Correction: Annecy Festival at NATPE.
In last week's edition of the Spotlight, we mentioned that theInternational Festival of Animated Film will be present at NATPE, in NewOrleans, January 24-28, 2000, booth #2276. The festival booth will be #2976(and not 2276) located in the Animation Pavilion. For more information onAnnecy 2000, visit http://www.annecy.org or call (+33.4).50.10.09.00 (phone); (+33.4).50.10.09.70 (fax).
New additions to AWN's Calendar of Events.
This week's updates to the Calendar of Events includes ten new events for2000, including the Nordic and Baltic Animation Festival Fredrikstad(former Oslo Festival - in May); Zagreb World Festival of Animated Films(June); as well as the L!censing (June) and SIGGRAPH (July) shows. TheCalendar of Upcoming Events is a constantly changing reference source forwhat's happening around the World of Animation. Use it to stay abreast of
Plympton's Comic of the Week.
Plympton's new series of comics extracted from the comic book, "SleazyCartoons of Bill Plympton," is for ADULTS ONLY...
A Closer Look: The brave new world of Internet entertainment.
During the past few weeks, it seems like everyday there is an announcementregarding a company beginning to broadcast animation over the 'net. WithLevel 13 and Wild Brain recently throwing their hats into the ring withtheir new Internet entertainment web sites, web surfers are starting to seethe beginning of a boom in Internet animation. Level13.net andWildBrain.com join Harvey Entertainment, which launched realcartoons.netjust over a week ago, and Time-Warner, which launched Entertaindom.com last
This week's Animation Trivia Quiz
Test your skills and challenge your brain with AWN's Animation Trivia Quiz:In which other Pixar short did the old character who repairs Woody in "ToyStory 2," first appear? The recent release of "Pokemon: The First Movie" isa slightly revamped version of which feature that opened in Japan in 1998?Warner Bros.' recent release "The Iron Giant" followed on the heels of aprevious box office failure. The name of this earlier medieval fable?
John Canemaker Signing
* Saturday, December 18, 1999. Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.
John Canemaker, animator/author/director of the animation program at NYUTisch School of the Arts, will be in Los Angeles this month to sign copiesof his latest book on animation history: "Paper Dreams: The Art And ArtistsOf Disney Storyboards." Canemaker will be available at 2 pm at the HowardLowery Gallery, 3812 W. Magnolia Blvd. in Burbank, where he will sign"Paper Dreams" and copies of any and all of his many books on animation.
Worldfest Winners
The 2nd Annual Worldfest-Flagstaff International Film Festival announcedtheir 1999 winners on Sunday, November 14. The festival's focus is onindependent works that have not yet been picked up for distribution. Theanimation winners were MUSIC FOR AN OWL directed by Hans Van Westerlaak atCinema Avant, BILLY'S BALLOON directed by Don Hertzfeldt for Bitter Films,THE MONKEYMAN RULES directed by James Dean Conklin for Greenhead Media, andTHE INDESCRIBABLE NTH by Oscar Moore at Character Builders.
Monte-Carlo Names Jury
The Monte-Carlo Television Festival has announced the members of theirinternational jury for the 2nd European Television Producer Award. GuyFournier, the Canadian writer/producer, will preside over the seven memberjury. Guy Fournier has written some 2000 hours of television drama forFrench and Canadian productions, over 150 hours of films and series fortelevision, plays for the theater, feature length films (FANTASTICA, UNEAMIE D'ENFANCE) and has also published a number of books. Other jury
Store Specials: Best of Zagreb Film
For the first time on video!! The best of Zagreb Film, plus RembrandtFilms' greatest hits, the Best of Bulgaria, and a second volume of TrnkaShorts.
THE BEST OF ZAGREB FILM IN FIVE ONE-HOUR VOLUMES: In four decades ZagrebFilm produced 600 animated films that won more than 400 internationalawards. The studio quickly became famous for a unique animation style thatbecame known as the Zagreb school. One of the studio's pioneeringdistinctions was that its filmmakers wrote, designed, and directed their
The December Issue of Animation World Magazine is now on-line!
