Animation Magazine

Author: Ryan Ball

  • SCI FI Unveils Legend of Earthsea

    The vfx-laden original miniseries, Legend of Earthsea, premieres tonight, Dec. 13, at 9 p.m./8 p.m. Central on SCI FI Channel. Based on the book series by Ursula K. Le Guin, the fantasy story will unfold over two nights on the cable network. Featuring CG dragons and other magical elements, the telepic should attract a goon number of Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter fans.

    Legend of Earthsea tells the tale of a reckless youth destined to become the greatest sorcerer that the mystical world of Earthsea has ever known. When the difficult and rebellious Ged discovers the extent of his magical powers, he seeks to master the ancient arts–and his own impulses as well. As he journeys to manhood, he will combat dragons, fall in love, cross death’s threshold and ultimately wield the power to reunite a planet.

    The four-hour coming-of-age fantasy stars Shawn Ashmore (X2: X-Men United) as Ged, Kristin Kreuk (Smallville) as the priestess Tenar, Isabella Rossellini (The Odyssey) as High Priestess Thar, and Danny Glover (Saw) as the master wizard Ogion. Produced by Hallmark Entertainment in association with Bender-Brown Prods. Legend of Earthsea is written by Gavin Scott (The Mists of Avalon) for exec producers Robert Halmi, Sr. (Merlin, Gulliver’s Travels, Animal Farm), Lawrence Bender (Kill Bill, Pulp Fiction) and Kevin Kelly Brown (Roswell).

    The Earthsea books have received five Hugo Awards, five Nebula Awards and the National Book Award. The series has been translated into 16 languages, with millions of copies in print.

  • Huevocartoon to Crack Big Screen

    The hugely popular Mexican website, www.huevocartoon.com, is set to hatch its feature film debut, according to Daily Variety. The humor site offers paying customers greeting cards, horoscopes and animated shorts featuring a cast of edgy and irreverent eggs.

    Televisa’s in-house distribution and production company, Videocine, Mexico’s film funding board and other investors have put up cash to help facilitate Huevocartoon’s leap to the big screen. The first feature film will be titled Una Pelicula de huevos (A Film with Eggs).

    Una Pelicula de huevos will center on talking eggs struggling to get by in a world ruled by humans. The website’s adult edge will be toned down for film, which will be aimed at a more general audience. Brothers Rodolfo and Gabriel Riva Palacio, founders of Huevocartoon, told the trade that animation will begin next March for a theatrical bow in 2006. A team of 60 animators is expected to man the production.

    The Mexican toon business is in dire need of a hit. The biz is in the early stages of revival after a 20-year drought. Last year’s big entry, Magos & gigantes (Wizards & Giants) won over critics but failed at the box office, where U.S.-produced animated fare such as Pixar’s Finding Nemo made the biggest splash.

  • Incredibles Golden with Globes Nom

    Disney/Pixar’s The Incredibles edged out DreamWorks’ Shrek 2, Warner Bros’ The Polar Express and all other animated contenders with a Best Motion Picture (musical or comedy) Golden Globe nod. Nominations for the 62nd Annual Golden Globes were announced this morning. Presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the ceremony will be broadcast live on NBC on Sunday, Jan. 16.

    In its category (Best Musical or Comedy), The Incredibles is up against the live-action heavy hitters Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind from Focus Features, Ray from Universal Pictures, Sideways from Fox Searchlight Pictures and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera from Warner Bros. Pictures. Sideways leads the competition with seven total nominations, followed by Miramax’s vfx-heavy Howard Houghs biopic, The Aviator, with six.

    Directed by Martin Scorsese, The Aviator is up for Best Motion Picture (Drama), along with Sony Pictures’ Closer, Miramax Films’ Finding Neverland, Lions Gate Films/MGM’s Hotel Rwanda, Fox Searchlight Pictures’ Kinsey and Warner Bros. Pictures’ Million Dollar Baby. Contributing to the extensive effects work in The Aviator are Sony Pictures Imageworks, CaféFX, Digital Backlot, Pixel Playground, Digital Neural Access, Buzz Image Group, and New Deal Studios, all working under visual effects supervisor Robert Legato.

