Women in Animation L.A. showcases short animated films and works by WIAmembers at every WIA General Meeting. Have your film screened in front ofseveral hundred of Los Angeles' animation leaders! If you have a film, orcan suggest a film to be screened, contact Wendy Jackson at (213) 441-9340;or e-mail animationist@geocities.com.
Los Angeles and Denmark-based ITE (Interactive Television Entertainment)has launched a webstore at Throutandneck.com, a website for the seriesTHROUT AND NECK which currently airs on the Game Show Network. Whileinteractive television has been popular all over the world, THROUT AND NECKis the first real-time animated action series to be broadcast on Americantelevision. Throutandneck.com features interactive games that can be playedonline, colorful graphics, clips from Behind the Scenes of the series,
PG Studio is a production management tool that helps production housesproduce cost effective computer animation. Among its features are scriptand storyboard breakdown into scenes, shots, and frames; organization ofproduction documents according to script structure; identification ofproduction tasks from the script; allocation of production tasks tocreative and technical staff; establishment of total task time within theschedule; compilation of a running production budget including staff and
Houston, Texas-based ADV Films is releasing GALAXY FRAULEIN YUNA RETURNS onJuly 13 and QUEEN EMERALDAS on July 27 in the US. Both ADV Films titleswill be available in subtitled and dubbed versions. For more informationvisit www.advfilms.com. New York City-based Central Park Media is releasingRECORD OF LODOSS WAR: CHRONICLES OF THE HEROIC KNIGHT - A NEW LEGENDBEGINS, MIDNIGHT PANTHER: GENERAL RELEASE VERSION, and THE SLAYERS NEXT:THE FORBIDDEN DANCE? on August 8 in the US, and RECORD OF LODOSS WAR:
Washington, D.C.-based Interface Media Group did the 3D animation for"Warning Label." Developed through Washington, D.C.-based Ogilvy PublicRelations Worldwide for the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta,Georgia, the spots use two 3D characters, Carson and Noma, to help stressthe need for protection from ultra-violet sunrays to avoid skin cancer.Carol Hilliard was art director and 3D animator. Live-action footage wasproduced by Washington, D.C.-based ThinkFilm. Joe Becker directed andStephanie Antosca Boright produced for ThinkFilm.
QUIET MAN did the CGI effects for "Limo," a spot for Denny's new All-StarSlams line of breakfast combos. A follow-up to last summer's "Rooster,""Limo" features a studish rooster wooing a barnyard of lovesick hens to thebeat of The Commodore's "Love Machine." Michael Schrom directed forproduction company Michael Schrom & Company; Marie Lenz was executiveproducer, and Philana Dias was Flame/effects artist for Quiet Man.
The graduates of the University of Wales College Newport's animationprogram will be presenting a screening of their work on Friday, July 2nd1999 at 6 pm. The screening will be held at De Lane Lea, Dean Street,London, England in the college's newly refurbished preview cinema. Thefilms are a mixture of techniques and styles, from an abstract musicalcollaboration with renowned percussionist Evelyn Glennie working directlyon film, to a cel-based narrative piece that makes SOUTH PARK look tame.
The team that created Fox's ANASTASIA, director Don Bluth, partner andproducer Gary Goldman, and the Fox Animation Studio have finished a sequelcalled BARTOK THE MAGNIFICENT which will be released on video and DVD onNovember 16. The wisecracking bat, voiced by Hank Azaria, is promoted toheadline the music-filled sequel, with Kelsey Grammer, Jennifer Tilly, TimCurry and Catherine O'Hara taking on other voice roles. BARTOK is the firstmajor Fox direct-to-video title produced in-house at their Phoenix facility
Film Roman has joined Los Angeles-based Latino production company Sí TV toproduce a half-hour, English language animated pilot entitled STUCK IN THEMIDDLE which is intended for prime time. Written and co-created by Sí TVco-chairman Jeff Valdez, the pilot will feature the vocal talent ofco-creator and executive producer Cheech Marin (comedy team Cheech & Chong;NASH BRIDGES), who also serves on the advisory board of Sí TV. STUCK IN THEMIDDLE is about a twelve-year old whose home life in The Barrio contrasts
Clive Jenkins has joined Atlanta-based Crawford Communications, Inc. as a3D animator. Jenkins previously worked for Crawford from 1989 to 1994, butleft to join Varitel in San Francisco where he launched that company'sdesign and 3D department. Most recently, he worked for Video NavigationCompany in Atlanta as a 3D animator and compositor.
Catapult Productions' Kim Davidson and Arnie Zipursky, executive producersof MONSTER BY MISTAKE, have promoted Rob Smith and Mark Mayerson toproducers for the second season of the computer animated TV series. Smithand Mayerson will join Julie Stall, who was the first season producer.Mayerson, who created the series, and Smith each directed five episodes ofthe first season. Smith will continue to direct while Mayerson will be moreinvolved in stories and scripts. MONSTER BY MISTAKE began as a Halloween TV
Portland, Oregon-based Will Vinton Studios has completed two spots. "Diner"is a stop-motion animated spot for the Maryland Lottery, and won a 1999Bronze Clio. Skeets McGrew directed for Agency Eisner & Associates."Bunnies" is a spot for Citibank and uses reference footage based on anorigami artist's work which was manipulated using Maya software. SkeetsMcGrew directed for Agency Y & R New York.
