Don't miss shadow play version of THE MAHABARATA!
Los Angeles' only resident Wayang Kulit shadow play ensemblepresents an episode of the Indian epic poem, THE MAHABARATA. The event isfree, and takes place Friday, August 20, 8 pm at Occidental College, ThorneHall Patio, 1600 Campus Road in Eagle Rock, California, USA. For moreinformation call (818) 768-7696.
(Colossal) Pictures closes its doors
(Colossal) Pictures will ceaseoperations on August 31, 1999 after 23 years in business. According to theSan Francisco-based production and design studio, the decision was made inorder to liquidate property and honor outstanding debts. (Colossal) hasfiled for Chapter 11 protection before on May 30, 1996, and emerged frombankruptcy on December 1, 1997. It enjoyed a successful year in 1998,employing a lean work force. However, the beginning of this year saw adownturn in revenue. Financially weakened by the bankruptcy, as (Colossal)
Film Roman reports losses
North Hollywood, California-based Film Roman has reported second quarter losses of $266,215, or 3 cents a share, whichis an improvement over the losses for the second quarter of 1998 of$718,439, or 8 cents a share. Revenue for the first half of 1999 increasedby 58% to $27.5 million from last year's first half's $17.4 million. FilmRoman produces Fox's THE SIMPSONS and Warner Bros.' upcoming new series,MISSION HILL (previously known as THE DOWNTOWNERS). In recent months, FilmRoman has been making significant strides to enter the original content
Stop-motion animator David Allen passes away
David Allen, one of a handful of truly great stop-motion animators, died of cancer on Monday, August 16. Hewas 55. Allen's work in commercials includes animating the Swiss Miss andearly Pillsbury Doughboy in the 1960s, and his feature work includesCAVEMAN (1981), Q-THE WINGED SERPENT (1982), WILLOW (1988) and FREAKED(1993). For ten years he had been working on an independent project, afeature called PRIMEVALS. (The film will be finished at Full Moon Studioswhere the film was being animated before Allen's death.) Allen began his
Ren and Stimpy creator gives Yogi a makeover
John Kricfalusi, creatorof Nickelodeon's THE REN AND STIMPY SHOW, returns to television with twolong-awaited half-hour specials featuring Yogi Bear, Boo Boo, and theirnemesis, Ranger Smith. In BOO BOO RUNS WILD, Yogi's pal Boo Boo transformsfrom a law-abiding cave dweller to Jellystone Park's greatest menace. Yogimust save his buddy before Ranger Smith stops Boo Boo for good. A DAY INTHE LIFE OF RANGER SMITH follows Ranger Smith on his daily routine as heattempts to enforce ridiculous rules and regulations on Mother Nature.
Don't miss these Women In Animation events!
Women In Animation Writers Roundtable. Have voice-over artists read yourscript and give you feedback. You must call and schedule your script tohave it read. The event takes place at the Klasky Csupo studio at 1258 N.Highland Ave. in Hollywood, California, USA on Thursday, August 26, 7-9 pm.For more information contact Sybil Baker by E-mail: scrybble@juno.com, orTel. (626) 798-1523.
The Women In Animation Production Group meets the 1st Monday of each month
YELLOW SUBMARINE returns to theaters across the US
A newly restored 35mm print of YELLOW SUBMARINE featuring The Beatles willbe shown at theaters across the USA. The film will be showing at thefollowing theaters: The Egyptian in Seattle, September 1-16; BrattleTheater in Boston, September 1-9; Landmark's Nuart Theater in Los Angeles,September 3-9; The Castro Theatre in San Francisco, September 3-15; TheUptown in Minneapolis, September 3-9; The Union in New York, September10-17; The Music Box in Chicago, September 10-16; The Hillcrest in San
Don't miss the 1999 Golden Marble Awards
The 1999 Golden Marble Awards show and conference program is a multi-tracklarge-scale event aimed at professionals who are marketing, promoting andadvertising to kids. The conference content will be streamed along threethematic 'tracks': Focus on the Teen Market; Advertising & Promoting toKids; and Licensing, Merchandising and Retailing to Kids. The event takesplace Wednesday, September 8-Thursday, September 9 in New York, New York,USA. For more information contact: Brunico Communications Inc., 366
TOPIX/MAD DOG animates Russell Stover's Pecan Delights
Toronto-based TOPIX/MAD DOG has completed the computer animated :15"Explosion" promoting Russell Stover's Pecan Delights. In the spot, whichwas created with Softimage and Flame, little chocolate men explode thecandies to find the pecan treats inside. Livio Passera and Mark Ainsliedirected the animation. Toronto-based Generator Productions shot thelive-action footage.
