This week's updates to the Calendar of Events includes twenty-two new animation-related events, from major festivals to smaller symposiums and screenings. Plan your travels and film submissions accordingly!
On March 25, 1999, 7-10 pm, you are invited to join Santa Monica-based DH Institute of Media Arts (DHIMA) in celebrating demo reels of new graduates and current work produced by their students. After a ton of hard work, these DHIMA students are ready to blow off some steam with staff, students, alumni, and industry. See why SIGGRAPH '97 and '98 recognized 11 of DHIMA students with awards. Past graduates have gone on to work at companies such as Digital Domain, Pixel Envy, SEGA, Namco, Square, Alias|Wavefront, etc. DHIMA will provide drinks, snacks and music.
Bill recently illustrated "Monica's Untold Story, An Amorality Tale," published by an anonymous source, with full page watercolor illustrations. . .
* Tuesday, March 16. San Jose, California, USA.
The "Performance Animation Society" and the "Game Developers Conference" present "Evolving Humans for Games," an evening that takes a look at the next wave of tools that are enabling game developers to add photorealistic humans and 3D objects to their game environments. The meeting, at the San Jose Conference Center, takes place from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. and is open to everybody. For more information visit www.pasociety.org/gdc.
PIXAR has announced that its Chief Financial Officer and executive vice president, Lawrence Levy, will leave his post at the end March to take personal time off. No replacement has been announced yet. Levy will continue to be involved with Pixar as a member of the company's Board of Directors. Pixar also announced that it has appointed Chief Technical Officer Ed Catmull to its Board.
Legendary Warner Bros. layout artist, Hawley Pratt, who worked predominantly under the direction of Friz Freleng, passed away March 4 at the age of 87. He was raised in New York City and ironically graduated from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. In the 1930s, Pratt became an artist at Walt Disney Studios but soon found himself at Warners where he worked on all of Freleng's Oscar-winning cartoons including TWEETY PIE, SPEEDY GONZALEZ and BIRDS ANONYMOUS, and was nominated for an Oscar as director of the 1966 DePatie-Freleng short, THE PINK BLUEPRINT.
The fledgling Fox Family Channel has added ten new animated series to its kid and teen-targeted daytime lineup for the 1999-2000 season. The lineup represents a major investment from Fox Family in creating original and entertaining animated programming. Animation World Network spoke to Joel Andryc, Senior Vice President, Programming & Development about this lineup and how they're working to create a unique identity in the already overcrowded world of cable.
Headbone Interactive has signed two deals to deliver animated series to cable outlets Discovery Channel and Fox Family Channel. HUGO TAKES A DETOUR is a series of one-minute interstitials that will start airing on the Discovery Channel in spring '99. Not only is this Headbone's first foray into animated programming for television but it is also the first animated program to air on the Discovery Channel.
One of the largest motion capture studios in the world, hOuse of mOves (HOM), has moved to a larger facility in Marina del Rey, California, situated near Los Angeles International Airport. The larger space includes a 3,500-square foot stage with a 24-foot ceiling, along with an additional 3,500 sq. ft. of space for executive offices and conference rooms. HOM has also upgraded their motion capture hardware to include a new system with 12 cameras capturing at anywhere from 60-240 frames per second.
* Monday, March 15 - Friday, March 19. San Jose, California, USA.
Digital ink, paint and compositing house VIRTUALMAGIC ANIMATION has hired CHRISIE RUSSELL as Production Manager and promoted Ryan Robertson to the same position. Russell joins VirtualMagic from Warner Bros. Feature Animation where she was Assistant Production Manager on their last three features, THE IRON GIANT, SPACE JAM and THE QUEST FOR CAMELOT. Ryan Roberston, previously the production manager and art editor of the bi-monthly magazine HOT LAVA, joined VirtualMagic in 1997 as an Administrative Assistant.
April 15 is the deadline to send in animation scripts for the 1999 Humanitas Prize recognizing "humanizing achievement in television and feature film writing." A $10,000 prize is given to the writer whose children's animation script most fully communicates human values. This year, the Children's Animation category now includes both non-primetime and primetime shows. Engraved trophies are also awarded to the winning shows producer, director, story editor, production company and network.
* Wednesday, March 10 - Sunday, March 14. Tampere, Finland.