    Shrek 2 and The Polar Express weren’t completely shut out. Both are up for Best Original Song in a Motion Picture–Shrek 2 for "Accidentally In Love" (music and lyrics by Adam Duritz, Dan Vickery, David Immergluck, Matthew Malley and David Bryson) and The Polar Express for Believe (music and lyrics by Glen Ballard and Alan Silvestri) Competing songs are Webber’s "Learn To Be Lonely" from The Phantom Of The Opera, Wyclef Jean’s "Million Voices" from Hotel Rwanda, and the Mick Jagger tune, "Old Habits Die Hard," from Alfie.

    Hollywood legends face off in the race for Best Director–Motion Picture as Scorsese (The Aviator) takes on Clint Eastwood (Million Dollar Baby) and Mike Nichols (Closer). Also in the running are Marc Forster for Finding Neverland and Alexander Payne for Sideways.

    To see the full list of Golden Globes 2005 nominations, visit www.hfpa.org/nominations2005.html.

  • Polar Express Steams Past $100 Million

    While The Disney and Pixar camps celebrate their Golden Globes nomination for The Incredibles, the folks at Warner Bros. and Sony Pictures Imageworks can take solace in the fact that their big-budget CG holiday pic, The Polar Express, is the top toon at the box office. As The Incredibles and The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie continue to slide down the charts, Express scored a fourth-place finish in its fifth week out, bringing in an estimated $9.7 million over the weekend to drive its cume to around $110 million.

    While it still has a long way to go to catch up with The Incredibles’ $232 million domestic draw, The Polar Express is showing staying power as the winter holiday approaches. With a reported budget of $170 million, the film was all but written off as an expensive flop with its disappointing debut. Now it’s looking like it will at least break even domestically and pull in a tidy profit with foreign distribution and future home video sales.

    One advantage The Polar Express has over other toons in release is its IMAX 3D version, which has been packing in audiences with the lure of stereoscopic 3D computer-generated images and immersive surround sound.

    Though it’s not hauling eight zeroes like its animated competitors, The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie from Nickelodeon Movies and Paramount Pictures has more than doubled its $30 million production budget. At $73.5 million, the 2D film has thus far proven way more profitable than Express, and still stands to make a bundle on video.

    The sequel Oceans’ Twelve from Warner Bros. and director Steven Soderberg easily claimed the top spot this weekend with a whopping $40.8 million. The follow-up outdid its predecessor, which opened in December of 2001 to $38 million on its way to $450 million worldwide. While the critics have been split on the sequel, fans obviously couldn’t resist the star power of George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Matt Damon, Bernie Mac and the rest of the talented cast.

    Coming in at No. 2 is the vampire actioner Blade: Trinity with an estimated $16 million. In addition to stars Wesley Snipes and Jessica Biel, the third installment in the series offers fans some blood-chilling visual effects by Giant Killer Robots, CafeFX, Digital Dimension and Pixel Magic.

    After three consecutive weeks at the top, Buena Vista’s action/adventure thriller, National Treasure, drops to No. 3 with just under $10 million and Sony/Revolution Studios’ Yule Tide comedy, Christmas with the Kranks, finishes out the top five with around $7.6 million.

    Go behind the scenes with the CG wizards at Sony Pictures Imageworks with our cover story on the making of The Polar Express in the January issue of Animation Magazine, now available. Look for it at Barnes & Noble bookstores.

  • L.A. Critics Pumped for Incredibles

    It’s looking like another awards season blow-out by the folks at Disney and Pixar as The Incredibles picks up another win in the Best Animated Feature category. Director Brad Bird’s CG superhero spoof was honored by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association when the 2005 winners were announced over the weekend. Michael Giacchino’s score for The Incredibles was also feted by the organization.

    Director Alexander Payne’s Sideways from Fox Searchlight Features was voted Best Picture of the Year, with Clint Eastwood’s Million Dollar Baby coming in at runner-up. Sideways also earned a Best Director win for Payne, who beat out runner-up Martin Scorsese for The Aviator.

    Scorsese’s vfx-heavy Aviator won for Production Design, with Dante Ferretti topping runner-up Huo Tingxiao for director Zhang Yimou’s

    House of Flying Dagggers, which was dubbed Best Foreign Language Film.

