Legendary Animators Teach Summer Programs At Vanarts
This summer, VanArts (Vancouver Institute of Media Arts) will hold one-month intensives (no prerequisites required) in classical and computer animation...
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Flashcore Presents An Online Entertainment Forum At Internetworld!
As part of InternetWorld (Los Angeles, California, U.S.A., March 12-16, 2001), FlashCore, the new media community that hosts the Flash User Group, is presenting an online entertainment forum Wednesday, March 14, 2001. The keynote address will begin at 5 pm, and the speaker is TBA. Beginning at 5:45 pm, Clive Henrick, multimedia developer, Netgroupie.com, will run a demonstration of integrating DVD and Flash with the Web using InterActual Player 2.0.
The February 2001 Issue Of MPSC's Peg-Board Is Now On-Line
The M.P.S.C. Local 839 IATSE, the labor union for screen cartoonists and CGI artists and technicians in southern California, has updated their AWN page with the February 2001 edition of their newsletter, The Peg-Board...
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ASIFA Opens Colorado Chapter
ASIFA-Colorado was officially inaugurated and celebrated on January 19, 2001 with a party which brought together an audience of over 120 animators, students and animation enthusiasts...
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The Toronto Animated Image Society's Upcoming Events
On Thursday, March 22, 2001, the Toronto Animated Image Society (TAIS) presents a double event: Richard Reeves and Frozen Moments. Animator Richard Reeves will be on hand to introduce his award-winning films "Sea Song" and "Linear Dreams" and premiere some new works. Richard has mastered the technique of creating animated films by scratching, bleaching and painting on raw 35mm movie film to create beautiful animated films without using a camera.
AWN'S Fourth Annual Oscar Showcase And Un-Official Oscar Race!
This year, again, AWN is the place to go to discover all the animation nominees for the coveted Short Animated Film Oscar award...
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RIT Thesis Screenings
Begins: February 22, 2001
The Rochester Institute of Technology will be screening its film and video MFA theses. The February screening will be held on campus at the newly revamped Webb Auditorium at 7 pm. The other date's time and location is yet to be announced.
REALVIZ & Alias|Wavefront Offer ImageModeler For Maya
REALVIZ and Alias|Wavefront are now offering REALVIZ's award-winning ImageModeler to all new customers of Maya Complete and Maya Unlimited. ImageModeler provides computer graphics professionals with more intuitive and innovative image-based solutions to complex production challenges for the creation of graphics and visual effects for film, broadcast, game development and the Internet.
Kelseus Announces CLOTH 1.0 For 3D MAX
On March 6, 2001, U.K.-based Kelseus will release Version 1 of CLOTH, a new plug-in for 3D Studio MAX. CLOTH produces highly realistic animation of clothes on animated figures and objects, taking into account all of the cloth geometry that collides with another object - not just the vertices. It also boasts complete integration with Max Dynamic Effects such as the Wind and Gravity Space Warps, and it can maintain libraries of cloth materials, which can be re-used between scenes.
AARGH! Animation Co-Founder Resigns
Mark Simon, co-founder of AARGH! Animation, Inc., has resigned from the company to start a new cel animation development and production studio. The new Orlando-based A&S Animation, Inc. already has two short-form animation series in production entitled, TIMMYS LESSONS IN NATURE and MY WIFE IS PREGNANT. In addition, the studio is developing several 30-minute animated series. Simon is the author of STORYBOARDS: MOTION IN ART. For more information on A&S Animation contact Mark Simon at E-mail: msimon@cfl.rr.com.
Toy Story II Takes Home Two Grammys
The U.S. Recording Academy handed out its Grammy awards, giving two statuettes to TOY STORY II. The first went to "Woody's Roundup Featuring The Riders In The Sky" for outstanding musical album for children. The second went to Randy Newman's tune "When She Loved Me" for outstanding song written for a motion picture, television or other visual media.
Cartoon Network Rolls Out 2001-2002 Schedule
At a press conference in New York on Wednesday, Cartoon Network executives unveiled the new TV and online schedule for 2001-2002. The network announced four new series for 2001. Launching in June 2001, TIME SQUAD, created by Dave Wasson (MAX AND HIS SPECIAL PROBLEM), centers on a group of time travelers who must travel into the past to change events, which are disrupting the future. Launching in August 2001, SAMURAI JACK, created by Genndy Tartakovsky (DEXTER'S LABORATORY), tells the story of a great warrior displaced to the distant future by the evil shape-shifting wizard Aku.
