Animation Magazine

Author: Ryan Ball

  • Trouble Brewing for The Bat?

    With witches, bats and zombies battling it out at the box office, it would seem as though Halloween has come a bit early this year. The competition gets spooky this weekend as Warner Bros.’ Batman Begins defends the top spot from Sony’s big-screen update of the classic TV comedy Bewitched and the latest gore fest from horror maestro George A. Romero, Land of the Dead.

    While positive word-of-mouth should keep director Christopher Nolan’s Dark Night entry rolling in the bucks, one cannot underestimate the star power of Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrell, and the familiarity of vintage TV that moviegoers tend to find comforting. On the 1960s Bewitched sitcom, the special effects were pretty much limited to objects floating on filament and people appearing and disappearing via jump cuts. And though it would be fun to see some of those old-school, low-tech tricks pop up again, effects shop Rhythm & Hues has no doubt taken a more sophisticated route in helping to bring the supernatural romantic comedy to the silver screen.

    Though it’s debuting in fewer theaters, good reviews may help make a formidable contender of Land of the Dead, the fourth installment of Romero’s zombie saga that began with 1968’s Night of the Living Dead and continued with 1978’s Dawn of the Dead and 1985’s Day of the Dead. Backed by Universal, the master of the macabre finally gets a big budget to work with and incorporates state-of-the-art visual effects by K.N.B EFX Group, SPIN VFX, Switch VFX and J.M.S. Special Effects.

    Also opening in wide release this weekend is Disney’s Herbie: Fully Loaded. Lindsay Lohan (Freaky Friday) stars in this revival of the comic film series about a Volkswagen bug with a mind of its own. Helping to bring the mischievous racecar to life are Entity FX, Industrial Light & Magic and Lola Visual Effects. In addition, rumor has it that Disney technicians had to digitally raise necklines and decrease the size of Lohan’s bust for certain scenes after parents objected at test screenings.

  • VES Fest This Weekend

    The Visual Effects Society (VES) this weekend kicks off the 2005 edition of its VFX Festival of Visual Effects at the newly restored Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, Calif. Taking place June 24-26, the fest provides visual effects artists worldwide a unique platform to showcase their distinctive talents in front of industry professionals and the public at large.

    One highlight for animation fans is a special behind-the-scenes look at DreamWorks’ latest CG hit, Madagascar. Members of the film’s creative team will be on hand to show clips and offer insight into the production process. The program will be held Friday, June 24 from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., following a presentation on the artistry of models and miniatures in today’s digital world (1 p.m.-2:30 p.m.).

    Saturday’s program will kick off at 9 a.m. with a retrospective presentation titled "Visual Effects Paradiso–700 Years of Visual Effects." Distinguished visual effects supervisor Mike Fink will chronicle the evolution of movie magic from its crude beginnings to the modern digital age. Then, at 11 a.m., the visual effects teams from CafeFX and The Orphanage will discuss how they helped director Robert Rodriquez bring Frank Miller’s Sin City comics to the big screen.

    Other Saturday highlights include an in-depth look at the effects of Star Wars: Episode III–Revenge of the Sith (1:30 p.m.—3 p.m.). Visual effects wizards from ILM will illustrate how they managed to pull off the film’s whopping 2000 effects shots. The program will be followed by an open-ended conversation with Academy Award winners Jim Rygiel (Lord of the Rings trilogy) and Richard Edlund (Star Wars, Raider of the Lost Ark). The special "VES Insiders" session will be held from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Gamers can catch a glimpse at the future of gaming at 5:30 p.m. and the day concludes with an 8 p.m. screening of Batman Begins, preceded by a panel discussion featuring vfx supervisor Paul Franklin from Double Negative.

    The Aero Theater is located at 1328 Montana in Santa Monica. Full festival tickets, which grant admission to all of the shows, are available for $300. Admission for individual shows is $20 and $30 for premium shows. Ticket and parking information, as well as a full schedule of events, can be found at www.visualeffectssociety.com.

