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Monday, August 14,
2000
Animation Artist Server Change This Week!
Animation Artist is changing servers this week, which may temporarily
interfere with your ability to access the Website starting tomorrow
afternoon. To make sure you continue to see the daily updates, a
link to the IP of the new server will be posted tomorrow.
Animation Artist Magazine is moving to Digital
Media Net servers, which will allow for faster access and more
bandwidth. In April 2000, Digital Media Net acquired Animation Artist
Magazine and is providing the ability of enhanced features for the
site while maintaining the same staff.
Part of the move to the new server will include a new site design,
which will be unveiled later this month.
* * *
Nelvana Greenlights Two New Animated Series
Nelvana Limited has announced production plans for two new animated
series - Braceface and Cyberchase - and the renewal of two existing
series, Redwall and Maggie and the Ferocious Beast.
Braceface, a proposed co-production between Nelvana and China's
Jade Animation, features the voice of Clueless star Alicia Silverstone.
Production of 26 half-hour episodes begins in August for delivery
to Fox Family Channel in the U.S. and Teletoon in Canada in the
Spring of 2001. Braceface tells the story of Sharon Spitz, a 13-year
old eighth grader who turns a tin grin into a winning smile.
Cyberchase, a production of Nelvana and Thirteen/WNET New York,
premieres nationally on PBS KIDS in the U.S. in Winter 2002. Nelvana
and Thirteen are now producing 26 episodes, the majority of which
will be delivered by the end of 2001. The ground-breaking on-air
and on-line animated adventure series features three Earth kids
- Jackie, Matt and Inez - who are summoned into cyberspace. Their
mission: to defeat the evil fiend Hacker who is on a mad quest to
take over the cyberworld. In each episode, the children embark on
thrilling adventures to sites as exciting as ancient Greece, a tropical
paradise and Fairy Tale Land. Funding for Cyberchase is provided
by the National Science Foundation, PBS, The Jeffry M. and Barbara
Picower Foundation and the Kettering Family Foundation.
"Our 2001 production slate is very strong at this point in the
year," says Patrick Loubert, Co-Chief Executive Officer of Nelvana.
"Cyberchase gives us a follow up program to Scholastic's The Magic
School Bus in the educational entertainment category and Braceface
is a unique teen-oriented comedy."
Nelvana has also commenced the third season of 13 episodes of Redwall,
which will bring the total number of cumulative half-hour episodes
in the animated mini-series to 39. The story, based on Brian Jacques'
best-selling book, Martin the Warrior, is a tale of a young mouse
who becomes an unlikely hero in a small English cathedral called
Redwall Abbey. Nelvana, with co- producer TMO Films, will start
production of the new episodes this Fall for delivery to Teletoon
in Canada. The series has already been sold to Nickelodeon U.K.,
Channel Five U.K. and Germany's TV Loonland, among others.
Nelvana has already started production of a second season of 13
episodes of Maggie and the Ferocious Beast, which will bring the
total number of cumulative half-hour episodes of the preschool series
to 26. Based on the best- selling Simon and Schuster book by Betty
and Mickey Paraskevas, Maggie and the Ferocious Beast is set against
the backdrop of Nowhere Land, the imaginary world of five-year old
Maggie. Her best friends are Hamilton Hocks and the Ferocious Beast,
a bounding red and yellow polka dot creature with a heart of gold.
The series is now a top-rated hit among viewers 2-5 on Nick Jr.
in the U.S. and debuts on Canada's Teletoon in late August. Episodes
in the second season will be delivered beginning in February, 2001.
The first season of Maggie and the Ferocious Beast has already been
sold to over 75 international territories, including RTV Family
Entertainment in Germany, Nickelodeon in the U.K. and La Cinquième
and TPS in France, among others. RTV Family Entertainment and La
Cinquième have also committed to the second season of 13 episodes.
* * *
Chicken Run Contest Winners
Congratulations to the following people who won the Animation Artist
Magazine Chicken Run competition:
Hatch an Escape Plan Winners:
First Place: Gord G. with a "sabotaged pie machine" escape plan.
Second Place: Christopher S. with a "giant wooden egg" escape plan.
