Mattel Media has begun shipping THE WILD THORNBERRYS RAMBLER game for Game Boy Color. The new game, based on the popular Nickelodeon animated series, is comprised of 6 different games featuring the series' characters. In addition, players can challenge each other in a special two-player mode. "Mattel Media seeks to bring entertainment to children in all of their favorite ways," said Amy Boylan, executive vice president of Mattel Media.
Based in Sydney, Australia, The Mad Cow Picture Company offers a mix of digital and traditional animation experience. The studio specializes in Flash animation and pre-production services including storyboarding and character design. They are currently creating pilot episodes for "Stupidheroes.Com" and "00steven-Playground Private Eye." For more information about what's on offer from Down Under, visit the Mad Cow Picture Company Web site at http://www.madcowpictures.com.
Luxembourgs audiovisual production group, Oniria, is continuing its expansion with a new subsidiary studio in Berlin. The studio will be called Oniria Film and will handle pre-production (graphic design, scripts, storyboards, etc.), production management and post-production for the company's TV series. Thierry Schiel and Sophia Kolokouri have set up the new arm and Oniria Production administrator Nina Kolokouri will serve as general manager. Currently, Oniria Film is working on 52 15-minute episodes of the TV series BOBS BEACH.
On Wednesday, November 22, 2000, TAIS is hosting two different shows of films from the Short Attention Span Film Festival. At 7:00 PM: a screening comprised of independent films under 2 min. in length, includes films by TAIS animators Mike Constable and Jonathan Amitay. At 9:00 PM: a screening featuring the greatest hits of the festival's eight-year run, also includes three of Mike Constable's animated shorts. Please note: mature content; admission restricted to ages 18+; each program contains about 40% animation.
The British Academy of Film & Television Arts has announced the winners of its third annual interactive entertainment awards. Lego & Steven Spielberg Moviemaker Set, which gives kids a virtual production studio in a box, took home two prizes in the learning and childrens categories. Cartoon Network U.K. Online won the entertainment Website award over Netherlands-based toon site ExtraTainment.com.
Colombian animator Edwing Solzano and his group of associated animators, Juan Fernando Vez, Sergio Ceballos and Walther Solzano, have just finished a 5 minute 3D animated short...
Tiger Aspect, the producers of the international hit live-action series MR. BEAN, have awarded Varga Holdings the job of animating the new MR. BEAN cartoon series. Varga will create 52 eleven-minute episodes with London-based Richard Purdum Studios handling the design. Robin Driscoll, who served as the original writer on the live-action series, will be scribing the new toon version and Rowan Atkinson, who plays the live-action Bean, is involved closely with the production and will voice the animated character. The series is scheduled to air on ITB.
This week's updates to the Calendar of Events include the Victoria Independent Film & Video Festival in British Columbia, Canada; the Interactive TV & Mobile Games Conference in London, U.K.; the 2nd Outer Limits Film And Video Series in New York; and many more! With multiple search capabilities, AWN's new calendar of events gives you a customized way to look through the upcoming events - by Name, Location, Entry Deadline, Category, Event Type and more. Use it to stay abreast of animation related activities across the globe.
* Monday, November 13 Tuesday, December 28, 2000. World Wide Web. Entry Deadline: November 9, 2000
Three new artists are profiled in the Animation Showcase, offering a wide range of techniques, from life drawing to TV station IDs. Linda is an independent animator and instructor at the Art Institute of Philadelphia. Edwing is an independent animator from Columbia. Tobias is an independent animator from Northern California. Plus, a new series called "Pandora" from Jean Detheux, with a clip.
AtomFilms has launched Animation Showdown, which will allow Netizens the chance to vote on which Webtoon pilot will become the next AtomFilms series. AtomFilms' registered Insiders will select one pilot each month, from now until January, to green light into a series. This month's Animation Showdown features pilots from two studios whose previous works have been aired on AtomFilms. The first, Mongadillo Studios, known for SHAWKS, is presenting THE BOTTLE and the second is HAMMOND RYE, a pilot from Hyperbole Studios, the creators of DOG, BUDDHA, ELVIS.
Leading experts in their respective fields are there to answer your questions and give you personal advice and insight. Ask questions! It only takes a few minutes and any topic is fair game.
