Animation Magazine

Author: Mercedes Milligan

  • Daniel Gray’s NFB Short ‘Hide’ Makes Online Premiere

    Daniel Gray’s NFB Short ‘Hide’ Makes Online Premiere

    Daniel Gray’s multi-award-winning animated short Hide has launched for free online viewing, being featured as a Staff Pick on Vimeo starting today (Monday, April 17) and available worldwide on nfb.ca, YouTube and Facebook, as well. The 11-minute film is co-produced by La Cellule Productions (France), CUB Animation (Hungary) and the National Film Board of Canada.

    “I have been bugging filmmaker Daniel Gray about bringing his incredibly imaginative film, Hide, online as a Vimeo Staff Pick since I caught it at Encounters Film Festival,” said Meghan Oretsky, Senior Curator at Vimeo. “It took over a year, but the Vimeo curation team is finally helping this captivating short make its debut on the Vimeo Staff Picks channel. Hide combines elements of David Lowery’s A Ghost Story and the graphic novel Here by Richard McGuire into a story about time, family, relationships, loneliness and life. I can never get enough of the concept of watching people explore a time period that exceeds the human lifespan.”

    Gray noted, “Vimeo has been part of my filmmaking journey from the very start, hosting t.o.m. and teeth, so it’s a great pleasure to be able to show Hide alongside them. It seems like ages ago that Hide started being shown at festivals, so I’m extremely excited to have it available in the wild, for people to experience what we’ve made.”

    The latest short from U.K.-born, Hungary-based filmmaker Gray (t.o.m., 2006; teeth, 2015), Hide has been selected by more than 60 festivals around the world, receiving 14 awards to date. Honors include:

    • Jury Award for the Best European Film, Krakow Film Festival, Poland (2021)
    • Special Jury Award for Short Films (Koji Yamamura) – New Chitose Airport International Animation Festival, Hokkaido, Japan (2021)
    • Silver Award for Motion Design, Los Angeles Animation Festival, California (2021)
    • Winner of the Main Competition, Piccolo Festival dell’Animazione, Italy (2021)
    • Jury’s Special Mention – Canadian Competition, Sommets du cinéma d’animation, Montreal, Canada (2020)
    • Special Mention – Grand Competition Short Film, World Festival of Animated Film – Animafest Zagreb, Croatia (2021)
    • Special Mention – Short Film Category of the International Official Competition –Buenos Aires International Independent Film Festival (BAFICI), Argentina (2021)
    • Top 10 Audience Favorite – International Program, São Paulo International Short Film Festival, Brazil (2021)

    About the film: Hide employs whispers in a sparse, quiet soundtrack, and visual design that shifts from bright and spacious simplicity to opaque fragments. Quietness is used to introduce and emphasize moments of stress and chaos.

    Two brothers entertain themselves with a game of hide and seek. As one counts, the other hides in a small cabinet. Seconds pass… then minutes… years… and decades. A heartrending and prescient story about family and disconnect, in a world that is increasingly fragmented and unrecognizable.

  • Baby Shark and Sesame Street Team Up for Animated Music Video

    Baby Shark and Sesame Street Team Up for Animated Music Video

    The Pinkfong Company, the global entertainment company behind Baby Shark, and Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, today announced a musical collaboration between internet sensation Baby Shark and the iconic Sesame Street friends that will have kids and families “doo doo doo’ing” to a familiar tune.

    In the animated music video, Elmo, Cookie Monster and Abby Cadabby are learning a new song when Baby Shark and William invite them to join in a game of tag and an underwater dance party. The viral “Baby Shark” song is reimagined with a twist as the Sesame Street friends join in on the vocals.

    In addition to the music video, The Pinkfong Company and Sesame Workshop are curating a special Earth Day-themed YouTube playlist filled with catchy songs and engaging stories. The playlist features a mix of fan-favorite, nature-themed content from Pinkfong and Sesame Street, as well as the newly released music video.

    “We are thrilled to announce this Baby Shark collaboration with Sesame Street, which has been a cornerstone of childhood for over five decades across the globe,” said Bitna Kwon, Chief Strategy Officer of The Pinkfong Company. “It’s a truly meaningful opportunity for us to create a shared experience that transcends generations, and we hope that the collaboration helps build an emotional connection among modern families while helping them learn about nature.”

    Jenny Gioia, VP of Multimedia Programming, Sesame Workshop., commented, “We’re always looking to deliver fun, unexpected collaborations to our fans. Pinkfong’s Baby Shark is a cultural icon with the most-viewed YouTube video of all time; that’s an unbelievable accomplishment. We knew we needed to work together and give the Sesame Street treatment to their best-known content, creating a vibrant new music video and so much more for kids and families to enjoy.”

    The special music video and playlist are now available on the official Pinkfong, Baby Shark and Sesame Street YouTube channels.

  • ‘Bob’s Burgers,’ ‘El Deafo,’ ‘Wolves in the Walls’ Among Peabody Nominees

    ‘Bob’s Burgers,’ ‘El Deafo,’ ‘Wolves in the Walls’ Among Peabody Nominees

    The Peabody Awards Board of Jurors have announced the 42 nominees for this year’s Entertainment, Arts, Children’s/Youth, Podcast/Radio, Interactive & Immersive and Public Service honors.  The nominees were chosen by a unanimous vote of 17 jurors from over 1,200 entries; the winners of the 83rd Peabody Awards will be announced on May 9 and then celebrated on Sunday, June 11 at a ceremony at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles.

    This will be Peabody’s first in-person ceremony since 2019, as well as the first time ever in its history that the awards ceremony will take place in Los Angeles.

    “From hilarious and heartfelt comedies to interactive and immersive stories that leverage technology to create gripping narratives, Peabody is dedicated to recognizing compelling stories across the media landscape,” said Jeffrey Jones, executive director of Peabody. “We’re thrilled to nominate each of these remarkable pieces of media and to honor the forward-thinking Shari Frilot with our inaugural Visionary Award.”

    While not many animated projects were nominated, there were a couple stand outs for general audience and kids’ toons, as well as next gen animated storytelling on display in the immersive category.

    See the full list of nominees at peabodyawards.com.

     

    ENTERTAINMENT

    Bob’s Burgers | 20th Century (FOX)

    Jury comments — This long-running, witty animated series is gentle and full of heart. Over its 13 years on the air, Bob’s Burgers has quietly depicted a truly progressive vision of a working class family, giving us both realistic and aspirational portraits of parenting life, teenage life and queer life, as well as lessons of acceptance and resiliency.

     

    CHILDREN’S & YOUTH

    El Deafo | Lighthouse Studios in association with Apple TV+ (Apple TV+)

    El Deafo uses unique sound design to take viewers inside the experience of a young girl named Cece (voiced by Lexi Finigan, who is also deaf) as she loses her hearing and finds her inner superhero in this animated series based on the graphic novel by Cece Bell.

