AWN Headline News

Cambridge Animation Systems has released Animo 4.1, a new version of its animation software featuring improved support for 3D data within the company's Scene III module for Director. According to the manufacturer, the new Scene III in Animo 4.1 enables animators to apply a consistent cartoon look to an entire scene that contains both 2D elements created in Animo and 3D models created in Maya or 3D Studio Max software.

The Animation House in Toronto recently completed animation on Colgate Palmolive's latest 30-second spot titled "After Dinner Debate," by way of Canadian agency Young & Rubicam, Toronto. Styled after a 50's sitcom, "After Dinner Debate" features The Cuticles, a typical family sitting around the dinner table arguing about who is going to do the dishes. But instead of arguing about who has to do them, the argument is who gets to do them, because of course, the Cuticle family is a family of talking hands, and they all want their "hands" in the Palmolive.

Each week, Animation World Magazine offers new articles, special features and theme-based coverage of the art, craft and industry of animation. New this week:

- Force of Hobbit: Mythmaking at Weta

It is said that love is the mythology that two people create together. At Weta, Ltd., in New Zealand, it is love at first byte.

- Deitch on Pintoff

Visit THE ANIMATION CAFÉ, THE BUSINESS OF ANIMATION and THE ANIMATOR'S DESKTOP to stay in touch with the animation community! New threads this week include:Who do you think will win the Oscar? Also, post your thoughts about "Ice Age" and the upcoming DreamWorks 2D feature "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron."

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

• SPROCKETS Toronto International Film Festival for Children: Friday,April 12 - Sunday, April 21, 2002, Toronto, Ontario Canada.
• 3D Figure Anatomical Construction Taught by Glenn Vilppu: Sunday,April 14 - Sunday, May 05, 2002, Santa Monica, California USA.
• Pocket PC Summit 2002 East: Tuesday, May 28 - Friday, May 31, 2002,Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA.

Visual effects artists Andrew Orloff and Steve Meyer have joined digital visual effects studio Radium. Orloff has been appointed head of CG in Los Angeles and will work closely with his San Francisco-based co-head of CG, Andrew Sinagra. Formerly the head of 525 Post's 3D department, Orloff first came to Radium as a freelance visual effects artist before officially joining the company in January 2002. A graduate of UCLA's School of Theater, Film and Television with an emphasis in animation, Orloff is also an instructor at Gnomon School of Visual Effects.

Visual effects and design company A52 has appointed a new management team and has added a new senior producer to the staff. Rick Hassen will fill the position of managing director, having most recently served as executive producer for Venice, California-based visual effects boutique Sea Level. Former A52 staff producer Darcy Leslie Parsons has been promoted to the position of executive producer where she will oversee business development, the bidding process and project management. Scott Boyajan has joined the staff as senior producer.

As part of a new programming strategy, Nickelodeon and Sesame Workshops educational network NOGGIN will be unveiling its new programming schedule on April 1, 2002. The network will extend its preschool-aimed programming by three hours with a daytime block called "Noggin," airing from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm (ET). Premiering in this block beginning April 1st at 9:00 am is the new preschooler series PLAY WITH ME SESAME, featuring Muppet characters Ernie, Bert, Grover and Prairie Dawn.

Macromedia Flash MX, the latest version of the Macromedia Flash development environment, and Macromedia Flash Player 6 are now available. This upgrade to Flash 5 has over 45 new and enhanced features including new graphic design, pre-built components and templates, a customizable ActionScript editor, timeline enhancements and video support. The integration of video support in Flash MX and Macromedia Flash Player 6 uses the Sorenson Spark codec, enabling users to deliver compressed video as part of Macromedia Flash content and applications.

Silver Lake Film Festival 2002

Los Angeles, California USA.

Friday, September 13 - Friday, September 20, 2002.

Entry Deadline: Saturday, June 01, 2002.

John Goodman and Billy Crystal are back in the studio recording voice-over for "Mike's New Car," an all-new animated short that will be available exclusively on the DVD release of MONSTERS, INC. in stores September 17, 2002. The story of a little girl who invades the monsters' realm and then teaches them a thing or two, is given the grand treatment in a double-DVD set.