Disney and Katzenberg settle suit
The Walt Disney Co. and former Disney head executive Jeffrey Katzenberg have settled a lawsuit for undisclosed terms, thus ending a months long public trial. Since it began in April, the trial has produced many headlines as Katzenberg sought to secure from Disney two percent of future income derived from all movies, TV shows and merchandise made while he was studio boss from 1984 to 1994. Katzenberg estimated his share of the bonus, which was part of his employment contract with Disney, to be anywhere between $382 million and $580 million in court filings.
Fox promotes Nancy Redford
Fox Family Channel has named Nancy Redford Vice President of Programming and Development. Redford will oversee day-to-day management and adminstration of live-action and animated daytime programming and development for Fox Family. She will also serve as production executive on several children's series coming up this fall, including JELLABIES and WEIRD OHS. Redford had been Associate Vice President of Programming and Development for Fox.
PDI hires Jennifer Thomas
PDI (Pacific Data Images) has hired Jennifer Thomas as Executive Producer of PDI's Commercial Division. Most recently, Thomas completed an entirely PDI produced international live-action/CG package for Pepsi. Prior to joining PDI, she produced KFC's "The Little Colonel" campaign. She was also part of the visual effects team on WHAT DREAMS MAY COME. Thomas began her career nearly fifteen years ago in traditional cel animation with Ray Seti at New York-based Sunflower Films.
Antonucci hires Falconer and Robinson-May
Vancouver, British Columbia-based a.k.a Cartoon, Inc., Danny Antonucci's studio, has hired. Falconer as storyboard supervisor/storyboard director, and Marlene Robinson-May as storyboard director and animation timing director. Falconer previously worked at Vancouver-based Mainframe Entertainment on REBOOT, BEAST WARS, and WAR PLANETS. Childhood chums Falconer and Antonucci worked together at Vancouver-based International Rocketship in the '80s on Antonucci's LUPO THE BUTCHER.
Energee Entertainment appoints Genevieve Dexter
Australian animation studio and distributor Energee Entertainment has appointed Genevieve Dexter as Director of Co-productions and Acquisitions, operating out of their new London offices. Dexter's role at Energee will be to forge new relationships with co-production partners, independents, and key creatives. Dexter has ten years experience in the animation business and, prior to Link Entertainment, where she was Head of Sales & Acquisitions, she was Sales Manager for UK-based EVA Entertainment.
Disney promotes four executives
The Walt Disney Company has named four executives to new positions. ETIENNE DE VILLIERS has been named president and managing director, Walt Disney International Europe; MICHAEL O. JOHNSON has been named president and managing director, Walt Disney International Asia; DIEGO LERNER has been named president and managing director, Walt Disney International Latin America; and PAUL SALEH has been named senior vice president and chief financial officer, Walt Disney International.
IMAX/SANDDE looking for classical animators
Montreal-based IMAX/SANDDE is looking for experienced classical animators...
SAFO film submission deadline extended
Owing to a flood of entries and requests for an extension to the entry deadline, organizers of the 1999 Ottawa International Student Animation Festival (SAFO) have extended the July 1st deadline to July 15, 1999...
Brussels 2000 announced!
Detailed information on the 2000 edition of the Brussels Cartoon and Animated Film Festival is now available...
9 new events added to AWN's Calendar of Events
This week's updates to the Calendar of Events includes nine new animation-related events, including the Brussels and Annecy festivals' 2000 editions, and the Animated Castles festival in Italy this October. The Calendar of Upcoming Events is a constantly changing reference source for what's happening around the World of Animation. Use it to stay abreast of animation related activities across the globe. If you know of animation related events that we don't have listed, send an email with the pertinent facts to annick@awn.com.
An AWN exclusive! ANiMATO! autographed Underdog Issue
This issue #38 of ANiMATO! is autographed with paint (not ink) by Underdog creator Joe Harris. Thirteen pages are devoted to Underdog in this issue which kicks off with David Krell's "Underdog: The Canine Crusader" and closes with "Flying High With Underdog" by Leigh Anne Brodsky. In addition to drawing the original cover, Joe Harris also wrote an article for this issue entitled "Life With Underdog." Inside the front cover is Joe's full color artwork of Underdog smashing "Hunger" for the World Hungerthon and, on page 37, Joe's storyboard art for The World of Commander McBragg.
Plympton's Comic of the Week: "A Test for our Elected Officials"
Plympton's Comic of the Week: "A Test for our Elected Officials". A new outrageous comic by Bill Plympton can be found each Friday at his website.
Store Specials: Norstein Autographed Prints and Servais' Bio-Filmography
* ARTWORK: LIMITED EDITION AUTOGRAPHED PRINTS FROM YURI NORSTEIN's "Tales of Tales" and "Hedgehog in the Fog." Each print, made in Russia from the drawings Norstein used to develop his characters, is hand signed by Norstein. Most of the proceeds from sales will go to help finance the ongoing production of "Overcoat," Yuri Norstein's famous work in progress, which he began after completing "Tale of Tales" in 1978, and is based on a famous story by Nikolai Gogol. This is a very limited offer, with the print value at $100.00.
