Disney’s HERCULES is having its world TV premiere
Disney's HERCULES has its world television premiere on Saturday, February 27th, on the Disney Channel at 7 p.m. (ET/PT)
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Larry Divney named to top post at Comedy Central
Comedy Central has promoted advertising executive Larry Divney to president and chief executive. Hereplaces Doug Herzog, who left the channel last month to become chief ofFox Broadcasting. Divney has directed Comedy Central's advertising salessince the network's inception in 1991, and has worked at CNN, MTV and theA&E Network. With Herzog's initiative, the network has found tremendoussuccess with original animated programming like SOUTH PARK, BOB ANDMARGARET and DR. KATZ: PROFESSIONAL THERAPIST.
Disney Interactive names new VP of Product Development
Disney Interactive has appointed Frank Evers to vice president of product development andproduction. Evers assumes overall responsibilities for the development ofall Disney Interactive products. In this role, he will oversee staffing,long range product planning and the development of policies, processes andquality assurance procedures for product content. He will report to JanSmith, Senior VP and general manager of Disney Interactive worldwide. Priorto joining Disney, Evers was VP of production at Activision, spearheading
Tricky Pictures adds new director
Chicago-based TRICKY PICTURES has added Frank Anderson to its roster of directors and will be repped exclusively by the company.Anderson, a 17-year veteran of the commercial production business, hasworked on animation campaigns for McDonalds, Unicef World Fund and Procter& Gamble. Anderson's diverse styles range from "photo-mation," a techniqueemploying cutout photographs animated like stop motion puppets, to pixilation (animating humans frame by frame). "Frank shares our philosophyof integrating a variety of production techniques, manipulating textures
Scott Pressler joins LoConte Goldman
Boston-based LOCONTE GOLDMAN DESIGN hasnamed five-time Emmy Award-winner Scott Pressler to Senior Design Director.Pressler has worked as an independent designer for the last 10 years with anumber of high-profile clients. Pressler was a broadcast designer for NBCSports from 1989-1996. While at NBC, he was the creative director andsenior designer of the 1996 Olympic games in Atlanta, and designer andcreative director for the 1992 summer Olympic games, Wimbledon '92-'94, NFL
New toy partnership for Mattel and Nickelodeon
Mattel and Nickelodeon have partnered to create toys for the Nicktoon series, CATDOG. The two-headed toys hit storesin March '99. The line includes Pull and Pose CatDog ($19.99), a plushstretchable and posable toy; Toon Team Packs ($14.99), six-inch mini-plushdolls with accessories; CatDog Ride-On Bicycle ($10.99), a bicycle for thewacky duo; and Stretchy CatDog ($7.99).
BOB, THE DEVIL AND GOD are headed for NBC
The Carsey-Werner Co., a dominant live-action TV production company having produced shows like COSBY and ROSEANNE, is developing their first animated show. The primetime cartoon, BOB, THE DEVIL AND GOD, is in the early development stages, and will reportedly be picked up by NBC. The show is created by Matthew Carlson (an executive story editor on WONDER YEARS, and creator of the U.S. version of MEN BEHAVING BADLY and TOWNIES). A Carsey-Werner spokesman said that the voice cast will be comprised of James Garner (God), Robert Downey Jr.
Fox fills primetime schedule with cartoons
Seth MacFarlanes FAMILY GUY has edged out Matt Groenings FUTURAMA for Foxs golden post-SIMPSONS Sunday timeslot...
VOLTRON arrives on Canadas all-animation channel, Teletoon
World Events Productions has licensed the 3D animated series, VOLTRON: THE THIRD DIMENSION to Teletoon, Canadas all-animation network. The show will make its Teletoon Canadian premiere on Wednesday, March 3. Voltron, based on the popular 80s cartoon, is produced for World Events by Mike Young Productions (THE SECRET GARDEN) and Netter Digital Entertainment (BABYLON 5).
Teletoon teams up with Chester Cheetah for a special promotion
A recent deal between Canadas Teletoon and Hostess Frito-Lay will result in Chester Cheetah hosting CINETOON, an animated feature-length movie which airs on Teletoon the first Saturday of every month, starting March 6. The promotion will celebrate the March launch of the new Chee.tos Shockwaves snack food, and a CINETOON Trivia Challenge will enable viewers to win Sony Playstations and other prizes.
TV Academy presents student awards
The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation has announced the winners of the 1998 College Television Awards Competition, recognizing excellence in college student film/video productions. Animation awards, sponsored by the Walter Lantz Foundation, were given out in both traditional and non-traditional categories. There will be a black tie Awards Gala on Sunday, March 7, at the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, followed by a public screening of the winning entries on Monday, March 8 (see Events below for additional information). The winners are:
MULAN is finally released in China
Disney's Chinese-themed MULAN finally opened in China today on 13 screens in Shanghai. Chinese officials had originally declined to import MULAN when it was released last year because of their dissatisfaction with Disneys release of KUNDUN, a live-action film about Chinese rule in Tibet, two years ago. The timing for MULANs debut was less than favorable, falling on the last day of school childrens winter vacation period. MULAN is scheduled to screen in other parts of China including Beijing, although dates havent been announced yet.
Ideas in Animation, an evening of animation set to live music
* Monday, February 22. San Francisco, California, U.S.A.