UNIVERSAL appoints WILLIAM A. SUTMAN
UNIVERSAL STUDIOS has appointed WILLIAM A. SUTMAN as senior vice presidentand chief financial officer. Sutman will be responsible for overseeing allworldwide financial activities for the Universal Studios Group. Sutman mostrecently served as chief financial officer for Universal Pictures. Sutmanjoined Universal in January 1997 from Joseph E. Seagram & Sons, where heserved for three years as vice president of auditing.
Wild Brain short becomes TV series
San Francisco-based Wild Brain, Inc. has joined with Munich-based EM.TV &Merchandising to co-produce POOCHINI'S YARD, a 26-episode series based onWild Brain's short, A DOG CARTOON. Wild Brain will manage all creativeaspects of the series which begins production this summer. Distributionrights are planned to be split between domestic for Wild Brain, andinternational for EM.TV. Wild Brain's credits include FERNGULLY 2: THEMAGICAL RESCUE, and current productions THE ADVENTURES OF ROCKY &
Tony Caio designs Food Network program ID
Tony Caio of New York City-based DMA has designed a new program ID andtitle sequence for The Food Network's "Hot Off the Grill with Bobby Flay."In the ID, a Bobby Flay caricature appears in black tie, and juggles acocktail shaker, slab of steak, shrimp, and a pickle. Stylized stars dancein the background. Dancing pieces of food spin across the screen and circleonto plates, as the show's logo comes back into view, pulsating in apainterly fashion.
THE IRON GIANT remains in top ten at US boxoffice
It was another rough weekend for Warner Bros.' THE IRON GIANT at the USboxoffice. Directed by Brad Bird, the film finished tenth, grossing anestimated $3.8 million for a total of $12.6 million. Other animationrelated films in the top ten: Buena Vista's supernatural thriller THE SIXTHSENSE, with visual effects by DreamQuest, finished first again, grossing anestimated $26.1 million, which is actually more than last week's $25.8million, for a total of $70 million; Warner Bros.' shark thriller, DEEP
Fire guts Ottawa Animation Festival office
A major fire has gutted the Ottawa Animation Festival office and put theoffice completely out of commission. "It looks like a war zone," says ChrisRobinson, Festival Director. "Fortunately, no one was hurt in the fire, butvirtually the entire contents of the office have been destroyed. I believethat we can salvage some things. Fortunately wehave insurance...however, a number of animation cels, our animationvideo/film library, and all sorts of priceless archival materials are
DAVID MCFARLAND joins FOX FAMILY CHANNELS
DAVID MCFARLAND has been named to the newly created position of vicepresident of Affiliate Sales for FOX FAMILY CHANNELS. McFarland willoversee all aspects of affiliate advertising sales and play an integralrole in developing strategic direction for Fox Family Channels'distribution efforts. McFarland joins Fox from Comedy Central where heserved as director of Affiliate Advertising Sales. Previously he served asregional sales manager for Cox Communications where he was responsible forselling cable advertising.
SKIPPER KIRSCH joins INTERFACE MEDIA GROUP
SKIPPER KIRSCH has joined the client services department of Washington,D.C.-based computer animation and special effects house INTERFACE MEDIAGROUP. Kirsch comes to Interface from Austin, Texas-based 501 Post where hewas operations manager.
CARTOON NETWORK ONLINE promotes POLA CHANGNON
CARTOON NETWORK ONLINE has promoted POLA CHANGNON to executive producer.Changnon will manage the Atlanta, Georgia-based team of producers, writers,and technical staff of CartoonNetwork.com, as well as New York-baseddevelopers Funny Garbage, and other developers. Changnon came to CartoonNetwork Online from San Francisco-based Colossal Pictures where she was aproducer. Prior to that she was a creative executive for Nickelodeon Movies.
