Digital Media FX News Archives

Wednesday - May 23, 2001
- Footage From Pearl Harbor Screening
- Film Roman and Pentamedia Have Bitter Parting
- NBC Gets Rights to Shrek
- News Link of the Day - Shrek Animators Add Style to Computer Created Reality

Footage From Pearl Harbor Screening
(by digitalmediafx.com) Disney's $5 million Pearl Harbor premiere went off without a hitch bringing the move tons of publicity as it gears up for its launch this Friday. 2,000 specially invited guests attended the world premiere amid political complaints about the event being held on a U.S. ship and mixed reviews from press who have seen the movie.

Pearl Harbor features a 40 minute special effects filled segment covering the attack - December 7, 1941.

Here is Touchstone Pictures official synopsis of the movie:

"On a sleepy Sunday morning in December, as children played and families prayed, squadrons of Japanese warplanes screamed across the skies of a Hawaiian paradise and launched a surprise attack on the U.S. armed forces at Pearl Harbor. The infamous day that jolted America from peaceful isolationism to total war and altered the course of history is relived in this epic tale of patriotism, passion and romance from producer Jerry Bruckheimer, producer/director Michael Bay and screenwriter Randall Wallace. Pearl Harbor focuses on the life-changing events surrounding December 7, 1941, and the war's devastating impact on two daring young pilots (Ben Affleck and Josh Hartnett) and a beautiful, dedicated nurse (Kate Beckinsale). It is a tale of catastrophic defeat, heroic victory, personal courage and overwhelming love set against a stunning backdrop of spectacular wartime action."

To view unedited footage from the world premiere event (including set up and ceremonies), click here.

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Film Roman and Pentamedia Have Bitter Parting
(by digitalmediafx.com) Film Roman Inc. known for several animated productions, has announced that it has terminated the agreement with Pentamedia where Pentamedia would acquire a 60% stake in Film Roman. Film Roman says the move was made due to a material breach of the stock purchase agreement signed Jan. 31, 2001, and the memorandum of understanding between the two companies signed on April 24, 2001.

According to Film Roman:

"Under the stock purchase agreement, Pentamedia was to acquire a 60 percent stake in Film Roman through the purchase of newly issued common stock of Film Roman in exchange for $15 million. Under the original terms of the agreement, Pentamedia was required to make its payment on March 26, 2001. However, at Pentamedia's request, Film Roman extended the payment date from the original date until April 13, 2001. Pentamedia failed to make such payment on April 13, 2001, and Film Roman extended the date to cure the payment breach until April 28, 2001. Pentamedia failed to make the purchase price payment on such date.

The companies then entered into an amendatory memorandum of understanding on April 24, 2001. However, Pentamedia has recently indicated that it is unwilling or unable to adhere to a key component of the new understanding, providing an acceptable guarantee of payment of the agreed-upon purchase price. Film Roman has terminated the transaction between the companies and intends to pursue all legal remedies available to it."

Film Roman says it is now pursuing other strategic alliances and financing.

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NBC Gets Rights to Shrek
(by digitalmediafx.com) NBC has won the broadcast rights to DreamWorks animated hit, Shrek. The amount NBC will pay for the rights to air Shrek three times, beginning in 2004, will depend on how much money the film makes at the box office. If Shrek crosses the $200 million mark, then NBC will fork over $30 million for TV broadcast rights.

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News Link of the Day - Shrek Animators Add Style to Computer Created Reality

According to The Detroit News

"No one takes reality for granted after working on the fairy-tale satire Shrek. From fur, to flame, skin and water, the tangible world was rethought and remade for this computer-animated story about a misanthropic ogre and a sass-mouthed donkey who reluctantly rescue a bossy princess.

The film, which pulled in $42.1 million during its opening weekend, features impossible creatures romping in seemingly photo-real backdrops full of dappling sunlight, swaying leaves and trickling brooks…"

Click here for the full story.

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