An Evening of Hanna-Barbera with legends Mr. Barbera and Mr. Takamoto
* Monday, March 1. Glendale, California, USA.
As part of ASIFA-Hollywoods Animation Expo 99, An Evening of Hanna-Barbera, with special guests Joe Barbera and Iwao Takamoto, takes place at Kreider Hall in Glendale Community College. An informal discussion with Barbera and Takamoto moderated by Michael Mallory, along with a screening of Hanna-Barbera shorts, starts at 7:00 p.m. For admission information/reservations, call (818) 842-8330.
Artist John McGrew passes away
John McGrew, a layout artist for Chuck Jones Warner Bros. unit from 1938 to 1943, passed away on January 11, 1999 in France at the age of 88. McGrews contributions to the artform are often overlooked because of the short time he spent in the business, but his layouts and color stylings for THE DOVER BOYS, THE ARISTO-CAT, CONRAD THE SAILOR and SUPER RABBIT, among others films, were groundbreaking and revolutionary for their time. Chuck Jones has often said in interviews that McGrew helped introduce a more abstract and design-influenced background style.
John, Paul, Ringo and George become YELLOW SUBMARINE action figures
McFarlane Toys, SPAWN creator Todd McFarlanes toy company, has created a set of YELLOW SUBMARINE action figures based on the animated cult classic Beatles film. The toys bring back John, Paul, Ringo and George in all their glory along with the Blue Meanie, and will be available later this year when the film is finally re-released.
CELEBRITY DEATHMATCH toys are coming
ToyBiz announced at ToyFair 99 that they have acquired the license to produce toys based on MTVs CELEBRITY DEATHMATCH.
"Breaking the TV Barrier" - a panel discussion with top animation writers
* Saturday, February 27. Los Angeles, California, USA.
Disney’s HERCULES is having its world TV premiere
Disney's HERCULES has its world television premiere on Saturday, February 27th, on the Disney Channel at 7 p.m. (ET/PT)
Larry Divney named to top post at Comedy Central
Comedy Central has promoted advertising executive Larry Divney to president and chief executive. Hereplaces Doug Herzog, who left the channel last month to become chief ofFox Broadcasting. Divney has directed Comedy Central's advertising salessince the network's inception in 1991, and has worked at CNN, MTV and theA&E Network. With Herzog's initiative, the network has found tremendoussuccess with original animated programming like SOUTH PARK, BOB ANDMARGARET and DR. KATZ: PROFESSIONAL THERAPIST.
Disney Interactive names new VP of Product Development
Disney Interactive has appointed Frank Evers to vice president of product development andproduction. Evers assumes overall responsibilities for the development ofall Disney Interactive products. In this role, he will oversee staffing,long range product planning and the development of policies, processes andquality assurance procedures for product content. He will report to JanSmith, Senior VP and general manager of Disney Interactive worldwide. Priorto joining Disney, Evers was VP of production at Activision, spearheading
Tricky Pictures adds new director
Chicago-based TRICKY PICTURES has added Frank Anderson to its roster of directors and will be repped exclusively by the company.Anderson, a 17-year veteran of the commercial production business, hasworked on animation campaigns for McDonalds, Unicef World Fund and Procter& Gamble. Anderson's diverse styles range from "photo-mation," a techniqueemploying cutout photographs animated like stop motion puppets, to pixilation (animating humans frame by frame). "Frank shares our philosophyof integrating a variety of production techniques, manipulating textures
Scott Pressler joins LoConte Goldman
Boston-based LOCONTE GOLDMAN DESIGN hasnamed five-time Emmy Award-winner Scott Pressler to Senior Design Director.Pressler has worked as an independent designer for the last 10 years with anumber of high-profile clients. Pressler was a broadcast designer for NBCSports from 1989-1996. While at NBC, he was the creative director andsenior designer of the 1996 Olympic games in Atlanta, and designer andcreative director for the 1992 summer Olympic games, Wimbledon '92-'94, NFL
New toy partnership for Mattel and Nickelodeon
Mattel and Nickelodeon have partnered to create toys for the Nicktoon series, CATDOG. The two-headed toys hit storesin March '99. The line includes Pull and Pose CatDog ($19.99), a plushstretchable and posable toy; Toon Team Packs ($14.99), six-inch mini-plushdolls with accessories; CatDog Ride-On Bicycle ($10.99), a bicycle for thewacky duo; and Stretchy CatDog ($7.99).
BOB, THE DEVIL AND GOD are headed for NBC
The Carsey-Werner Co., a dominant live-action TV production company having produced shows like COSBY and ROSEANNE, is developing their first animated show. The primetime cartoon, BOB, THE DEVIL AND GOD, is in the early development stages, and will reportedly be picked up by NBC. The show is created by Matthew Carlson (an executive story editor on WONDER YEARS, and creator of the U.S. version of MEN BEHAVING BADLY and TOWNIES). A Carsey-Werner spokesman said that the voice cast will be comprised of James Garner (God), Robert Downey Jr.
Fox fills primetime schedule with cartoons
Seth MacFarlanes FAMILY GUY has edged out Matt Groenings FUTURAMA for Foxs golden post-SIMPSONS Sunday timeslot...
