Animation Magazine

Author: Ryan Ball

  • Gromit Sweeps Annie Awards

    The 33rd Annual Annie Awards turned out to be the Nick Park and Steve Box show as the directors took the stage to accept award after award for their clay-animated feature, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. The DreamWorks/Aardman film completely ran the feature categories, snagging a total of 10 Annies Saturday night at the Alex Theatre in Glendale Calif.

    The ever-growing awards ceremony was again hosted by animated actor Tom Kenny, the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants and other popular cartoon characters. Kenny couldn’t resist taking some expected pop-culture jabs, noting, ‘Last year, SpongeBob was under attack for being gay, and now what’s the biggest movie of the year? Brokeback Mountain. You see? Animation was there first!’ The audience was then treated to the signature ‘I wish I could quit you’ line as spoken by the yellow, absorbent one.

    The animation industry’s biggest awards event featured appearances by actor William Shatner (Boston Legal, Over the Hedge), writer/director Brad Bird (The Incredibles, The Iron Giant), actor Craig T. Nelson (The Incredibles, The Family Stone), actor Jason Alexander (Seinfeld, The Hunchback of Notre Dame) and TV toon creator Seth McFarlane (Family Guy, American Dad). A number of other Tinsel Town luminaries handed out trophies for the year’s best animation before a packed house of industry insiders.

    An overwhelming number of those golden zoetropes are headed across the pond to Bristol, England, home of Aardman Animations. In addition to the top feature award, Wallace & Gromit garnered kudos for animated effects (Jason Wen), character animation (Claire Billett), character design (Nick Park), directing (Nick Park, Steve Box), music (Julian Nott), production design (Phil Lewis), storyboarding (Bob Persichetti), voice acting (Peter Sallis) and writing (Steve Box, Nick Park, Bob Baker, Mark Burton).

    Upon accepting the writing award, Park quipped, ‘I’d like to thank the folks at DreamWorks for their copious notes. Your notes were like, how should I put it, fresh manure on our vegetables.’ The three-time Oscar winner made sure to clarify his remark later as he accepted the voice acting award for Wallace voicer Peter Sallis, whom Park referred to as ‘a warm pair of slippers in a very uncertain world.’

    The Wallace & Gromit directors were called up so many times that Kenny joked, ‘We’re having a diamond land to the stage put in just for Nick Park.’ Park seemed almost embarrassed by the sweep. ‘I’m really sorry about this,’ he said as he accepted the Best Animated Feature award. ‘I want to feel really proud of this, but I’m really humbled to be among all these wonderful nominees.’ Box added, ‘When Nick asked me to co-direct this film, it took me exactly 4 frames to say yes!’

    Pixar Animation Studio didn’t have a film in contention this year, but its merger with Disney was, of course, a hot button for host Kenny, who quipped, ‘I want to thank Bob Iger for bringing jobs back to Disney’Steve Jobs, that is. You can use an iMac to update your resumes.’

    A Certificate of Merit was presented to Larry Loc, director of Dream on Silly Dreamer, a documentary about the demise of Disney’s 2D studios and the many talented artist who found themselves unemployed. ‘I dedicate this award to all of the out-of-work animators out there,’ Loc declared, drawing thunderous applause. ‘Let’s get these people working again.’

    Bill Plympton’s The Fan and the Flower from Atomic Television and Plymptoons Prods. took Best Animated Short Subject. Known for his edgy animation style and penchant for comic gore, Plympton remarked, ‘Everyone expected the old lady to get her head cut off by the fan, but (writer) Dan O’Shannon said to keep it cool, keep it romantic.’

    The award for Best Animated Television Production went to Cartoon Network’s Star Wars: Clone Wars II, a micro-series directed by Samurai Jack creator Genndy Tartakovsky. The rest of the TV kudos were evenly divided among Cartoon Network, FOX and Nickelodeon. Cartoon Network’s Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends picked up a pair for music (James L. Venable) and production design (Phil Lewis), while Fox’s Family Guy was recognized with trophies for creator Seth McFarlane’s voice acting and Peter Shin’s directing. Nickelodoen’s popular anime-inspired series, Avatar: The Last Airbender, won for storyboarding while the network’s SpongeBob SquarePants earned the writing award for C.H. Greenblatt, Paul Tibbitt, Mike Bell and Tim Hill.

    Windsor McCay Award recipient Fred Crippen recalled how legendary toon studio UPA served as his animation school and how he would stay late at night to work on pencil tests. Before leaving the podium, he stated, ‘I’m a damn good animator and designer, and I can animate and design as well as I ever could. That’s my pitch, anyway.’

