See clips from the Annie Awards Nominees!
AWN is proud to host the first, official 27th Annual Annie Awards Showcaseon the Internet, in conjunction with ASIFA-Hollywood, The InternationalAnimated Film Society...
Brand new "Toon Institute" lessons now on-line in the Student Corner!
Two new lessons from noted animator and educator Larry Lauria are now on-line...
Don't miss the NFB 60th Anniversary retrospective
Thursday, October 28 - Sunday, October 31. New York, New York, USA.
The Museum of Modern Art presents The National Film Board of Canada: 60thAnniversary Program, a Retrospective. The Museum is located at 11 West 53Street. For further information Tel. (212) 708-9500.
Women In Animation sponsors the Third Annual Career Day
Saturday, November 6, 9 am - 3 pm. Burbank, California, USA.
Women In Animation sponsors the Third Annual Career Day Event. Paneldiscussions include "Animation: The Reality of the Business" and "YourMarketing Tools: Resumes, Portfolios and Demo Reels." There will also be aportfolio/demo reel review, and small group workshops for both computer andtraditional animation. Space is limited, so RSVP is required. Fees are $15for WIA members, and $20 for non-members. Checks must be received no later
Insight will distribute OXYGEN
New York City-based Oxygen Media,Geraldine Laybourne's company founded to provide content for women, hasreached an agreement with Insight Communications to distribute the Oxygencable network. Insight is the 8th largest cable operator in the UnitedStates, serving more than one million customers in six states. Under theterms of the agreement, Insight Communications will launch Oxygen acrossthe majority of its systems. The new Oxygen cable network, which launcheson O2/O2/2000, will be integrated with Oxygen's existing online properties
Netter Digital nets BATS
NETTER DIGITAL NETS BATS. North Hollywood, California-based NetterDigital Entertainment, Inc. created the CGI bats for the upcoming film,BATS, directed by Louis Morneau, from Destination Films, which is scheduledto be released on October 22. In the film, swarms of genetically alteredbats terrorize a small Texas town. Netter created 178 film effects in nineweeks. The Netter team was led by four women: Susan Norkin, visual effectsproducer; Laurel Klick, visual effects supervisor; Gina Di Bari, lead
Kids' WB! orders MAX STEEL
Kids' WB! has ordered 13 episodes of MAX STEEL, a new 3D CGI animated action-adventure half-hour series from SonyPictures Family Entertainment (SPFE) which is set to debut in January 2000.Set in the fictitious suburban city of Del Oro Bay, it centers around MaxSteel, a young international secret agent who was the product of abio-technical accident which infused him with nano-technology giving himbionic abilities. The teenage hi-tech hero is dedicated to protecting theEarth by fighting the most dangerous and sinister mercenary organization,
AtomFilms releases short film compilation
AtomFilms, which distributes short films both online and offline, has released twocompilations of short films: DEFINITELY NOT HOLLYWOOD: THE DARK COMEDYEDITION and DEFINITELY NOT HOLLYWOOD: THE EXTREME COMEDY EDITION. Theformer is exclusively live-action, but the latter is a collection of bothlive-action and animated shorts. The animated films, which are in the sickand twisted tradition, are LOUIE THE FLY and DOG FISHING by Joe Byrnes,LIVING WITH RIDALYN by Ron Noble, THE HANGNAIL by Shane Acker, and several
Image releases 3 Hubley DVDs
The Hubley Studio has created some ofthe most innovative and challenging animation in the history of the artform. Beginning with the partnership of John and Faith Hubley, andcontinuing with Faith and Emily Hubley, they have received countless awardsand international acclaim. Earlier this year, Image Entertainment releasedtheir first Hubley DVD, ART AND JAZZ IN ANIMATION. Now, they offer threemore. HUBLEY COLLECTION #1 includes ENTER LIFE (1981), UPSIDE DOWN (1991),WHO AM I (1989), BLAKE BALL (1988), TIME OF THE ANGELS (1987), PEOPLE,
Cartoon Network to run Scooby-Doo marathon
To celebrate Scooby-Doo's 30th anniversary, Cartoon Network will present a 24-hourSCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? marathon beginning Saturday, October 23 at noon,a 10-hour marathon of Scooby-Doo movies on Saturday, October 30, and aneight-hour SCOOBY & SCRAPPY-DOO marathon on October 31. Immediately beforeeach of the marathons, as well as during them, Cartoon Network will airlive-action footage which will be called THE SCOOBY-DOO PROJECT, in whichthe real Scooby Gang heads out into the woods for a documentary in a spoof
Cinar investigated for tax fraud
Montreal, Canada-based LE JOURNAL DE MONTREAL reported Friday, October 15that Cinar, producer of such shows as PBS' ARTHUR, THE BUSY WORLD OFRICHARD SCARRY, ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK and WIMZIE'S HOUSE, substitutedthe names of Canadians for work done by non-Canadians to become eligiblefor tax credits that were intended to help Canada's film industry. Althoughthe film company was not named in the newspaper story, the CanadianBroadcasting Company (CBC) reports that on Friday, in the Canadian House of
Don't miss the ASIFA-East Animation Festival!
