Got this in my inbox yesterday from animationartist.com:

BRAD BALL DEFENDS WARNER BROS. MARKETING OF THE IRON GIANT

A Daily Variety article on toon marketing being a risky business brought about a surprising quote from Brad Ball, who is the president of domestic theatrical marketing for Warner Bros. Pictures. From the Daily Variety article, he claims that "the factors leading to the disappointing showing [of ‘The Iron Giant’] run much deeper than a perceived lack of marketing."

Ball is quoted as saying, "One of the things that never gets reported, because we have a tendency not to share this, is the incredible amount of money and effort that was put behind this [‘The Iron Giant’] and when most people zero in on the assumption that this studio didn’t support it, the immediate conclusion from the outside is, ‘they threw it away and didn’t put any money behind it.’ But this picture had a significant advertising budget."

========================================

So just how significant was the budget? And was it competently put to good use? Geez, what a whiner. It would have been better if he'd said nothing at all.

Animation Artist is also holding a brief poll on who you would have voted for in this last week's Annie Awards. The poll closes at 10:30PM on Wednesday, November 10. And the results will be posted the next day (Thursday) on Animation Artist's homepage.

And if you're like Harley and I and don't have a clue who some of these individuals are, you can use the IMDb page for referrence, if it helps any. As Harley told me, "that's really going for the high animation nerd award.... how much do you reeaaally know..."


---Gookie
--just knows it deserved all 9 awards it got, no matter how it got them.

Iron Giant DVD
Tue Nov 9 07:37:14 1999

I just finished updating the Breaking_News category for IG at ODP - hope you don't mind if I just link you to save myself a little time. And I'm really tired anyway and should be getting to bed.

And for some reason I can't seem to find that anyone had posted yet about the great news on Batman Beyond and Batman: Mask of The Phantasm being released on DVD December 21st... once again, the same date Wakko's Wish hits stores. I'm beginning to wonder if I'm going to have any money for Christmas presents this year.


---Gookie
--what the heck, screw the fam - I'm buying for ME this Christmas!



...and I'll take their last can of Who-Hash too!

Batman Beyond Movie: Animated AND Live-Action
Sun Nov 7 21:38:02 1999

I've seen a lot of odd things come out of the Coming Attractions website (www.corona.bc.ca/films--its a source for info and rumors on upcoming films), but this one gave me pause. There's now an entry for a Batman Beyond movie... actually, two of them. Apparently, there's some discussion about doing a live action BB movie. Here's the info:

November 5, 1999... Rumors of a BB feature have floated around for a couple of months now, mainly on the Ain't It Cool News website, but today they took on a form of legitimacy when The Hollywood Reporter confirmed through sources WB was thinking of turning the animated BB series into a new Batman movie franchise. Still, there had been no official confirmation from WB.

We asked Paul Dini, one of the creators/producers on the animated Batman Beyond series, what he's heard about the live-action project. "I know that it's one of the possible options that they have discussed at the lot," Dini told us. "To the best of my knowledge no script has been written yet."

However no one has approached any of the key Batman Beyond players about being involved in a live-action film, indicating the idea still remains in the embryonic stages with the high-level Warner Bros. executives (much like the proposed World's Finest Batman/Superman team-up). "I don't know what their plans are for it beyond just investigating several alternative ways to keep Batman going, as opposed to the way they've been doing the last two or three movies," Dini said of what he's heard of the WB discussions. "It's a real idea that they're considering, but no, no one has asked us to be involved with it." [Reported by Patrick Sauriol.]

(me again) hmmm, interesting. Anyway, here's what they have to say about the animated movie (here's the entire entry):

Genre: Animation/Action/Adventure/Superhero.

Studio: Warner Bros Animation.
Production Company: Warner Bros. Animation.

Project Phase: Greenlighted.

Who's In It: Will Friedle (Terry McGinnis/Batman); Kevin Conroy (Bruce Wayne).
Who's Making It: Paul Dini (Screenwriter); Paul Dini, Bruce Timm, Alan Burnett, Glen Makatomi (Producers); TMS
(Studio).

Premise: Unknown. It's a secret.

Release Date: November 7, 2000.

Comments: This project is scheduled to be released on home video, but there's a chance it might first receive a theatrical release, much like 1993's Batman: Mask of the Phantasm.

Rumors: Unknown.

Scoop Feedback:

November 5, 1999... The Batman Beyond animated film is still scheduled for release on home video a year from now, but with the possibility that might be changed to a theatrical run, we're launching a page for it.

Right now animation is underway in Japan. Paul Dini, one of the show's producers, didn't spill the beans about what  the film's premise is about but he did tell us "It may have a slight more anime look than you're used to on the show." He also expressed how happy they've been with what they've seen of the work thus far. [Reported by Patrick Sauriol.]

Possible theatrical release? Woo hoo! That almost makes up for them cancelling the third B:TAS movie! Well, almost. Then again, I shouldn't get my hopes up... WW never did make it to the big screen, after all. Still, there's hope...