    Also accepting the juried Windsor McCay Award this year was Cornelius (Corny) Cole III, of whom June Foray Award winner Mark Kausler said, ‘If animation is art on film, then Corny is our poster boy.’ Currently a faculty member in the animation department at California Institute for the Arts, Cole worked in the animation industry for more than 50 years and counts among his credits Disney’s Lady and the Tramp, Chuck Jones’ Gay Purr-ee and The Phantom Tollbooth and the Academy Award-winning short Is it Right to be Right?

    ‘My heart hasn’t beat like this since I met my wife,’ remarked felly Windsor McCay honoree Tyrus Wong, who lamented never meeting Walt Disney during the three years he worked as a designer on Bambi. ‘Walt, I call on you now,’ he said, ‘You must be floating around here somewhere.’

    Other 2005 Annie Award Winners:

    Best Home Entertainment Production

    Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch has a Glitch

    DisneyToon Studios

    Best Animated Television Production

    United Airlines ‘Mr. Pants’

    Acme Filmworks

    Best Animated Video Game

    Ultimate Spider-Man

    Activision/Treyarch

    Ub Iwerks Award for Technical Acheivement

    Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride

  • Gromit Sweeps Annie Awards

    The 33rd Annual Annie Awards turned out to be the Nick Park and Steve Box show as the directors took the stage to accept award after award for their clay-animated feature, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. The DreamWorks/Aardman film completely ran the feature categories, snagging a total of 10 Annies Saturday night at the Alex Theatre in Glendale Calif.

    The ever-growing awards ceremony was again hosted by animated actor Tom Kenny, the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants and other popular cartoon characters. Kenny couldn’t resist taking some expected pop-culture jabs, noting, ‘Last year, SpongeBob was under attack for being gay, and now what’s the biggest movie of the year? Brokeback Mountain. You see? Animation was there first!’ The audience was then treated to the signature ‘I wish I could quit you’ line as spoken by the yellow, absorbent one.

    The animation industry’s biggest awards event featured appearances by actor William Shatner (Boston Legal, Over the Hedge), writer/director Brad Bird (The Incredibles, The Iron Giant), actor Craig T. Nelson (The Incredibles, The Family Stone), actor Jason Alexander (Seinfeld, The Hunchback of Notre Dame) and TV toon creator Seth McFarlane (Family Guy, American Dad). A number of other Tinsel Town luminaries handed out trophies for the year’s best animation before a packed house of industry insiders.

    An overwhelming number of those golden zoetropes are headed across the pond to Bristol, England, home of Aardman Animations. In addition to the top feature award, Wallace & Gromit garnered kudos for animated effects (Jason Wen), character animation (Claire Billett), character design (Nick Park), directing (Nick Park, Steve Box), music (Julian Nott), production design (Phil Lewis), storyboarding (Bob Persichetti), voice acting (Peter Sallis) and writing (Steve Box, Nick Park, Bob Baker, Mark Burton).

    Upon accepting the writing award, Park quipped, ‘I’d like to thank the folks at DreamWorks for their copious notes. Your notes were like, how should I put it, fresh manure on our vegetables.’ The three-time Oscar winner made sure to clarify his remark later as he accepted the voice acting award for Wallace voicer Peter Sallis, whom Park referred to as ‘a warm pair of slippers in a very uncertain world.’

    The Wallace & Gromit directors were called up so many times that Kenny joked, ‘We’re having a diamond lane to the stage put in just for Nick Park.’ Park seemed almost embarrassed by the sweep. ‘I’m really sorry about this,’ he said as he accepted the Best Animated Feature award. ‘I want to feel really proud of this, but I’m really humbled to be among all these wonderful nominees.’ Box added, ‘When Nick asked me to co-direct this film, it took me exactly four frames to say yes!’

    Pixar Animation Studio didn’t have a film in contention this year, but its merger with Disney was, of course, a hot button for host Kenny, who quipped, ‘I want to thank Bob Iger for bringing jobs back to Disney’Steve Jobs, that is. You can use an iMac to update your resumes.’

    A Certificate of Merit was presented to Dan Lund and Tony West, directors of Dream on Silly Dreamer, a documentary about the demise of Disney’s 2D studios and the many talented artist who found themselves unemployed. ‘I dedicate this award to all of the out-of-work animators out there,’ West declared, drawing thunderous applause. ‘Let’s get these people working again.’

    Cal State Fullerton animation teacher Larry Loc, who also runs the ASIFA web-log and is the founder and director of the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Rescue Team, also received a Certificate of Merit.

