R!OT Santa Monica helped to make an "Angel" out of Pink by providing vfx and final post services for the singer's new video FEEL GOOD TIME. The song is the theme from CHARLIE'S ANGELS: FULL THROTTLE and the video, directed by Dave Meyers of @radical media, casts Pink as a fourth member of the secret agent squad.
Warner Bros. technical operations has promoted Darcy Antonellis to evp, distribution & technology operations, and Chuck Dages to evp, emerging technology. Both Antonellis and Dages will report directly to technical operations president Chris Cookson.
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.
Comic and licensing company Marvel Enterprises is mulling over entering the world of film production on their own, confirms a company representative. Since the overwhelming success of its characters like Spider-Man and Daredevil on the big screen, the company is contemplating middle budget theatrical or direct-to-video productions based on some of their lower-profile characters. The films would have a budget range of between $8 and $50 million.
Upon the success of UNDERWORLD in its opening weekend at the box office, Lakeshore Entertainment and Screen Gems have quickly greenlit two additional UNDERWORLD films. Original films writers Danny McBride and Len Wiseman will begin writing the sequels screenplay immediately. Wiseman plans to return as director as well, hoping to start filming as soon as possible. The third film is tentatively set as a prequel to the first film.
MTV Networks Europe will deploy Pinnacle Systems' Liquid blue, chrome and Liquid Edition (formerly Liquid purple) editing tools within their new, shared workflow operations in Benelux. The purchase is part of an extensive program by MTV Networks Europe to build a fully networked broadcast environment for their MTV, TMF and Nickelodeon TV channel groups within the region.
rhinofx created the effects on LOGICAL ENGINEERING, the :30 GMC spot that aired nationally in August. Working with Jim Sonzero of RSA USA, Los Angeles, California, and Lowe, New York, the rhinofx team was headed by senior inferno artist/partner Vico Sharabani.
The Digital Animation & Visual Effects School has added Ron Thornton to its team of instructors. Thornton was a founder of the legendary Animation house Foundation Imaging in Valencia, California, and a pioneer in the use of computers for vfx. His credits include BABYLON 5Babylon 5 (for which he won the Emmy for best visual effects), STAR TREK VOYAGER, DEEP SPACE 9 and ENTERPRISE. He was recently nominated for his work on the series finale of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER.
AMD has announced the grand prize winner in the AMD Athlon 64 processor High-Tech Treasure Hunt. Marty Rice of Cleveland, Ohio, won the grand prize of an AMD Athlon 64 processor-based desktop system and $6,400 cash. The virtual geocaching contest asked participants to find 64 global locations that have significance to 64-bit computing, AMD or technology. More than 10,000 people entered the contest between August 25 and September 15.
Lord of the Rings Motion Picture Trilogy - The Exhibition London, U.K.September 16, 2003 - January 11, 2004
e-on software, the developer of award-winning 3D natural scenery products, has released Vue 4 Professional for MacOS X and Windows, the newest addition to its line of products for professional 3D designers and digital video production houses.
STAR WARS: EPISODE III wrapped principal photography at Fox Studios Australia on Sept. 17, 2003, five days ahead of schedule, according to a Lucasfilm announcement.
"It's almost unheard of for a major motion picture to come in under-schedule," boasted producer Rick McCallum of the shoot that was originally scheduled for 12 weeks.
The WB's popular SUPERMAN spinoff series, SMALLVILLE, comes to DVD in THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON set (Warner Home Video, $64.92) on Sept. 23, 2003. The deluxe six-disc package offers the origins of the characters, numerous plotlines and deleted scenes and other bonus features.
HOLES, the family adventure concerning an ancient family curse and kids forced to dig holes to build character, comes to DVD (Walt Disney Home Entertainment, $29.99) on Sept. 23, 2003. Starring Stanley Yelnats (Disney Channel's EVEN STEVENS), HOLES is based on the Newberry award-winning book by Louis Sachar.
Front Porch Digital Inc. has named Nikesh Kalra U.S. director of sales and marketing. Kalra brings more than 10 years of experience selling digital media solutions in the media and entertainment sector.
Luma Pictures helped to conjure up a dark and formidable world of werewolves and vampires in providing visual effects services for Lakeshore Entertainment's new horror thriller UNDERWORLD (opening Sept. 19, 2003). A team of some 20 artists from the studio took part in the project, crafting visuals ranging from 3D matte paintings of central Budapest, to the partial transformation of a man into a werewolf, to the creation of microorganisms representing creature transformations on a cellular level.
Discreet has announced it is collaborating with Eastman Kodak Co. to bring Kodak's expertise in film color science and color management to emerging digital intermediate and film workflow solutions.
The 41st Shark Awards at Kinsale took place on September 13, 2003. Framestore CFC landed both the Best Animation award for Audis DRINK LIKE A FISH and the Best Production/Special Effects award for Johnnie Walkers FISH. This follows up Framestores win last year for Best Post-Production on Levi's ODYSSEY spot.
Hasbro Inc. has hired Hollywood heavyweight Lorenzo di Bonaventura to shop its classic G.I. JOE franchise around to studios as a live-action feature film, reported DAILY VARIETY. Di Bonaventura track record as an exec at Warner Bros. includes such franchises as THE MATRIX, HARRY POTTER, SCOOBY-DOO and BATMAN. Screenwriter Michael Gordon (LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN OBRIEN) has already been attached to pen a script.
Universal and NBC have struck a deal to create a dramatic TV pilot based on the 2004 summer thriller VAN HELSING. Entitled TRANSYLVANIA, the show will not be a spinoff or sequel, but will take place in the same universe as the feature. This deal is the first between NBC and Universal since negotiations by GE to purchase Universal from Vivendi began. The films director Stephen Sommers (THE MUMMY) first came up with the idea for the TV series over a year ago when he was hired to direct the feature.
Los Angeles-based KromA (www.kroma.biz) created 100 dancing clones of Ricky Martin in providing computer animation and vfx services for JERAMENTO, the pop superstar's new music video. Directed by Joseph Kahn, the video is the latest from Martin's new album ALMAS DEL SILENCIO.
Pinnacle Systems Inc. announced a new product aimed to help consumers enjoy their PC-based music, photos and video on the television in their living room. Pinnacle ShowCenter is a set-top device that connects to wireless and wired home local area networks (LAN) and enables streaming of multimedia files from any PC on the network to any television or home entertainment system in the house.
Visual effects shop Eden FX continues its role as the primary provider of CG work for the syndicated Paramount Television series ENTERPRISE, which launched its third season Sept. 10 at 8:00 pm on UPN. Eden FX will be providing more of its Emmy-Award winning vfx, including two new, entirely computer-generated creatures.
Spiral Graphics announced the release of its anticipated Genetica seamless texture maker. Genetica, the industry's first node-based texture maker to specialize in the generation of seamless textures, intends to dramatically improve the productivity of game designers, 3D artists and others.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Scientific and Technical Awards Committee will review 14 scientific and technical achievements for 76th Academy Awards consideration, according to committee chair Richard Edlund, but its not too late to submit entries.
