Animalive opens US Office
US US
tourism falls in 2009
ANIMALIVE, the IAAPA award-winning, live character animation firm, has opened a new US field office, as the group continues to expand its global reach. UK-based Animalive recently appointed
Michael Goss, former vice-president of sales and marketing for FEC Holding, as US sales director. He will spearhead the company’s operations across the Atlantic, working from a newly-opened office in Austin, Texas. Animalive CEO Ali Kord said: “We have
seen an exceptional level of interest in our unique technology across North America. Michael’s strong leadership, knowledge and expertise will be a great addition to our existing European sales team and will help drive Animalive’s growth strategy and global expansion.”
THE US welcomed 54.9 million international visitors in 2009, a year-on-year decrease of five per cent, official statistics indicate. According to the US Department of
Commerce’s recently published Year in Review report for 2009, total international visitor spending dropped precipitously last year. International tourism spend totalled US$121bn in 2009, marking a 15 per cent - nearly $21bn - dip on 2008. Much of this decline was centralised on the UK, with visitor spending declines from this one market alone surpassing the combined declines from Africa and the entire Asia-Pacific region. The DoC report stated: “Simply put, the
global economic slowdown created the most difficult environment for the tourism industry since the tragic attacks of September
DIMENSIONAL Communications - designer and producer of Mercedes-Benz’ New York Auto Show exhibit, which was held last month - has praised Lightspeed Design for the executive production of a high-definition, 3D stereoscopic film that became one of the event’s highlights. The fast-paced driving film was captured
Lightspeed auto exhibit applauded Chris Ward, President of Lightspeed Design,
said: “Our production pipeline benefits from advanced filmmaking technologies that we’ve developed and honed over the past 17 years producing stereo 3D content.”
in 3D at a 4,000-pixel resolution and presented on both a large high-brightness rear-projection screen as well as multiple 3D monitors in a large open exhibit area, and was viewed using movie theatre-style polarised glasses. Filmed on location at the Sandpiper Golf
Course, Bacara Resort and Cojo-Jalama Ranch near Santa Barbara, California, the six- minute film featured live 3D running footage of the Mercedes SLS AMG, E-Class Cabriolet and S400 Hybrid as well as pro golf played on an oceanside course. Post production and editing at Lightspeed
Design’s studio added custom CGI, special effects and incorporated Mercedes archival media.
8
11, 2001. The impact was not limited to international travel. In fact, the total domestic and international spending by the US travel and tourism industries were $100bn less than in 2008.” The industry also lost nearly 400,000
industry-related jobs in 2009, essentially eliminating all employment gains since 2004.
Fraser joins
IMERSA board IMERSA,
the international, non-
profit trade group founded in 2008 to promote immersive and full dome digital media for education and out-of-home entertainment, has welcomed Paul Fraser, president of Blaze Digital Cinema Works, to its board of directors. Fraser is serving alongside IMERSA
founders Dan Neafus, of Gates Planetarium, Denver Museum of Nature and Science; Harmony Channel’s Ed Lantz; and Ryan Wyatt of Morrison Planetarium, California Academy of Sciences. As a consultant who specialises in
business development for content and venue clients across a variety of digital cinema platforms, he was an innovator in the global giant-screen cinema industry, including leadership positions with Imax Corporation and Ogden Corporation.
NEWS
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72