Archive | June, 2009
Hello Kitty the Philanthropist
More or less, we have an idea how popular the cartoon character Hello Kitty is. Since we can’t really gauge this popularity quantitatively without delving into much boring statistics and table graphs, maybe the fairer question to ask is: “How useful is this popularity of Hello Kitty is to people and in popular culture?” For the few [...]
Continue reading...The Virtual World of Metaplace: Bring Your Blogs with You
30. June 2009
We know the heavy players in the realm of commercial and free virtual worlds. There is the immovable giant that is Second Life. There is the popular massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) World of Warcraft. Even the free virtual world for kids that is Poptropica has entered the top 300 sites. So if you [...]
Continue reading...WALL-E Wins for Animation in Saturn Awards
30. June 2009
Wall-E, the full-length animated film from 3D animation studio Pixar and Disney, took home the recognition as the best animated film in the recently concluded Saturn Awards. On the other hand, DreamWorks Animation studio head, Jeffrey Katzenberg, was awarded the inaugural Visionary Award for his efforts in advancing 3D film presentation. Top filmmaker Jerry Bruckheimer [...]
Continue reading...Superman, Batman Team Up for New Animated Film Public Enemies
30. June 2009
The World’s Greatest Super Heroes become America’s most wanted criminals — and are hunted by friends and foes alike — in SUPERMAN/BATMAN: PUBLIC ENEMIES, the sixth entry in the popular DVD series of DC Universe Animated Original PG-13 Movies. A co-production of Warner Premiere, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation, the full-length cartoon animation film [...]
Continue reading...Lassie Cartoon Animation Series Underway
30. June 2009
It’s hard not to love the dog icon Lassie. Now, DQE with its affiliates announced today the co-development for a multi-million Euro proposed cartoon animation TV series based on the legendary Lassie. Lassie, a brave and loyal collie dog, first appeared in Eric Knight’s 1940 novel, LASSIE COME-HOME. She was so well received that, in [...]
Continue reading...MJ’s Affair with Animation
27. June 2009
We’ve seen the moonwalk, the one-handed glove, the anti-gravity lean, and that’s just to mention a few of the innovations introduced by the late Michael Jackson. Sometimes people even forget how MJ reinvented himself from a child prodigy into a global pop sensation. But he has this sense of creativity and showmanship that is hard [...]
Continue reading...Virtual Communities Unite for King of Pop
27. June 2009
The headline from CNN looked a bit of a joke at first but it is true “Michael Jackson Dies, Almost Takes Internet with Him.” No, there is nothing funny about the first part because the entire world is mourning with the loss of the King of Pop, rather, the dangling phrase which followed about the [...]
Continue reading...Five Senses in a Helmet: the Virtual Cocoon
27. June 2009
Last March, British scientists from York and Warwick universities introduced the concept of the Virtual Cocoon. At first glance, it looks like an exaggerated headset that can pose as a huge black fishbowl in one’s face. But there’s more to it than meets the eye – in fact, more than meets the five senses. What sets [...]
Continue reading...MTV Virtual Worlds – a Precedent to Further Interactivity
27. June 2009
When MTV first launched in the 1970s, it blazed a trail of exploring the possibilities of multimedia. A channel dedicated to music videos such as Video Killed the Radio Star was such a novel idea that it immediately caught the fancy of the up-and-coming generation of its time. Now will that same foresight be beneficial [...]
Continue reading...Little League World Baseball now Available
26. June 2009
Activision announced today that LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES BASEBALL 2009 is out now for Wii and Nintendo DS. The game was produced by Japanese 3D animation studio NOW Production. Players will have the chance to become a Little League World Series baseball Champion, or play with up to three other friends in a variety of [...]
Continue reading...Fight Night Round 4 & Gears of War 2 in SIGGRAPH 2009 Gaming Content
26. June 2009
SIGGRAPH 2009 announces the addition of a special Production Session as part of this year’s Computer Animation Festival that will detail the behind-the-scenes 3D animation studio-like production of the much anticipated Fight Night Round 4 and Gears of War 2. The session, “Big, Fast, and Cool: Making the Art for Fight Night Round 4 & Gears [...]
Continue reading...Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars heading to PSP
26. June 2009
Rockstar Games, the world-renowned publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., is pleased to announce that one of the highest-rated handheld games of all time, Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, will be making its way to the PSP (PlayStation®Portable) handheld entertainment system. Developed by the award-winning 3D animation studio Rockstar Leeds, in conjunction with series [...]
Continue reading...Gifts for SpongeBob’s 10th Birthday
26. June 2009
Like any other beloved child, Nickelodeon is throwing a huge birthday party for the tenth year anniversary of SpongeBob SquarePants. It was in July 1999 when the popular sea sponge/kitchen sponge overzealous and dense cartoon character started winning the hearts of many children and adults. If you have been following this show for a long [...]
Continue reading...Following the Lead of Medical Animation
26. June 2009
Medical animation has been able to carve a solid and sustainable niche in 3D animation studios through the years. By tapping the field of medicine, it opened up a lucrative and fulfilling side of 3D animation. Medical animation is used by doctors to render parts of the human anatomy for research purposes and for preparations [...]
Continue reading...Nickelodeon Throws SpongeBob A 10th Birthday Bash
25. June 2009
On July 17, 1999 the hit cartoon animation SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS premiered on Nickelodeon and signaled the birth of a series and character that would become one of the most beloved and popular in television history. To commemorate SpongeBob’s 10th anniversary, Nickelodeon is giving its fans the “Ultimate SpongeBob SpongeBash Weekend.” Airing from July 17-19, the [...]
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Buy the Katakune DVD!
Mediafreaks E Books
30. June 2009
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