    Bill Plympton’s The Fan and the Flower from Atomic Television and Plymptoons Prods. took Best Animated Short Subject. Known for his edgy animation style and penchant for comic gore, Plympton remarked, ‘Everyone expected the old lady to get her head cut off by the fan, but (writer) Dan O’Shannon said to keep it cool, keep it romantic.’

    The award for Best Animated Television Production went to Cartoon Network’s Star Wars: Clone Wars II, a micro-series directed by Samurai Jack creator Genndy Tartakovsky. The rest of the TV kudos were evenly divided among Cartoon Network, FOX and Nickelodeon. Cartoon Network’s Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends picked up a pair for music (James L. Venable) and production design (Phil Lewis), while Fox’s Family Guy was recognized with trophies for creator Seth McFarlane’s voice acting and Peter Shin’s directing. Nickelodoen’s popular anime-inspired series, Avatar: The Last Airbender, won for storyboarding while the network’s SpongeBob SquarePants earned the writing award for C.H. Greenblatt, Paul Tibbitt, Mike Bell and Tim Hill.

    Windsor McCay Award recipient Fred Crippen recalled how legendary toon studio UPA served as his animation school and how he would stay late at night to work on pencil tests. Before leaving the podium, he stated, ‘I’m a damn good animator and designer, and I can animate and design as well as I ever could. That’s my pitch, anyway.’

    Also accepting the juried Windsor McCay Award this year was Cornelius (Corny) Cole III, of whom June Foray Award winner Mark Kausler said, ‘If animation is art on film, then Corny is our poster boy.’ Currently a faculty member in the animation department at California Institute for the Arts, Cole worked in the animation industry for more than 50 years and counts among his credits Disney’s Lady and the Tramp , Chuck Jones’ Gay Purr-ee and The Phantom Tollbooth and the Academy Award-winning short Is it Right to be Right?

    ‘My heart hasn’t beat like this since I met my wife,’ remarked felly Windsor McCay honoree Tyrus Wong, who lamented never meeting Walt Disney during the three years he worked as a designer on Bambi. ‘Walt, I call on you now,’ he said, ‘You must be floating around here somewhere.’

    The Annie Awards are a presentation of the International Animated Film Society, ASIFA-Hollywood. This year’s other winners are:

    Best Home Entertainment Production

    Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch has a Glitch

    DisneyToon Studios

    Best Animated Television Production

    United Airlines ‘Mr. Pants’

    Acme Filmworks

    Best Animated Video Game

    Ultimate Spider-Man

    Activision/Treyarch

    Ub Iwerks Award for Technical Acheivement

    Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride

  • Action/Cut Wants Your Shorts

    The Action/Cut Short Film Competition in Los Angeles has issued a call for entries and seeks animation of all genres and techniques. Now in its third year, the fest boasts a jury of high-level Hollywood players and a hundred or more awards valued at more than $50,000

    In addition to cash prizes, sponsor gifts and meetings with influential industry insiders, the Action/Cut fest offers its winners further promotion and exposure by streaming their films at http://www.actioncut.com/sfc/2005winners.htm.

    Last year, the Best Animation Short Film Award went to a film titled LOR from director Andy Murdock of San Francisco. The 2004 winner was Rockfish from Tim Miller and Blur Studios. The deadline for entries for the 2006 competition is May 15. More information can be found at www.actioncut.com.

  • DreamWorks Animation Marketing Goes to Press

    Terry Press, who has been marketing head of DreamWorks SKG for the past 10 years, is joining DreamWorks Animation as its worldwide head of marketing. Press will oversee all marketing and serve as the senior liaison with the marketing team at Paramount Pictures, which recently acquired DreamWorks and is responsible for the distribution and marketing of DreamWorks Animation releases.

    Press will have her work cut out for her with a busy slate of upcoming toon features, including the Aardman collaboration Flushed Away and the Jack Black starring vehicle Kung Fu Panda. Other candidates in development include an adaptation of Cressida Cowell’s children’s book, How to Train Your Dragon, an adaptation of vintage comic-book property Rex Havoc, an alien invasion yarn titled It Came From Earth!, and a road-trip movie titled Route 66, co-written by Shrek co-director Conrad Vernon and comedian/actor Harlan Williams.

    To date, DreamWorks Animation has released a total of eleven animated feature films, including Antz, Shrek, Shrek 2, Shark Tale, Madagascar and Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit. Paramount will release the studio’s latest computer-animated movie, Over the Hedge, on May 19.

  • CBS Gets Aardman’s Creature Comforts

    As its Wallace & Gromit movie vies for the Best Animated Feature Oscar, Aardman Animations has sold its Creature Comforts TV series to U.S. broadcast network CBS. Aardman’s clay-animated British hit is being adapted for American audiences and will join the CBS lineup as a midseason replacement for 2006-2007.

