AWN Headline News

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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:

KLEISER-WALCZAK CONSTRUCTION CO., which has studios in North Adams,Massachusetts, Manhattan, and Hollywood, has hired JIM HATCH as chiefoperating officer. Hatch will oversee the company's daily administration,operations, and financial management, working with co-founders and ownersJeff Kleiser and Diana Walczak. Hatch previously worked at AmericanInteractive Media, Inc. where he was chief operating officer and corporatesecretary.