     

    INTERACTIVE & IMMERSIVE

    Life Is Strange: True Colors | Deck Nine Games & Square Enix External Studios (PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Stadia)

    Life Is Strange: True Colors is a game that follows a 21-year-old, bisexual Asian-American woman, Alex Chen, who has spent the last eight years in foster care and is investigating her brother’s death. Largely about grief and trauma, the game is also joyful, affirming the true importance of empathy through Alex’s supernatural ability to sense and manipulate others’ emotions.

    Lucy and the Wolves in the Walls | Fable Studio, Third Rail Projects, Sound+Design, Story Studio & Experiences (Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest)

    Through the endearing and earnest narrative of Lucy and her quest to find the source of mysterious happenings in her house, this wonderful interactive VR fable based on the book by Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean, which continues in Lucy’s extended life across platforms, invites us along to explore the fine line between imagination and reality and reminds us of that liminal space of possibility that we occupy as children.

    Reeducated | The New Yorker (Oculus, Mobile, Desktop)

    China’s systemic detention of Uyghurs and other minorities is well-documented, but there exists no photographic evidence from inside the camps, which limits journalistic coverage. This New Yorker VR project combines the testimony of three brave survivors, hand-drawn illustration, and immersive video technology, showing the conditions inside prison cells, classrooms, torture rooms, and a makeshift operating room, and illuminating the atrocities of harrowing life.

    The Uncensored Library | Media.Monks, Reporters without Borders, DDB Germany (Minecraft)

    Meticulous and artistically-rendered, this Minecraft build serves as a monument to press freedom and an innovative back door for censored content. Because Minecraft is often freely accessible in countries where other media is blocked, more than 20 million gamers in 165 countries have been able to access information about threats to press freedom in their own countries as well as censored articles from independent journalists from oppressive countries such as Saudi Arabia, Russia, Mexico, Egypt, and Vietnam.

    Un(re)solved | FRONTLINE (PBS) with Ado Ato Pictures and StoryCorps (pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/unresolved)

    Drawing on more than two years of reporting, thousands of documents, and dozens of first-hand interviews, this FRONTLINE multiplatform investigation of lives cut short examines a federal effort to grapple with America’s legacy of racist killings through the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act.

    Unpacking | Witch Beam Games & Humble Games (Steam)

    This Zen puzzle game transforms the mundane experience of unpacking items out of boxes after a move into an extraordinary storytelling device, allowing the player to get to know the main character at an intensely intimate and personal level without ever seeing her over 21 years of her life and eight different moves.

  • Trailer: ‘Hell’s Paradise’ English Dub Premieres on Crunchyroll

    Trailer: ‘Hell’s Paradise’ English Dub Premieres on Crunchyroll

    Fans looking forward to checking out the big demon-busting adventure of the spring anime season tuned into Crunchyroll this weekend for the exclusive English dub debut of Hell’s Paradise. The dub dropped Saturday, April 15 at 1:30 p.m. PDT, with fresh episodes set to launch weekly on the platform.

    With ADR direction by Mike McFarland (Chainsaw Man, Attack on Titan, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood), the Hell’s Paradise English dub voice actors include:

    • Alejandro Saab (VINLAND SAGA, Horimiya) as Gabimaru
    • Marisa Duran (Horimiya) as Yamada Asaemon Sagiri
    • Nazeeh Tarsha (The Greatest Demon Lord Is Reborn as a Typical Nobody) as Aza Chobe
    • Matt Shipman (Dr. STONE, Attack on Titan) as the English voice of Yamada Asaemon Toma
    • Jill Harris (Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury, Black Clover) as Yuzuriha
    • Reagan Murdock (Chainsaw Man) as Yamada Asaemon Shion
    • Ben Balmaceda (VINLAND SAGA) as Yamada Asaemon Tenza
    • Cassie Ewulu (Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury) as Nurugai
    • Jordan Dash Cruz (Shadows House) as the English voice of Yamada Asaemon Senta

    More cast members for the English dub will join at a later date. Hell’s Paradise will also be dubbed in German, French, Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Castilian Spanish and Italian, with dates and cast for those to be revealed soon. Additional English dub ADR staff includes ADR engineer Victor Acosta and ADR script writer Katelyn Barr.

    Synopsis: Gabimaru reigns as the strongest and most ruthless assassin in his village. But now finds himself on death row—with only one way out: retrieve the Elixir of Life from a sinister island. Longing for freedom, he accepts the challenge. But with fellow convicts vying for the same prize and demonic beasts lurking, how will Gabimaru and his handler, the executioner Yamada Asaemon Sagiri, survive this harrowing quest?

    Adapted from the manga by Yuji Kaku, Hell’s Paradise is directed by Kaori Makita, who is best known as the director for Attack on Titan Final Season episodes 60 and 69, with series composition by Akira Kindaichi, character design by Kouji Hisaki and music composed by Yoshiaki Dewa.

    Animation is produced by MAPPA, the Japanese studio behind hit series such as Attack on Titan Final Season, JUJUTSU KAISEN and Chainsaw Man. MAPPA also released the global box office sensation JUJUTSU KAISEN 0, which has become one of the top five highest-grossing anime movies in the U.S., top 10 highest-grossing anime movies in the world, and top 20 highest-grossing movies in Japan.

    Crunchyroll began its exclusive simulcast of Hell’s Paradise from Japan on April 1 and airs new episodes in Japanese with subtitles every Saturday at 8:30 AM PDT. The current cast listing of Japanese voice actors is:

    • Chiaki Kobayashi as Gabimaru
    • Yumiri Hanamori as Yamada Asaemon Sagiri
    • Ryohei Kimura as Aza Chobe
    • Kensho Ono as Yamada Asaemon Toma
    • Rie Takahashi as Yuzuriha
    • Chikahiro Kobayashi as Yamada Asaemon Shion
    • Yusuke Kobayashi as Yamada Asaemon Tenza
    • Makoto Koichi as Nurugai
    • Tetsu Inada as Tamiya Gantetsusai
    • Aoi Ichikawa as Yamada Asaemon Fuchi
    • Daiki Yamashita as Yamada Asaemon Senta
    • Makoto Furukawa as Yamada Asaemon Eizen
    • Shunichi Toki as Yamada Asaemon Kisho
    • Volcano Ota as Yamada Asaemon Genji
  • PGS Adds Chinese Animated Series ‘CoNaBlue’ & ‘Princess Doremi’ to Catalog

    PGS Adds Chinese Animated Series ‘CoNaBlue’ & ‘Princess Doremi’ to Catalog

    PGS Entertainment, the award-winning distributor of entertainment content, has recently added two new animated series to its portfolio: CoNaBlue and Princess Doremi. Both shows have been produced by FZ Entertainment and have won awards in China. These additions grow PGS’s animation catalog and diversifies the origins of its offerings.

    “PGS believes in the power of entertainment to inspire and educate audiences around the world. We are confident that CoNaBlue and Princess Doremi will entertain and promote important values to our global kids’ audience,” said Paula Taborda dos Guaranys, EVP Acquisitions for PGS.