    CBS will initially air seven half-hour episodes for Creature Comforts, which takes audio interviews of people on the street and uses them as voice tracks for stop-motion animals. The concept was hatched in 1989 as a short which went on to win the Oscar in 1991. Directed by Wallace & Gromit creator Nick Park, the film was expanded into the U.K. TV series in 2003 and now follows the path to American sets recently traveled by Brit re-dos such as NBC’s short-lived Coupling and current hit The Office.

    Aardman will produce the new series in Los Angeles and at its Bristol, England studios. King of the Hill producer Kit Boss is serving as exec producer, along with Miles Bullough, The Gotham Group’s Ellen Goldsmith-Vein and Aardman’s Nick Park, David Sproxton and Peter Lord. Richard Goleszowski, the U.K. director of Creature Comforts, is supervising director of the American version.

    The British series began airing on cable network BBC America in December of 2005, introducing U.S. auds to the Annecy Award-winning plasticine comedy. In addition to the American incarnation, Aardman and Gotham Group are also developing a computer-animated kung fu chicken series titled Chop Socky Chooks.

    Creature Comforts will be CBS’s first attempt at primetime animation since failed efforts Fish Police (1992) and Family Dog (1993). With 2004’s early demise of NBC’s expensive DreamWorks CG toon, Father of the Pride, night-time animation is proving to be a tricky proposition for the big networks. Only FOX has had sustained success with The Simpsons and Family Guy.

  • Layoffs Hit EA

    Electronic Arts began laying off approximately 5% of its workforce this week as a result of a poor third quarter for the video game giant. Around 140 employees at its Redwood City headquarters were reportedly let go, and about 200 more pink slips are expected to be handed out in the U.S. and Canada.

    EA, which just extended its multi-million-dollar contract with pro golfer Tiger Woods, is dismissing artists and programmers in order to reduce costs. The company blames the industry-wide game sales slump for its 31% decline in profits for the quarter. It’s believed that gamers are saving their money for next-gen consoles and games rather than buying new titles for the soon-to-be-replaced PlayStation 2, Xbox and Game Cube units.

    Though top EA titles Need for Speed Most Wanted, FIFA 06, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, The Sims 2 and Madden NFL 06 all sold more than two million copies, the company’s net revenue is down 11% at $1.270 billion, compared to $1.428 billion for the fiscal quarter ended Dec. 31, 2004.

    This week, EA entered into a definitive merger agreement with mobile technology company JAMDAT. Under the deal, EA will pay $27 per share in cash in exchange for each share of JAMDAT common stock.

  • THQ Forms Kaos Studios

    Video game publisher THQ has opened Kaos Studios, a new development unit headed by veterans of Trauma Studios, creators of Desert Combat and Battlefield 2. Located in New York City, Kaos is developing an original property for next generation consoles and PC, which is scheduled for release in 2007.

    THQ now has 18 teams across 12 studios creating original properties to join the company’s lineup of hit franchises, which includes Destroy All Humans! Juiced and Full Spectrum Warrior, as well as the upcoming Saint’s Row, Titan Quest. and Company of Heroes.

    Kaos is keeping a tight lid on its flagship project, but promises to release details in the coming months. More information on the studio and its products can be found at www.kaosstudios.com.

  • Weinstein Co. Picks Up Exodus’ Igor

    Having tasted success with the independent CG-animated Hoodwinked, The Weinstein Co. has plunged deeper into the animated feature market. Company co-founder Harvey Weinstein today announced the acquisition of Exodus Film Group’s CG comedy feature, Igor. The Weinstein Co. will handle North American distribution for the family flick that puts a new spin on the mad scientist genre.

    Written by Chris McKenna (FOX’s American Dad), Igor is the story of a mad scientist’s hunchbacked lab assistant who has big dreams of becoming a scientist in his own right by winning top prize at the annual Evil Science Fair. Currently in preproduction, the feature is based on the upcoming Exous short Igor: Unholy Frijoles, which boasts the voices of Christian Slater, Jay Leno, Steve Buscemi and John Cleese. It’s not yet known if any of the cast members will return for the feature, which has no director attached.

    Igor is being produced by John D. Eraklis and exec produced by seasoned animation exec Max Howard, who has collaborated on such animated blockbusters as Diney’s The Lion King and Aladdin, and Warner Bros.’ Space Jam and The Iron Giant.

    On Feb. 24, The Weinstein Co. will usher into theaters the CG feature Doogal, a re-worked version of the U.K. release Sprung: The Magic Roundabout. Other upcoming projects include a computer-generated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the animated Opus, Cricket in Times Square and Hood Vs. Evil, the sequel to Hoodwinked.

