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Series Headline News

Cartoon Network Acquires X-Men: Evolution

Cartoon Network U.K. has acquired 26 episodes of X-MEN: EVOLUTION from Warner Bros. The Film Roman-produced series follows the exploits of the X-Men as teenagers. The series will hit U.K. airwaves in September. Finn Arnesen, VP of programming, development and acquisitions for Cartoon Network Europe, said, "This series will appeal to X-MEN fans as well as drawing in new viewers with the strong story lines and an updated take on the X-MEN franchise. X-MEN popularity is building; X-MEN The Movie came out last year, there's a second movie coming in 2002.

Headline News

Voice Actor Dave Barry Passes

Dave Barry, comedian and voice over actor, has passed away. He died on Thursday, August 16 at his Beverly Hills home. He was 82. Barry began his voice over work for Warner Bros. cartoons in the 1940s. He played Humphrey Bogart in BECALL TO ARMS (1946), SLICK HARE (1947) and 8 BALL BUNNY (1950). In 1958, Barry took over as the voice of Elmer Fudd after the death of Arthur Q. Bryan. He also voiced Bluto in POPEYE and also served in several PINK PANTHER shorts. He is survived by his wife, Ginny; a daughter, Wendy; and four sons, Alan, Dana, Kerry and Steve.

Films Headline News

What's Next For PDI/Dreamworks?

Riding on the success of SHREK, DreamWorks' Jeffrey Katzenberg has announced that two CGI films will go into production simultaneously at PDI/DreamWorks. Three films are currently in pre-production, and once solidified, will go into production. The first project is TUSKER, which has been floating round the studio for years. The action-adventure story is set in Southeast Asia and will follow a herd of elephants.

Digital Headline News

Brilliant Digital Names Hip-Hop Honcho To Board

Brilliant Digital Entertainment has named hip-hop publisher Russell Simmons to its board of directors. Simmons' companies include Def Jam Entertainment, Phat Farm Clothing, Rush Communications and D-Rush, a joint venture with Deutsch Advertising. Simmons and his partner Stan Lathan are joint-ventured with Brilliant Digital in Digital Hip Hop, a Los Angeles-based digital production company. In addition, Brilliant Digital has announced that president Kevin Bermeister will also assume the additional role of CEO. Mark Dyne, the former CEO, will remain the company's chairman.

Headline News

Primetime Toons All Stay Strong

Moving up to 33rd, THE SIMPSONS secured a 5.5 rating/10 share. KING OF THE HILL was crowned in 60th place, garnering a 4 rating/8 share. Holding steady at 66th, FAMILY GUY grabbed a 3.7 rating/6 share. The traditionally high-ranking SIMPSONS Wednesday special only scored 76th place with a 3.4 rating/7 share. Jumping up a slot to finish 77th, FUTURAMA forged a 3.2 rating/6 share. The U.S. universe estimate used for calculating ratings for the broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, UPN, PAX and WB) is equal to 100% of all TV households.

Game Headline News

Microsoft To Include Discreet's Gmax In Dungeon Siege

Discreet and Microsoft have signed a second licensing agreement to create, publish and distribute Discreet gmax game packs in another title. The role-playing game DUNGEON SIEGE, developed by Gas Powered Games, is the next confirmed Microsoft game to include support for gmax software. The title is scheduled for delivery in 2002. gmax will allow users to create and modify their game content for unique and extended experiences. "This is the support that mod makers have been waiting for!

Software Headline News

Side Effects Sells Houdini To Walt Disney

Side Effects Software has announced that Walt Disney Feature Animation made a significant purchase of the company's Houdini 3D animation software package. Houdini has been used in many projects at the Walt Disney Company including FANTASIA 2000, GONE IN 60 SECONDS and TARZAN. "Houdini's flexible procedural paradigm helps our artists be more creative, while maintaining an efficient production environment," said John Carey, VP of technology at Disney.

