Wolfmill's Elfquest With Living Toys
Wolfmill Entertainment has signed a worldwide licensing deal with Living Toyz for a line of action figures based on Wolfmill's upcoming CGI animated feature film ELFQUEST. The fantasy-action film follows the journey of Cutter, a young elven chief, and his tribe across a hostile world to find a safe refuge. Before the theatrical release of ELFQUEST, Los Angeles-based Living Toyz will produce several sets of action figures based on the original ELFQUEST comic book designs by Warp Graphics.
DEN Summons Sim As Head Of Digital Programming
DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK, INC. (DEN), an on-line network targeting Generation Y, announced the appointment of MORRIS SIM as head of digital programming. Formerly with Microsoft, Sim held a variety of top-level managerial positions, supervising entire teams of programmers and designers for Microsoft's extensive line of consumer software. During his seven-year tour-of-duty, Sim was a key player in the development and design of some of Microsoft's top software products, like Access, VisualFoxPro, Visual Basic, Microsoft Works, Home Suite and Microsoft Office.
Toy Story 2 Scores Mucho Yen In Japan
Over the weekend beginning Friday, March 10, 2000, TOY STORY 2 made history in Japan by grossing US$3.8 million on only 364 screens to become the biggest opening for a U.S. animated film in Japan and finishing #1 at the box office. The Buena Vista International release crushed the old record set by Disney's THE LION KING by nearly 80%. Woody and Buzz more than doubled this weekend's debut of the 21st installment of the Japanese animated feature series, DORAEMON.
Live-Action Tomb Raider Lead
Oscar nominee Angelina Jolie is in final discussions to play buxom cyber-hero Lara Croft in TOMB RAIDER, a live-action feature based on the mega-hit video game. The Paramount project is set to begin production this summer, with director Simon West (CON AIR, THE GENERAL'S DAUGHTER). Jolie is up for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for GIRL, INTERRUPTED, a film for which she has already won the Golden Globe. Known for playing wild and tough women, Jolie's star is on the rise and can easily play Croft, who is described as a female Indiana Jones.
Daredevil & Spider-Man Directors
Mark Steven Johnson is in talks to pen and direct DAREDEVIL, the live-action adaptation of the Marvel Comics superhero franchise. The project originally started at Fox where directors such as Chris Columbus and Carlo Carlei developed the production. Now based out of Columbia Pictures, comic fan Johnson will breathe life into the story of the blind lawyer who uses his other, heightened senses to fight for justice. Marvel moved DAREDEVIL from Fox, because the studio is already busy putting together the Marvel titles X-MEN, FANTASTIC FOUR and SILVER SURFER.
Planet Of The Apes Gothic Director
Tim Burton is going ape over the chance to remake 20th Century Fox's 1968 sci-fi classic PLANET OF THE APES. If the final negotiations finish as planned, Burton could be helming Fox's big picture for summer 2001. Rumors have attached names like Oliver Stone, Chris Columbus, James Cameron and Arnold Schwarzenegger to the project. In development since 1993 (longer than it took to make the original and four sequels), Bill Broyles has written the newest and hopefully final version of the new APE flick.
Toy Story's Buzz On TV
A new television series based on TOY STORY's Buzz Lightyear character will be coming to ABC and UPN in October. Walt Disney Television Animation is producing 65 episodes of BUZZ LIGHTYEAR OF STAR COMMAND -- 52 for UPN's "Disney's One Too" and 13 for ABC's Saturday morning lineup. Pixar will produce the CGI opening, but the series itself will be traditional 2D animation. Taking on voice duties as Buzz will be SEINFELD's Patrick Warburton, who's also starring in the live-action THE TICK series.
Snoopy Cursing Like The South Park Kids?
"They'll end up being like SOUTH PARK or something like that," said Charles Schulz's son Monte regarding the future of his father's PEANUTS comic strip, in an Associated Press article by Mary Ann Lickteig. Before Schulz's death, he strictly left instructions that nobody else could draw THE PEANUTS strip and the animated shows must end. In regards to honoring their father's wishes, Schulz's children's concern centers around United Media, who holds the copyrights on the PEANUTS characters.
Creator Smith Steaming Over Clerks' Future
Director Kevin Smith is steaming over the treatment ABC has given his new animated series version of his cult-classic film CLERKS. After Disney owned ABC pushed back the premiere of the new series to May 31, 2000, Smith said the summer release date "almost ensures the show's failure" due to the traditionally low TV ratings of the summer months.
