The 14th Annual SAS Conference Calls For Papers
The Society for Animation Studies (SAS) will celebrate its 15th anniversary by holding its 14th annual conference in...
The Society for Animation Studies (SAS) will celebrate its 15th anniversary by holding its 14th annual conference in...
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This week's updates to the Calendar of Events include: "Missing Persons" - 3D Animated Feature Film Premiere: Friday, March 01 - Saturday, March 02, 2002, San Jose, California USA . . . In Person: Cordell Barker Presents "Strange Invaders": Sunday, March 03, 2002, San Francisco, California USA . . . DigiFest 2002: Wednesday, March 20 - Tuesday, March 26, 2002, Toronto, Ontario Canada . . . Animation Generation 2002: Thursday, April 11 - Friday, April 12, 2002, Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey UK . . .
NewTeks Video Toaster 2, a Windows 2000-based live video production environment, is now available. The Video Toaster 2 includes a real-time nonlinear editor, live Web streaming, character generation, 2D painting and compositing, 3D animation and effects, real-time keying, video and audio processing, and a full range of production tools in an integrated package. It retails for US$2995 with a switcher expansion module available for US$1995. The upgrade from Video Toaster 1 is US$495. For more information about the Video Toaster 2s capabilities, visit www.newtek.com.
Raven Moon Entertainment, Inc. is collaborating with Hacker-Rumsey Entertainment to develop and market a slate of three projects for television over the next two years. The first project on tap is a CG-animated kids' project called THE ICELY BROTHERS, a mix of live-action and animated characters. Hacker-Rumsey is completing the pilot and will begin domestic and international marketing in spring 2002.
International animation studio Varga Holdings has begun production on 13 episodes of ANGELINA BALLERINA, a 2D animated series based on the adventures of a ballet-dancing mouse. Following the successful launch of the pre-school series in October 2001 on the UK's CITV producers HIT Entertainment/Grand Slamm have requested a further 13 episodes. Delivery is scheduled for September 2002. Varga also commenced production in January 2002 on the ANGELINA BALLERINA 44-minute direct-to-video special, which will feature the voices of Academy Award winner Judi Dench and her daughter Finty Williams.
San Francisco-based interactive 3D media provider Pulse has incorporated the ProductionSync and InstantSync technologies from Automatic Sync Technologies into their Pulse Animation Studio v. 5.03. ProductionSync is used in the Pulse Creator module as an off-line animation tool. Speech is converted into animation as a production step that an animator can then enhance with expressions, gestures and behaviors. InstantSync is used in the Pulse Player to animate a face in real-time in response to the speech, which can either be downloaded or streamed to the player via streaming audio.
Imagina 2.0 the International Festival for Digital Images, was held in Monaco on February 12 - 14 , 2002 and THE TALE OF THE FLOATING WORLD, directed by Alain Escalle, won the Grand Prix Imagina over such prestigious nominees as AMÉLIE, SHREK and THE LORD OF THE RINGS. The Grand Prix Imagina rewards a unique production that reflects current trends in animation, both technical and artistic. The 24 minute short film, co-produced by Mistral Films and TEVA, combines animation and live-action with modern digital techniques and special effects.
David Stainton has been upped from his current position of executive vice president to president, Walt Disney Television Animation. Stainton's responsibilities include overseeing the day-to-day operations for the division's animated television series and specials, Disney video premieres and February theatrical features (sequels like RETURN TO NEVER LAND). He continues to report to Thomas Schumacher, head of Walt Disney Television Animation and Walt Disney Feature Animation, in his new position.
To honor Chuck Jones (1912-2002) great cartoon legacy, Cartoon Network's all-classic satellite network, Boomerang will host a 24-hour tribute to the legendary creator beginning Friday, March 1, 2002. Featuring many of the beloved Looney Tunes shorts and characters he created over his 60-year career, the marathon will run 8:00 am Friday, March 1 to 8:00 am Saturday, March 2. In addition to screening his classic Warner Bros.
Three months after its North American debut, the Xbox video game system launched in Japan on February 22, 2002. Bill Gates was on hand to present the first Xbox sold, and many gamers camped out overnight in the Shibuya District of Tokyo to make sure they were among the first in the country to get their hands on a console. Xbox is now on sale at thousands of Japanese retail outlets, and 12 game titles are available including PROJECT GOTHAM RACING, TENKU, JET SET RADIO FUTURE and DEAD OR ALIVE 3. A total of 22 titles are scheduled to be available in Japan by the end of March.
Alias|Wavefront has made a personal-use, non-commercial version of its award-winning Maya software available free to users of Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. Maya Personal Learning Edition 3D animation software can now be downloaded from the Alias|Wavefront Website. Maya Personal Learning Edition gives 3D graphics and animation students, current industry professionals, and those interested in breaking into the world of computer graphics an opportunity to explore Maya Complete software in a non-commercial capacity.
