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AWN Headline News

Game Headline News

TDK Mediactive Announces Shrek Kart Title For Game Boy Advance

TDK Mediactive Inc., a global publisher of entertainment software, has announced theyve begun development on a new title for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance system based on the mega-hit DreamWorks film, SHREK. The title, scheduled for a spring 2002 release, will feature characters from the movie in a kart race. "The response to SHREK both as a feature film and video game has been tremendous," said Vincent Bitetti, chief executive officer of TDK Mediactive.

Digital Headline News

WB Online Orders 30 New Installments Of Multipath Superman

Warner Bros. Online has ordered an additional 30 Webisodes of the 3D animated THE MULTIPATH ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN from producer Brilliant Digital Entertainment. The new installments will debut this fall, lifting the total number of Webisodes in the series to 75. In addition to SUPERMAN, WB.com airs Brilliant Digital's XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS, CHOOSE YOUR OWN NIGHTMARE and starting this fall, selected animated music videos from such musical artists as Ja Rule, Ludacris, Redman and Lady Luck. Brilliant Digital president Kevin Bermeister said, "Warner Bros.

Headline News

Avid Lowers Second Quarter Expectations

Avid Technology, Inc. has announced a lower outlook for its second quarter financial results. As a result of weakened economic conditions globally, revenues for the second quarter ended June 30, 2001 are projected to be below previous expectations and in the range of US$108 to $111 million. Avid's European video business and the company's worldwide audio business have been most impacted by the slowing economy, with both experiencing reductions in revenue over last year. As a result of the reduced revenue, gross profit will be lower than originally expected.

Headline News

All Warner Bros. Stores To Close

A Warner Bros. spokeswoman announced that AOL Time Warner will close all of its U.S.-based Warner Bros. Studio Stores by the end of October. The move will cut another 3,800 jobs from the mega-firm and is attributed to the company's failure to find a buyer for the troubled chain store. At its peak there were 130 stores worldwide. "We're in a wind-down process," a Warner Bros. spokeswoman said. "Management decided to get out of the owned and operated retail business."

Headline News

Click 3x Creates One-Of-A-Kind Open For One Show

New Yorks Click 3x recently designed and produced a 2-minute video opening for One Show Interactive, a leading awards competition for interactive media design. The video, which kicked off the awards ceremony held recently in New York, features a journey inside the events prized Gold Pencil Award to reveal the creativity within. Conceived by Click 3x creative directors Christine Lin, Eve Lim and Michael Wiehart, the piece opens with a field of animated graphics representing software code and a gold-toned loading bar.

Headline News

Kellogg Makes Powerpuff Pop-Tarts

Cartoon Network and Kellogg have teamed up to create THE POWERPUFF GIRLS Pop-Tarts. The toaster pastries contain "Powberry" filling with lavender icing topped with green, blue, pink and yellow sprinkles. "Kellogg is glad this crime-fighting trio is on our side to help ensure kids have a wholesome, fun breakfast," said Kim Miller, director of marketing for Pop-Tarts.

Headline News

Daz Productions Completes A New Breed Of Animation

DAZ Productions, a 3D figure development studio, has announced the completion for their new animated short A NEW BREED. The 30-second action short was made to highlight the power and versatility of "stock" DAZ models when combined with the tools of Lightwave. The short uses DAZ's Michael and Victoria characters. The short is meant to highlight DAZ's many completed figures, which can save time and provide animators with a limitless number of body and facial types through the use of morph targets.

Game Headline News

Novalogic Announces Comanche 4

Computer developer and publisher NovaLogic Inc. has announced the upcoming release of the highly anticipated fourth installment of the COMANCHE series, based on the U.S. Army's next-generation armed reconnaissance helicopter -- the RAH-66 by Boeing-Sikorsky. COMANCHE 4 is scheduled to hit stores in late 2001. The game allows players to become a Comanche pilot. The helicopter's versatility in reconnaissance, ground attack and air combat roles will be emphasized in the game's all-new missions.