  • Keynotes, Program Unveiled for GDC Europe ’05

    Industry veteran and Sony exec Phil Harrison will deliver the Wednesday, Aug. 31 keynote address at the 5th Annual Game Developers Conference Europe (GDC Europe) in London, England. Keita Takahashi, creator of the ht video game Katamari Damacy, will follow with the closing keynote address on Thursday, Sept. 1.

    During a Q & A session and interview with GDC Europe Conference director Jamil Moledina, Harrison will discuss next-generation development and the state of the European interactive entertainment community. Harrison is currently the exec VP of development for Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. Previously, he was responsible for the day-to-day management of Sony Computer Entertainment America’s extensive third party program, including licensee relations, product planning and strategic relationships.

    Takahashi will give a detailed inside look into the development process for Katamari Damacy, a quirky sleeper hit in which the player rolls game objects into an ever-increasing ball, while working against the clock. He will be presenting previews of his latest project: We Love Katamari.

    “Through industry-defining keynotes to next-generation content, GDC Europe provides the European game development community an essential forum in which to learn and network,” says Moledina. “Visionary speakers such as Phil Harrison and Keita Takahashi form the nucleus of current game creation, and are ideally positioned to inform and influence.”

    GDC Europe also released details of its conference program, which is designed to keep developers current on today’s issues and next-generation strategies for tomorrow. The event will innovative sessions featuring the developers of Killzone, Singstar, Project Gotham Racing 3 and more. Attendees can choose sessions from any of the five conference tracks including Production and Management, Tools and Tricks, Case Studies, Vision and Best of GDC. Through three days of lectures, keynotes, panels, and tutorials, leading developers will share practical information and artistic inspiration within a forum exclusively focused on the European game development.

    Festivities will kick off on Aug. 30 with GDC Europe Mobile, a one-day intensive seminar focusing exclusively on mobile game creation. From groundbreaking technical discussions in areas such as 3G games and developing in a fractured platform environment, the seminar will deliver detailed programming, design and production sessions featuring speakers from leading development studios, publishers, handset manufacturers and carriers.

    Early rate pricing for GDC Europe expires Wednesday, Aug. 3. Registration and program details may be accessed at www.gdceurope.com.

  • Nick’s Backyardigans Hits Licensing Scene

    Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products debuted the licensing program for the hit Nickelodeon animated series The Backyardigans at the Int’l Licensing Show in New York. While the show joins the Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products portfolio, Nelvana will continue to oversee merchandising activities in Canada and global home video.

    Co-produced by Nick Jr. and Corus Ent.’s Nelvana, The Backyardigans is a CG-animated musical adventure series about five high-spirited preschool friends who rely on their vivid imaginations to embark on epic adventures. In every episode, the backyard transforms into a new fantastic, photo-real landscape that serves as the backdrop for original, story-driven musicals. The series also airs weekends on CBS.

    The Backyardigans is created by and exec produced by Janice Burgess (Little Bill), and is exec produced and directed by Robert Scull (Little Bill, Whoopi’s Littleburg).

    Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products says its international revenues more than tripled in 2004, up 201% from 2003. The company reported $4.7 billion in retail sales in 2004, from such properties as SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer. The department handles the merchandising for Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures, Comedy Central, MTVN International and Spike TV.

  • 4Kids’ Kahn Inducted Into LIMA Hall of Fame

    Alfred R. Kahn, chairman and CEO of 4Kids Ent. Inc., was inducted into the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association (LIMA) Murray Altchuler Licensing Hall of Fame during a ceremony on Wednesday night. Kahn has been a driving force behind the growth of such properties as The Cabbage Patch Kids, Pokémon, The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Yu-Gi-Oh!.

    "During the course of his three-decade career in licensing, Al has stood out as a pioneer in identifying trends in popular culture and adapting them to a global audience," says LIMA president Charles Riotto. "His unique insight has translated into much success, not just for his company, but the licensing industry as a whole."

    Kahn comments, "It is a privilege to be associated with the same people whose work I have admired for years. I am proud of my long-time association with LIMA, and look forward to a successful partnership for many more years to come."

