Box office update: 'Harry Potter' and 'Harry Potter' top Thanksgiving Day with $11.5 mil and $8.1 mil

by John Young

Categories: Box Office, Harry Potter, Movie Biz, News

Image Credit: Jaap BuitendijkIt was a Thanksgiving feast for the teenage wizard, as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 1 led the box office on Thursday by engulfing $11.5 million, according to early estimates. That result brings the PG-13 fantasy film’s seven-day gross to $170 million. Not far behind on Thanksgiving, and performing stronger than expected, was Disney’s animated musical Tangled, which earned $8.1 million. The PG-rated retelling of Rapunzel should continue to thrive during the weekend thanks to excellent word-of-mouth — CinemaScore audiences rated it a rare “A+”. The two family-friendly movies also dominated the box office on Wednesday, with Deathly Hallows grossing an estimated $14.5 million and Tangled snaring $11.6 million. Thanksgiving Day results are below. Check back tomorrow for a full recap of Friday’s numbers, which should provide a clearer picture of how the weekend will unfold.

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 1 — $11.5 mil
2. Tangled — $8.1 mil
3. Unstoppable — $2.53 mil
4. Burlesque — $2.5 mil
5. Megamind — $2.0 mil
6. Love and Other Drugs — $1.93 mil
7. Faster — $1.91 mil

Free 3D Animation Software

	iClone4 EX – 3D Movie Machine
	iClone4 is the complete 3D movie machine with real-time animation and actor creation tools for rendering movies with ultimate detail.
	Version: 4.3 Platform: Win XP SP2 / Vista / 7 Release Date: 2010-08-12 Category: Free Software (PRO experience edition; no expiration) File Size: 219 MB
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	CrazyTalk6 Trial - Facial Animation Creator
	CrazyTalk6 is an easy and powerful tool for generating talking characters from an image or photo and facial animation for video, websites and widgets.
	Version: 6.21 Platform: Win XP SP2 / Vista / 7 Release Date: 2010-08-03 Category: Trial Software (PRO trial edition; 14 days) File Size: 82 MB
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	WidgetCast2 Trial – The Live Flash & AIR Builder
	WidgetCast is a Flash authoring tool and media content service designed to build world class widgets for personal and professional rich-media web content.
	Version: 2.5 Platform: Win XP SP2 / Vista / 7 Release Date: 2010-07-29 Category: Trial Software (PRO trial edition; 14 days) File Size: 73 MB
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	iClone 3DXchange4 Trial – Unlimited Content Expansion for iClone
	3DXchange lets you generate massive model libraries for your film productions or for sharing your content packs with the world through iClone and also lets you film the world with the extended Google™ service integration.
	Version: 4.1 Platform: Win XP SP2 / Vista / 7 Release Date: 2010-08-12 Category: Trial Software (PRO trial edition) File Size: 33 MB
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	popVideo Converter2 Trial – One-click Chromakey
	With popVideo Converter just import your green/blue screen videos and click on the 'One-Click Chromakey' button to instantly remove the background!
	Version: 2.01 Platform: Win XP SP2 / Vista / 7 Release Date: 2010-04-28 Category: Trial Software File Size: 33.7 MB
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	FaceFilter Trial – Revitalize the Beauty of Your Photo
	FaceFilter Studio 2.0 is a powerfully simple, quick and easy photo editor that enables you to fine-tune your photos for creating perfect, professional looking results every time.
	Version: 2.01 Platform: Win XP SP2 / Vista /7 Release Date: 2006-12-14 Category: Trial Software (PRO trial edition) File Size: 16.1 MB
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Make Your Own Animation: Animation Freeware

Ok, so you've seen the animations on this site and (hopefully) you are impressed and amazed! "How can I make animations like this? Do I need to be some big shot web designer or pay big bucks for computer animation or 3D training?" Nope! There are many 3D animation programs available, ranging from incredibly easy to incredibly complicated. Some are used only for 3D titles (letters, numbers, etc), some are are highly advanced and have been used in many popular movies such as Cars, Jurassic Park, etc.  For information about the higher end animation programs (3DS Max, Softimage, Houdini, Amorphium, Adobe Dimensions, etc.) see the which 3d software should I use page.