VOLTRON arrives on Canadas all-animation channel, Teletoon
World Events Productions has licensed the 3D animated series, VOLTRON: THE THIRD DIMENSION to Teletoon, Canadas all-animation network. The show will make its Teletoon Canadian premiere on Wednesday, March 3. Voltron, based on the popular 80s cartoon, is produced for World Events by Mike Young Productions (THE SECRET GARDEN) and Netter Digital Entertainment (BABYLON 5).
Teletoon teams up with Chester Cheetah for a special promotion
A recent deal between Canadas Teletoon and Hostess Frito-Lay will result in Chester Cheetah hosting CINETOON, an animated feature-length movie which airs on Teletoon the first Saturday of every month, starting March 6. The promotion will celebrate the March launch of the new Chee.tos Shockwaves snack food, and a CINETOON Trivia Challenge will enable viewers to win Sony Playstations and other prizes.
TV Academy presents student awards
The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation has announced the winners of the 1998 College Television Awards Competition, recognizing excellence in college student film/video productions. Animation awards, sponsored by the Walter Lantz Foundation, were given out in both traditional and non-traditional categories. There will be a black tie Awards Gala on Sunday, March 7, at the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, followed by a public screening of the winning entries on Monday, March 8 (see Events below for additional information). The winners are:
MULAN is finally released in China
Disney's Chinese-themed MULAN finally opened in China today on 13 screens in Shanghai. Chinese officials had originally declined to import MULAN when it was released last year because of their dissatisfaction with Disneys release of KUNDUN, a live-action film about Chinese rule in Tibet, two years ago. The timing for MULANs debut was less than favorable, falling on the last day of school childrens winter vacation period. MULAN is scheduled to screen in other parts of China including Beijing, although dates havent been announced yet.
Ideas in Animation, an evening of animation set to live music
* Monday, February 22. San Francisco, California, U.S.A.
Cartoon Network premieres original Web cartoons
Cartoon Network.com debuted two original interactive on-line cartoon series on February 22. As each cartoon unfolds, users can make choices about which direction the story will take. PINK DONKEY AND FLY, created by pop culture icon Gary Panter, is the unlikely love story between a pink donkey and a fly as they try to keep clear of The Ol' Coot and his troublesome wife, Maw. B. Happy, from renowned underground satirist Mark Newgarden, follows the bluebird of happiness, B. Happy, who wants to rid the world of misery.
Author is looking for storyboards to include in upcoming book
Mark Simon is currently writing the 2nd edition of STORYBOARDS: MOTION IN ART, to be published by Focal Press. The author is currently looking for all examples of presentational and production boards from films, TV, commercials, videos, animations and multimedia projects to include in the textbook. In addition, conceptual art, comps and animatics may also be considered for use in the book. Additional information and release forms can be obtained from Mark Simon by e-mailing him at mark@storyboards-east.com or calling (407) 370-2673.
Disney re-releases 101 Dalmations on video
Walt Disney Home Video is re-releasing 101 DALMATIONS (1961) on video on March 9, for 101 days only. The fully restored, digitally remastered and THX Certified release also features a new 90-second MOUSEWORKS short, STREET CLEANER, featuring another Disney canine star, Pluto. In addition, the video is accompanied by an exclusive offer for a free Dalmation puppy beanbag toy. The video will be available at $26.99 (S.R.P.).
REBOOT joins Cartoon Network lineup
Cartoon Networks afternoon programming block Toonami will start airing the CG-animated show, REBOOT, as part of its daily Monday-Friday line-up, from 4:30 - 5:00 p.m., starting March 15. The show, which was the first entirely computer-generated cartoon, is produced by Vancouver, Canada-based Mainframe Entertainment.
Alvin and The Chipmunks Marathon Arrives on Cartoon Network
On Sunday, February 21, Cartoon Network will present ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS GREATEST HITS, an 8-hour marathon from 12-8 p.m. (ET/PT) featuring 32 "hot" tunes from the 1980s. The programming stint will feature sixteen half-hour episodes along with a live-action dance party with Alvin groupees dancing to the high-pitched music. Among the songs that will be played include: "Beat It," "Born to be Wild," "Ghostbusters," "The Heat is On," "Twist and Shout," "I Love L.A.," "Celebration," "On the Road Again," "Bad to the Bone" and 23 others.
Eric Rollman is FOX Family Worldwide’s new production president
Eric Rollman has been upped to president of production for Fox Family Worldwide, a joint venture between Saban Entertainment and Fox News Corp. His new role puts him in charge of production for Fox Family Channel, Fox Kids Network and Fox Kids International, as well as continuing supervision of on-air promo material production for the various channels.
LoConte Goldman adds and promotes a couple designers
New York-based LoConte Goldman Design has promoted four-time Emmy winner Arne Jensen to Senior Designer. Jensen has worked on numerous projects since joining the company in '96, including the ABC News NIGHTLINE redesign and ESPN SPEEDWORLD and NFL DRAFT graphics packages. In addition, Kenneth Shaw has joined LoConte's team of designers. Shaw had most recently been working for Olive Jar as a composite artist. "Ken impressed us with his natural ability to bridge the creative with the technical.
