USL-WOA, the post-production and visual effects division of UTV in Mumbai, India, has added fire and smoke editing/finishing systems to its existing Discreet-based workflow. The company anticipates a workload of 200 commercials and up to 30 film projects in 2005.
Warner Bros. Pictures has officially announced that British television helmer David Yates (STATE OF PLAY, THE WAY WE LIVE NOW) has been signed to direct HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX. The film will be produced by David Heyman from a screenplay by Michael Goldenberg (WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, PETER PAN). Production on the film is expected to begin in England in January 2006.
The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled that Stan Lee is entitled to 10% of the profits Marvel has received since Nov. 1998 from studios for the right to produce and distribute motion pictures and television productions based on Marvel's characters, and from movie-based toys manufactured and sold by Marvel itself.
Fox Licensing & Merchandising and McFarlane Toys have announced a new licensing agreement for action figures based on characters from THE SIMPSONS. These new action figures will be released this fall in two separate multi-figure boxed sets. Each box will contain a different set of action figures re-creating favorite moments. A a full product line will hit shelves in 2006.
Kerner Ent. has announced that Academy Award-winner Julia Roberts, Oprah Winfrey, John Cleese, Steve Buscemi, Cedric The Entertainer, Reba McEntire, Kathy Bates, Thomas Haden Church and Andre Benjamin (Andre 3000) have joined the voice cast of the upcoming live-action/photo real CG animated feature adaptation of E.B. White's CHARLOTTE'S WEB. Jordan Kerner is producing with Gary Winick directing. The film is co-production with Paramount Pictures, Walden Media and Nickelodeon Movies. The feature is scheduled to begin production on Jan. 31, 2005 in Melbourne, Australia.
Sony Online Ent. Inc. (SOE) announced a new launch title for the PSP handheld entertainment system. Developed and published by SOE, UNTOLD LEGENDS: BROTHERHOOD OF THE BLADE will be one of the few original titles developed in North America, and the only multiplayer action role-playing game (RPG) available at the system's launch.
Cecilia Persson has been appointed director of acquisitions for Cartoon Network, Boomerang and Toonami channels in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).
The vfx bake-off is tonight at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, as the Visual Effects Award Nominating Committee narrows the list of seven contenders down to three nominees, among them THE AVIATOR, THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW, HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN, I ROBOT
HypeFest Screenplay Competition 2005Hollywood, California, USAJuly 29-31, 2005Deadline: April 1, 2005
Tribeca Underground Film FestivalWorld Wide WebApril 7, 2005Deadline: March 1, 2005
The Tribeca Underground Film Festival showcases works in all genres and visual forms with a length ranging from 5 to 30 minutes. Chosen films will screen as part of the Tribeca Screening Series. Fore additional information, visit www.TribecaUndergroundFilmFestival.org.
Animation historian/journalist Harvey Deneroff has joined The Savannah College of Art and Design School of Film and Digital Media as one of three new professors beginning winter quarter 2005.
Deneroff, recently moved from London to Atlanta, joins the college as a part-time professor of animation. The former ANIMATION MAGAZINE and ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE editor has a Ph.D. in communication-cinema and a M.A. degree in cinema from USC.
Fueled by strong growth of the states economy and the need for trained workers in many industries, Westwood College has opened two new campuses in the Atlanta area, adding to its system of campuses across the nation. To celebrate the opening, the community is invited to a grand opening event Jan. 26 at the Midtown Campus.
For January 18, 2005, ADV Films will release SAIYUKI: REQUIEM, THE MOTION PICTURE and FARSCAPE: STARBURST EDITION, COLLECTION TWO.
Stan Lees POW! (Purveyors of Wonder) Entertainment and Vidiator Technology (U.S.) Inc., a leading mobile multimedia solutions provider of mobile streaming and delivery of 3D rich-media applications, have team to develop and license exclusive live-action animated content for mobile devices using Vidiator's realtime streaming solution. The alliance will help shape the emerging business of content distribution and M-commerce on wireless platforms. Vidiator will have an exclusive relationship with POW!
