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Production Headline News

Jane Hartwell promoted to associate producer of PDI's SHREK

PACIFIC DATA IMAGES (PDI) has promoted JANE HARTWELL to associate producer of their second DreamWorks/PDI animated feature co-production SHREK. Previously, Hartwell was Senior Production Manager on SHREK and Production Manager on the first of PDI's animated features, ANTZ. Her expanded responsibilities include involvement in creative, technical and financial aspects of the production. Hartwell is also responsible for the creation of the overall schedule for SHREK and oversees the story, character, lighting, effects and technical director departments.

Production Headline News

Eliza McLatchy has been named associate producer at LoConte Goldman

ELIZA MCLATCHY has been named associate producer at Boston-based LOCONTE GOLDMAN DESIGN. In this post, McLatchy will work with senior producers and operations to develop and maintain the structure of projects. She will also serve as the liaison between creative personnel and the operations department. Prior to joining LoConte Goldman, McLatchy, 24, freelanced for the company on a variety of projects including "ESPN Speedworld," Romance Classics Network "Fire & Ice Valentine's Special," and a corporate image video for Lotus Development Corporation.

Game Headline News

A Hombeez ad from (Colossal)

San Francisco-based (COLOSSAL) PICTURES created a 30-second PSA for Partnership for a Drug-Free America called "Hombeez Bee-Ball Game." The spot, which will begin airing in May, features bee-like characters from, HANGIN' WITH THE HOMBEEZ, a series of books written by Dann Gershon and illustrated by David Robinson. Music and narration for the PSA are provided by the well-known New York hip hop and R&B producers Full Force. The message-driven piece pits a group of Drug Bugs against the clean and sober Hombeez in a game of basketball, and the results are obvious.

Effects Headline News

Visual effects artist Arnauld Lamorlette joins PDI's SHREK team

PDI has hired Arnauld Lamorlette, 34, formerly vice president and director of R&D at the Paris-based studio Buf Compagnie, to join PDI's visual effects team. Lamorlette has been named a Senior Visual Effects Developer on SHREK. Aron Warner, SHREK producer, said, "He has been brought on to PDI's team to oversee the creation of computer-generated human characters and the rich organic world they will inhabit in SHREK.

Animation Headline News

Tricky Pictures creates animation for Nickelodeon's I AM POEM

Chicago, Illinois-based TRICKY PICTURES has produced a 20-second main title animation sequence for Nickelodeon's I AM POEM series. In addition, Belgian director and animator Dirk van de Vondel, represented by Tricky Pictures, was selected from more than 200 candidates to create a visual adaptation of "I Used To Be," one of the 15 poems in the series. Produced by Nickelodeon's Creative Lab to serve as interstitial programming, I AM POEM is a new series of short-form films based on original kids' poetry.

Headline News

Spontaneous Combustion creates SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE movie intro

New York-based SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION created a 10-second animated logo for design company Number 17 New York, which will be shown at the head of all future SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE (SNL) theatrical releases. It will debut later this year with the release of SUPERSTAR which features the neurotic Catholic schoolgirl Mary Catherine Gallagher, who is portrayed by Molly Shannon on NBC's long-running sketch comedy series. The opening is a dreamy and abstract representation of nightime in New York City with lights of different speeds, scales and densities resolving through to the SNL Studios Logo.

Headline News

Bryan Keeling gets Spontaneous

By Amid Amidi | Saturday, March 20, 1999 at 12:00am

Spontaneous Combustion, the New York-based digital studio specializing in visual effects, has added desktop artist Bryan Keeling to its graphics team. Keeling, 27, specializes in Adobe After Effects and other desktop paint-and-animation packages. Keeling makes the move following a four-year stint at Pittard Sullivan.

Headline News

A little Peep from Will Vinton

Portland, Oregon-based WILL VINTON STUDIOS (WVS) has completed a CG-spot for Griffin Bacal's client, Just Born, featuring "Marshmallow Peeps." The 15-second spot, "Peeps Choir," which began airing on March 8, is the first-ever television commercial for the 76-year-old company headquartered in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The commercial features marshmallow chicks and bunnies performing in a musical revue to a reworked version of "Rockin' Robin." "The challenge was...to give each Peep its very own, special personality..." commented Jill Bazos, Griffin Bacal group account director.

Anime Headline News

Encore's Action Channel presents Anime

Encore Media Group's five-year-old Action Channel has established a new late-night Saturday programming block devoted to adult Japanese animation called Anime. Encore has acquired ten Japanese animation titles, and will launch the show with anime distributor A.D. Vision's TEKKEN: THE MOTION PICTURE on April 3. In addition to TEKKEN, five additional titles are from A.D. Vision: BATTLE ANGEL, BLOOD REIGN: CURSE OF YOMA, GSC GUNSMITH CATS, SOL BIANCA and the cult series BLUE SEED.

