www.mirrormaskthemovie.com). The SLC FILM CENTER will conduct a three day retrospective of Henson Company favorites directed by Henson, including JACK AND THE BEANSTALK: THE REAL STORY, FARSCAPE: THE PEACEKEEPER WARS, and MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL. The hit 80’s classic film LABYRINTH, in which Henson was a key performer, will also be screened. The celebration will also include some early films created by Company founder, Jim Henson. Additionally, Brian Henson will conduct an afternoon presentation on the future of digital puppetry and discuss the newest technology coming out of Jim Henson’s Creature Shop.
Salt Lake City is one of several cities participating in the Company’s anniversary. Los Angeles, New York, Boston, Minneapolis, San Diego and others have all hosted various events to honor the Company’s diverse and prolific history. Additionally, “It’s Not Easy Being Green And Other Things to Consider”, a collection of quotes be and about Jim Henson was released by Hyperion Books on September 14th and on September 28th the United States Postal Service will issue a new stamp honoring Jim Henson and his puppetry legacy.
“ Having played an important role in independent filmmaking and computer animation techniques, Salt Lake City is a perfect host for a celebration of our company’s 50th year.” said Brian Henson, co-CEO of The Jim Henson Company. “The city is home for some of our most loyal and supportive audiences and I am looking forward to meeting them and discussing our upcoming projects."
RETROSPECTIVE SCHEDULE: All screenings and events are at the City Library, 210 E 400 South and are Free and Open to the Public
Friday, September 30
TBA — MIRRORMASK — press screening
11:00AM — A collection of television work: MOTHER GOOSE STORIES; MUPPETS TONIGHT w/ Prince; DINOSAURS: NATURE CALLS
1:00PM — RETURN TO OZ
4:00PM — TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES
BRIAN HENSON BIO:
Co-Chief Executive Office, The Jim Henson Company
Director, Producer, Writer, Performer
Brian Henson, an award-winning director,, producer, writer and performer is Co-Chief Executive Officer of The Jim Henson Company along with his sister, Lisa Henson. Mr. Henson also produces and directs selected film and television projects.
Mr. Henson was part of the Jim Henson’s Creature Shop team that first created and utilized the Academy Award®-winning Henson Performance Control System, and is currently working with the Shop in continuing to perfect the revolutionary Henson Digital Performance Studio (HDPS), a control system that enables puppeteers to perform a computer generated (CG) character in real time.
Mr. Henson directed such critically acclaimed features as The Muppet Christmas Carol and Muppet Treasure Island and directed and executive produced the Emmy® Award and Saturn Award-winning mini-series Jim Henson’s Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story. He served as Executive Producer on It’s A Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie and The Muppets’ Wizard of Oz. Mr. Henson most recently directed and executive produced the Emmy nominated four-hour mini-series Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars, for which he received a Saturn Award. He is currently in post-production on Frances, a preschool series he directed that features the company’s HDPS technology.
ABOUT THE JIM HENSON COMPANY
The Jim Henson Company, currently celebrating 50 years as an established leader in family entertainment, is recognized worldwide as an innovator in puppetry, animatronics and computer graphics. Best known as creators of the world famous Muppets (the rights to which are now owned by The Walt Disney Company), Henson is the recipient of nearly 50 Emmy Awards and nine Grammy Awards. Recent projects include the Saturn Award-winning Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars and the features Five Children and It and MirrorMask . The company also produced the television feature The Muppets' Wizard of Oz for Buena Vista Television. Headquartered in Los Angeles with offices and production facilities in New York and London, the company is currently in post production on the preschool series Frances due for release in 2006 . The Jim Henson Company's website is located at: www.henson.com
