Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. has agreed to acquire Artisan Entertainment Inc. for $160 million cash, plus the assumption of $40 million in debt, thus creating a company with more than 8,000 entertainment titles.
A Lions Gate spokesman said the acquisition includes the assumption of about $40 million in debt, putting the total value of the deal at slightly above $200 million, plus performance-based compensation.
Universal Pictures has promoted John Swallow to evp of production technology. He will continue to report to presidents of production Mary Parent and Scott Stuber. Swallow was named svp of production technology for Universal in January 1998, having first joined the studio in Nov. 1996 as vp of production technology. Over the years, he has been responsible for supervising the production technology for such films as THE GRINCH, THE MUMMY, THE MUMMY RETURNS, THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK, THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS and OCTOBER SKY.
At a time when 2D feature animation is currently under assault in the U.S., Montreal-based H2V Entertainment has proudly announced that its initial slate of three films are all in 2D and will be ready for distribution in April 2004. Not only that but MANGA LATINA: KILLER ON THE LOOSE, MONICA MADE IN AMERICA and PIÑATAS are all contemporary, Latino-flavored stories aimed at teens and adults.
Industry veteran Jere Hausfater has joined Miramax Films as evp/co-head of Miramax International. Based in Los Angeles, Hausfater will report to Miramax Films coo Rick Sands, and will work alongside Stuart Ford in heading Miramax International. He will also work in conjunction with Agnes Mentre, who heads Miramaxs acquisitions group, to acquire product for sale and distribution outside of North America. Additionally, Hausfaters business affairs background will be tapped to help Miramax develop European co-financing structures.
Makers of animated and live-action short films, as well as countries submitting films in the Foreign Language Film Award category, must submit their entry forms and supporting materials to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for 76th Academy Awards consideration by Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2003.
Entries in the Short Films categories must submit the entry form, film synopsis, cast and credits list, stills, film print and proof of qualifying exhibition or festival win. Screenings of the Live-Action and Animated Short Film screenings will start in November.
12th Stuttgart International Festival of Animated FilmStuttgart, GermanyApril 1-6, 2004Deadline: December 1, 2003
Told at the start of his animation career to make his films as much like Disney as possible Avery decided the only person the public wanted to see do that was Walt.In a medium where the single most often used word is "thatsnewtakeitout" Avery was a revolutionary.
He still is. Only uncensored prints will be shown.
8pm Wednesday, September 17, 24, Oct. 1, 2003.
P.S. Animators looking to get your films shown in Toronto are invited to get in touch.
Considered one of the most difficult festivals to get into, the 30th edition of the Telluride Film Festival took place on August 29 September 1, 2003. Unlike the redheaded stepchild treatment that animated films get at other live-action focused festivals, the non-competitive Telluride gave three lucky animated entrees the same worthy reception that other more high profile live-action films received.
The partners behind the summers surprise hit 28 DAYS LATER, Fox Searchlight Pictures and DNA Films have announced a five-year, $50 million joint production and distribution deal, reported the HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. DNA Films operates on unused U.K. lottery funds and first needed approval by the U.K. Film Council before the agreement could be signed. The new joint venture will remain with the name DNA Films and producer/exec Andrew Macdonald has been hired to head up the company.
David Miercort joins Miramax Films in Los Angeles as svp of acquisitions and business affairs. Reporting to both Agnes Mentre, head of Miramaxs acquisition group, and co-president of production, Bob Osher, Miercort will be involved in motion picture acquisitions activities from a business affairs/legal perspective and help facilitate agreements for promotions initiatives.
Channel 4s plans to lead the way in the U.K. to create world-beating animated shorts and specials with its three-year funding commitment to animation commissioning. A total investment of £1.6 million will be injected into the channels three animation schemes Mesh, Air and Animate!
"No other television broadcaster has invested so much in developing the raw talent of the U.K.s animators and we look forward to seeing more fresh and innovative specials over the next three years," said Tim Gardam, Channel 4 director of television.
In addition to more than 20 new films in AWNs Theatrical Release Database, you can also view the trailers for two of the falls most anticipated films THE ALAMO and MATRIX REVOLUTIONS. We added pages for the two Go Fish anime releases MILLENNIUM ACTRESS and GHOST IN THE SHELL II, as well as the live-action version of the anime flick BLOOD: THE LAST VAMPIRE. Making the jump from the small screen will be the feature film version of THE FAIRLY ODDPARENTS.
The Machinima Film Festival 2003 New York, New York, USAOctober 25, 2003Deadline: September 15, 2003
The Student Animation Festival Ottawa (SAFO) has announced the films in and out of competition for its 2003 event. California Institute of the Arts led the pack with seven film selected, followed by Royal College of Art with three films getting spots. The categories in the official competition are High School/Secondary Student Film (11 films), Post-Secondary Student Films (11 films), Post-Secondary Graduate Films (24 films), First Film (9 films), Childrens Animation (15 films) and Best School Showreel (6 schools).
Leipzig Festival 2003Leipzig, GermnayOctober 14 - 19, 2003Deadline: August 25, 2003
The 7th Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival Toronto, Ontario, CanadaNovember 26 - 30, 2003Final Deadline: August 1
The 7th Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival is looking for features, short films, videos, documentaries, comedies, animations, obscure experimental films with or without sound, complex political rants, ironic chop-socky kung-fu flicks, deconstructivist mockumentaries, minimalist Generasian X slacker dramas and anything else that is brilliant, creative, weird or just plain entertaining.
The 30th Flanders International Film Festival Ghent, BelgiumOctober 7 - 18, 2003Deadline: August 10, 2003
AWN managing editor Rick DeMott talks with artists, execs, teachers, historians and other festival directors about their experiences with Annecy, both artistically and professionally.
Chris Robinson chats with French animation writer, teacher and director Olivier Cotte to figure out how he gets so much done in the same 24-hour day that we all live in.
Regal Cinemas will be launching the Nano Shorts Program this fall, putting short films in front of feature films in their Cinema Art Theatres nationwide. Here
Kids WB! and Dimension Films are teaming up for a new contest in connection with the release of SPY KIDS 3D: GAME OVER. The 2nd Annual Kids' WB! Way Outta The Way Road Trip Sweepstakes will kick off on Monday, July 14, 2003, and will give one grand prize winner the chance to drive home in an Isuzu Axiom SPY Mobile - delivered by the stars of the film, Alexa Vega and Daryl Sabara.
The 39th Chicago International Film FestivalChicago, Illinois, USAOctober 2 16, 2003Deadline: July 25, 2003
Don Duga reports on the ASIFA East Awards with his sketchbook art, not with words.
FIKE 2003: Évora International Short Film FestivalNovember, 14 - 22, 2003Deadline: August 31, 2003.Évora, Portugal
ASIFA-Hollywood will be presenting rare industrial films from the 1950s at the American Film Institute in the Ted Ashley Screening Room on Saturday, June 28, 2003 at 3:00 pm. Some of the rare 16mm and 35mm film prints include films produced by major studios, such as UPA, John Sutherland Productions, Playhouse Pictures and Quartet Films.
