Search form

All AWN Content

Animation Headline News

A Closer Look: Canada, a major player in the animation industry

Two years ago, Walt Disney Animation Canada Inc. expanded its productionservices by officially opening a permanent studio in Toronto, in additionto the one which has been operating in Vancouver since 1996. Bothfacilities operate as one co-existing production unit referred to as "theCanadian studio." It also handles pre-production, such as storyboarding,character design and layout, thus creating the first full-service facilityin the Walt Disney Television Animation family. Whereas Hollywood had

Company Headline News

Horsing around with VICON 8

Texas-based company Locomotion Studios recently pushed Vicon MotionSystems' Vicon 8 to the limit, by capturing motion data of riders onhorseback for THE NIGHT OF THE HEADLESS HORSEMAN, a TV movie being producedby Computed Animation Technology (CAT) which will air on Fox on October 28at 8 pm. The company merged their Vicon 8 with CAT's Vicon 8 to accomplishthe feat, which was no easy task. The crew had several concerns, the mostchallenging being finding a way to place markers on an animal that would be

Channel Headline News

Multipath offers Superman DVD game

Last week we announced that Warner Bros. Online and Brilliant DigitalEntertainment were joining up to create Multipath Movie Channel, a 3-Danimation channel, and that SUPERMAN: THE MENACE OF METALLO would be itsfirst online offering. Well, SUPERMAN 1: THE MENACE OF METALLO is alsobeing released on November 2, 1999 as a multi-path interactive DVDadventure. In the game, Superman flies to the planet Cadmus in search of astolen top-secret piece of technology, where he finds Metallo, a robot with

Interactive Headline News

NewKidCo and Disney Interactive join to develop console titles

Burlington, Massachusetts-based NewKidCo International Inc., a children'sgame publisher, and Disney Interactive have entered into a multi-yearagreement to develop and publish console video games featuring popularDisney properties. Through the deal, NewKidCo has obtained the rights topublish interactive adventures for various video game platforms, includingPlayStation, Nintendo 64 and Game Boy Color. As part of the agreement, thefirst title targeted for release will be DISNEY'S ANIMATED STORYBOOK:

Studios Headline News

SEGA GAMEWORKS hires RON BENSION as president and CEO

SEGA GAMEWORKS, a location-based entertainment venture formed by StevenSpielberg and DreamWorks SKG, Universal Studios and Sega Enterprises, hasnamed leisure entertainment industry veteran, RON BENSION, as president andCEO. As Chairman and CEO of MCA/Universal Studios Recreation Group from1992 to 1996, Bension was responsible for running all aspects of UniversalStudios Hollywood and Universal Studios Florida in addition to developinginternational theme park joint ventures in the United Kingdom and Japan.

Headline News

KLEISER-WALCZAK CONSTRUCTION CO. hires JIM HATCH

KLEISER-WALCZAK CONSTRUCTION CO., which has studios in North Adams,Massachusetts, Manhattan, and Hollywood, has hired JIM HATCH as chiefoperating officer. Hatch will oversee the company's daily administration,operations, and financial management, working with co-founders and ownersJeff Kleiser and Diana Walczak. Hatch previously worked at AmericanInteractive Media, Inc. where he was chief operating officer and corporatesecretary.

Festival Headline News

CINANIMA '99 daily programs now available

The Cinanima International Animated Film Festival will be held November8-14, 1999, in Espinho, Portugal. In addition to this year's officialcompetition program, as well as the retrospectives and exhibitions, thefestival web site now offers the festival daily program on their web site.

Series Headline News

ITV orders more STORYKEEPERS

United Kingdom's ITV Network Centre has commissioned a second series of 13episodes of the animated series THE STORYKEEPERS from Dublin, Ireland-basedMonster Productions, an animation studio and distribution company formed in1995 by former management and artists from the Don Bluth studios. The newseries, produced by Shepherd Films, and distributed by Monster Distributes,will be delivered in Spring 2001 for broadcast on Sunday mornings. The newseries, which is a prequel to the existing series, is set in AD 8, and

Animation Headline News

Don't miss this animation art auction!

