AOL & Time Warner Merge Into New Media Giant
On Monday, January 10, 2000, America On-line, the leader in on-line
services, has announced their acquisition of Time Warner, the world's
largest media and entertainment company. Valued at approximately US$180
billion, the stock for stock merger is what will be the biggest corporate
merger ever. America On-line's chairman and chief executive, Steve Case
will serve as chairman of the merged company entitled AOL Time Warner. AOL
and Time Warner will each name half of the board of directors of the new
Holland's ComicHouse Moves Into The Wild
Over the holiday break Holland-based ComicHouse started its move to a new
home. After spending fifteen years in Amsterdam, the animation house has
taken root in Holland's largest nature reserve "DeVeluwe." The new base of
operations will give ComicHouse the needed workspace and client
accessibility that was lacking in the confines of the city. The company
will re-open again in Ooserbeek on January 10, 2000. For more information
contact ComicHouse at: Stationsweg 20, 6861 EH Oosterbeek, The Netherlands;
Improv-Ice Debuts Rocket for FXDeko Effects
On December 2, 1999, USA Networks' Live Telecast of IMPROV-ICE, debuted
graphics done by Pinnacle Systems' Rocket for FXDeko. Rocket for FXDeko is
a template-based tool that allows the generation of real-time 3D elements
which can be automatically updated by live data streams. Rocket integrates
with Pinnacle's award-winning FXDeko character generators and adds further
dimension to live broadcasts including textured, reflective and transparent
Ring Of Fire Finishes FX on Ericsson Spot
RING OF FIRE provided the fx for the newest Ericsson T-28 mobile phone ad
entitled "Aliens." Ring of Fire produced the spot for Stockholm ad agency
Hall & Cederquist. The international 30 second spot beams down aliens to a
man deserted on an island. The aliens mistake the phone for intelligent
life (like most humans do in Los Angeles) and wonder whether or not the
device will taste like chicken. Jerry Spivack was Creative Director for
Ring of Fire and Kevin Prendiville served as Visual Effects Supervisor.
Film.com Casts Britian's Crapston Villas
Film.com has teamed-up with Troma, the production company responsible for
THE TOXIC ADVENGER, to bring the stop-motion clay characters of CRAPSTON
VILLAS to the Net. Set in Slumington, a fictional London neighborhood, this
ebony comedy is a wild soap opera spoof. The British down-to-Earth
blue-collar domestic drama features the voices of Jane Horrocks (Bubble in
ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS and Little Voice in LITTLE VOICE) and Alison Steadman
(LIFE IS SWEET). The show originally aired on Britain's Channel 4 and won
Looney Toons Fly In The New Year
Starting January 1, 2000, Looney Toons Sylvester and Tweety hit the air,
that's the friendly skies, when Delta Air Lines began presenting Cartoon
Network's pigskin parody, BIG GAME: SYLVESTER VS. TWEETY during its
in-flight entertainment. Select domestic flights will show highlights from
BIG GAME, a Cartoon Network parody special featuring classic cartoon
episodes along with analysis by Jerry Glanville, Nick Buonoconti and Len
Dawson of HBO's INSIDE THE NFL. These football personalities break down the
Cartoon Network's Mag Masters Poland
Cartoon Network, featured on Poland's Wizja TV, is the #1 rated channel on
the programming package and now Cartoon Network Magazine rules the
newsstand. The first issue sold over 500,000 copies making it the top
magazine in Poland. In just three days, the magazine sold out and
publishers ordered an immediate reprint. The Polish version of the mag with
comic strips, quizzes, posters and articles featuring Cartoon Net's legion
of toon heroes and heroines is based off the British version and is the
Disney Delivers Strategy 2000
Disney's CEO Michael Eisner delivered a four-part strategy for improving
the entertainment giant's slumping fiscal achievements. The Y2K plan
includes agressively attacking trouble spots, squeezing more profits out of
exsisting businesses, expanding those current businesses' affairs and
continuing development of new products. The seemingly Business 101 strategy
also includes annual savings of up to $300 million from changes in
purchasing. Eisner said cost-cutting efforts in live-action film production
Last opportunity to update your school profile
AWN's Winter 2000 Animation School Directory will soon be here...
Send in your TV Animation Program for Bay's Pulcinella Awards
The 4th edition of Cartoons On The Bay, International Festival of
Television Animation, will be held in Positano (Amalfi Coast), Italy,
April 14-18, 2000. Cartoons on the Bay is the only festival in the
world solely dedicated to television animation. Promoted by Rai
Radiotelevisione Italiana and conceived and organized by Rai Trade,
the festival is an international event with awards, workshops,
lectures and events centering on the ever-changing world of
Annecy 2000 last call for entries
The deadline to register your film for competition at the 24th
International Festival of animated film is January 15, 2000. Entry
forms are available on the festival web site. For its 40th
anniversary, the festival is hosting triple Oscar-winning animator
Richard Williams, who will offer a three-day Animation Masterclass on
the principles of animation, June 3-5, 2000. The MIFA expo will be
open June 7-10, 2000, and feature a sizable new technologies area.
The Toronto Animated Image Society joins AWN!
