AWN Headline News

Last week's number one film, RED DRAGON, held off six new wide-release films this weekend to hang on to the top spot. The thriller, with visual effects by Cinesite, earned $17.6M for a two-week total of $67.2M. Theatergoers are still sweet on SWEET HOME ALABAMA, which stayed in second adding $14.1M, for a total of $84.5M. Two new releases the romance BROWN SUGAR and the action flick THE TRANSPORTER, took third and forth, with $11M and $9.1M, respectively.

San Francisco-based Phoenix Effects & Design, a division of Phoenix Editorial, has completed two 30-second spots for AT&T Broadband Internet service via advertising agency Hoffman/Lewis, San Francisco, and is at work on a third, which will promote AT&T Broadband Cable Television service. All three of the entirely CG spots were directed by Matt Silverman and designed by Jason Ett of Phoenix Editorial. The spots fuse clean, minimalist graphics and a computer-generated cable zipping across a white background with upbeat surf-guitar music to create a lively image for the broadband service.

BOXX Technologies has enhanced its OEM relationship with Sonic Foundry to offer its 3DBOXX workstation customers an array of preloaded software solutions for audio and video multimedia production. Under the terms of the agreement, BOXX is offering workstation configurations preloaded with Sonic Foundry's popular Vegas Video, Sound Forge 6.0 and ACID PRO 4.0 software.

Millimages has sold the broadcast rights to four of its new animated properties to Australian broadcaster, ABC (Australian Broadcast Corporation). The programs included in the deal are HILLTOP HOSPITAL, CORNEIL & BERNIE, PIGEON BOY and JASPER THE PENGUIN. HILLTOP HOSPITAL is a 39 x 10-minute stop-motion animated series. Described as a "pre-school medical soap opera," the stories focus on a hospital that is run by animals, for animals. Both CORNEIL & BERNIE and PIGEON BOY are Millimages co-productions with France 3.

Egmont Imagination has signed an exclusive worldwide direct marketing agreement with Readers Digest to distribute THE FAIRYTALER on video and DVD. Launched this week at MIPCOM Jr., THE FAIRYTALER is a 26 x half-hour animated series that newly illustrates Hans Christian Andersens classic tales, which include THE UGLY DUCKLING, THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES, THUMBELINA and THE LITTLE MERMAID. The series is a co-production between Magma Film, Egmont Imagination and fellow Danish companies A. Film and Danmarks Radio, as well as Germany's Super RTL.

Teletoon Canada has ordered 13 half-hour episodes of the Atomic Cartoons and Phil Roman Entertainment production ATOMIC BETTY. The series follows Betty, a sweet and brainy girl with only a few friends. But when the galaxy beckons, she sheds her humdrum persona and becomes Atomic Betty, "intergalactic rocket jockey and legendary defender of the universe," zipping across the galaxy on daring and valiant missions.

The 2002 Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) concluded on October 6, 2002 with a gala awards presentation at the Theatre of the National Arts Centre. Robert Bradbrook's HOME ROAD MOVIES scored the Grand Prize for Best Independent Short Film or Video.

Ian Downes, managing director of Fox Kids Europe's (FKE) consumer products business in the UK, has been promoted to managing director of FKEs consumer products division. Downes will replace Jean-Philippe Randisi, who will leave the company on December 31, 2002. Effective October 7, 2002, Downes assumed overall responsibility for FKEs consumer products activities, including home video, while also retaining responsibility for the UK consumer products business. Randisi will work with Downes until December 31, 2002, to ensure an orderly transition.

Click 3xi, the interactive design division of New York-based Click 3x, recently designed a series of interactive television games that teach young children about science. Developed for the Crayola Kids Club, an interactive television service from the Hallmark Channel and Crown Interactive, Click 3xi designed the interface and provided scores of computer-animated elements illustrating the outcomes of all the potential choices that can be made during game play. The studio worked hand in hand with the Hallmark Interactive staff, who designed the game architecture and handled the programming.

I Castelli Animati has pre-selected the animations for the official Web animation competition, which includes an audience prize. Visitors to the Website can be part of the international cyber jury and vote for their favorites. The deadline to vote online is October 25, 2002. The 7th edition of I Castelli Animati will take place in Genzano di Roma, Italy, October 23-27, 2002. I Castelli Animati highlights animation in all its forms from commercials to feature films. Among this year's highlights are a retrospective of Bruno Bozzetto's films and an exhibition of his original drawings.

This week's updates to the Calendar of Events include: Gallery Exhibit of Paintings & Sculptures by Bob Lizarraga: Tuesday, October 08, 2002, Burbank, Ca. USA . . . It's A Nightmare! Tim Burton's Animated Films at L.A.'s El Capitan Theater: Friday, October 25 - Thursday, October 31, 2002, Hollywood, California USA . . . Kinetica 4: Tuesday, December 03 - Monday, December 30, 2002, Touring, CA USA . . . Kinetica 3: Saturday, December 21, 2002 - Thursday, January 30, 2003, New York, NY USA . . .