---Hatter

Iron Giant Makes Clean Sweep at Annie Awards!
Sun Nov 7 21:14:40 1999

Iron Giant fans, rejoice! The wonderfuly heart-warming film The Iron Giant won an award for every category it was nominated in at the 1999 Annie Awards! I'm really glad that it won so much, because it received such little publicity and didn't do too well at the box office. Last night, it received its moment of glory. Even Eli Marienthal (voice of Hogarth) won for Outstanding Individual Achievement for Voice Acting in an Animated Feature. It was really exciting to see it win time after time, especially since I thought that Tarzan would go home with all of the awards like last year's Mulan did. Here are some of the other winners:
(BTW, OIA and OA stand for Outstanding Individual Achievement and Outstanding Achievement, respectively)

OA in an Animated Television Production
The Simpsons
(Both Batman Beyond and Batman/Superman were nominated)

OIA for Directing in an Animated Television Production
Mark Gustafson, Bougie Nights, The PJs
("How I Spent My Weekend" from PE&tB and "Mommie Fearest" from The Powerpuff Girls were nominated)

OIA for Music in an Animated Television Production
Randy Rogel for "That Is the Story That's Told by the Bard" (Histeria!)

OIA for Production Design in an Animated Television Production
Glen Murakami, Legends of the Dark Knight (TNBSA)

OIA for Writing in an Animated Television Production
Tim Long, Larry Doyle & Matt Selman, Simpsons Bible Stories (The Simpsons)
(Alan Burnett & Paul Dini were nominated for Rebirth Part I for Batman Beyond)

OIA for Voice Acting in an Animated Television Production
Rob Paulsen for Pinky (Pinky, Elmyra & The Brain)
(Hooray! =)

OIA for Storyboarding in an Animated Television Production
You know, I really can't remember this one, but I think it was Adam Van Wyk for Black Out (Batman Beyond)

I'm really sorry if I got any of those wrong, or if I left out any that had to do with the WB. It's hard to remember all of those. =) If any of you want to know about any of the other winners, ask me or check ASIFA Hollywood.com when they update their site.

All in all, the night was very fun. Rob and Moe were great up on stage together. It first started with Rob coming out all calling for Moe to come out, with the Brain's voice from backstage yelling "I'm not coming out there! You promised!" When Rob finally did "convince" Moe to get on stage, he walked out dressed in a Brain Halloween costume! It was hilarious! (However, he didn't stay dressed like that all night; he quickly unzipped into a tux after making a joke or two.) It was great to have "Pinky and the Brain" MCing the show, and a thrilling surprise when none other than Jim Cummings came out to present a few awards! I actually got a chance to speak to him afterwards and get his autograph, which was a real treat. Anyway, just wanted to give you guys the scoop on the show and say how glad I am that the Iron Giant did well.

---Kara

#1 on Saturdays AND Weekdays
Fri Nov 5 10:32:15 1999

Kids'WB! ratings are soaring with the help of, Pokemon, Detention, Men In Black and Batman Beyond, and now they're number 1 on Weekdays and Saturdays. Here is what Variety.com had to say about the mega success of the net:

Saturday morning tyke leader Kids’ WB! has altered its lineup slightly, adding a second run of "Men in Black" and finding a new weekday afternoon slot for the hit phenom "Pokemon."

In the net’s first shuffle of the fall season, Kids’ WB! will rest "The Big Cartoonie Show," which had aired at 11 a.m. Saturdays but still will air at 3 p.m. weekdays. "Detention,’’ which had aired at 10:30 a.m., moves into the vacated slot.

This leaves room for the second run of "Men in Black" at 10:30 a.m. The animated Columbia TriStar series, based on the film, also will continue at 9 a.m.

Kids’ WB! will keep running episodes of "Pokemon" on Saturday mornings at 8:30 and 10.

Meanwhile, "Pokemon" moves from 3:30 to 4 p.m. weekdays, replacing first half of the hourlong "New Batman/Superman Adventures," while the latter reverts to a half-hour and moves to 3:30.

At 4:30, Kids’ WB! will alternate between "Batman Beyond" on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and "Men in Black" on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Bolstered by "Pokemon," Kids’ WB! is the Saturday morning leader among kids 2-11 with a 4.2 Nielsen rating/18 share season to date. This is ahead of Nickelodeon (4.0/18), Fox (2.9/13) and ABC (2.7/12). Kids’ WB! also leads weekdays with a 2.2/14, tied with Nickelodeon (2.2/16).

---Rembrant

Saturday Morning Top 10
Fri Nov 5 09:31:22 1999

For the weekend of Oct 30-31st, here is the 10 ten Saturday Morning Cartoons:

In the 2-11 age group:
1.Pokemon-Kids'WB! (10am)
2.Pokemon-Kids'WB! (8:30am)
3.Detention-Kids'WB!
4.Men In Black-Kids'WB!
5.Digimon-Fox Kids (9am)
6.Beast Machines-Fox Kids
7.The Avengers & Digimon (10:30am)(tie)
9.Batman Beyond-Kids'WB!
10.One Saturday Morning Part-ABC

In the 6-11 age group.
1.Pokemon-Kids'WB! (10am)
2.Pokemon-Kids'WB! (8:30am)
3.Detention-Kids'WB!
4.Digimon-Fox Kids (9am)
5.Men In Black-Kids'WB!
6.Beast Machines-Fox Kids
7.Batman Beyond-Kids'WB! & Digimon (10:30am)(tie)
9.One Saturday Morning Part 4-ABC
10.The Avengers-Fox Kids

Detention & MIB beating Batman Beyond in the ratings? Weird. At least we know why we'll be getting double doses of MIB soon.

---Dick Grayson