According to an article on CNBC.com, Showest, the annual movie distributor conference, opened its doors today in Las Vegas. They report that there seems to be an optimistic feeling in the air this year since box office sales hit a record in 2007. Most of the major theater companies are investing in upgrading their technology including digital projectors and new seats to create a state-of-the-art experience.

Digital projectors are expensive–the whole package about $75,000 per screen–but they’re the first step in creating a 3D experience, for which theater owners can charge more. The theater owners aren’t covering the cost of installing digital on their own. Every time the equipment is used to show their films, the studios have agreed to pay a fee, called a Virtual Print Fee, to help cover the equipment costs. No loss for the studios, as they’re saving on “P&A” –the cost of physically delivering reels of film around the country.

Digimation, providers of one of the largest collection of 3D models has announced that it is dramatically lowering its prices starting May 1.   According to VfxWorld Digimation’s Platinum Edition which includes 10,000 3D models and currently sells for $24,995 will be dropped to the rock bottom price of $2,995. While the Titanium Edition, which has a whopping 16,500 Models and was priced at $49,995, will now sell for just $4,995.

“More and more of our customers, particularly those in the entertainment segment, are working in smaller, focused development teams,” said David Avgikos, president of Digimation. “We have removed the barrier to ownership for smaller companies and individuals who have wanted access to our model library for use in their own projects.”

The Archive Platinum Edition features 10,054 3D models that, if purchased individually, represent more than $1 million in value.

The Archive Titanium Edition features 16,504 3D models including fully digitized vehicles, high-resolution anatomy (including skeletal data from the Visible Human Project), famous landmarks, accurate military models, and more.The Titanium Edition represents more than a million man hours of development and $6 million in value.

Sony Pictures Animation is currently in development on “Hotel Transylvania.” The Hollywood Reporter reports Jill Culton will be acting as director. Culton previously directed “Open Season” with Roger Allers for Sony Pictures.

In the story, a sort of “Romeo and Juliet” with monsters, Simon Van Helsing — the youngest in a long line of monster hunters — falls in love with Dracula’s daughter. Upon the discovery that they are enemies, the couple attempt to bring peace between the monsters and humans.

The screenplay will be written by Kevin and Daniel Hageman.

While trying to consolidate their business and restructure internally, Cartoon Network is planning on a relocation and expansion of their offices and studios. According to Animation Insider:

Robert Swartz has been named the Vice President of Original Series for Cartoon Network. His new role for the cable group accompanies a high profile, physical migration of the offices used network original program production. Swartz will accompany the relocation of Cartoon Network Studios’ Current Series department from CN home base in Atlanta, Georgia westward some two thousand miles over to the familiar, west-coast animation nucleus known as Burbank.

“Rob brings a fresh perspective to the Kids arena and knows development across all formats,” Robert Sorcher, Chief Content Officer for Cartoon Network stated in a recently issued press article. “Having our entire development and current teams on the West Coast will allow us to extend our relationships with the creative community and rapidly expand our slate of series and productions.”  This planned relocation and expansion of the offices and studios of those working on current, Cartoon Network titles will include a fast-moving future for the company. Swartz, as the Vice President of Original Series, is responsible for the consolidated groups involved in development and production of original programming.

AP reports that the Walt Disney Co. has signed on to produce new animated features and tv series with several Japanese Animation companies. Asia’s animation market is a lucrative one, and Disney is intending to release these shows to gain a wider public acceptance of their projects.

Three animation companies have been named as partners with Disney: Toei Animation Co., Madhouse Co. and Jinni’s Animation Studios. Nikkei, Japan’s daily business news source, says

With Madhouse, Disney will produce a TV program “Stitch!,” an offspring of the Lilo & Stitch series, to be aired in Japan, the official said. With Jinni, Disney will make a short animation film “Fireball,” she said.

Nikkei also stated that

the partnerships would allow Disney to tap local talent and computer graphics technology to produce programs targeting audiences in Japan and elsewhere in Asia.

These programs will be broadcast via satellite and terrestrial channels, but Disney will also look into delivering content to mobile phones, the report said.

The Walt Disney Co. is located in Burbank, CA. This will be the first time they have gone completely offshore with their entire production pipeline for major projects.

Marketwire reports that Antics Technologies has released a new bundle of premium content for their existing entry-level product Antics V3 Basepack. The new version boasts

increased functionality, enhanced ease of use and improves users’ ability to import 3D content. With similar functionality to the professional Antics V3 ProPack version, the free version means creative individuals can use a professional-grade software tool to create quality animations on a limited budget.

Phil Swinstead, founder of Antics says this software is built for a diverse group of users in mind, from the experienced to the beginner. He says,

“Anyone from complete novices to more experienced animation enthusiasts can now use Antics to create animations quickly and cheaply, without any professional training, using the large free content available to all Antics users and purchasing those special premium content elements they need to bring extra life to their stories.”

Animation Insider reports that “Lil’ Bush: Resident of the United States”, the series that started as webisodes but then aired on Comedy Central, will return with a second season in the middle of March.

Popular with audiences last summer, “Lil’ Bush” explores the fictional adolescence of our current President, as he enjoys misadventure after misadventure with a cast incuding Lil’ Condi, Lil’ Rummy, and Lil’ Cheney.

The second season, scheduled to kick off on Comedy Central starting March 13th at 10:30pm (ET/PT), will kick off with a ten-episode run, sporting in part a larger role from the “gang” of Lil’ Dems: Lil’ Hillary Clinton, Lil’ Barack Obama, Lil’ John Edwards, Lil’ Nancy Pelosi and Tiny Dennis Kucinich (because everyone knows that Kucinich is already little, apparently).

The first season of this animated television series premiered June 13th, 2007 and was the most watched premiere on Comedy Central since 2004

The Season One DVD set of Lil’ Bush is slated to hit shelves on March 11th.

The Hollywood Reporter reports Nintendo’s Wii sold more units this year than PS3’s consoles in Japan. Outpacing them at nearly 4-to-1 in February, it looks like Wii’s lead is widening in the game console battle. A huge hit for them this month was the premiere of Nintendo’s “Super Smash Bros. Brawl” for the Wii. It became

the best-selling software for the month in Japan, with 1.33 million units sold, followed by the “Wii Fit” home fitness game, which sold 309,311 units in the four weeks, Enterbrain said.

The Wii has been leading the three-way game console battle with the PS3 and Microsoft’s Xbox 360 as its strategy of offering easy-to-play and innovative games to expand the overall game population has proved a big success.

“101 Dalmatians: Two-Disc Platinum Edition” (G) was released on DVD today. This restored version of the animated Disney classic contains a host of bonus features. Among them are “101 Pop Up Facts for Fans,” a fun-with-language game, a music video, a virtual Dalmatian game in which you care for your own pup, alternate versions of music used in the film and 11 behind-the-scenes short features that explore the technical breakthroughs achieved in the animation process, how the songs were composed and more. 

AWN reports that Blue Dragon, the popular XBOX 360 videogame (developed by Hironobu Sakaguchi, creator of “Final Fantasy” with character designs by Akira Toriyama, creator of the best-selling DRAGON BALL manga), is finally coming to the US with a new animated series on Cartoon Network. The series, produced by Studio Pierrot and licensed by VIZ Media,

with an anticipated TV rating of TV Y7FV, is a classic adventure story of magical Shadow powers, flying air fortresses, and unbounded heroism.

Brought together by fate, Seven Soldiers of Light must awaken the Shadow within themselves in time to overcome a despotic power and bring peace to their land.