India-based Graphiti Multimedia has completed a :20 spot for Titan AlarmClocks using Cambridge Animation Systems' Animo and 3D Studio MAX software.In the commercial, the prince from the "Sleeping Beauty" fairy tale uses analarm clock to wake the princess. Sunil Shetty directed.
Los Angeles-based Class-Key Chew-Po Commercials and Absolutely ProductionsLimited have created "Lunch Order," a spot for Procter & Gamble's Head &Shoulders Menthol shampoo. The spot features an animated "Jittery Julian"who transforms into a confidant "Cool Jules" after using the shampoo.Class-Key Chew-Po's Stig Bergqvist directed for Agency Saatchi &Saatchi/London.
The Association of Independent Commercial Producers' (AICP) Eighth AnnualAICP Show, The Art & Technique of the American Television Commercial,debuted at The Museum of Modern Art in New York City on June 9th, and willtour in the United States and internationally until April 2000. The showconsists of about fifty live-action and animated spots. Selections weremade by more than 400 judges throughout the US, as well as a panel composedof members of the industry from advertising agencies, production companies,
MSH Entertainment Corp. has announced that it has entered into adevelopment, co-production and cross licensing agreement with Film Roman,Inc. Under the terms of the agreement, both companies will own a portion ofthe adjusted gross profits from the television broadcast, toy andmerchandising licensing rights of each other's selected animated andlive-action properties produced under the agreement. In addition, MSH willengage Film Roman for co-development funding and deficit financing of some
The inaugural Vancouver Effects & Animation Festival (VEAF) will exhibitanimation and effects works created by people from around the world andwill present awards in 22 categories. The festival takes place Monday, July13-18 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. For more information call(604) 874-5590; or visit www.veaf.com.
Erik St. Anthony has been appointed Director of Multimedia at InteractiveTelevision Entertainment (ITE)-USA. St. Anthony will be responsible fordeveloping and implementing retail, on-line and ancillary distribution ofthe company's CD-ROM, PlayStation, and Game Boy formats in North America.St. Anthony founded Adventure Media Group and Trinidad Entertainment, whichtogether acquire DVD rights, create interactive formats on DVD and DVD-ROM,and distribute programming. ITE's library includes HUGO SAVES CHRISTMAS,
Chromacolour, an international leader in the manufacture and sale of traditional and digital animation materials, software and equipment, has just moved their manufacturing operation to a new 20,000 square foot facility in North East Calgary, Canada. This is also the location of their global headquarters and Sales and Distribution center. The company's European Sales and Distribution center has been recently relocated to a new facility in London, England as well.
New York-based Spontaneous Combustion has created the CGI for "It All Starts with ABC," a :15 spot for Post Alpha Bits cereal created to accompany PBS' ARTHUR. In the spot the camera slowly pulls back from Alpha-Bits-like letters to reveal that they are part of words on a page, and that this page is in a book, and that this book is part of a stack which grows past a UFO in outer space. The spot used Adobe After Effects to create matte paintings which were nested inside one another to create the cosmic zoom effect. 3D Studio Max was used to create the books.
San Francisco-based The Attik has finished "Deep Sea," a :30 PSA for The Monterey Bay Aquarium. The spot contrasts the depth of the ocean with the highest points above sea level such as the Empire State Building and Mount Everest. It combines live-action vignettes, taken from stock footage, with computer rendering. Simon Dixon directed for Agency Goldberg Moser O'Neill Adverting.
New York-based J.J. Sedelmaier Productions created "Dream Job," a :10 film for NBC's TODAY SHOW's Al Roker, which shows the morning talk show's weatherman together with sun and cloud characters. J.J. Sedelmaier directed.
San Francisco-based (Colossal) Pictures has completed "I Scream" for Kraft Foods Marshmallow Alpha-bits. Directed by Charlie Canfield for Agency Ogilvy & Mather L.A., the spot is about a group of marshmallow vowels joining up for a rowdy "I scream for ice cream" game. The spot uses traditional cel and computer animation. San Francisco-based Giant Killer Robots did the CGI.
Universal Studios has appointed Kenton Low senior vice president of corporate marketing and Universal Studios Online. In the newly created position, Low reports to Hellene Runtagh, Executive Vice President, and is responsible for developing and executing corporate strategic marketing programs globally. This includes brand management, leveraging Universal's global franchises, and expansion of the company's corporate partnerships program. Low will also oversee Universal Studios Online, the business unit responsible for web site development and e-commerce initiatives.
Balmur Entertainment has appointed Tony Baylis as CEO. Baylis joined Balmur in February 1996 as Executive Vice President/COO, and was appointed President/COO in October 1998. Prior to Balmur, Baylis served as Vice President, Finance for Skyvision Entertainment, the television production arm of the John Labatt Entertainment Group, from 1993-1996. He began his entertainment industry career with the BCL Group, where he served as Director of Finance.
