FPS (Frames Per Second), the Canadian animation magazine, now has a
questionnaire on-line that they invite all readers, new and old, to fill
out. The FPS survey is located at
The current issue of FPS (#18) is available for sale in AWN's
where you can subscribe to your favorite animation publications and
February is our annual motion-capture and stop-motion issue, and we have
plenty in store as usual. Sharon Schatz interviews Brian Nilles of leading
motion-capture technology firm, Vicon Motion Systems. Gregory Singer goes
behind the scenes on one of the many projects which uses Vicon's
technology, while Laura Schiff introduces us to Webbie Tookay, a new
motion-capture personality. On the stop-motion side of things, Wendy
Jackson covers Aardman Animations' current high flying times as they work
New York-based HEAVY.COM is looking for ANIMATORS to join their growing
staff. Applicants are expected to have solid skills in drawing,
storytelling, design, Flash and interpersonal dynamics. Prior filmmaking
experience and/or background in traditional 2D animation techniques is a
plus.
For more information about these and other jobs, check out AWN's
Career Connections, the online Animation Job Fair.
STARDUST ENTERTAINMENT FILMPRODUKTION is a studio located in
Berlin-Potsdam, Germany, specializing in computer animation (3D) and visual
effects. The CGI studio is equipped with the most advanced wireless
motion-capture system by Motion Analysis. In addition to its staff of 50
CGI professionals from 15 different countries, currently based at the
studio in Germany, Stardust Entertainment is cooperating with CGI studios
in Romania, Italy, Spain, Belgium and Asia. Currently in production on a 26
The 19th Brussels Cartoon and Animated Film Festival will take place
February 28-March 11, 2000. 128 films have been selected for the official
competition, 119 shorts and 9 features, representing 22 countries. The list
of all selected films is available on-line. In addition to the feature
program, the festival will present six international programs of short
films, two international programs of student films, and two programs of
Belgian films. The retrospectives include: "Humour? Humour!," an anthology
The newest Career Coach, our monthly column by Pamela Thompson, is online...
* Saturday, February 12, 2000. Ontario, Canada.
Cinematheque Ontario will present Lotte Reiniger's timeless silhouette
animation, THE ADVENTURES OF PRINCE ACHMED (DIE ABENTEUER DES PRINZEN
ACHMED). The story is adapted from the "Tales of the Arabian Nights." The
film, that took Reiniger two years to make, captures fantasy, romance,
adventure, and humor. The screening will begin at 2 pm. The Jackman Hall
Box Office opens 30 minutes prior to the first screening of the day. Ticket
* Wednesday, February 16, 2000. Westwood, California, U.S.A.
For the tenth consecutive year Clifford Cohen's AnimAction will be
presenting the TEAM (Tobacco Education Awareness Message) Awards.
Twenty-seven middle schools have participated in AnimAction's filmmaking
program this year. Students work together in creating animated Public
Service Announcements (PSAs). The award winning PSAs will be aired on
network and cable TV. Previous PSAs have been distributed by UNICEF and
* Sunday, February 20 - Wednesday, February 23, 2000. Monte-Carlo, Monaco.
Created in 1979, the Monte-Carlo Television Market was established as a
companion to the world renowned Monte-Carlo International Television
Festival. Today, the Television Market ranks as one of the top program
markets in the world. In 1999, the Market had 487 registered buyers and
1,920 participants on hand. For 2000, two new events have been added to the
* Thursday, February 24 - Sunday, March 5, 2000. San Jose, California, U.S.A.
Cinequest San Jose Film Festival showcases features and short films (16mm &
35mm all genres) of artistic, social or stylistic merit. This year, the
festival is celebrating Maverick Films, Filmmakers and Technologies. For
more information contact Cinequest 2000 at: P.O Box 720040, San Jose, CA
95172-0040; Tel.: (408) 995-5033; Fax: (408) 995-5713; E-mail:
cineqst@wenet.net; or Web: http://www.cinequest.org.
* Monday, February 28 - Saturday, March 11, 2000. Brussels, Belgium.
Each year the Brussels Cartoon and Animated Film Festival programs the
"crème de la crème" in international animation. It is one of the top
festivals on the international cartoon and computer generated images
circuit. It features 150 to 200 films, plus premieres, original
retrospectives, exhibitions, "making of" programs and invites a host of
* Friday, March 3 - Saturday, March 4, 2000. Glendale, California, U.S.A.
This year, ASIFA-Hollywood will host its 7th Annual Animation Expo. The
Expo is a two day animation industry trade show focusing on the exhibition
of animation related products and services and the recruitment of related
talent and personnel. In addition, the Expo offers industry seminars and
workshops, digital tutorials and a showcase of animation. Admission price
* Wednesday, March 8 - Sunday, March 12, 2000. Tampere, Finland.
As the biggest short film event in Northern Europe, the Tampere
International Short Film Festival features 80 screenings, a film market and
seminars. 16mm and 35mm films under 30 minutes, completed after January 1,
1998, are accepted for competition. Awards available include Grand Prize,
Special Prize of the Jury, Best Animation, and an Audience Award. Last
* Thursday, March 9, 2000. London, U.K.
