A TrendWatch Perspective on the U.S. 3D Market
Jim Whittington of TrendWatch analyzes the 3D market in the U.S. and reports back with the emerging trends and changes.
Tagged With: Studios
Van Helsing Scares Up $65 Million in Home Ent. Debut
Universal Studios Home Ent. announced that VAN HELSING scared up sales of more than four million combined DVD and VHS units in the first six days of release for a total consumer spree of $65 million.
USHE is poised for a record-breaking fourth quarter with a release schedule representing 36% of the domestic box office of all feature titles being released during that period.
Learn About Careers in Animation with Panel of Experts
The Learning Annex is hosting a panel discussion about pitching your ideas to the studios. Topics will include: the state of the animation industry today; where the jobs are - in movies, TV, direct-to-video; hand-drawn animation vs. CGI; and development: how to go from concept to cartoon. Following the discussion will be a Q&A session.
Confirmed panelists to date include:* Jeff Howard (moderator): director of creative affairs, DisneyToon Studios. * Saul Blinkoff and Elliot Bour: directors, DisneyToon Studios.
Krome Studios Switches to Maya to Power New Game Pipeline
Australia's premiere game developer, Krome Studios, is moving its entire game development pipeline to Maya software. With more than 130 employees, Krome Studios has created successful games for all platforms, with titles including Sunny Garcia's SURFING, EXTREMELY GOOFY SKATEBOARDING, BARBIE BEACH VACATION, JIMMY NEUTRON BOY GENIUS: JET FUSION, the TY THE TASMANIAN TIGER series and KING ARTHUR.
Recognizing the growing importance of Maya software to the 3D game development community, Krome began to evaluate their pipeline tools and talent pool.
Behind the Scenes at Pixar
Begins: October 2, 2004
Second Annual Benefit for the Cartoon Art Museum
Saturday, October 2nd, 2004 6:00 PM Tickets: $175, ($125 - CAM Members)
In Event Types: Conferences
Fox Hires New Scribe for X3
20th Century Fox and Marvel Studios have hired Simon Kinberg to write the script for X3, reports HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. The deal will earn the writer a high-six-against-seven-figure sum. Kinberg isnt new to comic book inspired features having done rewrites on ELEKTRA and FANTASTIC FOUR. Details of the plot have not been announced.
Pendulum Studios Launches Website for Arrest Assured Short
Pendulum Studios has announced the creation of a Website for its new 3D-animated short film, ARREST ASSURED. The new Website, www.studiopendulum.com/arrestassured shows off concept art, still imagery, storyboards, evolutionary clips and making-of movies, including a short behind-the-scenes movie called ANATOMY OF SHOT, which shows the compositing construction of one of the shots from the film.
Next-Generation Gaming Companies Move Onto CAT
As game developers worldwide prepare themselves for the increased challenges associated with producing next-generation gaming content, many are choosing CAT 1.2 as the basis for their character animation pipelines. Developed by Character Animation Technologies, CAT (Character Animation Toolkit) is a fully integrated character animation plug-in for Discreet's 3ds max. Game studios that have already made the move to CAT include Relic Ent., Remedy Ent., Obsidian Ent., Relentless Software, GlyphX Games and Rainbow Studios.
Tiny Wonderlens Studios Lands Big Taco Bell Toy Deal
Wonderlens Studios, a small, independent animation house in Southern California, has landed a mucho big toy deal with Taco Bell Corp. -- 2.85 million toys, all based on characters created by Wonderlens, featured on its independently released DVD, WONDERLENS PRESENTS: AQUARIUM OF THE ALIENS. Participating Taco Bell locations throughout the U.S. will be distributing six different Wonderlens toys as part of a kids meal promo over a period of roughly six weeks, which started Sept. 1, 2004.
Duck Studios Produces Trailer For GKC Theaters
DUCK Studios, a.k.a. Duck Soup Studios, recently completed a trailer for midwest theater chain, GKC Theatres. Formed in 1985 by George Kerasotes, GKC Theatres is now the 15th largest theater chain in the U.S.
Marvel’s Deathlok Gets New Scribe
Paramount and Marvel Studios have hired David Self (ROAD TO PERDITION) to rewrite the screen adaptation of Marvel Comics DEATHLOK, reports THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Stu Zicherman and Raven Metzner (ELEKTRA) wrote the first draft. The story follows everyman who becomes a test subject for a technology research lab that transforms him into a living computer. Marvel Studios' Avi Arad and Crystal Sky Prods. Steven Paul are producing. No director has been seen. DIE ANOTHER DAY helmer Lee Tamahori had long been attached to direct, but has since stepped down.
First Family Goes With Platinum on TV, DVD
Comic book entertainment company Platinum Studios will team up with First Family to produce the Platinum Studios graphic novels MEET THE HAUNTEDS and SPACED for half-hour television series and direct-to-DVD premiere movies.
