Vin
05-10-2002, 02:58 PM
FILM ROMAN ACQUIRES TELEVISION RIGHTS TO POPULAR COMIC BOOK SERIES DEITY
Deity To Be Developed Into New Animated Primetime Series
NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CA – May 9, 2002 - Film Roman, Inc. (OTCBB: ROMN), the leading independent animation company best known for its primetime hits THE SIMPSONS and KING OF THE HILL, announced today it has acquired the television rights to the popular comic book series, Deity from LA-based Hyperwerks. Film Roman plans to develop the comic book series into an animated primetime television series.
Set in the future of Los Angeles, Deity chronicles the adventures of a seemingly normal teenage girl, Jamie, who discovers she is to become a “Deity,” or ruler of the universe. Jamie combines high-tech warfare with a martial arts philosophy as she fights off her sinister and bloodthirsty nemesis, Ma'Shiva, with the help of her three bold adventurers: Diamond, a hot-blooded gunslinger; Lucius, a dragon prince; and Tommy, a young cyber-Shaolin monk.
The comic book currently distributed by Image Comics has had unique success since its debut in December of 1998 selling 30,000 copies a month domestically and 10,000 per month internationally. Hyperwerks has also been extremely successful in merchandising Deity items and has captured a male/female audience ranging in age from 14-26.
Executive producer Wili Baronet, who partnered with Hyperwerks on Deity in 1999 brought the project to Sidney Clifton (vice president of development) at Film Roman. Baronet’s company Wilmark Entertainment specializes in producing and writing edgy, youth driven television shows for Disney, Lifetime, and USA. Wilmark Entertainment also has a music management division that has helped launch the careers of Incubus and Brandy.
Baronet remarks, “We feel our lead character Jamie is the real teenager of today. A girl that is street smart, not afraid of her sexuality and just wants to have fun, whether she’s kicking some bad guys butt or hangin’ with her friends -- after all she is only sixteen!”
“Our main goal at Hyperwerks is to bring graphic storytelling to the forefront of pop culture in America,” said Hyperwerks founder Karl Altstaetter. “We’ve felt from the beginning that Deity is a great project to do that with because it will translate perfectly into an animated series, and we’re ecstatic to be working with such a visionary company like Film Roman.”
Film Roman’s president of programming and development, Peter Schankowitz, who will oversee the project said, “Comic book adaptations are exploding at the moment and the impact on the industry is profound. We look forward to bringing Deity to life and certainly feel its main character, Jamie, has all of the ingredients of a young hip breakout super heroine!”
“I was immediately attracted to Deity because Robert and Karl have created a distinctive style combining Japanese anime with archetypal hip-hop culture, “ said Sidney Clifton, vice president of development at Film Roman. “The other element that strongly attracted me to Deity was its wide appeal as it speaks to both kids and adults alike. We think it has the makings of a huge hit and look forward to working with the talented team at Hyperwerks.”
Karl Altstaetter (Creator/Artist) has worked in the comic industry for the last ten years as an artist for Marvel, DC, and Image Comics. He got his start as an assistant on such books as X-MEN and UNCANNY X-MEN. Later, he worked as a designer for several video games, motion pictures, and theme park productions including various projects for DISNEY IMAGINEERING. In 1998, Karl formed his own company, HYPERWERKS COMICS, and illustrated and co-created the company's first publication DEITY. Since its inception Hyperwerks has launched several new series including CATSEYE, a DEITY spin-off, and the fantasy series SAINT ANGEL.
Robert Napton (Creator/Writer) began his career producing and writing English adaptations of JAPANESE ANIMATION projects for release in the United States through such companions as MANGA ENTERTAINMENT and NIPPAN. In 1994, Robert became a writer at Image Comics on such titles as AVENGELYNE, PROPHET, and BATTLESTAR GALACTICA. In 1997, Robert joined Karl Altstaetter and co-created DEITY as well as the new fantasy series SAINT ANGEL.
Attorney Ken Helmer at Helmer/Friedman represented Altstaetter, Napton, Baronet and Douraghy in the deal.
About Film Roman
For almost two decades, Film Roman has been a leading animation production company working on such primetime hits as THE SIMPSONS and KING OF THE HILL, as well as Saturday morning and syndicated kids animation, including the current top-rated Saturday morning series X-MEN: EVOLUTION. The Company’s proprietary 3D animated series, TRIPPING THE RIFT, will be making its debut on the SCI-FI Channel in early 2003. Since its founding sixteen years ago by acclaimed animator Phil Roman, the Company has delivered successful animated children's series to broadcasters worldwide and has picked up seventeen Emmy awards along the way. Among those shows are such well-loved animated classics as GARFIELD AND FRIENDS, BOBBY'S WORLD, FELIX THE CAT, MORTAL COMBAT, C-BEAR AND JAMAL and BRUNO THE KID. Film Roman maintains its web presence, LEVEL13.NET, as an area to develop new properties for its television and film business. Many of its proprietary films have won awards at prestigious film festivals, and its numerous alliances, including a strategic partnership with DIRECTV, have increased Film Roman's global reputation as a leading provider of quality animation.
About Hyperwerks
Hyperwerks Entertainment is a company of young artists and writers who have joined together to create a new graphic experience for a variety of media. Since its inception in 1998, Hyperwerks has self-published two mini-series: DEITY and DEITY: THE DARKNESS & LIGHT, as well as the Deity spin-off CATSEYE, from creators Karl Altstaetter and Robert Napton. In April of 1999, Hyperwerks joined Image Comics and has since published a third mini-series of the Deity story line entitled DEITY: REVELATIONS. In the near future Hyperwerks will expand into other types of media such as animation, action-figures, video game and soundtracks.
