A CGI/live-action adaptation of GARFIELD is in the works at Fox, with Peter Hewitt (THUNDERPANTS, THE BORROWERS) attached to direct, according to DAILY VARIETY. Contingent on the negotiation of certain rights issues, the production will move forward with TOY STORY writers Joel Cohen and Alec Sokolow on board to pen the script. The property is licensed by Paws, Inc., the creative and marketing company founded in 1981 by GARFIELD cartoonist Jim Davis.
The 7th edition of Cartoons On The Bay, International Festival of Television Animation, will be held in Positano, Italy on April 9-13, 2003. Cartoons on the Bay is an international event with awards, workshops, lectures and events centering on the ever-changing world of television animation. The Pulcinella Awards Competition is open to all products in animation for television and the Internet, including pilots of series. In 2003, the Competition will also be open to short-films not produced, coproduced or pre-acquired by a television company. Works completed after the 1st of January 2002 and created with any kind of animation technique may participate. The various Pulcinella Awards are presented to eight competing categories including best series for infants, children, young adults & adults, all audiences, best pilot, best TV movie, best short film, best European program, best program of the year and best character of the year. Entry into the Competition is free. The deadline for sending materials is January 20, 2003. For more information and registration forms email: cartoonsbay@raitrade.it(link sends e-mail) or visit the Website: --> http://www.cartoonsbay.com
The Producers Guild of America's New Media Council recently put together a panel of industry heavy hitters to discuss Producing Animation in the 21st Century. Greg Singer was there to take down the details
Tremendous! Entertainment has secured the international television rights to the animated television series GARFIELD & FRIENDS, and plans on reintroducing the lasagna-loving feline to broadcasters at this years MIPCOM. To promote the series, Tremendous! Entertainment will produce and distribute a Garfield 25th anniversary television special, slated to begin production in January 2003 for broadcast in June 2003. The company also plans to release special home video and DVD Collector Editions in fall 2003.
Capitalizing on the name-recognition of the Sony brand, the company announced that it will be renaming its domestic and international television divisions. Columbia TriStar Domestic Television (CTDT) and Columbia TriStar International Television (CTIT) will now operate under the names Sony Pictures Television (SPT) and Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI), respectively.
The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences has announced that 2d3's automated motion tracker boujou has been awarded a Primetime Emmy Engineering Award. Cited for its revolutionary impact on the creation of complex visual effects, boujou has made a major contribution to high-profile television productions, music videos and commercials by facilitating the creation of visual effects combining live-action and 3D. DINOTOPIA, BAND OF BROTHERS, Jim Henson's JACK & THE BEANSTALK: THE REAL STORY and BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER are among the productions to use boujou's matchmoving technology.
Buddy Baker, a 29-year Disney veteran who composed the musical scores for nearly 200 Disney feature films, television shows and theme park attractions, passed away from natural causes on Friday, July 26, 2002, at his home in Sherman Oaks, California. He was 84 years old. Baker first came to the Disney Studio in 1954 and went on to compose music for such popular television shows as DAVY CROCKETT and THE MICKEY MOUSE CLUB. His theatrical credits include the featurette DONALD IN MATHMAGIC LAND, plus memorable scores for the three original WINNIE THE POOH offerings.
Disney has already announced plans to capitalize on the success of its 2D animated summer hit LILO & STITCH with a direct-to-video sequel and a television series. Thomas Schumacher, head of Disney Feature Animation, made the announcement. The video sequel, currently entitled STITCH! -- THE MOVIE, is slated for release in 2003 and will serve as a bridge between the feature film and the television series, currently under development with the working title of STITCH! -- THE TV SERIES, and set to launch on Disney Channel in fall 2003. In STITCH!
GailSchenbaum and Karen DiNoto have joined the Los Angeles-based creativedepartment of Big Idea Productions. Gail Schenbaum has been appointedsenior vice president of creative affairs, responsible foridentifying and developing live-action and animated family featurefilms, direct-to-video and television projects. Schenbaum brings withher nearly 20 years of experience in the film and televisionproduction arena. Most recently she was a producer and creativeconsultant for a number of companies, including Pearson UK,
Buena Vista International Television (BVI-TV) has licensed the Classic Treasures package to Telewizja Polska S.A (TVP). The collection of Disney and Disney/Pixar animated features includes A BUG'S LIFE, POCAHONTAS, HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME, TOY STORY and TOY STORY 2. This is the first time these titles have been available on Polish television.
