Category: Visual Effects

Zoic Studios has announced that Michael Capton has joined the company as head of CG for the company's commercial division.

AWN has learned from sources at the London Effects & Animation Festival (LEAF) that Advanstar, the producers of the event, have cancelled the 2003 edition of the festival along with Digital Arts World. LEAF is one of Europes biggest visual effects and animation events. The reason for the move hinged on the producers inability to garner enough funding from exhibitors to go forth with the events. As well, LEAF festival manager Sophie Trainor has left her post to take on a role in the public relations and marketing department at Soho visual effects house The Moving Picture Company.

VES Awards 2004Hollywood, California, USAFebruary 18, 2004Deadline: December 1, 2003

The Visual Effects Society (VES) is taking submissions for the 2004 VES Awards. Participants can submit their entry forms for any one of the 23 categories through the VES Awards online submission site at www.vesawards.com. The 2nd annual event will be held on February 18, 2003 at the Hollywood Palladium. The deadline for submission is December 1, 2003. For the first time, a special Lifetime Achievement Award will be given.

Weta Digital has landed work on both the KING KONG remake and THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE feature. Head of Weta Peter Jackson has inked a deal with Universal to bring his version of the giant ape tale to the screen, reported DAILY VARIETY. The deal is worth $20 million and 20% of the gross to Jackson for his writing and directing duties, which he will split with Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens who also helped the Oscar-nominated director pen the LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy. Welsh is set to produce the KONG redux.

Visual effects house Guava has been enlisted by Radio City Entertainment to bring legendary singer/actor Frank Sinatra back to the Radio City Music hall stage in a multi-media event entitled SINATRA: HIS VOICE. HIS WORLD. HIS WAY. This project is the first time that Sinatra Enterprises has approved the exclusive and unrestricted use of Sinatra footage to a single entity outside the family. The stage show was constructed from never-before-seen video footage and home videos as well as 35mm images from classic television and film appearances.

In a move that looks like it wants to recapture the success of its HARRY POTTER franchise, Warner Bros. Pictures has optioned Phillip Ardaghs childrens trilogy of books, featuring the main character Eddie Dickens, reported DAILY VARIETY. Scribe Matthew Huffman (ME AND MY MONSTER) has been tapped to write the screenplay for the first book, A HOUSE CALLED AWFUL END. The story follows an 11-year-old British boy, who goes to live with his Mad Uncle Jack and Mad Aunt Maud when his parents get sick and ends up in the St. Horrid's Home for Grateful Orphans.