    4Kids had several properties nominated for International Licensing Excellence Awards. The Cabbage Patch Kids dolls were up for Best Character Brand Licensee of the Year–Hard Goods (with Play Along Inc); Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (with Mirage Licensing Inc.) for Best Film & Television Brand License of the Year and Overall Best License of the Year; Yu-Gi-Oh! for Best Film & Television Brand License of the Year and Overall Best License of the Year; and Artlist Collection: The Dog (with Artlist International) for Best Promotion of the Year.

    The International Licensing Excellence awards ceremony took place Wednesday night and saw Spider-Man take overall license of 2004 and best promotion. Meanwhile, Dora the Explorer was named film and television brand license of the year, and Target was dubbed retailer of the year for success with the SpongeBob SquarePants brand.

  • MTV2 Orders More Video Mods

    The unique combination of video games and music videos known as Video Mods will be returning to MTV2. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the music television network has ordered a full season of the show, which previously enjoyed a limited number of airings. Set to join the Friday night lineup, the series features popular video game characters doing their thing to the latest hit tunes.

    MTV will air seven new episodes, with each installment featuring five music videos and a behind-the-scenes look at the collaboration between video-game creators and recording artists. The season premiere will reportedly include characters from LucasArts’ Star Wars: Episode III–Revenge of the Sith game rocking out to Franz Ferdinand’s "Take Me Out," while Crypto from THQ’s Destroy All Humans explodes brains to Sum 41’s “Pieces.”

    Fans who want to try their hand a creating their own Video Mods can next week log onto www.MTV2.com and use the Video Mods Remixer to work unlicensed music into 2K Games’ Outlaw Golf and Outlaw Volleyball.

    Video Mods is created and exec produced by Tony Shiff and Big Bear Ent., in association with producer IBC Digital.

  • Producers’ Guild Flashes to the Future

    The PGA New Media Council invites industry professionals and toon fans to meet the producers and execs behind such animation productions as Coconut Fred’s Fruit Salad Island, Hi Hi Puffy Ami Yumi, Kid Notorious, Fosters Home For Imaginary Friends, The Buzz On Maggie, D.I.R.T. Squirrel, Mr. Wong and Queer Duck. The honored guests will be part of a special animation panel discussion titled Flash to the Future, taking place Thursday, June 23, at 7:30 p.m. at Warner Bros. Animation. The event is presented by the New Media Council of the Producers Guild of America and is produced by NMC Events Committee chairs James Fino and Duncan Wain.

    The discussion will focus on the dynamic evolution of Flash as a valuable animation production tool and its economic and artistic impact on current and future cross-platform properties. The panel will be moderated by producer/animator Evan Spiridellis, who co-founded JibJab Media with his brother, Gregg Spiridellis, in 1999. He has produced short films for clients including Disney, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, FOX, the History Channel, Sony, Kraft and Revlon. In 2004, the brothers’ short film, Ahnuld For Governor, appeared in the Sundance Film Festival and may way for their 2004 Internet sensation, This Land.

    Spiridellis will introduce panelists Aaron Simpson, producer for Warner Bros. Animation; Marge Dean, producer for Warner Bros. Animation; Ashley Postlewaite, executive producer for Renegade Animation; Alx Meza, Flash animator for Renegade Animation; Dave Wasson, director/exec producer for Disney TV Animation; Brendan Burch, president of Six Point Harness; and Tal O. Vigderson, managing director for Icebox.

    The event will be held in the Multi-Purpose Room on the first floor of Warner Bros. Animation, located at 15301 Ventura Blvd. Unit E, Sherman Oaks, Calif. There is no charge for Active PGA Members. Guests accompanied by Active PGA members can get in for $15. Others will be charged $25 (bring a $25 check payable to "Producers Guild of America"). Parking is available in the parking structure on Camarillo (signs state "Sherman Oaks Galleria" visitor parking). Seating is limited. Call (310) 358-9020 x101 for availability.

  • Fleischer Biography to Animate Bookstores

    Toon fans can kick off their summer reading with Out of the Inkwell: Max Fleischer and The Animation Revolution when the long awaited biography hits bookshelves on Jun 24. Written by Richard Fleischer, son of the legendary animation pioneer, the book promises an in-depth look at the man who brought to the screen such timeless characters as Betty Boop, Koko the Klown, Popeye and Superman.