WEST is wild at boxoffice
Despite poor reviews, Warner Bros.' newly released James Bond/Western genremix, WILD WILD WEST, with visual effects by ILM, took in an estimated $36.8million over the weekend for a total of $50.1 million to finish first inthe Independence Day holiday weekend US boxoffice race. Disney's TARZANfinished third, taking in $19.2 million for a total of $110.8 million; therisqué SOUTH PARK: BIGGER, LONGER & UNCUT, directed by Trey Parker,finished fourth with a weekend gross of $14.8 million for a total of $23.1
BLACK LOGIC & AFCG create Cinnaburst spot
New York City-based BLACK LOGIC and AFCG have created Cinnaburst gum's"Snowboarder" spot for agency Bates USA. The spot features a bouncing CGcreated piece of gum in a snowboarding environment. Floyd Gillis directedthe CGI for AFCG, Michel Suissa directed the visual effects for BlackLogic, and Geoff McGann directed the spot for Manifesto which combineslive-action with CGI.
Bradford Festival announces results
The 6th Bradford Animation Festival, which took place June 19-24 inBradford, England, has announced the following winners. The BradfordAnimation Festival is a project of the newly-renovated National Museum ofPhotography, Film and Television in England.
Non-Professional, Under 16: MILAN by Animation Station and Young AsianGirls Group
Experimental: HIT PARADE by Animation Films Vienna
Adults, Non-Professional: NIGHT WATCH by James Hall
Digital: BUNNY by Chris Wedge
Prix Ars Electronica winners have been announced!
The winners of the 13th Prix Ars Electronica '99 have been announced. Heldin Linz, Austria, Prix Ars Electronica is a competition for works in thecategories of Computer Animation/Visual Effects; Interactive Art; Internet;and Digital Music. There were 2119 entries. The Prix Ars Electronica '99awards presentation will be held in conjunction with the Ars ElectronicaFestival on Monday, September 6, 1999 at the ORF Upper Austrian RegionalStudio. The best works from each category will be shown in an exhibition at
Women In Animation want your films
Women in Animation L.A. showcases short animated films and works by WIAmembers at every WIA General Meeting. Have your film screened in front ofseveral hundred of Los Angeles' animation leaders! If you have a film, orcan suggest a film to be screened, contact Wendy Jackson at (213) 441-9340;or e-mail animationist@geocities.com.
ITE launches webstore
Los Angeles and Denmark-based ITE (Interactive Television Entertainment)has launched a webstore at Throutandneck.com, a website for the seriesTHROUT AND NECK which currently airs on the Game Show Network. Whileinteractive television has been popular all over the world, THROUT AND NECKis the first real-time animated action series to be broadcast on Americantelevision. Throutandneck.com features interactive games that can be playedonline, colorful graphics, clips from Behind the Scenes of the series,
Pepper's Ghost Productions releases PG Studio
PG Studio is a production management tool that helps production housesproduce cost effective computer animation. Among its features are scriptand storyboard breakdown into scenes, shots, and frames; organization ofproduction documents according to script structure; identification ofproduction tasks from the script; allocation of production tasks tocreative and technical staff; establishment of total task time within theschedule; compilation of a running production budget including staff and
Don't miss these new anime releases!
Houston, Texas-based ADV Films is releasing GALAXY FRAULEIN YUNA RETURNS onJuly 13 and QUEEN EMERALDAS on July 27 in the US. Both ADV Films titleswill be available in subtitled and dubbed versions. For more informationvisit www.advfilms.com. New York City-based Central Park Media is releasingRECORD OF LODOSS WAR: CHRONICLES OF THE HEROIC KNIGHT - A NEW LEGENDBEGINS, MIDNIGHT PANTHER: GENERAL RELEASE VERSION, and THE SLAYERS NEXT:THE FORBIDDEN DANCE? on August 8 in the US, and RECORD OF LODOSS WAR:
Interface Media Group animates PSA
Washington, D.C.-based Interface Media Group did the 3D animation for"Warning Label." Developed through Washington, D.C.-based Ogilvy PublicRelations Worldwide for the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta,Georgia, the spots use two 3D characters, Carson and Noma, to help stressthe need for protection from ultra-violet sunrays to avoid skin cancer.Carol Hilliard was art director and 3D animator. Live-action footage wasproduced by Washington, D.C.-based ThinkFilm. Joe Becker directed andStephanie Antosca Boright produced for ThinkFilm.
QUIET MAN does spot for Denny's
QUIET MAN did the CGI effects for "Limo," a spot for Denny's new All-StarSlams line of breakfast combos. A follow-up to last summer's "Rooster,""Limo" features a studish rooster wooing a barnyard of lovesick hens to thebeat of The Commodore's "Love Machine." Michael Schrom directed forproduction company Michael Schrom & Company; Marie Lenz was executiveproducer, and Philana Dias was Flame/effects artist for Quiet Man.
Don't miss the University of Wales College Newport's student show!
The graduates of the University of Wales College Newport's animationprogram will be presenting a screening of their work on Friday, July 2nd1999 at 6 pm. The screening will be held at De Lane Lea, Dean Street,London, England in the college's newly refurbished preview cinema. Thefilms are a mixture of techniques and styles, from an abstract musicalcollaboration with renowned percussionist Evelyn Glennie working directlyon film, to a cel-based narrative piece that makes SOUTH PARK look tame.
Bluth makes ANASTASIA sequel
The team that created Fox's ANASTASIA, director Don Bluth, partner andproducer Gary Goldman, and the Fox Animation Studio have finished a sequelcalled BARTOK THE MAGNIFICENT which will be released on video and DVD onNovember 16. The wisecracking bat, voiced by Hank Azaria, is promoted toheadline the music-filled sequel, with Kelsey Grammer, Jennifer Tilly, TimCurry and Catherine O'Hara taking on other voice roles. BARTOK is the firstmajor Fox direct-to-video title produced in-house at their Phoenix facility
