AWN Headline News

DreamWorks Pictures and Pacific Data Images' computer-animated feature film, "Antz" opens in U.S. theaters on Friday, October 2. The film's 78 minutes of animation (112,320 frames) took two and a half years and a staff of over 200 people to produce. Character voices featured in the film include Woody Allen, Dan Akroyd, Danny Glover, Gene Hackman, Jennifer Lopez, Sharon Stone, Sylvester Stallone and Christopher Walken.

Bonjourno, Mickey! The Italian version of THE DISNEY CHANNEL will begin broadcast on October 3, launching with the country's first TV broadcast of the animated feature, "The Lion King." All programming will be dubbed in Italian. The channel is being transmitted daily from 6 a.m. to midnight, as part of a digital bouquet of channels offered by Telepiu. Disney Channel Italy is headquartered in Milan and headed up by vice president and managing director Janet Scardino. The former Sunbow Entertainment VP joined the company in March 1998.

San Francisco-based WILD BRAIN, INC. produced two new commercials for Ogilvy & Mather's Hershey's Kisses ad campaign. The two new 15-second spots were directed by Carl Willat, who has directed more than 15 Hershey's Kisses ads over the last decade. "Drag Racing," like all previous 15 spots, uses tried-and-true stop-motion. However, for the second spot, titled "Fishing," Willat used computer animation, marking the first time CGI has been used in this campaign. Willat insisted, however, that CGI will not replace stop-motion.

The Disney Channel has launched its annual "Create Story Magic" contest, inviting kids aged 6-12 to compete for the chance to have his or her original story turned into an animated short. Last year's winner was 12-year-old Ian O'Neal, whose story, "Dragon Friend" was selected from over 22,000 entries, animated by Walt Disney Television Animation and broadcast on Disney Channel this year. Every year, the winner also receives a trip for four to Disneyland and Walt Disney Studios. This year's contest is being promoted by Target Stores and Cable in the Classroom.

Vancouver, Canada-based Mainframe Entertainment will produce two feature-length, stereoscopic, 3D computer-animated films for IMAX large-format cinemas. The announcement comes exactly two years after the two companies announced a production deal [AF 8/21/96] to produce two 3D CG-animated ride-films based on Mainframes TV series, ReBoot. The first one, ReBoot, the Ride opened in IMAX ride theaters last year and the second, Journey Into Chaos will open next month.

* Monday, September 28. New York City, New York, U.S.A.

Glendale, California-based animation and development studio, Creative Capers Entertainment has partnered with Dallas, Texas-based content delivery system company, Rapture Technologies, to form a new company. The 50/50 joint venture, called Digital Doorway, will be based in Glendale and focus on production and marketing of interactive gaming, entertainment and educational titles for the PC, console, hand-held and online markets.

Los Angeles-based Klasky Csupo has expanded its commercials division with the signing of eight directors to its roster: CORKY QUAKENBUSH is a stop-motion animator famous for his raunchy MAD TV spots; Sweden-native STIG BERQVIST is a 2D animator who recently completed working on Stressed Eric with Klaskys TV division, and also co-directed short films including Otto and Revolver; JIM BLASHFIELD is a Portland, Oregon-based mixed-media director known for his cut-out look utilized in such music videos as Michael Jacksons Leave Me Alo

PAUL WAXMAN, a former marketing executive at Irwin Toy, has branched off and formed his own company, D.E.E.P. ENTERTAINMENT. Based in Toronto and Halifax, Canada, the company will focus on development of animation properties such as NuKeD and The Lugs, for which financing partners are currently being sought.

CAMBRIDGE ANIMATION SYSTEMS (CAS), creators of Animo 2D animation software, has hired Mark Watt as director of research and development. Watt co-founded Second Nature Industries, a company in Los Angeles. He was previously a senior programmer with Xaos, Thomson Digital Image and Digital Pictures. Watt will be based at CAS U.K. office. TOM CARRIGAN, recently hired by CAS as director of international sales, will be based at the companys Glendale office, not in U.K. office as was stated in last weeks news.

* Wednesday, September 23 - Sunday, September 27. Syros, Greece.

* Friday, September 25 - Sunday, September 27. Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

UCLA hosts three puppet performances brought over from the Henson Festival of Puppet Theater, in conjunction with the new Cotsen Center for Puppetry at Cal Arts: Ubu and the Truth Commission by South African group The Handspring Puppet Company (featuring animator William Kentridge), Electric Shadows by American-Indonesian act Wayang Listrik and Short Stories by Peruvian Teatro Hugo and Ines. For show times and tickets, call (310) 825-2101.