    Out of the Inkwell is described as a vivid portrait of the life and world of a man who shaped television animation and became a major player in the development of Hollywood entertainment. Among his accomplishments was the invention of the rotoscope technique, which is still used today and is seen as a precursor to motion-capture technology. The book features a forward by Leonard Maltin, and is being published and released by the University Press of Kentucky.

    "My father’s creations have inspired and entertained millions," says Richard Fleischer, director of such classic films as 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, Tora! Tora! Tora! and The Boston Strangler. "I felt it was important to tell his story, which is so entertaining and touching, and has so many amazing ups and downs."

    Max Fleischer founded Fleischer Studios with his brother, Dave Fleischer, in 1921. Now based in the Los Angeles area and headed by Max Fleischer’s grandson, Mark Fleischer, the studio is still actively developing media and other opportunities for Betty Boop (www.bettyboop.com) with King Features Syndicate, the world-wide licensing and merchandising representative for the character. Richard Fleischer continues to act as chairman of the board.

  • Mattel is the One for 4Kids’ One Piece

    At the Int’l Licensing Show in New York today, 4Kids Ent. Inc. and Toei Animation announced that Mattel Inc. has been awarded the master toy license for the hit animated action series One Piece. The show airs on 4Kids TV, the company’s Saturday morning block on FOX, and Cartoon Network’s Saturday evening Toonami block.

    Mattel will produce action figures, play sets, role-play items, games, puzzles and a host of other products based on the series. The One Piece toys are expected to begin rolling out in North America by December 2005.

    4Kids and Toei recently granted One Piece video game rights to Bandai, which will develop titles for PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance and GameCube, as well as collectible card games, for release this fall.

    One Piece centers on a young boy named Monkey D. Luffy, who lives in a small port village and aspires to be a pirate like his childhood hero, “Red-Haired” Shanks. When he accidentally eats the cursed Gum-Gum Fruit, he gains the power to stretch like rubber, at the cost of never being able to swim again. Despite this limitation, he vows to grow up to become the king of the pirates and find the greatest pirate treasure of all–the legendary “One Piece.”

    Created by Eiichiro Oda, the property was introduced in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine in 1997 and went on to spawn five theatrical releases, eight video games and more than $1 billion in retail sales in Japan since 1999.

  • Southern Island on the Case for FUNimation

    FUNimation, which was recently acquired by Navarre Corp., has named Southern Island the master toy licensee for Case Closed, the popular anime series known as Detective Conan in Japan. Southern Island was also awarded action figure licenses for FUNimation’s Fullmetal Alchemist, Fruits Basket and Blue Gender.

    Commenting on Southern Island, FUNimation Ent. president Gen Fukunaga notes, “They understand the charisma of dynamic anime brands like Case Closed, Fruits Basket and Blue Gender, and they recognize the strong cross over appeal that Fullmetal Alchemist brings to the mass market.”

    The Case Closed, Fullmetal Alchemist, Fruits Basket and Blue Gender deals will see Southern Island develop highly articulated 6- to 8-inch action figures and deluxe 10- to 12-inch figure lines over the next four-years. The toy maker will also develop busts and statues for Fruits Basket and Blue Gender. Initial products for 2006 may show up in time for the American Int’l Fall Toy Show this October.

    Case Closed follows the adventures of Jimmy Kudo, a teenage detective who is given an experimental drug that transforms him into a child. In his new pint-sized body, the sleuth is able to gather clues that the police are unable to see. He even adopts the name Conan in honor of Sherlock Holms creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

  • DC Comics Adopts Princess Natasha

    Princess Natasha, a popular animated web series featured on America Online’s KOL service for kids, will move into comic books via a new licensing deal with DC Comics. Announced today during the 2005 Int’l Licensing Show, the pact will see DC publish a four-issue mini-series to be released in 2006.

    Developed by Animation Collective for KOL, Princess Natasha is a series of 10- 15-minute episodes about a student secret agent from the country of Zoravia, who is sent to Zoravia, IL to find the evil Lubek and stop him from destroying her home country.

