Don't miss this lecture on Production Management!
ASIFA-Hollywood and Glendale Community College present theFourth Annual Lecture Series on "Production Management" with guest speaker,Kellie-Bea Cooper. Cooper, Production Manager at Phil Roman Entertainment,has produced award winning independent shorts in both traditional animationand computer animation which have been featured by SIGGRAPH. She has alsoworked with several studios including Jim Henson Interactive and WarnerBrothers. Her background includes work in live action, interactive, Web,
Don't miss this symposium on The National Film Board of Canada
New York University hosts a symposium on The National Film Board of Canadain honor of the NFB's 60th anniversary. The event takes place Thursday,November 11 - Sunday, November 14 in New York, New York, USA. For moreinformation Tel. (212) 596-1660.
Don't miss this tribute to the National Film Board of Canada!
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presents the National FilmBoard of Canada's 60th Anniversary Animation Celebration. The Academy islocated at 8949 Wilshire Blvd. The event takes place Thursday, November 18,8 pm. Beverly Hills, California, USA. For more information Tel. (310)247-3000.
Imagine Entertainment and DreamWorks team for POP.com
Imagine Entertainment, a film and television production company formed in1986 by producer Brian Grazer and director Ron Howard, and DreamWorks SKG,which was formed by Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and David Geffen,are joining forces to create a new internet entertainment company calledPOP.com. The new company is an equal partnership, to be funded by VulcanVentures, Inc., the investment organization of DreamWorks investor Paul G.Allen. Launching in Spring 2000, POP.com is an independent digital
The Powerpuff Girls host AOL chat
Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup, the pint-sized crime-fighting stars ofCartoon Network's THE POWERPUFF GIRLS, created by Craig McCracken, willhost a Teen People Online chat session on AOL on Thursday, November 4 at 7pm ET.
Fox cancels SPIDER-MAN UNLIMITED and BIG GUY
Fox has removed Saban Entertainment's SPIDER-MAN UNLIMITED, the futuristicSpider-Man series, and Columbia/TriStar Television's BIG GUY AND RUSTY THEBOY ROBOT, which was based on the Frank Miller/Geoff Darrow comic bookabout a little Astro Boy-like robot and his Gigantor-like pal, from the FOXKids line-up. Both series debuted in September. They have been replaced bySaban Entertainment's THE AVENGERS, and additional time slots for BKN(Bohbot Kids Network)'s MONSTER RANCHER and Toei Animation Co.'s DIGIMON:DIGITAL MONSTERS.
Disney and Hong Kong reach agreement for new theme park
The Walt Disney Company and the Hong Kong SAR Government have reached anagreement for a proposed Hong Kong Disneyland, a theme park development tobe built as the anchor of a tourism center on Lantau Island. Overlookingthe water at Penny's Bay, and on a main transit route from the new HongKong International Airport, the project will make Lantau Island aworld-class tourist destination and take advantage of the location's easyaccess by rail, highway and ferry to attract guests to the Park. Currently
Don't miss the Best Of Banff Television Festival!
The annual Best Of Banff Television Festival is a traveling showcasefeaturing highlights of the 20th Banff Television Festival, which tookplace June 13 - 19 in Banff, Canada. The program will make its Ottawa,Canada stop at the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Hull on November 17,1999. S4C/BBC's GOGS: GOGWANA, winner of this year's Banff's Best AnimationProgram Award, and NFB of Canada/Channel Four's SNOW CAT, a nominee forBest Animation Program at Banff, will be the featured animated programs.