ILM hires ANDY HENDRICKSON promotes DAN MCNAMARA
INDUSTRIAL LIGHT & MAGIC has hired ANDY HENDRICKSON as director of systemsdevelopment, and promoted DAN MCNAMARA to director of film and editorialservices. Hendrickson returns to ILM after two years, following a stint asthe Director of Computer Systems at San Francisco-based Advanced PathologySystems. In his new role, Hendrickson will be working with the architectureof existing digital infrastructure systems at ILM, as well as shaping thefuture innovations in this area. In addition, he will be primarily
DONNA TEGGART joins ALIAS|WAVEFRONT
DONNA TEGGART has joined ALIAS|WAVEFRONT as manager of the global marketingteam. Her primary responsibilities will be to act as the companyspokesperson and to manage the industry and public perception ofAlias|Wavefront and its brands. Teggart was formerly in the publicitydepartment at Side-Effects Software.
ITS announces Monitor Awards
ITS, a Vienna, Virginia-based trade association of the post-productionindustry, has announced the winners of the 1999 International MonitorAwards. "The Awards recognize artists who have successfully mastered thesynthesis of creativity and technology. It is the highest recognition foroutstanding production and post-production," says Ruth Roland, Chairman ofthe 20th Annual International Awards. This year's animation related winnerswere:
BEST ELECTRONIC VISUAL EFFECTS FOR FILM ORIGINATED TELEVISION SERIES
Nashville calls for entries
The 31st Annual Nashville Independent Film Festival 2000 takes place inNashville, Tennessee from June 7-11, 2000. The competition will include newtwo categories, Television Pilot/Episodic Television and Family andChildren's Films, in addition to the already existing features, animation,documentary, short films, and young filmmakers categories. The earlydeadline is December 17, 1999, and the final deadline is February 1, 2000.For more information call (615) 742-2500; or visitwww.nashvillefilmfestival.org.
REMEMBERING WALT authors do Disneyland signing
Amy Boothe Green and her husband, Walt Disney Pictures publicist and vicepresident of studio communications, Howard Green, will appear in person tosign copies of their book, REMEMBERING WALT: FAVORITE MEMORIES OF WALTDISNEY, on Saturday, August 21 at The Disney Gallery in New Orleans Squareat Disneyland in Anaheim, California from 1:30-3 pm. For the book, theauthors interviewed more than 100 individuals about their experiences withWalt Disney, including Dick Van Dyke, Julie Andrews, animators Frank Thomas
Wallace & Gromit and Bugs Bunny return!
Warner Bros. Home Video is re-releasing the feature length THE LOONEY,LOONEY, LOONEY BUGS BUNNY MOVIE, a collection of Looney Tunes by FrizFreleng. It includes the following Bugs Bunny shorts: KNIGHTY KNIGHT BUGS,SAHARA HARE, ROMAN LEGION HARE, HIGH DIVING HARE, HARE TRIMMED, SHOW BIZBUGS, WILD AND WOOLY HARE, and THE UNMENTIONABLES, as well as CATTYCORNERED (Tweety & Sylvester), GOLDEN YEGGS (Daffy Duck), and THE THREELITTLE BOPS. (Note: Some films may not be complete.) Also from Warner Bros.
CGSD demonstrates virtual reality driving simulator
CGSD unveils its DS-100 Virtual Reality Driving Simulator for the first time at this year's SIGGRAPH.
Women In Animation hosts the Klassy Gals from Klasky!
A lively evening of discussion with the women directors at Klasky-Csupoincluding Becky Bristow, Sylvia Keulan, Cathy Malkasian, Carol Millican,Bonita Versh, and special guest Jeff McGrath, creative producer for THEWILD THORNBERRYS. Location: Klasky Csupo, 6353 Sunset Blvd. RSVP: Tel.(310) 535-3838. The event takes place Wednesday, August 25, 6:30 pm inHollywood, California.