(source: official press release)
Deity To Be Developed Into New Animated Primetime Series
NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CA – May 9, 2002 - Film Roman, Inc. (OTCBB: ROMN), the leading independent animation company best known for its primetime hits THE SIMPSONS and KING OF THE HILL, announced today it has acquired the television rights to the popular comic book series, Deity from LA-based Hyperwerks. Film Roman plans to develop the comic book series into an animated primetime television series.
Set in the future of Los Angeles, Deity chronicles the adventures of a seemingly normal teenage girl, Jamie, who discovers she is to become a “Deity,” or ruler of the universe. Jamie combines high-tech warfare with a martial arts philosophy as she fights off her sinister and bloodthirsty nemesis, Ma'Shiva, with the help of her three bold adventurers: Diamond, a hot-blooded gunslinger; Lucius, a dragon prince; and Tommy, a young cyber-Shaolin monk.
The comic book currently distributed by Image Comics has had unique success since its debut in December of 1998 selling 30,000 copies a month domestically and 10,000 per month internationally. Hyperwerks has also been extremely successful in merchandising Deity items and has captured a male/female audience ranging in age from 14-26.
Executive producer Wili Baronet, who partnered with Hyperwerks on Deity in 1999 brought the project to Sidney Clifton (vice president of development) at Film Roman. Baronet’s company Wilmark Entertainment specializes in producing and writing edgy, youth driven television shows for Disney, Lifetime, and USA. Wilmark Entertainment also has a music management division that has helped launch the careers of Incubus and Brandy.
Baronet remarks, “We feel our lead character Jamie is the real teenager of today. A girl that is street smart, not afraid of her sexuality and just wants to have fun, whether she’s kicking some bad guys butt or hangin’ with her friends -- after all she is only sixteen!”
“Our main goal at Hyperwerks is to bring graphic storytelling to the forefront of pop culture in America,” said Hyperwerks founder Karl Altstaetter. “We’ve felt from the beginning that Deity is a great project to do that with because it will translate perfectly into an animated series, and we’re ecstatic to be working with such a visionary company like Film Roman.”
Film Roman’s president of programming and development, Peter Schankowitz, who will oversee the project said, “Comic book adaptations are exploding at the moment and the impact on the industry is profound. We look forward to bringing Deity to life and certainly feel its main character, Jamie, has all of the ingredients of a young hip breakout super heroine!”
“I was immediately attracted to Deity because Robert and Karl have created a distinctive style combining Japanese anime with archetypal hip-hop culture, “ said Sidney Clifton, vice president of development at Film Roman. “The other element that strongly attracted me to Deity was its wide appeal as it speaks to both kids and adults alike. We think it has the makings of a huge hit and look forward to working with the talented team at Hyperwerks.”
Karl Altstaetter (Creator/Artist) has worked in the comic industry for the last ten years as an artist for Marvel, DC, and Image Comics. He got his start as an assistant on such books as X-MEN and UNCANNY X-MEN. Later, he worked as a designer for several video games, motion pictures, and theme park productions including various projects for DISNEY IMAGINEERING. In 1998, Karl formed his own company, HYPERWERKS COMICS, and illustrated and co-created the company's first publication DEITY. Since its inception Hyperwerks has launched several new series including CATSEYE, a DEITY spin-off, and the fantasy series SAINT ANGEL.
Robert Napton (Creator/Writer) began his career producing and writing English adaptations of JAPANESE ANIMATION projects for release in the United States through such companions as MANGA ENTERTAINMENT and NIPPAN. In 1994, Robert became a writer at Image Comics on such titles as AVENGELYNE, PROPHET, and BATTLESTAR GALACTICA. In 1997, Robert joined Karl Altstaetter and co-created DEITY as well as the new fantasy series SAINT ANGEL.
Attorney Ken Helmer at Helmer/Friedman represented Altstaetter, Napton, Baronet and Douraghy in the deal.
About Film Roman
For almost two decades, Film Roman has been a leading animation production company working on such primetime hits as THE SIMPSONS and KING OF THE HILL, as well as Saturday morning and syndicated kids animation, including the current top-rated Saturday morning series X-MEN: EVOLUTION. The Company’s proprietary 3D animated series, TRIPPING THE RIFT, will be making its debut on the SCI-FI Channel in early 2003. Since its founding sixteen years ago by acclaimed animator Phil Roman, the Company has delivered successful animated children's series to broadcasters worldwide and has picked up seventeen Emmy awards along the way. Among those shows are such well-loved animated classics as GARFIELD AND FRIENDS, BOBBY'S WORLD, FELIX THE CAT, MORTAL COMBAT, C-BEAR AND JAMAL and BRUNO THE KID. Film Roman maintains its web presence, LEVEL13.NET, as an area to develop new properties for its television and film business. Many of its proprietary films have won awards at prestigious film festivals, and its numerous alliances, including a strategic partnership with DIRECTV, have increased Film Roman's global reputation as a leading provider of quality animation.
About Hyperwerks
Hyperwerks Entertainment is a company of young artists and writers who have joined together to create a new graphic experience for a variety of media. Since its inception in 1998, Hyperwerks has self-published two mini-series: DEITY and DEITY: THE DARKNESS & LIGHT, as well as the Deity spin-off CATSEYE, from creators Karl Altstaetter and Robert Napton. In April of 1999, Hyperwerks joined Image Comics and has since published a third mini-series of the Deity story line entitled DEITY: REVELATIONS. In the near future Hyperwerks will expand into other types of media such as animation, action-figures, video game and soundtracks.
(source: official press release)