    LAFCA’s 2004 winners were announced by president Henry Sheehan. The organization’s 30th annual achievement awards ceremony will be held Thursday, Jan. 13 at the St. Regis Hotel in Los Angeles. A special career achievement award will be presented to comedian Jerry Lewis. For more information, go to www.lafca.net.

    In other awards news, The Incredibles and Comedy Central’s South Park both landed on American Film Institute’s (AFI) year-end top-10 lists of best movies and TV shows of 2004.

  • Showtime Covers Eisner/Ovitz Drama

    According to Daily Variety, cable network Showtime is developing a telepic about the real-life relationship between Disney CEO Michael Eisner and former Disney president Mike Ovitz. The script will be written by British author Frederic Raphael, who co-wrote Eyes Wide Shut with Stanley Kubrick.

    Titled Two Blind Mikes, the Showtime movie will focus on the strained dynamic between the two Mouse House toppers from Ovitz’s hiring at Disney to the high-profile trial that is expected to conclude in the next couple of weeks. The courtroom drama began in 1997 when Disney shareholders filed suit against the company’s board of directors over Ovitz’s hiring and firing. Ovitz lasted only a year at Disney but walked away with a $140 million severance package.

    Two Blind Mikes will be exec produced by Richard Waltzer (Showtime’s Coast to Coast) and Jerry Leider (Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen).

  • The Nicktoons Film Festival Announces Screening 7’The “Glad That’s Not Me” Show

    The Nicktoons Film Festival continues this Sunday with Screening 7, a selection of seven shorts that will definitely make you feel good about NOT being a cartoon character–way too overwhelming. A co-production of Frederator Studios and Animation Magazine for Nicktoons, The Nicktoons Film Festival airs on the Nicktoons cable channel Sunday nights at 10:00 p.m. (EST) and 7:00 p.m. (PST), with a repeat at 1:00 p.m. (EST) and 10:00 p.m. (PST). The films featured in Screening No. 7–The "Glad That’s Not Me" Show are: Gruesomestein’s Monsters: Freddie and the Yeti by Canadian directors Mark Ackland and Riccardo Durante; PGi-13 from Korean visual effects animator Beom Sik Shim; Hero: 108 from Taiwanese game company Gamania Digital Entertainment; Josh W. Eats A Bug from award-winning commercial director Johnnie Semerad; Zoya The Zebra from Russian filmmaker Alexander Geifman; Doggie Door from comedian Ron Yavnieli; and Bottom of the 9th from Mark Nelson, an animator on the popular BIONICLE direct-to-video series from LEGO and Miramax.

    The Nicktoons Film Festival:

    Screening 7–The "Glad That’s Not Me" Show

    Airdate & Time: Dec. 11, 2004, 10:00 p.m. (EST); 7:00 p.m. (PST), Nicktoons

    Film #1: Gruesomestein’s Monsters: Freddie and the Yeti (Length: 5:00; Flash)–Filmmakers Mark Ackland and Riccardo Durante both graduated from Canada’s Sheridan College and went on to work with John Kricfalusi on his outrageous series, The Ripping Friends. Together, they created Gruesomestein’s Monsters for Nelvana’s Funpak project–so obviously these guys get along. We get along particularly well with the outlandish sense of humor they show off in this episode of Gruesomestein. In this mishap adventure, Freddie and his Dad head into the deep and snowy woods where they encounter a psychotic ranger hell bent on ridding his forest of the notorious beast. Now what did that nice Yeti ever do to him? (For more info on Mark Ackland and Riccardo Durante or the Funpack shorts e-mail funpak@corusent.com.)

    Film #2: PGi-13 (Length: 3:50; CG with 2D sequences)–According to award-winning filmmaker Beom Sik Shim, the title of his film is an acronym for "Parental Guidance suggested for the protection of children’s imaginations under the age of 13." Born in Korea, Shim majored in fine art at Chung Ang University. In addition to professional work in visual effects, Shim’s painting and video pieces have been on exhibit six times and these fine art references really come through in a strange and wonderful way in PGi-13. Think magical realism but with an Asian bent, add a dash of William Gibson and Dr. Seuss and you have a taste of this peculiarly compelling film. As for those odd teabags? Shim says, "After dinner one evening I became suspicious of the tea I was about to put into a steaming cup of water. What exactly was hidden in that foggy bag? Was it just the ordinary dried leaves of the box’s friendly illustrations? I wondered if it might be something much spookier." (You can find out more about Beom Sik Shim by visiting www.shimbe.com.)

