AWN Headline News

Warner Bros. Consumer Products has awarded Trendmasters, Inc., a toydesigner and manufacturer, the master toy license for Cartoon Network'sanimated series including THE POWERPUFF GIRLS, DEXTER'S LABORATORY and COW& CHICKEN. In addition, Trendmasters has also secured the master toy rightsfor Cartoon Network's classic characters including Yogi Bear andSnagglepuss. Under the terms of the multi-year agreement, Trendmasters,Inc. has the rights to produce toy related merchandise including toy

Beginning July 2, star characters from Nickelodeon's popular BLUE'S CLUESand RUGRATS shows, "character breakfasts" featuring Woody Woodpecker,Spiderman, and other world-famous cartoon stars are part of the fun plannedfor kids this summer at Universal Studios Hollywood. "Blue's Clues Live"follows the format of the children's television show. Guided by cluessupplied by "Blue," kids solve puzzles, play games, and sing songs alongwith Blue. "Woody Woodpecker's Clubhouse" features a themed playground

Workout your character voices July 10, and every second Saturday of themonth, at Aliso Creek Productions in Burbank, California, USA. Directed byMJ Lall, voice over actor, coach, and producer, you'll read scripts byWomen In Animation writers, and do voice-to-picture workouts for WIAartists. Voice over artists, writers, and artists are encouraged to attendand participate with samples of their work. Call Aliso Creek to register at(818) 954-9931.

Full Sail, an animation school in Florida, has hired Rita Street as ChiefEditor of Full Sail's Platinum Creative Department. She will be in chargeof advertising copywriting, editing Full Sail's magazine, GET IN!, abi-annual which is about Full Sail and getting a job in the animationindustry in general, plus writing copy for Full Sail's web-site which willre-launch with a new look in September. Street was formerly Editor in Chiefof FILM AND VIDEO in Los Angeles.

Long-withheld due to a legal snag, this fall MGM Home Entertainment will bereissuing YELLOW SUBMARINE. This release will restore YELLOW SUBMARINE toits original English release length, which is said to be three and a halfminutes longer than the US release, restoring the "Hey Bulldog" sequencethat was cut for reasons of length for the original Amercian theatricalrelease. MGM/UA's new transfer is said to be bright and colorful, without atrace of the film dirt and scratches that mar the earlier video release.

Affiliated with the World Science Fiction Convention, the North AmericanScience Fiction Convention which takes place in Anaheim, California, August26 - 29, 1999, is held whenever the WSFC is outside of North America (as itis this year in Australia). The convention includes hundreds of authors,artists, and filmmakers as speakers; an art show; a dealers room; films;costume competition; dances; parties and more. The film competition acceptsentries in 16mm and VHS (NTSC only), to be judged by a panel of working TV

An Evening with the Professionals meets every third Thursday of themonth. This is a studio field trip series which brings the audienceinto a different studio each month to talk to industry professionals abouta topic that changes monthly. The topic for July 17 (7-9 pm) is, "Whatwriters should know about producers." It is hosted by Rhythm & Hues, andthe speakers include Ken Roupenian (Producer at Rhythm & Hues), KareyMaltzahn (2D/Post Exececutive Producer at Rhythm & Hues), Lynne Southerland

Hollywood, California-based Gnomon, a school for visual effects, hasexpanded their offerings of short-format classes. Designed both for currentworking professionals and individuals wanting to get into digital effectsand animation, these seminars and workshops are between a hour-and-a-halfand six hours long. Courses include Intro to 3D Concepts, Color Theory forMovies, Integrating 2D and 3D CGI, Maya 2.0: Dynamics, Maya 2.0: Fur,Resume Workshop, Interviewing and Negotiating Skills, and Math for

Eddie Murphy has rejoined the voice cast of Fox's Will VintonStudios-produced comedy, THE PJS, after angrily walking out on the showwhen Fox decided to hold it back for midseason rather than giving it a sloton the fall schedule. Murphy, a co-creator of THE PJS who has provided thevoice of lead character Thurgood Stubbs, had already recorded eight of nextseason's 22 episodes before he walked. Producer Imagine TV used Murphysound-alike Phil Morris for two episodes, but it's undetermined whether

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.

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.

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.