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Animation Headline News

Fox Animation Phoenix Burns Out

After only six years in existence, Fox has closed the doors to its Phoenix, Arizona-based animation division, subsequently ending Don Bluth and Gary Goldmans relationship with Fox. The move comes after the recent resignation of Fox Filmed Entertainments chairman and CEO, Bill Mechanic, who had taken a big interest in animation and helped start the Fox facility in Phoenix. With the recent box office disappointment of TITAN A.E., the news is not much of a shock. In February, Fox laid off nearly 70% of its toon factory's staff.

Animation Headline News

Animation Stock Ticker For Tuesday, June 27, 2000

AWNs stock ticker features the most prominent publicly traded companies in the world of animation. AWN, Inc. Network makes available certain financial information from third party information providers. AWN does not give advice in any such fields, and has not reviewed, and in no way endorses the validity of such data. This information is provided solely as a means to keep our readers informed of the market performance and trends of certain companies. AWN strongly suggests that you seek advice from a competent professional regarding any investment or financial issues.

Festival Headline News

Zagreb Festival Heats Up The Toon Scene

The Zagreb Animation Festival was held in the Croatian capital on June 21 25, 2000 for the fourteenth time. The atmosphere was literally hot; the sun shined more than enough during the whole festival, raising the daily temperatures easily to 35 centigrade (approximately 90+° F). No wonder the daily festival newspaper reported about the festival picnic with the headline "A hell-hot picnic". On the positive side, however, is that an effective air conditioned inside drew a large audience for the films. The four competition-screenings were very popular among the local audience.

Million Headline News

Chicken Runs Into DreamWorks Debut History

Despite finishing in second place, CHICKEN RUNs U.S. opening gross was the highest animated debut in DreamWorks history. With Jim Carreys ME, MYSELF & IRENE taking the top spot in its premiere, CHICKEN RUNs US$17.51 million gross was more chicken feed than ANTZ $17.2 million debut stock piled. The future box office glory isnt bleak for the British beaks. With next weekends July 4th holiday and wonderful word of mouth, pun-squawking poultry may slip in the ranks behind big holiday new comers, but might out gross its debut with strong family attendance.

Disney Headline News

Disney Destroyed Documents In Winnie Licensing Case

In a 22-page decision filed Friday, June 23, 2000, L.A. Superior Court Judge Ernest Hiroshige ruled that the Walt Disney Co. willfully destroyed documents regarding the long-running litigation over royalties on WINNIE THE POOH. The judge ruled that plaintiff Stephen Slesinger Inc., owner of the rights to late author A.A. Milne's WINNIE THE POOH characters, is entitled to monetary sanctions and that the jury in the upcoming trial be instructed that Disney willfully suppressed evidence to prevent it being presented.

Live-action Headline News

Live Action Backgrounds Set Scene For Puppet Feature

In August, Germany-based director Heinrich Sabl will start production of MEMORY HOTEL, which will feature puppets animated against live-action backgrounds. The main difficulty in filming the feature is that the filmmakers only have seven seconds to set up the new frame before it needs to be shot. This short time frame to adjust the puppets into their new position is due to continuity of the live-action environment (ie clouds, grass, trees, etc).

Headline News

Castle Museum Wants To Guard Your Animation

The Castle Museum and the organizers of the Annecy Festival have begun to gather a collection of animation artifacts. The museum is calling for filmmakers to contribute documents, drawings, artwork etc. from their productions to be preserved. The collection has many optical machines and toys from the early days of cinema. The museum started gathering objects of importance in the 1960s and wishes the continued support of filmmakers to protect and honor the rich heritage of the medium.

Series Headline News

New BBC Series Big Knights Completed

U.K.-based Astley Baker has just finished up their new series for the BBC, THE BIG KNIGHTS. The new show is created by Mark Baker (JOLLY ROGER) and Neville Astley (TRAINSPOTTER). The series chronicles the tales of two knights: one the best swordsman in the world and the second is at least the most enthusiastic swordsman in the world. Along with the armor-clad pet dog and hamster, the two knuckle-headed knights leave the Castle Big on search for adventure.

Anime Headline News

Crackartoon Bones Down With Anime, Jacob

Italy-based Crackartoon is currently in production on three new series BAR BONES, JACOB and ANIME SOULS. Giorgio Bellasio and Terry Amanini created BAR BONES with Carlo Cordella penning the project. The series chronicle the tale of several dogs that live out surreal dreams in an old run down caravan/bar. JACOB was also created by Giorgio Bellasio and Terry Amanini and is scribed by Alex Crippa. The show is a spoof of John Carpenters HALLOWEEN series, where the murderer, dawning a panda mask, steps over everyone in his way to obtain the sweets (ie candy) that he desires.

Animation Events

7th Bradford Animation Festival

By Guest (not verified) | Saturday, June 24, 2000 at 11:00am
Begins: June 24, 2000

The Bradford Animation Festival (BAF!) is a project of the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television in England. BAF! is looking specifically for new animation from all over the world in its eight competitive categories. All submitted films will be considered for screening and for the eight Festival Awards. The categories are: Non-Professional under 16; Experimental; Promotional/Commercial;

Entertainment Events

Showbiz Expo and Conference

By Guest (not verified) | Friday, June 23, 2000 at 11:00am
Begins: June 23, 2000

In its 17th year, the Showbiz Expo and Conference is a major spot for companies to showcase their production products and discuss the future of the entertainment industry. Among this year's seminars will be "Digital Hollywood: Bringing Entertainment Project Management into the New Millennium." The event will be hosted by Creative Planet and feature a look at how new technology will transform the efficiency of entertainment production. Another seminar of interest is "Storyboards For People Who Can't Draw." The discussion will be lead by James O. Fraioli, the author of STORYBOARDING 101.

