AWN Headline News

New York City-based QUIET MAN has completed "Giant Boy," a :30 spot forFritos Racerz, a race-car shaped snack food. In the spot, a NASCAR race cardriver wakens from a dream just before he and his car are eaten by a boy.Johnnie Semerad directed the visual effects, and Philana Dias was theFlame/Effects artist. Richard Sears directed the spot for New York andHollywood-based production company HKM Productions for New York-basedagency BBDO.

San Francisco, California-based Macromedia, Inc. has announced that itsFlash Player, which enables internet browsers to play web animations, willbe available free on September 1, 1999 for Linux, Sun Microsystems, Inc.'sSolaris, and Silicon Graphics Inc.'s Irix platforms. Flash is the standardfor creating high-impact, vector-based Web sites that deliver motion,sound, interactivity, and graphics. Flash Player versions for UNIX will beavailable for download at no charge from the Macromedia Web site.

On Friday, September 3 a cartoon by Adam Sandler will premiere onwww.adamsandler.com, the official Adam Sandler website. Little is knownabout the film, and Sandler's website refers to it only as a "surprise,"but the title is said to be THE PEEPER. Adam Sandler was a cast member ofSATURDAY NIGHT LIVE from 1991-1995, and star of recent hits such as BIGDADDY and THE WATERBOY. He has also had several hit comedy albums such as"They're All Gonna Laugh at You." His best known song is "The HanukkahSong."

MARCI SELSBERG has returned to WILL VINTON STUDIOS, a Portland,Oregon-based production company, as their east coast producer. Selsberg wasmost recently the president and executive producer of her own smallbusiness, Peek-A-Boo Productions which represented animation productioncompanies such as Curious Pictures.

Toronto, Canada-based TOPIX/MAD DOG has completed the visual effects forMary J. Blige's music video "All That I Can Say." Shot on location in NewYork City, the dreamscape for the music video integrates live-action, timelapse photography, stock footage, and 3D clouds which were modeled andrendered in 3D Studio Max. Softimage artist Sean Montgomery created andanimated orbs in which Mary and the city are reflected. In addition,TOPIX/Mad Dog composited the singer into scenes featuring Times Square, a

Although Disney has released a few titles on DVD, including THE NIGHTMAREBEFORE CHRISTMAS and A BUG'S LIFE, they have not released their classics inthe US on DVD, preferring to back DIVX, a DVD competitor that was soldthrough Circuit City retail stores. But now that DIVX is defunct, due tothe lack of consumer support, Disney is embracing DVD. Buena Vista HomeEntertainment will debut nine of Disney's animated features on DVD over thenext four months. Each of the titles will be available for a limited 60-day

Women In Animation Shorts Fest I is a showcase for short animated filmsmade by Women In Animation members and other filmmakers from around theworld. This evening's program includes films by Suzanne Franzel (Germany),Jaime Levy (USA), and Wendy Tilby and Amanda Forbis (Canada). It takesplace Friday, September 10, 7 pm at Santa Monica, California, USA.at SantaMonica College, Academy of Entertainment and Technology, 1440 StewartStreet, (by Olympic and 26th). Admission is free and open to the public.

Matt Groening, creator of THE SIMPSONS and FUTURAMA, will speak at the 1999Portland Creative Conference. He will join Eugenio Zanetti, productiondesigner for WHAT DREAMS MAY COME, Disney producer Don Hahn, and nationallysyndicated cartoonist John Callahan. The Conference includes speakerpresentations, panel discussions, sneak preview film screenings, an openingnight kick-off celebration, and a closing night wrap party, and runsSeptember 16 through 18 at the Portland Center for the Performing Arts. The

AtomFilms, a website devoted to short films, is teaming up with WarnerBros. Online, NBC's Snap.com, RealNetworks, On2.com, Atomic Pop, andStreamSearch. AtomFilms will provide short form entertainment to thesecompany's websites. These Internet companies join Atom's existingdistribution partners that span both online and traditional industries,including: HBO, Sundance Channel, Continental Airlines, Air Canada,Excite@Home, Go Network, Reel.com, Film.com, College Broadcast Network, and

New York City-based commercial production company SHELTER FILMS has signeddirector TODD FACTOR. Factor has directed spots for Coca-Cola, Budweiser,and Nice Skate Shoes.