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Barcelona-based animation house Neptuno Films and Megatrix, a Spanish kids' content multi-platform provider, have sealed a co-production deal to produce the animated series 2020. Aimed at 8 to 12 year-olds, the series focuses on the everyday life of a middle-class family in the year 2020, but the series' creators say it is an ironic reflection on what is happening now. 2020 will consist of 26 half-hours animated in Flash for broadcast on television and the Internet. The first episode will be launched in April 2002 at MipTV, and the remaining episodes are scheduled for delivery in fall 2003.

BUTT UGLY MARTIANS producer Mike Young Productions is bringing a new series to the small screen. THE CURLY TALES OF PIGGLEY WINKS, 26 half-hour episodes aimed at pre-schoolers, is based on original stories by Irish writer Denise Fitzpatrick and is being produced with London-based Entara Limited. The CGI animated PIGGLEY WINKS features the voice of Irish actor Colm Meaney as Grandpa Piggley, whose comic stories of childhood adventures in rural Ireland form the basis of the series.

Macromedia has unveiled Flash MX, the latest version of its Macromedia Flash development environment. Available March 15, 2002, this upgrade to Flash 5 has over 45 new and enhanced features including new graphic design, pre-built components and templates, a customizable ActionScript editor, timeline enhancements and video support. The integration of video support in Flash MX and Macromedia Flash Player 6 uses the Sorenson Spark codec, which enables designers and developers to deliver compressed video as part of Macromedia Flash content and applications.

TokyoPop, an international distributor of character-based entertainment, has acquired the rights to the Japanese TV series' MARMALADE BOY and BRIGADOON. Both shows will be available on DVD in the U.S. in summer 2002. BRIGADOON is a comedy sci-fi series animated by Japanese animation studio Sunrise, which is responsible for animating the series' GUNDAM WING, COWBOY BEBOP and OUTLAW STAR. MARMALADE BOY tells the story of teenage girl Miki, whose dysfunctional family gets her caught up in strange love triangles and situations.

BRB Internacional's slate of animated programming will be seen in Spanish language markets in both Latin America and the U.S. BRB has signed an agreement with Venevision International, the production and distribution arm of the Cisneros Group, to distribute the BRB animation catalogue of over 700 half-hours and 20 TV movies throughout North, Central and South America, excluding Mexico.

BRB Internacional has signed a strategic deal with Queen Bee Interactive (QBI) to develop interactive programming for various platforms and digital broadcasts. BRB is an independent and privately owned Spanish animation company with 30 years experience in the audio-visual production, distribution and licensing sectors. QBI specializes in the production and development of interactive applications, projects and interactive TV programs. The company has previously collaborated with various international media outlets including AOL/TimeWarner.

Di-O-Matic's new facial modeling and animation tool Facial Studio for 3ds max 4.x is now shipping. With a regular price tag of US$699, Facial Studio is now available at the introductory price of US$499 until March 25, 2002. Facial Studio is a suite of plug-ins featuring more than 500 controls over the head creation process, allowing the user to deform anything from the facial features to the overall head shape including teeth and tongue, as well as controlling the shading, textures, wrinkles, deformations and muscle animation.

Two weeks ago HARTS WAR barely made a blip in the box office and quickly dropped out of the top ten, but viewers seem ready to welcome a new military drama. WHEN WE WERE SOLDIERS, with visual effects by Digital Domain, made a big debut this weekend, earning $20.2M. In second place was the teen flick 40 DAYS AND 40 NIGHTS with $12.5M. Last weeks number one film THE QUEEN OF THE DAMNED, with visual effects by Grey Matters FX and Manex, suffered a major drop this weekend, falling all the way to sixth place earning just $5.8M a 60% drop from last weekend.