AWN Headline News

On March 21, 2000, POKEMON: THE FIRST MOVIE will hit stores across the U.S.

Every DVD and video will feature a sneak preview of this summer's new

theatrical film POKEMON THE MOVIE 2000 plus THE STORY OF MEWTWO'S ORIGIN.

To promote the video release, five special "Golden Tickets" will be

included in random VHS packages. The five lucky recipients will win a

first-edition starter set of Team Rocket game cards, a trip for two to

Japan, a meeting with Mr. Ishihara, creator of the POKEMON card game and a

The 3DO Company has signed an exclusive multi-year agreement with U.S.

Major League Baseball's 1999 Man of the Year, Sammy Sosa of the Chicago

Cubs. Sosa will help in the development and marketing of 3DO's baseball

franchise, SAMMY SOSA HIGH HEAT BASEBALL. In the February 2000 issue of

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD MAGAZINE, SAMMY SOSA HIGH HEAT 2000 was named "Best

Sports Game Of The Year" and PC GAMER MAGAZINE even went as far as to call

it "The Best Baseball Game Ever." "I agree with the gaming magazines that

RING OF FIRE expands its flames with six new artists. Joining the

Hollywood, California-based visual effects and design studio are Infero

artists ALI LAVENTHOL and ALAN LATTERI, visual effects/digital composite

artist JEREMY ALCOCK, CGI artist JOHN JENKINS and producers JILL HEINRICH

and KIMBERLY EVANS. Before Ring of Fire, Laventhol was a freelance Flame

artist working at Rhythm & Hues. Latteri comes to Ring of Fire with credits

on X-FILES: THE MOVIE, STAR TREK IX: INSURRECTION and GODZILLA. Coming from

LYLLE BREIER was promoted to the newly created position of senior vice

president, special events, for THE WALT DISNEY STUDIOS. Breier will be

responsible for developing and overseeing a vast array of worldwide special

events relating to the domestic and international releases of the studio's

motion-picture and video product. Over her ten year career at Disney,

Breier has helped to stage some of Disney's major events, including the

1995 premiere of POCAHONTAS in Central Park, the 1997 "HERCULES Premiere

Denmark-based A. FILM has rapped on a 35-second commercial for Kellogg's

Cereal. The spot was directed by Craig Frank and produced for the Leo

Burnett agency. The classic 2D animation spot launches a new image campaign

introducing Kellogg's Town, where 8 popular Kellogg's figures like

Cornelius, Tony the Tiger, Coco, Chocos, Loopy, Snap, Crackle and Pop live.

The spot will air in Sweden, Denmark, and Finland.

New York-based QUIET MAN souped up two spots commemorating the labels on

Campbell's Soup cans. In "Mega Noodle," nautical noodles amaze a young girl

with a synchronized swimming routine in her bowl. In "Video Game," two boys

pause their video game keeping a knight and dragon in limbo. As the boys

enjoy their soup the two game characters wonder aloud when the boys will

return. The 30-second commercials were directed by David Shirk and produced

London-based PASSION PICTURES pops open four 10-second spots for Cadbury's

Giant Button chocolates. Director Chris Hauge brought to life the animated

little girl Giant Button, voiced by Noddy Holder. In "Boy Bands," she

advises young fans that if a favorite boy band breaks up just "find a new

one." In "Parents," she advises youngsters to emigrate to a desert island

if their parents become too embarrassing. In "Boys," Giant Buttons avoids a

On Tuesday, February 15, 2000, AtomFilms, a leader in next-generation

entertainment, announced that it has locked the first-ever, exclusive,

on-line distribution deal with the USC School of Cinema-Television to

broadcast student films from the illustrious film school's catalog. As part

of the deal, for the next 18 months, USC will provide AtomFilms with

exclusive on-line distribution rights to 100 student titles which includes

shorts from famed alumnus George Lucas and Robert Zemeckis. On February 15,