Stop-motion animator David Allen passes away
David Allen, one of a handful of truly great stop-motion animators, died of cancer on Monday, August 16. Hewas 55. Allen's work in commercials includes animating the Swiss Miss andearly Pillsbury Doughboy in the 1960s, and his feature work includesCAVEMAN (1981), Q-THE WINGED SERPENT (1982), WILLOW (1988) and FREAKED(1993). For ten years he had been working on an independent project, afeature called PRIMEVALS. (The film will be finished at Full Moon Studioswhere the film was being animated before Allen's death.) Allen began his
Ren and Stimpy creator gives Yogi a makeover
John Kricfalusi, creatorof Nickelodeon's THE REN AND STIMPY SHOW, returns to television with twolong-awaited half-hour specials featuring Yogi Bear, Boo Boo, and theirnemesis, Ranger Smith. In BOO BOO RUNS WILD, Yogi's pal Boo Boo transformsfrom a law-abiding cave dweller to Jellystone Park's greatest menace. Yogimust save his buddy before Ranger Smith stops Boo Boo for good. A DAY INTHE LIFE OF RANGER SMITH follows Ranger Smith on his daily routine as heattempts to enforce ridiculous rules and regulations on Mother Nature.
Don't miss these Women In Animation events!
Women In Animation Writers Roundtable. Have voice-over artists read yourscript and give you feedback. You must call and schedule your script tohave it read. The event takes place at the Klasky Csupo studio at 1258 N.Highland Ave. in Hollywood, California, USA on Thursday, August 26, 7-9 pm.For more information contact Sybil Baker by E-mail: scrybble@juno.com, orTel. (626) 798-1523.
The Women In Animation Production Group meets the 1st Monday of each month
YELLOW SUBMARINE returns to theaters across the US
A newly restored 35mm print of YELLOW SUBMARINE featuring The Beatles willbe shown at theaters across the USA. The film will be showing at thefollowing theaters: The Egyptian in Seattle, September 1-16; BrattleTheater in Boston, September 1-9; Landmark's Nuart Theater in Los Angeles,September 3-9; The Castro Theatre in San Francisco, September 3-15; TheUptown in Minneapolis, September 3-9; The Union in New York, September10-17; The Music Box in Chicago, September 10-16; The Hillcrest in San
Don't miss the 1999 Golden Marble Awards
The 1999 Golden Marble Awards show and conference program is a multi-tracklarge-scale event aimed at professionals who are marketing, promoting andadvertising to kids. The conference content will be streamed along threethematic 'tracks': Focus on the Teen Market; Advertising & Promoting toKids; and Licensing, Merchandising and Retailing to Kids. The event takesplace Wednesday, September 8-Thursday, September 9 in New York, New York,USA. For more information contact: Brunico Communications Inc., 366
TOPIX/MAD DOG animates Russell Stover's Pecan Delights
Toronto-based TOPIX/MAD DOG has completed the computer animated :15"Explosion" promoting Russell Stover's Pecan Delights. In the spot, whichwas created with Softimage and Flame, little chocolate men explode thecandies to find the pecan treats inside. Livio Passera and Mark Ainsliedirected the animation. Toronto-based Generator Productions shot thelive-action footage.
UNIVERSAL appoints WILLIAM A. SUTMAN
UNIVERSAL STUDIOS has appointed WILLIAM A. SUTMAN as senior vice presidentand chief financial officer. Sutman will be responsible for overseeing allworldwide financial activities for the Universal Studios Group. Sutman mostrecently served as chief financial officer for Universal Pictures. Sutmanjoined Universal in January 1997 from Joseph E. Seagram & Sons, where heserved for three years as vice president of auditing.
