AWN Headline News

Rick Ramirez, an executive with broad legal, financial and programdevelopment experience, has been named to the new position of vicepresident of the three-month-old Phil Roman Entertainment Company in StudioCity. As previously reported, Phil Roman recently departed the animationcompany he founded in 1984, Film Roman, to create his own animation firm.Ramirez' responsibilities will include all areas of business affairs,financing, and development both in the English and Spanish language markets

London-based Passion Pictures has created a :60 spot for Virgin Cola,"Roller Girl," which features a roller-blading 2D animated heroine designedand conceived by Jamie Hewlett, creator of TANK GIRL. The spot was directedby Robert Valley and Chris Hauge for agency Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe.The spot was first pencil drawn and hand painted before being computerpainted in Toonz, with traditionally painted and airbrushed backgroundsadded.

Nickelodeon's Worldwide Development Group, an international team ofNickelodeon creative and development executives, is launching Nickelodeon'sfirst global animation storyboard competition. The competition is open toanimators around the world. Six winners will be given the opportunity toproduce a one to three minute animated short based on their winningstoryboard and have it air on Nickelodeon channels around the world.Nickelodeon is looking for innovative animators with fresh,

Two films are about to make history as the first widely released featurefilms available to moviegoers via digital projection. One is STAR WARSEPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE; the other is the English romantic comedy, ANIDEAL HUSBAND. Beginning June 18, and continuing for four weeks, a digitalversion of Oliver Parker's AN IDEAL HUSBAND will play in New York City andLos Angeles. Check your papers for locations and times. For STAR WARSEPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE, CineComm Digital Cinema and Texas

Thirty-seven never-before-seen CARTOONS FOR CHILDREN'S RIGHTS PSA's will be shown at the Annecy Film Festival in Annecy, France on Tuesday, June 1 at 6 pm. A global broadcast initiative organized by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), CARTOONS FOR CHILDREN'S RIGHTS informs people about children's rights, as set forth by the 1989 United Nations General Assembly Convention on the Rights of the Child. To help raise awareness of these rights, UNICEF has collected 66 CARTOONS FOR CHILDREN'S RIGHTS spots produced by animators from 32 countries.

Toonz Animation India Pvt. Ltd., a new animation production studio inIndia, will have a limited opening in August, with an official openingfollowing November 1-5, 1999. Toonz will offer a full-range of productionservices for episodic television series and commercials. Toonz will also bededicated to developing original pilot shows based on Indian folklore andmythology. "India has a rich treasury of folklore which will form the basisfor many of our pilot shows," states Bill Dennis, President and CEO. In its

Comic book artist Alex Ross will debut a limited edition lithograph fromthe DC Comics graphic novel SUPERMAN: PEACE ON EARTH at the Warner Bros.Studio Store Gallery at the corner of Fifth Ave. and 57th St. in New YorkCity on June 10, 1999 at 7 pm. The book tells the story of Superman'sefforts to alleviate world hunger. Sixteen pieces of the artwork to beauctioned at Sotheby's later in June will be on display at the same WarnerBros. Studio Store from Sunday, June 6-Saturday, June 12. Ross will donate

As we reported, on June 1 Rhino Home Video released THE WORLD OF SID &MARTY KROFFT, a three-volume set that included one episode from everyKrofft Saturday morning show. Now on July 20 the kooky shows of Sid & MartyKrofft will once again find their way into American living rooms with thehome video release of individual episodes of H.R. PUFNSTUF, SIGMUND & THESEA MONSTERS, LAND OF THE LOST, BUGALOOS, LIDSVILLE, and FAR OUT SPACENUTS. While these shows are mostly live-action (the primary exception is

The Nuart in Los Angeles will be showing the 1999 Spike and Mike's ClassicFestival of Animation Friday, May 28-Thursday, June 3. The program includesBlue Sky Studios' Oscar-nominated BUNNY, Aardman's HUM DRUM, DigitalDomain's TIGHTROPE, Pierre Coffin's PINGS, Peter Reynolds' THE BLUE SHOE,Annecy-winner SIENTJE, Don Hertzfeldt's BILLY'S BALLOON, Laurent Gorgiard'sMAN WITH THE PENDULOUS ARMS, Behaviour Productions' THE ART OF SURVIVAL,Chris Landreth's BINGO, Folimage's THE ROMANCE OF MY HEART, Eric Fernandes'

In March, Cheung Kong (Holdings) Ltd said it was interested in participating in a proposed project to build a Disney theme park in Hong Kong, but it depended on the outcome of talks between the government and Walt Disney Co. . . In Orlando, Florida, Walt Disney World officials said they expected more people than ever to flock to its sprawling Orlando theme park complex, after a 1998 performance that many industry analysts described as mixed. Year in and year out, Disney World proves to be the most popular tourist attraction on the planet.

The second part of UCLA's tribute to Japanese anime takes place May 8 -June 1, 1999. (The first part of the series, titled MAGICAL BOYS & GIRLS,took place in January 1999 and was devoted to children's animation.) Thetribute includes the following programs:

THURSDAY, MAY 13, 1999 - 7:30 PMPRAISE BE TO SMALL ILLS (NAMU ICHIBYO SOKUSAI) (1973, 35mm, 18 min.)Directed by Tadanari Okamoto. In Japanese with English subtitles.THE DEMON (ONI)(1972, 35 mm, 8 min.) Directed by Kihachiro Kawamoto. In

SP0NGEBOB SQUAREPANTS, a new animated series which is being produced at theBurbank Nicktoons Studio, will premiere on Nickelodeon on July 17 at 10:00am ET/PT in the USA, becoming Nickelodeon's first original Saturday morningcartoon. A preview of the cartoon appeared on Nickelodeon on May 1, andreceived a 6.3 rating and a 25 share when it was watched by 6.9 millionviewers. The cartoon features the adventures of SpongeBob, a hopelesslyoptimistic and earnest sea sponge whose good intentions often lead to bad