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Headline News

Yu-Gi-Oh! Movie Cards Hot In More Ways Than One

As part of the release of YU-GI-OH! THE MOVIE, Warner Bros. Pictures handed out one of four new YU-GI-OH! trading cards to people who attended the film. Like the same type of promotion for the original POKEMON movie, fans were hot to get their hands on the collectibles. However, two fans in Chino, California took it to a criminal extent. The two posed as Warner Bros.

Toon Headline News

Toon Boom Localizes Sales & Service in Asia

Toon Boom Animation Inc. has appointed two new resellers in China and Korea. As part of its new distribution strategy in Asia, Dison Computer Graphics & Image Company Ltd. will now take care of Toon Boom's products throughout Mainland China, while CS M&C Technology Inc. will do the same in Korea. Both Dison and CS M&C will also provide first-line support to Toon Boom's local customers within the same time zone and language.

Licensing Headline News

Taffy Ent. Launches New Licensing Division

Taffy Entertainment, the new business unit of Mike Young Productions (MYP) has launched its brand new licensing division to be headed by veteran licensing specialist Eric Stein as vp of licensing.

Stein is a former licensing exec with Lucasfilm and MGM/United Artists and the founder of consulting firm Eric Stein Entertainment (ESE). Topping on his agenda is to develop and implement the licensing strategy and program for the companys groundbreaking 3D, CGI-animated character-comedy PET ALIEN.

Studios Headline News

TrendWatch Ranks Previs #2 Task at Studios

According to TrendWatch, previsualization is rapidly gaining acceptance among producers and directors, with 39% of all studios/facilities currently doing previs tasks along with eight out of 10 vfx studios.

This TrendWatch Fast Fact is good news in terms of shrinking budgets and shorter production cycles.

TrendWatch Inc. (www.trendwatch.com) is a market research firm located in Mill Valley, California.

Headline News

Alias to Acquire Kaydara

In its first major step since becoming an indie, Alias will acquire Kaydara, maker of Motionbuilder and FBX, providing leading realtime 3D character animation and motion editing solutions. Alias was recently acquired by Accel-KKR and Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan from SGI.

Short Headline News

JibJab Looks to Court for Help On This Land Song Issue

For the next step in JibJab Media's potential legal problems over its use of Woody Guthrie's song "This Land Is Your Land" in its newest political satire, the company has asked a California district court to declare that it did not violate the copyrights of Ludlow Music, the owner of the tune, reports WIRED.

Disney Headline News

"Lion Sleeps Tonight" Composer's Family Sues Disney

The family of THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT composer Solomon "Mbube" Linda has filed a suit against The Walt Disney Co. for the use of the song in the film, THE LION KING, reports VARIETY. The copyright infringement suit, filed in South Africa's Pretoria High Court, is for $1.6 million. Disney has until Aug. 12, 2004 to respond to the claims or be ruled against by default.

Animation Headline News

Lucasfilm Launches Lucasfilm Animation Singapore

Lucasfilm Ltd. has announced that it has established Lucasfilm Animation Singapore, a digital animation studio designed to produce digital animated content, including films, television and games for global audiences. Gail Currey, vp/gm of Lucasfilm Animation, will lead the Singapore-based creative team. The other investors in the venture include EDB Investments Pte Ltd. and Creative Technology Ltd.

Planeta Headline News

Planeta Junior Expands into Italy

EM.TV AG and DeAPlaneta have expanded their joint venture, Planeta Junior from Spain and Portugal, into Italy, through the Italian media group DeAgostini, which holds a 50% share in DeAPlaneta, together with the Planeta Group. With the marketing expertise of DeAgostini in Italy, the partners intend to make Planeta Junior one of the leading players in the Italian market.

Work Headline News

JibJab In Legal Trouble over This Land Song

Evan and Gregg Spiridellis have been making political cartoons since the inception of their of JibJab Media, but their newest short set to the tune of Woody Guthrie's classic song, "This Land Is Your Land" has garnered them worldwide fame and legal troubles. The film, which has President George W. Bush and his opponent Senator John Kerry exchanging insults, has spurred legal action against JibJab from Ludlow Music, who owns the copyright to Guthrie's tune.

Animation Headline News

New WGAw Organizer to Help Toon Writers

The Writers Guild of America West has hired veteran labor organizer David J. Young as its director of organizing with a mandate to expand the guild's coverage in reality TV and animation more, reports VARIETY. Young will replace Gerry Daley, who has served in the position since the summer of 2002.

Million Headline News

DreamWorks Animation Financial Records Revealed

As part of DreamWorks plans to go public with its animation unit, the company had to open its financial books to the public for the first time.

It was disclosed that Jeffrey Katzenberg did not receive any compensation from the studio in 2003. Yet, he will receive stock options worth an estimated $20.5 million when IPO goes forth.