    CoNaBlue
    CoNaBlue

    CoNaBlue (52 x 11′) is an action series that follows a crew of extraordinary individuals with unique powers who work together to investigate and protect nature and its creatures. With its captivating storylines and conservation message, the show is a fun and engaging must-watch for anyone who loves nature and adventure. Co-produced by Tencent Video and recently aired on the platform, the show has achieved over 1.3 billion views. CoNaBlue has also been on most Chinese TV stations.

    Princess Doremi (52 x 13′), co-produced by iQIYI, is a charming musical comedy fairy tale series featuring seven adorable princesses with diverse backgrounds and personalities. Surrounded by an impressive collection of 54 original songs, the princesses have fun and solve problems together, creating magical moments full of music and dance that will hearts and enchant young viewers.

    Princess Doremi
    Princess Doremi

    The award-winning series’ producer, FZ Entertainment, is a Chinese studio that has been honored as a National High-tech Enterprise, National Recognized Animation Enterprise, Guangxi Cultural Industry Key Demonstration Base, Guangxi Outstanding Copyright Protection Unit, Guangxi Service Outsourcing Key Enterprise, and China’s Copyright New Prominent Enterprise.

    “We are thrilled to expand our catalog with the addition of CoNaBlue and Princess Doremi. These two series are not only fun and entertaining but also carry an important message about nature conservation and diversity, respectively,” said Philippe Soutter, Co-founder of PGS. “We are proud to partner with FZ Entertainment, a studio that has been recognized for its high-quality animations and commitment to promoting cultural exchange through entertainment.”

    pgsentertainment.com

  • Epic Story Media Links Up with Bidaya’s ‘Mansour’ Franchise

    Epic Story Media Links Up with Bidaya’s ‘Mansour’ Franchise

    Bidaya Media has inked a deal with independent IP creator and full-service kids’ franchise company Epic Story Media Inc. (ESM) to act as the content and licensing agent for the new 2D animated series, The Adventures of Mansour: Age of AI.

    The series will join ESM’s growing portfolio of franchises in the upcoming MIPTV event in Cannes, France, and will be represented going forward throughout the upcoming licensing and content distribution forums. ESM will represent the new series globally (excluding MENA and China) with the aim of securing broadcast rights across multiple linear and streaming platforms as part of Bidaya’s efforts to globally promote the series.

    The rebooted series will build on the success of the original Mansour series, which currently has more than two billion views on YouTube with more than 25 million unique viewers. The action-adventure series, developed and produced by Bidaya in English and Arabic, covers universal issues and themes that speak to the current generation of children worldwide. The show playfully addresses the benefits and challenges of artificial intelligence, the balance between the use of and overreliance on technology, climate change issues and the complexity of social interaction in the digital age.

    Adventures of Mansour: Age of AI

    “Mansour has captured the imagination of children across the MENA region in a powerful way. We are inspired to build on this success with the production of the new season of Mansour and by partnering with Epic to achieve global reach and inspire a new generation of children around the world,” said Nabil El Jisr, CEO, Bidaya Media. “As a uniquely entertaining show that harnesses positive, universal values, Mansour addresses the major influences affecting children’s lives and has the potential to create a positive impact for future generations.”

    Ken Faier, President of ESM, added, “We’re extremely excited to start this partnership with one of the top production companies in the Middle East and help deliver compelling stories that match our commitment to diversity and finding cultural and authentic content, relatable for a global audience. We’re proud to work with Bidaya Media and to bring Mansour to our unique slate that we’ll be presenting at MIPTV. As with all our projects, we love properties that have those unique elements that can deliver an expansive 360 experience. Mansour: Age of AI has so much to offer fans who want to delve deeper into their favorite characters and stories, and we look forward to exploring this over the coming years with Bidaya.”

    Adventures of Mansour: Age of AI

    Bidaya plans to produce four seasons of Age of AI, of which the first 26 episodes will be ready for Q3 2023.

    The hero of the show is Mansour, a 12-year-old tech-wiz, who upgrades his sister’s favorite robotic gerbil plushie toy, Mr. Blinky, with some high-end chips and algorithms he pulls together. But to his horror, Mansour’s creation goes into overdrive downloading everything the technologically advanced world of Salam City has to offer transforming him into a crazy, mischievous digital shapeshifter, intent on sabotaging Mansour and his world.

    Over 93 episodes of the original Mansour series were produced and originally targeted an under-served audience of Arabic speaking children, aged 6-12.

    epicstorymedia.com

    Adventures of Mansour: Age of AI
  • Dandelooo Acquires ‘Hungry Bear Tales to the Pole!’ Xmas Special

    Dandelooo Acquires ‘Hungry Bear Tales to the Pole!’ Xmas Special

    Emmy Award-winning French animation production and distribution company Dandelooo and Emmy Award-winning Czech film and television production company Bionaut have concluded a deal for the half-hour adventure comedy special Hungry Bear Tales to the Pole! The deal gives Dandelooo exclusive worldwide television and theatrical distribution rights to the 2D Christmas special directed by Katerina Karhankova.

    Loosely based on the books by Zbynek Cernik, the animated series Hungry Bear Tales is created by Karhankova and Alexandra Májová and targeted at kids aged four to seven years old. The Christmas special with its soft ecology twist follows the adventures of two very hungry friends, Ned and Mishka, as they learn not to be afraid to go out into the world and make new friends.

    The new story Hungry Bear Tales to the Pole! adds to the popular and successful 26 x 7′ series about two bears who share a cozy house in the forest. Ned is big, Mishka is tiny, and they are both constantly hungry. Most of their adventures revolve around different ways to get something delicious to eat with as little effort as possible — and they are willing to take considerable risks. Their plans do not always go the way they imagined, but their little adventures always have a happy ending.

    Hungry Bear Tales to the Pole!
    Hungry Bear Tales to the Pole!

    Synopsis: Ned and Mishka get an invitation from their friend Mrs. Polar Bear to attend a spectacular festival of polar popsicles. Now that’s an invitation you can’t refuse! They’ve never had popsicles ,and visiting a friend is always a good idea. They can’t wait, but the problem is, they’re not quite sure where the pole is. But Ned has read that it’s somewhere on the bottom of the globe, so they’ll just keep going down until they reach the pole. On their journey across continents, mountains, jungles and coral islands they meet new animal friends, who they help out of tough spots. Eventually, utterly exhausted, the bears finally find themselves at the pole … and soon realize that they’re at the wrong one! Luckily, their newfound friends are happy to lend a hand.

    Hungry Bear Tales to the Pole! has already been pre-sold to broadcasters France Télévisions, Arte Editions, DR (Denmark) and RTVS (Slovenia), STOD2 (Iceland) and YLE (Finland), with Gébéka Films releasing the Special in cinemas during Christmas 2024.

  • Sphere Launches Kids and Family Division Led by Marlo Miazga

    Sphere Launches Kids and Family Division Led by Marlo Miazga

    Sphere, one of Canada’s leading producers and distributors of television and film content, will bring its English-language children’s factual, scripted and animation units under one Kids and Family banner. The unified division will be headed by Marlo Miazga, Sphere Media’s President, Unscripted and Documentaries. Miazga will also continue in her role overseeing all other non-scripted output from Sphere’s Toronto office.

