Honayn's Shoe, an animated tale about a lost nomad’s search in the desert, with his camel, for his lost shoe, was named Best Animation at this year’s African Movie Academy Awards.
Taylor Kitsch, who is best known for playing Gambit in WOLVERINE, has sunk the lead role in Universal’s boardgame-inspired BATTLESHIP, reports HEAT VISION.
VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry's most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has licensed 52 episodes of the popular Shonen Sunday KEKKAISHI anime series to Adult Swim for domestic broadcast. KEKKAISHI will begin airing on May 29th.
Univision Interactive Media and CBS Interactive’s GameSpot are teaming on the Spanish-lingo game site, Univision.com, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.
Two animated features in production in South Africa are using stereoscopic 3-D, VARIETY reports.
Kenya-based Homeboyz, in partnership with the U.K.'s Tiger Aspect, is producing a new animated TV series titled TINGA TINGA TALES, reports VARIETY.
Nigeria's information minister Dora Akunyili isn't mincing her words when it comes to criticizing what she sees as a denigrated portrayal of her countrymen in DISTRICT 9.
Disney's D23 Expo has been a wealth of news for the studio's big upcoming films.
PorchLight Ent. has announced that Discovery Kids and Jetix Europe have ordered 13 new episodes of the Emmy award-winning animated series, TUTENSTEIN. The new episodes are scheduled for delivery in 2006. Discovery Kids Channel and Jetix Europe are the series partners in the U.S. and Europe respectively. In the U.S., Tutenstein airs on the Discovery Kids channel and the Discovery Kids Saturday morning block on NBC.
Zingy has announced an exclusive mobile publishing agreement with G-Unit, a leading urban brand founded by award-winning hip hop artist, 50 Cent. Under the agreement, Zingy will release a series of games based on members of the G-Unit crew, including 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks, Young Buck and Tony Yayo.
Zingy is the exclusive distributor of 50 Cent voice ringtones, ringback tones, voicemail greetings, wallpapers and video ringtones. This extension of the partnership between the two entities will now include an array of 2D and 3D G-Unit mobile videogames.
Fox Broadcasting Co. has arranged a great many varieties of animated sitcoms into a great bouquet to be presented to viewers on May Day, May 1, 2005, with the return of FAMILY GUY at 9:00 pm, debut of the AMERICAN DAD series, airing at 9:30 pm, KING OF THE HILL at 7:00 pm and, reportedly, 350th episode of THE SIMPSONS at 8:00 pm.
Vince Roberts has been promoted to the newly created position of evp, worldwide technology and operations, Disney-ABC Cable Networks Group and Walt Disney Television International. He will be responsible for the global technical and operational strategic direction and ongoing management of all television and IT functions across the Disney-ABC Cable Networks Group, including Disney Channel, Toon Disney, SOAPnet, ABC Family and JETIX; and Walt Disney Television International, including, Disney-branded networks in Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, Japan and Canada.
Buena Vista International Television (BVITV) has promoted four senior members of its sales teams in Europe. Carsten Fink, based in Munich, Damian Newton, in London and Francesca Tauriello, in Rome, have been promoted to vice president, sales & distribution, German-speaking Europe, vice president, sales, Pay TV/New Technologies and executive director, sales, Northern Mediterranean markets respectively. Tatjana Vucanovic has also been promoted, to executive director, sales, Central & Eastern Europe.
Michelle Rodriguez (RESIDENT EVIL), Taryn Manning (8 MILE), Oliver Hudson (TVs THE MOUNTAIN), Hill Harper (THE SKULLS) and Eric Lively (TVs THE L WORD) have signed on to star in Wes Craven-exec produced horror film THE BREED, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. First Look Media and DEJ Prods. are handling worldwide rights. Cravens longtime collaborator Nick Mastandrea will make his directorial debut on the film, which starts filming next week.
