RUGRATS Debuts on Video
The new Paramount Home Video release of THE RUGRATS MOVIE was the bestselling video in the US for the week ending April 4, 1999. RUGRATS out soldits nearest rivals, TAE-BO WORKOUT and MIGHTY JOE YOUNG, by about four toone. However, MULAN, which debuted on video in the US earlier this year,sold about 38% more copies during its debut week than RUGRATS sold duringits first week. RUGRATS was also released on DVD last week where it debutedat #2, just behind Buena Vista's THE WATERBOY with Adam Sandler.
Festival to show Pre-1950 American animation program
* Sunday, April 11. Richmond, Virginia, USA.
PRE-1950 AMERICAN ANIMATION will feature several gems including "Porky inWackyland," "Bimbo's Initiation," and Betty Boop in "Snow White." JanetScagnelli introduces the program which starts at 5pm at the James RiverFestival. TEL: (804) 355-1383. www.vcu.edu/artweb/jamesriverfest alsooffers further details.
Marvel Gets Credit
Marvel Enterprises has secured a $60 million credit line from Citibank. This lends credence to rumors that it is interested in taking over Harvey Entertainment which owns the rights to many animated and comic book characters such as Casper the Friendly Ghost and Richie Rich. Three years ago, Marvel Entertainment Group filed for bankruptcy. Toy Biz, which had been a subsidiary, acquired the bankrupt Marvel Entertainment Group, then created Marvel Enterprises as the umbrella company.
PDI Signs Don McBain
PDI has named producer/director Don McBain as Visual Effects Producer for its Commercial and Feature Film Effects Division. McBain's credits include Production Supervisor for the STARSHIP TROOPERS Miniature Unit, the crash sequence for MONEY TRAIN, and line producer/production manager for 25 projects at Sony Pictures Imageworks, as well as making the independent, experimental Imax film, FIRE.
Disney Promotes Pam Coats
Pam Coats has been promoted from producer to senior vice president of creative development at Walt Disney Feature Animation, making her the hightest ranked woman at Disney Animation.
Coats, who produced MULAN, will direct creative development of all projects in the studio's feature animation division. Her previous credits include producing the Roger Rabbit short, TRAIL MIX-UP, and executive producing the Mickey Mouse short, RUNAWAY BRAIN. She joined Disney feature animation in 1989.
Judy Fearing joins Disney Consumer Products
Judy Fearing has been appointed to the newly created position of senior vice president, Global Marketing and Studio Development, for Disney Consumer Products, it was announced Thursday by division Chairman Bo Boyd and President Anne Osberg.
New York Digital Salon Calls for Entries
The deadline for submissions for the 7th Annual New York Digital Salon is May 1, 1999. The competition consists of a gallery exhibition of prints, sculpture, CD-ROMs, and interactive installations; animation/digital video screenings; websites/internet-works; and a catalog of original essays on digital culture. For further information contact Kirsten Solberg, Director of the Digital Salon and Director of Operations for the MFA Computer Art Department, at (212) 592-2535 or by fax at (212) 592-2509. e-mail: kirsten@sva.edu www.sva.edu/salon
Helium creates Starburst spot
A team from HELIUM PRODUCTIONS, INC. and TWO HEADED MONSTER has created a new computer animated spot for Starburst which immerses the viewer in a simulated water environment designed for absolute believability. The animators used SGI Octanes, Side Effects' Prisms, and Pixar's Photorealistic Renderman software to create the realistic physics of water splashing and swirling. At Helium Productions, John Scheafer was creative director. At Two Headed Monster Christopher Willoughby was creative director and Ruth Schiller produced.
GARY AND MIKE Hit the Road
Big Ticket Television has teamed-up with Will Vinton Studios to produce a new Claymation and dimensional animation series entitled GARY AND MIKE, slated to air on FOX this Fall. The series will be executive produced by creators Fax Bahr and Adam Small, along with Academy Award winning Will Vinton and Tom Turpin (CEO/president of Will Vinton Studios).
Job Opportunities For Character Animator
Chadwick Communications, a New York-based creative media company, is looking for a CHARACTER ANIMATION SPECIALIST
Job Opportunities For Lightwave/Softimage Trainer
ImagineAsia Studios is seeking a LIGHTWAVE/SOFTIMAGE TRAINER for a 3+ month commitment in Metro Manila, Philippines. Transportation, accommodations and meals are provided. ImagineAsia Studios is an exciting state-of-the-art digital animation studio currently in production on Columbia TriStar/Cine Groupe's "Heavy Metal F.A.K.K.2". Candidate must be highly experienced in the latest versions of Lightwave/Softimage. Areas of critical focus include character modeling, lighting, texturing and animation. Strong demo reel and excellent English communication skills required.
This Week's Special Features In AWN's Ever Expanding Store Are For Adults Only
This Week's Special Features In AWN's Ever Expanding Store: Six Hilarious X-Rated Animated Films by Tanya Weinberger and "Monica's Untold Story: An Amorality Tale," illustrated by Bill Plympton.
Don't miss the California Sun Festival on April 10th
California SUN Festival will happen April 10, 1999 at California State University Northridge. This year's festival has seen an increase in the number of entries from the international animation community, with films from Australia, Canada, China, England, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Indonesia, Japan, and the USA. 57 films were chosen for screening.
Sally Cruikshank's New Animation On-Line Now!
Sally Cruikshank's all animated web site breaks new ground in the web animation world. Her two hilarious characters Anita and Whinsey are embarking on a new adventure - the Titanic Two!