Don't miss the ASIFA-East animation art auction
The 1999 ASIFA-East animation art fund raiser auction takes place onFriday, November 12, 1999. Films will be shown from Cartoon Network, KarenAqua, Nickelodeon's BLUE'S CLUES, Bill Plympton, J.J. SedelmaierProductions, Academy Award Winning Blue Sky Studios (BUNNY), and manyothers. After the films are shown, artwork or items relating to the filmswill be auctioned and all the money will go to benefit ASIFA-East, the EastCoast chapter of the international animation society. The auction takes
Don't miss the Women In Animation Shorts Fest 2
The Women In Animation Shorts Fest 2 is a showcase for short animatedfilms made by WIA members and other filmmakers from around the world. Thisevening's program includes LIFE, the hilarious new animated jam sessionfrom Mo Willems and 32 other animators from New York, including TissaDavid, George Griffin, Yvette Kaplan, Candy Kugel and Bill Plympton.Admission is FREE and open to the public. The event takes place Friday,November 12, 1999 at 7:00 pm at Santa Monica College, Academy of
Canuck Creations nears completion on THE PRODIGAL SON
Toronto-based Canuck Creations Inc. is in the final stages of productionon THE PRODIGAL SON, a futuristic look at an ancient Bible story. Canuckproduced the short from conceptual design to final color, combining 2D and3D elements. The 24-minute film will be the main attraction for the youthpavilion at World Expo 2000, which will take place in Germany. Otherfeatures Canuck has worked on include THE STORY OF JOSEPH, the DreamWorksdirect-to-video sequel to the animated feature, THE PRINCE OF EGYPT,
HRA completes spot for Heinz spaghetti
London-based HRA has completed "Eddie Spaghetti," a :30 for Heinzspaghetti and agency Leo Burnett, Chicago. The spot depicts the journey ofa piece of spaghetti from plate to boy's mouth, inside of which a party isin progress. The ad, directed by Kim Burdon, features 3D computeranimation, traditional cel animation, live-action, and puppetry.
Disney Internet executive appointed to watchdog group
Larry Shapiro, executive vice president of business development andoperations for Disney's Buena Vista Internet Group (BVIG), has beenappointed to the COPA Commission on Child Online Protection. COPA is taskedwith identifying and studying technological or other methods to reduce andrestrict access to harmful material for minors on the Internet. "Since itsinception with Disney Online, Buena Vista Internet Group has been committedto providing trusted environments and entertaining destinations online. We
FILM ROMAN begins production on THE OBLONGS
North Hollywood, California-based Film Roman has begun production on THE OBLONGS, a television series that will be distributed by Warner Bros. Television on The WB Network for the 2000 season. THE OBLONGS is the second animated prime-time series, after Howard Stern's DOOMSDAY for UPN, that Film Roman has added for the 2000 television season.
THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL tops US boxoffice
Newly released Warner Bros.' THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL, with visual effectsby Hollywood, California-based K.N.B. EFX Group, Inc., topped the USweekend boxoffice with an estimated $15.1 million. The film is a remake ofthe 1958 William Castle horror film that starred Vincent Price. BuenaVista's THE SIXTH SENSE, with visual effects by DreamQuest, finishedeighth, grossing an estimated $3.2 million for a total of $259.8 million;and the American version of Hayao Miyazaki's PRINCESS MONONOKE, which is
Bill Plympton and Larry Lauria will be appearing at the Savannah Film Festival
The Savannah College of Art and Design will host animators Bill Plymptonand Larry Lauria during the week of November 8, 1999 at the Savannah FilmFestival in Savannah, Georgia. On Monday, November 8, Bill Plympton willtalk about "Life as an Independent Animator and Filmmaker" at 11:00 am inthe City Lights Theater. Plympton will discuss his work and show footagefrom past and recent works. On Friday, November 12, Larry Lauria will givea "Character Design Workshop" at 9:00 am in SCAD's Trustee Theater. Lauria,
Disney announces Goofy, Winnie The Pooh, Belle, and Inspector Gadget videos
Buena Vista Home Video is releasing new videos featuring Goofy, Winnie thePooh, Belle, and Inspector Gadget early next year. WINNIE THE POOH, AVALENTINE FOR YOU! is due January 11, 2000 on VHS for US$14.99. In thevideo, which premiered last year as a television special, Pooh and hisfriends are afraid that Christopher Robin has been bitten by a Smitten whenhe becomes interested in a girl. They search the Hundred Acre Wood for thelove bug, hoping it will bite him again and cure his lovesickness. BELLE'S