DIC Ent. (DIC) has promoted Jedd Gold to vp of marketing. In his new position, Gold will oversee all marketing and promotional initiatives for DIC, including marketing strategies for the company's brand properties STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE and the upcoming release of TROLLZ. He will be responsible for creating and executing multi-layered retail and consumer campaigns, including advertising, promotions and publicity. Gold will manage the efforts of DIC's internal marketing team and outside vendors.
Walt Disney Branded Television has promoted James Neal to vp, programming, Disney Channel UK, responsible for leading the programming teams for Disney Channel, Playhouse Disney and Toon Disney. Neal will also oversee the program planning of general entertainment channel abc1.
DICs Growing Worldwide Consumer Products Division has promoted 10-year DIC veteran Ryan Gagerman to vp, International Consumer Products for DIC Entertainment. It also named Lorne Bloch, director of Licensing and Stephanie Mente, manager of International Consumer Products.
American Greetings Corp. and DIC Ent. (DIC) kick off the spring season with a STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE Seaberry Beach national promotion. Developed by DIC, on behalf of American Greetings, the promotion features a sweepstakes with tropical prizes.
Creative director Paul Song, exec director Casey Gelvin and exec producer Valerie Schadt have launched Liquid Images, a new visual effects company in Santa Monica that will be located within the offices of Cut + Run/Los Angeles. Liquid Images provides effects and motion graphic design for commercials, main titles and broadcast design. The company is independent of Cut + Run, but will serve as the companys visual effects and finishing arm on a project-by-project basis.
On March 1, 2005, Turner Broadcasting, the creators of Cartoon Network, will launch Boomerang, the home of classic shows and stars from the Hanna-Barbera library in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi, Swaziland, Lesotho and Southern Angola. Boomerang will offer MultiChoices DStv channel 81subscribers a channel dedicated to shows such as WACKY RACES, CAPTAIN CAVEMAN, THE HAIR BEAR BUNCH, DASTARDLY AND MUTTLEY and INCH HIGH PRIVATE EYE.
On March 5, 2005, the New York International Childrens Film Festival (NYICFF) will screen the highly anticipated U.S. premiere of the animated feature STEAMBOY, directed by Katsuhiro Otomo (AKIRA). This retro sci-fi anime was 10 years in the making and is the most expensive Japanese film ever produced. The film features the voices of Patrick Stewart, Alfred Molina and Anna Paquin. Director Otomo will be on hand for a Q&A immediately after the screening. A VIP reception will follow.
MTV Networks announced its first-ever global program acquisition, securing the worldwide broadcast rights to Animation Collective's property KAPPA MIKEY, for Nicktoons in the U.S. and Nickelodeon's international channels. The deal comprises 26 half-hour episodes of the animated action comedy that will premiere on the channels in 2006. Also part of the agreement, MTV Networks International secures international distribution rights for third-party broadcast sales.
Cecilia Persson has been appointed director of acquisitions for Cartoon Network, Boomerang and Toonami channels in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).
David Hulbert, former president, Walt Disney Television International, will be leaving the company in the wake of the Disney-ABC Television Group reorganization its television businesses in the European, Middle Eastern and African territories, promoting of two key executives to oversee this new organizational structure.
John Hardie, former svp/md, branded television, EMEA moves up to evp/md, Branded Television, EMEA while Tom Toumazis, former svp/md, Buena Vista International Television, EMEA advance to evp/md, Buena Vista International Television, EMEA.
Prism Ent. and Nickelodeon U.K., are rolling out their online kids environment the BIN WEEVILS into new territories in a far-reaching agreement with pan-European kids network, Nickelodeon Europe. From early 2005, children visiting the Websites of Nickelodeon channels in Sweden, Italy and Spain will all be able to join in the comedy-driven animated characters. To date, 281,632 children have registered as BIN WEEVILS at www.nickelodeon.co.uk and in November 2004 alone the site received 2,671,516 hits.