Distribution outfit peppermint has struck a first-time deal with Columbia Tri-Star International Television (CTIT) and BBC Choice for the new adult animation series PETEY & JAYDEE GO EXPLORING. The series of 52 x 45-second vignettes follow the adventures of two quirky aliens as they take viewers on an irreverent joyride. CTIT plans to air the series on Japan's all-anime cable-satellite channel Animax. They also acquired all television, merchandising and broadband distribution rights for Sony Entertainment Television (SET) in Latin America.
Three months after stepping down as head of Cinar, Peter Moss as been appointed to the newly created position of vice president of programming for Corus Television. Beginning May 1, 2002, Moss will be responsible for enhancing programming across all Corus services by developing strategic approaches to program development, acquisition and partnerships. "Peter has an outstanding track record in both public and private television broadcasting as well as production," said Paul Robertson, president of Corus Television.
Since 1957 the San Francisco International Film Festival has presented the best in world cinema. Submissions are open tonarrative features, documentaries, shorts, animation, experimentaland television productions on film, video and digital media. The four divisions include: Filmand Video, for independently produced documentaries, shortnarratives, shorts for children and animation; Television, forcurrent commercial, noncommercial and cable television production;New Visions, for experimental works that challenge the language of
Year twelve of the UK-based funding scheme is now live.
animate! is commissioning a new slate of risk-taking projects for television, with running times of 3-6 minutes and production budgets from
The 6th edition of Cartoons On The Bay, International Festival of Television Animation, will be held in Positano, Italy on April 18-22, 2002. Cartoons on the Bay is the only festival in the world solely dedicated to television animation. The festival is an international event with awards, workshops, lectures and events centering on the ever-changing world of television animation. The festival includes the Pulcinella Awards, the showcase, the three intense days of the international conference on television animation, various special events and many movie and television premieres.
NDi Media and Canadian producer Cité-Amérique have launched wumpasworld.com, a Web convergence project featuring interactive games and other content designed for children three to five years old. The Website is based on characters from WUMPA'S WORLD, a 26 x 15 pre-school television series produced by Cité-Amérique, which features a unique combination of puppetry and animatronics. The television show currently airs on YTV's Treehouse TV.
DCDC's Josh Prikryl relates ten years of experience and gives us advice about how to produce a successful full-CGI show for the crushing requirements of television.
The Barcelona International Television Festival is devoted to children's television programs. Specifically, the festival awards national and international productions that showcase ethical and humanitarian values. The festival is seeking shorts, 60 minutes in length or less. Live-action and animated works are accepted. Works must have been completed after January 1, 1999. Non-selected works will still be presented during the Festival in the Video A La Carte section.
Test your skills and challenge your brain with AWN's Animation Trivia Quiz. This week...
The Media Business School, a training and research program of the European Union's Media Program, is presenting the 11th edition of the Television Business School (TVBS), a 5-day course, where industry experts study individual projects. The 2001 edition of TVBS will be dedicated to animation. Topics include: legal, script supervision, promotion, distribution and merchandising. TVBS will also discuss other related industries such as video games, the Internet and interactive television. Registration fee: Euros 1,100 (accomodation included).
Margaret Loesch, founding president and CEO of Crown Media U.S., will be departing the company next month at the conclusion of her contract. On leaving her post at Crown, Loesch said I'm very proud of the many accomplishments made by the team that I've helped build. But, while the experience has been exciting, it has also been all-consuming personally and professionally. As I near the end of my contract, it seems like an ideal time to take a much-needed break and put some focus on my family, and then begin to pursue my other career goals.'' She will be replaced by Lana E.
* Television Business School: Wednesday, October 24 - Sunday, October 28, 2001, Lübeck, Germany.Entry Deadline: Monday, September 24, 2001
Test your skills and challenge your brain with AWN's Animation Trivia Quiz...
* Television Business School: Wednesday, October 24 - Sunday, October 28, 2001, Lübeck, Germany.
Entry Deadline: Monday, September 24, 2001
Vancouver-based Studio B Productions has announced that all three of its animated children's series currently airing on Canada's national television have been picked up for another season. "Were very proud to have all three of our original shows picked up for national broadcast," said Blair Peters, partner and founder, Studio B Productions. "There's a lot of competition out there and we're pleased that kids have responded well to our characters and stories." DMYNA LEAGUES follows the wacky baseball adventures of a team of teenage myna birds.
