Digital Productions Solutions (DPS), the animation unit of IDT Media, has entered into a joint venture with Vanguard Animation to co-produce and co-own all Vanguard properties, as well as buy a minority stake of Vanguard in the eight-figure range. The announcement follows on the heels of DPS's acquisition of a majority stake in Film Roman Inc.
Travel along with Production I.G.s Justin Leach to get his personal impression of Cartoons on the Bays artistic and geographical beauty.
Michelle Pappalardo-Robinson has been appointed vp of production for the recently renamed DisneyToon Studios, to oversee production for its video/DVD premiere and theatrical properties.
"Michelles 14 years of experience and overall knowledge of production will serve as a tremendous asset as we continue to expand the division and break new ground," said Sharon Morrill, evp at DisneyToon Studios.
Just as it gears up for more VFX feature work, Blur Studio (www.blur.com) has moved into a new, 20,000 square-foot computer animation studio that is nearly triple the size of its former Venice, California headquarters. Through an international talent search, it has also increased its artistic staff to 65, with additional talent to come.
The much ballyhooed anthology of nine MATRIX shorts premiered June 3, 2003 on DVD ($24.98 suggested retail from Warner Home Video), with its unprecedented fusion of computer animation and anime, delving deeper into the complex virtual world of the Matrix and featuring some of the top anime creators, including Yoshiaki Kawajiri (VAMPIRE HUNTER D), Shinchiro Waanable (COWBOY BEBOP) and Koji Morimoto (AKIRA'S animation supervisor).
Mighty Fudge is currently producing a follow up video for Dressy Bessy's new album. They are focusing on making an animated music video and producing our own "Saturday Morning Cartoons for Adults." Big Toe Productions (Damian Griffin) will talk about the production of his short film and touring the animation festival circuit. Damian is the single mind and force of will behind his stories, production, promotion and distribution of his work.
Wednesday, May 28, 2003 at 7:00 pm at the Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design Theater 6875 E. Evans Ave Denver, CO 80224
Side Effects Software (SESI), developer of the award-winning Houdini family of 3D software, has made a number of new hires and executive promotions to support what the company says is the rapid growth of the Houdini community.
New York City-based Animation Collective, Inc., has appointed Aundrea DeFur to the newly created position of head of production. She will oversee the studio's production slate and manage client relationships.
You gotta produce. You gotta create. You gotta connect. You Gotta NAB.
FXDigital/DiFarm, a Korean and Los Angeles based digital studio specializing in 3D animation production, is debuting its BUMPER KING ZAPPER (26x30) animated series aimed at kids 7-12, at MIP-TV. Set to broadcast on SBS Korea in September 2003, BUMPER KING ZAPPER takes place in the year 2034 in the city of Kore, where a young boy named Tyron dreams of becoming the king of "Bumper Cross," the remote control racing game that dominates pop culture society.
Sunwoo USA, the Burbank, California based division of Sunwoo Entertainment in Korea, has entered into a co-production and co-development agreement with the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), to make THE UNHUGGABLES, a 26x30 animated series based on the book published by the NWF. The NWF will premiere a comic strip based on the book in spring of 2003. THE UNHUGGABLES features a group of school-aged animals, whose unappealing characteristics make them the outcasts. The action-packed coming-of-age misadventures of a spider, snake, porcupine, skunk, armadillo and an Asian False Vampire Bat is targeted for kids 2-11 and tentatively scheduled for the 2003/2004-television season. "We are very excited to be working with Sunwoo, one of the most innovative production and animation companies in the business," said Christopher Palmer, president/CEO of National Wildlife Productions, the production arm of the NWF. In addition, Sunwoo USA is offering in its first MIP product slate, SPACE HIP HOP DUCK, a 52x11 animated series already sold to KBS Network in Korea, according to Jae Moh, president/CEO of Sunwoo USA. SPACE HIP HOP DUCK features two near-do-well slackers who hip hop across the Hip Hop Galaxy in search of odd jobs while pursuing their dreams of becoming rock stars. It stars Hip Hop, a green sharp billed female duck and her human companion Wangja, a young male with a talent for gadgetry, who travel aboard Argo, a multi-purpose robot who serves as both a butler, a spaceship and a peacemaker. Sunwoo Entertainment, headquartered in Seoul, Korea, is comprised of three animation studios: Sunwoo Animation, Grimsaem Animation and Anivision Korea. These studios work closely together with Sunwoo Digital International to provide state of the art animation services. Its recently launched U.S. division seeks co-production deals, recruits talent and develops content with international appeal for its Korean-based studios.