The 3rd annual British Animation Awards will include the following: Best
Film Under Seven Minutes, Best Longer Short Film, Best TV and Film
Graphics, Best Film at the Cutting Edge, Mari Kuttna Award for Best
Directorial Debut, Best Direction of an Animated Commercial, Best
Animation/Craft in a Commercial, Best Adult Series, Best TV Children's
Special, Best Children's Series, Best Pre-School Series, Children's Choice
Walt Disney and Pixar have yet another trophy on their mantle, this time
it's the grand prix at Imagina 2000. The computer conference and festival,
which started in Monaco on January 31 and then continued in Paris on
February 2, finishing Friday, February 4, is often referred to as the
European equivalent to SIGGRAPH. The events in Monaco included the "Prix
Pixel-INA" awards competition, the Innovation Space, and various
conferences and panel discussions such as "2D/3D Animation," a discussion
FILM ROMAN INC. has announced that veteran entertainment industry executive
LEONARD J. GROSSI has joined their board of directors and SIDNEY CLIFTON
has been promoted to director of television development. Currently, Grossi
is a partner in LSLG Associates, which owns a 49% interest in WHPN-TV, a
Madison, WS-based UPN affiliate. Grossi has recently formed and serves as
chairman and CEO of both Baseline Media and Entertainment Inc., a media,
communications and entertainment consulting firm, and Mile Square
On Wednesday, December 26, 2000, a second child was reported to have
suffocated on Burger King's promotional POKEMON ball. The 4-month old,
Indianapolis, Indiana boy was found dead by his grandmother who left the
toy in the crib with the sleeping child. Millions of the toys were recalled
on December 11, 1999 after a Sonora, California girl was found in her
playpen with half the ball over her nose and mouth. U.S. federal officials
accused the Miami-based fast food chain of being too slow in recalling the
The Super Bowl, American football's biggest game, kept people away from
U.S. theatres this past weekend, but STUART LITTLE, with primary visual
effects by Sony Pictures Imageworks, additional animation by CFX and Rhythm
& Hues, and miniatures by Thunderstone, stayed steady at 4th place in the
box office. Sony's great white hope (a white mouse that is) grossed US$4.78
million bringing its total to $123 million. THE GREEN MILE, with primary
Imax has inked a deal with Fox, DreamWorks and Sony Pictures to deliver to
audiences 3D versions of THE SIMPSONS, Princess Bala from ANTZ and several
original animated characters. The Imax feature will be entitled CYBERWORLD
and will hit U.S. theatres in October. Produced by Hugh Murray and Steve
Hoban, the 45-minute pic will feature 3D clips from ANTZ and THE SIMPSONS
interwoven with Phig, the tour guide of this futuristic animation museum.
Fox has leaked the scoop that a central Simpsons character will be killed
off on the February 13 episode of the decade old toon. Rumors have been
circling that the grim reaper will be swinging his scythe at Maude
Flanders, wife of Jesus freak neighbor Ned. In a bold move of honesty THE
SIMPSONS' executive producer Mike Scully fully admits the show is a
shameless attempt at grabbing sweeps ratings. "We're in our 11th season and
we're always looking for new ways to shake up the show a little and do
Michael Webster, who established Walt Disney's television animation
division in 1984, passed away at the age 60 following a long battle with
multiple sclerosis. On Saturday, January 29, 2000, Mr. Webster succumbed to
complications from pneumonia at his home in Port Townsend, Washington,
U.S.A. During his 42 year tenure, Webster created the Walt Disney
Television Animation division and served as its senior VP until his
retirement in 1992. He oversaw production of the Emmy-winning NEW
Nickelodeon has recently closed the San Mateo branch of its on-line unit
announced Nick On-line Pres. Fred Seibert. The office had been doing
research and development for "Project Nozzle" -- a re-launch of Nick.com as
a children's Web portal. To help strengthen the re-launch Viacom, owners of
Nick, bought San Mateo-based Web development house Nvolve, which turned
into the now de-funked San Mateo branch of Nick.com. This decision comes on
the heals of the suspension of "Project Nozzle's" main component My
ACCLAIM ENTERTAINMENT INC., a leading worldwide interactive entertainment
company, has appointed JAY ANDRONACO as manager of public relations and
BRADFORD W. LOUCKS as vice president of sales. Andronaco will oversee
public relations initiatives for Acclaim's recently announced Extreme
Championship Wrestling (ECW) license, including the launch of the first
video game title on February 17, 2000, ECW HARDCORE REVOLUTION. In
addition, Andronaco will manage media relation initiatives for select
Mill Film announced that LAURENT HUGUENIOT and DAVID LOMAX have been
promoted to joint heads of Mill Film 3D. The promotion takes place with
immediate effect and follows on the heals of the recent announcement that
Mill Film will unite operations with sister company Magic Camera. Lomax
joined Mill Film in February 1997 from Pixar Animation Studios where he was
senior technical director for modeling and shader development on the
animated feature film, A BUGS LIFE. Since joining Mill Film, Lomax has
Funkmation Studios, an animation house providing services for film,
television, CD-Rom and the Web, has floated into a new home in Brooklyn's
Navy Yard. The animation house will share the new space with New York
Studios' film and television sound stage. Funkmation's credits include:
SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH CD-Rom; storyboard and background design on
COURAGE THE COWARDLY DOG; Flash animation on Partner Re's screen savers;
and a 2D animation pilot with C&C Films entitled MAXIMUM BLACK. The new