Headline News

Pixar Chief Financial Officer, Lawrence Levy, has stepped down

By Amid Amidi | Wednesday, March 17, 1999 at 12:00am

PIXAR has announced that its Chief Financial Officer and executive vice president, Lawrence Levy, will leave his post at the end March to take personal time off. No replacement has been announced yet. Levy will continue to be involved with Pixar as a member of the company's Board of Directors. Pixar also announced that it has appointed Chief Technical Officer Ed Catmull to its Board.

Channel Headline News

Headbone Interactive heads into the TV world

By Amid Amidi | Wednesday, March 17, 1999 at 12:00am

Headbone Interactive has signed two deals to deliver animated series to cable outlets Discovery Channel and Fox Family Channel. HUGO TAKES A DETOUR is a series of one-minute interstitials that will start airing on the Discovery Channel in spring '99. Not only is this Headbone's first foray into animated programming for television but it is also the first animated program to air on the Discovery Channel.

Headline News

Mo-cap studio hOuse of mOves has moved

By Amid Amidi | Wednesday, March 17, 1999 at 12:00am

One of the largest motion capture studios in the world, hOuse of mOves (HOM), has moved to a larger facility in Marina del Rey, California, situated near Los Angeles International Airport. The larger space includes a 3,500-square foot stage with a 24-foot ceiling, along with an additional 3,500 sq. ft. of space for executive offices and conference rooms. HOM has also upgraded their motion capture hardware to include a new system with 12 cameras capturing at anywhere from 60-240 frames per second.

Game Headline News

"Evolving Humans for Games" panel in San Jose

By Amid Amidi | Wednesday, March 17, 1999 at 12:00am

* Tuesday, March 16. San Jose, California, USA.

The "Performance Animation Society" and the "Game Developers Conference" present "Evolving Humans for Games," an evening that takes a look at the next wave of tools that are enabling game developers to add photorealistic humans and 3D objects to their game environments. The meeting, at the San Jose Conference Center, takes place from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. and is open to everybody. For more information visit www.pasociety.org/gdc.

Headline News

Animation and Fox Family Channel: a perfect match!

By Amid Amidi | Wednesday, March 17, 1999 at 12:00am

The fledgling Fox Family Channel has added ten new animated series to its kid and teen-targeted daytime lineup for the 1999-2000 season. The lineup represents a major investment from Fox Family in creating original and entertaining animated programming. Animation World Network spoke to Joel Andryc, Senior Vice President, Programming & Development about this lineup and how they're working to create a unique identity in the already overcrowded world of cable.

Animation Headline News

Humanitas Prize entry call

April 15 is the deadline to send in animation scripts for the 1999 Humanitas Prize recognizing "humanizing achievement in television and feature film writing." A $10,000 prize is given to the writer whose children's animation script most fully communicates human values. This year, the Children's Animation category now includes both non-primetime and primetime shows. Engraved trophies are also awarded to the winning shows producer, director, story editor, production company and network.

Headline News

Jay Vigon gets into Rhythm

Commercial director and graphic designer JAY VIGON has joined 3D animation and effects company RHYTHM & HUES STUDIOS. His most recent projects in the broadcast video graphics arena include spots for Ericcson Cellular, Miro's Wearever line of pots and pans, Deloitte Consulting and Janus Mutual Funds. His long history of work in the graphics field ranges from designing the logo for Gotcha Surf Wear and the third STAR WARS film, RETURN OF THE JEDI, as well as authoring two books on logo development and design: MARKS I and MARKS II.

Film Headline News

The Tampere Short Film Festival starts in Finland

* Wednesday, March 10 - Sunday, March 14. Tampere, Finland.

The 29th Tampere International Short Film Festival features competitive screenings of over 80 short films from around the world. The special screenings include retrospectives of Frédéric Back and Pat O'Neill, a look at Russian animation in the '90s and screenings of five children's films such as Lotte Reiniger's 1926 film Adventures of Prince Achmed and the Iranian puppet animation film, Basaaritarinoita. For ticket information direct your browser to http://www.tampere.fi/festival/film/index2.htm.

Production Headline News

VirtualMagic appoints two new Production Managers

Digital ink, paint and compositing house VIRTUALMAGIC ANIMATION has hired CHRISIE RUSSELL as Production Manager and promoted Ryan Robertson to the same position. Russell joins VirtualMagic from Warner Bros. Feature Animation where she was Assistant Production Manager on their last three features, THE IRON GIANT, SPACE JAM and THE QUEST FOR CAMELOT. Ryan Roberston, previously the production manager and art editor of the bi-monthly magazine HOT LAVA, joined VirtualMagic in 1997 as an Administrative Assistant.

Festival Headline News

Chicago Children's Film Fest entry call

The Chicago International Children's Film Festival (CICFF) is now accepting entries for its 16th annual festival, which will take place at Facets Multimedias theaters, October 14-24, 1999. The CICFF is the largest competitive festival of children's films and videos in North America, with screenings of over 150 films and videos created for children ages 6-13. The competition includes six animation categories for feature, short and kid-produced films and videos. The deadline for submissions is May 28 with entry fees ranging from U.S.$35 to $75 depending upon length.

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