The 16th Annual Goya Awards, the Spanish Film Academys equivalent to the U.S. Academy Awards, were presented February 2, 2002. The awards honor Spanish produced films. Independent animated feature EL BOSQUE ANIMADO (THE LIVING FOREST) directed by Manolo Gómez & Angel de la Cruz won two awards, Best Original Song and Best Animated Film. The Best Animated Short Film was POLLO, directed by Manuel Sirgo.
Design, animation and visual effects studio Hornet, Inc., is expanding its operations in the commercial arena with the addition of several directors, designers and animators. New additions include animator and director Steve Talkowski, character designer and director Peter de Séve, director and designer Brian Koons, title designer Deborah Ross and the collective design team HONEST.
Santa Monica-based visual effects house Company 3 has hired Henry artist and visual effects supervisor Alex Brodie and visual effects producer Christine Carr. Both arrive from 525 Post Production, which curtailed operations in December. Brodie has a list of high profile credits in music videos and commercials including recent efforts like the Garbage music video "Cherry Lips," which featured an "invisible" band. In the spot, Brodie removed the bands heads and limbs to make it appear as though empty suits were playing guitars and other instruments.
A four-minute animated short film about the dangers of drinking and driving has been created to teach elementary school children about the importance of making the right choices when it comes to drinking. Stone Soup produced the film for the Texas-based Gulf Chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). Animated in a limited but colorful style, the character "Dudeasaurus," a half teen/half dinosaur, morphs into a super hero called MADDasaurus after saving a mans life.
Cartoon Network will launch three pay-to-play games based on the SCOOBY-DOO cartoon series in early summer 2002, to coincide with the release of the SCOOBY DOO movie. Cartoon Network has partnered with mobile entertainment service provider Digital Bridges Ltd., to launch the Scooby mobile games and others based on Cartoon Network characters, throughout North America and Europe. The titles will encompass the entire range of current mobile gaming technologies available today including SMS, WAP, Java and BREW, allowing the vast majority of mobile handset owners the chance to enjoy the games.
EMI recording artist and virtual band Gorillaz has teamed with media company Static 2358 to develop interactive TV content. A new game called Zombie Kong, featuring all four of the animated band members, will debut to more than 5.7 million digital satellite homes in the U.K., Friday, February 22, 2002 on Static's interactive television channel PlayJam. Game play involves viewers using their TV remote to control Gorillaz band member Noodle and help her find her way through 12 different levels.
The Sixth Annual MadCat Women's International Film Festival, San Francisco and Berkeley, California, USA.
Tuesday, September 3 - Friday, September 27, 2002.
Early Entry Deadline: Tuesday, April 30, 2002.
Final Entry Deadline: Thursday, June 20, 2002.
Animax Interactive, a new digital animation studio, has launched their Website which features samples of the companys brand of "advertainment," including animated shorts featuring celebrity voiceovers that demonstrate and explain Animax Interactives business model. The company develops and produces entertainment for existing brands using both digital and traditional animation.
The British equivalent of the Academy Awards, the BAFTAs, were presented on February 24, 2002 at the Odeon Leicester Square in London. THE LORD OF THE RINGS won five awards, including Best Film, Best Director and Best Visual Effects. SHREK took the prize for Best Adapted Screenplay, beating four live-action films including LORD OF THE RINGS and Golden Globe adapted screenplay winner A BEAUTIFUL MIND. SHREK is nominated for an Academy Award in this same category. The BAFTA Award for Best Short Animation went to Suzie Templeton for her film DOG.
QUEEN OF THE DAMNED, the latest screen adaptation from Anne Rices VAMPIRE CHRONICLES, took a bite out of this weekends box office debuting at number one. The thriller, with visual effects by Grey Matters FX and Manex, earned $15.1M. QUEENs sexy vampires handily beat last weeks number one film, the Denzel Washington-starrer JOHN Q, with visual effects by The Effects Group. The hostage drama came in second with $12.5M for a cume of $39.8M.
SportsBlast, the animation development company founded by voice-actor Nancy Cartwright (THE SIMPSONS, RUGRATS), has chosen Canadian-based animation house Bardel Entertainment as its new animation partner for THE KELLYS, the animated Web series about a family of professional stock car racers. Bardels production credits include the DreamWorks films JOSEPH: KING OF DREAMS and THE ROAD TO EL DORADO, as well as work for Columbia TriStar, Disney and Fox. Bardel will provide all the visual elements for THE KELLYS second season, which begins in February 2002.
Platinum Studios and Catch 23 Entertainment will co-produce a live-action feature film based on writer Alex Simmons graphic novel series BLACKJACK. BLACKJACK debuted in 1996, and the series details the exploits of independent African-American soldier of fortune Arron Day a man called "Blackjack" as he roams the globe seeking adventure and warding off danger.