Open Events

DancesWithFilms

By Guest (not verified) | Friday, June 23, 2000 at 11:00am
Begins: June 23, 2000

DancesWithFilms is a competitive event featuring a line-up of more than a dozen full-length narrative films and sixteen narrative shorts. DWF's mission is to open a venue for new and upcoming filmmakers to present their work without the fear of politics overshadowing their screen time. The criteria for entries are: 1. Is the person attached able to raise financing (even small sums) at any point based solely on the "name"? 2. Is the person attached able to open doors that might otherwise stay closed?

Animation Headline News

New Jobs: Animators, Digital Artists, Directors, Visual Artists And More...

Sylmar, California-based VCE, Inc. is looking for 2D EFFECTS ARTISTS

for work on a high profile motion picture. . . Visual Book

Productions, a company producing animated e-books, is looking for 3D

ARTISTS. . . Santa Clarita, California-based College of the Canyons

is seeking ANIMATION INSTRUCTORS for a tenure-track position in

Animation for the Fall 2000 semester. . . Homewood, Illinois-based

StarToons, a privately-owned, animator-owned studio, is looking for

Headline News

Summer Scholarship In Digital Media Arts From Video Symphony

Video Symphony's Boot-Up! is a unique summer program in digital media

arts for creative people aged 17 to 24, all with a 55% sponsored

scholarship! The 120-hour Boot-Up! curriculum covers: Nonlinear

film/video editing (Avid); Web construction (Macromedia Dreamweaver);

Web animation (Macromedia Flash); Imaging and graphics (Adobe

Photoshop); and DVD pre-mastering (Sonic Solutions DVD Creator).

Sessions begin June 26, July 17 and August 7, 2000. Open House is on

Festival Headline News

Old Man Wins Annecy

The Oscar winner for best short animated film, "The Old Man And The

Sea," has won the coveted grand prize at the International Festival

of Animated Film at Annecy. In a lively ceremony held on Saturday,

June 10, 2000, the awards were handed out by the festival's artistic

director, Serge Bromberg. The short and feature film jury, comprised

of Meral Erez (Turkey), Aida Ndiaye (Senegal), Georges Schwizgebel

(Switzerland), John Lasseter (U.S.A.) and Jimmy T. Murakami

Films Headline News

Ottawa Entry Deadline Approaching!

The deadline for entries at this year's Ottawa 00 International

Animation Festival is July 1, 2000. The festival will accept entries

as late as July 5, 2000. There are three competitions: independent

films, commissioned films and animation for the Internet. Categories

include: films for children, graduate films, independent films under

50 minutes, first professional film, TV series, TV special,

commercials, music videos, educational or industrial, ids, trailers

Film Headline News

Holland Animation Film Festival Call For Entries

The next Holland Animation Film Festival will take place in Utrecht,

the Netherlands, November 15-19, 2000. Since 1985 this biennial

festival has aimed to be an intermediary between animators and the

business world, in addition to including film screenings,

retrospectives and theater programs. In the competition for applied

animation, films can be entered in the following categories:

publicity and promotional films; music videos; educational and

Films Headline News

Store Specials: An English Insert For Folimage Catalog And The Best Of Zagreb

Folioscope's catalog, "L'Equipée de Folimage Studio de Films

d'Animation," now includes an English insert for non-French speakers!

The catalog is a companion for the exhibition on Folimage, the

creators of the 1999 Cartoon d'Or winner, "L'Enfant Au Grelot"

(Charlie's Christmas), among other award winning productions. The

Folimage exhibition will be presented at the Annecy Museum, Annecy

France, June 3-October 31, 2000.

Film Headline News

A Closer Look: Petrov Runs Off With All The Prizes

Alexander Petrov's "The Old Man And The Sea" won the coveted Grand

Prix at the International Festival of Animated Film at Annecy. The

paint-on-glass Imax short also won the audience prize. Petrov worked

for 2 1/2 years on the 20 minute animated film. A Canadian, Japanese

and Russian co-production, the film has been financed 95% by private

investments from Canada, and in part by NHK, the largest TV network

in Japan. The film is an adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's novel "The

Cartoon Events

Cartoon Master

By Guest (not verified) | Thursday, June 22, 2000 at 11:00am
Begins: June 22, 2000

Cartoon Master, sponsored by Cartoon the European Animation Association, will delve into the expanding opportunities on the Internet. The focus of the event will be to take a look at the legal terrain of the Web and how it affects producers. In the first session on Friday, the program will define what new media is and how it will affect professionals in production, distribution and ownership. Later on Friday, the discussion will focus on how television programming will be affected by the new medium. The first session on Sunday will center on the field of rights on the Net.

Headline News

Cinar Stock To Be Delisted

At the end of June, before a securities commission, Cinar Corp. will have to defend why they feel their stock should not be delisted from stock exchanges in Canada and the U.S. The Montreal-based childrens producer has dates to appear with the Ontario Securites Commission on June 30 and with the Nasdaq exchange sometime next month to reveal the reason behind why the firm has been unable to file its financial statements since the period ended November 30, 1999.

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