Expert host Larry Lauria - ANIMATION TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES: "Monthly Update...what are you working on? Attention students and professionals! Share with the forum tidbits about the projects on which you're working. You can talk about the joys, the challenges or the inside scoop from your projects."
Cinar Corp. has named George Rossi senior VP and chief financial officer. Previously, he served as president of Astral Media subsidiary Omni Media USA. Before joining Omni Media, Rossi played a key role in the rebirth of Quebec radio and TV group Radiomutuel Inc., which was acquired by Astral in 1999. Rossi replaces former Cinar CFO Hasanan Panju, who was fired in March over unapproved investments made in offshore accounts.
Plympton's new series of comics extracted from the comic book, "Sleazy Cartoons of Bill Plympton," is for ADULTS ONLY...
Urban Entertainment solidified deals to produce five new Webtoons with directors John Singleton (BOYZ 'N THE HOOD), George Tillman Jr. (SOUL FOOD), Malcolm Lee (THE BEST MAN) and writers Chris Mack (ER) and Cheo Hodari Coker (the upcoming HBO Marion Barry biopic). Singleton and comedian Freddy Ricks will co-create HUSTLIN' HANK, a satire of New York street life. Lee will create the comedy MY BABIES' MAMAS, which focuses on one man's mishaps with the multiple mothers of his children. Tillman will team with producer Robert Teitel (MEN OF HONOR) on a yet to be announced project.
Test your skills and challenge your brain with AWN's Animation Trivia Quiz...
Disney has ordered 21 episodes of a new toon series entitled, LLOYD IN SPACE, to air as part of the "Disney's One Saturday Morning" line-up on ABC. From the creators of DISNEY'S RECESS and RUGRATS, the series is the coming of age tale of Lloyd, a space station-bound alien teenager. Set to debut in 2001, the show features the voices of Courtland Mead (NYPD BLUE), Diedrich Bader (THE DREW CAREY SHOW), Ben Stein (WIN BEN STEIN'S MONEY) and John O'Hurley (Mr. Peterman on SEINFELD).
Add to your animation library with these Claymation favorites by Will Vinton Studios..!
On Tuesday, November 1, 2000, The Harvey Entertainment Company announced that the proposed preferred stock investment by Classic Media LLC has been terminated due to the companies' inability to reach a definitive agreement. On August 24, 2000, Harvey announced that it had signed a Letter of Intent with Classic Media for an investment of roughly US$30 million in exchange for a new issue of Harvey Preferred Stock.
This past week, the international box office got a bit frightful with SCARY MOVIE, WHAT LIES BENEATH and HOLLOW MAN taking top spots around the globe. In Mexico, SCARY MOVIE debuted in first place with a gross of $2.33 million. In second, WHAT LIES scared audiences to the tune of $917,416, lifting its Mexican cume to $6.23 million. U-571 thrilled audiences in third, with a gross of $648,055, raising its Mexican cume to $1.6 million. In sixth, HOLLOW MAN made $406,055 disappear from Mexican moviegoers' pockets, advancing its cume to $5.14 million.
Brilliant Digital Entertainment (BDE) is branching out into the music business with its new Brilliant Animated Music division. So far DreamWorks Records and Island Def Jam Music Group have signed on to have music from their catalogs transformed into 3D Multipath videos. Heading up the new arm will be Grammy-award winning record producer Lee Jaffe, attorney David Codikow and Andrew Lee, who was recently promoted to BDE's senior VP of strategy and development.
* Monday, November 6 Saturday, December 9, 2000. New York, New York, U.S.A.
* Monday, November 6 Wednesday, November 8, 2000. New York, New York, U.S.A.
* Wednesday, November 22, 2000. Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
The Toronto Animated Image Society will be hosting a short attention span festival. TAIS members Mike Constable and Jonathan Amitay have animated pieces in this festival of films that are two minutes or less in length. There will be two shows: one at 7 pm and one at 9 pm. For more information contact Patrick Jenkins at: 54 Austin Terrace, Toronto, Ontario M5R 1Y6, Canada; Tel.: (416) 533-2440; Fax: (416) 533-0508; E-mail: pjenkins@interlog.com; and Web: www.interlog.com/~pjenkins.
* Thursday, February 15 Saturday, February 17, 2001. Los Angeles and Santa Monica, California, U.S.A. Entry Deadline: January 1, 2001
