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Geographical Region: Africa

Headline News

Comcast, HIT Ent., PBS and Sesame Workshop to Launch Children’s Cable Chann

Comcast Corp., HIT Entertainment Plc., PBS and Sesame Workshop today (Oct. 20, 2004) announced plans to launch a 24-hour digital cable television channel for preschool children and a companion video-on-demand (VOD) service. The channel will bring together some of the best-known classic and contemporary childrens shows and is expected to launch in fall 2005.

Headline News

MPC Virtually Recreates Famous Faces From WWII

Tiger Aspects documentary for the Discovery Channel, VIRTUAL HISTORY: THE SECRET PLOT TO KILL HITLER, airing Oct. 24 at 8:00 pm throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa, adopted cutting edge CGI from The Moving Picture Co. (MPC) to transform the faces of actors into exact replicas of Adolf Hitler, Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Josef Stalin. The program unfolds on the momentous day of July 20, 1944.

Awards Headline News

Hollywood Film Awards Announces Nominees

The Hollywood Film Festival's Board of Advisors has announced the nominees for the 2004 "Hollywood Film Awards" competition. The announcement was made today in Hollywood by Carlos de Abreu, founder/exec director of the Hollywood Film Festival.

"This year's Hollywood Film Festival continues its tradition of honoring the very best talent within our community. It is a celebration of all aspects of Hollywood filmmaking and the artists who help to create its lasting legacy on our culture," festival co-chair Paula Wagner said.

Entertainment Headline News

Contender Acquires Sweby for Acquisitions Post

Jo Sweby joined the Contender Entertainment Group (CEG) in the newly created post of international acquisitions manager, responsible for growing CEGs catalog of intellectual properties across the television, video and merchandising divisions by acquiring and expanding both third-party and wholly owned general entertainment and childrens titles internationally.

Headline News

Video Lab Johannesburg Adds Colorist and luster 2.5

The Video Lab Johannesburg has two announcements: not only has renowned international colorist Catherine Pantazopoulos joined the group, but they have secured the latest in grading wizardry: Discreets lustre 2.5, the only one in South Africa.

Joining luminaries such as Pixar Animation Studios and Sony Pictures Imageworks, The Video Lab plans to have the lustre up and running by mid-October in a custom, designed, world-class grading room.

Animation Headline News

Latest Acrobat Version of Animation World Magazine Now Online!

The latest Acrobat version of Animation World Magazine is now online and ready for download. The theme for this edition is Independent Animation. Chris Robinson conducted an extensive poll of leading independent animators and asked them how they get the financing for their films. Indie animator Mark Simon writes about how not to budget yourself out of business. Janet Hetherington looks at the struggle to bring indie comic NEXUS into animation. And Joe Strike takes a look at how independent artists work within the studio system.

Cartoon Headline News

Boomerang U.K. Boasts New Animated Look

Boomerang, Turner Broadcasting's top-performing cartoon channel in the U.K. for kids 4-9 is getting a brand new look with its best loved characters taking center stage.

The reface aims to make the channel more accessible and appealing to its large pre-school audience and create a fun environment for viewers of all ages to watch its lineup of shows, which include TOM & JERRY, THE FLINTSTONES, WACKY RACES and SYLVESTER & TWEETY, from its library of Hanna-Barbera and Looney Tunes cartoons.

Cartoon Headline News

Arnesen Heads Up Int’l Cartoon Network Production

Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) Europe has promoted Finn Arnesen to the joint roles of svp of Original Animation and Acquisitions for Cartoon Network, Boomerang and Toonami throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) as well as international head of Program Production with responsibility for all areas outside the U.S.

International Headline News

Telefilm Canada Sponsors International Tête-à-Tête at VIFF

Telefilm Canada will sponsor the International Tête-à-Tête at the Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF), a series of one-on-one meetings designed to foster co-production activity and international sales. In association with the festivals Trade Forum, this initiative offers the occasion for Canadian industry players to discuss projects face to face with international producers, distributors and sales agents during private half-hour meetings.

Series Headline News

VGI Dogs Fred Basset Animated Series

Fred Basset, star of the famous comic strip by Alex Graham syndicated in 20 countries will star in his very own television series to be produced and distributed worldwide by VGI Entertainment Ltd.

VGI, an independent U.K. producer, distributor and licensor of childrens programming, said it is delighted to be involved in such a landmark project and will be working in close consultation with Arran, Grahams daughter who continues to be very much involved with the daily comic strip.

