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Rick DeMott's Recent Posts

Million Headline News

The Toys top the Turkey Day BO

Those toon titans of TOY STORY 2 crushed box office records over theThanksgiving weekend. The Buzz and Woody vehicle beat the 5-day non-summeropening record set by POKEMON: THE FIRST MOVIE two weeks ago and beat ABUG'S LIFE's record for the largest Thanksgiving weekend gross with a takehome of US$80.5 million. The sequel to the $192 million blockbuster had thefourth biggest five-day total in history. THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH, withprimary visual effects by Digital Film, Cinesite London, and Magic Camera,

Headline News

ANA presents The Peg Bar

By Rick DeMott | Thursday, November 25, 1999 at 12:00am

*Thursday, December 9, 1999. Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.

The Association of Northern Animators will present "The Peg Bar" featuringscreenings of new animation produced in the region, with musicby DJs 'Salad Butty'. The event will be held at the Bridge Hotel, CastleGarth at 8pm. For more information, or to contribute material to bescreened contact Alys at ++0191 232 8413, or E-mail: alyspalace@hotmail.com.

Animation Headline News

Larry Lauria Workshop

By Rick DeMott | Thursday, November 25, 1999 at 12:00am

*Saturday, December 11, 1999. Tampa, Florida, USA.The International Academy of Design will host animator/educator LarryLauria in an all day animation workshop. The workshops will initiate theAcademy's Animation Institute and are geared toward high school, collegeand young professionals. The workshop takes place from 8:30am to 5:30pm at5225 Memorial Highway, Tampa Florida. This exclusive event has a per personfee. Reservations are required, limited seating available. R.S.V.P. withKristine Fescina at (800) ACADEMY.

Headline News

Mr. Wonderbird Screening

By Rick DeMott | Thursday, November 25, 1999 at 12:00am

* Tuesday, December 14, 1999. New York, New York.

MR. WONDERBIRD, the 1953 animated feature directed by Paul Grimault,will have a rare screening as part of the weekly Light+Screen FilmFestival. MR. WONDERBIRD is a surreal adventure following a lively bird whorallies a group of imprisoned lions and a lamenting polar bear in thedefense of two young lovers who are pursued by a mad king, a giant robotand a battalion of flying policemen. The film features an English-language

Entertainment Headline News

Threshold must destroy Pokemon

By Rick DeMott | Thursday, November 25, 1999 at 12:00am

TheThreshold.com, a leading on-line entertainment network for brandedentertainment, has announced the premiere of its newest show, POKEMON MUST BEDESTROYED. Daily, the series will feature a new POKEMON character beingdestroyed in a delightfully merciless way. Web-surfers and haters of the"pocket things" will be able to vote on the next day's method of destruction. After thecomplete genocide of the little creatures, the network shall remain open shouldanything else need to be permanently eliminated. TheThreshold.com

Entertainment Headline News

Harvey Toons coasts with Landmark

By Rick DeMott | Thursday, November 25, 1999 at 12:00am

The Harvey Entertainment Company has partnered with Landmark EntertainmentGroup to create themed attractions from Harvey's cast of classic toons. Toons likeCASPER, THE FRIENDLY GHOST, RICHIE RICH, LITTLE AUDREY, and WENDY THE GOODWITCH will be the spark of ingenuity behind several location-based entertainmentcenters. Landmark's past film-inspired rides include STAR TREK: THE EXPERIENCE,JURASSIC PARK: THE RIDE, and TERMINATOR 2: 3D. Tony Christopher, CEO ofLandmark Entertainment Group believes, "Families are looking for entertaining things

Film Headline News

Blur whooses in with New Ride Division

By Rick DeMott | Thursday, November 25, 1999 at 12:00am

Venice, CA-based, Blur Studio, a leader in 3D animation, effects anddesign, has spawned a new theme park and special venue division. The new venture will behelmed by veteran ride film director Yas Takata. The new studio comes off theheels of Blur's success with the creation of last year's METEOR ATTACK, acustom film attraction for the Tobu Zoo Park in Tokyo, Japan co-directed by Takata andBlur co-founder Tim Miller. The film has since been licensed by IwerksEntertainment to play at venues around the globe. Takata has directed

Internet Headline News

New Portal opens for Iwerks & Stan Lee

By Rick DeMott | Thursday, November 25, 1999 at 12:00am

Iwerks Entertainment, Inc., an international leader in location-basedentertainment attractions, and Stan Lee Media, Inc., comic book icon StanLee's Internet entertainment company, are making Web history by molding the firsttheme park and specialty attraction experiences for the out-of-home market,based on Stan Lee's Internet entertainment material. Lee's Web-based superheroes will be brought to ride simulations, 3D/4D FX attractions and largescreen venues by Iwerks. Lee, in the first quarter of 2000, will launch his

Effects Headline News

TLC highlights Special Effects

By Rick DeMott | Thursday, November 25, 1999 at 12:00am

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, The Learning Channel will feature a specialentitled ULTIMATE SPECIAL EFFECTS. Premiering Sunday, November 28th from8pm to 11pm ET/PT, the special event will be comprised of three showshighlighting the effects in recent films like THE MATRIX, THE HAUNTING,ARMAGEDDON, and STAR WARS: THE PHANTOM MENACE.