Third Place: Sheree L. with a "pie machine alteration" escape plan.
These winning entries will be published tomorrow.
Create a New Chicken Winners:
First Place: Hennie B. for Impi, the African Warrior chicken.
Second Place: Artgoon for Schulz, a chicken who spies for the Tweedys.
Third Place: Andrew K. for Dina, the cousin of Babs.
These winning entries will be published tomorrow.
Congratulations to all the winners and to everyone who entered
the competition. Gord G. has won a signed copy of "Chicken Run:
Hatching the Movie." It is signed by both Peter Lord and Nick Park.
Hennie B. has won a copy of "Creating 3D Animation" also signed
by both Peter Lord and Nick Park. The second and third place winners
will receive an Animation Artist T-shirt or tote bag.
Tuesday, August 15, 2000
Box Office Results
Here are the Box Office results for last weekend's animated films:
Chicken
Run $1.3 Million ($1,003 per screen average - 30% drop)
14th at the Box Office (down from #13 last weekend)
Total to Date: $99.9 Million
Pokemon
2000 $1 Million ($726 per screen average - 51% drop)
16th at the Box Office (down from #11 last weekend)
Total to Date: $40.7 Million
Dinosaur $59,042 ($460
per screen average - 44% decrease)
51st at the Box Office (down from #45 last weekend)
Total to Date: $133.7 Million
Titan
A.E. $46,724 ($288 per screen average - 42% drop)
56th at the Box Office (down from #33 last weekend)
Total to Date: $22.6 Million
* * *
Server Update
Animation Artist Magazine has changed servers. This change could
take a few days for your browser to register. In order to continue
seeing the updates, use this link
to access Animation Artist Magazine for the next few days.
The Voices in Animation forums have also been moved to new servers.
To access the forums, click
here.
* * *
Chicken Run Passes $100 Million
Chicken Run passed the $100 million mark yesterday becoming only
the third non-Disney animated movie to ever reach that milestone
with the U.S. Box Office.
In other Chicken Run news, Animation Artist is displaying the winning
entries for its Chicken Run contest (winners were announced yesterday).
To see the winning entries, click
here.
* * *
Newsletter Tonight
Tonight Animation Artist Magazine will release another edition of
its email newsletter to subscribers. The newsletter contains extra
news and information not posted on the Animation Artist Website.
To subscribe to the newsletter, click
here.
Wednesday, August 16,
2000
New Batman Beyond Movie Coming in October
Gotham City will get a double dose of Batman as Bruce Wayne and
the new Batman, Terry McGinnis, take on the world's most infamous
villain in Warner Home Video's "Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker."
This new Batman Beyond movie finally reveals what really happened
during Batman's last encounter with the Joker.
While trying to uncover the Joker's secrets, the new Batman, Terry
McGinnis, discovers the greatest mystery in the life of the original
Caped Crusader: what happened the night he fought the Joker for
the last time. When Bruce Wayne is almost killed in one of the Joker's
latest attacks, Batman vows to avenge his mentor and put the Joker
to rest forever.
"Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker" will be available for $19.96
on VHS and for $24.98 on DVD. The DVD will ship with many bonus
features, including: It is being released on October 24, 2000.
- Director/Producer commentary
- Deleted scenes
- The Making of Batman Beyond
- Animatic sequences
- Video character biographies
- "Crash" music video by Mephisto Odyssey
* * *
Server Update
The server change for Animation Artist Magazine is complete, but
not without a few casualties. Since the change, the popular Voices
in Animation Forum has experienced some technical difficulties,
including some people getting a "permission denied" error message
when trying to post. If you run into any problems using the forum,
or any other feature on Animation Artist Magazine, please report
the problem to jtracy@animationartist.com
so that it can be addressed.
Thursday, August 17,
2000
Little Mermaid II Game to Coincide with Movie
THQ Inc. today announced an agreement with Disney Interactive to
publish and distribute "Disney's The Little Mermaid II" for the
PlayStation game console. The game is scheduled to release throughout
North America and Canada in fall 2000 in conjunction with the direct-to-video
release, "Disney's The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea."