New Nursery Net Hops Into Homes In Israel
Recently, Gold Zebra Communications launched its new preschool network Hop! The Israeli Nursery Channel. The net airs daily from 6 am to 7 pm catering toward the youngest viewers. The completely non-violent content has been acquired from producers in Europe and the States. Recently, Hop! appeared at the Monte Carlo Television Market to promote and attach new content for the fledgling channel. For more information contact Gold Zebra Communications Ltd. at: 7 Harugei Malchut St. Tel-Aviv 69714 Isreal; Tel.: ++972-3-649-6228; Fax: ++972-3-649-6229; or E-mail: zebracom@internet-zahav.net.
Stuart Little II Writer Named
The writer behind GHOST and DEEP IMPACT will be writing the second installment of STUART LITTLE. Bruce Joel Rubin will have to be typing like a madman to meet the proposed Christmas 2001 release date for the STUART sequel. The star of the first picture, Geena Davis, is reportedly committed to STUART II, but it is yet unknown if director Rob Minkoff will return. However, the current US$136.9 million at the U.S. box office might be a convincing enough number to lure him.
Bardel Brings Silverwing To The Big Screen
Bardel Animation Limited has secured the rights to bring the young adult adventure SILVERWING to the big screen. SILVERWING, a novel by Ken Oppel, follows the coming-of-age tale of Shade, who is in search for his father. The book has sold more than 250,000 copies internationally and still remains on the bestsellers' list two years after its initial publication. Ken Oppel will help develop the story with Bardel Animation.
Ottawa 2000 Presents Selection and Jury Members
The Ottawa 2000 Independent Film Competition will be selected by
festival organizers. The Commissioned Films Competition will be
selected by Curtis Crawford (Canada), Chris Landreth (US), Pjotr
Sapegin (Russia) and Andrei Svislotski (Russia). The Ottawa 00
International Jury will be comprised of Suzanne Gervais (Canada),
Wendy Jackson Hall (US), John Hays (US), Priit Parn (Estonia) and Jin
Guo Ping (China). Jury member bios are now available on the festival
FPS Celebrates British Columbia Animation
has posted another article in its new Festival Review
section. In "The Celebration of BC Animation," Leslie Bishko reviews
the event which presented an impressive 25-year retrospective of
independent animation in Vancouver last October.
You can subscribe to FPS and all your favorite animation publications
directly from the Internet 24 hours a day! Available in AWN's
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...
A Closer Look: Are Schools Selling Out?
Two weeks ago, AtomFilms announced that it has locked the first-ever,
exclusive, on-line distribution deal with the University of Southern
California (USC) School of Cinema-Television to broadcast student
films from the illustrious film school's catalog, giving USC students
a worldwide public venue for showcasing their work. 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
New Jobs: Animators, Digital Artists and Tech Support/Producion Management
Dream Theater is seeking an ART DIRECTOR to work on the creation of
concepts, presentation materials and the refinement of design
directions in production. . . Hammerhead Productions is looking for
SENIOR ANIMATORS 2D/3D/TD for feature film visual effects. . . San
Francisco, California-based Attik is looking for a SENIOR ANIMATOR. .
. Monterrey, N.L. Mexico post-production house PubliK is looking for
a creative 3D SGI ANIMATOR. . . The Chimney Pot (Sweden) is seeking a
California Sun Festival Last Call for Entries
The deadline to register your film for competition at the 3rd
California Sun (CSun) festival is Friday, March 10, 2000...
The 4th Cartoons On The Bay Festival
* Friday, April 14 - Tuesday, April 18, 2000. Positano (Amalfi Coast), Italy.
2nd Annual Buenos Aires International Independent Film Festival
* Thursday, April 6 - Sunday, April 16, 2000. Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Taos Talking Picture Festival
* Thursday, April 13 - Sunday, April 16, 2000. Taos, New Mexico, U.S.A.
Richard Williams' Animation Masterclass
* Friday, April 14 - Sunday, April 16 and Friday, April 28 - Sunday, April 30, 2000. Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.
SOFTIMAGE Ships SOFTIMAGE|3D 3.9
SOFTIMAGE has announced that the latest upgrade to their flagship SOFTIMAGE|3D animation system was available for download from their Web site. This upgrade represents a milestone for SOFTIMAGE, as it is the first upgrade the company has chosen to distribute on-line (rather than wait 6-8 weeks for reproduction, duplication and distribution).
