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AWN Headline News

Interactive Headline News

Games to be Played at Milia 2000

The Reed Midem Organization, organizers of Milia 2000, have entered into afar-reaching agreement with the Interactive Software Federation of Europe(ISFE)-- who include members from interactive industry organizations like AISI inItaly, ELSPA in the UK, NVPI in the Netherlands, SELL in France and VUD inGermany -- to co-produce the Interactive Entertainment and Online Gamesconference for the THINK.TANK Summit. THINK.TANK will be a new two-dayconference and networking event for the interactive content industry held in

Headline News

Dr. Michael Reed joins Blue Sky's research & development

BLUE SKY STUDIOS adds DR. MICHAEL REED as a new member to its research anddevelopment team. He comes to Blue Sky after receiving his Ph.D. inComputer Science from Columbia University and positions at the laboratoriesof IBM, Philips, and Bell Atlantic Corporations. Reed will continue hiswork with geometric surface construction techniques to create new solutionsin rendering and geometry for Blue Sky.

Services Headline News

Barry Schuler joins Oxygen Media Board

BARRY SCHULER, President of America Online, Inc.'s Interactive Services Group,has joined the Board of Directors of OXYGEN MEDIA. At AOL, Schuler oversees thecompany's online services unit that includes the flagship AOL service,CompuServe, Netscape and AOL Devices. Schuler joins Oxygen's CEO GeraldineLaybourne, Oprah Winfrey, Marcy Carsey, and others on the board of theprivately-held company.

Directors Headline News

Marvel appoints 2 New Directors

MARVEL ENTERPRISES INC. announced two new Directors have been appointed to the Board. PETER CUNEO, President and CEO, Marvel Enterprises, Inc., andproducer SID GANIS, former Vice Chairman of Columbia Pictures and Presidentof Worldwide Marketing for Columbia/TriStar Motion Pictures Companies, wereeach appointed to the Board of Directors.

Creative Headline News

Frank Caruso VP at King Features

FRANK T. CARUSO has been promoted to VP, Creative, at KING FEATURESSYNDICATE, a world leader in distributing comics to newpapers and merchandising licensing. The former Creative Director, Licensing will oversee new King Features licensing properties and all creative aspects of the company's Internet, animation and promotional activities. He will continue to supervise the creative aspects of BETTY BOOP, POPEYE, and other classic King Feature comic properties.

Wild Headline News

Wild Brain signs Nina Rappaport

WILD BRAIN, INC. signed Oscar-winning producer NINA RAPPAPORT to head theproduction company's computer graphics endeavors. After joining Wild Brainin May of this year as a freelance producer, Rappaport helped bringtogether the talent needed to produce the company's slate of CG projects.Before coming to Wild Brain, Rappaport was Executive Producer at Blue SkyStudios in New York. Her feature film credits include producing the effectson JOE'S APARTMENT and A SIMPLE WISH and executive producing STAR TREK:INSURRECTION.

Animation Headline News

Mike Dietz signed to direct PJ's episode

Director/animator Mike Dietz, founder of Orange County, CA-based MikeDietz Studios, has signed on to direct an episode of THE PJ'S, thestop-motion animated show starring movie-star Eddie Murphy, for Portland,OR-based Will Vinton Studios. Mike Dietz was one of the founding partnersof The Neverhood, the stop motion animation studio that produced severalprojects for Steven Spielberg's interactive division of DreamWorks SKG.Since leaving The Neverhood to start his own animation studio, Mike has

Sega Headline News

Dreamcast goes Platinum

Sega Dreamcast, the most advanced videogame system to date, has gone platinum.Sega of America, Inc. announced that the 128-bit, Internet-ready videogamesystem has sold one million units in North America since its launch onSeptember9, 1999. This milestone came six weeks ahead of corporate predictions andbeforethe after-Thanksgiving holiday shopping frenzy. The platinum mark forDreamcast has broken sales records by other high-profile consumer andelectronic products.

