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Thursday
- November 15, 2001
- Xbox Officially Enters Console Competition
Arena
- Harry Potter Set For Record
Number of Theaters
- Writers Guild Challenges Nickelodeon
Again
- News Link of the Day -
Filmmakers Send Messages with Legos
Xbox
Officially Enters Console Competition Arena
(by digitalmediafx.com) Microsoft is about to take a huge hit in an
attempt to take a huge chunk out of the video game console business. Today
Xbox went on sale nationwide with some stores opening at just after midnight
to sell units. Because Xbox costs more to produce than the sale price
of $299, industry analysts predict that Microsoft will incur up to $2
billion in losses before realizing a profit from securing a corner of
the video game marketplace. Microsoft set aside a massive $500 million
to help promote its new gaming system.
On Monday, Xbox will face competition from Nintendo, which is launching its new GameCube system; finally getting away from cartridges in favor of CDs.
Sony isn't making any major moves to combat the two new system launches. Many estimated that Sony might cut the price of its Playstation 2 unit, but the company has no plans of doing so and believes that Playstation 2 will outsell Xbox and GameCube this holiday season.
Xbox's
launch marks one of the first times that a console has premiered first
in America instead of Japan. Select games available now include Shrek,
NASCAR Thunder 2002, Arctic Thunder, Amped: Freestyle Snowboarding, NFL
Fever 2002, AirForce Delta Storm, Cel Damage, The Simpsons Road Rage,
and Kabuki Warriors.
Harry Potter Set
For Record Number of Theaters
(by digitalmediafx.com) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
opens tomorrow in a record number of theaters and on a record number of
screens. The two and a half hour FX-filled movie will open in 3,672 theaters
while playing on over 8,000 screens. Some theaters are even holding showings
at midnight with some of those showings already sold out! Harry Potter
and the Sorcerer's Stone should easily break all box office records
this weekend including highest opening day gross, highest Saturday gross,
highest Sunday gross, and highest opening weekend ever. Some of this,
however, could come at the expense of Monsters, Inc. which has
enjoyed a huge box office showing since opening November 2 and will now
see most of its kid crowd migrate to Harry Potter.
Initial reviews for Harry Potter were highly positive but have since quickly melted as a number of mixed to negative reviews start hitting media outlets.
"The book was
better--richer in mood, in thrilling melodrama, in joy--than director
Chris Columbus' meticulous, stolid film," says Time critic Richard
Corliss. He further calls much of the action "often stodgy, humorless"
and refers to the reaction shots as "clumsy".
Writers Guild
Challenges Nickelodeon Again
(by digitalmediafx.com) The Writers Guild of America, west (WGAw)
has launched an advertising campaign to ensure that Nickelodeon Animation
Studios adheres to the standards of the International Council of Toy Industries
(ICTI) Code of Business Practices or the Fair Labor Association (FLA)
Workplace Code of Conduct in the licensing and manufacturing of toys and
other merchandise based on two Nickelodeon animated characters SpongeBob
SquarePants and Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius.
"Nickelodeon has built its global success based on the premise that it is a network that cares about children," said Victoria Riskin, President of the WGAw. "Neither Nickelodeon nor its licensee JAKKS Pacific of Malibu has responded to the guild's request to sign the ICTI or FLA codes of conduct which prohibit forced labor, child labor and require respect for the rights of employees to be represented by a union. According to JAKKS Pacific's Annual Report, it 'contract[s] the manufacture of most of [its] products to unaffiliated manufacturers located in China.' We are very concerned that this is one more example of the company refusing to respect basic standards of fair treatment for employees. Last month, Nickelodeon, a subsidiary of Viacom, refused to honor a secret-ballot vote by its animation writers in favor of WGA representation."
"During the upcoming holidays, Nickelodeon will release Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius in movie theaters and launch an advertising campaign for toys, clothing and other merchandise, continues Riskin. "We sincerely hope Nickelodeon will honor the spirit of the season by signing the codes of conduct, requiring their licensees to do the same and by coming to the bargaining table to negotiate a fair contract for the benefit of Nickelodeon writers and their children."
The Writers Guild
has been engaged in a dispute with Nickelodeon Animation Studios in trying
to secure bargaining representation for several writers.
News Link of the
Day - Filmmakers Send Messages with Legos
According to the New York Times:
"...That's right:
Lego. The brightly colored plastic blocks that snap together to create
all manner of shapes have inspired a niche world of filmmaking called
brick films. Lego directors like Mr. Weychert use the traditional technique
of stop-motion animation, shooting the film frame-by-frame and moving
the figures between shots to create the illusion of motion..."
Click here for the full story. (free registration may be required to view article)
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