    In addition to Igor, Exodus is developing the animated movies The Hero of Color City and Amarillo Armadillo, which Howard will exec produce. Read our interview with Howard on Exodus and Igor at www.animationmagazine.net/article.php?article_id=4679.

  • NEWS BITES:Game On for New Tron Comic

    Disney and SLG Publishing are set to release a new comic book titled Tron: The Ghost in the Machine. Written by Landry Walker and Eric Jones (Little Gloomy, X-Ray Comics) and drawn by animator Louie De Martinis, the comic picks up where the video game Tron 2.0 leaves off. Jet Bradley has escaped from the computer world to find he can’t seem to adjust to the real world. Beset by insomnia and paranoia, he avoids technology as much as possible but something in the computer world wants him back. The ongoing, full-color series will be published bi-monthly, with issue one available this April through comic book stores, Amazon.com and the publisher at www.slgpublishing.com.

    Moonscoop, MYP Distribution Bound By Taffy

    European animation company MoonScoop and U.S.-based independent animation studio Mike Young Productions (MYP) are consolidating their distribution and licensing activities under the Taffy Ent. banner. MoonScoop recently acquired a 51% majority stake in MYP, creating a combined catalog of more than 2400 half hours of animation. Key titles include MoonScoop’s Code Lyoko, Titeuf, The Fantastic Four, Funky Cops, Doctor Dog and Little Vampire, and MYP’s ToddWorld, Pet Alien, Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks and the upcoming Growing Up Creepie, I Got A Rocket and Dive! Olly! Dive! Taffy Ent. will be based in Europe. MoonScoop and MYP will continue to separately handle their own production activity.

    Depp Goes Animatronic

    Both the Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida will close their Pirates of the Caribbean attraction in March in order to make some changes to the long-time amusement park staple. Joining the animatornic pirates on the Spanish Main is Captain Jack Sparrow, Johnny Depp’s character in the hit movie, Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl. Sparrow’s emesis, Barbossa, will also appear in the new storyline when the attraction reopens in time for the July 7 big-screen debut of the sequel, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest.

  • Digital Dimension Creates Legend

    Digital Dimension Canada, a division of Los Angeles-based vfx and animation house Digital Dimension, is animating a new feature film titled The Legend of Secret Pass. The studio is using SOFTIMAGE|XSI as its main 3D production tool for the CG feature, which is being produced by JC2 Ent.

    Set in the American southwest, The Legend of Secret Pass will feature a large cast of animals and humans who get caught up in a ‘clash of ageless magic.’ The Thunderbirds of American Indian folklore also play into the story, in which a young Indian boy must prevent a cataclysmic event.

    Digital Dimension chose SOFTIMAGE|XSI for its advanced non-linear character workflow, customizable rendering tools and the extended memory capabilities of 64-bit SOFTIMAGE|XSI version 5.0 for faster rendering times. Other desirable features include the integration of SyFlex cloth and mental ray rendering technology.

    Scheduled for release in late 2007, The Legend of Secret Pass is an international effort. The director and design/storyboarding team is based in Sydney, Australia, while post-production operations are being handled in Los Angeles, Calif. The film’s official web site, www.legendofsecretpass.com, features concept art and CG images, and will soon offer behind-the-scenes features so visitors can follow the production process.

  • Bauhaus Forms New Mirage Development Team

    Animation and special effects tool provider Bauhaus Software is expanding its in-house development team for the next version of Bauhaus Mirage, the company’s award-winning 2D animation product. The unit recently developed a fully-digital storyboarding system dubbed Board-o-Matic and a collection of image manipulation and animation-specific tools called the Animator’s Toolbar.

    “We are pleased by the widespread adoption of Mirage by the 2D animation community, and feel the time is right to expand our internal development team,” says Bauhaus CEO Dan Kraus. “Mirage has taken its place among the top solutions for 2D animation production, and we look forward to many exciting announcements in the coming months.”

    Recent Bauhaus product releases developed by its in-house team include

    Bauhaus’s customers include Film Roman, Cartoon Network, Klasky-Csup, and Pixar. The company’s Mirage suite of products is available for both Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X, and can be purchased through the Bauhaus Software website, http://www.bauhaussoftware.com, and authorized distributors worldwide.

  • Ubisoft Bringing Capcom Hits to PC

    Ubisoft has inked a deal to distribute the hit Capcom console games Resident Evil 4, Onimusha 3 and Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening Special Edition for PC in North America and European territories. The first title, Onimusha 3: Demon Siege, will ship to retail this month.

