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Digital Media FX News Archives
Thursday
- June 7, 2001
- Shrek to Expand into More Theaters
on Friday!
- Animation Cheers and Sneers
for May 2001
- Mainframe Entertainment Gets a New
CEO
- News Link of the Day -
Pearl Harbor Survives Attack by British Critics
Shrek
to Expand into More Theaters on Friday!
(by digitalmediafx.com) Shrek is expanding to a record number
of theaters tomorrow, the third straight weekend that the theater count
has expanded. When Shrek opened on May 18, it was playing in 3,587
theaters. The following Friday, May 25, it expanded to 3,623 theaters.
Last Friday, Shrek expanded again, this time to 3,661 theaters.
Tomorrow Shrek will be playing in 3,715 theaters. That breaks the
record of the most theaters ever showing the same movie. The old record
was 3,669 set by Mission Impossible II last year.
> Click
here to access the dFX Shrek Movie Site
> Track the daily box office results for Shrek here.
> Watch Shrek climb the Top
10 Highest Grossing Animated Movies chart here.
Animation Cheers
and Sneers for May 2001
(by digitalmediafx.com) Here is the list of Digital Media FX's May
2001 Cheers and Sneers for the animation and visual effects industries:
Cheers:
DreamWorks announced that it was embarking on three new animated series
based on the Bromeliad trilogy. This includes "Truckers," "Diggers,"
and "Wings."
Sneers:
Cartoon Network bans several Bugs Bunny cartoons making claims of
parts being socially unacceptable. Then it is discovered that many other
cartoons have been edited (or "butchered") without the input
of the original directors or creators.
Cheers:
PDI/DreamWorks Shrek is shown at Cannes, resulting in positive
buzz (particularly with all the "over the edge" movies shown
this year) and a long standing ovation. Many critics gave it an outside
chance of winning the best movie award (but it didn't).
Sneers:
DreamWorks releases the soundtrack for Shrek, but fails to
deliver the movie's background score and holds off announcing whether
one would ever be available (Digital Media FX eventually found out one
is in the works - slated for mid-July with the possibility of delay).
Cheers:
Shrek tears up the box office, receiving strong positive reaction
from critics and exit polls showing people grading it between an A and
A+. By the end of May (after only two weeks at the box office) Shrek
had made over $120 million!
Sneers:
A Spy Kids: Special Edition (new special effects) is put into
works for release against Osmosis Jones in August in what is already
an overcrowded month at the box office.
Cheers:
It is announced that the original animated special, "Santa Vs. The
Snowman," is being reformatted for IMAX 3D. Look for it in November
2002.
Sneers:
The International Cartoon Museum attempts to auction off several pieces
of its important historical collection to raise money for paying off debts.
Many pieces don't sell or sell for lower than expected, causing the museum
to announce it will look for other ways for funding (something it should
have done in the first place). Eventually they announce another auction.
Cheers:
Disney Interactive announces that it is creating a new slate of games
known as "Imagineering games" where the user becomes the creator.
One of the first titles to be released is Ultimate Ride where users create
their own roller coasters then ride them.
Sneers:
When asked about the salary cuts, layoffs, and changes to Disney
Animation, the head of Walt Disney Studios (Peter Schneider) responds,
in part, "That's just life, isn't it?"
Cheers:
In honor of Maurice Noble. His contributions to the world of animation
and willingness to train others in his style (even long after his retirement)
will remain an inspiration to many for the rest of their lives. He will
be greatly missed.
Mainframe Entertainment
Gets a New CEO
(by digitalmediafx.com) Mainframe Entertainment, known for six CGI
animated TV series, like ReBoot, has announced that Lou Novak has been
appointed to the position of Chief Executive Officer. Novak, who has held
senior management positions at Galoob, Mattel and Coleco, assumes this
position effective immediately.
"I am very excited
to be joining one of the entertainment industries leading organizations
in computer animation," says Novak. I plan to work with Mainframe's
experienced creative team to develop and market new properties, as well
as pioneer new techniques in computer animation. These efforts, in conjunction
with a new aggressive effort to move into the licensing and merchandising
arena with a newly created consumer products division, will launch Mainframe
to a new level of prosperity."
Prior to joining Mainframe, Novak served as President and C.E.O of Videosnap, a streaming media application service provider based in New York. Previously, he spent ten years at Galoob Toys, Inc., in various executive management positions before advancing to Executive Vice President and C.O.O.
Mainframe has produced
over 150 hours of computer animation since 1994.
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News Link of the
Day - Pearl Harbor Survives Attack by British Critics
According to Japan Today:
"British critics laid into Hollywood for rewriting history in Pearl Harbor — but it still made three million pounds ($4.25 million) in its first weekend at the UK box office.
The tale of the 'Day
of Infamy' that brought the United States into World War II is the latest
blockbuster to enrage the British for playing fast and loose with history…"
Click here for the full story.
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These news articles and all digitalmediafx.com content are ©copyright 2001 by Joe Tracy and may not be reused for any purpose without expressed written consent of the author and Digital Media FX. All rights reserved.
