Digital
Media FX News Archives
Friday
- August 24, 2001
- GameCube Launch Delayed
- Animated Interactive
TV Characters
- The Art Institute of Pittsburgh
Offers BA in Digital Media
- News Link of the Day
- Two More Harry Potter Films Planned
GameCube
Launch Delayed
(by digitalmediafx.com) Last week there was speculation throughout
the video game industry that Microsoft was going to delay the
launch of its Xbox gaming platform due to a motherboard problem.
Microsoft denied the claim and was likely surprised when rival
Nintendo this week announced a two week delay for its GameCube
system. Nintendo was originally going to deliver its gaming system
three days before Microsoft, on November 5, 2001. The GameCube
launch date is now November 18 with the delay being attributed
to a desire by Nintendo to not have a shortage of units on launch
day like Sony had last year with the launch of Playstation 2.
According
to Peter Main vice president of sales and marketing for Nintendo
of America, the change of date was, "really was to make sure
we avoided somebody else's misstep. We're noting the misfire that
occurred one year ago when somebody came to market with 400,000
units."
Nintendo claims
it will have 700,000 units available for sale on November 18.
However the company doesn't address the strategic advantage it
lost by giving the earlier release date to Microsoft which will
have a 10 day head start with its Xbox.
> Return
to the top of page
Animated
Interactive TV Characters
(by digitalmediafx.com) Spiderdance, Inc., a leader in interactive
TV programming, and Nearlife Inc., developers of interactive entertainment,
are teaming up to create animated interactive TV experiences driven
by their combined technologies.
"Imagine
participating in an iTV experience in which you can create a 3D
character, interact with it in sync with a television show, and
then actually see your character appear in the TV broadcast,"
said Tracy Fullerton President of Spiderdance. We're looking to
develop iTV experiences that are full of imagination and inspiration,
and Nearlife's combination of great technology and creative talent
will help us achieve that goal."
A unique opportunity
exists for creating animated and live action TV properties with
interactive characters that allow viewers to participate in real
time with the broadcast and to see their characters appear in
the show. Spiderdance and Nearlife believe this ability is the
next step in the evolution of interactive programming.
"Together
we will provide television studios and networks with an innovative,
well-tested, and low cost way to add creative audience participation
to their programming," said Tinsley Galyean, Nearlife founder
and C.E.O. "With characters they can create and manipulate,
viewers become immersed in the TV show as never before, increasing
audience retention and loyalty. We think this is the future of
interactive TV, and Spiderdance and Nearlife have the technology
to deliver it today."
> Return
to the top of page
The Art
Institute of Pittsburgh Offers BA in Digital Media
(by digitalmediafx.com) The Art Institute of Pittsburgh has
announced that it will launch a new Bachelor of Science degree
program in Digital Media Production this fall. Applications are
now being accepted for enrollment for classes beginning on October
1, 2001.
Digital Media
Production was created to expand the school's traditional associate's
degree program in Video Production. The bachelor's degree program
offers graduates the opportunity to enhance their earning power
and expand career opportunities in industries such as electronic
and broadcast journalism, advertising and entertainment. Digital
Media Production aims to prepare graduates for entry-level employment
in a broad variety of positions including video editor, audio
engineer, lighting technician, production coordinator and broadcast
graphic designer. Students enrolled in Digital Media Production
will also learn to integrate video into Internet-based applications.
"Digital
Media Production offers an expanded curriculum with an important
concentration in advanced technical knowledge and business of
production courses," said George Pry, President of The Art
Institute of Pittsburgh. "Another important feature of the
program is a cross-curricular system of electives that accurately
reflects the industry's trend toward the convergence of many skills."
Demand for
the bachelor's degree program was determined by a faculty curriculum
committee and a professional advisory board of industry experts.
"We
feel that the Digital Media Production program is firmly rooted
in the digital use of video and film as a business communications
and entertainment medium," said Don Gabany, Digital Media
Production faculty member. "We encourage students to explore
the creative artistry of filmmaking, but the core of the program
is on the practical application of technology and the study of
real-world communications."
The Art Institute
of Pittsburgh offers bachelor's degree programs in Media Arts
& Animation, Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Interior Design
and Multimedia & Web Design. Associate's degree programs are
also offered in Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Multimedia
& Web design, Photography and Video Production.
> Return
to the top of page
News Link
of the Day - Two More Harry Potter Films Planned
According
to Nine MSN:
"Three
months ahead of the launch of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's
Stone, Warner Bros is already negotiating a third sequel to it,
according to media reports.
Scriptwriter
Steven Kloves is to be paid a seven-figure sum to come up with
a script for the third film, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of
Azkaban..."
Click
here for the full story.
> Return
to the Top of the Page
> Click
Here for a Printable Version of this Page
> Return
to August News Archives
> Return to Today's
News
> Return to
the Digital Media FX Front Page
|