This month Animation World Magazine is taking a special focus on AsianAnimation, especially Japan. Kosei Ono profiles Japanese artist, TadahitoMochinaga, and Gigi Hu introduces us to two of Japan's leading independentfilmmakers. A group of key creative talent from Blue Sky Studios recentlytoured Japan and have provided us with a scrapbook of photos and stories.Andrew Osmond takes an indepth look at the impact Japanese animation ishaving on animation made outside of Japan and we begin the first in a
Web Disney Dumps $1 Billion
Disney's Internet arm Go.com has announced a loss of $1.06 billion infiscal 1999. Disney's Web division was formed three months ago to combineits Internet search engine Go.com, a co-venture with Infoseek, withDisney's other online assets, which includes ESPN.com, Disney.com andABCNews.com. The loss, which includes $956 million in depreciation andamortization expenses, widened from a loss of $991 million a year earlierand includes all of Go.com's new-media properties. Much of the negative
Hyde To Helm Film Roman
Film Roman's Board of Directors has finished their search for a new CEO andpresident with the naming of veteran industry exec John Hyde to theposition. Hyde's expertise ranges from work in television, film, music andnew media. By replacing former CEO/pres. David Pritchard, Hyde steps into aposition with promise and heightened pressure. Besides producing THESIMPSONS and KING OF THE HILL, over seeing various live-action filmproductions, and coddling their infant on-line channel Level13.com, Hyde
Olive Jar Opens In LA
Boston-based Olive Jar Studios, Inc., an animation, special effects andtheme park attraction production house, has opened a branch in Los Angeles,California, U.S.A. The new west coast facility will house both stage andproduction space. Olive Jar specializes in film techniques that includemixed-media, stop-motion, CGI, cel, drawn, and live-action/special effects.Executive producer Matthew Charde said, "Our presence in Los Angeles willbe a tremendous asset to the business since we will be more fully able to
Toy 2 Walks Over The Green Mile
The horse race to the box office checkered flag came down to a photo finishbetween TOY STORY 2 and THE GREEN MILE this past weekend. When the dustcleared, the toon titans of TOY STORY 2 finished #1 at the U.S. box office.The film grossed US$18.25 million in this its third week in release,bringing its cume to $140.4 million. In its opening weekend, THE GREENMILE, with primary visual effects by ILM and additional animation by Rhythm& Hues, POP and Matte World Digital, had to settle for second with a gross
Liquid Light Helps Give Birth To Goliath
Liquid Light Studios of Los Angeles helped give birth to Valencia,California's theme park Six Flags Magic Mountain's new roller coaster --"The Goliath." Liquid Light created a 3D simulation of the ride, so execscould take in the thrills before tracks were even laid. Last year, theanimation studio completed a similar 3D simulation for the park's"Riddler's Revenge." Built around an "Indiana Jones," jungle theme, themain highlights of this new coaster is that it travels up to speeds of 85
After Effects Ices Real Time SDI Video
ICE, the developers of ICE Tools for After Effects and Media Cleaner, haverecently announced shipment of BlueICE SDI Video, an add-on daughter cardto ICE's BlueICE hardware for real-time, uncompressed, frame-accurate videocapture, playback and print to tape. BlueICE SDI Video allows Adobe AfterEffects users, to digitize, preview and layoff to tape in real time - allwhile remaining in the same After Effects environment in which theycomposite and create visual effects. BlueICE is available in both PAL and
Tinker with Trnka on DVD
Six films from Czech puppet master, Jiri Trnka, will be available on a newcompilation DVD available February 29, 2000. Included on the release willbe the feature-length classic THE EMPEROR'S NIGHTINGALE based on the HansChristian Anderson fairy tale and narrated by legendary-Hollywood actorBoris Karloff. The five featured shorts will include Trnka's world famousTHE HAND, along with STORY OF THE BASS CELLO, A MERRY CIRCUS, A DROP TOOMUCH, and THE SONG OF THE PRAIRIE. Not to sound too much like a late-night
