AWN Headline News

Six new children's series based on popular titles from noted authors suchas Maurice Sendak, Rosemary Wells, Don Freeman and William Joyce will beproduced by Toronto-based Nelvana for distribution by the PublicBroadcasting Service (PBS) as a weekend block beginning in fall 2000. Thesix book titles upon which the new series will be based are: MauriceSendak's SEVEN LITTLE MONSTERS, William Joyce's GEORGE SHRINKS, DonFreeman's CORDUROY BEAR, Rosemary Wells' TIMOTHY GOES TO SCHOOL, Michael

Culver City, California-based advertising consultants Random/OrderInformation and Entertainment has hired Robert Abel to oversee severalaspects of its consulting services, as well as to develop new content andprogramming. CGI-pioneer Abel has created many landmark titles, includingcommercials for Apple Computer, IBM, the Smithsonian Institution, and theMayo Clinic. His many technical innovations include: the first "motioncontrol" camera system, "streak photography," and the first algorithms forcomputer animated human movement.

Disney's Whomptastic, the previously announced two hour cartoon programmingblock which is set to air daily on UPN beginning September 6, has beenchanged to DISNEY'S ONE TWO so that viewers will associate it with Disney'sother cartoon block, the ABC Saturday morning DISNEY'S ONE SATURDAYMORNING. DISNEY'S ONE TWO will present the premiere of SABRINA THE ANIMATEDSERIES, as well as include the already established shows DISNEY'S RECESS,DISNEY'S DOUG and DISNEY'S HERCULES.

Cartoon Network will offer two premieres on Saturday, August 21 and Sunday,August 22 at 9 pm. On both days at that time, one can see the premiere ofCOURAGE, THE COWARDLY DOG, created by John R. Dilworth, about a timid dogwho defends an elderly couple from paranormal threats. Immediatelyfollowing at 9:30 pm on both days is the premiere of Bill Wray's shortfilm, KING CRAB SPACE CRUSTACEAN, a parody of television science fictionseries. In the film the youngest crewmember of King Crab's intergalactic

On Saturday, July 31, director Brad Bird introduced his specially selectedsegment of THE IRON GIANT, which was then shown in an exclusive Webcastsneak preview. Fans, who have been following the film during its productionand have been fueling the overwhelming early buzz, proved eager for theexclusive look, prompting Warner Bros. to re-broadcast Bird's introductionand the 10-minute segment on Thursday, August 5 beginning at 5 pm (PST) andcontinuing until midnight (PST) at www.theirongiant.com. Warner is using

Among the events at this year's ComicCon International, the country'slargest comic book convention, will be a celebration of the AnimationRenaissance which will include previews of upcoming animation from MTVAnimation, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, and more, as well as discussionswith the creators who are shaping the future of animation. Among thescheduled guests are voice actress June Foray (ROCKY AND BULLWINKLE) andBATMAN BEYOND series producer, Paul Dini. Chris Prynoski, creator of the

New York City-based QUIET MAN has completed "Caterpillar," a :20 CGI showopen for the Sci-Fi Channel, a cable service. The spot features a robotcaterpillar who changes into a metallic spider. Todd Mueller directed.

Toronto-based NELVANA has hired Cathy Laughton as managing director of itsLondon-based operations. Laughton will be responsible for the overallmanagement of the UK office. Her responsibilities include the acquisitionof new properties for production/licensing development, sales to the UK,Germany, Scandinavia, and Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxemborg),and securing co-production opportunities. Laughton joins Nelvana from theJim Henson Company where she served as director of international televisiondistribution.

Walt Disney International Europe and Buena Vista Internet Group (BVIG) havepromoted Andrew Barron to executive vice president of new media andbusiness development for Walt Disney International Europe; and Chafic Najiato senior vice president and managing director of Buena Vista InternetGroup Europe. Barron joined WDTV-I in 1995 as director of businessdevelopment. Since then he has been responsible for identifying andnegotiating several Disney Channel agreements, as well as equity

Nickelodeon's PHRED ON YOUR HEAD is a show in which Phred, an originalanimated character who appears on the forehead of a different real kidevery day, and the kid whose forehead Phred appears on, introduce anirreverent collection of classic segments from such educational shows asSESAME STREET and THE ELECTRIC COMPANY, in addition to new material that iseducational and entertaining. Working from sketches provided by NewYork-based Data Motion Arts (DMA), Possible Worlds and MTV Animation

THE IRON GIANT will be honored Saturday morning at 10:30 am at Mann'sChinese Theater in Hollywood when a supersized footprint (12' by 6') willbe presented by the filmmakers and stars in the forecourt of the historictheater. (Because of prior commitments, the Giant will be unable toattend.) Johnny Grant, the honorary mayor of Hollywood, will emcee theevent. Cast and crew will attend the film's premiere following thepresentation of the footprint. Among those in attendance will be the