Palo Alto, California-based PACIFIC DATA IMAGES (PDI)has hired JOHN BATTER to the newly created position of Chief FinancialOfficer. He previously held the same post at DreamWorks Interactive wherehe was part of the start-up management team. Prior to DreamWorks, Batterwas CFO for game developer Xatrix Entertainment. Batter's appointment willfree up time for PDI founder and president Carl Rosendahl to move into achairman's position. The company is also searching to fill an additionalexecutive CEO or COO post to assist Rosendahl. In addition, PDI recentlypromoted PATTY WOOTON to senior vice president of production. . . . . "Kingof the Hill" writers ALAN COHEN and ALAN FREEDLAND, along with the show'sco-creator, MIKE JUDGE have sold a pitch to Twentieth Century Fox for alive-action feature film called "Lost in Duncanville." Mike Judge, who hasa first look film and TV deal with Fox, will supervise development of,produce and may direct "Duncanville." Judge is currently directing alive-action feature spin-off of his independently animated short, "OfficeSpace" for Fox. Previously he directed the series and animated featureversions of the property he created, "Beavis and Butt-Head" for MTV. . . .New York-based visual effects/post-production company MANHATTAN TRANSFERhas hired DAVID ISYOMIN as visual effects supervisor. Isyomin previouslyheld the same position at Digital Domain in Venice, California and alsoworked at R/Greenberg & Associates. . . . CHRIS ROBINSON, director of theOttawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) has recently added aneditorial role to his slate. He will be the editor of "FPS," a Canadianprint magazine about animation which was previously edited by EmruTownsend. KELLY NEALL, a past co-director of OIAF, will be associateeditor. "FPS" expects to print quarterly issues starting in fall 1998.
