AWN Headline News

New Line Cinema's THE LORD OF THE RINGS film trilogy, based on the classic fantasy trilogy by J.R. R. Tolkien, began principal photography in Wellington, New Zealand, onOctober 11, 1999. Peter Jackson (DEAD ALIVE aka BRAIN DEAD, MEET THEFEEBLES, HEAVENLY CREATURES) is directing from his own script. The threefilms that will make up the trilogy - THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, THE TWOTOWERS and THE RETURN OF THE KING - are being filmed at the same time, atactic that worked for the first two SUPERMAN films with Christopher Reeve.

Matt Stone and Trey Parker, the creators of Comedy Central's SOUTH PARK, have received permission tosample copyrighted Monty Python work for use in IT'S THE MONTY PYTHONSTORY. The animated special will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the BBCcomedy series MONTY PYTHON'S FLYING CIRCUS, which was created by GrahamChapman, John Cleese, Michael Palin, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and TerryGilliam (the lone American in the group, who did the animation). Thespecial will include a spoof of the famous "Dead Parrot Sketch" entitled

The fourth edition of The Animated Castles film festival took place September 29 - October 3 in Rome,Italy. Here are this year's winners:

Grand Prize "I Castelli Animati":AU BOUT DU MONDE by Konstantin Bronzit, Russia.

Special Jury Prize:EUROPE & ITALY by Bruno Bozzetto, Italy.

Prize For The Best Debut Short Film:MIGRATIONS by Constantin Chamski, France.

Prize For The Best European Short Film:3 MISSES by Paul Driessen, Netherlands.

Special Audience Prize:

Chicago, Illinois-based commercial production house TRICKYPICTURES has hired New York-based rep firm BLAH BLAH BLAH to represent thecompany with East coast clients. Blah, Blah, Blah's ANDY ARKIN and MIKEEASTWOOD will serve as Tricky Pictures' sales and marketing representatives.

Columbia TriStar Home Video is releasing Ray Harryhausen's first color andindependently produced feature, 1958's THE 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD, on DVD inthe US on November 30, 1999. Extras include a documentary called THE RAYHARRYHAUSEN CHRONICLES; THIS IS DYNAMATION, a documentary about RayHarryhausen's animation techniques; A LOOK BEHIND THE VOYAGE and JASON ANDTHE ARGONAUTS, two interviews; and textual supplements on the cast andcrew, including Harryhausen, director Nathan Juran, Kerwin Matthews

On December 7, 1999, Disney is releasing MICKEY'S ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS onDVD. This all-new, full-length video features three tales starring Mickey,Donald and Goofy, each one about Christmas. In the first story, Mickey andMinnie recall the year they both gave up what was most important to themfor the sake of the other, making for one unforgettable Christmas. In thesecond story, Goofy and Max remember when they experienced a series ofhilarious, but faith-shaking events - and a visit from the real Santa made

Chicago, Illinois-based TRICKY PICTURES has completed "Hello Kitty," a :30spot for Target Stores and Minneapolis, Minnesota-based agency PetersonMilla Hooks. Tricky Pictures used After Effects to composite thelive-action footage and the animated characters. Bruce Alcock directed thespot.

As part of ASIFA-Hollywood and Glendale Community College's Fourth AnnualLecture Series on Careers in Animation, Sari Gennis will speak aboutSpecial Effects on Tuesday, October 12 at 7 pm. Sari designed and animatedeffects for the first STAR TREK movie and went on to form her own company,ANIMATRIX, where she has produced and directed commercials, televisiongraphics, and theme park special effects. Since 1987 Sari has specializedin effects animation for feature films, including ALL DOGS GO TO HEAVEN and

Children's bookstore Storyopolis celebrates the launch of Fox FamilyChannel's THE KIDS FROM ROOM 402. Meet Fox Family Channel characters andcreator Michael Paraskevas, and see an episode of the show. An exhibit ofart by Michael Paraskevas begins on October 5. Storyopolis is located at116 N. Robertson. For more information Tel. (310) 358-2500. The event takesplace Saturday, October 9, 11 am - 2:30 pm in Beverly Hills, California,USA.

The 2nd Matita International Animation Film Festival was held September 23- 26 in Guardiagrele, Italy. The jury consisted of Jury President GiulioCingoli (producer and director), Milan, Italy; Piotr Dumala (director,animator, and teacher at the Film School of Lodz), Warsaw, Poland; RuthLingford (director, animator, and teacher at the Royal College of Arts andNational Film & Television School of London), London, UK; Laura Ruggeri(student at the International Academy of Image, Lanterna Magica), L'Aquila,

Toronto-based NELVANA LIMITED has appointed IRENE WEIBEL and JILL NEWHOUSECALCATERRA as marketing vice presidents of the company's newly-formedcorporate sponsorship division. They will be responsible for the creationof national corporate advertising opportunities for Nelvana's animated TVprograms. Weible was previously vice president of national sponsorship forWGBH-TV, the Boston PBS affiliate. Calcaterra was previously vice presidentof marketing, licensing and public relations for Santa Monica,