"Disney's The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea" is the sequel
to Walt Disney Pictures' 1989 animated underwater adventure, "Disney's
The Little Mermaid." Joining original characters including Ariel,
Flounder, Sebastian and Triton is Melody, newly introduced as Ariel's
daughter.
In "Disney's The Little Mermaid II" for PlayStation, players assume
the role of either Ariel or Melody, and are challenged to solve
puzzles, collect treasures, avoid enemies and interact with friends
in 15, 3D underwater and land-based levels. Players will find bonus
mini-games throughout, including an underwater sea adventure with
"Sebastian's Orchestra."
The game uses stills from the movie to create an animated 3D-world,
and features more than 30 minutes of full motion video from the
original "Disney's The Little Mermaid" and "Disney's The Little
Mermaid II: Return to the Sea." Footage is cut into gameplay to
help guide the story. The game also features original character
voices and music from the direct-to-video release.
* * *
New Series Coming from Mainframe
Mainframe Entertainment, Inc. and Black Bull Entertainment, L.L.C.
today announced the signing of a development agreement to bring
the new monthly comic series Gatecrasher to television.
The agreement calls for Mainframe Entertainment to develop a computer
animated half-hour television series for the youth market from the
sci-fi comic series.
Gatecrasher is designed and written by the team of Jimmy Palmiotti,
Amanda Connor and Mark Waid.
Jimmy is a longtime friend and I have watched Gatecrasher grow
from concept to comic," says Mainframe Entertainment Inc., Senior
VP of Creative Affairs Dan DiDio. "This comic book property is one
of the most easily translatable to the TV platform that I've ever
seen.''
Gatecrasher is the story of Alec Wagner, a college student who
is half-human, half-alien and a full-time member of the Split-Second
Squad, a secret alien army that protects Earth from alien attacks
through interdimensional `gates.' Using its liquid supercomputer
ThinkTank, the Squad was able to locate these gates before damage
could be done -- until it was destroyed and its contents splashed
all over Alec's body. Although the youngest and least experienced
of the team, Alec is the only Squadder with the power to sense when
and where the invaders will strike, so he is always on call.
Friday, August 18, 2000
Official Monsters, Inc. Press Release
Several days ago, Animation Artist Magazine brought you news of
new voices for Monsters, Inc. Here is the official press release
concerning the news:
Billy Crystal and John Goodman lead a group of top vocal talents
in adding frights and delights to Disney/Pixar's upcoming animated
comedy-adventure, "Monsters, Inc," it was announced by Thomas Schumacher,
president of Walt Disney Feature Animation, and Steve Jobs, CEO
of Pixar Animation Studios.
The film, which is scheduled for a November 2001 release, also
features the voices of James Coburn, Jennifer Tilly, Bonnie Hunt
and newcomer Mary Gibbs.
"Monsters, Inc." is directed by Pete Docter, an Oscar nominee for
his role in creating the original story for "Toy Story," and co-directed
by David Silverman, the Emmy Award-winning supervising director
of "The Simpsons." Darla Anderson ("A Bug's Life") is the producer
with John Lasseter and Andrew Stanton serving as executive producers.
Following the enormous international success of "Toy Story," "A
Bug's Life" and "Toy Story 2," "Monsters, Inc." is a comedy set
in the realm of things that go bump in the night, where chaos breaks
loose after a hapless monster accidentally lets a human child into
the monster world.
"Monsters, Inc." is being created and produced by Pixar at its
Northern California studios. Monsters, Incorporated is the largest
scare factory in the monster world and James P. Sullivan (John Goodman)
is one of its top Scarers. Sullivan is a huge, intimidating monster
with blue fur, large purple spots, and horns. His Scare Assistant,
best friend and roommate is Mike Wzowski (Billy Crystal), a green,
opinionated, feisty little one-eyed monster. The cast of characters
also includes the factory's CEO, a crablike monster named Henry
J. Waternoose (James Coburn) and the snake-headed, beguiling receptionist
Celia (Jennifer Tilly). One of the top Scarers is a sarcastic chameleon
monster named Randall Boggs (Steve Buscemi). Visiting from the human
world is Boo (Mary Gibbs), a tiny girl who goes where no human has
ever gone before.
