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San Francisco-based interactive 3D media provider Pulse has incorporated the ProductionSync and InstantSync technologies from Automatic Sync Technologies into their Pulse Animation Studio v. 5.03. ProductionSync is used in the Pulse Creator module as an off-line animation tool. Speech is converted into animation as a production step that an animator can then enhance with expressions, gestures and behaviors. InstantSync is used in the Pulse Player to animate a face in real-time in response to the speech, which can either be downloaded or streamed to the player via streaming audio.

Three months after its North American debut, the Xbox video game system launched in Japan on February 22, 2002. Bill Gates was on hand to present the first Xbox sold, and many gamers camped out overnight in the Shibuya District of Tokyo to make sure they were among the first in the country to get their hands on a console. Xbox is now on sale at thousands of Japanese retail outlets, and 12 game titles are available including PROJECT GOTHAM RACING, TENKU, JET SET RADIO FUTURE and DEAD OR ALIVE 3. A total of 22 titles are scheduled to be available in Japan by the end of March.

Alias|Wavefront has made a personal-use, non-commercial version of its award-winning Maya software available free to users of Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. Maya Personal Learning Edition 3D animation software can now be downloaded from the Alias|Wavefront Website. Maya Personal Learning Edition gives 3D graphics and animation students, current industry professionals, and those interested in breaking into the world of computer graphics an opportunity to explore Maya Complete software in a non-commercial capacity.

To honor Chuck Jones (1912-2002) great cartoon legacy, Cartoon Network's all-classic satellite network, Boomerang will host a 24-hour tribute to the legendary creator beginning Friday, March 1, 2002. Featuring many of the beloved Looney Tunes shorts and characters he created over his 60-year career, the marathon will run 8:00 am Friday, March 1 to 8:00 am Saturday, March 2. In addition to screening his classic Warner Bros.

Design, animation and visual effects studio Hornet, Inc., is expanding its operations in the commercial arena with the addition of several directors, designers and animators. New additions include animator and director Steve Talkowski, character designer and director Peter de Séve, director and designer Brian Koons, title designer Deborah Ross and the collective design team HONEST.

A four-minute animated short film about the dangers of drinking and driving has been created to teach elementary school children about the importance of making the right choices when it comes to drinking. Stone Soup produced the film for the Texas-based Gulf Chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). Animated in a limited but colorful style, the character "Dudeasaurus," a half teen/half dinosaur, morphs into a super hero called MADDasaurus after saving a mans life.

The 16th Annual Goya Awards, the Spanish Film Academys equivalent to the U.S. Academy Awards, were presented February 2, 2002. The awards honor Spanish produced films. Independent animated feature EL BOSQUE ANIMADO (THE LIVING FOREST) directed by Manolo Gómez & Angel de la Cruz won two awards, Best Original Song and Best Animated Film. The Best Animated Short Film was POLLO, directed by Manuel Sirgo.

The Sixth Annual MadCat Women's International Film Festival, San Francisco and Berkeley, California, USA.

Tuesday, September 3 - Friday, September 27, 2002.

Early Entry Deadline: Tuesday, April 30, 2002.

Final Entry Deadline: Thursday, June 20, 2002.