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Category: People

Kids Headline News

WHV Promotes Marticorena to SVP

Dorinda Marticorena, VP, Kids & Sports Marketing, has been promoted to SVP, Worldwide High Definition, at Warner Home Video, replacing Steve Nickerson, who announced plans to leave WHV at the end of September.

In her new role, Marticorena will report directly to Mark Horak, EVP & GM, Worldwide Operations & New Packaged Media, and will lead the company's efforts to promote mainstream adoption of the high definition DVD formats.

Cartoon Headline News

Cartoon Network Names Alice Cahn to Social Responsibility Post

Alice Cahn has been promoted to the newly created position of vice president, social responsibility for Cartoon Network, it was announced today. In her new role, Cahn will be responsible for providing guidance, content direction and coordination on the design and implementation of outreach and social-responsibility initiatives across all Cartoon Network divisions. She also will continue to develop key relationships with media and child advocacy communities, appropriate sponsors, educators, nonprofit organizations and trade associations.

Headline News

Donna Andrews Assumes Exec Producer Post at Sticky Pictures

Sydney-based animation production company Sticky Pictures has announced that Donna Andrews -- a founding partner and producer with the company -- will take over the role of exec producer, effective immediately. Andrews replaces Tim Brooke-Hunt, who is leaving Sticky Pictures to join the Australian Broadcasting Corp. as Executive Head of Children's.

"On behalf of Sticky, I'd like to thank Tim for all his fantastic work and wonderful guidance over the last five years. We will miss him greatly and wish him every success in his new role at the ABC," Andrews said.

Animation Headline News

Frank Gladstone to Teach Animation for Imagi

Imagi International Holdings Limited has announced the appointment of veteran animator and teacher Frank Gladstone to provide advanced training for Imagi's 400+ artists and animators. Gladstone will teach university-level courses, to be offered on a quarterly basis, in film history, cinematography, storytelling and visual language.

Nickelodeon Headline News

Nickelodeon Taps Katsky for New Post

Veteran production and development executive Tracy Katsky has been appointed to the newly created post of SVP of development and original programming at Nickelodeon, KIDSCREEN reports. Katsky will oversee all of the station's ongoing live-action and animation program development, live-action series production on the West Coast, and new series development for Nickelodeon and Nick at Nite.

Before joining Nickelodeon, Katsky served as SVP of development for HBO Independent Productions and earlier was SVP of comedy for Fox Broadcasting.

Effects Headline News

Rainmaker Elevates Marianne O'Reilly to Lead Visual Effects

Marianne O'Reilly, an eight-year veteran of Rainmaker Visual Effects, has been elevated from exec producer to president of the burgeoning division. Previously, Warren Franklin served as president of the division, but was elevated to CEO of Rainmaker Ent. (parent company of Rainmaker Animation, Rainmaker Post and Rainmaker Visual Effects) last July when Mainframe was acquired.

Effects Headline News

Encore Hollywood Brings on VFX Whiz Black

Emmy-winning Visual Effects Supervisor and Flame artist R. Edward Black, whose skills include on-set visual effects supervision, compositing, visual effects production, graphic design and animation, has joined Encore Hollywood. Black will join the visual effects team working on the television series HOUSE, and will also be available for other television, feature film, commercial and music video assignments.

Music Headline News

New VP Signals Nickelodeon/Viacom Expansion

Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products (NVCP) has announced the appointment of Arwed-Ralf Grenzbach as Vice President, Videogames, Music and Special Products. The newly created role signals efforts by NVCP to further advance its international consumer products business into the rapidly expanding interactive and music arena. Grenzbach, who is London-based, will report to Jean-Philippe Randisi, Vice President and Managing Director, NVCP EMEA, also in London.

Headline News

Anne Stavola Named Disney VP

Veteran entertainment publicist Anne Stavola has been named vice president, East Coast Publicity for Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. She will report directly to Jasmine Madatian, senior vice president, publicity for WDSMP, and will be responsible for overseeing Disney's newly reorganized New York publicity office. In her new role, Stavola will work directly with Madatian in developing and implementing publicity strategies and campaigns for all motion pictures released under the Walt Disney Pictures and Touchstone Pictures banners.

Production Headline News

Pilar Flynn Joins Astro Boy as Assoc Producer

Pilar Flynn has been named Associate Producer on Imagi's ASTRO BOY, it was announced today by Cecil Kramer, Executive VP of Production. Flynn began her animation career at DreamWorks where she worked for eight years on the development and production of such films as THE ROAD TO EL DORADO, SINBAD: LEGEND OF THE SEVEN SEAS, SPIRIT: STALLION OF THE CIMARRON, MADAGASCAR and FLUSHED AWAY. She also coproduced DreamWorks' first CG-animated short, the multiple-award-winning FIRST FLIGHT. Most recently Flynn served as associate producer of the animated feature film MEAN MARGARET for Starz Media.

Universal Headline News

Johnson Moves Up to EVP at Universal

Bret Johnson has been promoted to EVP, physical production at Universal Pictures, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Johnson, who has held various posts at Universal since joining the studio in 1988, will continue to work with filmmakers on all aspects of physical production, including scheduling, budgeting, hiring crews and managing day-to-day production.

