Sarah Baisley's Recent Posts

Mark Ordesky's dedication and love for THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy and the success of the film franchise to New Line Productions' bottom line has been rewarded by his promotion to XVP/COO. In the new post, he will remain in Los Angeles overseeing the operations of the production staff. Fine Line Pictures' execs and acquisitions staff will continue to report to Ordesky as well. Ordesky started at New Line Cinema a decade ago as a script reader and worked his way up the ladder.

Sony Computer Entertainment America has promoted Frank O'Malley from director to VP of sales. With more than 35 years of business experience and 24 in sales directly, O'Malley is credited with having played a key role in developing and expanding the company's retail and distribution infrastructure and relations, especially responding to the introduction to the PlayStation game console in 1995. He will oversee all sales relations in North American for the PlayStation business, reporting directly to Jack Tretton, EVP of SCEA.

Former Harvey head Rick Mischel takes the reigns as CEO of Mainframe Entertainment, the pioneering computer animation studio in Canada. He replaces Brett Gannon, who stepped down as president in October 2002 for medical reasons. Mischel will be based at the company's headquarters in Vancouver, overseeing production, development, distribution, licensing, operations and business affairs. "We are looking to Rick to expand our computer graphics animation expertise beyond television and into new areas such as feature films.

Kids' WB! will add three new animated series to its Saturday morning and weekday slates with shows to roll out throughout the year, starting in summer 2003. The network will be sharing more series with sister cablecaster Cartoon Network and is combining the ad sales units of each it was announced Tuesday, February 25, 20003, at the joint Kids' WB! and Cartoon Network upfront sales presentations in New York City.

Kids in Southern California are invited to pony up their artistic interpretations during a special screening of SPIRIT: STALLION OF THE CIMARRON Sunday, March 2, 2003, which includes drawing lessons from animator James Baxter. Children can bring their own Spirit drawings to get in for free at the Mann Bruin Theatre at 948 Broxton in Westwood, California at 2:00 pm. Before the screening, Baxter will lead the audience in a 20-minute presentation on "How to Be an Animator." Baxter and his animation team will then judge DreamWorks Animation's "Draw Your Own Spirit" contest.

Animation industry veteran Max Howard has joined SecondSun Entertainment's board of directors. Howard is chairman/CEO/founder of Melwood Pictures, a Hollywood-based producer of animation and live-action films. Formerly he was president of feature animation at Warner Bros., a SVP at The Walt Disney Co. and, most recently, a producer at DreamWorks where he helped develop and produce SPIRIT, STALLION OF THE CIMARRON amongst the DreamWorks slate. While he was at Warner Bros., the studio produced THE IRON GIANT, QUEST FOR CAMELOT and SPACE JAM.

DAREDEVIL managed to cling onto its top box office position at theaters in North America for a second weekend (primary vfx by Rhythm & Hues, Pixel Magic and Digital Domain), holding off a challenge from DreamWork's school party film OLD SCHOOL. The Marvel Comics blind superhero flick pulled in an estimated gross of $18.9M, and moved its estimated 10-day cume to a healthy $70.3M.

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS picked up three BAFTA awards Sunday, February 23, 2003, during the Orange British Academy Film Awards held at the Odeon Leicester Square in the heart of London's West end. The VFX epic motion picture received Orange Film of the Year (voted by the public, whereas THE PIANIST won for Best Film, voted by members British Academy of Film and Television Arts). RINGS also won for Achievement in Special Visual Effects, singling out Jim Rygiel, Joe Letteri, Randall William Cook and Alex Funke for recognition.

Disney director Steve Trenbirth joins Mad Cow Pictures founder Steve Sagovac as co-owner of the Australian animation company. Before directing JUNGLE BOOK 2, Trenbirth was animation director on Disneys Annie Award nominated LADY & THE TRAMP 2 and Annie Award winning LION KING 2. Mad Cow offers Flash and traditional animation services, specializing in character design/development, storyboards, Leica reels and is developing its own projects including OOSTEVEN: PLAYGROUND PRIVATE EYE and LEEROY & LOU-ANNE.