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AWN Headline News
Cinar Employees Barred From Trading
Canadian securities watchdog, the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC), has barred officers, directors and insiders of Cinar Corp. from trading in shares of the troubled children's television production company. OSC issued a temporary cease-trading order against 57 Cinar individuals as a result of the Montreal-based company's failure to meet regulatory filing requirements. On April 18, 2000, Cinar missed the deadline of filing the results for the year ended Nov. 30, 1999.
Tsujihara Takes Over Entertaindom
Kevin Tsujihara has temporarily taken the reigns of Warner Bros. Entertaindom Web site. As reported [AWN 4/6/00], Entertaindom.com president and CEO Jim Moloshok, executive VP Jim Banister and third-in-command Jeff Weiner have exited their Time Warner posts. Sources said the top trio was angry about Time Warner's decision not to spawn a separate Entertaindom IPO. The final impetus leading to the leave was when the three execs were not satisfied by the stock options offered to them by Time Warner.
Non-Photorealistic Animation and Rendering Symposium
* Monday, June 5 - Wednesday, June 7, 2000. Annecy, France.
Nashville Independent Film Festival
* Wednesday, June 7 - Sunday, June 11, 2000. Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.A.
L!censing 2000
* Tuesday, June 13 - Thursday, June 15, 2000. New York, New York, U.S.A. The 20th annual L!censing trade show is dedicated to the multi-billion dollar worldwide business of consumer product licensing, marketing and merchandising. Last year's event had more than 16,000 in attendance. With more than 35 companies from outside the U.S., the exhibition is truly an international event. For more information contact Kim Farrell at: Tel.: (203) 882-1300 ext. 159 or Robin Kerr at Tel.: (212) 951-6650; Fax: (203) 882-1800; E-mail: lic@advanstar.com; or Web: www.licensingshow.com.
Bill Plympton's Guilty Pleasures At WAC
* Friday, June 2, 2000. Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.
El Dorado Falls To Five
With strictly live-action taking the top U.S. box office gold, THE ROAD TO EL DORADO finished at #5. The DreamWorks' disappointment made another US$6.16 million bringing its total treasure count to $33.04 million. Leveling out its descent, FINAL DESTINATION finished in ninth for the second straight week. The New Line flick grossed another $3.05 million bringing its total cume to $38.21 million. ROMEO MUST DIE, with primary special effects by Manex Visual Effects, plummeted to 12th with a gross of $2.67 and bringing its cume of $49.73 million.
World Animation Celebration
* Tuesday, May 30 - Sunday, June 4, 2000. Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.
Toronto Short Film Festival
* Monday, June 5 - Sunday, June 11, 2000. Toronto, Canada.
Harvey Goes PM
Harvey Entertainment Company announced that The Chase Manhattan Bank is arranging a US$25 million, five-year revolving credit facility and that Harvey has completed the acquisition of 100% of the capital stock of PM Entertainment Group Inc., an independent entertainment production and distribution company. The PM Entertainment Group purchase consisted of $6.5 million in cash and $1.45 million in Harvey Entertainment Common Stock paid at closing, as well as a $2.05 million subordinated note, payable over the next five quarterly periods.
Humongous Donation To Make-A-Wish Foundation
Humongous Entertainment, a leading publisher of children's entertainment products, announced a donation of US$228,000 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the largest wish-granting organization in the world. The donation was the result of a specially created holiday promotion appearing on 16 of Humongous Entertainment's popular children's CD-Roms. With more than 105,000 holiday consumers participating, this promotion became the largest rebate program in the company's history.
Ollin Studio Opens Office In Canada
Mexico City-based Ollin Studio has opened a new office in Toronto, Canada. The animation and post-production studio's new facility will offer computer animation, post-production, Internet and multimedia services. Ollin Studio is one of the top animation, post-production, Internet and multimedia houses in Mexico. Ollin has brought high quality animation/post-production to the Mexican market and hopes to do the same in North America. The company's international business representative in Canada is Jose Luis Monzon.
U-571 Undeniable Box Office Victor
The World War II submarine pic, U-571, easily sailed into the top spot at the U.S. box office on Easter weekend. By grossing US$19.55 million, the Universal actioner more than doubled the second place film LOVE AND BASKETBALL. Slipping two places, THE ROAD TO EL DORADO finished the holiday weekend at #7. The DreamWorks animated buddy flick grossed another $5.22 raising its total take to $41.91 million. Landing in 9th place for the third straight week, FINAL DESTINATION grossed another $2.76 million bringing its total cume to $42.59 million.
Spike & Mike Invade Cannes
The Cannes Film Festival may never be the same. Mellow Manor Productions has announced that it will bring its "Spike and Mike Festival of Animation" to France for this year's event. Recently "Spike and Mike" had successful runs at American festivals Sundance and Austin's South by Southwest, but it is yet to be seen how the European audience will take to the in-your-face humor of the festival of twisted toons.