Anime Headline News

Japanese Animation Organization Names New CEO

The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA) announced the appointment of current CFO Ms. Trulee Karahashi to the position of CEO for the nonprofit organization dedicated to popularizing and educating the American public about anime and manga. A University of California Berkeley graduate, Karahashi has extensive experience in working with American and Japanese anime and manga industries, as well as long-time experience with Anime Expo, the largest anime/manga convention held in the U.S. As CEO, Ms.

Headline News

Sid Ganis Re-Elected AMPAS President

Sid Ganis was re-elected president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences by the organization's board of governors. This will be his third consecutive term in the office.

In addition, Robert Rehme, an executives branch governor and past Academy president, was re-elected first VP; Actors Branch governor Tom Hanks and Music Branch governor Charles Bernstein were elected to VP posts; producers branch governor Hawk Koch was elected treasurer and short films and feature animation branch governor Jon Bloom was elected secretary.

Headline News

Director Clay Staub Joins R+H

Rhythm + Hues Commercial Studios has announced the addition of Clay Staub to its roster of award-winning live-action and vfx directors. Staub, an admitted techie, is highly regarded for his expertise in both the commercial and feature film arenas. From cars and tires to cereal and orange juice, his extensive list of spot credits mingles with large scale Hollywood projects, including serving as 2nd unit director on the 2004 remake of DAWN OF THE DEAD and the adaptation of Frank Miller's graphic novel 300.

Headline News

Porchlight Ent. Ups Jeffrey Engelen to VP, Worldwide Sales

Accelerating its worldwide sales activities under the leadership of Ken DuBow, PorchLight Ent.'s President of Worldwide Distribution, it was announced today that Jeffrey Engelen had been promoted to Vice President, Worldwide Sales. Reporting to DuBow, Engelen's sales responsibilities have expanded to include key territories throughout Europe, Russia, Africa and the Middle East, where he will concentrate on broadcast sales of PorchLight's expansive library of programming.

Technology Headline News

Feher to Create New Media Technology Organization for NBC Universal

Darren Feher, evp/cto for NBC Universal, will take on a new role to create a media technology organization dedicated to digital product innovation and emerging technology. Feher will add new technology and engineering teams concentrating on the areas of digital asset management, content distribution, production and commercial planning across NBCU's broad portfolio of assets.

Headline News

Jep Hill Joins Guava as VFX Supervisor

New York visual effects studio Guava has added Jep Hill to its 3D department. With more than a dozen years working in Hollywood as a compositor, lighting and scripting technical director, sequence supervisor and CG supervisor, Hill enters Guava as a visual effects supervisor.

Animation Headline News

Cheung to Head Imagi's Hong Kong Animation Team

Acclaimed CG animator Tim Cheung will head Imagiâs Hong Kong animation team as vp of animation. Cheung will oversee the animation for all of Imagi's CGI feature films, and will manage Imagiâs some 400 Hong Kong-based animators, according to deputy chairman/co-ceo/cco Francis Kao.

Entertainment Headline News

Ward to Oversee DreamWorks Animation Theme Park & Location-Based Ent.

DreamWorks Animation has brought on board theme park operation and marketing exec Joel Ward to fill the start-up position newly created to helm theme park and location-based entertainment for DreamWorks Animation Consumer Products.

International Headline News

Galton to Manage Cake Distribution

Edward Galton joins Cake Ent. as md of the companyâs commercial exploitation subsidiary, Cake Distribution Ltd. His role includes securing international pre-sales, handling worldwide sales and overseeing brand positioning.

During his successful six-year stint as vp, at Paris-based animation company Xilam, Galton played a key role in the global positioning and exploitation of Xilamâs animation.

Headline News

Technology Guru Keske New Nice Shoes CTO & Rypkema Tapped Chief Engineer

Robert Keske joins the Nice Shoes family of companies (Nice Shoes, Freestyle Collective, Guava, Nice Spots) as cto. Keske will work closely with Nice Shoes principal Joe Bottazzi to deepen the company's position as an innovator in the area of post-production technology systems.

Keske was an infrastructure and interoperability product development manager for Autodesk Media & Ent., working on software color correction products and designing and developing efficient high-end production and 2k/4k workflows for various companies.

International Headline News

Bromstad New NBC Universal Int'l TV Production Chief

Angela Bromstad has been upped to president, International Television Production, NBC Universal International, based in London. Heading the newly created division as of Sept. 1, 2007, Bromstad will lead television production and strategic TV content partnerships across all territories and will be responsible for driving NBC Universal's international growth through increased local production, geographical expansion and new business creation.

Autodesk Headline News

Sebastian Sylwan Joins Autodesk

Sebastian Sylwan has joined Autodesk Media & Ent. as senior film and television industry manager. Based in Los Angeles, Sylwan is responsible for researching market opportunities and trends in the global film and television markets. He is working closely with Autodesk's customers and partners to further the understanding and use of digital technologies.

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