    Film #3: Hero: 108 (Length: 5:00; Flash)–This week we’re excited to air work from the stylish development team of Taiwan-based house Gamania Digital Entertainment. A huge firm dedicated to massively multi-player online games, Gamania boasts a small in-house group of renegades dedicated to one task–creating cool characters that move. Led by managing director Pongo Kuo, this team of a dozen artists came up with Hero:108, a story about a topsy-turvy world in which animals have displaced the humans in society. In this introductory piece, based on the ancient Chinese manuscript, The Water Margin, 108 heroes band together to set the world right. Kuo explains that "the heroes each have their own specific and rather zany power," and, of course, we thought that was cool. To be honest though, we really liked the fact that they all ride turtles that run on armored-car tracks. (To find out more about Gamania’s games and animation go to www.gamania.com.)

    Film #4: Josh W. Eats A Bug (Length: 1:20; Traditional Animation)–A graduate of Pratt Institute, filmmaker Johnnie Semerad is president and creative director of New York City-based commercial and vfx house Quiet Man. While balancing the needs of clients like HBO, Pepsi and Fox Sports with his life at home, Semerad came up with the character Josh W. "Instead of reading bedtime stories, my daughters Emma and Dara and I make them up together. Actually, Emma and Dara make them up and I just listen." By listening to his young ones and the clever set-ups they created, Semerad started animating their character Josh W. and his hapless and quite lovable life challenges. Josh W. shorts have won several film festival awards. (To find out more about Johnnie Semerad, go to www.quietman.net.)

    Film #5: Zoya The Zebra (Length: 3:00, 2D animation)–Filmmaker Alexander Geifman has trained with some of the greatest animators of the world and worked in more exotic countries than most of us will see in a lifetime. He started his career in the animation department of the Kievnauchfilm studio in Kiev and later studied animation at the Pilot School of Animation in Moscow with legendary Russian animator Igor Kovalyov. Geifman worked for many years in Israel as a character animator and director and has served as creative director at Le Toon Filmes in Brazil since 1997. He explains that his vibrant short, Zoya The Zebra, is an homage to Op Art visionary Victor Vasarely. Drawn to the optical patterns of this movement, Geifman plays with all kinds of stripes–zebra stripes, tiger stripes, the stripes of a sailor suit–with rare whimsy. Says Geifman, "The name Zoya is a common Russian girl’s name, but it also comes from the Greek word zoo, which means life." (You can contact Alexander Geifman through his producer Ilana Braia, i_braia@terra.com.br)

    Film #6: Doggie Door (Length: 4:00; Traditional Animation)–CalArts grad Ron Yavnieli says that his film, Doggie Door, is the answer to a personal challenge. "Zog the dog, the main character in Doggie Door, was actually a minor character in a comic strip I created while I was at CalArts. My friends really encouraged me to make him a main character and try making a classic ‘40s style cartoon like a Bugs Bunny or a Tom & Jerry. I’d tried to make a funny cartoon before but never to my satisfaction." Doggie Door–the story of an overweight pooch and his very small door–is definitely a triumph for the gifted comedian that is Yavnieli. In addition to freelance work in character design and Flash animation, Yavnieli also performs regularly as a puppeteer and an actor. (To find out more about Ron Yavnieli and his sense of humor go to www.ronimation.com.)

    Film #7: Bottom of the 9th (Length: 3:30; CG animation created in Alias’ Maya)–Think of the most annoying and embarrassing predicament you can and you’ve got the premise for filmmaker Mark Nelson’s hilarious Bottom of the 9th. Says Nelson, "While taking care of some personal business, I made the startling discovery that I was short on the supplies needed to finish the job. To take my mind off my misery, I decided that my situation would make a good short and I began to think of how I should construct the story. As for me, well … a few coffee filters later I emerged with a film idea and a stronger appreciation for the softer things in life." Okay, we’re assuming that you’re now feeling confused, curious or downright worried. To find out what the "softer things in life" might be, you’ll have to tune in this Sunday. We guarantee you’ll sympathize! Nelson’s credits include Maya animation work for an ESPN video game and the BIONICLE direct-to-video series. (To find out more about Mark Nelson go to www.markjnelson.com.)

