Disney Will Close Canadian Doors
Rumored since last fall, Walt Disney Animation Canada Inc. announced
Monday, February 14, 2000 it will close the doors of its animation studios
in Canada by the spring. Opened in 1996, the Toronto and Vancouver branches
of Walt Disney were created to produce primarily direct-to-home video films
in connection with Walt Disney Television Animation. The company slowly
started winding down production last fall and will completely close around
French Ellipse & Expand Form New Euro TV Company
Expand Images and Ellipse Programme, France's two leading television
production companies, announced on February 10, 2000 plans to merge. The
new studio, entitled Expand, will have an approximate revenue for 2000 of
FRF1.4 billion (US$210.2 million). The deal will enable both parties to
increase their international content output for the expanding European
market. As part of the deal, CANAL+ Images and Finexpand signed an
agreement solidifying their relationship as shareholders in the new studio.
AtomFilms & Blockbuster To Partner
AtomFilms, a pioneer and leader in next-generation entertainment, announced
that it has entered into an agreement with Blockbuster, the global leader
in rentable home entertainment, for selected, syndicated, short-form,
digital content from AtomFilms to be video streamed on a co-branded section
of blockbuster.com. Beginning Spring 2000 and lasting for 2 years,
AtomFilms will provide both content and streaming-related technologies for
the short-form content component of the Blockbuster Web site. The
Johnny Bravo Live On Cartoon Network
Johnny Bravo will host a talk show and chat with callers live on Cartoon
Network. The toon's flamboyant personality will be brought to life with
Alive Animation's Multi-Standard Instant Cartoon Images (MICI) system.
Programmed to pose Johnny in hundreds of positions, the MICI system also
instantly lip synchs the voice actor to his alter-ego. THE BIG BRAVO-LIVE!
will begin airing February 21 - 25, 2000. This historic event can be
attributed to the success of Johnny Bravo's new weekday morning talk show
Charlex's "Thank You" For The Nation Football League
CHARLEX, a visual effects post-production house, helped the National
Football League thank their fans with a 60-second spot aired during
American football's biggest game, the Super Bowl. Headed by Alex Weil,
Charlex founder and director, the Charlex artists used a mix of film,
digital effects, graphics and editing to create the look of the "Thank You
2000" spot. The commercial begins on a shadowy checkerboard. Suddenly light
floods into the room as a uniformed football player makes his way to an old
Joe Cartoon Co. Sues For Cybersquatting
Joe Cartoon Company has filed a lawsuit against two entities, John
Zuccarini and Cupcake City, for the violation of the newly enacted
Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act. The lawsuit is one of the first
cases filed under the anticybersquatting statute in the U.S. The act
outlaws the unauthorized use of an Internet domain name that is
"confusingly similar" to another name, for the purpose of intercepting
users of the pre-existing domain. Filed with United States District Court,
Class In Session At Eruptor.com
On February 29, 2000, comic book artist Marc Silvestri, creator of
WITCHBLADE, CYBER FORCE and DARKNESS, will be teaching fans and aspiring
artists how it's done through the first semester of on-line classes offered
at Eruptor.com. Silvestri will present a live, three-part series on
Eruptor's Web-based university, Eruptor College, to help students learn how
to produce layouts, refine characters and develop stories for comic books
of their own. The real-time class will allow Silvestri to answer questions
Harvey Forms New Fashion Company
The Harvey Entertainment Company and PG Capital, an apparel industry
investment company, have finalized a joint venture for a new apparel
company, Harvey Fashion LLC. The new company will be responsible for
manufacturing, selling and marketing a complete apparel collection, based
on the popular Harvey Classic Character library. Paul Guez will serve as
chairman of the board and CEO. The creation of Harvey Fashion LLC replaces
and extends the scope of an earlier Harvey apparel venture planned with
Macromedia Introduces Freehand 9
Macromedia, the leading provider of web design tools, recently announced a
major upgrade to its famous FreeHand design and layout software. FreeHand 9
is set to change the way designers approach their work by offering a
powerful toolset for their vector graphics, regardless of whether their art
is intended for print or Web. FreeHand 9 is expected to ship in March on
both Macintosh and Windows platforms, and will be offered as both a
stand-alone product and in the new Macromedia Flash 4 FreeHand 9 Studio,
Director Buckley Rides With LastMinute's e-Cowboy Spot
Director Dick Buckley of FLYING TIGER FILM and visual effects director Alex
Seiden of CYCLOTRON@POST PERFECT N.Y. rounded-up the e-Cowboy's for the
Super Bowl debuted LastMinuteTravel.com spot. Produced for New York-based
agency, Burkhardt & Hillman, the 30-second commercial is a modern spin on
the Sergio Leone spaghetti western. Reinforcing LastMinuteTravel.com's
message that great things happen at the last-minute, the e-Cowboys find
themselves quickly departing on a cyber-booked vacation, to escape an
Ring Of Fire Walks With Christopher Reeve in Super Bowl Spot
RING OF FIRE made the crippled walk in Nuveen & Co.'s Super Bowl spot.