Gif Animation And Photo Editing Freeware:

Movies 13 Gif Animator
A freeware gif animator with 98 animation presets, AVI and GIF converters.  You can easily edit an existing gif animation, or make a new one with imported images.  Great for beginners.Limitations: NoneFile Size: 1.1 MBDownload Link:Download Movies 13

2D And 3D Animation Freeware:

Pivot Stickfigure Animator
Quite possibly the easiest animation program ever made!  Just for fun, maybe on a rainy day.  Includes a sample animation. Freeware.Limitations: NoneFile Size: 485 KBDownload Link:
Download Stickfigure Animator

Google Sketchup

An easy-to-learn 3D modeling program whose few simple tools enable you to create 3D models of houses, sheds, decks, home additions, woodworking projects – even space ships.  A great way to discover if 3D modeling is right for you.  Freeware.Limitations: NoneFile Size: 31.8 MBDownload Link:Go To The Google Sketchup Download Page

3D Plus (Version 2)

For the novice user, 3D Plus transforms regular text to 3D, creates instant animations and effects, and allows you to control the lighting, texture, and postioning of your scene objects in a user-freindly way. Limitations: You need to call Serif Software to register (for free) to enable all of the software's advanced functions. You may get a "hard sell" to buy additional software, though.  A more feature-filled version is available now for $9.95 USD.File Size: 19 MBDownload Link:Visit The Serif 3D Plus Page

Anim8or

3D Animation software, primarily for character animation.  If you are just starting out with 3D animation and want to do more than just 3D text effects, this is the program for you.  Packed with features, and the best part is, it's freeware! For beginner to intermediate users.  Help forums available.Limitations: NoneFile Size: 826 KBDownload Link:Go To The Anim8or Download Page

Art Of Illusion

Many of this software's capabilities rival those found in commercial programs. Some of the highlights include subdivision surface based modelling tools, skeleton based animation, and a graphical language for designing procedural textures and materials.  For intermediate to advanced users. Freeware.Limitations: NoneFile Size: 6.1 MBDownload Link:Visit The Art Of Illusion Download Page

3D Canvas

Excellent 3D modeling and animation software, recommended for intermediate users, but dedicated beginners may want to try it. Freeware.Limitations: NoneFile Size: 9.1 MBDownload Link:Go To The 3D Canvas Download Page

Blender

Very popular open-source 3D software, with many features of popular high end programs.  Arguably the best freeware 3D animation software available, with tutorials and help forums available. For intermediate to advanced users. Freeware.Limitations: NoneFile Size: 8 MBDownload Link:Go To The Blender Download Page

3D software

3D software tends to range in complexity and sophistication, although these days even the simplest 3D software is capable of impressive results.

However, choosing the right 3D program is not a trivial matter, nor is it an easy one.  There are many factors to take into account, and your choice will also depend on your intentions.  Do you just want to dabble or include a little 3D rendering in your website?  Perhaps you are a 2D designer and want to start incorporating 3D in your illustration work.  Maybe you have learned about 3D using free software and intend to pursue 3D as a career.  Here we will go over the options available in three general sectors of the market: beginner, intermediate, and advanced.  Most 3D programs are available as demo versions, so you can try them out and get a feel of how they work before committing any of your hard-earned cash.

Basic Skill Level:

At the bottom end of the market there are plenty of low cost, easy to use 3D programs. Because of the low cost and small market share, this is a volatile sector, with 3D applications popping into and out of the market quite rapidly.  Some of these applications last a little longer than normal, while others vanish without a trace, so don't be surprised if any mentioned here are no longer available by the time you read this!  Whatever the name, they all tend to follow the same basic path-making 3D as easy as possible, but without the power and finesse of the more expensive packages.