Entertainment Headline News

Entertainment Rights Expands Sales Team

Entertainment Rights (ER) is one of the fastest growing independent global media groups specializing in children's and family entertainment, recently recruited three new territory managers to bolster its strong international sales team. These include Gillian Calvert for Scandinavia and Benelux, Karen Vermeulen for Germany and U.K. and Leila Ouledcheikhfor Central & Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Disney Headline News

"Lion Sleeps Tonight" Composer's Family Sues Disney

The family of THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT composer Solomon "Mbube" Linda has filed a suit against The Walt Disney Co. for the use of the song in the film, THE LION KING, reports VARIETY. The copyright infringement suit, filed in South Africa's Pretoria High Court, is for $1.6 million. Disney has until Aug. 12, 2004 to respond to the claims or be ruled against by default.

Headline News

Sesame Workshop Launches New Int’l Kids Game on Site

Sesame Workshop has made it much easier for kids around the world to have a playdate with Elmo and Big Birds cousins from around the world via the new International section of its Website (www.seaameworkshop.org) featuring a multi-lingual game and information on co-productions of the award winning SESAME STREET.

Headline News

Kilgarriff to Head Turner's U.K. Entertainment Channels

Richard Kilgarriff has been promoted from consultant to svp/gm for all of Turner Broadcasting's U.K. Entertainment channels Cartoon Network, Boomerang, Toonami and TCM with the managers of each channel now reporting directly to him. He will also continue as a consultant to Turner's news network, CNN International.

Cartoon Headline News

Cartoon Network Channel Goes Mobile in Italy

Well its not like talking on visaphones as they did in the Hanna-Barbera cartoon THE JETSONS, Cartoon Network, the broadcaster of many HB favorites has gone futuristic, launching the CN channel on three-inch UTMS videophones in Italy.

Turner Broadcasting System Inc. signed its first mobile TV agreement with mobile operator "3" Italy to distribute Cartoon Network to the operator's videophone subscribers, enabling users to watch a daily block of CN programming on their videophones.

Nickelodeon Headline News

Prism Ent. To Bring Nickelodeon Family To Life

Nickelodeon Europe has commissioned Prism Entertainment to produce local versions of its unique NICKELODEON FAMILY animation.

Jules Borkent, senior director, programming, acquisitions & development, Nickelodeon Europe, asked Prism to produce three localized versions of the NICKELODEON FAMILY for broadcast on its channels in Spain, Benelux and Scandinavia to air at the end of the year.

Entertainment Headline News

Digital Musings From the Editor:

A while back, Bruce Shutan profiled Atomic Visual Effects of South Africa for VFXWORLD. Spurred by a letter to delve further into South Africa's thriving 3D community, Shutan recently interviewed several other vfx and animation studios and various artists to discover why Cape Town is on the verge of becoming the next Sydney, Australia.

International Headline News

Endemano Takes BVITV Financial Reigns

Mark Endemano has joined Buena Vista International Television (BVITV) as vp, finance, Europe, Middle East & Africa. He will oversee all aspects of the international TV distributors financial operations including financial reporting, cost control, liaising with BVITVs operations in Asia-Pacific and Latin America, and producer group support.

He becomes a member of BVITVs senior executive team, delivering strategic, operational and financial input. Endemano will be based in London and report directly to Tom Toumazis, svp/md, EMEA, BVITV

Disney Headline News

Disney Int’l Kicks Up L.A. Screenings

Buena Vista International Television kicked off the start of the L.A. screenings for some 1,000 TV buyers from around the world in high-spirited style, unveiling six new and seven returning primetime series, with most of the cast and key creatives from each show on stage of the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood May 23, 2004, followed by a party across the street at The Annex, which featured a live performance by rocker Cyndi Lauper.

Company Headline News

Grand Clio Goes to Honda Cog

Wieden & Kennedys Honda COG, a unique 120-second TV commercial, has walked off with this years Grand Clio for TV at this years International Clio Festival, held from May 15 - 18, 2004. In addition, DDB Chicago has, again, been named Clios Agency of the Year, and DDB Worldwide, Agency Network of the Year for the fourth year in a row.

Disney Headline News

Miller To Head Walt Disney Int’l (Asia-Pacific)

Doug Miller has been appointed evp/md of Walt Disney International (Asia-Pacific), as well as svp/md of Walt Disney Television International (Asia Pacific), overseeing all Disney television activities in the region. Miller will continue to lead television development for the company in Asia and is based in Hong Kong.

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