Andrew Douglas of SATELLITE was brought in to direct the futuristic spot
where paralyzed actor Christopher Reeve walks to a podium to receive an
award. The super feet was done for Minneapolis, Minnesota-based ad agency
Fallon McElligott. Ring of Fire's founder, Jerry Spivack, served as
creative director and visual effects supervisor for the commercial. Ring of
Fire isn't new to creating outstanding Super Bowl spots, their 1999
Much Grief, Charles Schulz Passes
On the eve of the final PEANUTS comic strip, creator Charles Schulz died of
a heart attack at his Santa Rosa, California home. He was 77 years old. As
reported [AF 11/21/99], Charles Schulz had decided to retire from drawing
his weekly comic strip after several strokes and newly diagnosed cancer had
left him partially blind in one eye and too weak to keep up with the
rigorous routine. A private funeral will be held later this week. He is
survived by his wife, Jeannie; two sons Monte and Craig; and daughter Jill
A Closer Look: AWN Increases Speed
Animation World Network has been acquired by Creative Planet, a network of
business-to-business Web sites for creative professionals focusing on the
art, technology and business of content creation...
DreamWorks Acquires Pacific Data Images
Jeffrey Katzenberg, co-founder of DreamWorks, officially announced on
February 9, 2000 that his company has acquired the majority of interest,
approximately 80%, in Pacific Data Images (PDI). As reported [AF 2/8/00],
this deal comes on the heals of PDI founder and Chairman, Carl Rosendahl's
departure from the company to pursue "other creative interests." However,
Rosendahl will remains as a consultant for the newly named company,
PDI/DreamWorks. Katzenberg said that Palo Alto-based business will remain a
Chairman Rosendahl Leaves PDI
On February 4, CARL ROSENDAHL, founder and chairman of Pacific Data Images,
announced to his staff that he is exiting PDI after 20 years "to pursue
other interests." Rosendahl's remaining stake in the visual effects house
has been acquired by DreamWorks. Previously owning 40% of the Palo Alto,
California-based facility, DreamWorks now commands 80% of the company. More
details are soon to be announced.
Minter Promoted To VP At PDI
PDI has recently promoted DENISE MINTER to vice president of production.
Minter will now oversee all of Pacific Data Images' production efforts
around the world. Most recently, she was been senior producer on PDI
commercials for Sega Dreamcast and Coca-Cola. Since joining the company in
1993, Minter has also served as production manager on the DreamWorks and
PDI feature ANTZ.
Nickelodeon Seeks Talented Professionals
Job Opportunities For AFTER EFFECTS CHARACTER ANIMATORS, STORYBOARD
ARTISTS, TRADITIONAL ANIMATORS, DIGITAL DESIGN/INK & PAINT and ANIMATION
PAs...
ASIFA-Hollywood's Animation Expo Announces Workshop Program
ASIFA-Hollywood will host its 7th Annual Animation Expo on March 3-4, 2000,
in Glendale, California. The Expo is a two day animation industry trade
show focusing on the exhibition of animation related products and services
and the recruitment of related talent and personnel. Confirmed workshops
include: master teacher and layout artist Glenn Vilppu's "Capturing the
Pose with Line;" Ralph Sanchez, Director of Animation Development at
Nickelodeon Animation Studio, providing insight into developing and
Ottawa Festival Pass Order Form Now Available
Accommodation information and pass order forms for Ottawa '00 (September
19-24, 2000) are now available on the festival web site...
More Bill Plympton
Bill Plympton has updated his
In March, "Surprise Cinema"
will be appearing in various festivals and other events in the US, Canada,
Belgium, Germany and Australia. Bill will be appearing at the Zagreb World
Festival of Animated Films in Zagreb, Croatia, June 12-25, 2000.
What's New In the Student Corner?
No matter what your level, you will enjoy the animation lessons, character
designs and tips offered on the Toon Institute web site...
New at Visual Magic Magazine
Check out the latest "behind the scenes" features and tutorials from Visual
Magic Magazine...
Plympton's Comic of the Week
Plympton's new series of comics extracted from the comic book, "Sleazy
Cartoons of Bill Plympton," is for ADULTS ONLY...
This Week's Animation Trivia Quiz
Test your skills and challenge your brain with AWN's Animation Trivia Quiz...
And the Winners Are...
The results of AWN's drawing to win a copy of Giannalberto Bendazzi's
reference book "Cartoons: One Hundred Years Of Cinema Animation" are in.
Following are the names of the ten winners: Eric Beckman, Carla Cobb, Peter
Dougherty, Andrea Moore, Scott Nelowet, Gail Noonan, Mary Peng, Stephen
Rapley, George Roy and Peter Westoby. Congratulations and thank you to all
the Animation Flash subscribers who participated.