    This move follows the announcement that Sphere Animation President Jacques Bilodeau will be retiring later this year, after a 30-year career at the forefront of Canada’s animation industry. Bilodeau founded pioneering digital studio Oasis Animation in 2003, which grew to become the largest 2D animation production studio in Quebec. In 2019, Oasis was acquired by Sphere and rebranded Sphere Animation. Over the last two decades, Bilodeau has been responsible for a string of hit animation series, mostly recently Sphere’s Red Ketchup and Riley Rocket, as well as Saving Me for BYUtv

    Before he stands down, Bilodeau will work with Miazga to fold Sphere Animation into the new Kids and Family unit, which aims to build on Sphere Media’s successful track record in producing award-winning children’s content to become a major player in this space. Miazga, who will continue to lead Sphere’s Media’s Toronto unscripted and factual divisions, will be supported in her new role by Andrea Griffith, who has been promoted from her current role as Director of English Unscripted Content to Kids and Family’s Vice-President of Development and Content.

    Ghislain Cyr, founder of Sardine Productions which was subsequently acquired by Sphere in 2022, will become Creative Director. Judith Beauchemin, Sphere’s Animation’s Vice-President of Operations, will also transition to the new unit, where she will serve as Vice-President of Production and Post.

    Riley Rocket

    “Jacques has undoubtedly been a fundamental contributor to the success story of Sphere,” said Bruno Dubé, Sphere’s President and CEO. “As a colleague, entrepreneur, professional and creative, I am profoundly grateful to him for giving us such a significant time in his illustrious career. Those shoes can never be filled, but I’ve watched Marlo’s stewardship over the past couple of years of an innovative, diverse and award-winning slate of kids and family shows. I know she is perfect for the job of creating something new with the cohesion and oversight needed for the ambitions we hold.”

    Miazga commented, “Pulling together the combined creative genius that exists in our locations will exponentially increase our overall potential and show the world what a force we can be when we come together. This powerful combination of one of the world’s most recognized animation service providers with the capacity for brilliant original IP creation means we can now confidently stake our claim as a major global player in this sector.”

    Sphere Kids and Family is part of a strategic plan that started last April, when the company rebranded its specialist units under the Sphere banner and reorganized its internal teams to harness synergy and collaboration, and create a more productive and efficient working environment. The rationalization also saw Sphere open new animation facilities to service its growing slate of children’s programming. The new studio in Ottawa — known for its dynamic TV, film and animation industries and pool of highly skilled artists — added more than 100 animators to Sphere’s workforce.

     sphere-media.com

  • Adult Swim Canada Debuts First Original Toon ‘Psi Cops’ with STACKTV

    Adult Swim Canada Debuts First Original Toon ‘Psi Cops’ with STACKTV

    A crack team of paranormal peacekeepers are here to keep the world safe from witches, aliens, swamp hillbillies and snake gods in Psi Cops, the first original animated series from Adult Swim Canada. Set to premiere Sunday, June 4 at 12:30 a.m. ET/PT on Adult Swim, livestreaming and on demand via STACKTV, the show will offer fans an early look at Calgary Expo this month.

    Psi Cops
    Psi Cops

    The animated comedy series, commissioned by Corus Entertainment and produced by Wind Sun Sky Entertainment and Oddfellows Labs, follows coworker friends forever (CFFs) Kydd and Felixx (voiced by co-creators Chris Nielsen and Bart Batchelor, respectively) who are top detectives at the paranormal agency Psi Cops, where they solve mysteries and supernatural crimes using their overly competent incompetence.

    Unjustifiably bold and unnecessarily creative, detectives Kydd and Felixx work as paranormal investigators at Psi Cops, a secret agency crammed into a shady office complex and helmed by true believer, Chief Beef. Alongside a rag-tag group of “experts,” each week sees Kydd and Felixx venture out in the field to investigate alleged sightings of aliens, ghosts, demons and other hocus-pocus nonsense.

    Psi Cops is executive produced by CEO Catherine Winder with Krista Kelloway producing of Wind Sun Sky Entertainment; and Oddfellows Labs, founded by Bart Batchelor, Chris Nielsen and producer Chris Ferguson, who also serve as executive producers along with David Alpert and Brian Kavanaugh-Jones. Created by and starring Batchelor and Nielsen. For Corus Entertainment, Colin Bohm is EVP of Content and Corporate Strategy, Lisa Godfrey is SVP of Original Content and Corus Studios, Rachel Nelson is VP Original Content, Scripted, Factual & Kids and Kathleen Meek is Executive in Charge of Production.

    Join Canadian creators Batchelor and Nielsen, Oddfellows Labs producer Ferguson, as well as Wind Sun Sky Entertainment executive producer Winder (Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Invincible, The Angry Birds Movie) for an exclusive first-look screening of two episodes followed by a Q&A panel in PALOMINO E at Calgary Expo on Thursday, April 27 at 7:30 p.m. in advance of the series premiere on Adult Swim this summer. Will they discuss the making of the series? The Canadian animation industry? Is this actually their first rodeo? No one knows… it’s really up to them to decide what they’ll talk about.

    Psi Cops
    Psi Cops

    Calgary Expo is a four-day comics, sci-fi, horror, anime, and gaming event from April 27-30 that attracts hundreds of thousands of people to Calgary, AB at Stampede Park. Visit fanexpohq.com/calgaryexpo for more details.

    Adult Swim can be streamed via STACKTV, available on Amazon Prime Video Channels, FuboTV, Rogers Ignite TV and Ignite SmartStream. The network is also available through all major TV distributors, including: Bell, Cogeco, Eastlink, Rogers, SaskTel, Shaw, Shaw Direct, Telus and Videotron.

  • Squirrel Media Group Acquiring Mondo TV Studios

    Squirrel Media Group Acquiring Mondo TV Studios

    Squirrel Media announced today (Thursday, April 13) that it has reached an agreement with Mondo TV S.p.A — one of the largest European producers and distributors of animated content —  through a binding letter of intent for the integration into Squirrel Media of Mondo TV Studios. The deal will see Squirrel Media purchase 74.24% of Mondo TV Studios (MeteoHeroes, Nina & Olga, Bat Pat).

    Squirrel Media is a communication technology group chaired by Pablo Pereiro Lage, operating globally across advertising, communication media, content creation/distribution and technology (TMT services).

    “The acquisition of Mondo TV Studios, with its animation studio and its catalog, is deeply valuable for our growth strategy, since it will mean adding to the group one of the largest European producers and distributors of animation content,” notes Pereiro Lage, president of Squirrel Media. “In addition, it will consolidate our leadership in the creation and distribution of content in Spanish, Portuguese and Italian.”

    Under the terms of the agreement, Mondo TV Studios would become part of a leading Spanish group in technology within the media sector. The company would join Squirrel Media’s content business segment, creating a new animation vertical to produce and distribute new IPs, and at the same time offer animation services as a recurring activity engine, along with the distribution of animated content. It would also develop and build on synergies with the other business units that make up the Squirrel Media Group.