The 29th Tampere International Short Film Festival features competitive screenings of over 80 short films from around the world. The special screenings include retrospectives of Frédéric Back and Pat O'Neill, a look at Russian animation in the '90s and screenings of five children's films such as Lotte Reiniger's 1926 film Adventures of Prince Achmed and the Iranian puppet animation film, Basaaritarinoita. For ticket information direct your browser to http://www.tampere.fi/festival/film/index2.htm.
Commercial director and graphic designer JAY VIGON has joined 3D animation and effects company RHYTHM & HUES STUDIOS. His most recent projects in the broadcast video graphics arena include spots for Ericcson Cellular, Miro's Wearever line of pots and pans, Deloitte Consulting and Janus Mutual Funds. His long history of work in the graphics field ranges from designing the logo for Gotcha Surf Wear and the third STAR WARS film, RETURN OF THE JEDI, as well as authoring two books on logo development and design: MARKS I and MARKS II.
Computer Animation Instructors needed at the Art Institute of Atlanta...
An ASSISTANT DIRECTOR is needed at Ubi Soft, a leading producer of video games, interactive entertainment software andmultimedia applications...
This week's comic is about the true dangers of a sex change operation...
Take a tour of Italy where you will draw the sights and recieve personalinstruction from world class life drawing master Glenn Vilppu! Participantswill also be among the first to receive Glenn Vilppu's newest book, "TheVilppu Sketching On Tour Manual," which is currently in developement anddesigned specifically for the trip. Participants will go to places wheremost tourists never dream of going! When traveling through major cities,Vilppu will lecture on the local art. Everyone is promised a lot of
Featured in the Animation World Store this week: Cartoon Charlie: The Life and Art of Charles Thorson...
ANIMATOR - Canadian animator position open at major entertainment studio. Must reside in Canada. Please fax resume with cover letter to (602)423-8595, attn: Nella. Must be prepared to send demo tape if requested.
"ROCKWELL" ILLUSTRATOR - Illustrator with "Norman Rockwell" typeillustrations and talent needed for large entertainment company. Preferartist to reside in California, but not necessary. Please fax resume withcover letter to (602) 423-8595, attn: Nella.
The Hollywood Film Festival is currently accepting entries for its third annual festival at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, August 4-9, 1999. Both short and long-form animated films are being accepted for the animation category. The deadline for submissions is March 31, 1999 with an entry fee of U.S. $50 per film. For entry forms and additional details visit www.hollywoodfestival.com or call (310) 288-1882.
The Chicago International Children's Film Festival (CICFF) is now accepting entries for its 16th annual festival, which will take place at Facets Multimedias theaters, October 14-24, 1999. The CICFF is the largest competitive festival of children's films and videos in North America, with screenings of over 150 films and videos created for children ages 6-13. The competition includes six animation categories for feature, short and kid-produced films and videos. The deadline for submissions is May 28 with entry fees ranging from U.S.$35 to $75 depending upon length.
The Kids' WB! has announced two new shows for their 1999-2000 fall lineup. The first is ON THE ROPES, a live-action high school wrestling series, from the producing/directing team of Mike Tollin and Brian Robbins (KENAN & KEL, ALL THAT, VARSITY BLUES). The second freshman show, DETENTION, is an animated entry from Warner Bros. Television Animation, a comedy about eight mismatched preteens who regularly end up in afterschool detention.
London-based Pearson launched their independent theatrical animated feature, A MONKEY'S TALE, at the American Film Market which ended last week in Santa Monica, California. The film, which is Pearson's first foray into the theatrical feature arena, is directed by Jean-Francois Laguionie. The $14 million family entry features the voice talents of John Hurt, Michael York, Rik Mayall and Michael Gambon, as well as the hit Irish group BOYZONE, who performs the end title song. The film took nearly eight years to complete and utilized the talents of 400 animators.
Steve Oedekerk has stepped down as the director of Warner Bros. big-budgeted live-action/animated remake of THE INCREDIBLE MR. LIMPET after months of bickering between him and the studio. The script is currently being reworked by MULAN writer Rita Hsaio. Jim Carrey, the film's lead, will wait to see the new script before making any decisions on his involvement with the film. The film is being produced by Barry Levinson, Paula Weinstein and Bill Gerber.