  • Ragnarok Manga Offers Online Game Trial

    Fans of the popular Ragnarok manga series who haven’t yet explored its parallel interactive universe can now do so free of charge. TOKYOPOP Inc. and Gravity Interactive have joined forces to offer a 15-day free trial of Ragnarok Online. A complimentary game CD will be bundled with select volumes of the manga series at Barnes & Noble bookstores.

    Inspired by Norse mythology, the Ragnarok manga features a shifting ensemble of swordsmen and sorcerers in a quest to change the world. This year, the property became the first Korean manga to inspire a Japanese anime series.

    The massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) Ragnarok Online takes the concepts from the manga series to the next level with multiple characters to control, numerous enemies to battle and various worlds to rule. At present, the game is available in more than 100 countries. More information can be found at http://iro.ragnarokonline.com.

  • VES to Honor Zemeckis

    Academy Award-winning director/producer Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?) will be honored with a lifetime achievement award when The Visual Effects Society (VES) holds its third annual awards ceremony on Wednesday, Feb. 16 at the Hollywood Palladium. Zemeckis’ latest work, the animated holiday pic, The Polar Express, is currently building up steam in theaters across North America.

    Last year, VES presented its first Lifetime Achievement Award to George Lucas, creator of the Star Wars saga and founder of leading effects house Industrial Light & Magic (ILM). Lucas, who is now chariman of the VES Awards Honorary Committee, was on hand for that ceremony and Zemeckis should also be present to accept this year’s award.

    During the awards ceremony, VES will also remember late vfx and computer animation pioneer Bob Abel with the George Melies Award for Artistic Excellence. Abel, who passed away in 2001, is best known for his groundbreaking work on the 1982 Disney favorite, TRON. In addition, Cinefex Magazine publisher Don Shay will receive the VES Board of Director’s Award.

  • Blade: Trinity Bites Into Theaters

    New Line Cinema hopes to suck moviegoers dry of cash with today’s release of Blade: Trinity, the third installment in the Marvel comic-to-screen vampire saga. The live-action effects fest stars Wesley Snipes, Jessica Biel and Ryan Reynolds, as well as digital magic by Giant Killer Robots, CafeFX, Digital Dimension and Pixel Magic.

    Snipes reprises the role of Blade, a vampire hunter who is himself half vampire. Wanted by the FBI, the half-breed warrior must join forces with the Nightstalkers to take on the most powerful bloodsucker of all, Dracula. Kris Kristofferson returns as Blade’s pal, Abraham Whistler, in this latest entry, which has been getting mixed reviews. If nothing else, the flick should deliver some cool visuals.

    Blade: Trinity was co-written by Marv Wolfman, who has made a solid career of writing for animated TV series. His credits include Teen Titans, The Legend of Tarzan, Transformers, G.I. Joe and Batman: The Animated Series. The film is directed by David S. Goyer, who also co-wrote the script. Goyer penned the first two Blade installments, as well as next year’s Batman Begins feature.

    Also opening in wide release this weekend is Warner Bros.’ Ocean’s Twelve, director Steven Soderberg’s sequel to his 2001 hit remake, Ocean’s Eleven. George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Julia Roberts, Bernie Mac, Don Cheadle and the rest of the cast from the first film returns for more heist action in Europe.

    Opening in limited release in New York and Los Angeles is The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, the latest from acclaimed director Wes Anderson (Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, The Royal Tennenbaums.) The live-action dramedy features stop-motion animation effects directed by The Nightmare Before Christmas helmer Henry Selick.

    Buoyed by its star power and the success of its predecessor, Ocean’s 12 should easily float to the top of the charts this weekend. Blade: Trinity is also predicted to do well, as is Warner Bros.’ computer-animated holiday pic, The Polar Express. The Robert Zemeckis-directed Tom Hanks vehicle will chug across the $100 million mark as the Disney/Pixar hit, The Incredibles, continues to dominate the box office overseas.

  • House of Moves Captures New Exec. Producer

    World-leading motion capture studio House of Moves, a division of VICON Motion Systems, has brought on Scott Gagain as exec. producer. Gagain brings six years of experience in motion capture for film, television and video games to the company’s state-of-the-art Marina del Rey, Calif. facility. In his new role, he will shepherd House of Moves’ client and project development.