Cartoon Network premieres original Web cartoons
Cartoon Network.com debuted two original interactive on-line cartoon series on February 22. As each cartoon unfolds, users can make choices about which direction the story will take. PINK DONKEY AND FLY, created by pop culture icon Gary Panter, is the unlikely love story between a pink donkey and a fly as they try to keep clear of The Ol' Coot and his troublesome wife, Maw. B. Happy, from renowned underground satirist Mark Newgarden, follows the bluebird of happiness, B. Happy, who wants to rid the world of misery.
Author is looking for storyboards to include in upcoming book
Mark Simon is currently writing the 2nd edition of STORYBOARDS: MOTION IN ART, to be published by Focal Press. The author is currently looking for all examples of presentational and production boards from films, TV, commercials, videos, animations and multimedia projects to include in the textbook. In addition, conceptual art, comps and animatics may also be considered for use in the book. Additional information and release forms can be obtained from Mark Simon by e-mailing him at mark@storyboards-east.com or calling (407) 370-2673.
Disney re-releases 101 Dalmations on video
Walt Disney Home Video is re-releasing 101 DALMATIONS (1961) on video on March 9, for 101 days only. The fully restored, digitally remastered and THX Certified release also features a new 90-second MOUSEWORKS short, STREET CLEANER, featuring another Disney canine star, Pluto. In addition, the video is accompanied by an exclusive offer for a free Dalmation puppy beanbag toy. The video will be available at $26.99 (S.R.P.).
REBOOT joins Cartoon Network lineup
Cartoon Networks afternoon programming block Toonami will start airing the CG-animated show, REBOOT, as part of its daily Monday-Friday line-up, from 4:30 - 5:00 p.m., starting March 15. The show, which was the first entirely computer-generated cartoon, is produced by Vancouver, Canada-based Mainframe Entertainment.
Alvin and The Chipmunks Marathon Arrives on Cartoon Network
On Sunday, February 21, Cartoon Network will present ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS GREATEST HITS, an 8-hour marathon from 12-8 p.m. (ET/PT) featuring 32 "hot" tunes from the 1980s. The programming stint will feature sixteen half-hour episodes along with a live-action dance party with Alvin groupees dancing to the high-pitched music. Among the songs that will be played include: "Beat It," "Born to be Wild," "Ghostbusters," "The Heat is On," "Twist and Shout," "I Love L.A.," "Celebration," "On the Road Again," "Bad to the Bone" and 23 others.
Eric Rollman is FOX Family Worldwide’s new production president
Eric Rollman has been upped to president of production for Fox Family Worldwide, a joint venture between Saban Entertainment and Fox News Corp. His new role puts him in charge of production for Fox Family Channel, Fox Kids Network and Fox Kids International, as well as continuing supervision of on-air promo material production for the various channels.
LoConte Goldman adds and promotes a couple designers
New York-based LoConte Goldman Design has promoted four-time Emmy winner Arne Jensen to Senior Designer. Jensen has worked on numerous projects since joining the company in '96, including the ABC News NIGHTLINE redesign and ESPN SPEEDWORLD and NFL DRAFT graphics packages. In addition, Kenneth Shaw has joined LoConte's team of designers. Shaw had most recently been working for Olive Jar as a composite artist. "Ken impressed us with his natural ability to bridge the creative with the technical.
PDI names John Bell new Creative Director of production design
PDI (Pacific Data Images) has named ANTZ Production Designer, John Bell as the division's Creative Director. Bell's new responsibilities include managing the production design staff, and overseeing the creative direction and design techniques of the rapidly growing commercial and film effects unit as it continues to broaden beyond its present size and scope. "John has contributed to some of the most significant special effects films in the last decade," said Patty Wooton, PDI's Senior VP or Production.
Mike Marcus joins Will Vinton Studios board of directors
Former CAA agent and MGM president and CEO Mike Marcus has joined Will Vinton Studios (WVS) board of directors. According to Marcus, "Will Vinton Studios has the potential of becoming the next Pixar. It is an exciting opportunity to get involved on the ground stages of a potentially enormous company." WVS CEO and president Tom Turpin added, "Mike brings with him a wealth of knowledge of the film business, talent packaging and film industry production management."
DOWNTOWNERS' writers sign WGA agreement
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has reached an agreement with Castle Rock Television for a collective bargaining contract covering the writers of DOWNTOWNERS, an animated series premiering on the primetime WB line-up this fall. The dispute had initially begun when writers on the show were unhappy with the benefits of the union that was representing them, the IATSE Cartoonists Local 839. A key point in the agreement was recognition of the WGA as the exclusive bargaining representative of primetime animation writers employed by Castle Rock Television and Downtowners Productions.
Pearson Television purchases animation producer EVA
London-based Pearson Television has purchased EVA Entertainment for £2 million ($3.3 million). EVA, a five year-old pan-European venture, produces and distributes children's animation with a library of around 200 half-hours including SPOT THE DOG and BILLY THE CAT. The company was also one of four co-producers on BBC2's animated series, REX THE RUNT. Pearson's recently appointed director of animation John Bullivant will oversee EVA. However, the studio will continue to be run by EVA's managing director Mikael Shields, who'll function as chief operating officer.
Film Roman founder resigns
PHIL ROMAN has resigned from his post as chairman of the animation studio he founded, Film Roman, the company announced on Friday, February 12. Roman founded the company in 1984 which has since produced numerous series including GARFIELD, BOBBY'S WORLD, THE SIMPSONS, KING OF THE HILL and FELIX THE CAT.
