AWN Headline News

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

Manga Video will release BLACK JACK in the US on June 29, 1999. Directed byOsamu Dezaki, this 1993 direct to video release from Japan is based on amanga by Osamu Tezuka that was first serialized in Japan from 1973-78.Tezuka is known as the father of animation and comic books in Japan, andspecifically as the creator of such TV series as ASTRO BOY and MARINE BOY,as well as award-winning shorts such as JUMPING. In BLACK JACK, Dr. BlackJack, an unlicensed but extremely successful surgeon, is a lone wolf who

Lucas Learning has released THE GUNGAN FRONTIER, the first simulated worldStar Wars game on CD-ROM. As heroes of the Battle of Naboo, players arecalled before the Gungan High Council to handle a critical mission. Theircity is threatened by overpopulation, and players must establish a newcolony on a nearby moon. The Gungans need to create a new world filled withfantastic creatures and plants from across the galaxy. Players discover howthese alien animals and plants interact and how they depend on each other

J.J. Sedelmaier Productions has created "Lintbrush," a :30 spot for QuiltedNorthern bathroom tissues. Directed by J.J. Sedelmaier, and designed byBonnie Timmons, the 2D animated spot shows quilters at work while theydiscuss the amount of lint in other tissue brands, as compared to QuiltedNorthern tissues.

JENENE J. WILSON has been appointed Vice President, Human Resources byPacific Data Images. She will be responsible for directing the company'scorporate human resource initiatives, including organizational design,employee compensation and benefits, corporate recruiting and training.Previously, she was Director of Human Resources for Mattel, Inc. Prior tothat she was Vice President, Compensation and Employee Benefits for LosAngeles-based Carter Hawley Hale Stores, Inc.

Fox has announced their US Fall prime-time lineup and it includes somesurprises. For one, Toon Tuesday is no more. The closest to it is ToonSunday. Fox's confidence in FAMILY GUY appears to be high, as it has beenmoved to Thursday night where it will stand out as the only animatedseries, sandwiched between two new live-action shows, MANCHESTER PREP andACTION, shows that seem to be geared to the male 18-49 demographic group.

The schedule, which begins in September, is as follows:

Thursday9:00 FAMILY GUY

Eoin Clarke's DEVIANT! won the Best of Festival award at the first New YorkAnimation Festival. The first New York Animation Festival presented adiverse international program of film and video animation from May 13-15 inNew York City. Over 2500 attended the three-day event which was held inGreenwich Village at The New School for Social Research's TishmanAuditorium. Here is the complete list of winners: Best of Festival:DEVIANT! by Eoin Clarke; Honorable Mention: ONE SELF: FISH GIRL by Emily

On May 15, 1999 the 26th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards were presented in 43categories during ceremonies held at the Marriott Marquis Hotel, New YorkCity, and the Beverly Hilton Hotel, Beverly Hills. Outstanding Achievementin Animation Emmy Awards were presented to William Joyce, ProductionDesigner for Nelvana's ROLIE POLIE OLIE, Dave Wasson, Production Designerfor "Max and His Special Problem," part of Nickelodeon's OH YEAH! CARTOONSseries, and Mark Zoeller, Storyboard Artist for DreamWorks' TOONSYLVANIA.

PHIL LOFARO has been promoted from Vice President to Senior Vice Presidentof Production for Walt Disney Feature Animation. He will continue tooversee production for the studio's animated features and shorts, includingscheduling, budgeting and new technologies.

This weekend's syndicated episode of SISKEL AND EBERT AT THE MOVIES, Roger Ebert's weekly movie review show in the US, is an animation special entitled "That's Not All Folks!," during which the film critic will explore the past, present, and future of animation.