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Digital Media FX News Archives

Friday - October 5, 2001
- Square Pictures: "We're Not Finished Yet"
- Janex International Acquires Anvil Studios
- Failed Animated Movies Get Early Release to Video
- News Link of the Day - Cinar Courts European Purchaser

Square Pictures: "We're Not Finished Yet"
(by digitalmediafx.com) Even though Square Pictures parent company Square Company, Ltd. has cut off all funding, Square Pictures says it is still alive and kicking. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Square Pictures plans to try and convince studios to fund new movie projects.

"Square Pictures will continue to develop CGI projects funded by other studios. Square Pictures president Jun Aida told The Hollywood Reporter that Square Co. has no plans to sell the studio or close it down."

The challenge Square Pictures faces is trying to convince studios to pay for all costs in developing new CGI projects when its first attempt lost over $100 million. Square Pictures has already let go of half of its staff, but says it can easily ramp up once a new project is on the board and paid for by someone else.

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Janex International Acquires Anvil Studios
(by digitalmediafx.com) Janex International, Inc. announced today that it has acquired majority ownership of Anvil Studios, Inc., a theatrical, television and convergence content company specializing in classical and 3D animation. Anvil's client base includes DreamWorks, Hyperion/Disney, Sony/Columbia and Warner Brothers.

"With the successful completion of large theatrical and television projects for clients such as DreamWorks, Hyperion/Disney and a joint Sony/Columbia -- Warner Brothers production, Anvil Studios has garnered a reputation in the animation industry as having the ability to deliver a higher quality product in shorter time frames than our competitors," claims Robert Dotson, Anvil President. "We look forward to utilizing our experience, talent and technology to provide media products to create robust value and exposure for Janex's existing children's product lines."

Anvil currently owns rights to a full-length animated feature film titled Hope Canyon.

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Failed Animated Movies Get Early Release to Video
(by digitalmediafx.com) Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within and Osmosis Jones, two of the summer's biggest box office disappointments, are both making quick trips to video store shelves. First up will be Final Fantasy with a release to video and DVD on October 23 (see today's dFX newsletter for more details). Osmosis Jones, meanwhile, will be close behind with an arrival to stores on November 13, 2001. No release date has been set yet for Atlantis: The Lost Empire.

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News Link of the Day - Cinar Courts European Purchaser

According to the National Post:

"Troubled animation producer Cinar Corp. is holding exclusive talks with an unnamed European suitor in hopes of selling the company.

The prospective buyer, said to be a publicly traded entertainment company based in the U.K., was granted a 30-day window to perform due diligence on Cinar's assets after two other parties removed themselves from the bidding..."

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.