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Animation Headline News

PPM's Rodriguez To Head Filmax's Toon Division

Francisco "Paco" Rodriguez is closing down his animation production-distribution house PPM Multimedia to head up the animation arm of Madrid's burgeoning content creator Filmax. He will oversee the development of animated projects, international sales, coordinating co-productions and directing services at Filmax's animation studio Bren Entertainment. Rodriguez formed PPM Multimedia in 1990 and quickly transformed the small company into a major force in the Spanish market.

Animation Headline News

Animation Stock Ticker For Tuesday, October 31, 2000

AWN's stock ticker features the most prominent publicly traded companies in the world of animation. AWN, Inc. makes available certain financial information from third party information providers. AWN does not give advice in any such fields, and has not reviewed, and in no way endorses the validity of such data. This information is provided solely as a means to keep our readers informed of the market performance and trends of certain companies. AWN strongly suggests that one seek advice from a competent professional regarding any investment or financial issues.

Million Headline News

International Box Office Gets Scary

This past week, the international box office got a bit frightful with SCARY MOVIE, WHAT LIES BENEATH and HOLLOW MAN taking top spots around the globe. In Mexico, SCARY MOVIE debuted in first place with a gross of $2.33 million. In second, WHAT LIES scared audiences to the tune of $917,416, lifting its Mexican cume to $6.23 million. U-571 thrilled audiences in third, with a gross of $648,055, raising its Mexican cume to $1.6 million. In sixth, HOLLOW MAN made $406,055 disappear from Mexican moviegoers' pockets, advancing its cume to $5.14 million.

Music Headline News

Brilliant Digital To Create Musical Webtoons

Brilliant Digital Entertainment (BDE) is branching out into the music business with its new Brilliant Animated Music division. So far DreamWorks Records and Island Def Jam Music Group have signed on to have music from their catalogs transformed into 3D Multipath videos. Heading up the new arm will be Grammy-award winning record producer Lee Jaffe, attorney David Codikow and Andrew Lee, who was recently promoted to BDE's senior VP of strategy and development.

Festival Headline News

If TV's Made You Brain Dead The TAIS Short Attention Span Festival Is For You

* Wednesday, November 22, 2000. Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

The Toronto Animated Image Society will be hosting a short attention span festival. TAIS members Mike Constable and Jonathan Amitay have animated pieces in this festival of films that are two minutes or less in length. There will be two shows: one at 7 pm and one at 9 pm. For more information contact Patrick Jenkins at: 54 Austin Terrace, Toronto, Ontario M5R 1Y6, Canada; Tel.: (416) 533-2440; Fax: (416) 533-0508; E-mail: pjenkins@interlog.com; and Web: www.interlog.com/~pjenkins.

Headline News

Thomas and the Magic Railroad Chugs Onto VHS & DVD

Columbia TriStar Home Video will be releasing Destination Films and Gullane Pictures' THOMAS AND THE MAGIC RAILROAD on VHS and DVD October 31, 2000. Based on the wildly popular THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE franchise, this feature film tells the story of a young girl's trip to visit her grandfather and their very special train-ride upon the famous tank engine named Thomas. This is the first THOMAS DVD and will include one deleted scene from the motion picture, as well as the theatrical trailer. The VHS tape will retail for US$19.99 and the DVD for $24.05.

Headline News

Rayearth Conclusion Hits Video Stores

The RAYEARTH series comes to a stunning conclusion on video October 31, 2000. In the third volume, with Princess Emeraude's brother, Eagle, launching a massive assault against the Magic Knights, the final battle for the survival of Earth has begun. Toshihiro Hirano, creator of ZEORAIMA and VAMPIRE PRINCESS MIYU, directed the RAYEARTH series. An English dubbed version will retail for US$19.95 and an English subtitled version for $29.95.

Technology Headline News

ART Adds Self As CFO & Sims As VP Sales

ART (Advanced Rendering Technology), a leading producer of ray-tracing and graphics technology, announced the appointments of Thomas Self as CFO and John Sims as VP of sales. Previously, Self served as CFO of San Jose-based MediaGate, a multi-national Internet software and hardware manufacturer. "Tom is joining the company at a time of growth and tremendous market opportunity for ART," said company CEO George Merrick.

