* Toon Boom partners with Stan Lee Media

Montreal animation software company Toon Boom Technologies has teamed with Internet-based Stan Lee Media to develop Web-based animation software for slm’s planned Web comics, which it will call ‘Webisodes.’

slm was founded by Stan Lee, best known as the Marvel Comics co-creator of such superheroes as The Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, The X-Men and The Hulk in the 1960s. However, the once-flourishing comic book industry has been hobbled by the growth of the gaming and Internet businesses, and so it is not surprising this icon of the comic book world, realizing he can’t beat new media, has decided to join it.

Jamie Wilkinson, slm’s executive vp, Internet strategy, will oversee beta testing later this year, which will take place in Montreal and at animation houses worldwide, with the participation of graphics and animation software developer Pentafour Software & Exports.

Toon Boom’s usanimation V5 system, which allows animators to create programming for television, film and the Internet using Macromedia Flash Player, will serve as the framework for creating the new software.

The goal for the new software is to cut animators’ production time while providing graphics on par with the quality longtime comic book readers would expect.

Once the software is ready, slm is looking to take advantage of the Internet’s global marketing possibilities by launching new branded superhero, science fiction and fantasy content.

Toon Boom was demonstrating Web animation clips, which gave some idea of what surfers can expect from slm, at the recent nab2000 marketplace in Las Vegas. Mark Dillon

* Studio opens with a Bang

The Hamilton, Ont. studio that was at one time the home of Tiny Talent Time, Maple Leaf Wrestling, Don Cherry’s Grapevine and The Smith and Smith Comedy Mill has been revamped and reborn as Big Bang Studios.

Originally opened in 1962 as Telecentre, the studio has been retooled with film, video and multimedia producers in mind. The 3,500-square-foot soundstage includes a lighting grid system powered by 1,800 amps (with another 600 amps of power available via Camlock connectors on the studio floor for tv mobiles or lighting) controlled by a 98-channel dimmer board and equipped with rolling telescopic light hangers, and precabled 5K/2K joy power drops. A prelit 18′ x 34′ cyc wall is available at an hourly rate.

Flats, rises, jacks, set props, bleachers, ladders and lighting tables are available, some for hire, and video and audio post-production facilities for both Avid and Pro Tools are located next door. Fiona MacDonald