    The web series will also extend to television, home video and books through partnerships with Cartoon Network, Anchor Bay Ent. and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

    In addition to Princess Natasha, New York City-based Animation Collective develops games and produces the Kung Fu Academy web series for KOL. The Flash animation house also produces Crash Dummies with 4Kids Ent. and the Nicktoons series Leader Dog and Tortellini Western.

  • Kids’ WB! Grabs Viewtiful Joe

    The Japanese anime series Viewtiful Joe will be introduced to young viewers in North America on Kids’ WB! The network has ordered 26 episodes of the action/comedy series from Geneon Ent. and plans to launch the show on Saturday mornings beginning this fall.

    Based on Capconm’s award-winning video game series, Viewtiful Joe tells the story of a normal guy with two great loves–his girlfriend, Silvia, and Captain Blue, an action movie superhero. When Silvia is pulled into a movie screen by a celluloid monster, Joe jumps in to save her. There, he meets his hero, Captain Blue, and inherits super powers from the retiring crime fighter.

    On Kids’ WB! Viewtiful Joe will join such hit shows as Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Xiaolin Showdown The Batman, Jackie Chan Adventures, ¡Mucha Lucha! Gigante, Teen Titans and MegaMan NT Warrior: Axess. More information can be found at www.KidsWB.com.

  • Disney Eyes 2008 for Toy Story 3

    Whether or not Disney is able to strike a new deal with animation powerhouse Pixar, the Mouse House is moving ahead with plans to produce a third installment of the blockbuster Toy Story franchise. During a presentation at the Int’l Licensing Show in New York City on Tuesday, Disney Consumer Products chair Andy Mooney mentioned that the studio intends to have the film completed for release in 2008.

    Though the first two Toy Story films were produced by Pixar, Disney owns the rights and has been keen on doing sequels for some time. Pixar, however, has been more interested in telling new stories, such as Finding Nemo, The Incredibles and Cars, than building franchises. With Pixar’s departure, Disney has resolved to build its own computer animation facility in Glendale, Calif., where a staff of more than 700 artists and technicians will bang away at Toy Story 3 and other CG films. Walt Disney Feature Animation will be actively recruiting at SIGGRAPH 2005, taking place July 31 through Aug. 4 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

    Disney’s Flagship in-house 3D feature, Chicken Little, will release this November and will serve as an early indicator of how well the studio can compete in the crowded CG toon market without the seemingly unstoppable hit machine that is Pixar.

    Pixar CEO Steve Jobs has resumed talks with Disney since Bob Iger took over for outgoing lead Mouseketeer Michael Eisner. Should the two parties agree on a new contract, fans praying for another Pixar-produced Toy Story may yet be gratified. During a recent investor conference, Jobs commented, “If we do enter into any negotiation with Disney, all I really want to say is that sequels will play a part of it.”

    Also in the Disney pipeline is the tentatively titled A Day With Wilbur Robinson, based on the book by William Joyce, the also tentatively titled American Dog from director Chris Sanders (Lilo & Stitch) and Rapunzel Unbraided, to be directed by longtime Disney animator Glenn Keane (Beauty and the Beast).

  • Starchaser, Cursed Hit DVD

    Fans of Filmation’s 1985 animated space actioner, Starchaser: The Legend of Orin, can now own the Star Wars-inspired toon on DVD with today’s long-awaited release by MGM Home Entertainment. The PG-rated pic was originally exhibited theatrically in 3-D but hove viewers will have to settle for a flattened version.

    The film tells the story of Orin, a Luke Skywalker-esque slave working in a crystal mine when he learns that there is a world above. Having dug his way up to this new realm, Orin teams up with a rough-around-the-edges gem smuggler, a female android and a beautiful young woman to battle the evil Zygon in a bid to free his enslaved people. There are even some fight scenes involving glowing swords that resemble light sabers.

    Produced in South Korea by Daewoo Ent, Dr. Movie, Filmation Associates, Mehan Films and Young Sung Production Co., Starchaser: The Legend of Orin features the voices of Les Tremayne, Noelle North, Anthony Delongis, Joe Colligan and Carmen Argenziano. The DVD lists for $14.95.

