Digital
Media FX News Archives
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Sunday
- November 18, 2001
- Weekend Estimates - Harry
Potter Slaughters Competition
- Warner Bros. Could
Learn From Universal
- Trainz to Support 3D Studio
Max Models
- News Link of the Day
- Indian Animated Feature Ends LA Run
Weekend
Estimates - Harry Potter Slaughters Competition
(by digitalmediafx.com) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's
Stone easily slaughtered all other movies in route to a record
breaking weekend. The FX-filled fantasy movie made an estimated
$93.5 million in its first three days of release. Monsters,
Inc. took a huge hit losing greater than 50% of its audience
while playing in more theaters than the previous week. The numbers
are still good for Monsters, Inc. as it brought in an estimated
$23 million. In day to day box office comparisons against Shrek
(click
here), Monsters, Inc. remains in the lead, but
with Shrek catching up by winning daily results for the
past week.
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Warner
Bros. Could Learn From Universal
(by digitalmediafx.com) Warner Bros. could learn a lot from
Universal Studios, which is doing a masterful job of marketing
the rerelease of E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial.
Universal
Studios is tying the rerelease of E.T. into all its marketing
venues, including a redesign of its logo that will feature E.T.
and Elliot riding a bike around the Universal world logo in front
of all new Universal movies. E.T. marketing campaigns will
also stretch across Universal Studios theme parks, music venues,
home videos, and DVDs.
Warner Bros.
has been strongly criticized for dropping the ball on a wide rerelease
of the classic Superman earlier this year, which has a
built in franchise audience. Warner Bros. again dropped the ball
on a wide rerelease of Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey,
drawing fire from well known critics like Roger Ebert.
Universal's
masterful treatment of a rerelease of E.T. should send
signals to studios like Warner Bros. on how to properly market
a rerelease and in the process increase revenue from additional
venues like merchandise and DVD sales.
Here's more
information on Universal's new logo treatment for E.T. The
Extraterrestrial:
The 20th anniversary
celebration begins this month and will run through the end of
2002. During this time, the image of E.T. will be an integral
part of Universals identity and business activities, and
will be featured in all film, television, home entertainment,
theme parks, music, consumer products, publishing and online products.
The anniversary celebration campaign will kick off in theaters
on November 21, with the debut of a newly-created animated Universal
Studios logo, which depicts an image of E.T. And his human friend
Elliott, as their bicycle flies across the classic Universal globe.
Additionally, John Williams famous "Flying" theme
from E.T. is interpolated into the Universal musical fanfare.
This special logo will first appear on Spy Game, and continue
on Universal films through 2002.
"E.T.
Is my most personal film," says director Steven Spielberg.
"Its a wonderful opportunity to bring the film to a
new generation of moviegoers, and Im honored that Universal
takes so much pride in the picture."
Universal
will also launch a special E.T. Website later this month
and will create a series of special events, interviews, and interactive
opportunities to celebrate the movie's rerelease. In addition,
Universal has formed tie-in partnerships with several companies.
The rerelease
of E.T. hits theaters in March 2002.
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Trainz
to Support 3D Studio Max Models
(by digitalmediafx.com) The upcoming Trainz computer simulation
will support 3D Studio Max models according to Auran, which is
creating the game.
An exporter
included with the game will allow for additional content, including
locomotives, scenery, trackside objects and even track and bridges,
to be created in 3DSM and imported for use in Trainz. Auran is
also looking to establish an exporter for other 3D software programs
for the same purpose.
Here are some
new screenshots of Trainz:



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News Link
of the Day - Indian Animated Feature Ends LA Run
According to Reuters:
"One
of the most ambitious feature animation film projects from India,
The Prince of Light, ends its one-week run in Los Angeles
on Friday.
The movie
did minimal business during it first U.S. run at an art house
theater in Los Angles, but the film's producers said its screening
was less about box office gross than securing exposure that could
lead to nominations for prestigious awards..."
Click
here for the full story.
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