    The Latest installment in the hugely successful horror shooter franchise, Resident Evil 4 garnered critical acclaimed and picked up a number of Game of the Year awards in 2005. Onimusha 3: Demon Siege stars French actor Jean Reno (The Pink Panther, The Professional) in a combat fantasy set in medieval Japan. Known for its hard-hitting action, the gothic Devil May Cry series gets a new character, a new boss and many new levels with Dante’s Awakening, the third entry in the popular saga.

    Ubisoft can be found on the web at www.ubisoftgroup.com, and Capcom at www.capcom.com.

  • 46 films Tapped for Cartoon Movie

    The eighth edition of Cartoon Movie is set to kick off on March 9 in the Babelsberg Studios in Potsdam, Germany. The three-day annual event is expected to draw more than 450 film industry professionals to screen 46 films from 13 different European countries.

    This year, France (14 films) and Spain (13 films) are the most heavily represented countries. The U.K, Germany, Denmark and Sweden follow with three films each. The program will also include features from Belgium, Finland, Ireland, Latvia, Poland, the Czech Republic and Estonia.

    Among the projects featured are M6 Studio’s Asterix and the Vikings, Method Films’ Renaissance, Les Armateurs’ Kirikou and the Wild Beasts, TV Loonland/Happy Life/ A.Films’ Pettsson and Findus: The Tomte Machine and Rothkirch/Cartoon Films/Warner Bros. Ent.’s Little Polar Bear 2. Spain will be represented by Filmax Animation’s Gisaku, Dygra films’ Midsummer Dream and M5 Audiovisual/Dziki Film’s The Magic Cube.

    Also screening this year are 14 films in production or post-production. Thes include Prima Linea’s U, A.Film/MagmaFilms/futurikon/Ulysses’ The Ugly Duckling and Me and Y.C. Aligator Film’s Snow White, the Sequel.

    Cartoon Movie is produced with support from the Media Programme of the European Union, the Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, the Ministry of France for the Land Brandenburg, the Mitteldeutsch Medienforderung, the FFA and the ILB. More information on the event is available at www.cartoon-media.be

  • Adrenalini Brothers Rush to Cartoon Network

    Cartoon Network has acquired the The Amazing Adrenalini Brothers!, an animated series from Bejuba Ent. and co-production partners Pesky and Studio B Prods. Based on a popular series of web shorts, the show has been picked up for Cartoon Network U.S. and Latin America, as well as all Cartoon Network feeds in Asia and Europe.

    The Amazing Adrenalini Brothers! is a Flash-animated 2D series (26×30) geared to kids 6-12. The show follows the misadventures of three daredevil siblings who live for action and excitement. Having left their little-known homeland of Rendoosia, where danger is a way of life, the Adrenalinis are on a mission to amaze people the world over with their mind-boggling feats, which never quite go as planned. The series debuted on ITV in the U.K. on Jan. 7th and is set to launch on YTV in Canada this spring.

    The original Amazing Adrenalini Brothers! shorts, a Pesky collaboration with writing team The POX, have aired in over 50 countries and won audience awards at such festivals as Annecy in France and Animamundi in Brazil. More information can be found at www.pesky.com and www.adrenalini.com.

  • Ninja Turtles Fast Forward to Future

    4Kids Ent. announced today that the fifth season of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series will take place 99 years in the future and will offer a whole new look for the heroes on a half-shell. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’Fast Forward is scheduled to join the 4Kids TV lineup this fall.

    The new season finds Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello and Raphael in the year 2105, where they no longer have to hide under the city streets. “The evolution of the Turtles moving out of the sewers and living among humans is a story arc that provides the right combination of intrigue and comedic material to capture a wider television audience and extend the brand,’ says 4Kids Ent. Chairman and CEO Alfred R. Kahn. ‘We believe our fresh approach to this successful series will continue to entertain the legions of Turtles fans as well as appeal to new viewers on 4Kids TV.”

    Supported by a new line a new line of action figures and other products from master toy licensee Playmates Toys, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’Fast Forward will be part of FOX’s four-hour 4Kids TV Saturday morning block. The lineup also includes Magical DoReMi, Winx Club, Bratz, Sonic X and G.I. Joe Sigma 6.

  • Tartakovsky Feels Power of the Dark Crystal

    Genndy Tartakovsky, creator of Cartoon Network’s Samurai Jack and Dexter’s Laboratory, has signed on to direct Power of the Dark Crystal, the sequel to the 1982 Jim Henson Co. puppet fantasy. Since wrapping production on Star Wars: Clone Wars, Tartakovsky has been heading up Orphanage Animation Studios, which will handle all CG elements for Power.