    "Given the acquisition by VICON and the rollout of breakthrough motion capture cameras and technology like VICON MX, joining House of Moves at this moment was a great opportunity," Gagain comments.

    Gagain previously served as VP of sales and marketing for motion capture vendor Motion Analysis Studios in Los Angeles, where he worked with major studios on motion capture for music videos, television series and computer games. His most recent credits include such motion pictures as Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow and I Robot, and the Discovery Channel’s Extreme Martial Arts. Gagain joined Motion Analysis as a tracker, building a hands-on knowledge of the entire motion capture pipeline.

  • Destiny’s Child Animated on AOL Music

    If the onstage antics of Beyonce and crew weren’t animated enough for you, you can check out the premiere of the new video from Destiny’s Child on AOL Music today. For their version of the classic holiday song, “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer,” the Grammy Award-winning trio got the Rankin & Bass-style stop-motion treatment.

    Destiny’s Child recorded the single for an exclusive bonus CD packaged with Classic Media and Sony Wonder’s 40th Anniversary Collector’s Edition DVD of the perennial holiday special, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. The video premiere is part of the popular AOL Music First View program, which regularly debuts highly anticipated new videos before they air anywhere else.

    Toronto-based Head Gear Animation produced the music video, which was directed by Cannes Palme d’Or winner Jesse Rosensweet. The video opens with Destiny’s Child laying down the vocal tracks for the song at North Pole Studios, where they get down with Rudolph and other winter wonderland creatures.

    In covering Johnny Marks’ beloved 1949 "Rudolph" song, Destiny’s Child joins the ranks of such recording artists as Gene Autry, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, The Supremes and Harry Connick Jr.

    One of the best-selling female pop groups of all time, Destiny’s Child has enjoyed a string of gold, platinum and multi-platinum recordings beginning with the 1998 smash single, "No No No.” The group’s sixth album, Destiny Fulfilled, was released on November 16.

    The premiere of the “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” video will be available exclusively for 24 hours on Thursday, Dec. 9, at www.aolmusic.com.

  • DAZ Prods. Offers 3D Anime/Manga Kit

    Creating your own manga and anime productions just got easier with the release of Aiko 3.0, a new 3D kit created by DAZ Prods. The company recruited experts from Japan and all over the world to create characters clothing and accessories so users can customize elements for use in comic books and animation.

    The Aiko 3 base package is now available for download free of charge at http://anim.manga.daz3d.com. The basic version provides users with a female model, hair, poses, expressions and a cartoon-style skin type. The character will also be “Mimic-ready” so users can employ DAZ|Mimic to sync characters’ lip movements with any pre-recorded sound file.

    Other Aiko packages are also available. The Aiko 3.0 Starter Kit retails for $49.95 and features Aiko 3 Complete (a character with all her morphs, expressions and a couple of textures), additional expressions, eye textures and first moves. The Aiko 3.0 Professional Bundle lists for $99.95 and includes Aiko 3 Complete with more advanced clothing, poses, hair, textures and accessories.

    DAZ Prods. provides customers with 3D models and develops software applications that support its content. Other products include DAZ|Studio, a free 3D character art application; DAZ|Mimic, a lip-synching application; and DAZ|Bryce, a 3D environment package. For more information, go to www.daz3d.com.

  • DreamWorks Animation Posts Profit, Delays Shrek 3

    Two months after completing its initial public offering, DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. has posted a third-quarter net profit of $20.3 million. The boffo box office and home video performance of Shrek 2 and a $300 million worldwide take for Shark Tale provided a much-needed boost for the toon division, which reported a net loss of $35.9 million during the same period last year.

    Revenue for DreamWorks Animation this quarter totaled $241.3 million against costs of $196.3 million. For the nine months ended Sept. 30, 2004, revenue totaled $582.5 million for a net income was $141 million. Last year the company lost $150.6 million over the same nine-month period.

    DreamWorks Animation also announced that it has decided to move its release of Shrek 3 from November 2006 to May 2007. Studio head Jeffrey Katzenberg comments, “The sheer magnitude of the Shrek franchise has led us to conclude that a May release date–with a DVD release around the holiday season–will enable us to best maximize performance and increase profitability, thereby generating enhanced asset value and better returns for our shareholders.”

