AWN Headline News

Los Angeles, California's ANIMAX Interactive is looking for a CHARACTER DESIGNER . . . Calgary, Alberta's Applied Multimedia Training Centers is looking for a 3D ANIMATION INSTRUCTOR and a CLASSICAL ANIMATION INSTRUCTOR . . . Laguna Beach, California's Art Institute of Southern California is looking for a CHAIR OF ANIMATION . . . Chilliwack, British Columbia's Beauwest Productions is looking for a 3D ANIMATOR . . . Lombard, Illinois' Big Idea Productions is looking for an ASSOCIATE PRODUCER, an OUTSOURCE PRODUCER and a TD/SOFTWARE DEVELOPER . . .

Affiliate animator Aaron Augenblick has had his short film DRUNKY accepted by Annecy 2002, which takes place June 3 - 7, 2002 in Annecy, France. DRUNKY is in competition for this year's Annecy awards. Films chosen for the competition will be accessible on the Festival Website at www.annecy.org from May 10 to June 7, 2002. Visitors to the site can cast their votes online during this period.

This week's updates to the Calendar of Events include:

Capilano College Grad Show - 2D & 3D: Saturday, April 27, 2002, North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. . . School of Visual Arts Dustys Film Festival & Awards: Monday, May 13 - Thursday, May 16, 2002, New York, New York USA. . . L!CENSING 2002: Tuesday, June 11 - Thursday, June 13, 2002, New York, New York USA . . . National Lum & Abner Society Convention: Friday, June 14 - Saturday, June 15, 2002, Mena, Arkansas USA.

Production and distribution company France Animation is attending MIP-TV with a slate of new animated series for children of all ages. Heading the slate is new animated sitcom DR. DOG. Aimed at children aged 6 to 10 years old, this 52 x 13-minute series, co-produced with Silver Lining Productions, is based on the irreverent book by British author Babette Cole. Their documentary series INSECTOSCOPE makes its international debut at MIP-TV as well. Geared toward 6 to 12 year-olds, INSECTOSCOPE (52 x 6-minutes) is a co-production with France's MC4 and TF1 and RAI Italy.

Universal Interactive, Inc. has shipped THE SCORPION KING: SWORD OF OSIRIS, an action-adventure game for Game Boy Advance. The game is based on Universal Pictures' THE SCORPION KING starring The Rock, and will be in stores to coincide with the film's theatrical release on April 19, 2002. Developed for the Game Boy Advance by southern California-based WayForward Technologies, THE SCORPION KING: SWORD OF OSIRIS is an action-adventure game where players step into The Rock's role as the Scorpion King to defeat more than 30 new enemies on a quest to retrieve the Sword of Osiris.

The first two episodes of the BRB Internacional and Telecinco (Spain) co-production GLADIATOR ACADEMY (26 x 30 minutes) will be available at MIP-TV 2002. The show is targeted to 6 to 10 year-olds and follows the adventures of a family of young gladiators living on a Mediterranean island during the Roman Empire. Another BRB animated series making its debut at MIP-TV is THE INVISIBLE MAN (26 x 30 minutes), which is currently in pre-production. This series combines 2D and 3D animation and is geared to 8 to 12 year-olds.

Game publisher THQ has been named the worldwide exclusive interactive game licensee for some of Marvel Enterprises' most popular comics properties including CAPTAIN AMERICA, THE PUNISHER and NICK FURY. The all-inclusive relationship grants THQ rights to all classic TV and film versions of each of the properties for every viable game system as well as PC, through 2007. The two companies also announced they will collaborate on the upcoming comic book series, THE CALL.

Jeff Stabenau, founder and former president of Crush Digital, has launched a new company, Blink Digital, to offer content preparation services for a broad range of digital media. DVD authoring will be the focus of the new company, a division of Liberty Livewire, but it will also offer preparation, conversion and optimization services for streaming media, interactive television media and archival digital media formats. Stabenau and former Crush Digital technical director Michael Ory, have been joined at Blink Digital by many other former Crush Digital staff.

The Tribeca Film Festival and The Children's Aid Society (CAS) will co-host the exclusive New York premiere of STAR WARS: EPISODE II ATTACK OF THE CLONES three days before the film is scheduled to open nationwide. On Sunday, May 12, 2002 the festival will host private screenings for Children's Aid Society youngsters and for the children and families affected by September 11th. The afternoon screening will be a fundraising premiere to benefit The Children's Aid Society. Ticket sales for the afternoon CAS benefit screening have officially begun.

Film Roman Commercials, a division of Film Roman, has added five new directors to their growing roster of talent.

UK-based media company Elephant Productions is bringing new children's series ANIMAL SCHOOL to MIP-TV 2002. Aimed at children aged 10 to 15 years-old ANIMAL SCHOOL is a series of 30 x 45-second interstitials each featuring different animals receiving their lessons for life. Jointly commissioned by CBBC Acquisitions and Education, the interstitials will air on CBBC'S new channel and also the Website. Produced by Elephant Productions, ANIMAL SCHOOL is animated in Flash by Fictitious Egg's Andy Wyatt.