AWN is pleased to welcome Canadian non-profit corporation, the
Toronto Animated Image Society, to the AWN family...
Win a copy of Giannalberto Bendazzi's book: "Cartoons"
Sign up now for AWN's ANIMATION FLASH Newsletter and your name will
be entered in a drawing to win a copy of this comprehensive history
and critique of world animation, acclaimed as a classic work of
scholarship, and an indispensable addition to any animation library.
AWN is giving away ten copies of this prestigious book to its
subscribers by drawing lots. This exceptional Millennium drawing is
open to all new subscribers and re-subscribers who buy a yearly
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...
A Closer Look: In passing...individuals who marked their time
January 1997 saw the passing of filmmaker Renzo Kinoshita and curator
Louise Beaudet. Annecy Festival Director Jean-Luc Xiberras died a
year ago. Although they worked in very different areas, the three of
them shared a passion for animation, and dedicated their lives to
helping the animation community define itself.
Renzo Kinoshita was an accomplished filmmaker -- his major work,
"Made in Japan" won the Grand Prix at the New York International
Radium Adds Andrew Sinagra To Ranks
RADIUM, a computer graphics house, adds 3D animator Andrew Sinagra to its
ranks. Sinagra will focus his specialized talents in modeling, particle
effects and volumetric effects to commercials and music videos. Previously
employed at Midland Productions, Sinagra worked on creating 3D animation
for ROBOTS OF MARS, a computer animated feature. . . .
In Memory of Darris Dobbs
Darris Dobbs, a well known and respected 3D/CGI writer and artist, died
peacefully at home on November 24, 1999, never having recovered from a
respiratory virus. He was 37. Darris contributed to Visual Magic Magazine
on a number of occasions, as well as writing a number of books for Charles
River Media Publishing (including ANIMATING FACIAL FEATURES AND
EXPRESSIONS, and the recently published TRUESPACE 3 & 4 CREATURE
CREATIONS). He also founded his own business -- HieroglyFX Design -- a
Eyeball Bounces Forth New USA Network Tags
New York-based EYEBALL created 10 second ID tags for seven USA Network
shows including: BAYWATCH, LA FEMME NIKITA, XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS and LAW
AND ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT. A circular frame opens around footage from
the USA program as the tag line "You Are Here" appears amidst flag stripes
and flashes. Brighter colors were used for the more light-hearted shows,
while a grittier mood was created for the more serious dramas. Daniel Fries
was the Creative Director at Eyeball.
iXL Digital Finishes Four 20/20 Opens
New York-based IXL DIGITAL VIDEO GROUP, a subsidiary of the Internet and
video solutions company iXL, Inc., produced four distinct openings for the
new 20/20 weekly line-up. Each version of the news show is on four separate
nights and features different hosts. The openings mirror the style of each
version of the show and feature different takes on the 20/20 and ABC News
logos. iXL's veteran Designer and Animator Ron Wissing worked closely with
ABC'S Art Director Kelly Clauson on the concept for the openings.
Three Companies Produce Campbell's Popeye Spot
Popeye the Sailor makes his newest appearance in the Toronto-based
TOPIX/MAD DOG, Chuck Gammage Animation and Generator Film produced spot for
Campbell's Soup. The 30 second spot for new Chunky Prime Rib features
integrated 3D animation, live-action and cel animation. Our hero Popeye
opts for a can of Chunky soup over his standard spinach to save the lovely
Olive Oyl. The spot was produced for Toronto-based ad agency Young &
Rubicam. TOPIX/Mad Dog producer Anne Deslauriers oversaw the 3D animation
Nelvana Goes Public With $40M Deal
Nelvana Limited has announced a deal with Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)
to produce the network's first Saturday morning children's cartoon block.
The deal is worth approximately US$40 million. Nelvana will produce six
book-based children's series for the U.S. public network's Fall 2000
season. The multi-year deal will also include the commission of a minimum
of two of the six series for weekly runs featured in PBS KIDS. Licensing
rights for at least four of the six character brands will be mainly handled
Entertaindom Summons More Superman Shows
Entertaindom, the Time Warner on-line broadcasting channel, has exercised
its option with Brilliant Digital Entertainment, Inc. to add 15 additional
new 5-8 minute "Webisodes" for the 3D animated MULTIPATH ADVENTURES OF
SUPERMAN. This extends the first season of SUPERMAN to a full 30 Webisode
commitment. Entertaindom has also agreed to give distribution to Brilliant
Digital's new 3D animated series based on the character XENA: WARRIOR
PRINCESS, plus eight Webisodes of a new series entitled KISS IMMORTALS
Boris FX Launches Boris RED
The creators of Boris FXT and Boris AET, recently launched a new resolution
Canadian Drawn Screening
* Tuesday, January 25, 2000. Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A.
Canadian Drawn, a screening of animation from the Canadian Film Board, will
be presented at 7:30 pm. The event highlighting the amazing work of the
Film Board will be held at Macquariam, 1800 Peachtree St. NW. This
screening is sponsored by ASIFA-Atlanta, a social organization for people
interested and professionally involved in animation. For information
contact Joni Strandquest at (770) 457-3455.