Animation Headline News

Film Roman Launches Level 13

This weekend, Film Roman, Inc., producers of THE SIMPSONS and KING OF THEHILL, launched Level 13.net, an innovative multi-channel animation networkto be delivered via the Internet. Level 13 is the industry's firstregularly scheduled, animated television-like network made directly for theWeb. William Shpall, Chief Operating Officer of Film Roman, and architectof the company's Internet strategy, said, "While many of today'sentertainment and Internet leaders are still testing enhanced television

Headline News

Knoll Light Factory now available for Avid

By Rick DeMott | Wednesday, December 1, 1999 at 12:00am

The popular Knoll Light Factory plug-in from Puffin Designs was recentlyreleased for Avid Xpress, Media Composer, and Symphony -- the trimmedversion ofKnoll Lens Flare Pro is titled Knoll Lens Flare AVX. The software allows usersto create lens flares with an unprecedented level of precision and control.Based on the Lens Primitives in Knoll Lens Flare Pro, the plug-in consistsof anumber of filters which include elements modeled on professional camera lenses

Studio Headline News

3D Studio MAX 3 shipped to over 100,000 Users

Discreet's 3D Studio MAX 3 is currently being used by more than 116,000artistsworld-wide, a number signifying the major upgrades rising to an industrystandard package in film, broadcast, games, multimedia, and design industries.The new upgrade boasts many new features, but the ones that have brought theproduct into this popular position so soon after its release are mostdefinatelythe new 'world-class' renderer, and the infinitely extensible productionenvironment. Many of these 100,000+ customers are taking advantage of 3D

Film Headline News

Zagreb would love to Grab your Film

By Rick DeMott | Wednesday, December 1, 1999 at 12:00am

In preparation for the 14th World Festival of Animated Films, Zagreb 2000 has started taking entries. Entry forms must be received by February 1, 2000 and films on VHS (for selection only), BETACAM SP PAL, or film prints must be received by March 1, 2000. Please, send VHS tapes to Zagreb Film (Animafest) Vlaska 70 10,000 Zagreb, Croatia. The festival will be held June 21-25, 2000.

For more information contact Zagreb Film (Animafest) at Vlaska 70, 10,000Zagreb, Croatia, Europe. Tel.: ++385-1-4666 439 4613 689, Fax: ++ 385-1-4557

Interactive Headline News

Infogrames acquires GT Interactive

By Rick DeMott | Wednesday, December 1, 1999 at 12:00am

Infogrames Entertainment, a leading developer, publisher and distributor ofinteractive entertainment, announced it has acquired GT Interactive Software(GTIS), a US-based company. The total investment is being reported as $135million. Infogrames' product catalog includes such franchises as MissionImpossible,Test Drive and Looney Tunes. GTIS brings such titles as Driver,Deer Hunter, Blues Clues and Abe's Odyssey. This transaction is part ofInfogrames' global expansion strategy and will help further establish the

Million Headline News

Eidos announces 2nd Quarter Results

By Rick DeMott | Wednesday, December 1, 1999 at 12:00am

U.K.-based Eidos plc, one of the world's leading publishers and developers of entertainment software, announced their results for the three and six months ended September 30, 1999. Revenues for the quarter were BR£27.3 million (US$45.0 million), up from 21.8 million pounds for the corresponding period last year. On a U.S. GAAP basis the company's loss before tax for the quarter was £16.8 million ($27.8 million), giving a net loss of £12.8 million ($21.2 million) and a loss per share of 66.3 pence (109.4¢), compared to a net loss of £8.8

