AWN Headline News

Iran-based SABA Animation Company has released an 85-minute animated film, THE PASSENGER OF STORY LAND. The film is a re-edited version of a six part, thirty-minute television series, and uses live-action, puppet animation and CGI to tell the story of a puppet who escapes from a film studio. The puppet befriends a boy whose father is a reporter who is covering the film from which the puppet escaped. The boy and puppet try to discover the end of the film, until they finally decide to write the ending themselves. The film was directed by Yosof Babareza.

Channel Four has bought the broadcast rights to London, UK-based Link Entertainment's GRABBIT THE RABBIT, a clay-animated series of thirteen eight-minute episodes. The episodes are based on fables from around the world including those of Jean de la Fontaine and Joel Chandler Harris. (Disney adapted some of Harris' Brer Rabbit stories in SONG OF THE SOUTH.)

Kid Rhino has released WHAT TO DO, BLUE?, an audio tape and booklet set. On the tape, the cast of Nickelodeon's BLUE'S CLUES, Steve, Blue and friends, are joined by BLUE'S CLUES co-creator Angela Santomero who reads, WHAT TO DO, BLUE? In the story Blue searches for something to do, while visiting her friends. The booklet allows listeners to read along with Santomero. WHAT TO DO, BLUE? retails in the US for $7.98. Kid Rhino and Nickelodeon will also release BLUE'S CLUES: GOODNIGHT BLUE on November 2, 1999.

Toronto, Canada-based SoftQuad Software Inc., a provider of HTML and XML content authoring tools, has announced HoTMetaL PRO 6.0. HoTMetaL PRO 6.0's new features are designed to increase productivity and provide users with more control over the Web development and management process. They include new FTP and remote file editing capabilities, improved handling of imported HTML source code, an improved drag and drop asset management system, and new customization options.

The 16th EuropaCinema & TV Film Festival takes place November 27-December 3, 1999 inRome, Italy. The deadline for entries for the animated shorts competitionis October 10, 1999. For more information contact EuropaCinema & TV, Via XXSettembre, 3 - 00187 Roma, Italy; or Tel. +39 06 42011184 or +39 0642000211; Fax +39 06 42010599; or E-mail: europa.cinema@agora.stm.it. Alsovisit //rg.unicri.it/europacinema/.

Disney's sequel to its 1953 PETER PAN, which had been in production at Disney's Toronto and Vancouverstudios, has been put on hold, resulting in layoffs of animators and staffat the Canadian studios. The rumors that the studios are being completelyshut down appear to be untrue at this time, but the total number ofemployees who have been laid off is unknown. According to Laurel Whitcomb,a Disney spokeswoman, the PETER PAN sequel "was in early stages ofproduction and needed to go back into development for retooling of thestory."

According to Reuters, Patrick Naughton, 34, of Seattle, Washington,executive vice president of products at Infoseek Corp., the Internet mediasite which is part of Disney's Go Network, was arrested on Thursday,September 16, 1999 on the Santa Monica Pier, an amusement park area in WestLos Angeles. The arrest came after he met a female FBI agent who hadarranged to meet him there, according to Thom Mrozek, a spokesman for theU.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles. He is charged with interstate travel

SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT has hired MEL HARRIS as Co-President and ChiefOperating Officer, sharing both of those titles with Bob Wynne. MASAYUKI(YUKI) NOZOE has also been promoted to Co-President, Digital Entertainment.The three executives will oversee the day-to-day operations of the companyand report to John Calley, Chairman and CEO of SPE. Nozoe will focus on theDigital Studios division and technology expansion, Wynne will managecorporate and financial operations, and Harris will emphasize worldwidetelevision and related businesses.

Denmark-based The Animation Workshop is running a short intensive week oflectures concentrating on storyboarding November 8-12, 1999, with JohnRamirez and Dan Jippes. Prices and details will be available upon requestbeginning October 1. For more information Tel. (45) 86672007; Fax (45)86675007; or e-mail colin@animwork.dk. Also visit www.animwork.dk.

Animation Magazine and Brilliant Digital Entertainment, Inc., a producer of3-D animated content on the Internet and a developer of animation tools andtechnology, have announced that they will co-host the Dancing PixelFestival. Dancing Pixel will be the first all 3-D real-time animationfestival on the Internet. Animators, both professionals and aspirants, areinvited to submit their work for public viewing and judging on the festivalsite. Submissions will be taken from October 1, 1999 to December 31, 1999.

Harrison, New York-based BLUE SKY STUDIOS has promoted CHRIS BURROWS andTIM SPELTZ to technical directors. Since beginning as a technical assistantat Blue Sky Studios in 1998, Burrows has worked on a variety of projects,including lighting and rendering for Blue Sky's Oscar award-winning short,BUNNY. Speltz has been with Blue Sky Studios since he graduated from BrownUniversity in 1997. Since then, he has excelled at effects, particle work,and lighting. He was credited as technical assistant and technical directoron BUNNY.

INFOGRAMES, a global publisher of interactive entertainment software, hasappointed a new management team. STAN ROACH, formerly executive vicepresident of marketing, will take on the role of COO overseeing sales,marketing and product development. YVES LEGRIS, formerly with Infogrames'headquarters in France, will become COO responsible for finance, businessdevelopment, legal affairs, studio operations, information technology andhuman resources.