Wild Brain short becomes TV series
San Francisco-based Wild Brain, Inc. has joined with Munich-based EM.TV &Merchandising to co-produce POOCHINI'S YARD, a 26-episode series based onWild Brain's short, A DOG CARTOON. Wild Brain will manage all creativeaspects of the series which begins production this summer. Distributionrights are planned to be split between domestic for Wild Brain, andinternational for EM.TV. Wild Brain's credits include FERNGULLY 2: THEMAGICAL RESCUE, and current productions THE ADVENTURES OF ROCKY &
Tony Caio designs Food Network program ID
Tony Caio of New York City-based DMA has designed a new program ID andtitle sequence for The Food Network's "Hot Off the Grill with Bobby Flay."In the ID, a Bobby Flay caricature appears in black tie, and juggles acocktail shaker, slab of steak, shrimp, and a pickle. Stylized stars dancein the background. Dancing pieces of food spin across the screen and circleonto plates, as the show's logo comes back into view, pulsating in apainterly fashion.
THE IRON GIANT remains in top ten at US boxoffice
It was another rough weekend for Warner Bros.' THE IRON GIANT at the USboxoffice. Directed by Brad Bird, the film finished tenth, grossing anestimated $3.8 million for a total of $12.6 million. Other animationrelated films in the top ten: Buena Vista's supernatural thriller THE SIXTHSENSE, with visual effects by DreamQuest, finished first again, grossing anestimated $26.1 million, which is actually more than last week's $25.8million, for a total of $70 million; Warner Bros.' shark thriller, DEEP
Fire guts Ottawa Animation Festival office
A major fire has gutted the Ottawa Animation Festival office and put theoffice completely out of commission. "It looks like a war zone," says ChrisRobinson, Festival Director. "Fortunately, no one was hurt in the fire, butvirtually the entire contents of the office have been destroyed. I believethat we can salvage some things. Fortunately wehave insurance...however, a number of animation cels, our animationvideo/film library, and all sorts of priceless archival materials are
DAVID MCFARLAND joins FOX FAMILY CHANNELS
DAVID MCFARLAND has been named to the newly created position of vicepresident of Affiliate Sales for FOX FAMILY CHANNELS. McFarland willoversee all aspects of affiliate advertising sales and play an integralrole in developing strategic direction for Fox Family Channels'distribution efforts. McFarland joins Fox from Comedy Central where heserved as director of Affiliate Advertising Sales. Previously he served asregional sales manager for Cox Communications where he was responsible forselling cable advertising.
SKIPPER KIRSCH joins INTERFACE MEDIA GROUP
SKIPPER KIRSCH has joined the client services department of Washington,D.C.-based computer animation and special effects house INTERFACE MEDIAGROUP. Kirsch comes to Interface from Austin, Texas-based 501 Post where hewas operations manager.
CARTOON NETWORK ONLINE promotes POLA CHANGNON
CARTOON NETWORK ONLINE has promoted POLA CHANGNON to executive producer.Changnon will manage the Atlanta, Georgia-based team of producers, writers,and technical staff of CartoonNetwork.com, as well as New York-baseddevelopers Funny Garbage, and other developers. Changnon came to CartoonNetwork Online from San Francisco-based Colossal Pictures where she was aproducer. Prior to that she was a creative executive for Nickelodeon Movies.
ILM hires ANDY HENDRICKSON promotes DAN MCNAMARA
INDUSTRIAL LIGHT & MAGIC has hired ANDY HENDRICKSON as director of systemsdevelopment, and promoted DAN MCNAMARA to director of film and editorialservices. Hendrickson returns to ILM after two years, following a stint asthe Director of Computer Systems at San Francisco-based Advanced PathologySystems. In his new role, Hendrickson will be working with the architectureof existing digital infrastructure systems at ILM, as well as shaping thefuture innovations in this area. In addition, he will be primarily
DONNA TEGGART joins ALIAS|WAVEFRONT
DONNA TEGGART has joined ALIAS|WAVEFRONT as manager of the global marketingteam. Her primary responsibilities will be to act as the companyspokesperson and to manage the industry and public perception ofAlias|Wavefront and its brands. Teggart was formerly in the publicitydepartment at Side-Effects Software.
