The Animation Pimp: Animation Festival Travel Tips #1: Waiting
This month the Animation Pimp, Chris Robinson, discusses how traveling is really just waitin'.
All AWN Content
Debris from Dot Com Crash Hits Animators
As the glow fades off the Internet rose, Michael Hurwicz takes a look at animation on the Internet, a young industry already at a crossroads.
Solange, Destiny's Child & Baha Men Record Themes For Disney Toons
Solange, teamed with Destiny's Child and Baha Men, has agreed to record theme songs for Disney Channel's two upcoming animated series, THE PROUD FAMILY and STANLEY. Gary Marsh, executive vice president, original programming, Disney Channel, said, "Great music, performed by uniquely talented artists and integrally linked to our award-winning original programming, is a key component of our programming strategy.
Fresh From The Festivals: January 2001's Film Reviews
Maureen Furniss reviews the following short films: Janno Poldma's On the Possibility of Love, Just in Time by Kirsten Winter, Stephen X. Arthur's Vision Point, Passport by Siri Melchior and The Scarecrow by Cheryl Meier. Includes QuickTime movie clips!
Outside the Bubble: What the Main Street Papers Say
In the animation community, we hold high expectations for the animated feature film to break out of its "kid's only" realm. However, what do editors from papers across the U.S. have to say? Joan Kim surveys these hometown gurus on the status of animation.
Cartoon Network Spain Gains New Head
Asun Gil has been named channel manager of Cartoon Network Spain. Gil joined Cartoon Network Spain as head of research where she played a key role in building 1.2 million subscribers for the network in just over one year on air. "It is very exciting to take on the channel at this stage and my brief is to increase viewers as well as moving further into the area of new media and launching additional services," said Gil.
Ring Of Fire Ignites With Four New Artists
West Hollywood, California visual effects and design house Ring of Fire has added four new talents to their roster including lead motion graphics/special effects designer Todd DuFour, Henry artist Paul Geiger, Henry artist John Ciampa and inferno* artist Danny Yoon. Previously, DuFour operated his own broadcast and Web design company called Burrn. Prior to opening Burrn, DuFour spent three years freelancing at ad agency TBWA/Chiat Day as their lead motion graphic designer. Previously, Geiger worked as a freelance Henry artist and before that he worked for Pittard Sullivan.
Click 3X Spots Disney Store Ad For 102 Dalmatians Merchandise
Click 3X has created effects for the new Disney Store spots highlighting merchandise for the live-action feature 102 DALMATIANS. The 30-second "Pool" has Dalmatians shaking their spots onto a rack of white coats. A series of real Dalmatians were shot on green screen, as well as a still plate for the far wall. The Click 3X CGI department then created a photo-realistic floor with reflecting puddles matching the movement of the camera.
Spontaneous Shocks Circuit City With Photo-Real Santa Spots
Spontaneous Combustion, a digital studio specializing in the creation of visual effects and design for the advertising, broadcast and film industries, has created and composited a photo-realistic 3D spot for a new Circuit City campaign. "Digital Santa" opens in a world where elves act as caddies and Santa Claus spends his time golfing. The Spontaneous Combustion team needed to make the effects seamless by replacing one of the backgrounds in the first spot with a blue sky.
Oxygen Resuscitates DotComedy
Oxygen will give life to ABC's DOTCOMEDY. The series that highlighted the funniest content on the Internet was cancelled from ABC after only one airing. The show received one of the network's lowest ratings for a regularly scheduled program with a 2.8 rating. Oxygen will air the four episodes of the show, created by Oxygen Media and Carsey-Werner, but will not produce anymore. Originally, ABC called for 13 installments of the series.
Saban Forces His Way Out Of Fox Family
Children's TV executive Haim Saban has exercised his option for News Corp.'s Fox Broadcasting to buy his 49.5% in the Fox Family Worldwide Inc. cable network. As part of the original agreement, each side will enlist an investment bank to determine the fair market value of the company. If the two numbers come within 10% of each other, the final purchase price will be the average of the two numbers. If they differ by more than 10% than a third bank will be brought in to mediate the settlement. Each parties' bank must determine Fox Family Worldwide's value by January 31, 2001.
This Week's Web Animation Guide For Friday, December 22, 2000
AWN's Web Animation Guide is the place for what's new on the Net. In this week's installment Rick's Pick's Best of 2000, various holiday themed toons, the Salem Witch Trials and much, much more!
Get your Web Animation Guide here!
Also every week AWN's associate editor Rick DeMott highlights what he thinks is the top new toon in cyberspace in "Rick's Picks!"
Z.com Sues Chris Rock Over Non-Delivery Of Content
Late Tuesday, December 19, 2000, Z.com filed suit against Chris Rock for repayment of fees in excess of US$1 million for content not delivered. In Z.com's filing, they claim that Rock and his Chris Rock Enterprises entered into a preliminary programming agreement on April 6, 2000 with a finalization deadline of June 30. Z.com then paid Rock $1.075 million on April 10, 2000 as promised. However, Rock quickly counter-sued Z.com and incubator idealab! for intentional misrepresentation, negligence, breach of a written contract and breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing.
Celebrity Deathmatch Enters UPN Ring
In a pledge of support for its fledging network, Viacom has agreed to let UPN air episodes of MTV's clay-animated series CELEBRITY DEATHMATCH as a compliment to GARY & MIKE. So far UPN has the rights to 7 choose reruns of DEATHMATCH with an option for 13 more. As part of the arrangement, MTV and UPN will cross-promote each other's airings of DEATHMATCH and MTV is considering a broadcast of GARY & MIKE after it nods on UPN. "It's great to be a part of Viacom," UPN COO Adam Ware said.