    Mondo TV Studios will retain its brand identity and entire organizational structure, maintaining the management team led by CEO Maria Bonaria Fois along with the operational team.

    “The integration of Mondo TV Studios into a group with exponential growth projections such as Squirrel Media is an undoubted high point for our strategic growth plans. We are grateful to Mondo TV Group for supporting us throughout all these years and helping us to reach this stage in our development,” says Bonaria Fois. “We are proud of our achievements and looking forward to a very bright future. We will continue to work hard on our traditional business lines, exploring synergies with the other Squirrel Media companies, as well as offering our much-admired international animation services and continuing to develop IPs that add value.”

    Patricia Motilla, from the Andersen law firm, advised on the IP and tax elements of the deal. Jaime Aguilar, also from the Andersen law firm, advised on the corporate elements of the deal.

    mondotvstudios.com

  • Magic Frame, Creation Ent. Media Hit the Pitch with ‘Aliens FC’

    Magic Frame, Creation Ent. Media Hit the Pitch with ‘Aliens FC’

    Magic Frame Animation and Creation Entertainment Media today announce their partnership for new kids’ animated feature, Aliens FC. The two production companies will co-develop and produce the film, which will be presented at Marché du Film in May. The project announcement follows the studios’ partnership on upcoming kids’ animated series BuddyBots and Christmas tale adaptation Paul Martin and the Magic Magnifying Glass.

    Aliens FC is the story of a regular family who are mistaken for a famous soccer team by a pair of friendly but bumbling aliens. The extra-terrestrials whisk the family across the galaxy, in need of their impressive football skills to help the charming aliens win their “local” football league, with the promise that they’ll return the family to their home on Earth after the match. The film will tap AI technology to help create unique imagery to portray its fantastical, otherworldly locations.

    The studios have attached Oscar-nominated writer Sam Morrison to the project, whose list of credentials includes episodes of Shaun the Sheep and Peppa Pig as well as an Oscar nomination for the Netflix original short film, Robin Robin. He will collaborate with writing duo Tim Clague and Danny Stack to develop the film. Clague and Stack, currently working with the studios on BuddyBots, have worked on top kids’ animation properties such as PJ Masks for 20th Century, Hey Duggee for BBC and Netflix and Oddbods for Discovery Family.

    Aliens FC
    Aliens FC

    “We’ve always known Aliens FC is a special project, so we couldn’t be happier to have these amazing writers working with us. What sets this film apart is the remarkable and imaginative alien world where the film is based, which has been expertly crafted by our talented animators with the help of AI. Every frame is an adventure, allowing us to build a unique fantasy world that audiences all over the world will love. We also have further exciting news in the works, involving one of the world’s biggest football stars — so expect more news soon.”

    The studios are also currently in talks with global football stars for involvement in the film.

    Magic Frame Animation and Creation Entertainment Media will present Aliens FC, Paul Martin and the Magic Magnifying Glass and additional projects in development at the Cannes Marché du Film next month. Further slate announcements will be revealed in the coming months.

    “We’re thrilled to be bringing these exciting projects to the Marché du Film with our friends at Magic Frame,” said Sefi Carmel, CEO of Creation Entertainment Media. “Aliens FC is a charming and completely unique tale, and we couldn’t have a better team of writers attached than Sam, Tim and Danny to bring the vision to life. We’re looking forward to sharing the story in Cannes.”

    creationentertainment.media

  • GKIDS Bringing Keiichi Hara’s ‘Lonely Castle in the Mirror’ to NorAm Theaters This Summer

    GKIDS Bringing Keiichi Hara’s ‘Lonely Castle in the Mirror’ to NorAm Theaters This Summer

    GKIDS, celebrating its 15th anniversary as a producer and distributor of award-winning and artist-driven animation from around the world, announced today it has acquired all North American distribution rights for Lonely Castle in the Mirror.

    Directed by Keiichi Hara (Miss Hokusai, Colorful, The Wonderland), the heartfelt coming-of-age drama features animation from the lauded A-1 Pictures, and is adapted from the bestselling novel of the same name by Mizuki Tsujimura.

    Synopsis: Shy outcast Kokoro has been avoiding school for weeks when she discovers a portal in her bedroom mirror. She reaches through and finds herself transported to an enchanting castle where she is joined by six other students. When a girl in a wolf mask explains that they have been invited to play a game, the teens must work together to uncover the mysterious connection that unites them. However, anyone who breaks the rules will be eaten by a wolf…

    Lonely Castle in the Mirror held its International Premiere at the Rotterdam International Film Festival — marking the first time a Japanese animated feature was selected for the festival — followed by its U.S premiere at the New York International Children’s Film Festival. It was nominated for the Japan Academy Prize for Animation of the Year, and was released domestically in Japan in December 2022.

    Hara worked with various past collaborators on the project, including screenwriter Miho Maruo (Miss Hokusai, The Wonderland), composer Harumi Fuuki (Miss Hokusai, The Wonderland), as well as acclaimed artist Ilya Kuvshinov (The Wonderland) for visual concept and castle designs.

    Lonely Castle in the Mirror
    Lonely Castle in the Mirror

    GKIDS handles North American distribution for Hara’s previous feature films Summer Days with Coo (2007) and Miss Hokusai (2015). The all-rights North American distribution deal for Lonely Castle in the Mirror was negotiated between GKIDS and NTV.

    “We are thrilled to be able to work again with director Keiichi Hara” said GKIDS President David Jesteadt. “His latest film is a deeply emotional story about the private struggles we all go through, and the small yet joyous connections with others that make life worth living. I can’t wait for North American audiences to join us on a trip to the Lonely Castle in the Mirror.”

    GKIDS will release Lonely Castle in the Mirror theatrically in both its original Japanese language and an all-new English dubbed version this summer.

    Lonely Castle in the Mirror
    Lonely Castle in the Mirror
  • Baobob Expands Hit Franchise ‘Momoguro’ with Roblox Game, TV Series

    Baobob Expands Hit Franchise ‘Momoguro’ with Roblox Game, TV Series

    Baobab Studios, the powerhouse animation studio behind the successful Momoguro franchise, announced the imminent launch of their metaverse game this summer. The Momoguro game, titled Momo Quest, is an adventure game coming to Roblox, the global gaming platform which counts more than 58 million daily active users and 13.4 billion hours of user engagement per quarter.

    “Roblox is a perfect platform to create experiences that allow players to connect through gaming in immersive worlds with great stories and characters, and which blend gaming with best in class storytelling in immersive worlds,” says studio CEO & Co-Founder Maureen Fan. “Bringing our game to the platform first reflects its ubiquitous presence and growing hold in pop culture today.”

    Momo Quest – Fungal Jungle environment

    Having recently made its first foray into digital collectibles — which sold out in under eight hours — Baobab sees the metaverse and Roblox in particular as the next step in its continuing journey to engage audiences through well-crafted storytelling and leveraging new fan communities around the world.