Philip Weiss Auctions, in conjunction with The Big Apple Comic ArtConvention, is overseeing a large animation art auction that will takeplace on Friday, November 12, 1999 at 7 pm in New York City at theMetropolitan Pavilion. Thousands of pieces of animation art are beingauctioned to benefit The American Foundation for the Visual Arts. Previewsof the auction items will begin at 1 pm on November 12. The auction is partof The National Comic Book, Art, Toy, and Fantasy Convention. For moreinformation Tel. (516) 594-0731.

Capitan Headline News

Disney revives NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS

TIM BURTON'S NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS (its official title) plays atDisney's El Capitan theater. El Capitan is located west of Highland onHollywood Blvd. The event takes place Friday, October 29 - Sunday, October31 in Hollywood, California, USA. For more information Tel. (323) 467-7674.

Headline News

John Canemaker lectures on storyboards and their creators

John Canemaker, animation historian and author, will lecture on DisneyStudio storyboards and their creators at the Museum of Modern Art in theTitus II Theatre. The presentation will include slides of storyboarddrawings and clips from famous Disney films, such as SNOW WHITE and 101DALMATIANS. At 5:30 pm, preceding the lecture, Canemaker will sign copiesof his new book, PAPER DREAMS: THE ART AND ARTISTS OF DISNEY STORYBOARDS,which will be available for purchase at the theatre and the MOMA bookshop.

Festival Headline News

AFI Festival is showing PRINCESS MONONOKE

Hayao Miyazaki's PRINCESS MONONOKE's official West Coast premiere takesplace at the El Capitan theater as part of the 13th Annual AFI Los AngelesInternational Film Festival. The event takes place Monday, October 25, 7 pmin Hollywood, California, USA. For advance tickets Tel. (323) 520-2000. Formore information visit www.afionline.org.

Headline News

Mary Kocol's MY FATHER'S STORY is playing in Massachusetts

Mary Kocol's MY FATHER'S STORY will be shown at several places inMassachussetts during the next few weeks. October 22, 7 pm: Gallery NAGA at67 Newbury Street, Boston. For more information Tel. (617) 267-9060.November 7, 2 pm and November 10, 2 pm: Boston Jewish Film Festival at theCoolidge Corner Theatre which is located at 90 Harvard Street, Brookline.For more information Tel. (617) 734-2500. November 6, 5 pm: NorthamptonFilm Festival at the Academy of Music on Main Street, Northampton. For more

Film Headline News

Don't miss The 3rd Annual Digital Video (DV) Conference & Expo!

The 3rd Annual Digital Video (DV) Conference & Expo will highlight andshowcase the "Indie" film and video industries. The DV Expo merges theworlds of broadcast video, Web video, 2D and 3D graphics, animation, sound,and data. The event features a D. FILM DIGITAL FILM FESTIVAL. The eventtakes place Monday, October 18 - Friday, October 22 in Long Beach,California, USA. For more information visit the Miller Freeman and CMPwebsites at www.mfi.com and www.cmp.com.

Visual Headline News

Don't miss this lecture about Disney's TARZAN!

Gil Zimmerman speaks about Digital and Traditional Animation in TARZAN.Zimmerman, currently Model Development Supervisor on TREASURE PLANET, washired by Disney to be the liaison between traditional animators and digitalartists on TARZAN. Cost: $10. To make reservations Tel. (323) 466-6663. Theevent takes place at Gnomon School of Visual Effects, 1015 N. Cahuenga Blvdon Thursday, October 14, 7 pm in Hollywood, California, USA.

Films Headline News

Nickelodeon hosts screening of USC student films

Nickelodeon hosts a screening of new animated student films made at theUniversity of Southern California. The screening takes place on Wednesday,October 13, 6:30 pm at the Directors Guild of America at 7920 Sunset Blvd.in . Los Angeles, California, USA. For more information Tel. (213)740-2804.

