Making Film History: 1998's Animated Features
No question about it. 1998 was the year of animation, thanks to the successful release of so many theatrical features. Evan Backes puts it all in perspective and alerts us to 1999's treats.
Tagged With: Animated
Commercials in `98: Talking Animals and Trendy Gimmicks
Will all those talking animal commercials quiet down in 1999? Chuck McBride discusses the advertising hits of 1998 and what will come of them in 1999.
The Major TV Trends and Moments of Last Year
An ever-expanding animated prime-time. An increase in CGI programming. Some studios are hiring, others aren't. Some networks are riding high...others aren't. Michael Swanigan looks at 1998's television world and what it could mean for 1999.
A new animated Nickelodeon theatrical open
San Francisco-based (Colossal) Pictures created a new animated Nickelodeon theatrical open, which premiered with Paramounts The Rugrats Movie, and stars Slap D. Pooch, a blue-balloon-nosed dog who was featured in his own short film as part of Nickelodeons Oh Yeah! Cartoons! series. The 16-second open, Slaps Fleck, was directed by Colossals Charlie Canfield, creative directed by George Evelyn, and animated by Chuck Gammage Animation based on a character created by Bill Burnett and designed by Vincent Waller.
More ‘Bug’s Life’ bloopers are arriving
Disney may not have an animated film to put up against DreamWorks Prince of Egypt, but theyve come up with an ingenious way of profiting from the November release of A Bugs Life. The company announced that starting December 18th, a completely new set of animated bloopers will accompany the closing credits of the film.
Nick goes cartoon crazy
Nickelodeon made a major announcement Tuesday, December 8 regarding their 1999 lineup. 259 original episodes of returning shows, both live-action and animated, are scheduled for the 1999 TV season. The animated shows that will have new episodes are Rugrats, featuring the addition of new family member Baby Dil Pickles, Hey Arnold!, The Wild Thornberrys, CatDog, Oh Yeah!
Antz, Bugs and Rats are Big
Animated films played a very big role at this weekend's box office whichsaw strong performances from three animated features. After eight weeks,"ANTZ" remained in the Top 10 at No. 9 pulling in $2.3 million. "A Bug'sLife" was impressive in its one-theater debut in Hollywood, California'shistoric El Capitan theater grossing an amazing $291,000 during theweekend. This opening set house records at the El Capitan according tosources at Buena Vista. The biggest story this weekend though was
Animated greeting cards on the Internet
E-greetings Network (http://www.egreetings.com), a provider of internet-based electronic greetings has unveiled the new E-greetings Animations. The free digital greetings can be personalized and sent to anyone by e-mail. "When we started our company nearly five years ago, we saw that e-mail had the potential to become a multimedia entertainment and communications medium that could provide far more than the limited capabilities of standard text-only e-mail," says E-greetings Network's co-founder Tony Levitan.
Storyopolis gets animated with Batman
On Saturday, November 14, the Los Angeles-based art gallery and book store, Storyopolis, presents a special book signing celebrating the publication of Batman Animated, a book with rare artwork, a detailed episode guide, and interviews with the creators and voice actors behind Batman: The Animated Series. Batman artists/writers Paul Dini, Chip Kidd, Eric Radomski, and Bruce Timm will be on hand to greet fans and sign copies of the book. This free event begins at 4:00 PM. To RSVP call (310) 358 - 2500 or to pre-order a signed edition, call (310) 358-2512.
Passion Pics gets in the "ring" with Addidas
PASSION PICTURES finished eight 3-second inserts for a new Adidas campaign featuring British World featherweight boxing champion Prince (Naz) Naseem and an overweight animated ex-boxer, the Cornerman. The spots were directed by Chris Hauge and animated by Chris Hauge, Chuck Gammage, Marco Piersma and Kevin Spruce through the Leagas Delaney agency.
Animated film festival comes to Switzerland
* Tuesday, November 24, - Saturday, November 28. Mendrisio, Switzerland.
The Mendrisio Swiss International Animated Film Festival includes a short,feature and animated "pilot" competition, as well as student films, 3Dcomputer animation, retrospectives, exhibitions, conferences and more. Forinformation call (41) 91 646 16 54.
AMMI hosts Blue Sky|VIFX
* Saturday, October 24. New York City, New York, U.S.A.