    Baobab, which has won nine Emmy Awards and creates story franchises across film, TV, games and book publishing that has attracted such talent as Oprah Winfrey, John Legend and Ali Wong, also announced plans to expand upon the success of its metaverse IP into film and TV.

    The studio recently announced several collaborations with Disney+ to develop animated series from Baobab’s library, including The Witchverse, based on the studio’s three-time Emmy Award-winning VR film Baba Yaga, as well as the workplace comedy Intercats, which Baobab is also developing into a graphic novel series at First Second Books / MacMillan Publishing.

    Baobab’s executive board includes Pixar co-founder Ed Catmull and Twitch co-founder Kevin Lin, and investors include Disney, Samsung and Comcast.

    Learn more at baobabstudios.com.

  • Animation Editor-Producer Don Ernst Dies Age 89

    Animation Editor-Producer Don Ernst Dies Age 89

    Don Ernst, a film, sound and music editor and producer who worked on many hits across both live-action TV and film and animation over more than 50 years, died Sunday at age 89. News of his passing was shared with Animation Magazine by animation historian and former Disney colleague Tom Sito, who worked with the late producer off and on at the studio from Aladdin (1992) through Fantasia 2000 (1999).

    How to Haunt a House

    “Don had a prolific career editing classic TV series like Gunsmoke, Gilligan’s Island and Hill Street Blues,” Sito wrote. “He was a mainstay for Ralph Bakshi, cutting Heavy Traffic, Coonskin, Lord of the Rings and more. At Walt Disney feature, he worked on Back to Neverland and Fantasia Continued, later Fantasia 2000.

    “He could be gruff, but he was always fair. I can still hear his deep gravely voice in the hallway calling out, ‘Lois! Lois!’ for Lois Freeman-Fox, Fantasia‘s lead editor.

    “A devoted father and grandfather. Peace and comfort to Stacy, Darci and all the Ernst family. RIP.”

    Lord of the Rings

    Born January 25, 1934, Donald William Ernst cut his teeth in live-action TV in the mid-1950s, and went on to win two Primetime Emmy Awards (and several more nominations through the ’70s and ’80s) for his sound editing work, taking home the prize for the special Raid on Entebbe and series Hill Street Blues.

    Starchaser: The Legend of Orin

    His earliest work in animation was with the auteur New York director Ralph Bakshi, working on his adults-only dark comedies Heavy Traffic , Coonskin and Hey Good Lookin’ as well as the fantasy epic Wizards and adaptation of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. He also edited for Steven Hahn’s 1985 space opera, Starchaser: The Legend of Orin, notable for being the first animated feature produced in 3-D, and Jerry Rees’s 1987 fan favorite The Brave Little Toaster.

    At the close of the ’80s, Ernst edited shorts based on Disney hits Peter Pan (Back to Neverland) and Tummy Trouble (Who Framed Roger Rabbit), shifting roles to produce the early ’90s shorts Roller Coaster Rabbit, Mickey’s Audition and, later, the Goofy outing How to Haunt a House (1999). He also served as story supervisor on the Oscar-nominated Disney-Dalí short Destino.

    Ernst was co-producer on Disney’s animated Aladdin and a producer on the musical anthology Fantasia 2000, as well as the Walt Disney Pictures English-language dub of Hayao Miyazaki’s Oscar-winning feature Spirited Away (2002). He also executive produced the popular live-action comedy-adventure Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993).

    Roller Coaster Rabbit
  • ‘Peter & the Wolf’ Gets New Animated Interpretation from Gavin Friday and Bono

    ‘Peter & the Wolf’ Gets New Animated Interpretation from Gavin Friday and Bono

    The just-unveiled Max streamer and Cartoon Network have greenlit a new animated rendition of Peter & the Wolf, featuring music and narration by Gavin Friday, and artwork based on original illustrations by Bono. The special transforms Sergei Prokofiev’s symphony with contemporary visuals into a tale that touches on themes of growing up, loss, courage, transformation and our relationship with nature.

    The short film is scheduled to premiere later this year and is part of an ongoing relationship with Irish Hospice Foundation.

    The project is led by musician and composer Gavin Friday and saw him narrate the reimagined classic tale with The Friday Seezer Ensemble performing Prokofiev’s score, newly arranged by Maurice Seezer and Friday. The artwork seen throughout the film is based on original illustrations by Friday’s longtime friend and collaborator, Bono, from his book of the same name.

    Featuring a juxtaposition of traditional hand-drawn 2D animation combined with a physical set-built world, this reimagined classic follows a grieving 12-year-old Peter, who is in the care of his grandfather after enduring the loss of a parent. Upon hearing stories of a wolf on the loose, Peter decides to explore the vast meadow and forest nearby to try and find the wolf himself. Along the way he encounters creatures who help him on his quest while contending with hunters aiming to win a prize for capturing the wolf.

    “The messaging of vigilance, bravery, and resilience that were core to the original symphony are still echoed throughout our interpretation, but we spin a traditional fairy tale into a unique adaptation that also incorporates the topic of loss, redemption, and recovery,” said Gavin Friday and Bono. “It’s our hope that this Peter & the Wolf becomes a balm for any child dealing with loss, alongside exposing and captivating them into the wonderful and musical world of Prokofiev.”

    The short was originally developed in 2003 by the creative duo in support of Irish Hospice Foundation (IHF), a national charity supporting those facing dying, death and bereavement. IHF began with the aim to extend availability of hospice services across the country and has now grown to develop programs in education, research and bereavement services. The Peter & the Wolf team have worked closely with Irish Hospice Foundation on this project, with IHF advising on how best to represent the story’s sensitive themes of bereavement and loss with authenticity and thoughtfulness.

    In the film, Peter is introduced as an angsty adolescent, but over the course of the story, a lighthearted side emerges along with his resourcefulness and determination to uncover a thoughtful and very human side of him. Each character in this telling of Peter & the Wolf represents different aspects of Peter, with the Wolf embodying his relationship with grief and the unknown, his grandfather representing his connection to family and the forest creatures who capture the comedy, naivete and carefree elements of childhood.

    “The emotion and artistry that Gavin has created in this modern retelling of Peter & the Wolf brings a sense of fearlessness and style this story has never seen before,” said Michael Ouweleen, President, Adult Swim, Cartoon Network, Discovery Family & Boomerang. “We think this slightly punk rock version of the timeless classic fuses beautifully for every audience, and we are honored that Bono and Gavin have entrusted us as the home to share such a personal journey.”

    Peter and the Wolf
    Peter and the Wolf

    Blink Industries developed the mixed media approach to the production of Peter & the Wolf that captured Bono’s original illustrative designs while creating a tangible, immersive and atmospheric monochromatic world for Peter and his cohorts.

    Working with their extensive team of model makers, directors Stephen McNally and Elliot Dear built and filmed all the environments as miniatures in their studio in London before seamlessly compositing the 2D hand-drawn character animation into the physical set world, using the interplay of light and shade to blend the animated characters into the model-made environments.

