All AWN Content

Twentieth Century Fox has announced that X-MEN, the live-action film adaptation of the Marvel comic books about mutant superheroes which promises to be visual effects heavy, will be released on June 30, 2000. UNCANNY X-MEN #1, by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, appeared in 1963, but the series was not popular until it was revamped by Chris Claremont and Dave Cockrum in 1975. Since then it has spawned many spinoffs, and is probably the most popular US comic book series of the last twenty years.

Kid Rhino has released WHAT TO DO, BLUE?, an audio tape and booklet set. On the tape, the cast of Nickelodeon's BLUE'S CLUES, Steve, Blue and friends, are joined by BLUE'S CLUES co-creator Angela Santomero who reads, WHAT TO DO, BLUE? In the story Blue searches for something to do, while visiting her friends. The booklet allows listeners to read along with Santomero. WHAT TO DO, BLUE? retails in the US for $7.98. Kid Rhino and Nickelodeon will also release BLUE'S CLUES: GOODNIGHT BLUE on November 2, 1999.

Toronto, Canada-based SoftQuad Software Inc., a provider of HTML and XML content authoring tools, has announced HoTMetaL PRO 6.0. HoTMetaL PRO 6.0's new features are designed to increase productivity and provide users with more control over the Web development and management process. They include new FTP and remote file editing capabilities, improved handling of imported HTML source code, an improved drag and drop asset management system, and new customization options.

Alexander Petrov, a Russian master animator whose best known films are THE MERMAID

and THE TRAGEDY OF A RIDICULOUS MAN, has completed a new film, THE OLD MAN

AND THE SEA, based on the novel by Ernest Hemingway about an old man's

struggle to catch a fish. Two years in the making, the film is now playing

at IMAX Theaters throughout the world and features Petrov's renowned

paint-on-glass technique for which he is world famous. For more information

MIP INTERACTIVE INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT will debut the week of September 20, 1999 atwww.mipinteractive.com. The Spotlight will be bi-monthly and the on linesession will last one business week. Each Spotlight will explore specificprogram genres or territories with articles, executive viewpoints,programming highlights, special e-mail sections, bulletin boards,statistics and logistics, reviews and interviews, and more. The firstSpotlight will feature "The Science of Programming Children's Blocks."

According to Reuters, Patrick Naughton, 34, of Seattle, Washington,executive vice president of products at Infoseek Corp., the Internet mediasite which is part of Disney's Go Network, was arrested on Thursday,September 16, 1999 on the Santa Monica Pier, an amusement park area in WestLos Angeles. The arrest came after he met a female FBI agent who hadarranged to meet him there, according to Thom Mrozek, a spokesman for theU.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles. He is charged with interstate travel

SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT has hired MEL HARRIS as Co-President and ChiefOperating Officer, sharing both of those titles with Bob Wynne. MASAYUKI(YUKI) NOZOE has also been promoted to Co-President, Digital Entertainment.The three executives will oversee the day-to-day operations of the companyand report to John Calley, Chairman and CEO of SPE. Nozoe will focus on theDigital Studios division and technology expansion, Wynne will managecorporate and financial operations, and Harris will emphasize worldwidetelevision and related businesses.

Denmark-based The Animation Workshop is running a short intensive week oflectures concentrating on storyboarding November 8-12, 1999, with JohnRamirez and Dan Jippes. Prices and details will be available upon requestbeginning October 1. For more information Tel. (45) 86672007; Fax (45)86675007; or e-mail colin@animwork.dk. Also visit www.animwork.dk.

Animation Magazine and Brilliant Digital Entertainment, Inc., a producer of3-D animated content on the Internet and a developer of animation tools andtechnology, have announced that they will co-host the Dancing PixelFestival. Dancing Pixel will be the first all 3-D real-time animationfestival on the Internet. Animators, both professionals and aspirants, areinvited to submit their work for public viewing and judging on the festivalsite. Submissions will be taken from October 1, 1999 to December 31, 1999.

New York City-based SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION has named Flame Artist FABRICEMAUREL as Design Director. Maurel comes to Spontaneous Combustion from LosAngeles, California-based Novocom where he contributed to the artdirection, design, implementation and special effects compositing oftelevision shows, commercials and music videos.

Santa Monica, California-based SIMEX DIGITAL STUDIOS has completed "IceCliff," a spot for Dunlop Tires and agency Dentsu, Inc. of Tokyo, Japan. Inthe spot, five luxury sport cars race on rapidly eroding, digitallygenerated, ice covered cliffs. The camera moves back to reveal that thecliffs are created by a giant digitally created Dunlop tire. CGI ArtistJeff Chung used Alias Power Animator and Maya Media Illusion to create theeffects.