AWN's Web Animation Guide is the place for what's new on the Net. This week's edition features funny installments of THIS MODERN WORLD, ABSOLUTE ZERO, SISTER RANDY and much, much more!
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Also every week AWN's associate editor Rick DeMott highlights what he thinks is the top new toon in cyberspace in "Rick's Picks!"
Read Rick's Pick For Friday, November 17, 2000!
The Virtual Reality Conference is geared to bring to light the advantages of virtual reality to a mass market. The conference will focus on the following: what are the uses of virtual reality?; what virtual reality products are currently being manufactured?; what are the key software and design issues within virtual reality?; how is virtual reality being deployed on the Internet?; what opportunities will digital TV offer deployment of virtual environments?; and what are the latest developments in virtual reality research?
On November 14, 2000, Image Entertainment released the anthology film THE PUPPETOON MOVIE on DVD. The compellation of Pal's best Puppetoons was put together by Arnold Leibovit in 1987. The DVD features trailers, bonus Puppetoons and a new Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack. In September, Image released the documentary THE FANTASY FILM WORLDS OF GEORGE PAL. The doc includes interviews with Pal and many of the filmmakers he influenced, behind-the-scenes footage from DESTINATION MOON, trailers, production stills, art and rare promotional excerpts from DOC SAVAGE: MAN OF BRONZE.
In convergence gone backwards, a TV property is moving to the Internet. On November 15, 2000, Time Warner-owned Entertaindom launched the 3D animated Webseries KUNG FU 3D, based on the classic TV series, KUNG FU, starring David Carradine. The series features Carradine voicing his character Kwai Chang Caine. Throughout this new Web serial, 30-year-old Caine lives by and upholds the spiritual beliefs that have driven him to condemn violence and force.
* Friday, November 17, 2000. Friday, February 23, 2001. Tuesday, May 22, 2001. Rochester, New York, U.S.A.
The Rochester Institute of Technology will be screening its film and video MFA theses. The November screening will be held on campus at the newly revamped Webb Auditorium at 7 pm. The other two dates' times and locations are yet to be announced. For more information e-mail Marla Schweppe at mkspph@ritvax.isc.rit.edu.
* Tuesday, November 21, 2000. Glendale, California, U.S.A.
* Monday, November 20 Wednesday, November 29, 2000. Southern California, U.S.A.
Electronic Arts and its Austin, Texas subsidiary, ORIGIN Systems have announced they will release ULTIMA ONLINE: THIRD DAWN early next year. THIRD DAWN is the third upgrade to the popular game that currently boosts more than 200,000 active subscribers. The new version will have enhanced gesturing and motion-captured 3D animations. In addition, THIRD DAWN will include an enhanced lighting and shading system, one new environment, over a dozen new monsters and improved music and sound effects.
John Logan, co-writer of DreamWorks and Universal's GLADIATOR, has been tapped to scribe the tenth installment of Paramount Pictures' STAR TREK film series. The currently untitled project will be produced by Rick Berman and will feature the cast from the STAR TREK: NEXT GENERATION TV series. So far no director has been signed. The STAR TREK movie franchise has grossed more than US$1 billion at the box office and more than $5 billion with merchandising and home video revenue.
Categories for this competition are: Editorial, Books, Advertising; Posters; Graphics; Illustrated Maps and Charts; Computer Media, Unpublished Illustrations; Television & Film; and Student Illustrators. Entry fee: $25-75.
This year the Holland Animation Film Festival will hold its first international competition for independent animation films. With this competition, the festival sets out to promote the short, artistic animation film, and, as a result, encourage media attention toward independent animation. The competition is divided into two separate categories: one for narrative film and one for non-narrative film. In both categories a Grand Prix will be awarded. The maximum length of films entered for the competition is 35 minutes.
Santa Monica, California-based COMPUTERCAFE recently created a pair of 3D animated characters for two new spots for Nerf. In "BallZooka," a boy is pitted against a towering wrestler who looks like he could tear him limb from limb, but he uses his BallZooka, a motorized toy capable of rapidly firing Nerf balls, to pin his opponent to the canvas. In "Power Clip/Wildfire," another boy, armed with a Nerf Power Clip DX 100 Blaster, unleashes a barrage of foam darts that helps him defeat his silver super-speedy foe.
Anime 18 is set to unveil MASQUERADE "Darkness of Love" on video November 14, 2000. From Masaki Kajishima, the creator of PHOTON, MASQUERADE is an erotic thriller that delves into the desires and devastation of discovering eternal life. The video will sell for US$29.99.
VIRGIN FLEET is sailing onto video November 14, 2000. From Ohji Hiroi, creator of SAKURA WARS, VIRGIN FLEET follows the wartime adventures of a Navy girls' school. The video is being released by U.S. Manga Corps and will sell for US$19.99 for an English dubbed version.