ITS announces Monitor Awards
ITS, a Vienna, Virginia-based trade association of the post-productionindustry, has announced the winners of the 1999 International MonitorAwards. "The Awards recognize artists who have successfully mastered thesynthesis of creativity and technology. It is the highest recognition foroutstanding production and post-production," says Ruth Roland, Chairman ofthe 20th Annual International Awards. This year's animation related winnerswere:
BEST ELECTRONIC VISUAL EFFECTS FOR FILM ORIGINATED TELEVISION SERIES
Nashville calls for entries
The 31st Annual Nashville Independent Film Festival 2000 takes place inNashville, Tennessee from June 7-11, 2000. The competition will include newtwo categories, Television Pilot/Episodic Television and Family andChildren's Films, in addition to the already existing features, animation,documentary, short films, and young filmmakers categories. The earlydeadline is December 17, 1999, and the final deadline is February 1, 2000.For more information call (615) 742-2500; or visitwww.nashvillefilmfestival.org.
REMEMBERING WALT authors do Disneyland signing
Amy Boothe Green and her husband, Walt Disney Pictures publicist and vicepresident of studio communications, Howard Green, will appear in person tosign copies of their book, REMEMBERING WALT: FAVORITE MEMORIES OF WALTDISNEY, on Saturday, August 21 at The Disney Gallery in New Orleans Squareat Disneyland in Anaheim, California from 1:30-3 pm. For the book, theauthors interviewed more than 100 individuals about their experiences withWalt Disney, including Dick Van Dyke, Julie Andrews, animators Frank Thomas
Wallace & Gromit and Bugs Bunny return!
Warner Bros. Home Video is re-releasing the feature length THE LOONEY,LOONEY, LOONEY BUGS BUNNY MOVIE, a collection of Looney Tunes by FrizFreleng. It includes the following Bugs Bunny shorts: KNIGHTY KNIGHT BUGS,SAHARA HARE, ROMAN LEGION HARE, HIGH DIVING HARE, HARE TRIMMED, SHOW BIZBUGS, WILD AND WOOLY HARE, and THE UNMENTIONABLES, as well as CATTYCORNERED (Tweety & Sylvester), GOLDEN YEGGS (Daffy Duck), and THE THREELITTLE BOPS. (Note: Some films may not be complete.) Also from Warner Bros.
CGSD demonstrates virtual reality driving simulator
CGSD unveils its DS-100 Virtual Reality Driving Simulator for the first time at this year's SIGGRAPH.
Women In Animation hosts the Klassy Gals from Klasky!
A lively evening of discussion with the women directors at Klasky-Csupoincluding Becky Bristow, Sylvia Keulan, Cathy Malkasian, Carol Millican,Bonita Versh, and special guest Jeff McGrath, creative producer for THEWILD THORNBERRYS. Location: Klasky Csupo, 6353 Sunset Blvd. RSVP: Tel.(310) 535-3838. The event takes place Wednesday, August 25, 6:30 pm inHollywood, California.
Don't miss MIPCOM!
This October MIPCOM and MIPCOM Junior will once again bring together thetelevision producers, distributors, buyers, and programmers of the world inCannes, France. MIPCOM Junior takes place October 2-3, and MIPCOM takesplace October 4-8. MIPCOM will also include for the first time a three dayconference on the convergence of TV and Internet from October 4-6.Featuring special keynotes, strategic panels and case studies/workshops,MIPCOM will bring together players from the TV industry, new media networks
Cinequest calls for entries
Cinequest San Jose Film Festival is accepting submissions of features andshort films (16mm & 35mm all genres) of artistic, social, or stylisticmerit. The festival is celebrating Maverick Films, Filmmakers andTechnologies. The festival takes place in San Jose, California fromFebruary 24 to March 5, 2000. The entry deadline is October 29, 1999. Formore information contact Cinequest 2000, P.O Box 720040, San Jose, CA95172-0040, USA; Tel: (408) 995-5033; Fax: (408) 995-5713; E-mail:cineqst@wenet.net; or visit www.cinequest.org.
AnimAction presents Animation Workshop at the "Electronic Schoolhouse"
Clifford Cohen's AnimAction conducted a workshop in the Electronic Schoolhouse at SIGGRAPH this past Monday. Titled "Art Before Technology or Technology Before Art? That is the Question", instructors introduced attendees to the classical animation process, stressing the importance of the basics and illustrating how a solid foundation in the art of animation supports creation and teaching. Recently, AnimAction presented at Annecy '99 in association with UNICEF celebrating the completion of the animated features for Cartoons for Child's Rights.
