Animation Magazine

Author: Mercedes Milligan

  • ‘Mickey & Minnie’ Classic Shorts Collection Celebrates 100 Magical Years

    ‘Mickey & Minnie’ Classic Shorts Collection Celebrates 100 Magical Years

    Walt Disney Animation Studios today announced that Mickey & Minnie 10 Classic Shorts – Volume 1 will soon be available to audiences to enjoy at home. This new collection gathers together ten classic animated shorts for the first time, including the iconic Steamboat Willie, and features all-new introductions from Mickey and Minnie for each short.

    Just one of the planned releases coming in 2023 to celebrate Disney’s 100th anniversary, the first volume will be available on Blue-ray + Digital combo pack and DVD starting February 7.

     

    Mickey & Minnie 10 Classic Shorts – Volume 1

    Synopsis: Celebrate 100 magical years of Disney with this collectible compilation of animated shorts! Mickey and Minnie share their memories in new introductions to these 10 wonderful stories, which have entertained generations of children and adults alike.

    Included is the iconic Steamboat Willie, the first cartoon with synchronized sound, in which the character of Mickey Mouse was first introduced as a deckhand on a riverboat commanded by the tyrannical Captain Pete. Also included are:

     

    • Brave Little Tailor, featuring Mickey as a medieval tailor given a daunting task.
    • Mickey’s Delayed Date, in which the tardy mouse relies on his faithful pup Pluto to get him to a dance with Minnie.
    • Hawaiian Holiday finds Mickey and his pals vacationing on a beautiful island.
    • On Ice follows Mickey and Minnie as they glide through a romantic date on a frozen river, joined by some friends.
    • … Plus five more classic cartoons.

    The collection runs approximately 83 minutes. Disc and Digital versions available with audio/subtitles in English, Spanish and French.

  • Gutsy Secures ‘Moominvalley’ Season 4 Greenlight

    Gutsy Secures ‘Moominvalley’ Season 4 Greenlight

    Gutsy Animations’ internationally celebrated, Emmy nominated animated series Moominvalley (13 x 22’) has been recommissioned for a fourth season by its anchor broadcasters Sky (U.K.) and YLE (Finland). Additionally, and new for Season 4, Viaplay Group has boarded the series as a co-production partner and will air all four seasons on its Viaplay streaming platform in multiple territories, including Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Poland and the Netherlands.

    Produced by Gutsy Animations, Moominvalley is based on the Moomin stories by Finnish-Swedish author and artist Tove Jansson. Season 4 is set to launch in late 2024 and will be directed by Nigel Davies (Shaun the Sheep), who has worked on previous seasons of Moominvalley and will take the title of Series Director for the new instalment.

    Described as a whimsical coming-of-age story of family and friendship, Moominvalley is set in the Moomins’ titular home, an idyllic place where the kindly trolls live in harmony with nature. Season 4’s 13 new episodes “will be full of unexpected, dangerous and hilarious adventures, each inspired by the importance of taking care of the environment and finding a more sustainable way of living,” culminating as the valley faces its greatest threat yet (inspired by one of the most famous Moomin storylines): a comet
    speeding towards them.

    “As creatives, we’re driven to tell stories that can inspire and bring hope — which is exactly what we aim to do through Moominvalley. The series echoes Tove’s work in encouraging values such as respect for nature, kindness, and acceptance among audiences of all ages, so we’re very grateful to have the opportunity to continue doing so with this Season 4 greenlight,” said Marika Makaroff, Gutsy Animations’ Chief Creative Officer and Moominvalley executive producer. “Alongside our long-standing and supportive partners Sky and YLE, it’s fantastic to welcome Viaplay Group on board and for them to join us in the next chapter of Moominvalley’s incredible global journey.”

    Moominvalley has been sold to over 60 countries to date, including Finland (YLE), U.K. (Sky), Japan (NHK) and Germany (ZDF). The series was recently awarded the ‘Audience Episodic Award’ at the New York International Children’s Film Festival 2022 and was also nominated for the British Animation Awards 2022. Additionally, season three of Moominvalley was awarded the Albert certification in recognition of Gutsy Animations’ sustainable production processes.

  • Exclusive Clip for SpongeBob’s ‘Tidal Zone’ Reveals the Nuts & Bolts of Binary Bottom

    Exclusive Clip for SpongeBob’s ‘Tidal Zone’ Reveals the Nuts & Bolts of Binary Bottom

    It’s almost time for the zaniest dimensional rift in the history of Bikini Bottom to hit, as Nickelodeon prepares to premiere SpongeBob SquarePants Presents The Tidal Zone on Friday, January 13 at 7 p.m. (ET/PT).

    To help fans get ready to witness the madness of the first-ever SpongeBob Universe crossover special, Animation Magazine is thrilled to the gills to debut an exclusive clip from one of the hour-long special’s reality-bending tales.

    In this clip from the episode “Welcome to Binary Bottom,” we pay a visit to The Grease Bucket, where we find robotic versions of Squidward (Rodger Bumpass), Gary, Plankton (Mr. Lawrence) and, of course, SpongeBob (Tom Kenny), inhabiting a world of circuits and wires. In this switcheroo’d dimension, we also encounter one character with a new, organic look: Fish Karen (Jill Talley)!