DreamWorks' coo Ann Daly earned $1.5 million and 30,000 stock options in 2003. General counsel Katherine Kendrick took home $550,000 plus 25,000 shares and cfo Kristina Leslie landed $300,000 plus 10,000 options.

Dreamworks Headline News

DreamWorks Animation IPO Official

DreamWorks Llc and its animation division, DreamWorks Animation Inc., announced that DreamWorks Animation, Inc. has filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a proposed initial public offering of its Class A common stock. Goldman, Sachs & Co. and J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. are serving as joint book-running managers of the offering.

Animation Headline News

Cecropia Creates New Animation Studio In Orlando

Cecropia Inc., a Boston-based game developer, has formed a new animation production studio in Orlando, Florida, that will focus on creating the quality artwork and animation for the company's new interactive game. Cecropia has recruited industry veterans in the region including Walt Disney Feature Animation alumni.

Time Headline News

FUNimation Launches Our Time Family Ent.

FUNimation Productions, Ltd., one of the leading independent home video entertainment and brand management companies in the U.S., has created Our Time Family Entertainment, a new division developed to provide high quality entertainment properties to the burgeoning preschool and children's market.

Headline News

Chinese Toon Center Set to Open

The National Center of Animation and Computer Games will open on July 27, 2004 at East China Normal University in the city, reports SHANGHAI DAILY. The Cultural Research Center of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and Shanghai Broadband Television Corp. invested 10 million yuan (US$1.2 million) in the center to encourage more domestic production.

"As the birthplace of the Chinese film and cartoon industry, Shanghai won the right to have the center over cities like Beijing, Shenzhen and Chengdu," said Tong Zuguang, vp of East China Normal.

Marvel Headline News

Marvel Sues Disney

Marvel Enterprises has sued the Walt Disney Co. and ABC Family (formerly Fox Family) for at least $16 million, which it claims it is owed on the cartoons it licensed to Fox Family, which Disney acquired in 2001, reports VARIETY. As part of the suit filed July 15, 2004 in L.A. Superior Court, Marvel argues that Disney improperly accounted for profits on animated series THE INCREDIBLE HULK, X-MEN AND SPIDER-MAN and failed to promote the shows. In the complaint, Disney claims the toons lose money, but will not provide proper accounting.

Disney Headline News

Walden Media Moves From Mouse to Fox

Philip Anschutz's Walden Media has left Disney for Fox, reports VARIETY. The AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS producer will team with Fox on five features, including Kate DiCamillo's BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE (due for release January 2005); Katherine Paterson's BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA; Lois Lowry's THE GIVER; Wendy Orr's NIM'S ISLAND; and Adam Mortimer's as-yet-unpublished comicbook proposal BIBLIONAUTS. Unlike the past Disney deal, the Fox agreement is neither exclusive nor constrained by time limits.

Animation Headline News

Brain Zoo Studios Outgrows Office

Brain Zoo Studios, a leading character animation company for film and videogames, is re-locating its offices to a new, 5,500 square-foot building in Van Nuys, California, that will allow Brain Zoo to triple in size and bring on additional 20 team members to double its staff.

The new facility is wired with Cat 6 and a fiber optic network for heavy data management for feature, television and gaming projects.

Japan Headline News

Japan Gives Cash-Strapped Toon Houses Cash

In an effort to help its local industry produce another global sensation, the Japanese government is offering financial support to cash-strapped animation houses, reports THE JAPAN TIMES.

Anime imports into the U.S. has grown from 23 in the 1980s to 42 in the 1990s and has already reached 40 during the four years through 2003, according to a survey by the government-affiliated Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO). The organization also found that the anime market in the U.S. is worth $4.36 billion, which is 3.2 times the value of Japanese exports of steel products.

Junior Headline News

EM.TV Acquires Rest of Junior Library

EM.TV has finalized its E13.5 million acquisition of Kirch Media's remaining 50% of their jointly held Junior TV program library, and settled outstanding legal and licensing issues plus all mutual claims with the bankrupt Kirch.

EM.TV's management is also seeking $158 million in financial damages "out of and, if necessary, in court" from EM.TV founder Thomas Haffa and his brother, ex-cfo Florian Haffa, plus former executive and supervisory board members. EM.TV accuses them of improprieties centering around the 2000 acquisition of a stake in Formula One racing.

Animation Headline News

WGA/IATSE Reach Animation Writers Deal

The Writers Guild of America West reached an agreement with IATSE Local 839 Animation Guild requiring producers to tell animation writers whether a prospective job falls under the WGA agreement or the producers contract.

some animation writers found out too late that they were working on a Local 839 show they had assumed was covered by WGA terms and lost their position to negotiate for higher wages and health care benefits before taking the job.

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