Animation World Network

Alias|Wavefront Announces Maya 4

On April 23, 2001, at NAB, the annual international conference of the National Association of Broadcasters in Las Vegas, Alias|Wavefront announced Maya 4, the sixth major release of its professional 3D animation and visual effects software. This major new release features enhancements and optimizations that will improve the products overall performance and efficiency, particularly in the areas of rendering, character animation, brush and paint tools and games related functionality.

In Technology, Technology | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Headline News

Softimage Hints At New Products, Highlights XSI

On April 23, 2001, at NAB, the annual international conference of the National Association of Broadcasters in Las Vegas, Softimage demonstrated version 1.5 of its SOFTIMAGE|XSI software and hinted that a new release would be ready for SIGGRAPH in July. "I can't say much more," program manager Michael Smith commented, "but this next release will be big." Softimage introduced its "INNOVATE::CREATE::COLLABORATE" tagline and displayed the power of XSI with images of Manta, a 3D character created in XSI.

In Technology, Technology | Headline News | Special Events: SIGGRAPH | Geographic Region: All

Headline News

Apple Announces QuickTime 5, Streaming Server 3

On April 23, 2001, Apple announced the immediate availability of QuickTime 5 and the upcoming availability of QuickTime Streaming Server 3 at NAB, the annual international conference of the National Association of Broadcasters in Las Vegas. In addition, Apple is demonstrating a preview version of QuickTime with support for industry-standard MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 encoding and decoding. "QuickTime has been long established as the digital media standard for capturing, encoding and delivering content on the Internet," said Philip Schiller, Apple's vice president of worldwide product marketing.

In Technology, Technology | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Million Headline News

SGI Announces Q3 Revenue Growth, Staff Layoffs

SGI on April 20, 2001, announced their third consecutive quarter of increased revenue growth and improved operating performance. For the quarter ending March 31, 2001, the company posted revenue of $510 million, compared with $487 million in the quarter ended December 31, 2000, which represents a 5% increase. The company reported a net operating loss of $47 million for the quarter, excluding charges, compared with a net operating loss of $93 million in the previous quarter.

In Business, Business | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Film Headline News

Where’s My Shorts?

Sharon Katz, creator of HAPPY BIRTHDAY HANNAH (Audience Choice Award, Chicks 'n Flicks Film Festival), has finished her newest animated short, THE ANGEL'S FOOT CAKE / DER FUS TORT. In the film, Drinkeleh Fresserkeh decides to make a cake in the shape of an Angel's foot. The Angels take umbrage and the fun begins in this delightfully raucous modern Yiddish animated tale. The film premiers April 29, 2001 at the Toronto Jewish Film Festival.

In Films, Flash, Films, Flash | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

TV’s Cops And Robbers Come To PlayStation

Through an exclusive worldwide publishing and distribution agreement with Fox Interactive, Activision, Inc. will soon bring shootouts, robberies and high-speed car chases to the PlayStation with WORLDS SCARIEST POLICE CHASES. Based on the Fox television show of the same name, the game features running commentary from retired Sheriff Jon Bunnell, with an array of action-packed police missions. The game will allow players complete control as they take on the role of police officers, chasing down and apprehending law breaking criminals.

In Interactive, Games, Interactive | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Animation Events

Animated Encounters 2001

Begins: April 26, 2001

Animated Encounters 2001 is in its second year and covers every angle of animation. There will be seminars and workshops led by key industry figures, which give visitors the chance to pitch ideas, plus the opportunity to meet leading studio heads and recruiting producers. Animated Encounters is supported by DreamWorks SKG, BBC Animation, BBC MediaArc, Aardman Animations, WESTEC, A for Animation, and Animation UK magazine. The festival will also feature a Pixar retrospective, a showcase on Australia and a kids' programme.

In Event Types: Seminars / Workshops, Animation

Headline News

VeCToR LouNGe Online Multimedia Event

* Saturday, April 28 - Sunday, April 29, 2001. Paris, France

* Wednesday, June 6 Friday, June 8, 2001. Annecy, France

In Event, Event | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Europe

Animation Headline News

New Jobs: 2D Animators, 3D Character Animators, Background Artists And More...

Lombard, Illinois' Big Idea Productions, a family media company, ishaving an OPEN CALL for 3D ANIMATION DIRECTORS, 3D CHARACTERANIMATORS, ART DIRECTORS, ANIMATORS, CONCEPT ARTISTS and MODELERS. . .Halifax, Canada's Collideascope Digital Productions, Inc., a newmedia and convergence company, is looking for an ANIMATOR and 2DANIMATOR. . . Wiesbaden, Germany's Die Kolonie GbR, a talent andrecruiting agency, is looking for a TV-DESIGNER & ANIMATOR 2D & 3D. . .Bregenz, Austria's KE Consult is looking for a FLASH SPECIALIST to

In Flash, Flash | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Europe, North America

David Headline News

Snowden And Fine's Bob And Margaret Nominated For Rose D'or

An episode of AWN Affiliates Alison Snowden and David Fine's BOB ANDMARGARET has been nominated for the prestigious Rose D'Or, an annualinternational television festival and competition held in Montreux,Switzerland, open to more than 2000 producers and broadcasters fromaround the world. This year's festival will be held April 26 - May1, 2001. Of this year's 16 nominees in the Sitcom category, twoanimated series were selected, including UPN's GARY & MIKE, producedat Will Vinton Studios, and a BOB AND MARGARET episode titled "Going

In Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Europe

Headline News

Affiliate Site Updates: Animha Productions And SAFO

- Complete Site Redesign for Animha

Animha Productions has completely redesigned their Website on AWN. The newsite has information on the organization, workshops such as"Suspended Animation" and "Eyes of Fire," cool clips from variousprojects, and the latest news and information about activities andhappenings within the organization. Animha is an association ofartists, writers, animators and filmmakers based in the NorthernRegion of England. Animha works in partnership with schools,

In Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Europe, North America

Film Headline News

Where's My Shorts?