Disney Headline News

Disney gears up for the Holidays

By Rick DeMott | Wednesday, December 1, 1999 at 12:00am

The Disney Channel and Toon Disney gear up for the holiday season with a newmillennium celebration. The Disney Channel will feature holiday episodesfrom Playhouse Disney series BEAR IN THE BIG HOUSE, ROLIE POLIE OLIE, andPB&J OTTER. To highlight FANTASIA/2000's January 1st opening in IMAXtheatres around the country, MOVIE SURFER'S will go inside the new film.Toon Disney, the 24-hour all-animation network, will present variousholiday-themed features as well as the television premiere of the Annie

Time Headline News

Time Warner launches Entertaindom

By Rick DeMott | Wednesday, December 1, 1999 at 12:00am

On Monday, November 29, 1999, Time Warner launched its new Internetentertainment network, Entertaindom. The new channel is the first on-lineentertainment network produced from a major media company. The channel willoffer a smorgasbord of on-line entertainment, news, and services from Warner'svast vault of branded material. Entertaindom will include entertainmentnews andinformation from "Entertainment Weekly," CNN, Reuters, "Variety" and othersources, including music and TV stories, movie reviews, hit lists and critics'

Special Headline News

Cartoon Network to air Dexter's Lab Special

By Rick DeMott | Wednesday, December 1, 1999 at 12:00am

On December 10, 1999, Cartoon Network will debut the one-hour milleniumspecial DEXTER'S LABORATORY'S EGO TRIP. The special will center around Dexter's over-zealous reaction to receiving a message from the future which informs him that he will one day save the planet. The show will air at 7pm on December 10 and repeat at 12am on Janurary 1, 2000.

Animation Headline News

FAMOUSfaces 1.5 now Shipping

By Rick DeMott | Wednesday, December 1, 1999 at 12:00am

Famous Technologies has announced that version 1.5 of its stand-alone facialanimation system FAMOUSfaces is now shipping. The program, which is aimed atfilm, broadcast, games and location-based entertainment developers now boastssome amazing new features. The software allows character animators to createrealistic facial animation using one of, or a combination of any of thefollowing input devices: motion-capture, video, puppetry devices, voicerecognition or cluster targetting. New in version 1.5, animators can use the

Spot Headline News

DMA zaps a New Spot for Zowie

New York animation studio, DMA with director Tony Caio finished up two'60s-style spots for Zowie Intertainment, Inc. new fantasy game ELLIE'SENCHANTED GARDEN. The commercial, featuring psychedelic-spinning wallpaperflowers and highly stylized gardens appearing around live-action actors, isaimed at attracting young girls to computer games. The spot started airingon Nickelodeon and other kid-friendly networks in early November.

Headline News

Varga Revamps

Varga Holdings, one of Europe's leading animation and special effectsproduction houses, has completed its extensive restructuring. Group CEO Andrs Erkel andGroup Managing Director Jan Sawkins announced Varga Studios has been renamedVarga Budapest Ltd. and Varga tvc Ltd. has been newly named Varga London Ltd,while Varga Commercials' name remains the same. The new structure is Varga'sstrategy to unify the company and create a standard corporate identityunder one Varga logo. In addition, the Budapest and London branches of the company

Games Headline News

EA & AOL play games On-line

Electronic Arts, a world leader in interactive entertainment software, hascreated a new division to publish games for the Web and to operate a seriesof new on-line gaming sites. The new division has been formed to createcontent for America Online, the world's leading Internet service company.Electronic Arts' new on-line gaming division comes on the heels of theiracquisition of Charlottesville, Virginia-based Kesmai Corporation, adeveloper of multiplayer on-line entertainment previously owned by News

Headline News

Robert Daly on deck with Dodgers

ROBERT DALY is on deck with the DODGERS. The former Warner Bros. CEO andchairman has purchased 10% of the Los Angeles Dodgers from Fox EntertainmentGroup. According to the October 29, 1999 issue of DAILY VARIETY, Daly willtake over complete control of the team, however he has said that he willconsult Fox before making any major moves. We'll all be looking forward to thatfirst Ted Turner-owner Braves and Dodgers match-up for sure.

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