NFB's Upcoming Animation
Currently, the National Film Board of Canada has four animation projects in production. LITTLE ARMADILLOS is based off a song by filmmaker John Forrest. The educational piece creates a world inside the body where the eardrum is a dance hall and the elbow is a playground. Animator Debra Dawson is bringing the story to life with Long John Baldry performing the title song for the film. Jill Haras is creating JOE. The film follows the true-life story of Vancouver personality Seraphim "Joe" Fortes. Born in Barbados, Fortes came to Vancouver in 1885 and taught the children of the city how to swim.
Best Of Zagreb Video
Animation fans will want to get a hold of the Best Of Zagreb Film: The Classic Collection on VHS. In four decades, Zagreb Film produced 600 animated films, winning more than 400 international awards. The studio is famous for its unique animation style that became known as "the Zagreb school." One of its claims-to-fame was that its filmmakers wrote, designed and directed their own films, resulting in some of the boldest political and entertaining cartoons of all time. All of these films were produced within the Iron Curtain of communism.
Anchors Aweigh Sails Onto DVD
Warner Bros. will be releasing ANCHORS AWEIGH on DVD. The Oscar award-winning film features the classic dance number featuring Gene Kelly and Jerry from TOM & JERRY. Nominated for best picture by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, the classic story of two sailors on leave in Los Angeles will be sailing into video stores on May 2, 2000.
Sedelmaier Helps Griffey Try New Sportz
J.J. SEDELMAIER PRODUCTIONS helped Major League Baseball star Ken Griffey Jr. try new "Sportz" (crackers that is). The 30-second spot for new Nabisco "Sportz" snack crackers integrates cel animation and live-action footage. "We haven't produced many projects integrating animation with live action, but on 'Griffey' we were teamed with the creatives from the Slim Jim spots, so we knew and trusted each other," said Sedelmaier. "But this kind of spot can't be as free-wheeling because the animation occupies a very specific area and requires a very particular look.
SimEx's Sixth Froot Loop Spot
SIMEX returns to Toucan Sam with new Kellogs' spot. In the 30-second "Nose Detector" commercial, SimEx artists created the 2D and 3D animation for an adventurous spot, where Toucan Sam follows his nose to Kellogs' delicious-smelling new cereal, Froot Loops with Cherry Berry Swirls. This spot is the sixth Froot Loop commercial for SimEx and paired them with long-time creative partner Peter Lohmeier of Chicago-based ad agency Leo Burnett. The animation director was Jean Perramon and Christina Cox produced.
Quiet Man Raps On Barrons Ad
QUIET MAN raps on the newest Barrons spot. The visual effects driven spot, entitled "What's Coming," was filmed almost entirely on a bluescreen, which remains visible, mimicking the colors of the Barrons' logo. The spot begins with a man standing with his face buried in a copy of Barrons. Without lifting his head, he takes out an umbrella right before rain begins to fall. After the rain stops, the man takes a step to his left just avoiding a grand piano crashing down on the spot where he was just standing.
BAFTA Says Beautiful Eyes Is Best
On Sunday, April 9, 2000, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts bestowed the honor of best animated short on THE MAN WITH BEAUTIFUL EYES. The film was adapted from a Charles Bukowski poem where a group of boys make a hero of a deadbeat alcoholic. The film by Jonathan Hodgson beat out Oscar winner THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA by Alexander Petrov, the 1998 Oscar nominated JOLLY ROGER by Mark Baker and festival favorite THE PERI-WIG MAKER by Steffen Schaffler. As it did at the Oscars, THE MATRIX took home the awards for sound and special effects.
Plympton On Broadway
Bill Plympton will be appearing at Carolines on Broadway in New York City on May 24, 2000. The presentation will include a sneak preview of his upcoming feature, MUTANT ALIENS, as well as a book party for MUTANT ALIENS, the book. MUTANT ALIENS, to be released in 2001, is based on a graphic novel where an American astronaut is forced to live in space forever. The English version of the 192-page comic book MUTANT ALIENS -- which serves as the storyboard for the feature. Also, the long-awaited video of Bill's feature I MARRIED A STRANGE PERSON will be released on April 25, 2000.
People Like Dinosaurs
WALKING WITH DINOSAURS rules cable. The original U.S. broadcast on April 16, 2000 drew nearly 10.7 million people. The show was seen as a three-hour special on the Discovery Channel instead of a six-night mini-series as it was originally shown on the BBC. The large audience made it the most-watched non-sports event on cable TV during the 1999-2000 season with a rating of 8.0. Based on Discovery Channel numbers, approximately 40 million viewers saw some part of the special during its back-to-back Sunday telecasts at 7 pm and 10 pm.
Family Guy & PJs Ponder New Nets
FAMILY GUY and THE PJS are among the animated series seeking new network homes for next season. Fox is in early talks with UPN to bring THE FAMILY GUY to the channel. The edgy animation has seen low ratings on Fox, however rates high with young men 18-34, which makes it prefect for the testosterone, targeted TV network, UPN. The only thing hurting the deal is the high price tag dangling from the toon. Fox is also speaking with UPN about sending stop-motion series GARY & MIKE to the network. The show, produced by Big Ticket, was scheduled to debut on Fox this summer.