    Power of the Dark Crystal takes place hundreds of years after the events of the first movie and follows the adventures of a mysterious girl made of fire who, together with a Gelfling outcast, steals a shard of the legendary Crystal in an attempt to reignite the dying sun that exists at the center of the planet. The screenplay was written by David Odell (The Dark Crystal) and Annette Duffy.

    Like its predecessor, the sequel will star live-action, animatronic characters puppeteered by the crew at Henson Creature Shop. Legendary fantasy artist Brian Froud, designer of the original film, will return to put his stamp on the new characters.

    Tartakovsky comments, ‘The original Dark Crystal was one of the most inspirational and imaginative pictures of its time, so it’s a real honor for me to be able to bring the world of The Dark Crystal to a whole new generation.”

    “As an auteur of such exciting and fantastical adventure projects, Genndy is the perfect director to bring to life Power of the Dark Crystal,’ says Jim Henson Co. co-CEO Lisa Henson. “I am sure that his visualization of Brian Froud’s designs will thrill fans of the original film as well as audiences who are meeting these beloved characters for the first time.”

    In addition to the sequel, The Hensons plan to further expand the Dark Crystal property with an animated television series, a manga series from Tokyo Pop and a variety of licensed products including books, apparel and collectible sculptures.

    Power of the Dark Crystal will be produced by Lisa Henson and Orphanage Animation Studios Chairman Scott Stewart. Brian Henson will serve as exec producer, along with Ralph Kamp and Louise Goodsill of Odyssey Ent., which is representing worldwide sales and distribution of the film.

  • DreamWorks/Paramount Deal Complete

    Paramount Pictures has closed its acquisition of distribution entity DreamWorks Studios and is set to kick off its seven-year DreamWorks Animation distribution deal with the May 19 release of Over the Hedge. The news comes as Paramount completes its $1.6 billion acquisition of DreamWorks SKG, the troubled studio founded by Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen.

    Last month, Paramount acquired worldwide theatrical, home entertainment and television distribution rights to DreamWorks Animation films. The studio will be responsible for the marketing and distribution of DreamWorks Animation films and will earn the same 8% distribution fee previously paid to DreamWorks Studios. In turn, DreamWorks Animation received $75 million in cash, which it has used to repay debt.

    Katzenberg will continue to head DreamWorks Animation, while Spileberg and Geffen retain in their respective roles as producer/director and chairman of DreamWorks.

  • Rad-ify your Favorite Games!Pick the 2005 Rad Pack

    Animation Magazine announces the nominees for our fourth annual Rad Pack Awards. Now it’s up to you to vote for the best games of 2005! Make your picks at: https://www.dev.animationmagazine.net/wordpress/radpack.

    Winners will be announced on Monday, March 20, in time for the start of this year’s Game Developer’s Conference in San Jose, Cailf.

    And the Nominees are:

    Best Console Game

    SOCOM 3: U.S. Navy SEALs

    Sony Computer Entertainment America

    Call of Duty 2: Big Red One

    Activision/Treyarch

    Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland

    Activision/Neversoft

    Peter Jackson’s King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie

    Vivendi Universal Games/Ubisoft

    Resident Evil 4

    Capcom/Capcom Production Studio 4

    Best PC Game

    World of Warcraft

    Vivendi Universal Games/Blizzard Ent.

    The Movies

    Activision/Lionhead Studios

    Star Wars Battlefront II

    Lucas Arts/Pandemic Studios

    F.E.A.R.

    Vivendi Universal Games/Monolith Prods.

    Age of Empires III

    Microsoft Game Studios/Ensemble Studios

    Best Handheld Game

    The Con

    Sony Computer Entertainment America/Think and Feel Inc.

    Nintendogs

    Nintendo

    SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs: Fireteam Bravo

    Sony Computer Entertainment America/Zipper Interative

    Burnout Legends

    Electronic Arts/Criterion Games

    Lumines

    Ubisoft/Q Ent.

    Best Cut Scene Cinematic Animation

    Peter Jackson’s King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie

    Vivendi Universal Games/Ubisoft

    Gun

    Activision/Neversoft

    Call of Duty 2: Big Red One

    Activision/Treyarch

    Ratchet & Clank: Deadlocked

    Sony Computer Entertainment America/Naughty Dog

    Best Character Design

    Rise of Kasai

    Sony Computer Entertainment America/Bottlerocket Ent. Inc.

    Evil Dead: Regeneration

    THQ/Cranky Pants

    Ultimate Spider-Man

    Activision/Treyarch

    The Suffering: Ties That Bind

    Midway Games/Surreal Software

    Soul Calibur III

    Namco

    Best Overall Game Animation

    The Matrix: Path of Neo

    Atari/Shiny Ent.

