The film is currently in full production with an international crew of dedicated professionals, and they are interested in augmenting their staff in the following areas:
lighters lighting TD's generalist TD's compositors animators software developers production staff
VFXWorld Moderates Sky Captain Panel at iHollywood Forum
iHollywood Forum is hosting its 3rd Annual Digital Studio Summit in association with the American Film Market (AFM). Animation World Network is sponsoring the event and VFXWorlds editor Bill Desowitz will be moderating a panel on SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW.
Digital Musings From the Editor:
A few years ago, 3D animator Justin Leach shared his experiences in Japan at Production I.G with AWN. That was prior to his involvement on the recently released GHOST IN THE SHELL 2: INNOCENCE. Now he returns with excerpts from his personal production diary about working on the acclaimed anime, which VFXWORLD is pleased to bring its readers.
Wild Brain Reveals More About Opus
After last weeks announcement that San Francisco-based animation studio Wild Brain had inked a multi-year deal to make 3D-animated films with Miramax and Dimension Films, AWN got a few more details about OPUS, the proposed spin-off of the wisecracking penguin from Berkeley Breatheds Pulitzer Prize-winning BLOOM COUNTY strip.
TV-Loonland Makes MIP Moves for Heidi, Cramp Twins & More
TV-Loonland has been making the most out of MIPCOM this year landing deals for several of its properties including HEIDI and CRAMP TWINS.
In Television, Television | Headline News | Special Events: MIPCOM | Geographic Region: All, Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe
Radium Adds Three to Staff
Three new members have joined the Radium team vp/head of production Carey Crosby, producer Julie Goldberg and compositor Todd Hemsley. Crosby will be based in the San Francisco office, but will manage all producers and production in both locations.
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.
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.
Axthelm to Direct Marketing for ANIMAX
Veteran advertising and production exec Stephen Axthelm joins ANIMAX as director of marketing, the digital animation, interactive and brand entertainment studio based in Los Angeles.
As exec producer of hundreds of advertising and promotional campaigns and author of strategic, creative and integrated marketing plans for many more, he brings a broad skill set to ANIMAXs work in a range of categories and genres.
Sarnoff, Winston and Goulekas Headline Third Annual Digital Studio Summit
iHollywood Forum Inc. announced its lineup of entertainment industry luminaries at "The Digital Studio," a summit and showcase focusing on digital technology and how it is transforming the film and TV industry. The third annual summit takes place as part of the American Film Market, (AFM) on Nov. 2, from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm at the Monica Laemmle Theatre, 1332 2nd Street, Santa Monica, CA.
Industry headliners include:
Madhouse to Animate Highlander Feature
Davis-Panzer Prods. and Imagi Intl. have tapped TOKYO GODFATHER production house Madhouse to produce a planned HIGHLANDER animated feature. HIGHLANDER TV series head writer David Abramowitz is set to write the script. Supervising the production will be associate producers Kevin Eastman (HEAVY METAL 2000) and Joe Pearson. Peter Davis and William Panzer are set to produce, with Thomas K. Gray and Galen Walker exec producing. The film should be complete in spring 2006.
PhaseSpace to Demo in AMD booth at Siggraph
Begins: August 8, 2004
We wanted to extend an invitation to you and your staff to drop by & check us out at the AMD booth or at the Siggraph 04 Guerilla Studio.
to try out the latest PhaseSpace Mocap System
High resolution, real-time motion capture system. Our initial system was funded under a Navy SBIR and our current customers are deploying a wide variety of applications
Aussie Fund to Bankroll Faireez
Australia's Film Finance Corp. has approved an investment in the animated series FAIREEZ as part of an overall injection of cash into two features, three miniseries and three children shows, reports VARIETY. FFC ceo Brian Rosen said the agency will invest A$18.5 million (US$13.5 million) in the television projects.
Lanterna Magica To Produce Gino the Chicken
Italian animation studio Lanterna Magica, along with studios Enarmonia and Melazeta, have been given the go-ahead to produce GINO THE CHICKEN, a 52-episode TV series. The show is a co-production with Italian state television, RAI and is scheduled to be delivered in January 2006. Lanterna Magica plans to use Toon Boom Animation's Concerto to produce the series.
Nat Geo Kids’ Takes Adventures in Color
National Geographic Television & Films (NGT&F) Kids Programming and Production unit has optioned the acclaimed childrens book series, ADVENTURES IN COLOR, to develop and produce an animated television series.
NGT&F is working with Emmy Award-winning animation director/producer Ron Myrick and the original author/designer Tony Porto plus his team creative firm Three Communication Design (3CD) to develop this unique multimedia series.
Don’t Budget Yourself Out of Business… Or Budget Blues
Independent producer/director Mark Simon talks about the death nail to independent production underbids and over-promises.
David L. Simon Joins Noodlesoup Productions Board of Directors
Former Disney, DreamWorks and FOX TV exec David L. Simon joins the Noodlesoup Productions Inc., board of directors to held guide the privately held, full-service animation studio based in New York City.