Media Headline News

Olsen Media Wraps On 13 Episode Web Series For Egmont

Santa Monica-based Olsen Media has finished production of 13 episodes of SOLVE THE MYSTERY, an interactive Flash-animated crime-puzzle for the Internet. The series has viewers aiding Police Inspector McClue and his dim-witted assistant, Alvin, in their efforts to solve a mystery or crime by mouse-clicking back and forth checking for suspects and clues. The Web series is produced in collaboration with Egmont, a multinational media company headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, and TV2 of Denmark.

Headline News

Where's My Shorts? Alkamy Phase 2, Capt Pointy, Drunky, Utica

The Sydney design and animation studio, alkamy has launched phase 2 of its Website, which includes 8 new works in the interactive section. Netizens can also catch new shorts featuring Dr. Leechfingers, who is the star of a series of short films alkamy has in development. Check it all out at www.alkamy.com Professional British cartoonist/animator Bill Greenhead was launched the new Flash toon CAPTAIN POINTY at his site www.billgreenhead.demon.co.uk Augenblick Studios' DRUNKY can be seen on CampChaos.com.

Headline News

DMA Animation Brings Betty Boop To Slot Machines

King Features, the rights holder to many classic characters like Popeye, has hired DMA Animation to bring Betty Boop to a new line of video slot machines. The machines are being scripted by Top Gun Gaming and manufactured under a licensing agreement with Las Vegas-based Bally Gaming and Systems. The new BETTY BOOP game starts off with images of Betty in her dressing room, asking players to help her pick her next movie role. She points to three posters on the wall that illustrate her choices - Circus Extravaganza, Daredevil Betty or Game Show Sweetheart.

Total Headline News

Total Training Releases What's New In Adobe Aftereffects 5

Total Training has released WHAT'S NEW IN ADOBE AFTEREFFECTS 5, a new training series covering the new AfterEffects capabilities. Previously, Total Training had produced a complete training study program for the beginning user. In addition, the new series includes tips, techniques, hidden features and tricks. WHAT'S NEW IN ADOBE AFTEREFFECTS 5 stars Brian Maffitt, Total Training chief creative officer, AfterEffects expert and long-time AfterEffects evangelist. "My enthusiasm for AfterEffects is very well known," he said.

Headline News

Macromedia Director To Be Bundled With 3ds Max

Macromedia and Discreet announced a strategic partnership that will accelerate the deployment of interactive 3D content to the Web by uniting the worlds of 3D authoring and Web design. The partnership will bundle Macromedia Director 8.5 within 3ds max. The co-marketing partnership and bundle arrangement will begin in mid-August 2001.

Artists Headline News

WildTangent Web Exporter To Be Bundled With 3ds Max

WildTangent has announced that their direct-to-Web exporter for 3ds max will be packaged along with the software. WildTangent's integrated solution gives artists the ability to pull animated scenes directly from 3ds max into a Web page. The encryption options allow artists to pinpoint where Web page assets can be viewed. If someone attempts to copy and paste an artist's page into a new source, they will receive a refuse to load response.

Game Headline News

Discreet Unveils Gmax

At QuakeCon, the world's premier multi-player gaming event, Discreet unveiled gmax, the company's licensable game development platform and free consumer game-content editor. The consumer version of gmax will be available as a free download to gamers in fall 2001 and will come with 3D modeling, animation, texturing and character building tools. Discreet previously announced that elements of gmax will be bundled with MICROSOFT FLIGHT SIMULATOR 2002: PROFESSIONAL EDITION, shipping in Q3 this year.

Tools Headline News

Exluna Releases First Rendering Tool

Exluna, a new start-up dedicated to developing affordable 3D tools, is releasing Entropy, an advanced 3D rendering product. Entropy is the first offering of Exluna's "Look Development" tools and technologies, which allow digital artists to manipulate the appearance of 3D objects, using shading, lighting, painting and rendering techniques. Entropy will be unveiled at SIGGRAPH 2001 in Los Angeles on August 14-16, along with a first look at Exluna's bridge product for Discreet's 3ds max and 3D Studio VIZ scheduled for release this fall. Entropy will sell for US$1,500.