* * *
CINAR Fires Its Founders!
The Board of Directors of CINAR have formally voted to immediately
terminate the employment of the company's founders, Mrs. Micheline
Charest and Mr. Ronald A. Weinberg. The move comes after a year
of investigations that uncovered tax fraud and financial misconduct.
In addition to the problems, Nasdaq delisted CINAR on August 2 for
the company's inability to provided proper audited financial statements.
Saturday, August 19,
2000
Living in a Fantasy World
According to Newsweek:
"When the sci-fi epic "final Fantasy" opens next summer, kids will
rave about the evil aliens, the white-knuckle action scenes and
the planet-size explosions. Adults who venture inside will leave
the theater talking about something else entirely: the kiss.
The hero and heroine, Gray and Aki, float through a spaceship,
looking deeply into each other's eyes. He strokes her cheek before
pulling her toward him, their eyes closing just before their lips
meet. Then, as they break the kiss, her eyes flutter open, shy,
misty and full of longing. It looks as realistic as any other kiss
between people with movie-star looks... except that there's nothing
real about Aki and Gray, who only exist as a series of ones and
zeros on a computer...
Click here
for the full story.
* * *
Sammy Gets Canned
NBC's animated nightmares continue. The network has canned its Sammy
animated TV series after just two shows due to horrible ratings.
The David Spade inspired series was one of the worst rated TV shows
ever for the network, scoring poorer that the disasterous "God,
The Devil, and Bob" animated series that NBC killed in April 2000.
* * *
Simpson's Movie in the Works
Matt Groening has confirmed that there will be an animated theatrical
movie of "The Simpsons." The confirmation that a movie was in the
works came at a press conference in London. No further details were
made available.
* * *
Email Disruption
The Animation Artist Magazine server change, which was successfully
completed this week, has resulted in a disruption of the email service.
Many emails being sent to anything @animationartist.com are being
returned to the sender. The situation should resolve itself by Monday
morning. If you have been trying to send an email to Animation Artist
Magazine, please redirect it to joetracy@earthlink.net
until Monday.
Sunday, August 20, 2000
Lady and the Tramp II Information
As previously reported by Animation Artist Magazine, Disney is hard
at work on a direct to video sequel to Lady and the Tramp. Subtitled
"Scamp's Adventure," the video and DVD animated musical adventure
is scheduled to be released in Spring 2001.
Included in the voice talent are Scott Wolf as Lady and Tramp's
spirited son, Scamp, and Alyssa Milano as Scamp's friend, the female
stray named Angel. Jodi Benson is Lady, Jeff Bennett voices Tramp,
Chazz Palminteri is Buster, the leader of the strays, Cathy Moriarty
is the flirtatious Ruby, Bronson Pinchot is Francois, a French bulldog,
Mickey Rooney is Sparky, the elder statesman of the junkyard, and
Bill Fagerbaake is Mooch, a sweet-natured English Sheepdog.
The songs of Lady & the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure are written
by award winning songwriters Melissa Manchester and Norman Gimbel.
This new adventure is directed by Darrell Rooney and produced by
Jeannine Roussel, the same team that worked on the The Lion King
II: Simba's Pride, which became the most successful video premiere
in the history of the home entertainment industry.
In Lady & the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure , Lady and Tramp have
puppies of their own, and live happily under the roof of their human
friends, the Darlings. Lady and Tramp's three daughters, Annette,
Colette and Danielle, love the domesticated life, but Scamp, their
mischievous son, wants nothing better than to see the world outside.
Longing to be wild and free, like his father once was, Scamp takes
up with the Junkyard Dogs, a group of strays who seem to represent
the free and easy lifestyle. When Scamp meets Angel, a lovely female
stray, Scamp believes he's right where he belongs. But Buster, the
Junkyard Dogs' leader, is not about to make it easy on "the house-dog,"
whom he sees as a rival. Scamp must now choose between an uncertain
life on the street, or the unconditional love that only a family
can give.
* * *
Newsletter Tonight
A new edition of the Animation Artist Newsletter is being emailed
tonight with new animation news. To sign up for the newsletter,
click here.
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