CELEBRITY DEATHMATCH toys are coming
ToyBiz announced at ToyFair 99 that they have acquired the license to produce toys based on MTVs CELEBRITY DEATHMATCH.
Amid Amidi's Recent Posts
SPEED RACER toys are coming
Anime fans will soon be able to acquire SPEED RACER toys. ReSaurus is producing 12 Speed Racer and Trixie action figures, as well as Mach V and Shooting Star action playsets.
Book Review: 'A Bug's Life: The Art and Making of an Epic of Miniature Proportions'
There are no surprises here! Bill Mikulak reviews this home video turned motion picture that is sure to please young Doug fans.
Digital Noise Reduction: Where'd That Cartoon Go?
Technology. Man's best friend! A cartoon fan's worst enemy? Amid Amidi explains the hidden effects of digital noise reduction and why you may be seeing less of your favorite cartoons.
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
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)
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
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
"Breaking the TV Barrier" - a panel discussion with top animation writers
* Saturday, February 27. Los Angeles, California, USA.
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.
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:
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.
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).
Fox fills primetime schedule with cartoons
Seth MacFarlanes FAMILY GUY has edged out Matt Groenings FUTURAMA for Foxs golden post-SIMPSONS Sunday timeslot...
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.
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.
Ideas in Animation, an evening of animation set to live music
* Monday, February 22. San Francisco, California, U.S.A.
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 [email protected] or calling (407) 370-2673.
