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Digital Media FX - The Power of Imagination

Digital Media FX Newsletter
Vol. 1, No. 6 - June 1, 2001

Table of Contents:

(1) Welcome Message
(2) Shrek Score Coming in Mid-July (and Other Shrek Updates)
(3) Princess Mononoke DVD - U.K. Release Soon?
(4) Atlantis: The Lost Empire World Premiere on Sunday
(5) EM.TV's Asking Price for The Muppets is Too High
(6) Top News Stories of the Past Two Weeks
(7) Sneak Peek: Shrek Interview with Steve Sobisky
(8) dFX Quick Takes

Welcome Message
Welcome to the sixth issue of the Digital Media FX (dFX) newsletter, covering the world of animation and visual effects. This newsletter is published on the 1st and 15th of each month with original animation/FX content, insider news, and sneak peeks at new dFX features.

This issue contains some interesting tidbits on Atlantis, Shrek, and The Muppets, along with a sneak peek at an interview with Steve Sobisky, who worked on both Shrek and Shrek.com. Enjoy! -- Joe Tracy

Shrek Score Coming in Mid-July (and Other Shrek Updates)
(by digitalmediafx.com) DreamWorks Records is planning on releasing the background score to Shrek in mid-July, according to sources working close to the project. Although an announcement has not been made public by DreamWorks, Digital Media FX has learned that a full background score CD, featuring the work of John Powell and Harry Gregson-Williams, is well underway.

Shrek has been experiencing mega success at the box office ($111 million in 11 days) and a few bold analysts are even predicting that Shrek will challenge The Lion King as the highest-grossing animated movie of all time.

Are you ready for a Shrek sequel? DreamWorks is ready and has announced that it has already started pre-production on Shrek 2. Click here for more information.

Princess Mononoke DVD - U.K. Release Soon?
(by digitalmediafx.com) Last month, the U.K.'s BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) approved bonus material submitted to them for a Princess Mononoke DVD, meaning that the U.K. may soon see a DVD version of this classic anime feature. The BBFC is similar to the United States MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America). The BBFC has held "exercised responsibilities" over cinema since 1913 and over video since 1985 (DVDs fall under the video classification).

The work submitted by Buena Vista to the BBFC for review was an unnamed bonus segment that was seven minutes and five seconds in length. Princess Mononoke (known as Mononoke Hime in Japan) was the creation of respected anime visionary Hayao Miyazaki who wrote and directed the movie.

Atlantis: The Lost Empire World Premiere on Sunday
(by digitalmediafx.com) The world premiere for Atlantis: The Lost Empire will take place this Sunday, June 3, at the historic El Capitan Theater in Hollywood.

Those in attendance from the animated movie will include Michael J. Fox, Cree Summer, Phil Morris, Jacqueline Obradors, Don Novello, Corey Burton, Claudia Christian, David Ogden Stiers, Florence Stanley, Producer Don Hahn, Directors Kirk Wise and Gary Trousdale, Songwriter Diane Warren, and Composer James Newton Howard.

Be sure to visit the dFX "Atlantis is Waiting" Movie Site by clicking here.

EM.TV's Asking Price for The Muppets is Too High
(digitalmediafx.com) On March 13, 2001, Digital Media FX reported that EM.TV, which owns all Jim Henson Productions rights, was looking for someone to acquire the rights to the popular characters. EM.TV originally acquired Jim Henson Productions rights when it acquired the company for $680 million in a stock and cash deal. EM.TV knows it can't get that much in another sale and has thus lowered the asking price for Jim Henson Productions to $400 million.

According to the May 31 edition of the New York Post, analysts say that even $400 million is twice as much as EM.TV is likely to receive for Jim Henson Productions. The top companies still in the running appear to be Disney, Viacom, Nickelodeon, and Jim Henson Productions management.

Top News Stories of the Past Two Weeks
(digitalmediafx.com) Digital Media FX is updated 365 days a year including Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. If you don't visit daily you may have missed some important news. Here is a list of what we consider the top five news stories (in order of importance) of the past two weeks, including links to each story.

1. Maurice Noble Passes Away at 91 Years of Age

2. Shrek Highest Grossing Non-Disney Animated Film - in Only 11 Days!

3. Mickey Mouse Drawings Don't Save Cartoon Museum

4. Spy Kids Goes Up Against Osmosis Jones in August

5. Santa vs. The Snowman Coming to IMAX 3D

Sneak Peek - Shrek Interview with Steve Sobisky
(by digitalmediafx.com) Digital Media FX has interviewed Steve Sobisky about his work with Shrek and the Shrek.com Website. As a reader of this newsletter, you are being given a three-day advance look at the interview!

Parts of the interview page are still being prepped for Monday's general public access to it, so you may see a few changes (like additional pictures) between now and then. You can access the interview by clicking here.

dFX Quick Takes

* On May 21, Digital Media FX opened up an educational and informative site called "Atlantis is Waiting," which covers Disney's newest animated feature. To view the site, click here.

* Digital Media FX makes it easy for you to track the daily box office results for Shrek during its mega-blockbuster run. For daily updates, simply click here.

* You may not have been able to attend the recent E3 video game tradeshow, so Digital Media FX brought the news to you in the following special report: Be sure to read about the new Role Playing Game coming from Disney and Square (who are teaming up for the game).

Thank you for being a part of the Digital Media FX team through your daily visits to www.digitalmediafx.com. I hope that you've enjoyed this third edition of the Digital Media FX newsletter and I look forward to providing you with continued coverage of the animation and visual effects industries.

Best Wishes,

Joe Tracy, Publisher
Digital Media FX - The Power of Imagination

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All stories in this newsletter are ©Copyright 2001 by Joe Tracy / Digital Media FX and may not be reprinted in any form without the expressed written consent of Joe Tracy. To request such consent, click here, and provide details of which article you wish to republish and the Website location where it will be published. You will receive a response within 48 hours with whether your request has been accepted and, if so, the proper credit wording that must appear with the article.