Cancer Headline News

Charles Schulz diagnosed with Cancer

By Rick DeMott | Thursday, November 25, 1999 at 12:00am

Charles M. Schulz, creator of Charlie Brown, his dog Snoopy and the rest ofthe PEANUTS gang, has been diagnosed with colon cancer. The cancer wasdiscovered when the 76-year-old Schulz underwent emergency surgery lastTuesday for a blocked abdominal aorta. Schulz' wife Jean said doctors aredetermining the best course of treatment, which can include surgery, radiationand chemotherapy. One concern for doctors is that Schulz, who turns 77 onFriday, is still recuperating from the abdominal surgery. Since being moved

Million Headline News

Top of BO is quite enough for New Bond Flick

The new Bond flick THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH beat out Tim Burton's SLEEPYHOLLOW for the top spot in the U.S. weekend box office. The thirdinstallment of the 007 series, with star Pierce Brosnan in the lead role,grossed $37.2 to become the best opening for any Bond flick and the biggestdebut in MGM history in the states. The primary visual effects for the filmwere done by Digital Film, Cinesite London, and Magic Camera. Burton'sSLEEPY HOLLOW, based off the Washington Irving story, finished second with

Headline News

More on Mary Kay Bergman death

A cloud has eclipsed the world of animation since the passing of belovedvoice-over actress, Mary Kay Bergman. A prolific artist, she has recentlyprovided the voice for Daphne Blake in the two most recent SCOOBY-DOOdirect-to-video flicks; Batgirl/Barbara Gordon in BATMAN: SUBZERO; and allbut one of the female voices on Comedy Central's SOUTH PARK. She is alsobeen the "official" voice of Disney's Snow White since 1989. Mrs. Bergmanhad recently received an Annie Award nomination for her work in the SOUTH

Mattel Headline News

Execs Michael Perik & Kevin O'Leary leave Mattel

MICHAEL PERIK, the Learning Company's chairman, and its president, KEVINO'LEARY, have moved on from MATTEL, INC. A search has begun for a newperson to helm Mattel Interactive, the division which includes all units ofthe Learning Company, Mattel Media and the company's Intel Play venture. Inrelated news, Mattel has said that FRANCESCA LUZURIAGA will be the newchief operating officer of Mattel Interactive, responsible for finance,information technology and new business development. In addition, the

Headline News

Cinar hires Louise Sansregret as New VP

CINAR CORPORATION, creators of two-time Emmy winning ARTHUR and RICHARDSCARRY, appointed LOUISE SANSREGRET as Vice President of their newlycreated position in Investment Relations. Sansregret will focus her talentson various special corporate and community-based projects, as well asmanaging donations and sponsorships. In addition, SUZAN AYSCOUGH hasreturned to CINAR to take over as Vice President, Communications. Ayscoughwill over see corporate communications and product communications.

Spot Headline News

JJ Sedelmaier finishes New Spot for Milton Bradley

J.J. SEDELMAIER PRODUCTIONS, with J.J. Sedelmaier serving as director, hasproduced a second Milton Bradley/Parker Brothers "Family Game Night"30-second spot. The commercial features classic board games like Monopoly,Clue, and Scrabble. This incarnation is entitled "Special Night" andfeatures the same child-like crayon style from the previous Milton Bradleyspot.

Spot Headline News

The Mill hits the Finish Line with a New Daewoo Spot

THE MILL, a London-based post house, recently finished up a new Daewoo carspot. The 30-second commercial, entitled "Aerial Fantasy," is directed byDaniel Barber of Rose Hackney Barber and produced by Duckworth Finn GrubbWaters. The Mill's Flame artist Jason Watts set the piece to a base-boomingmix of rock and rap music. The spot features the new Daewoo "Lanos"thrashing the world's largest skateboarding half pipe. The spot will airaround Europe in November and arrive in England come January 2000.

Angry Headline News

Something Strange comes to Columbia

On November 11, 1999, the Hollywood Reporter reported that Columbiapictures has garnered the rights to Marvel Comics' DOCTOR STRANGE: MASTEROF THE MYSTIC ARTS. Don Murphy of Columbia-based Angry Films will producethe potentially live-action feature. The Strange flick joins SPIDER-MAN asthe second Marvel property in development at Columbia. Other comic-bookinspired project currently coming to life at Angry Films include ASTROBOYand PARASYTE.

Universal Headline News

Universal and Imagine get Nutty Too

Production has started up on NUTTY II: THE KLUMPS, the sequel to the $270million hit THE NUTTY PROFESSOR. Eddie Murphy will return to the role ofProfessor Sherman Klump in the Universal Pictures' and ImagineEntertainment flick. Singer and actress Janet Jackson co-stars in the film,which is produced by Brian Grazer (LIAR LIAR, BOWFINGER) and directed byPeter Segal (TOMMY BOY). Tom Shadyac, Murphy, Karen Kehela and James D.Brubaker are the executive producers, and the screenplay is scribed by

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