European animation television vets Justin Hatfield and Cathy Laughton are teaming with Hungarian toon studio Varga to flex its international muscle. The two will handle presales across Europe, finance and distribution for Varga, as well as seek out co-production and partnering opportunities on new projects. Varga CEO, Andras Erkel, has set them upon securing int'l pre-sales for BJORN BEAR, a Varga, Happy Life (Sweden) and WDR (Germany) co-production.
Toronto-based Cambium Catalyst International Entertainment (CCI) has partnered with U.K. animation studio, Collingwood OHare Entertainment (COE), to co-produce the animated series HARRY AND HIS BUCKETFUL OF DINOSAURS. Based on the successful book of the same name, the animated pre-school series explores the vivid imagination of a child and his dinosaur companions. Production is set for fall 2003 in the U.K. and Canada. CCI Releasing will hold worldwide distribution rights.
Independent animation studio Mike Young Productions (MYP) is expanding with key hires in areas of development and distribution. Regis Brown joins as VP of international sales, responsible for launching a new distribution arm for the company. His sales slate includes HE-MAN AND THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE in key international territories, JAKERS! THE ADVENTURES OF PIGGLEY WINKS, a co-production with PBS WLIW and Entara Ltd., and PET ALIEN, a co-production with Antefilms Production, for TF1.
Our seminar is meant for filmmakers not directly involved in the process of visual effects production, i.e. line producers, production managers, directors, screenwriters, directors of photography and so on.
By keeping focused on storytelling rather than limiting ourselves on specific details of the digital filmmaking process, we offer you the big picture of how your production can gain visual and story value by the use of visual effects.
JM Entertainment, based in Seoul, Korea and Glendale, California, has started production on its first 2D/3D animated feature film THE TOY WARRIOR. Hollywood TV animation writer Brian Swenlin wrote the script about the Land of Toys, an imaginative world ruled by the popular doll, Princess Sherbert. When a dark force threatens her toy kingdom, Jinoo, a trouble-making boy from the real world, must save the day. JM Entertainment president Ji-Moon (Jeff) Lim and Seoul Movie president Chang-Rok Jun are executive producers.
IDT Media is expanding its animation business, offering its services to toy companies to create low-cost 3D series for television or home video. IDT's production subsidiary Digital Production Solutions (DPS) and its Global Animation Studio plan to provide high-quality 3D animation solutions at a lower cost for toy manufacturers.
The International Animated Film Society,ASIFA-Hollywood, is currently accepting entries for the 30thAnnual Annie Awards. Deadline to receive entries is Friday,October 4, 2002.
Submission Eligibility
Entries submitted for consideration must be from productions that originally aired or were released betweenAugust 1, 2001 and December 30, 2002.
ASIFA-Hollywood has announced nominations for the 30th Annual Annie Awards. Honoring outstanding achievement in animation, this year's twenty-two categories recognize feature films, television programming, commercials, home videos and special projects in categories ranging from directing, writing and voice acting to production design, storyboarding and music.
Loni Peristere discusses how he and three other partners created a new effects studio for television, which now works on such hits as Firefly and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
With Hayao Miyazaki's SPIRITED AWAY emerging as a front runner for Oscar nomination, Japanese distributor Toho Films has announced the director's next project. According to ANIME NEWS NETWORK, Miyazaki will begin production on HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE in February 2003, a film based on the novel of the same name by Diana Wynne Jones. HOWL is a love story between a male witch and an 18-year-old girl who has been transformed into an old woman. The Ghibli Studios production will be written by Reiko Yoshida, with Katsuya Kondou (KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE) acting as supervising animator.
Universal Pictures has promoted Andrew Fenady to vice president, production. Fenady has been with Universal since 2000, when he came on board as director of production. In his new position he will continue to work with filmmakers on all aspects of physical production, including budgeting, scheduling, hiring crews and managing the daily workings within the production. Fenady is currently overseeing physical production on the films DR. SEUSS' THE CAT IN THE HAT, THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS 2 and HONEY.
Oct 28th, 20026:30pm Networking/Social Party7:00pm - 9:30pm Actual ProgramShare with animation professionals as they compare and discuss their studio experiences and workload within Animation Production.October 28th Topic: The Art of Production ManagementSpeakers:Anjelica Casillas - Production Management at Rhythm and Hues (CG animation for visual effects films)
Zahra Dowlatabadi - Animation Team/Producing Animation
The Los Angeles chapter of Women in Animation (WIA) will hold its general meeting on Monday, October 28, 2002...
RTV Family Entertainment AG has announced that the company has been successfully restructured, thanks in part to downsizing of staff and a capital increase in cash. In May 2002, RTVs steadily declining economic situation put the company into dire straits until a bridge credit line was issued to them in mid-June 2002. The funds were backed by a letter of credit from RTV's majority shareholder Ravensburger AG. Ravensburger has also taken over the 4.9 million Euros debt that remained, which will now allow RTV to refocus on its core business.
