We recently completed an animated informercial for Avanti Communications PLC (one of our neighbours here in Rivington Street!) Business Internet Continuity (BIC) product. The sequence is 1 and a half minutes in length and explains how the product works and its benefits to the business user/ ISP. You can view the video here on Avanti’s website.

Avanti’s Business Internet Continuity (BIC) product provides an automatic alternative route to the Internet for a business customer over a satellite link. The service is triggered when a customer’s fixed–line connection to the Internet fails and automatically maintains the IP addresses used in the customer’s network.

We are looking to increase our talent pool of Maya riggers and lighting artists. Please note at this moment in time we are NOT looking for animators or modellers. Please send your CV and example links of work (via email) to info [at] sbanimation [dot] com, with the subject header referring to your competency.

No agencies – thanks.

Further to my post yesterday, Brand Republic has the scoop here:

DreamWorks and PepsiCo unite to launch 3D Superbowl ad

LOS ANGELES – Dreamworks and PepsiCo are handing out more than 125m pairs of 3D glasses in the US, with which people can see a special trailer of new film, ‘Monsters vs Aliens’, which will air during the Superbowl.

A 90-second 3D trailer for the film ‘Monsters vs. Aliens’ will air during the half-time show of the Superbowl on February 1.

There will also be a 60-second 3D ad for SoBe Life Water, a drink owned by PepsiCo. 3D glasses will be distributed through the drink’s in-store displays around the country.

Dreamworks CEO Jeff Katzenberg said the cost of the stunt is in the “tens of millions of dollars.”

The glasses use Intel technology and not the traditional red and blue system. Viewers without glasses will be able to see an ordinary image on the screen.

‘Monsters vs. Aliens’ gets released March 27 in the US and features the voices of Kiefer Sutherland, Reese Witherspoon and Seth Rogan.

The promotion was unveiled during NBC’s broadcast of the playoff game between the Indianapolis Colts and San Diego Chargers last Saturday.

After the Superbowl ad, NBC plans to use the same technology to air a 3D episode of its series ‘Chuck’, with the reminder to fans “Don’t Chuck away your glasses.”

Last year the Superbowl was seen by 97.5m viewers, making it the second-most watched broadcast in US TV history.

View the new Pixar ‘Up’ Trailer by clicking on the image.

Jessica Barnes from Cinematical says (be warned she confesses to have never watched a Pixar movie from start to finish):

The film will mark Pixar’s 10th animated feature film, and the story has been compared to a re-telling of Don Quixote. It centers on a man in his late 70′s who joins up with a befuddled park ranger for some sort of adventure. The official description from Pixar describes our hero as the kind of guy who ‘travels the globe, fights beasts and villains, and eats dinner at 3:30 in the afternoon’ — aww, I’m sold on the cuteness already. But then again, I guess I’m not the best judge when it comes to Pixar.

There’s still time to win a PSP Slim + football manager 2009 game with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission – http://www.cwgc.org/glorydays. Closing date is 31st December 2008.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission have just launched an online competition to win a PSP Slim plus a copy of Football Manager Handheld 2009 for under 18s. Three runners-up will also win a copy of the PSP game. Sliced Bread Animation assisted in creating the competition form and animated assets.

Glory Days – Football in Times of war, remembers some of the footballers that have lost their lives in the wars.

Create your own football player, pick your team and then help them to win The Big Match, with an exciting penalty shoot out at the end, whilst learning new facts about the footballers. Test your knowledge at the end of the Match with the ‘On the spot quiz’.

Find out facts about the heroic footballers in the Hall of fame and find which present day football stars are supporting Glory Days.

Boyce Dungood, football manager extraordinaire and presenter of Glory Days- Football in Times of War would like to hear your stories. If you have any to share with Boyce about a relative who died in the First or Second World War, an education project based around remembrance, or any thoughts you’d like to share with him, why not make Boyce your friend and tell him your story?!

As part of our progression into e-learning applications, Sliced Bread Animation has recently completed the Safe Traveller application for Janusian. Working alongside Fresh01, Sliced Bread generated all the animated content for the 5 step process. A robust ‘back office’ system was also created by us which allows seat allocation, and client management. Click to view trailer.

SafeTraveller is an electronic learning program for companies seeking to achieve universally high standards of safety and security for their business travellers. It allows corporate security and HR managers to rapidly and effectively roll out a highly cost effective and engaging travel security training programme across their travelling workforce.

SafeTraveller has been designed by Janusian’s security experts, reflecting their experiences of travel in the world’s most challenging locations. It sets a clear learning objective- to encourage delegates to actively seek to become more safety and security aware- and delivers in an engaging and interactive way across five modules:

1. Taking Control From The Start: travel planning and preparation
2. The Art of Safety: heightening security awareness
3. Getting From A To B: staying safe and secure on the move
4. Mastering Your Environment: personal security at the airport, hotel and on the street
5. How To Handle Difficult Situations: coping with street crime, bribery, surveillance, espionage and hostage-taking

At the end of each module users must complete an evaluation exercise designed to enhance as well as test the knowledge they have acquired.

Sliced Bread Animation recently created this animated sequence for SOUK, as part of a banner campaign for Continental Airlines. Click to view.

Sliced Bread Animation are looking to increase their talent pool and currently seeking the following disciplines for a number of exciting forthcoming projects (contracts range from 1 month to 5 months):

• Key Animators
• Character TD/ Riggers
• Lighting Technical Directors
• Character Modellers
• Prop and Scene Modellers

General requirements (info on specific role requirements available):

• In depth knowledge of Maya, preferably 2+ years of production experience on commercial projects.
• MEL scripting (where appropriate).
• Ability to manage resources to achieve aesthetic goals.
• Ability to work competently and confidently to tight deadlines.
• London based preferred
• There may also be a requirement for an onsite test.

If you feel you are suitable for any of the job positions, please send weblinks and CV’s to: Jamie Denham (Managing Director) at applications@sbanimation.com

NO AGENCIES OR OUTSOURCE COMPANIES