Animation Events

Second Annual Week With The Masters

By Guest (not verified) | Monday, October 30, 2000 at 11:00am
Begins: October 30, 2000

As part of the second Annual Week with the Masters Festival, the festival will include for the first time, an animation competition. The competition, open to independent animation artists from India and south Asia, including students, offers a Grand Prize of US$2000 in prize money and $1000 for winners in each of the competition categories. This year's 10 masters will serve as jurors for the competition, and include David Fine, Piet Kroon, Gerald Potterton, Joanna Priestley, Normand Rogers and Alison Snowden.

Festival Events

The 15th Animated Cartoon Festival For Young People

By Guest (not verified) | Monday, October 30, 2000 at 11:00am
Begins: October 30, 2000

The 15th Animated Cartoon Festival For Young People is a biannual event which gives young people an opportunity to discover a wide array of productions from all over the world. The festival will hold tributes, exhibitions and workshops. The official selections will be screened within several programs during the festival. An international jury will give out official prizes to the films in competition. In addition, a jury made up of 11

Headline News

How the Grinch Stole Christmas! On DVD

In light of the upcoming theatrical release of the live-action feature HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS!, Warner Bros. Home Video is re-releasing the classic HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! cartoon on VHS and DVD, plus a new THE BEST OF DR. SEUSS compilation video. Both the VHS and DVD editions of HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! will feature the Dr. Seuss short, HORTON HEARS A WHO!

Alien Headline News

Newest Scooby-Doo Direct-To-Vid Hits TV In November

Released on October 3, 2000, the direct-to-video SCOOBY-DOO AND THE ALIEN INVADERS will make its television debut after less than two months on video. Cartoon Network will air THE ALIEN INVADERS on November 25, 2000 at 7-9 pm in the U.S. This time around the Mystery, Inc. gang get stranded in a desert town and have a run in with less than friendly extra-terrestrials. This Thanksgiving weekend airing could help put the direct-to-video on Christmas lists around America.

Million Headline News

Bedazzled Falls To Fourth In Second Week At US BO

After making its initial nod last weekend in second place, the bewitching comedy BEDAZZLED fell to fourth place at the U.S. box office. Coming in behind MEET THE PARENTS, the debut of BLAIR WITCH 2 and REMEMBER THE TITANS, the Elizabeth Hurley devil dance, with primary visual effects by Rhythm & Hues, grossed US$7.83 million, down 41% from its debut, thereby lifting its 10-day cume to $24.15 million. The only other F/X flick in the top ten was the premiere of THE LITTLE VAMPIRE, which flew in at #6.

Disney Headline News

Ousted Levin Officially Leaves Sony

On Friday, October 27, 2000, four-year Sony Pictures veteran Bob Levin officially settled out the remaining 1 1/2 years of his contract and left his post as president of worldwide marketing for Columbia TriStar Pictures Group. His resignation came one day after Sony restructured the executive arm and gave chief of worldwide distribution, Jeff Blake, Levin's duties. According to insiders, there were tensions between Blake and Levin. Levin is best known in the animation community for playing a key cog in the phoenix run of Walt Disney animation.

Headline News

Voiceover Casting Site Goes Live

A new site has been designed to connect voiceover talent with casting directors, agents, animation studios and advertising firms via the Internet. Voicebank.net will allow voiceover talent the chance to post their work or listen to demo reels by searching through a Web database. The site is set up to interconnect all aspects of the voice casting process from receiving audition requests, printing copy and spec sheets to recording, encoding, sending and receiving voice auditions, approvals and finished spots.

Marvel Headline News

Ghost Rider Reaches New Dimension

Dimension Films has just signed on to foot part of the US$75 million bill for the film version of Marvel Comics GHOST RIDER. Dimension joins Castle Sky Productions as the production companies on the flick. Crystal Sky Entertainment CEO Steven Paul, Marvel Studios head Avi Arad and actor Jon Voight are producing the flick with Dimension handling Stateside distribution. David Goyer will write and Stephan Norrington will direct the live-action adaptation. The team last collaborated on BLADE.

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