Brussels Cartoon and Animation Festival
Begins: February 21, 2001
Each year the Brussels Cartoon and Animated Film Festival programs the "cr
U.S. Primetime TV Ratings For The Week Of February 12 – 18, 2001
Comfortably remaining the top toon, THE SIMPSONS ranked #34, with an 8.8 rating/14 share. In a three-way tie for 63rd place, KING OF THE HILL pegged a 5.8 rating/10 share. Also in a three-way tie, FUTURAMA descended into the 78th slot with a 4.9 rating/9 share. Sinking into the WB basement, THE PJS piled up a 1.5 rating/3 share. However it was UPN's animated Friday line-up that proved the worst in toondom. GARY & MIKE placed 114th with a 1.4 rating/3 share and CELEBRITY DEATHMATCH placed 116th with a 1.3 rating/2 share. These ratings and shares represent primetime TV in the U.S.
Inkwell Images Uncovers Rare Sound Fleischer Toons
Inkwell Images has purchased the only existing picture and sound negatives to a series of early Max Fleischer Bouncing Ball SONG CARTUNES. Inkwell purchased the prints from New York-based Movietronics film library. One title, MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME is one of the earliest attempts at animating dialog, as a black dog character mouths, "Follow the ball and join in, everybody!" Produced in 1924, they feature synchronized sound and are part of the Library of Congress' archives, however their prints are without soundtracks.
Imax Lays Off 130 In Restructuring
Imax Corp. has announced that due to a corporate restructuring it will lay off 130 of its 1,000 employees. The restructuring comes as a result of several theater-chains' recent bankruptcies, which has lowered the demand for large screen films. The company will consolidate its sound and projection systems manufacturing at its facilities in Mississauga, Ontario and will scale down film production at its studio in Birmingham, Alabama. Imax will take a first quarter 2001 loss as a result of restructuring costs.
International Emmys Want The Best From The World Of TV
* Friday, November 16 Saturday, November 17, 2001. New York, New York, U.S.A.
Entry Deadline: April 13, 2001
The 14th Annual Dallas Video Festival To Honor Mike Judge
* Wednesday, March 14 - Sunday, March 18, 2001. Dallas, Texas, U.S.A.
FanimeCon 2001 Is The Anime Convention For Fans From Fans!
* Friday, March 30 - Sunday, April 1, 2001. Santa Clara, California, U.S.A.
Disney's Hallett Promoted To Exec VP/CFO
Walt Disney Studios has promoted Dean Hallett to executive VP and chief financial officer. Hallett, an 11-year veteran of Disney, previously served as senior VP and chief financial officer of the studio. He assumed that role in April, following the departure of Rob Moore. Hallett will continue to oversee all financial, strategic and operational aspects of the firm. As executive VP, he will help develop and expand strategy and management. Hallett joined Disney in 1990 as a manager in the corporate management audit department.
Digital Pictures Gains New Marketing Director/Executive Producer
Gillian Samuels has joined Digital Pictures as marketing director and executive producer. In the new role, Samuels will oversee the development of the firm's brand, capitalize on new and existing markets and help expand their design and high-end visual effects capabilities in both television and film. Previously, as director of marketing and client services at Garner MacLennan Design, Samuels was responsible for the marketing and developing of the Broadcast Design division.
Spontaneous Combustion Makes A Splash With Pepperidge Farms Goldfish
Spontaneous Combustion helped bite off the heads of Pepperidge Farms' Goldfish for a new ad campaign. Filmed by New York-based Chelsea Pictures, the campaign consists of one 30-second, a 20-second with a 10-second endtag, and a 15-second ad. The spot begins with CG goldfish swimming and diving through a page of sheet music. As the fish start to swim throughout the room, live-action footage of kids and mothers munching on goldfish fill the scene.
Rhinoceros Charges Into New Colgate Campaign
Rhinoceros Visual Effects & Design has brightened up six 15-second spots introducing Colgate Total Whitening toothpaste. "Hearts" shows a toothpaste tube floating in a red space until heart-shaped balloons peel away from the background and float skyward revealing the new package in a stunning white environment. "Brightness" opens with the tube on the same red background, when a brightness adjustment bar pops up, goes haywire and turns the background again to white. These first two spots launched in the beginning of February with the others set to roll out in the upcoming months.
Web3D Consortium Announced Rich Media 3D Initiative
The Web3D Consortium has announced the Rich Media 3D (RM3D) initiative, which is developing an open standard to enable rich media content containing 3D graphics, video and audio to be sent over the Internet and used in broadcast applications. RM3D is intended to enable an emerging category of media-capable Internet and broadcast devices and appliances to receive and present advanced content optimally while simplifying the media authoring process.
Sony Selects Vicon 8 Motion-Capture System
Sony Computer Entertainment of America has recently installed a 16 M-Series Camera (MCam) Real-Time Vicon 8 system in their 5,000-square-foot motion-capture studio. The system, which can capture the nuances of multiple actors simultaneously, will be used in the development of games for Sony's new PlayStation 2 system. "Vicon 8 motion-capture technology is a state-of-the-art hardware and software system with no equal in the industry," stated Jason Parks, motion-capture manager, Sony Computer Entertainment America.
