AWN Headline News

Commercial Spotlight

ACME FILMWORKS director BILL PLYMPTON created two animatedPSAs as part of a literacy campaign sponsored by 7-Eleven. The two15-second spots will air as bumpers on the PBS series "Wishbone." Theagency was The Richards Group in Dallas, Texas, and the producer was DianaLawless. . . . New Zealand-based FLEA CIRCUS, represented in the U.S. byCURIOUS PICTURES, created a seven and four second bumper for Nickelodeon's"Toons From Planet Orange," a program showcasing animation from around the

In Commercials, Commercials | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Disney Animates Animals

Disney's new theme park, Animal Kingdom, opensin Orlando, Florida on April 22. The 500-acre park features live animals,rides, and a few attractions which utilize animation. "It's Tough to be aBug," a show that takes place in a 430-seat theater inside a giant tree,combines 3-D computer animation with animatronic characters. Viewers wear"bug-eye" polarized glasses to view the animation, which was produced byDisney in association with Pixar, which is currently in production on the

In Places, Places | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Headline News

Musical Chairs

Palo Alto, California-based PACIFIC DATA IMAGES (PDI)has hired JOHN BATTER to the newly created position of Chief FinancialOfficer. He previously held the same post at DreamWorks Interactive wherehe was part of the start-up management team. Prior to DreamWorks, Batterwas CFO for game developer Xatrix Entertainment. Batter's appointment willfree up time for PDI founder and president Carl Rosendahl to move into achairman's position. The company is also searching to fill an additional

In People, People | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Simpsons Voices Settle

All of the major voice actors on "The Simpsons"have renewed their contracts with Twentieth Century Fox to continue theirwork on the series. The last of the agreements were reached last week,after several weeks of contract negotiations which had four of theactors-Hank Azaria (Apu, Moe and others), Dan Castellaneta (Homer, Krusty,Barney and others), Harry Shearer (Mr. Burns, Ned Flanders and others) andYeardley Smith (Lisa)- requesting salaries upwards of $100,000 per episode

In Television, Television | Headline News | Geographic Region: All

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April Headline News

Spike & Mike Fest

No, it's not "sick and twisted." It's "Spike & Mike's1998 Classic Festival of Animation," opening this Friday, April 10 at theCastro Theatre in San Francisco, California (running through April 22). Theprogram includes Pixar's Oscar-winning short, "Geri's Game," Piet Kroon's"T.R.A.N.S.I.T.," Aardman's "Stage Fright," Lasse Persson's "Hand in Hand,"Ben Gluck's "Man's Best Friend," Berad Beyreuther, Daniel Binder and RobertA. Zwirner's "Güten Appetit," Don Hertzfeldt's "Lily and Jim," Blair

In Event, Event | Headline News | Geographic Region: All