Regardless of whether or not Pixar renegotiates a distribution deal with Disney, the northern California-based animation powerhouse is poised for the future. Thanks to the stellar performance turned in by THE INCREDIBLES DVD, Pixar reported first quarter revenues this week of $161.2 million and earnings of $81.9 million, up from $53 million and $26.7 million last year.
Universal Pictures is set to remake Alfred Hitchcock's classic 1963 horror film, THE BIRDS, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Michael Bay's Platinum Dunes is in talks with the studio to produce along with Peter Guber and his Mandalay Pictures. The new version will be based on the original short story by Daphne Du Maurier, which inspired the Hitchcock film. The story chronicles the events that transpire in a small Pacific Coast town after the birds begin attacking in mass for no reason.
Boasting an all-new digital restoration derived from the original camera negative a first for Disney BAMBI debuts on DVD March 1, 2005 (Disney Home Ent., $29.99). The sublime 1942 animated masterpiece, featuring Bambi, Thumper, Flower, Owl and all of their memorable forest friends, elevated the craft with a newfound naturalism and lyricism, inspired, in large part, by the exotic beauty of background artist Tyrus Wong.
Taylor Jessen reviews five short films: Gopher Broke by Jeff Fowler, In the Rough by Paul Taylor, Suite for Freedom by Aleksandra Korejwo, Caroline Leaf and Luc Perez, Oedipus by Jason Wishnow and A Bucks Worth by Tatia Rosenthal. Includes QuickTime movie clips!
Walt Disney Feature Animation has greenlit a story for its TOY STORY 3 feature, reports HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. The premise comes from Jared Stern, a participant in Disney's feature animation story development program. Stern pitched the idea to the studio, who is keeping details quiet. It has not been decided whether Stern will write the screenplay or other writers will be brought in to craft the first non-Pixar sequel to the TOY STORY franchise.
In the first of a two-part series from the Inspired 3D Short Film Production book, Jeremy Cantor and Pepe Valencia delve into why storyboarding is so important.
In pitching animation, not only do you need the passion, have a thorough understanding about your property and know the broadcaster and their needs, you need to demonstrate what your story it about. Your pitch materials are your sales tools.
The Pitch Bible is a tool that helps convey your concept. It is a tool to help you present and is a leave-behind to trigger the decision makers memory.
There are no hard and fast rules about what form a pitch bible should take. At its very best, it should reflect the concept of the project, whether it is a television, feature or home entertainment project, to help the buyer visualize the story as you pitched it. The size, color, number of pages, how it is put together is up to you, the creator, to determine what best conveys your creation.
In the latest jostling for prime release dates, Disney confirmed that VALIANT, the initial 3D-animated outing from Ealing Studio-based Vanguard Animation in the U.K. (the studios heir apparent to Pixar?) will fly in U.S. theaters on April 15, 2005. With Disneys own CHICKEN LITTLE now flying the coop in November, this highly anticipated story of a World War II carrier pigeon should fill the bill nicely.
Revolution Studios has announced that Nicolas Cage will star and Lee Tamahori will direct the action thriller NEXT, based on sci-fi author Philip K. Dicks THE GOLDEN MAN, reports VARIETY. TOTAL RECALL scribe Gary Goldman optioned the story and wrote the screenplay on spec, taking the finished tome to Saturn. The film should start filming next summer.
Cage and Saturn Films partner Norm Golightly will produce. Goldman will exec produce, along with Jason Koornick, who owns the rights to Dick's short story. Derek Dauchy will head up the project for the studio.
UWPictures/O-Group, Ltd. and Three Kings Ent. have optioned YOUNG MERLIN, written by Robert Kahn. The coming-of-age story of Merlin, envisioned as the first chapter in a three-part franchise, is a live-action feature combined with CG. Purchase price for the film, budgeted at $25 million, was mid-six figures. The project will shoot in the U.K. at the end of the year.
Walt Disney Co. is simultaneously working on two new TOY STORY sequels, according to Disney ceo Michael Eisner, who listed some of the studios film plans at a Goldman Sachs investment conference in Manhattan, NEW YORK NEWSDAY reports.
Eisner added that while computer-animated movies are the current rage, success would come down to storytelling and emotion, and not just technology.
While promoting the 10th anniversary of THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, director/writer Frank Darabont has said that he will direct screen adaptations of Stephen Kings MIST and Ray Bradburys FAHRENHEIT 451, reports SCI FI WIRE.
Now that the sky is no longer the limit in vfx, The Pixel Priestess thinks its time to pick and choose our 3D usage more carefully.
Taylor Jessen reviews five short films: Love Tricycle by Andrew Goode, The Monkey and the Bananas by Nate Mulliken, Son of Satan by Jean-Jacques Villard, JoJo in the Stars by Marc Craste and Harmony in Red by Niki Yang. Includes QuickTime movie clips!
Peeing in the soup continues. The bladders of producers seem as continuous fountains. Here are a few hairy tales.
Continuing Inspired 3D Short Film Production excerpt on story, authors Jeremy Cantor and Pepe Valencia delve more into structure.
Starting our Inspired excerpt series from the new book, 3D Short Film Production, authors Jeremy Cantor and Pepe Valencia take readers into the most important part of any 3D film production - the story.
Steven Mirkin gets a few helpful hints from vfx houses about what theyre looking for in new hires.
Buena Vista Intl. Japan will invest in the CGI feature, BRAVE STORY, produced by Fuji Television and Gonzo Digimation, it was reported by VARIETY and confirmed by the Walt Disney Co. This marks BVIJs first foray into local production and distribution, planning to distribute it locally in summer 2006.
BRAVE STORY, based on the best-selling novel by Miyuki Miyabe, features a 10-year-old who enters a magical world to find a cure for his mother's illness.
To be directed by Koichi Chigira, production will cost an estimated one billion yen ($9 million).
Joe Strike talks to Tad Stones about his thirtysome years in animation, from Eric Larsons training program at Disney, his work on EPCOT, the influence of Jeffrey Katzenberg, Disney TV Animation and now his new project, Brer Rabbit, at Universal Cartoon Studios.
Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer Films have bought Terry Rossio (SHREK, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN) and Bill Marsilii's romantic thriller script DEJA VU for several million dollars, reports VARIETY. Buena Vista Motion Pictures Group president Nina Jacobson will oversee movie with evp production Jason Reed. Rossio and his writing partner Ted Elliott will exec produce with Jerry Bruckheimer Films' Mike Stenson and Chad Oman, who originally brought the script to Bruckheimer.
Greg Singer reviews Disneys traditional cartoon feature, Home on the Range, and reminisces about a West that never was what it used to be.
Walt Disney Co. studio chief Dick Cook said on Friday that he sees TOY STORY 3 as a feature rather than a DVD-premiere project such as LION KING 1 1/2. Cook was in San Antonio, Texas, to promote THE ALAMO, which debuts April 9. He also said in an interview with REUTERS that he doesnt anticipate Pixars participation in the sequel.
Thailand-based The Kantana Group has hired U.S. animation vets Tod Polson and Aaron Sorenson to direct its feature animated film, KHUAN KLUAY, reports VARIETY. The studio hopes to make the film the first from Thailand to be released simultaneously throughout Asia in April 2005. A third of the project's $2.5 million budget is being funded by The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, which is providing tax breaks for imported software and ponying up the cash for the film's marketing. The story follows an abandoned elephant that saves his homeland from its enemies.
In her debut Pixel Priestess column, Jill Smolin ponders the tension between art and technology in vfx and where we go from here.