If you want something for nothing, there are a few freeware versions of 3D packages available. 3D Canvas from amabilis.com is a less feature-filled version of the company's standard (paid) 3D packages.  It's a fully functional 3D application, but is probably more suited to intermediate users (or ambitious beginners).
Xara 3D is a typical low end 3D package, still going strong after multiple versions.  Costing about $39, it's a PC-only 3D program that won't break the bank but is pretty limited as 3D programs go.  Xara is great for quick logos and fun titles, but really that is about it.
Adobe Dimension is a plug-in for illustrator (Mac or PC) that generates rendered 3D objects from illustrator curves and text.  Again, it's limited but very simple to use, and for some it's all that is needed.
Although more suited to intermediate users, Amorphium from ElectricImage Inc. is an easy to use 3D program designed to work in a very hands on way.  If you want to sculpt 3D objects as if they were lumps of clay then render them very simply, it's a good way to go.
Poser is included here because it is so easy to use, but in fact it's usefulness extends right up to the pro level.  It's a 3D character renderer and animator that lets you pose and animate ready-made, high quality 3D figures.  It's very powerful, but it's not an all rounder- it does one thing only-but does it very well.

The quality of intermediate 3D software can vary, but there are a few things to bear in mind.  Make sure the rendering is up to speed, and examine online galleries of the software, which you can usually find on the developer's site.  This will usually give you a good idea of the quality on offer.  Most of the programs are available as demo versions, so they can be downloaded for evaluation.

Strata's Strata 3D has a long history and is available for Mac and PC.  It's a sturdy if slightly archaic 3D program, but it has found favor with many digital illustrators.  It has some good rendering features, including radiosity, which are rare at the price. www.strata3d.com
Pixels is a Mac-only 3D program that offers advanced rendering and animation and robust modeling for a modest cost.  It also features a renderer based on the REYES algorithm-the same one used in Pixar's RenderMan software.

Corel's Bryce 3D is an interesting 3D program.  It's primarily a landscape rendering application, designed to produce skies, seas, and terrains in a very efficient way.  It can be pressed into service as a more general purpose 3D tool, but lacks any serious modeling tools.  www.corel.com

One of the best free 3D applications available is Blender. This program is a full featured 3D production package featuring the kinds of tools you'd expect to see in a mid to high end application. 

At the high end level of 3D applications, it's not so much the tools as their implementation that makes the difference, and each 3D application listed here has its own style of working.  Some of these applications are costly, seriously powerful, and used for many high-end effects in movies and television.

Newtek's Lightwave 3D is a dual application featuring separate modeler/texturing and animation/lighting/rendering apps. Its quirky interface is deceptively powerful, and it offers one of the best quality renderers out there.
Softimage XSI combines sublime modeling with non-linear animation, scripting, and phenomenal rendering through tight integration with Mental Images' Mental Ray rendering software.  It also features an integrated 2D/3D compositor.

Alias's Maya 3D is extremely powerful.  Its node-based architecture enables complex animation and rendering linkages to be created and it offers a nonlinear modeling history, plus Mental Ray rendering.

Discreet's 3Ds Max has always been a popular choice.  Its design is not as modern as Maya or Softimage but it holds its own, especially in the games production market, and comes with Mental Ray rendering as standard.
Houdini is a fully procedural animation system that takes the node-based architecture to the nth degree.  Sublimely powerful, it's not for the faint hearted, but offers the kind of flexibility other applications only hint at.

The full suite of plug-ins for Cinema 4D takes it into the high end.  With advanced radiosity rendering, sophisticated character tools, and a GUI based expression system, it's also one of the easiest high-end 3D apps to get to grips with.

Megamind in 3D

IMAX Corporation (Nasdaq:IMAX) (TSX:IMX), DreamWorks Animation and PDI/DreamWorks Production announce that Megamind, the animated film featuring the voice talent of Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Jonah Hill, Brad Pitt and David Cross, will be released to digital IMAX 3D animation theaters this Friday, November 5.