Walt Disney Feature Animation has greenlit a story for its TOY STORY 3 feature, reports HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. The premise comes from Jared Stern, a participant in Disney's feature animation story development program. Stern pitched the idea to the studio, who is keeping details quiet. It has not been decided whether Stern will write the screenplay or other writers will be brought in to craft the first non-Pixar sequel to the TOY STORY franchise.
Peter Jackson and partner Fran Walsh have purchased the film rights to the Alice Sebold novel, THE LOVELY BONES, reports VARIETY. FilmFour sold the rights to Jackson and Walsh and will remain a developing partner. Jackson, Walsh and Philippa Boyens plan to begin writing the screenplay next January. Distribution and financing will not be obtained until the script is finished. The move is to ensure that Jackson and Walsh do not have to work under a studio deadline. The film will be produced by Jackson along with Jan Blenkin, Caro Cunningham and Aimee Peyronnet.
NewTek Inc. has launched version 8.2 for LightWave 3D. The update includes major changes to the renderer core to implement new technologies for anti-aliasing, as well as new options for image reconstruction filters that can be applied to the final image to offer further control and enhancement of render output. The new LightWave team has also implemented a completely redesigned UV engine in the geometry core, which affects both Modeler and Layout, to make creating and editing UV maps easier and more powerful.
A disappointment theatrically, CATWOMAN nonetheless is tailor made for home theaters with its vision of a skin-tight, leather clad Halle Berry as the feline superhero and director Pitofs pronounced visual style. The DVD (Warner Home Video, $27.95) hits shelves Jan. 18, 2004. VFX provided by ESC Ent., Frantic Films, Tippett Studio, Pacific Title & Art Studio, Christov Effects and Design and Matte World Digital.
Bonus features include:* Alternate ending
Thanks to the long-awaited GHOST IN THE SHELL 2 INNOCENCE, which continues Mamoru Oshiis acclaimed anime cyber-tech thriller, we can now view and analyze both movies on DVD, including a brand new GHOST IN THE SHELL Special Edition.
Maxon kicks off 2005 with the release of a new, free plug-in that connects Cinema 4D CINEMA to Alienbrain Studio, the professional asset management system from NXN/Avid.
The plug-in allows the Cinema 4D user to work directly with an installed Alienbrain server. Automated read/write access management for scenes and textures, project history and difference checking are all available directly from within Cinema 4D, as are the Alienbrain tools for workflow and internal communication.
Twentieth Century Fox's action/adventure feature ELEKTRA, which opened in the U.S. Jan. 14, 2005, had already captured audiences with its online strategy game. The ELEKTRA NINJA ASSASSIN GAME (www.elektramovie.com/game/) has logged a phenomenal 30,000 hours of gameplay with users from 163 countries since its debut last November.
Filmmakers Mark Simon and Travis Blaise from Orlando were the grand-prize winners in the Nicktoons Film Festival for their short film, TIMMY'S LESSONS IN NATURE. The 2D animated, comedic look at what not to do in the wild outdoors garnered them the $10,000 prize money, selected by festival sponsors Nicktoons, Frederator Studios and ANIMATION MAGAZINE.
Bangalore-based game development company Dhruva Interactive is planning to set up a studio in China due to what it reports is a severe workforce shortage in the animation industry in India, it was reported in the zDNet India News.
"We will be setting up a studio in China in the next 12-18 months as we cannot increase the size of our teams in India," said K. Rajesh Rao, ceo of Dhruva. "We are planning to employ about 150 people in China for the studio," he adds.
2005 AICP ShowNew York, New York, USAJune 14, 2005Deadline: February 18, 2005
Fox Broadcasting Co. is programming to take advantage of the Super Bowl XXXIX lead-in audience on Feb. 6, 2005, to showcase THE SIMPSONS and a sneak peek at FAMILY GUY creator Seth McFarlanes new series AMERICAN DAD.