    The announcement of Shrek 3’s delay comes just one day after Disney and Pixar announced that their upcoming CG feature, Cars, was moving from November 2006 to June 2006.

    Katzenberg also mentioned that DreamWorks Animation remains dedicated to producing two major computer-animated features a year. In addition to the third Shrek installment, the slate includes Madagascar (May 27, 2005), Wallace & Gromit: Tale of the Were Rabbit on (Oct. 7, 2005), Over the Hedge (May 19, 2006) and Flushed Away (fall 2006).

  • Appleseed Sequels, Series Germinate

    As the critically acclaimed new anime feature, Appleseed, gets set to make its U.S theatrical debut on Jan. 14, Daily Variety reports that the property is set to become a trilogy. The film’s Japanese creator, Micott & Basara, has reportedly teamed with Los Angeles-based Axis Ent. to co-produce a pair of sequels and a television series. A live-action feature film may also emerge from the partnership.

    Set in the year 2131, after most of the world has been devastated by war, Appleseed chronicles the battle between mankind and bioroids, a race of cybernetic pseudo-clones designed to aid humans in domestic capacities. The film was adapted from a popular manga series.

    The pic combines 2D character animation and toon-shaded 3D motion-capture technology. Its unique look was dictated by director Shinji Aramaki and producer Fumihiko Sori, whose credits include CG animation work on the Hollywood blockbuster, Titanic.

    Released in Japan by Toho earlier this year, Appleseed is the first film to fall under the new Geneon Films umbrella, a division dedicated to marketing and distributing live-action and animated feature films from Asia. Geneon Ent. also acquired North American and European distribution rights for the film Tetsujin 28th, and previously released the anime masterpiece Akira, as well as the hits Patlabor WXIII and Onmyoji.

  • ASIFA-Hollywood Throws Animated Holiday Bash

    The International Animated Film Society, ASIFA-Hollywood, will be holding its annual animated holiday party at the new ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Center in Burbank, Calif. on Friday, Dec. 17. Featuring live music, food and cartoons, the event will kick off at 7:30 p.m. and all are invited.

    The Yule Tide shindig will also offer the first public viewing of ASIFA-Hollywood’s new headquarters in Burbank. Attendees will be able to check out the new digs before the organization moves its archives, library and offices into the space.

    ASIFA-Hollywood is gearing up for the 32nd annual Annie Awards, to be hosted by SpongeBob SquarePants voice Tom Kenny on Jan. 30 at the historic Alex theater in Glendale, Calif. The nominees were announced this week, with the Disney/Pixar blockbuster The Incredibles leading the pack with 16 nods. For more information, see our story at www.animationmagazine.net/article.php?article_id=3289.

    The New ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Center is located at 2114 Burbank Blvd. In Burbank (4 blocks east of Buena Vista on the South side of the street.)

  • Jim Henson Co. Restructures TV Dept.

    As it works to increase its network and cable programming portfolio, The Jim Henson Co. has hired Eric Poticha as VP of television and Halle Stanford as head of children’s television. Both will report to Lisa Henson, who serves as co-CEO with brother Brian Henson.

    Poticha will develop new comedy and drama series, miniseries and features for television, in addition to Muppet projects to be produced by Henson for The Walt Disney Co. He most recently served as VP of movies and miniseries at Fox Television Studios. Poticha originated the development of Muppets’ Wizard of Oz, a made-for-television feature from Touchstone Television and The Jim Henson Co., now in post-production.

    Stanford will lead the company’s development and production of all animated and live-action preschool and children’s programming for both television and home video. She will also work closely with HIT Ent. on pre-school programming for the co-production agreement recently announced by the two companies. She returns to the Jim Henson Co. after successfully founding 7 Crows Stories, a children’s creative company responsible for consulting on Krypto and Baby Looney Toons, two upcoming animated preschool series for Warner Brothers Animation Studios. During her previous tenure at Henson, Stanford initiated the company’s acquisition and development of Frances, an animated preschool project currently in postproduction and featuring the company’s proprietary digital puppetry technology.

  • Davey and Goliath Return for Holiday Special

    After a 30-year hiatus, everyone’s favorite stop-motion boy-and-dog team is returning to the small screen with an all-new holiday special titled Davey and Goliath’s Snowboard Christmas. The one-hour program, presented by Faith & Values Media. will premiere Sunday, Dec. 19. at 12 noon (ET/PT) and 11 a.m. (Central) on Hallmark Channel. An encore broadcast will air on Dec. 26.

