AWN Headline News

New media company Icebox is hoping that people are ready to pay for entertainment on the Web (other than porn, that is). Starting this week, Icebox is making its entire library of animation available on a pay-per-view basis through Icebox On Demand (www.icebox.com). Since relaunching the site in April 2001, Icebox has been focusing its core business on developing new content for traditional and new media, as well as the licensing of its existing library.

Charlex has added award-winning visual effects artist Alan Neidorf to its roster. Neidorf comes to Charlex after a sixteen-year run as senior visual effects artist and editor at Tape House and Black Logic, where he worked closely with director Michel Suissa, now of Parallax One. His credits include commercials for Coldwell Banker and Texas Instruments and work for Grey Advertising, McCann-Erickson Worldwide, MBVMS and other advertising agencies. "Charlex is well known for its unique, collaborative creative approach," Neidorf said.

TV-Loonland AG has its eyes set on 29.9 percent of the British DVD and video distributor Metrodome Group plc., London. If the green light is given at a general meeting on November 29, 2001, TV-Loonland will buy 4,184,250 new shares from Metrodome at a price of 17 pence (approximately US$.25) per share as part of a capital increase. At the same time TV-Loonland is prepared to extend a £1.5M ($2.18M) loan to Metrodome for the purpose of buying new film and DVD/video rights.

Illustrator and cartoonist Gray Morrow (born Dwight Graydon Morrow, 1934) passed away at his home in central Pennsylvania on Tuesday, November 6, 2001. Although he had suffered with health problems the last few years, his death was unexpected. "Gray was both a participant in and a witness to comics history," said Insight Studios Group's Mark Wheatley, who edited GRAY MORROW VISIONARY, published last summer. "He was a master illustrator who had the respect and friendship of his peers.

Quiet Man completed the visual effects on a new spot for Walt Disney World via Yellow Shoes Creative Group featuring Mickey Mouse using some visual magic to create theme park adventures. As "Hat Trick" (:30), directed by Richard Sabean of Access Films opens, Mickey appears in his famous sorcerer's apprentice costume standing in front of four wooden buckets containing different colored substances.

Infogrames, Inc. is bringing back Atari for the holidays. Now available, MXRIDER and SPLASHDOWN for Sony PlayStation2 are the first games to launch under the new Atari banner. Infogrames recently launched both MXRIDER and SPLASHDOWN globally, releasing the games to an estimated 15,000 retail outlets in the U.S. and 23,800 outlets internationally. MXRIDER is a motocross racing game featuring authentic motorbike speed and action with over 50 licensed Motocross World Championship riders in all three motorbike classes (125cc, 250cc and 500 cc).

Each week, Animation World Magazine offers new articles, special features and theme-based coverage of the art, craft and industry of animation. New this week:

- Science Visualization and Educational Animation at SIGGRAPH 2001:The Next Big Deal.Susana M. Halpine explores the underrated areas of science visualization and educational animation, which were hot topics at this year's SIGGRAPH.

Hollywood, California's Acme Filmworks is looking for a freelance ANIMO COMPOSITOR . . . AniByte is looking for 3D ARTISTS located in the U.K. and EU . . . Toronto, Ontario's Evil Clown Animation is looking for a CO-PRODUCER and part-timeTRADITIONAL INBETWEENER/CLEAN UP artists for work on an original short film . . . Barcelona, Spain's Filmax is looking for a 2D ANIMATOR . . . Los Angeles, California's Networking People is looking for a ARTIST/ANIMATOR for work in a game development studio . . . New Studio is looking for a MAYA ANIMATOR/SHAKE COMPOSITOR . . .

InBetweening America, Candy Kugel's short film based on a Saul Steinberg New Yorker magazine cover illustration of 20 American faces was screened at the New York Film Festival on October 5 and 6, 2001. Although the film was completed and accepted into the festival before the events on September 11th, the American flag motif and the variety of American faces seemed particularly relevant in light of recent events.

This week's updates to the Calendar of Events include:* Animation Workout, Guest Director Herb Tannen: Tuesday, November 13, 2001, Burbank, California USA.* Webproducteurs World Tour 2001: Wednesday, November 28, 2001, Los Angeles, California USA.* Animazing Holiday Event: Thursday, December 13, 2001 - Tuesday, January 15, 2002, New York, New York USA.* KidScreen Summit: Monday, February 25 - Wednesday, February 27, 2002, Los Angeles, California USA.

Award-winning visual effects designer and digital artist Deak Ferrand has left post-production facility R!OT to launch the independent studio Hatch with his long-time visual effects producing partner, Cheryl Bainum. Hatch designs and produces digital visual effects for films, television, commercials and interactive projects by using the latest techniques in digital matte painting, compositing and computer graphics. The studio specializes in concept design and designing and creating 3D matte paintings.