Headline News

Clifford The Big Red Dog Wins Humanitas Prize

Scholastic has announced that its animated series CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG has been awarded the Humanitas Prize for 2001 in the Children's Animation Category. The award was presented to Scholastic for the episode, A NEW FRIEND. We're delighted that the Humanitas jurors have chosen CLIFFORD to receive this wonderful award," said Deborah Forte, executive producer of CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG, and an executive vice president of Scholastic Inc. "We have worked hard to tell stories in CLIFFORD that are about diversity and community.

Headline News

Aardman Halts Tortoise vs Hare, Lays Off 90

Aardman Animations has halted work on TORTOISE VS HARE. The Bristol-based studio plans to start production up again in six months after script problems are worked out. Due to the hiatus 90 out of its 172 crew were laid off, but Aardman hopes to rehire them once production begins again. "The characters have got to be fleshed out," Aardman spokesman Arthur Sheriff said.

Million Headline News

Independence Day Rains Cats & Dogs At Box Office

Warner Bros.' CATS & DOGS edged out Dimensions SCARY MOVIE 2 for the Independence Day weekend box office crown. The puppy and feline fracas, with primary visual effects by Tippett Studios and Rhythm & Hues, barked up US$21.67 million over Friday-Sunday and $35.72 million since Wednesday. SCARY 2, with primary visual effects by Artist's Asylum, laughed in $21 million over the weekend and $34.5 million since its debut on Wednesday. Steven Spielberg's A.I.: ARTIFICAL INTELLIGENCE dropped over 50% from its opening gross to take home $14.15 million in third.

Film Headline News

Lil' Pimp Lands Voice Talent

Revolution Studios has announced the stars attached to its Flash animated feature film LIL' PIMP. Bernie Mac, Jennifer Tilly, William Shatner and Carmen Electra have already signed on to voice characters in the film, which is based on the Web series of the same name. Rapper/thesp Lil' Kim is in final talks join the cast as well. The film is scheduled to hit theatres in 2002.

Production Headline News

Wild Brain Inc. Promotes Petroff To Head Of Production

San Franciscos Wild Brain, Inc. has promoted BZ Petroff to head of production. In her new position, Petroff will be responsible for developing strategies to strengthen all aspects of the studios various production-related departments. As Wild Brain continues to add to its CG and other technology-based capabilities, BZ will look for ways to incorporate these tools into the studios work in TV, film and interactive production. In addition to her new role as head of production, Petroff is also a dedicated producer. She recently completed work on the new Warner Bros.

Production Headline News

Teva Co-Produces Letters From My Windmill With Disney Channel France

French production house Teva announced that LETTERS FROM MY WINDMILL, a stop-motion, 8 x 13 television series and feature film, will be co-produced with the Disney Channel in France. The background models will be made at the Disneyland Europe studios, as part of a tourist attraction. Teva also announced the participation of Tonino Guerra in their feature film project 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA. Guerra is a famed Italian screenwriter who worked for Michelangelo Antonioni and Frederico Fellini, among others.

Animation Headline News

Wrigley’s Unveils New TV Campaign For Winterfresh Gum

Wrigleys Winterfresh chewing gum is getting a new TV campaign that features six spots directed by six different directors showcasing several distinct animation styles. Wrigley and BBDO Chicago developed the creative strategy and led the execution of the creative campaign. San Francisco-based animation studio Wild Brain provided the animation. All spots were scheduled for full rotation as of June 25, 2001. Wrigley has become a champion of breakthrough creative, says Jim Hyman, senior vice president, creative director at BBDO Chicago.

Show Headline News

Yu + Co Creates Show Package For Sundance Channel

Hollywoods yU + co has designed and produced a graphics package for ANATOMY OF A SCENE, a new original series on the Sundance Channel. The package includes the shows main title sequence. ANATOMY OF A SCENE offers a fascinating view of the filmmaking process by going behind the scenes of a current film to show how a critical scene was made. Sundance Channel intended the main title to reflect this concept. yU + cos solution was to take a finished scene and deconstruct it.