    Making its home video debut today is director Wes Craven’s latest teen screamer, Cursed. Written by Kevin Williamson (the Scream series) the film stars Christina Ricci, Shannon Elizabeth and Portia de Rossi in a tale that has teenagers going through even worse changes than puberty after being attacked by a werewolf. Contributing to the monster mayhem are the vfx houses Sony Pictures Imageworks, FX Cartel, Rez-Illusion, Klon Films, Luma Pictures and FOGstudio. The Buena Vista Home Video release is available in both rated and unrated versions. The filmmaker commentary should be interesting given the production’s troubled history. Horror aficionados can pick it up for the suggested retail price of $29.99.

    Another DVD release worth mentioning is Loch Ness, a 1996 made-for-TV movie starring Ted Danson, Ian Holm and Joely Richardson. The film employs CG animation sparingly to tell the story of an American scientist’s quest to unlock the mystery of the Loch Ness Monster, despite opposition from the locals. Originally intended for theatrical release, the pic was made for $12 million, making it one of the most expensive telepics. Jim Henson’s Creature Shop and Peerless Camera Company helped bring the legend alive through state-of-the-art visual effects, but the story focuses more on the dilemmas faced by its human characters. One of the best of its genre, Loch Ness lists for $14.95.

  • THQ’s Destroy All Humans! Invades Stores

    Destroy All Humans!, the highly anticipated new video game from THQ, arrives at retail today for PlayStation2 and Xbox. Inspired by sci-fi B movies of the ’40s and ’50s, the game offers a bit of a switch, letting players assume the role of an alien scout sent to Earth to pave the way for a devastating extraterrestrial invasion.

    Developed by Pandemic Studios, Destroy All Humans! has gamers piloting a flying saucer an patrolling on foot as a trigger-happy, bulb-headed alien named Crypto-137. Players may choose to infiltrate Earthling society using advanced metal powers or simply vaporize them with his awesome arsenal.

    “We had so much fun making this game,” comments Pandemic Studios president Josh Resnick. “In between blowing up whole blocks of buildings and buzzing around in our flying saucers, zapping everything in sight, we were probing cows, discovering the secret lusts of 1950s housewives and laughing our heads off.”

    Previous Pandemic projects include Full Spectrum Warrior, Star Wars Battlefront and Mercenaries. For more information about the studio, go to www.pandemicstudios.com.

    Destroy All Humans! is now available for the suggested retail price of $49.99. Read more about Pandemic’s work on the critically lauded game in the upcoming August issue of Animation Magazine, coming soon to Barnes & Noble locations.

  • Nick’s Avatar on Licensing Block

    Having won over toon lovers with its blend of anime style, Eastern philosophies and Western sensibilities, Nickelodeon’s Avatar: The Last Airbender is taking on the licensing world. The hit animated series is being featured among Nick’s properties at this year’s Licensing Show, taking place June 21-23 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City.

    Avatar debuted in February and is already the No. 3 animated show on television behind SpongeBob SquarePants and The Fairly OddParents. Created and exec produced by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, the series centers on Aang, a fun-loving 12-year-old who must forego a normal life in order to master his latent powers over the four elements.

    “Avatar is a breakaway hit that has tremendous licensing potential for boys and adults,” says Leigh Anne Brodsky, president of Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products. “The show has been embraced by viewers of all ages and compliments our hit property roster that now also includes Danny Phantom and Zoey 101.”

    Danny Phantom, the latest action/comedy from Fairly OddParents creator Butch Hartman, and SpongeBob SquarePants are also being showcased at Nickelodeon’s Licensing Show booth #1317.

  • TELETOON Sneaks New Shows in August

    Canada’s TELETOON will tease audiences with sneak peeks at new fall shows every Sunday at 7 p.m. during the month of August. Highlights include the Aug. 7 world premiere of Carl 2, the Aug. 14 debut of Delilah & Julius and the Aug. 29 premiere of Gerald McBoing Boing, a new series based on the classic Dr. Seuss tale and the 1951 Oscar-winning UPA toon short produced by John Hubley.

    The TELETOON original production Carl 2 follows the adventures of 14-year old Carl Crashman, a slacker who accidentally orders his own clone online using a fingerprint, a yearbook photo and a scabby band-aid. His life is turned upside-down when six weeks later he receives an enormous wooden crate containing his exact duplicate, a clone known as C2.