George Lucas & Steven Spielberg give to USC School of Cinema-Televison
George Lucas has donated $1.5 million, while Steven Spielberg has donated $500,000 to the USC School of Cinema-Television to help fund the new, yet-to-be-built Robert Zemeckis Center for Digital Arts. The Lucas money will help build a sound stage which will be named for Akira Kurosawa.
SPIDER-MAN to Swing without Cameron
SPIDER-MAN TO SWING WITHOUT CAMERON. Whatever expectations were created in 1990 when Stan Lee (Spider-Man's co-creator with Steve Ditko and possibly Jack Kirby) announced that James Cameron would be directing a Spider-Man film, ended for the director of TITANIC and THE TERMINATOR on Monday when THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER reported that Cameron will not be directing this long dreamed of project. This announcement comes soon after the resolution of legal disputes between most of the involved companies over rights to the Spider-Man character and related properties.
Cynthia Wells profiled on SLICE OF LIFE
The Learning Channel's program SLICE OF LIFE, which features a day in the life of women in various careers, has profiled independent animator Cynthia Wells. The episode will air on April 5 at 12:30 p.m. (ET), and will repeat on June 2. The SLICE OF LIFE crew filmed a day in the making of SHADOW OF DOUBT, a theatrical short film currently being produced by Wells' The Digital Theater Group. The film stars Wells' Talullah Le Roux character who was in one of her earlier films, INTERVIEW WITH TALULLAH, QUEEN OF THE UNIVERSE.
"The First Snow of Winter" wins award
Hibbert Ralph Entertainment's half hour film "The First Snow of Winter" haswon the award for Best Children's Entertainment given by The RoyalTelevision Society. The film tells the story of a little Irish duck whogets left behind when his friends and family fly south for the winter.Director Graham Ralph accepted the award.
Chicago International Children's Film Festival calls for entries
The Chicago International Children's Film Festival is now accepting entiresfor the 16th annual Festival, October 14-24, 1999. The CICFF is the largestcompetitive festival of children's films and videos in North America,programming over 150 of the world's best live action and animated featuresand shorts, created for children ages 6-13. Entries must have a productioncopyright date of 1997 or later, and be dubbed in English. Deadline forsubmission of entry forms and preview tapes on NTSC or PAL cassettes is
"SimsallaGrimm" at MIP TV 99
Netherlands based Magus Entertainment will hold a press conference andpresent the first episode of their animated TV series, "SimsallaGrimm," atMIP TV 99 on April 12th. MIP TV 99, the International Television ProgrammeMarket, will be held April 12-17 at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes,France. For more information contact the MIP TV Public RelationsDepartment: Margot Gardett - Tel: (33-1) 41 90 45 59 or Keith Daly - Tel:(33-1) 41 90 45 60; Fax: (33-1) 41 90 46 24.
Matrix tops at the weekend box office
The Matrix, a new futuristic, action movie that stars Keanu Reeves andfeatures state of the art visual effects, took first place at the theweekend box office, grossing $27.6 million for the biggest opening weekendthis year, industry estimates showed Sunday.
Doug's 1st Movie, the Disney released animated feature based on the hit TVshow, finished eighth, grossing $3.1 million during its first week inrelease. The movie was based on a TV show, formerly of Nickelodeon, now
Bill Plympton to appear at James River Festival
The following three programs will be presented at this year's James RiverFestival: Tuesday April 6th, 7:30pm. Bill Plympton will host "Animation byPlympton" and show I Married a Strange Person, "Your Face," "How to Kiss,""25 Ways to Quit Smoking," "and his latest shorts. Sunday April 11, 3pm."Brief History of the Animated TV Commercial" will feature over 50commercials from 1948-1993. Janet Scagnelli will introduce the program.Sunday April 11, 5pm. "Pre-1950 American Animation" will feature several
Kathy Rose performs in Paris
Animator and performance artist Kathy Rose will be performing April 8, 1999in Paris at the Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain. In her uniqueshow Ms. Rose performs her own dances in front of projections of her filmsShe will present an excerpt from "Oriental Interplay," "Syncopations," apiece called "Precious Metals," and three scenes from her new performance,"Kleopat'Ra," which begins its world tour this summer. TEL: (1) 42 18 5650; Address: 261 boulevard Raspail; Paris, France. More information:www.krose.com
INK TANK produces "Hockey Monkey"
THE INK TANK has produced "Hockey Monkey," a mixed-media music video forNickelodeon's KA-BLAM!, which will air this spring. The 1-minute, 30-secondpiece follows a group of live-action adults who are in search of a monkey.Unbeknownst to them, the animated monkey is in an ice hockey match with agroup of cut-out animated kids. For The Ink Tank, R.O. Blechman wascreative director; Brian O'Connell, executive producer/co-director; JesseGordon, live-action director/cameraman; Maciek Albrecht, cut-out
RADIUM animates characters for Wrigley's Juciy Fruit Gum ad
San Francisco-based RADIUM has animated more than a half-dozen 3Dcomputer-generated building block characters for "Toys," a nationaltelevision spot promoting Wrigley's Juicy Fruit Gum. Conceived by BBDO(Chicago, IL), the 30-second spot revolves around a group of toy figuresthat spring to life in pursuit of the sweet taste of Juicy Fruit. Thecommercial blends 3D animation, 2D effects, live-action and cel animation.Radium created the tiny plastic blok characters as 3D elements. Afterwards,