    In Davey and Goliath’s Snowboard Christmas, Davey is jealous of the snowboarding skills of his two new friends–Sam, who celebrates Hanukkah, and Yasmeen, who celebrates Ramadan. Determined to show them up, Davey challenges his pals to a race down a roped-off portion of the mountain. When the three children get into trouble, it’s up to Goliath to save the day.

    A property of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Davey and Goliath has been entertaining young viewers with faith-based stories since the 1960s. "We believe that the special’s themes of love, understanding and forgiveness are more important than ever, so we are delighted to give this gift to children this holiday season," says the Rev. Eric C. Shafer, director of ELCA’s Department for Communication.

    Like the original series, the new special was produced by Premavision Inc. (formerly Clokey Prods.) in Los Osos, Calif. Producer Joe Clokey is the son of Art and Ruth Clokey, who were the original producers of Davey and Goliath and Gumby. To ensure that the charm of the classic series carries over into the new adventure, some of the original animators and production crewmembers were brought back.

    The holiday special is part of a comprehensive re-launch of the Davey and Goliath brand. New initiatives, spearheaded by Animation Content LLC, working closely with the ELCA, include the release of several new children’s book titles to be published by Scholastic in the spring and fall of 2005. Additional ELCA licensing plans include a home video release of the classic series, as well as the production of new episodes, toys, games and merchandise.

    More information on Davey and Goliath can be found at www.daveyandgoliath.org.

  • Happy Tree Friends Spew Holiday Cheer

    The holiday season is about to get even redder than Rudolph’s nose as cuddly creatures and carnage collide in a new Happy Tree Friends holiday special to air on MTV Int’l channels. Produced by Mondo Media Prods., the special will air exclusively on fifteen participating MTV Int’l channels between Dec. 10 and Dec. 30.

    MTV Int’l is the first broadcaster to air Happy Tree Friends, a series of gory comedy shorts that has become a cult hit on the Internet, on DVD and on the festival circuit. Starring a host of adorable forest animals that face a gauntlet of eye-popping calamities, the adult-targeted show currently airs on all MTV channels outside of the U.S. and Japan.

    The special will feature the debut of three brand-new holiday-themed episodes, in addition to existing installments such as last year’s Christmas hit, "Class Act," and the "Christmas Kringles" animated greeting cards. A portion of the program will be available for viewing online at www.happytreefriends.com.

  • Pixar Stocks Fall with Cars Stall

    Financial analysts downgraded stock in Pixar with yesterday’s announcement that the computer-animation house and distributor Disney are pushing the release of Cars back to summer 2006. The final feature film produced under the Disney/Pixar partnership, Cars was originally slated to race to theaters in time for the 2005 holiday season.

    The fact that Pixar will not have a theatrical release in 2005 led to a 6.4% dip in the company’s stock, now valued at $85.23 per share. However, both Pixar and shareholders can count on huge profits to be generated from the 2005 home video release of The Incredibles. Meanwhile, Disney will still have Chicken Little for 2005. The company’s first in-house CG feature will slide into the slot left vacant by Cars.

    Cars is described as a high octane adventure comedy that features an assortment of cars as characters who get their kicks on Route 66. Film legend Paul Newman leads a voice cast studded with stars from the worlds of film and auto racing, including NASCAR legend Richard Petty and actors Owen Wilson (Bottle Rocket, The Royal Tennenbaums), Bonnie Hunt (Monsters, Inc., TV’s Life With Bonnie) and Dan Whitney (Bravo’s Larry the Cable Guy). The film is being produced by Darla K. Anderson (A Bug’s Life, Monsters, Inc.).

    The Walt Disney Studios Chairman Dick Cook explained that Cars is more of a summer movie than a holiday release. Pixar CEO Steve Jobs adds, "We plan to finish Cars on its original schedule, and look forward to Cars and our future films benefiting by summer theatrical releases and holiday DVD releases.”

    Pixar fans will have to wait until June 9, 2006 to take a ride with Cars. Until then they can check out the trailer on Pixar’s web site at www.pixar.com/theater/trailers/cars/index.html.