All AWN Content

Design and production studio Charlex has formed a 3D department, adding new equipment and creative talent to the companys existing setup. Bryan Godwin, formerly of Blue Sky Studios, heads the new team of 3D artists -- who bring extensive experience in the worlds of feature film and videogame production. The new group has recently completed a holiday spot for AT&T, and two spots for Sunny Delight.

The Disney Channel has ordered additional episodes of two of its newest animated shows -- preschooler-oriented series Stanley and the NAACP Image Award-nominated series THE PROUD FAMILY. Both shows premiered in September 2001. Stanley, developed by Jim Jinkins and David Campbell (DISNEY'S DOUG, DISNEY'S PB&J OTTER) and based on characters from the popular book series of the same name, is currently Disney Channel's highest rated series with two to five year olds.

With award categories like "Your Song Kicked Ass But Was Played Too Damn Much" and "Is It Hot in Here or Is It Just My Video?" the 2001 My VH1 Music Awards is clearly not your average music awards ceremony. For one thing, it is the fans that call the shots: the category names, nominees and winners are all determined through an online vote. That distinctly democratic impression was enhanced by a graphics and animation package created for the December 2 broadcast by visual effects/creative design house, PSYOP, NYC. This is the second year that PSYOP had been responsible for the package.

TV-Loonland has formed an alliance with Artists Management Groups Animation & Family Entertainment Department to produce a minimum of four animated television series over the next three years. Artists Management Group (AMG), co-founded by Michael Ovitz, Rick Yorn and Julie Silverman-Yorn, represents many well-known talents in the animation arena including RUGRATS creators Paul Germain and Joe Ansolabehere, director Henry Selick (THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS) and animation studio Film Roman.

Softimage|XSI v2.0 software, the latest version of Softimages nonlinear animation system, has been released. New features of Softimage|XSI v2.0 include a fully scriptable integrated compositor featuring more than 100 film quality effects (8, 16 and 32 bits per channel), updated rendering technology, an integrated dynamics simulator for creating short and long hair and fur for humans, animals or other characters, with advanced capabilities for grooming, photo-realistic rendering and interaction between hair and its environment.

Paul Yanover has been named senior vice president and general manager of The Walt Disney Company's newly formed business unit, Buena Vista Game Entertainment Studio. Yanover will oversee all aspects of operations, including business, creative and product development, and strategic planning for the newly created entity. Yanover's extensive technology and entertainment background includes eight years at The Walt Disney Company in Feature Animation.

The first commercial project from the newly-opened London branch of Wild Brain, Inc. has been completed. Created for Parfum du Coeur's Body Fantasies fragrance line, the "Just For Me" :15 and :30 ads began airing on November 30 in major markets across the United States. Produced out of Wild Brain UK, LLC conceptualized by WSAA, Inc. and directed by Mike Smith, the "Just For Me" campaign is animated using traditional 2D animation techniques, painted and rendered by hand. The images were then re-worked with digital effects and composited in AfterEffects, Flame and Edit Box.

Final Cut Pro 3, which will be available for Mac OS X and Mac OS 9 later in the month of December, was premiered at DVExpo in Los Angeles, California the week of December 2, 2001. Final Cut Pro 3, Apple's latest version of their video editing software, debuts OfflineRT, an offline format that holds up to five times as much footage as the DV format, and new professional color correction tools previously available only in solutions costing tens of thousands of dollars more.

The 17th Berlin International Short Film Festival took place November 6-11, 2001 and featured 70 screenings including six competitions and twenty special programs. HASTA LOS HUESOS by René Castillo took the prize for best animation, and Gabriele Pennacchioli's THE SHARK AND THE PIANO won first prize in the Children's Short Film Competition. All of the animated winners are listed below:

Best Animation:HASTA LOS HUESOS by René Castillo,

Short Film Award3rd Place: THE MAN WITH THE BEAUTIFUL EYES by Jonathan Hodgson

Cartoons On The Bay. Positano, Italy. Thursday, April 18, 2002 Monday, April 22, 2002. Entry Deadline: January 20, 2002. The festival includes the Pulcinella awards, the Showcase, a three day international conference on television animation, various special events and many movies and television premieres. There are eight categories of competition: Best Series for Infants, Children, Young Adults & Adults, All Audiences, Best TV Movie, Best Short Film, Best Web Program, Best Pilot (new prize); as well as Best Program of the Year and Best Character of the Year.