We've started compiling information about new short films for our AWNreaders, appropriately titled "Where's My Shorts?" Lest we get toojovial, each week, we'll provide a brief compilation of new shortfilms premiering during that week, either at a festival, exhibition,screening or online. They could be gems, they could be industrialeffluent, we hazard no guess. However, we can tell you that theworks are supposedly "new," which gives us hope that someone,somewhere is doing something besides lying around their den, eating

In Flash, Flash | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

This Week's Animation Trivia Quiz

Test your skills and challenge your brain with AWN's Animation Trivia Quiz...

In Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Festival Headline News

New Additions To AWN's Calendar Of Events

This week's updates to the Calendar of Events includes: ConvergenceFilm/Video/Animation Festival, September 14 - September 20, 2001,Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.A.; Jan Svankmajer Restrospective, June15-17, 2001, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.; Mac 3D NY Seminars, May2, 2001, New York City, New York, U.S.A.; Matita Animated FilmFestival, September 27 - September 30, 2001, Chieti, Abruzzo, Italy;Minnesota Fringe Short Film and Video Festival, August 3 - August 12,2001, Minnesota, U.S.A.; Nick Park Tribute At The Los Angeles Museum

In Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Europe, North America

Festival Headline News

Minnesota Fringe Short Film and Video Festival

* Friday, August 3 Sunday, August 12, 2001. Minnesota, U.S.A.

Entry Deadline: June 1, 2001.

In Call for Entries, Call for Entries | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, North America

Festival Headline News

Convergence Film/Video/Animation Festival

* Friday, September 14 - Thursday, September 20, 2001. Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.A.

Entry Deadline: June 1, 2001.

In Call for Entries, Call for Entries | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, North America

Film Headline News

Matita Animated Film Festival

* Thursday, September 27 - Sunday, September 30, 2001. Chieti, Abruzzo, Italy.

Entry Deadline: July 7, 2001.

In Call for Entries, Call for Entries | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Europe

Film Headline News

The Tahoe International Film Festival

* Thursday, September 27 - Tuesday, October 2, 2001. Lake Tahoe, California, U.S.A.

Entry Deadline: June 29, 2001

In Call for Entries, Call for Entries | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, North America

Headline News

Jan Svankmajer Retrospective

* Friday, June 15 Sunday, June 17, 2001. Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

In Event, Event | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Europe, North America

Animation Headline News

Nordic and Baltic Animation Festival

* Wednesday, May 2 - Sunday, May 6, 2001. Fredrikstad, Norway.

In Event, Event | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Europe

Nick Headline News

Nick Park Tribute At The Los Angeles Museum of Television and Radio

* Thursday, April 19 - Sunday, May 20, 2001. Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

In Event, Event | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, North America

Headline News

Mac 3D NY Seminars

* Wednesday, May 2, 2001. New York City, New York, U.S.A.

MAC 3D NY, a Mac 3D Artist Association, is hosting meetings every other month at the Apple Marketing Center in New York City. The next meeting will be held Wednesday, May 2, 2001 at 6:00 pm. The topic is: Architecture and 3D/CAD Industrial Design, with guests from Form-Z, Architosh and Artlantis. The Apple Marketing Center is located at 53rd Street at Lexington Avenue, on the 29th floor of the Citicorp building. For pre-registration and other information, visit: www.mac3dny.org

In Event, Event | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, North America

Sharon Katz' New Short Premieres At The Toronto Jewish Film Festival

* Sunday, April 29, 2001. Toronto, Canada

Sharon Katz' new short, THE ANGEL'S FOOT CAKE / DER FUS TORT premieres April 29, 2001 at the Toronto Jewish Film Festival. THE ANGEL'S FOOT CAKE is a raucous modern Yiddish tale accompanied by Klezmer music. For more information on Sharon Katz' work, including her previous short, HAPPY BIRTHDAY HANNAH, visit: www.sharonkatz.net

In Event, Event | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, North America

Animation Events

Max The Mutt Animation School Graduate Exhibition

Begins: April 25, 2001

Max the Mutt Animation School, also known as Studio M, will be having a special preview showing for the animation industry, April 25, 2001 from 3 to 7 pm. Works on display will include classical animation, storyboards, character design, as well as life drawing. Graduating students will be present and available for portfolio interviews. An invitation is available online at www.maxthemutt.com/industryday.html.

In Event Types: Exhibits, Animation

Events

Hal Willner's Harry Smith Project

Begins: April 25, 2001

An all-star lineup of musicians presents a cutting-edge celebration of Harry Smith's work, including his experimental films, the groundbreaking "Anthology of American Folk Music" and other recordings. Featuring Beck, Elvis Costello, Marianne Faithfull, Percy Heath, Van Dyke Parks, Bob Neuwirth, Richard Thompson, David Thomas, Todd Rundgren, T. Bone Burnett, the Folksmen, Smokey Hormel, Mary Margaret O'Hara and Kate and Anna McGarrigle.

In Event Types: Exhibits, Animation