ARRI announced that the new ALEXA camera is now shipping. Initial delivery priority is being given to customers who purchased the D-21 camera when it was unveiled at IBC 2009, and the company reports that production is being ramped up to meet the pent-up demand. »

Kodak announced the addition of two new films to its VISION3 family of motion picture products. The stock additions include a medium-speed, tungsten-balanced color negative camera film, and a color intermediate film optimized to work with digital postproduction technologies. “These new VISION3 films are the tangible results of our ongoing commitment to filmmakers,” says... »

Montreal-based Oblique FX recently completed all of the visual effects for Ben Hur – a new two-part miniseries that revisits the Charlton Heston classic tale of a man betrayed and sold into slavery by his friend. »

Nominees for the 82nd Annual Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Awards were announced early this morning, and it came as little surprise that James Cameron’s wildly successful sci-fi blockbuster, Avatar scored big in both above- and below-the-line categories. The stereoscopic film, which recently surpassed Titanic as the highest grossing film of all... »

740 Sound Design has opened a new audio postproduction facility and added mixing to its sound design services. The expansion enables the company to move into television, digital media and select documentary films in addition to the commercial work it has done for a decade. The facility is also enabling 740, which previously shared... »

Digital Vision has partnered with CineForm as a key element of its forthcoming Nucoda 2009.1 release. The new color grading/DI software, which will be unveiled at Broadcast Video Expo in London, Feb. 16-18, will include native support for the CineForm RAW format used by Silicon Imaging’s highly acclaimed SI-2k camera. “Following a popular industry... »

Marker Karahadian recently joined Band Pro Film & Digital as vice president. In his new role, he will guide the technical direction and product development aspects of Band Pro, as well as technical marketing for the Band Pro group of companies. He will also oversee Band Pro Tek, the in-house Sony Authorized Service Department.... »

Nominees for this year’s annual Motion Picture Sound Editors Golden Reel Awards include leading proponents of the art of sound editing, music editing and sound design from around the world. “Our members are editing professionals who want to raise awareness of what a motion-picture soundtrack is capable of doing to support the art of... »

FilmL.A., the not-for-profit organization that coordinates film permits in the Los Angeles area, announced that on-location filming across all categories declined 19.4 percent in 2009 compared to 2008, the steepest year-over-year decline since tracking began in 1993. The organization recorded 37,979 permitted production days (PPD) in 2009 compared to 47,117 tallied in 2008. »

The Art Directors Guild announced nominations in nine categories of production design for theatrical motion pictures, television, commercials and music videos competing in the ADG’s 14th annual Excellence in Production Design Awards for 2009. Deadline for final voting, which is done online, is Feb. 11. A black-tie ceremony announcing winners will be held Feb.... »