Company Headline News

Ehrich Joins Attik As Senior Producer

Eve Ehrich has joined ATTIK, the brand communications company, as a senior producer in the New York studio. While production managing a package of promos for ESPN2's TUESDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS, which was designed, directed and produced by ATTIK earlier this year, Ehrich was invited to join the company. "I was enjoying the freelance life but an offer to work with a company that is as forward thinking conceptually and creatively as ATTIK was an opportunity I couldn't pass up.

Headline News

Boomerang Launches Into Latin America

Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) Latin America, Inc. has launched its new, 24-hour animation network, Boomerang. "The launch of Boomerang provides characters like Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound, Quick Draw McGraw and Jonny Quest with a new place they can call home," said Barry Koch, vice president of Cartoon Network Latin America and Boomerang Latin America. "Over the last couple of years, as Cartoon Network's programming has evolved, we have had less time to showcase the classic cartoons we all love.

Headline News

Thequality.Com Uses B3d To Create Multilingual Movie

thequality.com, an interactive media production company that creates cross-cultural entertainment, has announced the launch of Europe's first multilingual online 3D movie. Launched on June 25, 2001, HORSES FOR COURSES went live in English, French and Spanish. The fractured fairy-tale has a mythical creature coming face-to-face with the modern world. The film was written in-house and produced using Brilliant Digital Entertainment's streaming 3d animation format, b3d.

Game Headline News

Activision & Fox Push World's Scariest Police Chases Video Game

To support the release of its new video game WORLD'S SCARIEST POLICE CHASES for PlayStation, Activision and Fox Interactive are launching a multi-million dollar promotional campaign that includes a sweepstakes with a Grand Prize giveaway package worth more than US$50,000. Fans of the game can enter to become a Grand Prize winner of a racing caliber AEM Intercept -- Honda Civic SI, valued at more than $40,000, along with a trip for two to Frank Hawley's Drag Racing School.

Headline News

Alias|Wavefront Ships Studiotools Modeling Upgrade

Alias|Wavefront has shipped StudioTools 9.7, the company's latest upgrade to its CAID (computer-aided industrial design) family. Through a new filleting tool, StudioTools speeds the process and adds modeling power for rounding edges between adjoining surfaces in the model. By combining this function with StudioTools advanced evaluation tools, such as reflection maps, curvature maps, draft angle evaluation and cross-sections, designers can interactively manipulate the fillet and evaluate results immediately.

Short Headline News

Numb Wins Planetout's Short Film Fest

The second annual PlanetOut.com Short Movie Awards has awarded NUMB the First Prize in the Animation category. Directed by Dino Alberto and Dave Hughes, this eerily animated short takes you to a land of lost souls with a secret. The film can be viewed at PlanetOut.com, along with all the other winners. Taking home the audience prize for animation was PIKI AND POKO: THE ADVENTURE BEGINS! By Mark Ewert and David Cutler. This highly stylized digital animation follows two Japanese schoolgirls who have a very special bond. PIKI & POKO is syndicated around the Internet by Mondo Media.

Events Headline News

New Additions To AWN's Calendar Of Events

This week's updates to the Calendar of Events includes: RMCAD And ASIFA-Colorado Present PJ's Director Sean Burns: Thursday, July 26, 2001, Denver, Colorado USA. Ed Hooks' Acting Class for Animators: Saturday, August 4, 2001 and Monday, August 13 - Wednesday, August 15, 2001, Stanford, California USA. They Shoot Animators, Don't They? An Animation Marathon: Friday, August 10 - Monday, August 13, 2001, London, UK. ASIFA-Hollywood Presents A Book Signing With Leslie Iwerks, Co-Author Of "The Hand Behind The Mouse:" Wednesday, August 22, 2001, Burbank, California USA.

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