    Ultimate Spider-Man

    Activision/Treyarch

    Peter Jackson’s King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie

    Vivendi Universal Games/Ubisoft

    Destroy All Humans

    THQ/Pandemic Studios

    Resident Evil 4

    Capcom/Capcom Production Studio 4

  • Corpse Bride Resurrected on Disc

    Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride arrives on Home Video today, just in time to capitalize on the morning’s announcement of the film’s Oscar nomination. Warner Bros.’ comically macabre stop-motion musical was not among the year’s top-grossing animated releases, but should come alive at retail with a little help from the Academy. Stop-mo fans can also pick up director Will Vinton’s Clay-animated The Adventures of Mark Twain and John Roecker’s Live Freaky! Die Freaky!, a rock musical featuring the voices and music of such top bands as Green Day, Good Charlotte, Rancid and Blink 182.

    Corpse Bride stars Johnny Depp as the voice of Victor, a young man who is whisked away to the underworld and wed to the mysterious title character, voiced by Helena Bonham Carter. While the Land of the Dead proves more lively than his Victorian England, Victor must find a way to get back above ground to his fianc’e, Victoria (Emily Watson).

    DVD special features include a behind-the-scenes documentary titled Inside the Two Worlds, an in-depth look at how the animators approached their characters, a featurette on the film’s creator titled Tim Burton’Dark vs. Light, an exploration of how the voice cast helped bring the animation puppets to life, an inside tour the puppet workshop, pre-production galleries, a featurette on how composer Danny Elfman Interpreted the film’s two distinct worlds and a music-only track.

    Released in September of last year, Corpse Bride earned just $53 million in North America and took in nearly $117 million worldwide. Those who missed it at the theater will surely be checking it out on disc prior to Oscar night. The DVD retails for the suggested price of $28.98.

    In the Will Vinton tradition, 1984’s The Adventures of Mark Twain employs claymation to combine stories from more than four books by the legendary scribe. Actor James Whitmore (The Shawshank Redemption,TV’s The Practice) provides the voice of Twain, who pilots an interplanetary balloon with the goal of finding Halley’s Comet and crashing into it, thus fulfilling his destiny. It’s up to stowaways Tom Sawyer, Becky Thatcher and Huck Finn to convince him that he still has much to offer the world and that the human race isn’t so bad after all. Along the way, they use a magical time portal to witness the historical events that inspired Twain’s works. The MGM/Sony release lists for $14.94.

    Live Freaky! Die Freaky! (2003) is a stop-mo curiosity featuring the voices of such rockers as Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day, Tim Armstrong from Rancid and Operation Ivy, John Doe of X and Jane Wiedlin from The GoGos. Actress Asia Argento (George Romero’s Land of the Dead), daughter of horror filmmaker Dario Argento, also lends her voice to this musical comedy that has Charles Manson returning to lead survivors of war and ozone depletion in a futuristic world. The DVD features commentary by director John Roecker (Disease is Punishment) and Billie Joe Armstrong, a deleted scene, storyboards, a music video and the behind-the-scenes featurettes Making Puppets Speak, Desert Footage and Soundtrack Rehearsals and Recordings. The Genius/Wellspring release comes with a soundtrack CD and lists for $29.98.

  • Pink Panther Prowls on DVD

    As Sony Pictures’ live-action revisit of Blake Edward’s The Pink Panther gets set to bow in theaters on Feb. 10, the famous feline cartoon creation of Friz Freleng and David DePatie arrives on DVD with a five-disc set of animated episodes.

    Pink Panther Classic Cartoon DVD Collection offers 124 cartoons produced between 1964 and 1980. Retailing for around $69.96, the set also includes a tutorial on how to draw the Pink Panther, storyboard-to-screen comparisons and the original animated title sequences that graced the series of live-action movies.

    Also available as single-disc releases are Pink Panther Classic Cartoon Collection Volume 1: Pranks in the Pink, Pink Panther Classic Cartoon Collection Volume 2: Adventures in the Pink and Pink Panther Classic Cartoon Collection Volume 3: Frolics in the Pink. Each MGM release includes 27 episodes and lists for $14.95

    On the big screen, Steve Martin takes over the role of bumbling French crime fighter Inspector Clouseau, a role originated by the late comic genius Peter Sellers. Also on board for this franchise prequel are Kevin Kline, Jean Reno and Beyonc’ Knowles. In addition, the title character will return for the opening and closing credits courtesy of new 2D animation by Burbank animation house Kurtz and Friends, run by Emmy-winnning Pink Panther veteran Bob Kurtz.