FableVision Studios and The Film Studies Program at Boston College areco-hosting the ASIFA-East Animation Festival for a one-night showing.FableVision's award-winning animated shorts THE BLUE SHOE and LIVINGFOREVER will be part of a line-up, which also includes the AcademyAward-winner BUNNY and films by Karen Aqua. Admission is free. The eventtakes place Wednesday, October 20, at 7:30 pm at Boston College, DevlinHall Room 08, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA.For more information visit www.fablevision.com/asifa.
DPS ships dspReality
Digital Processing Systems (DPS), recently released a new animation andcompositing Studio Digital Disk Recorder, dpsReality. Designed foranimators, 2D artists and broadcast designers, dpsReality is based on anewReality hardware system debuted by DPS at SIGGRAPH 99 and IBC 99.dpsReality features include a cuts editor for clip preview and final videooutput, real time graphic overlay, and four track audio with volume and pancontrol. It also ships with a modified version of Eyeon Software's Digital
THE SIXTH SENSE finishes eighth at US boxoffice
Buena Vista's supernatural thriller THE SIXTH SENSE, with visual effects byDreamQuest, finished eighth at the US weekend boxoffice, grossing anestimated $5.2 million, for a total of $249.9 million. No other animationrelated films finished in the top ten.
Europeans set up new animation group
Seven European animation companies have joined to form a company called theEuropean Animation Group, although its name is likely to change. The grouphopes to produce a minimum of one animated feature or series per year,beginning in 2001 with its first feature, the $15 million ELFQUEST, set togo into production in January 2000. The announcement was made at MIPCOMheld October 4 - 8 in Cannes, France. European Animation Group bringstogether seven companies. From France, the partners are
Yuri Norstein and Nina Shorina visit US
Russian animators Yuri Norstein and Nina Shorina are visiting the US.ASIFA-Hollywood will host a reception for Yuri Norstein on Thursday,October 21, 1999 from 7-9 p.m. at ASIFA-Hollywood's Animation Center,located at 721 South Victory Blvd., in Burbank.There is no charge to attend this reception. However due to limitedspace, reservations are required. To RSVP, please call the ASIFA-Hollywoodoffice at (818) 842-8330. Born in Moscow in 1941, Norstein is consideredone of the most remarkable animation directors to emerge from the current
CDIS sponsors Environment.Com
British Columbia-based CDIS, a media arts college, is sponsoringEnvironment.Com: Generating Community Stewardship and Sustainability forOur Environment Through New Media. The event takes place October 24, 1999,11 am - 4 pm at CDIS which is located at 3264 Beta Ave. in Burnaby, BritishColumbia, Canada. CDIS's sponsorship includes the use of its 20,000 sq. ft.campus in Burnaby, complete with high-speed Internet connections, and thepresentation of free seminars on New Media technologies. For more
RING OF FIRE completes Infiniti effects
West Hollywood, California-based RING OF FIRE completed the visual effectsfor two spots for the new Infiniti I30 luxury sedan and agency TBWAChiat/Day. For "Rain" Ring of Fire added time-lapse clouds, individuallyrotoscoped each raindrop and added visual enhancements to the car and itsenvironment. For "Aspens" they created the mirror's reflection, compositedclouds and birds in trees, and added shadows to the trees.
