AWN Headline News

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:

- TV Review: "Welcome To Eltingville"

Jerry Beck finds his rightful place in "Welcome to Eltingville," one of Cartoon Network's latest additions to their Adult Swim block.

- New from Japan: Anime Film Reviews

Women In Animation International's 2002 Annual Meeting: Saturday, March 09, 2002, Glendale, California USA . . . Women In Animation Writers' Seminar Group: Thursday, March 14, 2002, West Los Angeles, California USA . . . NAB 2002: The Convergence Marketplace: Saturday, April 06 - Thursday, April 11, 2002, Las Vegas, Nevada USA . . . DreamWorks and Storyopolis -- Kid's Animation Workshop: Saturday, May 18, 2002, Los Angeles, California USA . . . Warner Bros. and Storyopolis Present a Scooby Doo Celebration: Saturday, June 15, 2002, Los Angeles, California USA . . .

Barcelona-based animation house Neptuno Films and Megatrix, a Spanish kids' content multi-platform provider, have sealed a co-production deal to produce the animated series 2020. Aimed at 8 to 12 year-olds, the series focuses on the everyday life of a middle-class family in the year 2020, but the series' creators say it is an ironic reflection on what is happening now. 2020 will consist of 26 half-hours animated in Flash for broadcast on television and the Internet. The first episode will be launched in April 2002 at MipTV, and the remaining episodes are scheduled for delivery in fall 2003.

Visual effects, broadcast design and animation studio Click 3x has brought on Jim Collins to head the studios animation department. Formerly with the design boutique TZ, Collins has experience in animation, illustration and compositing, and has credits across a variety of media. His experience is particularly strong in broadcast graphics, having recently completed projects for NBC, CBS News, CNBC, MSNBC, Fox, ESPN, Sci Fi Channel and CNNSI. He also has numerous credits in commercials.

With a brief from client B Sky B to create a composite of classic British rock icons, London-based Uli Meyer Studios has delivered Li'l Red Button Man, a rockin' 3D character who embodies the new interactive features of the network's digital broadcasting. The commercial begins with a track into a remote control on a coffee table in front of a wide screen television. The red button on the remote becomes the hair of the character Li'l Red, as he levitates out of the remote while the coffee table and wide-screen television become a rock stage. The music kicks in and Li'l Red comes to life.

Independent animation producer Delaney and Friends is planning to merge with 3D and interactive content providers Brainchild Studios and Furious Entertainment to create the new, publicly traded entity SecondSun Entertainment. Combining the strengths of the three Vancouver-based companies, the new venture will focus on the development, financing and production of animated TV series, direct-to-video features, TV commercials, special effects, movies and interactive games.

From a boy whose love is real, even if he is not, to a singing, bell-ringing hunchback, March video releases have something for everyone.

March 5, 2002

A.I. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE Special Edition.

Melbourne International Animation Festival, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.Tuesday, June 25 - Sunday, June 30, 2002.Entry Deadline: Thursday, April 25, 2002.

The 4th edition of Cartoon Movie takes place March 14 - 16, 2002 in Potsdam, Germany. Organized with the support of Media Plus and the Berlin-Brandenburg Film Board, Cartoon Movie offers attending investors and distributors a complete overview of European animation feature films at different stages of production. Along with original concepts, projects in development and films in production, Cartoon Movie will screen recently completed animated features including Jimmy Murakamis CHRISTMAS CAROL THE MOVIE and Spains Goya Award-winning feature THE LIVING FOREST.

Portland, Oregon-based Vinton Studios has hired John RA Benson to manage the studios' computer animation department, where he will oversee all aspects of Vinton's CG production. Before joining Vinton Studios, Benson spent five years as the head of computer animation in the commercial division of ILM. Prior to that, he spent four years supervising traditionally and digitally animated productions at San Francisco's Colossal Pictures.

MTV Networks, a division of Viacom Inc., is launching Nicktoons TV, a new 24-hour channel for kids, along with three new music channels -- MTV Jams, MTV Hits and VH1 Mega Hits. Nicktoons TV will offer 24-hours a day of Nickelodeon animation, featuring everything from classic Nick originals like DOUG and REN & STIMPY to more recent offerings like JIMMY NEUTRON. Nicktoons TV will replace Nick Too in some areas on the West Coast. Cablevision is the first operator to sign on for Nicktoons TV, adding it and MTV Hits to their digital service line-up.