First Family head Dean Valentine, the former president of UPN and of Walt Disney Television, Touchstone Television and Walt Disney TV Animation (the only Disney exec to ever supervise all three divisions), will exec produce both projects along with Platinum chairman Scott Mitchell Rosenberg and First Family exec Scott Imergut.
TrendWatch Ranks Previs #2 Task at Studios
According to TrendWatch, previsualization is rapidly gaining acceptance among producers and directors, with 39% of all studios/facilities currently doing previs tasks along with eight out of 10 vfx studios.
This TrendWatch Fast Fact is good news in terms of shrinking budgets and shorter production cycles.
TrendWatch Inc. (www.trendwatch.com) is a market research firm located in Mill Valley, California.
'Catwoman' VFX Claw Past Comic Book Conventions
Gerard Raiti goes and scratches up the facts about the effects used to bring Catwoman to the big screen.
Brain Zoo Studios Outgrows Office
Brain Zoo Studios, a leading character animation company for film and videogames, is re-locating its offices to a new, 5,500 square-foot building in Van Nuys, California, that will allow Brain Zoo to triple in size and bring on additional 20 team members to double its staff.
The new facility is wired with Cat 6 and a fiber optic network for heavy data management for feature, television and gaming projects.
Decker Joins Pixar Board
Susan L. Decker, the cfo and evp of Yahoo! has joined the board of directors of Pixar Animation Studios. At Yahoo! she is responsible for managing all aspects of the company's financial and administrative activities. Prior to joining Yahoo!, Decker was the global director of equity research for Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette (DLJ), where she managed the worldwide equity research operation.
Fathom Studios Lands Creative Rep for Delgo
Atlanta-based Fathom Studios has signed with new management/production group Key Creatives to represent the animation house's services and to sell worldwide rights to its first CGI feature, DELGO, reports VARIETY.
"The timing for an independently produced CG feature couldn't be better. The filmmakers sought and secured their own funding, created and wrote their own story, built their own studio and made the picture happen," said Key Creatives' Ken Kamins.
South African Animation: Not Just Elephants and Zebras
Eric Oldrin reveals the animated possibilities and astounding growth of animation and visual effects studios in South Africa.
Pendulum Studios Swings For Call of Duty Trailer
Pendulum Studios has completed a CG trailer for Activisions much anticipated game, CALL OF DUTY: FINEST HOUR, which is set to store this fall. The :60 trailer that premiered at the 2004 E3 conference depicts the heroic sacrifices, chaotic environments and extraordinary events that Allied soldiers experienced during World War II.
Selick Joins Vinton Studios
THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS director Henry Selick has joined Vinton Studios as supervising director. Selick will be charged with heading up the studios transition into features. He has begun production on the studio's first high-budget CG short, MOONGIRL.
Selick is wrapping up his duties as animation director on Wes Anderson's THE LIFE AQUATIC. He also adapted and will direct Neil Gaiman's CORALINE for Bill Mechanic's Pandemonium.
Universal Studios Forms Universal Studios Partnerships
Universal Studios announced the creation of Universal Studios Partnerships (USP), an agency-inspired entity designed to oversee multi-divisional corporate alliances as well as theatrical and home entertainment promotions. USP expands upon and renames Universal Partnership Development, a group currently overseeing long-term corporate alliances. Stephanie Sperber, svp, Universal Partnership Development, has been promoted to evp, USP, reporting to Universal Pictures vice chairman Marc Shmuger.
Hellboy II Rises at Revolution
Revolution Studios has greenlit HELLBOY II, with original film's writer and director Guillermo del Toro and producers Lawrence Gordon, Mike Richardson of Dark Horse Ent. and Lloyd Levin all returning. HELLBOY creator Mike Mignola is developing the new story with del Toro.
"HELLBOY was a tremendously successful and unique project," said Revolution Studios partner Todd Garner. "It was Guillermo's vision that brought the film to the marketplace, and we are delighted to be working with him again."
Vinton Studios Launches Project Backpocket
Vinton Studios will launch Project Backpocket June 21 - August 20, 2004 in Portland, Oregon, where a team of college students will team with top creatives from the advertising industry to create an original short film.
Royer Studios Toons in on Education Initiative
Bruce Royer of Royer Studios has formed the Classroom Awareness Through Animation Program, which plans to bring animators into middle and high school art, life-skills, and health classrooms to help kids create 30-second animated Public-Service Announcements (PSAs).
RHYTHM & HUES STUDIOS TO VISIT ALAMEDA
Begins: March 18, 2004
Rhythm & Hues Studios would like to meet digital artists interested in future employment at our studios. In order to participate you must be a digital artist with 2+ years professional experience. We invite you to attend one of our two lunchtime gatherings:
March 17th - Belmont near Redwood City March 18th - Alameda in the East Bay