    Peter & the Wolf is produced by BMG and Blink Industries and executive produced by Alistair Norbury & Stuart Souter for BMG, Benjamin Lole & James Stevenson Bretton at Blink Industries. Blink Industries’ Dear and McNally are directors, and the producer is Adriana Piasek-Wanski.

    Created by Prokofiev in 1936 for the Central Children’s Theatre in Moscow, Peter and the Wolf has previously been adapted to animation by director Clyde Geronimi in the acclaimed Disney short narrated by Sterling Holloway (1946), sand animation pioneer Caroline Leaf’s first film (1969), a hybrid ABC special designed by Chuck Jones (1995), the Annecy Cristal and Oscar-winning British-Polish stop-motion version directed by Suzie Templeton (2006), as well as episodes of Muppet Babies, Tiny Toon Adventures, Angelina Ballerina and Sesame Street.

    From left, Disney’s “Peter and the Wolf,” directed by Clyde Geronimi (1946) and Suzie Templeton’s Oscar-winning version (2006).
  • Watch: ‘Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai’ Transforms Max Lineup in May

    Watch: ‘Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai’ Transforms Max Lineup in May

    Escape into a world of magic and mythology when Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai premieres Tuesday, May 23 on Max. The premiere date announcement and official teaser trailer for the highly anticipated animated family adventure was revealed today exclusively during Warner Bros. Discovery’s unveiling of the rebranded Max streaming service on the Warner Bros. lot in Los Angeles.

    Synopsis: Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai takes viewers back to 1920s Shanghai where the Wing family first meets the young Mogwai called Gizmo. Sam Wing (future shop owner Mr. Wing in the 1984 Gremlins film) accepts the dangerous task to take Gizmo home and embarks on a journey through the Chinese countryside. Sam and Gizmo are joined by a teenage street thief named Elle, and together, they encounter — and sometimes battle — colorful monsters and spirits from Chinese folklore. Along their quest, they are pursued by a power-hungry industrialist and his growing army of evil Gremlins.

    The all-star voice cast includes Ming-Na Wen, James Hong, BD Wong, Matthew Rhys, Izaac Wang, AJ LoCascio and Gabrielle Nevaeh Green. The series will also feature notable guest stars including Zach Galligan, who starred as the hero “Billy Peltzer” in Amblin’s original Gremlins films. Additional guest voices include Sandra Oh, Randall Park, George Takei and Bowen Yang.

    Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai is produced by Amblin Television in association with Warner Bros. Animation. Steven Spielberg serves as executive producer, along with Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey, Presidents of Amblin Television, and Sam Register, President, Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios. Tze Chun serves as showrunner and executive producer. Brendan Hay serves as executive producer with Dan Krall serving as supervising producer. Joe Dante serves as consulting producer.

    You can read our exclusive interview with the creative team from last year here:

    Watch the trailer below:

  • Falcon’s Beyond Expands ‘Katmandu’ Franchise with Boro the Yeti Pre-K Series

    Falcon’s Beyond Expands ‘Katmandu’ Franchise with Boro the Yeti Pre-K Series

    Following the grand opening of Katmandu Park | Punta Cana in the Caribbean, global entertainment development company Falcon’s Beyond announced its first animated series is now in development. The preschool-targeted production will feature Boro the Yeti, one of the breakout characters first introduced at the original Katmandu theme park in Mallorca, Spain, and a group of fun-loving, mischievous young yetis.

    The mission-oriented show will follow this group of young yetis as they embark on adventures across Katmandu. Helping them are Kilgore Goode and Busby the Robot, also from the Katmandu franchise, who provide the young yetis with all the tech they need to complete their missions. Their headquarters is in the iconic upside-down house as seen in the Katmandu theme parks.

    Additional details, including the series’ distribution partner, creative team and title will be unveiled in the coming months.

    “Yetis have quickly become beloved by visitors of our Katmandu theme parks, especially our youngest guests, so when we started to explore new entertainment concepts, we all agreed yetis were perfect leads for our first preschool series,” said Cecil D. Magpuri, Falcon’s Beyond CEO. “With the recent opening of Katmandu Park in the Dominican Republic receiving tremendous fanfare, our consumer products program, digital games, and now our first series in development, we are proud to see our 360-degree approach to expanding IP come to life.”

    This series’ announcement follows other recent transformative news from Falcon’s Beyond, including the recent appointment of accomplished entertainment industry executive Simon Philips as the Company’s president. In his previous roles, Philips’ visionary approach to brand building helped shape the strategic direction of some of the world’s most popular franchises, including Disney, Pixar, Star Wars, Marvel, Pokémon, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Yu-Gi-Oh and most recently CoComelon.

    Last year, Falcon’s Beyond announced plans to become a publicly listed company through a business combination with FAST Acquisition Corp. II, a special purpose acquisition company founded by Doug Jacob and headed by Sandy Beall. Upon the closing of the transaction, the new combined company will be named “Falcon’s Beyond Global, Inc.” and is expected to be listed on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol “FBYD.” More information about the transaction can be found in the Investor Relations section of Falcon’s website.

    falconsbeyondglobal.com

  • ‘The Muppets Mayhem’ Is Ready to Rock with Official Trailer

    ‘The Muppets Mayhem’ Is Ready to Rock with Official Trailer

    Disney+ today unveiled a star-studded (not even counting the felted celebrities) official trailer for the upcoming original musical-comedy series The Muppets Mayhem, bringing Jim Henson’s rock ‘n’ rollers back to screens on May 10. Starring Lilly Singh, Tahj Mowry, Saara Chaudry and of course, The Electric Mayhem Band, the show will feature a stellar lineup of guest talent announced with the new spot.

    The Muppets Mayhem follows The Electric Mayhem Band — Dr. Teeth on vocals and keyboards, Animal on drums, Floyd Pepper on vocals and bass, Janice on vocals and lead guitar, Zoot on saxophone and Lips on trumpet — on an epic, music-filled journey to record their first-ever studio album. With the help of a driven young music executive, Nora Singh (Singh), the old-school Muppet band comes face-to-face with the current-day music scene as they try to finally record their first studio album.

    Joining the previously announced recurring guest star Anders Holm are:

    • Paula Abdul
    • Steve Aoki
    • David Bizarro
    • Rachel Bloom
    • Nicole Byer
    • Sofia Carson
    • Charlamagne Tha God
    • Tommy Chong
    • Billy Corgan
    • Stephanie D’Abruzzo
    • deadmau5
    • Desiigner
    • Colton Dunn
    • Morgan Freeman
    • Susanna Hoffs
    • James Hong
    • Jennifer Irwin
    • Karamo
    • Kesha
    • Tommy Lee
    • Lil Nas X
    • Riki Lindhome
    • Cheech Marin
    • Ziggy Marley
    • Jack McBrayer
    • Arden Myrin
    • Nico Santos
    • Kristen Schaal
    • Ben Schwartz
    • Ryan Seacrest
    • Kevin Smith
    • Chris Stapleton
    • Danny Trejo
    • Joe Lo Truglio
    • “Weird Al” Yankovic
    • Cedric Yarbrough
    • Zedd
    The Muppets Mayhem (Disney/Mitch Haaseth)

    Based on characters created by Jim Henson, the Disney+ Original series from Disney Branded Television is produced by ABC Signature and The Muppets Studio. The project was developed and written by executive producers Adam F. Goldberg (The Goldbergs), Bill Barretta (The Muppets, Muppets Haunted Mansion) and co-executive producer Jeff Yorkes. Michael Bostick, Kris Eber and The Muppets Studio’s David Lightbody and Leigh Slaughter also serve as executive producers. Original music by executive music producer and Songwriter Hall of Fame inductee Linda Perry.