    Delilah & Julius, another TELETOON original production, focuses on two youngsters who reside at The Academy, a school and training ground for young spies. Julius, whose parents were killed on an undercover mission, channels his energy into fighting the forces of evil while Delilah, a staunch idealist, balances the team with a positive attitude and a back-up plan.

    Gerald McBoing Boing is the story of Gerald McCloy, six-year-old boy who communicates with cartoon sound effects rather than words. Together with his parents and best friends Jacob and Janine, Gerald has adventures filled with non-stop gags as he helps people see the world in a new light. The show will air Monday through Friday at 3 p.m.

    TELETOON will also host the Canadian premieres of The Life & Times of Juniper Lee (Aug. 21) and The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy (Aug. 28), as well as new episodes of Duck Dodgers, What’s New Scooby-Doo?, Codename Kids Next Door and Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends starting Aug. 29 at 4 p.m.

    For adults, TELETOONS late-night block, The Detour, will offer sneak peeks at new shows for three Fridays in a row during special "F Night" presentations in August. "F Night" regulars Family Guy, Bromwell High, Futurama, The Venture Brothers, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, The Brak Show and Harvey Birdman Attorney at Law will be joined by new offerings Sons Of Butchers, Station X and The Wrong Coast.

    Sons Of Butchers is described as a bizarre, epic rock journey through the minds of would-be rock gods Sol Butcher, Ricky Butcher and Doug Borski, who run “Sons of Butcher Quality Meats” in downtown Steeltown. The show will premiere on Aug. 5 at 9:30 p.m.

    Station X will have its world premiere on Aug. 12 at 9:30 p.m. This unique, multi-media half-hour series follows a group of six young artists, musicians, and filmmakers who share a loft in a large Canadian city. The show blends original animation and unusual video and film clips to explore such themes as as violence, excess and fashion.

    Having its TELETOON premiere on Aug. 19 at 9:30 p.m., The Wrong Coast is a 13-episode stop-motion series that spoofs an entertainment news magazine to parody popular celebrities, movies and TV shows. Mixed in are little comical glimpses into the behind-the-scenes drama between two egomaniacal hosts–Mark Hamill’s Jameson Burkright and Canadian comedian Kathryn Greenwood’s Debbie Sue Ashanti-Melendez–who each want to be the top banana.

  • SIGGRAPH Sessions Spotlight Disney, Polar Express, Star Wars

    Each year, SIGGRAPH Special Sessions offer interactive presentations by some of the world’s most imaginative experts on diverse topics. It has been announced that his year’s program will offer a glimpse into the past, present and future of digital technologies, featuring a look at the legacy of Disney animation, a behind-the-scenes peek at Warner Bros.’ The Polar Express and an ILM Star Wars retrospective, among others.

    The Legacy of Disney Animation: A Journey to the Past, Present and Future Through the Eyes of Disney Animators, Directors, Designers, and Storytellers" will offer insight by Walt Disney Feature Animation’s top filmmakers. Through clips from the Disney vaults, along with footage from current and upcoming projects, the accomplished artists will demonstrate how color, animation, art direction and storytelling influence contemporary animation techniques as the 70-year Disney legacy is passed on to a new generation of artists. Moderated and organized by Steve R. Goldberg of Walt Disney Feature Animation, the session will feature panelists Eamonn Butler, Dan Cooper, Mark Dindal, Randy Fullmer, Ian Gooding and Glen Keane.

    “The Polar Express: Artists and Technicians Reveal How They Transformed a 3D Train Ride Into a 3D Stereoscopic Adventure" will be presented off-site at the IMAX Theater at the California Science Center. Visual effects supervisors, artists, and technologists will show how they transformed Robert Zemeckis’ painterly film into a stereoscopic IMAX experience. This unique session will include footage from The Polar Express and some very early glimpses at a Sony Pictures Imageworks project still in production, both in true 70mm stereoscopic IMAX. Organized by Sande Scoredos and Moderated by Rob Engle, both of Sony Pictures Imageworks, the panel will feature Rob Bredow of Sony Pictures Imageworks and Hugh Murray of IMAX Corp.