Digital Headline News

Digital Element Opens Up Closed City In Russia

Oakland, California-based technology company Digital Element, with the help of NewTek and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under the auspices of the Department of Energy's Nuclear Cities Initiative, has been working to open up "Closed Cities" in Russia. These cities do not appear on maps and up to now have been strictly military R&D and production sites. Digital Element trainers and engineers have helped form new Russian software development teams in Snezhinsk and other closed cities to help the towns integrate into the Western market.

Animation Headline News

The Acrobat Issue Of Animation World Magazine Is Now Online!

The July Acrobat issue of Animation World Magazine is now on-line! July focuses on Internet animation. There is no denying that the Internet entertainment market has changed...so how are four prominent leaders in the field adjusting to the brave new world? Rick DeMott reports. Jacquie Kubin gains insight from executive Paul Samulski on NewKidCo, which is bringing some of the most well known properties and characters into the children's gaming arena.

Production Headline News

Neptuno Films Launches New TV Series, 2020

Neptuno Films is launching a new animated show, 2020. Aimed at 8 to 12 year olds, the show is centered on a middle-class family, The Campbells, who live in a futuristic city where synthetic food and clones are in fashion. Josep Viciana will direct with a team of comic book designers. Production will start in 2002. Viciana said, "We are very excited with the challenge ahead. We have been able to set up for this project one of the most talented teams in Spain ever.

Headline News

Ad Studio Invades Video For Get Down

São Paulo, Brazil-based AD Studio has created the visual effects for latest music video from Brazilian band AD, entitled "Get Down." The video features an animated alien playing the role of lead singer, three robots hammering away on their musical instruments and over 13,200 dancing aliens. All the modeling, animation and rendering were done with Electric Image's Universe 3D animation system, utilizing some 3D party shaders and plug-ins and compositing separate rendering passes with Adobe After Effects.

Animation Headline News

New Jobs: Camera, Lighting And Mocap Specialists, Digital Artists And More...

Hollywood, California's Acme Filmworks, a commercial animation studio, is looking for a PRODUCTION ASSISTANT to work with one of their directors for an upcoming spot. . . Porto Alegre, Brazil's Animaholics, a 3D animation company, is looking for an AGENT to represent them in the US advertising market. . . Montreal, Quebec, Canada's Animation Resource Group, a 3D animation company, is looking for a 3D LIGHTING & CAMERA SPECIALIST, 3D SENIOR COMPOSITING, 3D TEXTURE MAPPING SPECIALIST and SENIOR MOTION CAPTURE SPECIALIST. . .

Series Headline News

Telemagination Casts Brit Comedy Duo For Pongwiffy TV Series

U.K.-based kids animation producer Telemagination has cast the British comedy duo French and Saunders for the voices of the two main characters in their newest in-house animation series PONGWIFFY. The series was commissioned by U.K. broadcaster CITV. Targeted at 6 to 9 year olds, the series follows a group of dysfunctional witches. Dawn French (FRENCH AND SAUNDERS, THE VICAR OF DIBLEY) will voice Pongwiffy, a witch of dirty habits, while Jennifer Saunders (FRENCH AND SAUNDERS, ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS) will voice Sharkadder, Pongwiffy's obsessively vain best friend.

Game Headline News

THQ Unveils Next Generation Video Game Line-Up

THQ Inc. released its next generation game line-up for the 2001 holiday season. The titles include DARK SUMMIT, NEW LEGENDS and MX 2002 FEATURING RICKY CARMICHAEL for Xbox, RED FACTION for PC, and in conjunction with JAKKS Pacific Inc., WWF SMACKDOWN! JUST BRING IT for the PlayStation 2 and WWF RAW IS WAR for Xbox. In addition, THQ is also releasing numerous Game Boy Advance titles. DARK SUMMIT combines snowboarding action with an in-depth story line and mission-based objectives. NEW LEGENDS is a new fighting game set in a futuristic China where players can use two weapons at the same time.

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