    The Muppets Mayhem soundtrack will be available on streaming platforms beginning May 10, and the band’s debut album, The Electric Mayhem, is set for release on vinyl on May 12. Pre-save/pre-add the digital soundtrack and pre-order the vinyl album here. Listen to your favorite tracks from the Muppets on the official playlist on Spotify.

  • King Banana, Paper Owl & CAKE Partner on Pre-K CBeebies Sitcom ‘Nikhil & Jay’

    King Banana, Paper Owl & CAKE Partner on Pre-K CBeebies Sitcom ‘Nikhil & Jay’

    CAKE, King Banana TV and Paper Owl Films are teaming up for a new 2D animated family sitcom titled Nikhil & Jay, for CBeebies. The 52 x 11′ series is based on award-winning author Chitra Soundar’s book series, inspired by her own dual heritage family of British and South Asian heritage.

    “Chitra’s books are full of heart, warmth and humor and we are so happy to bring Nikhil & Jay to CBeebies,” said Kate Morton, Head of BBC Children’s Commissioning & Acquisitions 0-6. “It is a truly lovely show and it’s so important that children get to see themselves reflected on screens. We can’t wait to bring these stories to life.”

    Nikhil & Jay follows the adventures of two young brothers whose Mum is Indian by heritage and Dad is English. With a myriad of grandparents, uncles and aunts, both Indian and English, their life is a rich blend of customs, traditions, festivals, foods and music. A family sitcom written from a place of knowledge, love and authentic, lived experience of two cultures coming together, Nikhil & Jay celebrates the similarities and differences with fast paced wit and visual humor.

    “Everyone at King Banana is so excited to be working with this fantastic team to bring Chitra’s experiences to the screen,” said Lotte Elwell, Company Director at King Banana TV. We know that the stories, character and humour in Nikhil & Jay will have a huge impact on the pre-school audience.”

    The series will be produced for CBeebies by King Banana TV (Yakka Dee!, Meet the Experts), Paper Owl Films (Pablo, Happy The Hoglet) and CAKE (Angry Birds Summer Madness, Supa Team 4), with funding from Northern Ireland Screen. CAKE will own distribution rights and will be selling the series internationally.

    Gavin Halpin, Managing Director, Paper Owl Films, shared, “We are delighted to be working on this beautiful show, it comes from Chitra’s heart and her passion for seeing all children reflected on screen.”

    “We love the authenticity of the books that Chitra created and are looking forward to working with the talented creators and producers at Paper Owl and King Banana in bringing this project to the screen,” added CAKE CEO Ed Galton.

    The creative team will reflect both South Asian and British cultures and encourage and mentor new talent from diverse backgrounds. Becky Overton (Thomas & Friends, Ninja Express, Justin’s House) leads a diverse writing team with Soundar as executive producer, ensuring cultural authenticity at every level. The characters are designed by Chris Allen (Yakka Dee!)

     

  • Seth MacFarlane’s Fuzzy Door Launches Tech Division Headed by Faith Sedlin

    Seth MacFarlane’s Fuzzy Door Launches Tech Division Headed by Faith Sedlin

    Fuzzy Door, the production company run by Seth MacFarlane (creator, Family Guy, American Dad!) and President Erica Huggins, has hired former Siri CMO Faith Sedlin as President of their new technology division, Fuzzy Door Tech. Sedlin will oversee all areas of technology development and operations including the expansion of flagship AR production visualization tool ViewScreen, which boosted production and editing for Fuzzy Door’s The Orville: New Horizons and the upcoming Ted television series.

    “Faith not only understands the intricacies of technology development, but she knows how to build a business that can make a significant impact,” noted Huggins. “Technology is advancing every aspect of the entertainment business, so being at the forefront of this change with Faith and Seth is exhilarating.”

    Sedlin brings over 25 years of experience building and launching numerous globally successful organizations in the consumer technology sector. At Siri, she led the definition and launch of the virtual assistant leading to the successful acquisition by Apple. Sedlin began her career as the first product manager of eBay prior to co-founding Oodle, the social classifieds platform purchased by QVC. Her efforts as co-founder and CMO grew the company from its infancy to a profitable company of 15 million users. As CMO of print-on-demand artists’ marketplace Redbubble, she scaled marketing leading up to the company’s successful IPO and led artist operations, growing the base from 50K to 400K globally. Sedlin is also active in global community lending; she served as CMO of the non-profit Kiva and currently sits on the Board of community finance platform Solo Funds.

    ViewScreen was created, at the request of MacFarlane, by visual effects supervisor Brandon Fayette and software developer Gene Reddick. Together, they created a tool that allows filmmakers to visualize and animate virtual assets in real time, which has completely transformed MacFarlane’s entire production and post-production process. The AR solution’s impact is especially notable on the upcoming Ted series for Peacock, as the first show to film an animated lead character in real time. Fuzzy Door Tech is working toward other innovative visualization tools that will positively influence the filmmaking process.

    “ViewScreen has been a game-changer for me, both on set and in post on The Orville and Ted,” said MacFarlane. “I’m thrilled Faith recognizes ViewScreen’s potential and will lead the Fuzzy Door Tech team in introducing and marketing Brandon and Gene’s revolutionary technology to all filmmakers. Under Faith’s leadership, this division has a lot of potential and it is something that I am very excited about.”

    Sedlin commented, “When I first saw ViewScreen, I was thrilled by its ability to empower creators both big and small. I’m looking forward to building out this new division and leading Fuzzy Door Tech as we pioneer a new frontier in storytelling.”

    Fuzzy Door’s television production slate includes the Emmy-nominated Hulu space adventure series, The Orville, as well as the Emmy-winning animated series Family Guy and fan-favorite American Dad!, entering their 21st and 20th seasons, respectively. In 2020, the company signed a multi-year, $200 million TV deal with Universal Studio Group, which has the company expanding the Ted franchise into a series for Peacock. The company is also producing TV adaptations of the novel All Our Wrong Todays and the dystopian sci-fi short film Skywatch. Most recently, Fuzzy Door secured the rights to The Shrouded College, the seven-book graphic novel series from Charles Soule and Will Sliney.

    In the motion picture space, Fuzzy Door is producing a reimagined modern version of the Revenge of the Nerds franchise with the Lucas Bros. for 20th Century Studios, and a remake of The Naked Gun for Paramount Pictures.