In 2012, while struggling with falling ratings, Viacom’s Nickelodeon introduced an annual competition during which rookie animators could join to create an 11-minute cartoon. The idea was to find fresh creativity and raw talent, and hopefully in doing so boost ratings — and it has so far been quite successful. Nickelodeon has now announced it will invite anyone, as long as they register online, to pitch directly to its team during Comic-Con next month in San Diego. Continue reading Talent Search: Nickelodeon to Hear Pitches During Comic-Con

Duracell demonstrated its Powermat technology at CES this week by installing wireless charging stations at Starbucks in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. Although most attendees don’t have the necessary Powermat case to charge their smartphone without a wire, Duracell loaned out charging receivers to people in need of power. These charging receivers fit into a Micro-USB port, Apple 30-pin, and Lightning, and work easily by placing the charging receiver on the Powermat. Continue reading Recharge Yourself and Your Phone at Duracell Charging Station

During the recent International Broadcasting Convention in Amsterdam, the broadcast community debated the practicality of Ultra HD, challenges involved with achieving it, and whether consumers will care. While industry interest remains mixed, companies such as Sky Deutschland and BSkyB are presently testing 4K broadcast transmissions. Stakeholders in Europe are expected to be early adopters of the format, with one estimate projecting more than 110 million Ultra HD displays to reach homes by 2025. Continue reading IBC 2013: Broadcast Community Debates the Future of 4K TV

At the International Broadcasting Convention in Amsterdam on Friday, FIFA and Sony announced that next year’s World Cup Final in Brazil will be produced in 4K. Sony also revealed it is developing production equipment to support 8K technology, and that 8K broadcasts are being planned for coverage of the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020. Sony hopes the announcements will help spark interest in Ultra HD, including the ultra sharp 8K, which is 16 times the resolution of current HD offerings. Continue reading IBC 2013: Ultra HD Planned for World Cup and Tokyo Olympics

The art film company Picturehouse, which folded in 2008, will mark its return with the debut of an unusual combination of concert footage and scripted fantasy in “Metallica Through the Never” at next week’s Comic-Con in San Diego. The 3D IMAX film will be a loud re-introduction of the company as it looks to rebuild itself and make more films. Picturehouse is not generally known for music, but neither is Comic-Con. Continue reading Heavy Metal and 3D Movie Join Forces To Rock Comic-Con

The end of celluloid film distribution in North America may come as soon as the end of this year, as the transition from film to digital continues. Michael Karagosian, president of MKPE Consulting, said that by the end of last year, 75 percent of worldwide cinema screens had already made the digital transition. This is expected to be an important topic this week at the annual CinemaCon convention in Las Vegas. Continue reading Distribution of Film Prints May Soon End in North America