The film will open on 195 IMAX 3D screens domestically, simultaneously with its North American wide release. The film will also open on approximately 30 international IMAX screens over the course of the run, nine of which will open this week, and the remaining opening day and date in their respective territories.

Megamind: An IMAX 3D Experience was originally rendered in 3D animation, and has been digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience with proprietary IMAX DMR (Digital Re-mastering) technology for presentation in IMAX 3D. The crystal-clear images, coupled with IMAX’s customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio, create a unique immersive environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.

About Megamind:
Megamind is the most brilliant super-villain the world has ever known…and the least successful. Over the years, he has tried to conquer Metro City in every imaginable way – Each attempt, a colossal failure thanks to the caped superhero known as “Metro Man,” until the day Megamind actually defeats him in the throes of one of his botched evil plans. Suddenly, the fate of Metro City is threatened when a new villain arrives and chaos runs rampant, leaving everyone to wonder: Can the world’s biggest “mind” actually be the one to save the day?

The film features the voices of Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Jonah Hill, David Cross and Brad Pitt.

Tom McGrath directed Megamind from a screenplay by Alan J. Schoolcraft and Brent Simons. The film was produced by Lara Breay and Denise Nolan Casino with Holly Edwards serving as associate producer and Stuart Cornfeld and Ben Stiller serving as executive producers.

Opening nationwide in theatres and IMAX, the film will be presented in 3D and distributed by DreamWorks Animation and PDI/DreamWorks Production.

The film has been rated PG by the MPAA for some action and language.

Megamind: An IMAX 3D Experience is scheduled to play day-and-date at the following IMAX theatres beginning November 5th.

Illusion Mage 3D Animation Software Review-articlesbase

http://bit.ly/clUCcW

Illusion Mage 3D Animation Software Review

Author: art dean

Can you imagine if you are able to create animated graphics and models just like Pixar or Walt Disney easily and quickly within the ease and comfort of your own home with similar software that top American studios are employing? This is what exactly Illusion Mage 3D animation software will do. Read my review on it and you'll understand why.
Creating 3D animated graphics is definitely a long-drawn-out effort and demanded you invest 1000s of dollars buying high-end studio software program. As a matter of fact, you actually required huge time spans and virtually all people, regardless if you are a professional or even you are only starting out, do not have that sort of capital to spend on high-end studio computer animation software.
Click Here For Instant Access To IllusionMage Member Area
You know very well what I'm talking about if you've experimented with various other animation applications with frustration. And I also didn't even bring up the costly fees you need to pay for getting Maya or 3DMax.
And here is the reason Illusion Mage 3D animation software surpasses the competitors:

 The fully-featured 3d animation software program that equals Maya & 3DMax

Simple and easy to produce amazing animated graphics like Pixar minus the hassles

6 Hours of Step-by-step video tutorials guiding you through

The first 3d software program that offer a 60 day money-back guarantee

Illusion Mage is created for anybody who would like to produce animations just like the Hollywood studios, the fast and simple way. And the core of this kit is definitely the impressive 3d animation software that is loaded with features that rivals the top 3d software like Maya.
In my personal opinion, no matter at all if you are newbie who has hardly ever created any animation before as this can be the easiest means to begin creating beautiful animations. Illusion Mage software package has furnished a great deal of tutorials (videos guides) to lead you just about every step of the way.
Here's the only negative point.
I think that the members area contain fairly sizeable downloads and a number of data files might take you more time to finish the downloading because of the sizes. Even so, this is definitely reasonable since there is a whole lot material. You're also able to opt for the DVD video (physical edition) inside the member's area which probably takes away this concern.
Most ideal point of all, Illusion Mage 3D animation software provide 100% money-back guarantees should you aren't happy with this program. So why not take 2 minutes to find out what this software can offer. Check it out and go here now.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/digital-photography-articles/illusion-mage-3d-animation-software-review-3638272.html

About the Author Illusion Mage 3D Animation Software Review

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