AWN Headline News

Los Angeles-based WinStar, which has recently released a number of publicdomain titles under the CARTOON CRAZYS heading, is releasing a "fullyrestored" version of the Fleischer Bros. 1939 feature, GULLIVER'S TRAVELS,on DVD and VHS on September 28, 1999 in the US. Transferred from a newlystruck print taken from an original negative, this version featuresenhanced audio remixed in Dolby Digital and Dolby Surround sound. Themusical score also has been remastered with additional scoring and

Cambridge, UK-based Cambridge Animation has released Animo ProductionTracker - new software that allows studios to use the Internet, intranetsand internal networks to track every aspect of a production cycle. AnimoProduction Tracker software automates management of the thousands ofdrawings and different personnel involved in a typical project, allowingusers to better ascertain progress, determine costs, allocate resources,and eliminate duplication. The new software is fully integrated with Animo,

Art In Motion focuses on innovative content and diversity. The criteria forentry is time rather than medium based, and therefore video, film anddigital projects, animations, Websites, CD-Roms etc. are all eligible.Hybrids are particularly welcome. The festival will take place on January28, 2000 at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Thedeadline for entries is November 1, 1999. There will be a $1000 "Best ofShow" award and "first place" allocations in each exhibition category. Formore information visit www.usc.edu/go/aim.

Viacom Inc., which owns MTV and Paramount Pictures, has offered to buy CBSCorp., one of the Big Three US television broadcasters, for $37 billion instock, the largest media transaction ever. The new company, which willstill be called Viacom, will be led by Sumner Redstone who will remainViacom's chairman and chief executive. CBS President and Chief ExecutiveMel Karmazin will be president and chief operating officer. The deal ispart of what is expected to be a wave of consolidation in the TV industry

ERIK ST. ANTHONY has been appointed director of multimedia at LosAngeles-based INTERACTIVE TELEVISION ENTERTAINMENT (ITE)-USA, where he willhead the newly formed North American multimedia division. St. Anthony willbe responsible for developing and implementing retail, on-line andancillary distribution of the company's CD-ROM, PlayStation and Game Boyformats within North America. St. Anthony founded Adventure Media Group andTrinidad Entertainment, which together acquire DVD rights, create

AnotherUniverse.com, a website devoted tocomic books and science fiction, has reported that the widow and daughterof Jerry Siegel, co-creator with Joe Schuster of Superman, have filedpapers with the U.S. Copyright Office which have the effect of returning50% of the rights to the character of Superman to them. (Apparently, DCwill retain 50% interest in the rights unless the family of Joe Schusterfiles similar papers. Whether the Schuster family, or representative, will

The first episode ofSATURDAY NIGHT FRED, a CartoonNetwork.com Web Premiere Toon, debuted onAugust 30, 1999. The cartoon features clips from the 1963 season of THEFLINTSTONES that have been re-edited, with new voice-overs, to create newstories featuring Fred, Barney, and the rest of the Flintstones cast fromthat year. Viewers can either download the show as a QuickTime file, orview it as a streaming file. In both cases, it is possible to interact withthe show by replying to questions whose answers determine the direction the

Buena Vista's supernatural thriller THE SIXTH SENSE, with visual effects byDreamQuest, finished first at the US weekend boxoffice for the fifthconsecutive week, grossing an estimated $28.5 million over the US Labor Dayholiday weekend, $8 million more than the previous week. Its total nowstands at $175.5 million. No other animation related films finished in thetop ten.

Earlier this year Image Entertainment andLightyear released ART AND JAZZ IN ANIMATION, a compilation DVD of morethan four hours of features and shorts by John and Faith Hubley. Thecompilation includes two features, THE COSMIC EYE and OF STARS AND MEN, aswell as the shorts: OF MEN AND DEMONS, VOYAGE TO NEXT, EGGS, COCKABOODY,THE HOLE, THE HAT, DIG, HARLEM WEDNESDAY, ADVENTURES OF *, URBANISSIMO, andTHE TENDER GAME. While some of the older films are disappointingly fadedand a bit worn, fans of Hubley or independent animation will not want to

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOLLYWOOD has appointed BRIAN COMPTON Senior VicePresident, Chief Financial Officer. Compton will be responsible forfinancial reporting and budgeting, planning and implementation of operatingbudgets, and direction of the financial management organizations of bothUniversal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios CityWalk. Previously, Mr.Compton served as Director of Operations, Finance for Coach Leatherware, adivision of Sara Lee Corporation. He has held key financial posts with

Kid Rhino's BATMAN BEYOND soundtrack on CD and cassette was released onAugust 31, 1999 in the US. BATMAN BEYOND is a popular series that is setfifty years in the future, taking place after Warners' previous Batmanseries, THE ADVENTURES OF BATMAN AND ROBIN. The album includes twentytracks. Also, the inlay and CD booklet include comments about thesoundtrack music by Bruce Timm, the series' producer, and artwork from theseries' opening sequence. The CD will retail for US$13.98, and the cassette