    With George Lucas set to deliver the SIGGRAPH keynote address, the confab will offer "A Star Wars Retrospective From Industrial Light & Magic: Environments, Space Battles, and the Characters Who Fought Them From 1977 to 2005." In this presentation, ILM luminaries Dennis Muren, John Knoll, Roger Guyett, and Rob Coleman will walk attendees through all six installments in the series, comparing the techniques that ILM employed over the years to bring these historical environments, characters and space battles to the screen. The panel discussion is organized by Kate Shaw of Industrial Light & Magic and moderated by Don Shay from Cinefex.

    Of interest to video game players and industry pros is "Jump! Shout! Dance! Sing! An Interactive Conversation About Games, Game Art, and Play That Goes Way Beyond the Joystick." This session brings together art directors, game designers and controller builders for an enlightening, entertaining and possibly hilarious look into an alternate future of gaming. Moderator Alex Pham of The Los Angeles Times will welcome panelists Henry LaBounta of Electronic Arts Canada, Greg LoPiccolo of Harmonix Music Systems, Richard Marks of Sony Computer Entertainment America, Michael McHale of Konami Digital Entertainment and Fred Swan of Logitech, Inc.

    SIGGRAPH 2005 Special Sessions begin Aug. 1 at 6 p.m. and close Aug. 4 at 1:15 p.m. For more complete details, go to http://www.siggraph.org/s2005/main.php?f=conference&p=special.

  • Family Guy Feature Set for September

    As Seth MacFarlane’s animated series, Family Guy, pulls in solid ratings with its second go-round on FOX, the direct-to-video feature outing for Peter Griffin and his clan will finally make it to stores on Sept. 27, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

    Titled Family Guy Presents Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story, the 83-minute, unrated feature focuses on maniacal baby genius Stewie, who aims to change his ways following a near-death experience. Putting aside plans of world domination, he sets out in search of his real father.

    Joining the voice cast for the film are Drew Barrymore, Ron Livingston and Beverly Hills 90210 alumni Jason Priestley, Jennie Garth and Tori Spelling. Bonus materials will include deleted scenes, still galleries, animatics and a commentary by MacFarlane.

    MacFarlane tells the trade that the video feature is his way of thanking all the fans who helped resurrect the cancelled series through phenomenal DVD sales of past seasons. To date, consumers have snatched up approximately 4.5 million units, priming the market for the video premiere, which 20th Century Fox will heavily market.

    In addition to overseeing the production of the video feature and 35 new episodes of Family Guy, MacFarlane is also exec producing the new FOX animated series, American Dad, which he co-created with and Family Guy scribes Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman. That show recently got an episode order increase which will take it into a second season. Both Family Guy and American Dad are part of FOX’s “Animation Domination” Sunday night lineup.

  • McGee’s Alice Gets Director, Star

    Daily Variety reports that Marcus Nispel, director of the recent Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake, has signed on to helm the feature film based on American McGee’s Alice, a video game published by Electronic Arts. Sarah Michelle Gellar (The Grudge, TV’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer) is set to star in the twisted re-imagining of Lewis Carroll’s classic tale.

    Firm Films and Collision Ent. are producing the adaptation, which was previously at Dimension before finding a new home at Universal. In McGee’s game, Alice looses her family in a catastrophic event and returns to a Wonderland populated by characters even creepier than Carroll’s original creations. McGee’s unique vision is being tailored for the big-screen by scribes Erich and Jon Hoeber.

    McGee is now writing the first installment of a planned Warner Bros. film trilogy based on American McGee’s Oz, a toyline that is set to become a video game. A pseudo-prequel to what happens in L. Frank Baum’s original novels, McGee’s take on Oz is set way before Dorthy and Toto arrive, focusing instead on a reluctant hero who comes to save the enchanted world. The filmmakers plan to blend live-action with a heavy CG element. In addition to the screenplay, McGee is writing a novel based on the concept.

    The recent film deals should place McGee on firm ground in Hollywood as he shops American McGee’s Grimm, a screenplay he wrote that’s set in the world of the Brothers Grimm fairytales.