BUENA VISTA PICTURES MARKETING promotes MAE JOYCE and DAVID SINGH
BUENA VISTA PICTURES MARKETING has promoted MAE JOYCE to vice president ofnational publicity, and DAVID SINGH to vice president of creative filmservices. JOYCE will be responsible for strategizing, coordinating andadministrating all aspects of national publicity for films released underthe Walt Disney Pictures, Touchstone Pictures and Hollywood Picturesbanners. Joyce joined Disney in November 1996 after two years as apublicist with Warner Bros. During her tenure at Disney, she has served as
DISNEY PUBLISHING WORLDWIDE promotes STEVE ASTER and LISA HOLTON
DISNEY PUBLISHING WORLDWIDE has named STEVE ASTER vice president ofcirculation and global operations, and LISA HOLTON has been promoted tosenior vice president, group publisher for global children's books. ASTERwill manage global operations and production services, which includesmanufacturing, printing, and co-printing, as well as a wide range ofservices to Disney Publishing Worldwide's licensees. Aster joined The WaltDisney Company in 1998 as vice president of circulation for Buena Vista
THE ATTIK moves people around
JAMES SOMMERVILLE, co-founder of THE ATTIK, has relinquished his mostrecent role as creative director of the New York branch to oversee thedevelopment of the company throughout its five offices in Huddersfield(England), London, New York, San Francisco and Sydney. While based inLondon, Sommerville will continue to direct both commercials and long formprojects through The Attik/New York and London. Also, The Attik's executiveproducer JIM MORAN has added managing director to his title and assumed
OXYGEN MEDIA promotes LISA GERSH HALL
OXYGEN MEDIA, Geraldine Laybourne's media company founded to providecontent for women, has promoted LISA GERSH HALL to chief operating officer.She will be responsible for legal matters, finance, human resources,business affairs and e-commerce. Previously, Hall was general counsel andchief administrative officer. Oxygen has also hired DAN TAITZ to be generalcounsel. He was formerly a partner with New York law firm Friedman Kaplan &Seiler.
SONY hires TAMARA Y. WOOLFORK
SONY PICTURES FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT (SPFE) has hired TAMARA Y. WOOLFORK asdirector of business affairs. Woolfork will be responsible for SPFE's fullrange of business affairs negotiations for theatrical motion pictures,television and direct-to-video productions. Woolfork joins Sony from WarnerBros. Feature Animation where she served as director of business and legalaffairs for the last three years on projects such as QUEST FOR CAMELOT andTHE IRON GIANT.
NewKidCo and Disney Interactive join to develop console titles
Burlington, Massachusetts-based NewKidCo International Inc., a children'sgame publisher, and Disney Interactive have entered into a multi-yearagreement to develop and publish console video games featuring popularDisney properties. Through the deal, NewKidCo has obtained the rights topublish interactive adventures for various video game platforms, includingPlayStation, Nintendo 64 and Game Boy Color. As part of the agreement, thefirst title targeted for release will be DISNEY'S ANIMATED STORYBOOK:
SEGA GAMEWORKS hires RON BENSION as president and CEO
SEGA GAMEWORKS, a location-based entertainment venture formed by StevenSpielberg and DreamWorks SKG, Universal Studios and Sega Enterprises, hasnamed leisure entertainment industry veteran, RON BENSION, as president andCEO. As Chairman and CEO of MCA/Universal Studios Recreation Group from1992 to 1996, Bension was responsible for running all aspects of UniversalStudios Hollywood and Universal Studios Florida in addition to developinginternational theme park joint ventures in the United Kingdom and Japan.