Chicken Run Lays A Golden Globe Nom
The Golden Globe Awards, given out by the Hollywood Foreign Press, have always been kind to animated features. And this year is no exception. DreamWorks/Aardman's CHICKEN RUN has garnered itself a nomination for best musical or comedy. It competes against the live-action films ALMOST FAMOUS, BEST IN SHOW, CHOCOLAT and O' BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU? Last year, TOY STORY 2 took home the same prize. Disney's THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE made an appearance in the very Disneyfied category of best original song for "My Funny Friend and Me." F/X films received nods in several categories also.
EM.TV Shares Rocket Upward
EM.TV's stock price made a hefty jump upward on Monday, December 18, 2000 after announcing a creditors' banks' backing. Over the weekend the kids production and merchandising firm had positive meetings with 40 creditor banks to help fund a company overhaul as part of media house KirschGroup's purchase of a non-controlling share in EM.TV. The company's stock jumped up 18% to finish out Monday at 6.73 euros (US$6). Since February, EM.TV shares have lost 90% of their value after the company reported accounting errors in its acquisition of the Jim Henson Co.
Interactive Effects Ships Piranha HD 3.3
High-end visual effects software developer Interactive Effects announced the release of Piranha HD version 3.3 for Silicon Graphics workstations. The new version expands on the capabilities of previous releases in the key areas of universal mastering for film and HD, workflow, EDL conforming, effects and performance. Graphics additions to the new system include Wire and Rig Removal, Quad Filter Texturing, a new Transfer Mode effect with 2D Boolean operations and several new artistic blur effects.
NewTek Releases Lightwave 6.5
NewTek announced late last week that Lightwave 6.5, the new upgrade to their award-winning 3D software, is now available for download from their Website. The new version was originally to be called Lightwave 6.1, but NewTek decided that due to the large array of new features and improvements they would pitch it as a more significant upgrade. "Lightwave 6.0 was a monumental release, and the new architecture it provides has allowed this release to consist of hundreds of features in a relatively short amount of time. Upgrades to follow should be no less significant.
Animate In Paradise On A Balearic Islands Retreat
The government of Spain's Balearic Islands is organizing a fully paid retreat for animators from around the world to come and hone their craft in Majorca. The attending animators, writers and technicians will have their travel, living and working expenses paid for by the non-profit fund. Moreover, the foundation will invite recognized names in the field to lead seminars and workshops. Projects created during the retreat will screen at Majorca's yearly animation festival ANI.MAR. However, the foundation needs the animation community's support to receive full funding for the project.
Cats & Dogs Writing Duo To Pen New Looney Tunes Feature
Screenwriters John Requa and Glenn Ficarra have signed a three-picture deal with Warner Bros. that will have the CATS & DOGS writing duo penning the new Looney Tunes feature. Produced by Quincy Jones Media Group and Gerber Pictures, the film will be a live-action/animated feature sending the Looney Tunes crew on a wild road trip. Originally Ken Kaufman, co-writer of Warners SPACE COWBOYS, had been tapped to write the script [AWN 8/23/00]. The new team will be paid a high-six figure amount up front, reaching seven figures after the film is produced.
Cinar Announces Canadian Tax Settlements
Cinar Corp. announced that it has finally come to settlements with Canadian federal and provincial tax officials over the repayment of improperly obtained tax credits. Scandal hit the Montreal-based company in the fall of 1999 when fraud allegations were made in the House of Commons claiming that Cinar was placing false Canadian names on scripts written by U.S. writers to gain tax credits. Subsequently, the firm's co-founders Micheline Charest and Ronald Weinberg and CFO Hasanan Panju were fired.
Mobius Advertising Awards Honor The Best In Commercials
* Thursday, February 8, 2001. Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.
Want To Sell Your Toon Premise Then Go To WIA's Writers' Group Seminar
* Thursday, February 8, 2001. Westwood, California, U.S.A.
The Women In Animation Writers' Group Seminar Series meets at Saban Entertainment, 10960 Wilshire Blvd., Westwood at 7:30 pm. Learn how to write and sell your animation premise to a story editor. Fee is US$5. RSVP is required to Jean Ann Wright at: Tel: (818) 360-8321 or E-mail: jjwright@gte.net.
Phoenix Film Festival Sets The Moving Image Ablaze
* Friday, February 9 Sunday, February 11, 2001. Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.A.
The Phoenix Film Festival is a celebration of the movie image. The event features many screenings, seminars, tributes and answer and question discussions. For more information contact the festival at: 200 W. Washington St., 10th Floor, Phoenix, Arizona 85003, U.S.A.; Tel.: (602) 495-0992 or (877) 358-1574; Fax: (800) 293-7936; E-mail: director@phxfilm.com; or Web: http://www.phoenixfilmfestival.com/.
Eyeballnyc Blinks In New Executive Producer
Eyeballnyc, the New York design and production boutique, has named Michael Eastwood as their new executive producer. Previously, Eastwood worked for Andy Arkin's rep firm Blah! BLAH? (Blah...), New York, which represents leading commercial, production design and animation companies. Eastwood started his career as a producer working for Spike & Mike's Festival of Animation.