The American Museum of the Moving Image hosts a talk and demonstration by Blue Sky|VIFX about the animated effects the studio produced for the new 3D Imax film, "T-Rex: Back to the Cretaceous." The event begins at 12 noon, and is suitable for children ages nine and up. As a special treat, Chris Wedge will give a sneak preview from his soon-to-be-released animated short. For information, call (718) 784-4520.
Leap into Leipzig!
* Tuesday, October 27 - Saturday, October 31. Leipzig, Germany.
The 41st annual Leipzig International Festival for Documentary and Animated Film will showcase a retrospective of German animation since 1945, as well as 119 animated films in other programs including competition. For information, contact dock-leipzig@t-online.de.
Columbia Tristar debuts Buster & Chauncey
On October 13, Columbia TriStar Home Video released "Buster & Chauncey's Silent Night," a direct-to-video animated musical based on the true story of "Silent Night." The 48-minute film was produced by Buzz Potamkin and is Columbia TriStar's first in-house direct-to-video animated feature. Voice talent, directed by Susan Blu, includes the late Phil Hartman, Tom Arnold and Marie Osmond.
Ellipsanime hires new deputy director
Ellipsanime, Canal +s Paris-based studio that produces the animated series, Corto Maltese, has hired MARIE-PIERRE MOULINJEUNE as deputy director for international development and co-productions. She will supervise the development and production of animated films and TV series, and report to vice president Robert Réa. Moulinjeune was previously in charge of coordinating animated co-productions for Télé-Images, and prior to that she was head of program acquisitions for France 2.
Animated Castles grow in Italy
* Thursday, October 15 - Saturday, October 17. Rome, Italy.
The Animated Castles, International Animated Film Festival holds its second edition. For information contact l.raffaelli@iol.it or visit http://cicr.roma.it.
Salsa sales strong
Paris, France-based Salsa Distribution has sold several animated series to the international market.
Interactive TV gets animated
Copenhagen, Denmark-based Interactive Television Entertainment is launching several new interactive game shows, including two that will incorporate animation, based on the concept used for the series Hugo the TV Troll. Tush Tush will use real-time motion-capture animation to allow viewers to interact with the program via the Internet and telephone. Yo-Yo, developed with Los Angeles-based Dream Entertainment, will offer animated carnival-type games linked to video games which viewers can play simultaneously on consoles in their homes.
Monster animating “Arcade”
Dublin, Ireland-based Monster Productions, an animation studio and distribution company formed in 1995 by former management and artists from the Don Bluth studios, has acquired the rights to produce a television series based on 7th Levels video game Arcade America. Monster is also currently distributing the 13-episode animated series The Storykeepers, while seeking co-production partners for several other animated projects including an animated feature film based on Jack and the Beanstalk, a series called Kwiatkowski based on detective nov
Editor's Notebook
The inventiveness of independents...
In ANIMATIONWorld | Columns: Editor
ILM animates First Union
Los Angeles-based Industrial Light & Magic Commercial Productions (a division of ILM parent, Lucas Digital) used animated visual effects in a commercial for First Union. Live actors were composited with a 3D CG environment featuring a floating piggy bank, animated money and other exaggerated elements of the finance world. The production team included director Steve Beck, visual effects supervisor George Murphy and CG lead Tim Stevenson.
MOMI looks at J. Walter Thompson's animated ads
* Tuesday, October 6. London, England, U.K.
The Museum of the Moving Image's lunch time lecture series, "First Tuesdays" showcases 70 years of animated advertising from J. Walter Thompson. From 1 to 2 p.m., Chris Bardsley, creative director for the agency will lecture on the company's history of animated commercials, from George Pal's puppet works to the latest CGI spots for Smarties and stop-motion spots for Dairylea. Tickets are £2.50 each. For information call (44) 171 815 1339.
Tooning in the 1998 Fall Season
Joseph K. Bevilacqua highlights what's new in animation for the U.S. 1998/99 television season, from CBS to Cartoon Network.
Disney World adding animated attractions
Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, is launching the largest expansion in its history. New attractions that will be added in the next 12 months include "Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin," an interactive film ride; "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh," a ride for youngsters which will replace "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride;" and a return of "The Main Street Electrical Parade," featuring floats of Dumbo, Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, and other animated characters.
HBO birthing family channel
HBO will launch its new 24-hour channel, HBO Family, in February 1999. The venture is being headed up by Sheila Nevins, senior vice president of original programming for HBO, and Dolores Morris, who left Children's Television Workshop (CTW) in June to become vice president of HBO Family [AF 6/2/98].