ADV Video is about to release the ninth installment in the BUBBLEGUM CRISIS: TOKYO 2040 series. Hitting stores November 14, 2000, "Kill Zone" will continue the adventure of the Knight Sabers in their mission to save Tokyo from the evil Genom. The new installment will include episodes 19 and 20. Volume 10-12 will be released on December 5, 2000, January 23 and February 13, 2001 respectively. The tapes sell for US$19.98 for English dubbed and $29.95 for English subtitled.
ADV Films is proud to present the sequel to the popular SAMURAI X anime feature entitled SAMURAI X: BETRAYAL. After the Great Fire in Edo, Kenshin and Tomoe find peace on a small farm, however the rebellion is slowly rebuilding and the duo's peaceful existence is disrupted when dire news arrives from the city. ADV will release SAMURAI X: BETRAYAL in an English dubbed version on VHS. The DVD release of the film will contain both the English dubbed and subtitled versions. An English subtitled VHS version will be released under the original Japanese title, RUROUNI KENSHIN: BETRAYAL.
ADV Films is releasing the first three episodes of the first 3D animated TV series REBOOT on VHS and DVD. Produced by Mainframe Entertainment, REBOOT chronicles the adventures of Bob and his friends as they surf cyberspace in search of their missing friend. The release will retail for US$14.95 VHS and $24.98 DVD. Currently, REBOOT airs on Cartoon Network in their Toonami programming block.
In celebration of the initial release of FANTASIA/2000 on VHS and DVD, Walt Disney is releasing the original FANTASIA on DVD. Hitting stores November 14, 2000, fans can own the magic and spectacle of both of Disney's masterpieces. The FANTASIA/2000 DVD will feature: a 48-minute making of documentary; two commentary tracks featuring artist Al Hirschfeld, executive producer Roy E. Disney and many of the filmmakers; the 1953 Oscar winning short film, TOOT, WHISTLE, PLUNK AND BOOM; and the never-before-released short entitled MELODY.
The Mad Cow Picture Company has just opened its doors in Sydney, Australia. The new studio specializes in Flash animation and animation pre-production, including storyboarding and character design. Mad Cow Picture Company offers a mix of digital and traditional animation. The company is currently creating pilot episodes for StupidHeroes.com and 00STEVEN: PLAYGROUND PRIVATE EYE. For more information contact The Mad Cow Picture Company at: Tel.: ++612 9808 4153; Fax: ++612 9808 1041; or Web: http://www.madcowpictures.com.
Stan Lee Media (SLM) has signed a deal with Warner Bros. Pictures to develop a new feature film based on the Conan character. Andy and Larry Wachowski, creators of THE MATRIX, have signed on to produce with CONAN THE BARBARIAN director John Milius set to write and direct. The deal allows SLM to exploit the brand across several media outlets with an animated series in the works for television and Internet distribution. SLM only bought the rights to Conan from Conan Properties, Inc. in September.
USA Network announced that it would air SINBAD: BEYOND THE VEIL OF MISTS, the first-ever 3D motion-capture animated feature. The movie will premiere on Thursday, November 30, 2000 at 8 pm ET/PT. SINBAD is the tale of the legendary Sinbad and his crew, who are recruited by a beautiful princess to travel beyond the forbidden Veil of Mists in a quest for the cure to an evil spell placed on the King.
Nickelodeon has ordered 26 additional episodes of LITTLE BILL, their daily preschool series created by Bill Cosby. BILL has scored strong rating for the network since its debut in November 1999, averaging a 7.9 rating/36 share among kids 2-5. Since airing on CBS' Saturday morning block in September, the series has averaged a 4.1 rating/16 share for Viacom-owned CBS. BILL chronicles the daily discoveries of an inquisitive 5-year-old, voiced by Xavier Prichett. The voice cast also includes Gregory Hines, Phylicia Rashad and Ruby Dee.
On October 31, 2000, Missouri Circuit Court Judge Robert H. Dierker threw out the US$24.5 million judgment against Spawn creator Todd McFarlane, originally awarded to former hockey player Tony Twist in July. Twist had sued McFarlane for unauthorized use of his name in the comic book series SPAWN.
The London Effects and Animation Festival handed out its awards at a ceremony on November 14, 2000. DreamWork's GLADIATOR, with visual effects by Mill Film, took home the prize for best effects feature, beating out DINOSAUR and the TV miniseries ARABIAN NIGHTS. The works were judged by a panel of industry experts, media buyers and trade media. The awards kicked off the three day event, which will include screenings, panel discussions, presentations and a sneak peek at PDI and DreamWork's new 3D animated feature SHREK. Below is a complete list of this year's winners.
Walt Disney Internet Group (WDIG) (WDIG) has promoted Erik Flannigan to senior VP of non-Disney-branded entertainment Websites. Previously, Flannigan served as VP of MrShowbiz.com, Movies.com and Wall of Sound. In his new position, Flannigan will continue to be responsible for those three sites as well as ABC.com and Oscar.com. He will relocate to Los Angeles from Seattle. Flannigan joined MrShowbiz in 1995 as an associate editor. Before joining Mr.Showbiz, Flannigan was managing editor of the music publication ICE and senior editor at the Rocket, an independent music newspaper in Seattle.