Film Headline News

Film Roman ousts CEO

North Hollywood-based Film Roman's Board of Directors has decided thatDAVID PRITCHARD will no longer be president and CEO of FILM ROMAN. Thecompany is not yet ready to provide details on the circumstances ofPritchard's leaving. Chief operating officer BILL SHPALL and senior vicepresident JON VEIN will take over Pritchard's responsibilities until a newpresident is named. David Pritchard was named President and CEO of FilmRoman in August 1997. Pritchard had been CEO and partner of

Headline News

Here is some additional info about THE IRON GIANT DVD

Last week we announced that the THE IRON GIANT laser disc release will havea 1.85:1 aspect ratio, whereas the film was released with a 2.35:1. Inaddition, when we announced the DVD and VHS releases three weeks ago, weneglected to mention that the DVD, as well as the widescreen VHS release,will also be 1.85:1. It's unfortunate that none of these will be 2.35:1because Brad Bird designed THE IRON GIANT partly in homage to theCinemaScope films of the 1950s, and he even wanted to include "CinemaScope"

Spot Headline News

SIMEX completes "Glitch"

Santa Monica, California-based SIMEX DIGITAL STUDIOS has completed thecomputer animation for "Glitch," a spot for Repairnow.com, an Internetresource site. West Los Angeles-based Rhythm & Hues produced the spot forad agency Millenium Communications, and Richard Taylor directed it. Thespot depicts the impact of a mini whirlwind of destruction, which is named"Glitch," as it passes through VCRs, CD players, and other household items.

Spot Headline News

A.FILM completes "Jumbo Book"

Copenhagen, Denmark-based A.FILM has completed "Jumbo Book," a :30 forDisney Scandinavia. The spot touts JUMBO, a collection of Donald Duckcomics. The spot mixes 2D animation and live-action. In the spot, alive-action maid stumbles across all sorts of 2D animated figures includingDonald Duck's beak, Uncle Scrooge's hat, etc. The figures tease and provokethe maid into opening a closet from which spill hundreds of Donald Duckcomic books, burying the maid. Live-action was directed by Michael Hegnerand animation was directed by Craig Frank.

Headline News

Boris FX makes several significant announcements

Boris FX, the makers of compositing and effects plug-ins for filmmakers,recently made several key announcements, including the introduction of twonew products. Boris Graffiti, a new 3D title animation tool will shipbefore the end of 1999 at just under $1000. The program will be availablein the form of a plug-in for non-linear editing programs, and will allowusers to create and extrude 3D text, and rotate it in 3D space with lights,motion blur and animated kerning. Also, Boris Factory, a new 3D DVE

Animation Headline News

A Closer Look: PRIIT PARN, preeminent Estonian animator

One year ago, the Ottawa International Animation Festival awarded its grandprize to the new Estonian film, "Night of the Carrots," by Priit Pärn.Since making his first film, "Is the Earth Round" in 1977, animator,illustrator, and artist Priit Pärn has evolved into one of the mostinfluential animation artists in the world. His films are routinely invitedto animation festivals where they have won several major awards. PriitPärn's countrymen, Rein Raamat, Rao Heidmats and Mati Kutt, among others,

Events Headline News

11 new events added to AWN Calendar of Events!

This week's update to the Calendar of Events features 11 new events,including the Tampere Short Film Festival in Finland, and a call forentries for the Milia 2000 New Talent Competition (competition ofinteractive projects) in France. The Calendar of Upcoming Events is aconstantly changing reference source for what's happening around the Worldof Animation. Use it to stay abreast of animation related activities acrossthe globe. If you know of animation related events that we don't have

Effects Headline News

THE SIXTH SENSE finishes sixth at US boxoffice

Buena Vista's supernatural thriller THE SIXTH SENSE, with visual effects by DreamQuest,finished sixth at the US weekend boxoffice, grossing $6,123,967 for a totalof $242,710,195. Other animation-related films in the top 40 include: TheWalt Disney Company's INSPECTOR GADGET, with digital effects by DreamQuest,finished 15th with $566,409 for a total of $94,888,759; Lucasfilm's STARWARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE finished 16th with $538,206 for a totalof $426,141,814; DreamWorks SKG's THE HAUNTING, with digital effects by

Headline News

LORD OF THE RINGS begins principal photography

New Line Cinema's THE LORD OF THE RINGS film trilogy, based on the classic fantasy trilogy by J.R. R. Tolkien, began principal photography in Wellington, New Zealand, onOctober 11, 1999. Peter Jackson (DEAD ALIVE aka BRAIN DEAD, MEET THEFEEBLES, HEAVENLY CREATURES) is directing from his own script. The threefilms that will make up the trilogy - THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, THE TWOTOWERS and THE RETURN OF THE KING - are being filmed at the same time, atactic that worked for the first two SUPERMAN films with Christopher Reeve.

Pages