EuropaCinema's Two Toon Winners
EuropaCinema & TV, held in Viareggio, Italy, announced their two animationshort winners. FOREVER AND EVER, by Michaela Pavlatova and Pavel Koutecky(Czech Republic) and SUBURBANITES by Stefan Vermeulen (Belgium) took homethe prize. The international jury of Enzo D'Alo, Georges Wolinski, MarjutRimminen, Rastko Ciric and Sergio Staino said FOREVER AND EVER is "a filmthat gives us an unconventional interpretation of love, dramatic and at thesame time ironically surrealistic. A film that also reveals a remarkable
A Red Nose shines on DVD
Sony Wonder and Golden Books Family Entertainment Home Video will bring thebeloved children's holiday film, RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER, to DVD forthe first time. The adventures of the shunned reindeer will be available forUS$19.98. For the holidays, Sony Wonder will also re-release ELMO SAVESCHRISTMAS on DVD and more favorite Sesame Street titles for $19.98.
WAC Is Back
The 7th World Animation Celebration (WAC) arrives in L.A. on Tuesday, May30, 2000 - Sunday, June 4, 2000 for its festival and internationalcompetition. WAC will showcase more than 800 films, including the best inboth classic and contemporary animation. As the main attraction, WAC willpresent awards to the best new animated works from around the world. TheWorld Animation Celebration will present a trade show, an internationalbusiness conferenece, world and American film premieres, seminars,
AtomFilms Attracts $20 Million
Monday, December 13, 1999, AtomFilms, a leader in next-generationentertainment, announced that it has inked a deal with investors totalingUS$20 million in financing. This signing marks the end of a second round ofstrategic financing led by Chase Capital Entertainment Partners LLC andChase Capital Partners, and joined by Arts Alliance, Frank J. Biondi Jr.,general partner at WaterView Partners and former chairman and CEO ofUniversal Studios, Intel Corp., and Trans Cosmos USA Inc. "This round of
Brisbane Beckons!
April 6-9, 2000, The Brisbane International Animation Festival willrepresent Australia in the international animation festival alliance withOttawa, Holland, Fantoche and Anima Mundi animation festivals. It isAustralia's only festival dedicated exclusively to animation in all of itsforms. Playing host to national and international guests who will gather inBrisbane, Australia, to experience the best of world class animation, thefestival provides a local, national and international forum for the
McQuilken joins Cartoon Network
KIM MCQUILKEN has been promoted to executive vice president of CARTOONNETWORK sales and marketing. Based in Atlanta, his new responsibilitieswill include sales and marketing for Cartoon Network.com. Formerly seniorvice president and general sales manager for the unit, McQuilken joinedTurner Broadcasting System, Inc., in 1992 as director of marketing forspecial projects for the 1994 Goodwill Games in St. Petersburg, Russia.After the Games, he served as vice president, sports and brand licensing
Teate toons into Florida-based AARGH! Animation
The Florida-based AARGH! ANIMATION, Inc. has hired JASON TEATE as colordesigner and associate producer. Jason completed color design for AARGH!'srecent series of national spots for Cold-Eeze cold medicine, which are nowairing.
Edwards Churcher nets Birds
London-based production company AKA PIZAZZ and Internet designers EDWARDSCHURCHER have announced the arrival of the world's first fully interactiveanimated commercial for Compaq. Following on from AKA's recent animated TVcampaign for Compaq, the interactive Web version of "Bird" was created byNeil Churcher, James Stone, and Javier Garcia Flynn of EDWARDS CHURCHER.The spot is now available on the Compaq website. The commercial features afully interactive, realtime animation in which one's cursor movements
