Geographical Region: North America

Film Roman Inc. has entered into an agreement with Howard Stern Productionsand writer/producer Tracy Torme to create the animated sci-fi/comedy seriesDOOMSDAY. While the concept was created by Torme, Howard Stern will play anintegral role in the development of the script and in the production of theseries, as well as provide the voice for one of the characters. Stern willinvite a number of his celebrity friends to appear as special guest voicesonthe show. DOOMSDAY tells the story of the Bradley family who travel in a

Two weeks after winning for best short film at the Cannes Film Festival,Wendy Tilby and Amanda Forbis' short film, WHEN THE DAY BREAKS (TheNational Film Board of Canada), has won the Grand Prix for best animatedshort film at Annecy '99, which concluded on Saturday, June 5. The film isabout a pig whose world shifts after a car accident kills a stranger (achicken) on her block. The complete list of award winners is as follows:The special Jury Prize went to AU BOUT DU MONDE/AT THE END OF THE EARTH by

The Nuart in Los Angeles will be showing the 1999 Spike and Mike's ClassicFestival of Animation Friday, May 28-Thursday, June 3. The program includesBlue Sky Studios' Oscar-nominated BUNNY, Aardman's HUM DRUM, DigitalDomain's TIGHTROPE, Pierre Coffin's PINGS, Peter Reynolds' THE BLUE SHOE,Annecy-winner SIENTJE, Don Hertzfeldt's BILLY'S BALLOON, Laurent Gorgiard'sMAN WITH THE PENDULOUS ARMS, Behaviour Productions' THE ART OF SURVIVAL,Chris Landreth's BINGO, Folimage's THE ROMANCE OF MY HEART, Eric Fernandes'

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

A collection that includes several Felix the Cat films, as well as more than 1,500 16mm and 35mm silent films and a vast archive of stills, large-format celebrity portraits, clippings and other memorabilia from Hollywood's Silent Movie Theater will be offered at auction by Butterfield & Butterfield in Los Angeles, California, USA May 23 and 24, 1999. For more information contact Butterfield & Butterfield, Los Angeles, Michael Schwartz, (323) 850-7500 ext. 295; or Levi Morgan, (323) 850-7500 ext. 216; or (415) 861-7500 ext. 348.

*Tuesday, May 18th, 12 - 6 pm. New York, New York, USA.

Works by graduating seniors of the film, video, and animation departmentsof The School of Visual Arts will be shown at the Loews Cineplex WorldwideCinemas (50th Street and 8th Avenue). A reception and awards ceremonyfollows the screenings, beginning at 7 pm.

Arts Unlimited, a 5-week summer program for children in grades 4-8, has added three animation classes to its arts curriculum. The classes will be taught by Wendy Jackson and will introduce animation techniques such as zoetropes, flipbooks, clay, cut-outs, drawing on film, and pixilation. Jackson will also teach a classin giant puppetry. Additional program offerings include ceramics,calligraphy, computer art, dance, mixed media, music, publishing, and

Universal Studios Hollywood's TERMINATOR 2: 3D attraction recreates the dark foreboding futuristic world of the Terminator films in a twelve minute long 3-D film. The attraction is a sequel of sorts to James Cameron's TERMINATOR 2, a multi-sensory "virtual adventure." Up to 700 guests at a time can experience TERMINATOR 2: 3D, which is projected by six 70mm Iwerks projectors onto three 23' by 50' screens. This all-new Terminator adventure features the original TERMINATOR 2 cast including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong, and Robert Patrick.

*Thursday, May 6, 6:30 pm. New York, New York, USA.

Senior Thesis work from students of the Computer Art department of TheSchool of Visual Arts will be exhibited in the Westside Gallery at 141 West21st Street between 6th and 7th Avenues. The exhibit includes computeranimation, digital video, interactive media, digital fine art, andinstallations. A Portfolio Night and reception will be held May 6, and theexhibit will be on display May 6 to May 24. For more information call

*Friday, May 14th, 8 pm. North Hollywood, California, USA.

Students in the Experimental Animation program at CalArts will show theirfilms at the Academy Plaza Theater, 5230 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood,California. For more information call (805) 253-7818.

Read about the teaching philosophy of Jules Engel, CalArts' FoundingDirector of the Experimental Animation Program, in this month's issue ofAnimation World Magazine in "Jules Engel: the Mentor".

A BUG'S LIFE, a Walt Disney Pictures presentation of a Pixar AnimationStudios film, has climbed to $358 million in worldwide box office receiptsto become one of the top-grossing animated films of all time. With itsdomestic gross of $163 million, the film has already become the fourthbiggest animated feature released in the United States (behind THE LIONKING, ALADDIN and TOY STORY). Internationally, A BUG'S LIFE has agross-to-date of $195 million and has set records in the United Kingdom,