Disney's TARZAN is coming to home video
Disney's TARZAN premiers on video and DVD on February 1, 2000, and a TARZANCOLLECTOR'S EDITION DVD will be released on March 21, 2000. TARZAN willfeature the "Strangers Like Me" music video by Phil Collins, and the DVDwill be DVD-ROM-enabled (with internet links) and loaded with excitingextras for all the family, including a never-before-seen recording sessionby Phil Collins and guests, a Read-Along, a Trivia Game, various sneakpeeks and many other features. Spanish and French versions of the video
Simon & Schuster releases MISS SPIDER'S TEA PARTY CD-ROM
Simon & Schuster Interactive has released a MISS SPIDER'S TEA PARTY CD-ROM.Based on the best-selling MISS SPIDER'S TEA PARTY children's books by DavidKirk, the CD-ROM recreates the spectacular, colorful imagery that hasthrilled children and critics alike. The CD-ROM allows children to assistMiss Spider in throwing a tea party through eight fun games that providevaluable learning experiences. The activities are designed to help kidsincrease color, sound, and shape identification, enhance coordination and
Moondance announces quarter-finalists
The Moondance International Film Festival has announced the selection ofthe quarter-finalists for its first competition, Moondance 2000. Thefestival takes place in Boulder, Colorado, January 14-16, 2000 as part ofthe Sundance Film Festival. Entries were welcome from women screenwritersand film-makers from any country. For more information e-mail:mermaid7cs@aol.com; or write: Moondance International Film Festival, 970Ninth Street, Boulder, CO 80302, USA. The following films arequarter-finalists in the animation film category:
Animation Writers Caucus awards Paul Dini
The Animation Writers Caucus of the Writers Guild of America, a group ofanimation writers represented by The Writers Guild, presented its SecondAnnual Animation Writing Award to Paul Dini at its annual meeting onWednesday, October 20. Dini is currently writing and producing BATMANBEY0ND for the Kids WB Network. "He's a very talented writer who has alwaysturned out interesting, exciting material," said Craig Miller, the Caucuschair. "His work on BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES and BATMAN BEYOND has
Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner get stamped
The fourth stamp in the Looney Tunes series, which will be releasedsometime next year by the US Postal Service, will feature two characterscreated by Chuck Jones for Warner Bros., Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner.The Bugs Bunny stamp began the series in 1997, followed by the Sylvesterand Tweety stamp in 1998 and the Daffy Duck stamp in 1999. The lucklessgenius inventor, Wile E. Coyote, and his speedy nemesis, the Road Runner,have appeared together in more than forty cartoons since their debut film,FAST AND FURRY-OUS, was released in 1949.
MAGIC CAMERA lends their magic to James Bond
Shepperton, England-based The Magic Camera Company has produced 92 digitaleffect shots for the 19th James Bond film, THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH. One ofthe effects sequences done by Magic involves Bond (Pierce Brosnan) andChristmas (Denise Richards) hurtling through miles of unused oil pipelineon board a service Rpig' (a trolley-like vehicle used to safety check theinside of the pipeline) while chasing another one. Shooting the tunnel as aminiature was not a viable option, so Magic Camera was given the task of
Academy announces scientific achievements Oscar list
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Scientific and TechnicalAwards Committee has announced nineteen scientific or technicalachievements to be considered for 1999 Academy Awards. The Sci/Techcommittee selected the achievements for their outstanding impact on themotion picture industry, and although this is just an initial list (the 19products/developments will undergo vigorous investigation by the committeebefore being short-listed for nomination), it is exciting news for many in
Improv gives animators the power to orchestrate
Improv Technologies, Inc., a New York-based software development company,announced that their flagship product, Orchestrate3D, will be shipping inMarch 2000. A beta version of the tool, which is designed to improvework-flow by allowing artists to reuse animated content to 'orchestrate'new animations, will be available in December. The initial release is beingdeveloped for Maya, 3D Studio MAX, and SOFTIMAGE|3D only, and will besolely available for Windows NT. However an IRIX version is planned for