    After the premiere The Tidal Zone will encore on Saturday, Jan. 14 and Sunday, Jan. 15 at 7 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon, followed by a rollout across Nickelodeon’s international channels next year.

    Read more about the special, which brings together all three SpongeBob series (SpongeBob SquarePants, Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years and The Patrick Star Show), and watch the official trailer in our previous post here.

  • BAFTA Longlists 8 Animated Features, ‘Pinocchio’ Up in 6 Categories

    BAFTA Longlists 8 Animated Features, ‘Pinocchio’ Up in 6 Categories

    The British Academy of Film and Television Arts, BAFTA, has announced the longlists of films and talent that have gone through to Round Two of voting for the 2023 EE BAFTA Film Awards. Longlists were revealed for 24 categories, including Animated Film, British Short Animation and Visual Effects.

    “The publication of the EE BAFTA Film Awards Longlist is a very special moment to recognize the wide range of exceptional crafts, performances and productions that make the magic of films a reality,” commented Anna Higgs, BAFTA Film Committee Chair. “To be Longlisted is a fantastic achievement amidst the phenomenal films released in the last year. Sharing the list lightyeahead of the Nominations will hopefully inspire the public to watch as many films as possible and join in the conversation as excitement builds for the Awards.”

    Out of 21 submitted films, eight feature-length titles are contending for four nominations in the Animated Film race:

    In an impressive genre-busting turn of events, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio is the sole toon contender in five other longlist categories: Adapted Screenplay (Guillermo del Toro and Patrick McHale), Original Score (Alexandre Desplat), Production Design (Guy Davis and Curt Enderle), Sound and Special Visual Effects.

    The longlisted films for Special Visual Effects are:

    • All Quiet on the Western Front
    • Avatar: The Way of Water
    • The Batman
    • Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
    • Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
    • Everything Everywhere All at Once
    • Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
    • Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
    • Jurassic World Dominion
    • Top Gun: Maverick

    Six films will advance in the British Short Animation category:

    Round Two voting kicked off Friday and will determine the Nominations, to be unveiled via a global livestream hosted by Hayley Atwell and Toheeb Jimoh on January 19 at noon GMT. Round Three of voting will determine the winners, to be announced on February 19 at the EE BAFTA Film Awards ceremony at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall in London.

    All longlisted films are available for voting members to watch on BAFTA View.

    See all the longlists for the 2023 EE BAFTA Film Awards and more info about the Academy’s awards and activities at bafta.org. 

  • HIDIVE Sets ‘Akiba Maid War’ English Dub Premiere for Jan. 14

    HIDIVE Sets ‘Akiba Maid War’ English Dub Premiere for Jan. 14

    Strap on your aprons and prepare for kawaii battle: HIDIVE has set the English dub streaming debut of Akiba Maid War for Saturday, January 14 at Noon ET. An original production from studio P.A. Works (Ya Boy Kongming!) and Cygames, the series premiered in Japan in April and is ready to clean up in more territories.

    Akiba Maid War

    Synopsis: In the spring of 1999, bright-eyed Nagomi Wahira moves to Akihabara with dreams of joining a maid café. She quickly dons an apron at café Ton Tokoton, a.k.a. the Oinky Doink Café, but adjusting to life in the big city isn’t easy. Paired with the dour Ranko who never smiles, Nagomi must do her best to elevate the Oinky Doink Café over all other maid cafés vying for top ranking, but she soon discovers not everything is as it seems amid the frills and thrills of the maid cafés of Akihabara…\

    The new English-language dub was overseen by director Joey Goubeaud from an ADR script by Marta Bechtol, and features the voice talents of Alyssa Marek as Nagomi Wahira, Chaney Moore as Ranko Mannen, Cat Thomas as Yumechi, Christina Kelly as Shiipon and Teresa Zimmerman as Manager.

    Sōichi Masui (Chaika the Coffin Princess, Sakura Quest, Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai) directed the series at P.A. Works, with Yoshihiro Hiki overseeing the scripts and series composition by Yoshihiro Ike (Tiger & Bunny, Ergo Proxy, 2019 Dororo) at Cygames. Manabu Nii (The Day I Became a God, Kakegurui twin, Hina Logic – from Luck & Logic) is the character designer and chief animation director.

    The original Japanese version voice stars Reina Kondo and Rina Sato as Nagomi and Ranko, alongside Minami Tanaka, Tomoyo Kurosawa and Ayahi Takagaki.

    Watch Akiba Maid War on HIDIVE starting January 14. Sentai Filmworks has home video rights.

  • Chinese Folktale Toon Hits 10M Views on Bilibili in 3 Days

    Chinese Folktale Toon Hits 10M Views on Bilibili in 3 Days

    A new animated series inspired by traditional myths and legends is the latest smash hit for Chinese streaming platform Bilibili, totting up more than 10 million views in its first three days. Titled Yao-Chinese Folktales, the series launched January 1 and a week out is averaging a 9.6 out of 10 rating on Douban, with more than 60,000 reviews.

    Yao-Chinese Folktales

    The series is produced by the nearly 80-year-old Shanghai Animation Film Studio (Warriors, Big Ear Tutu, Havoc in Heaven, Black Cat Detective) and Shanghai Kuanyu Digital Technology, translating ancient stories of yao (demons or monsters) into the modern age in eight 15- to 25-minute installments. Chen Liaoyu (Foodiverse) is series director and Li Zao is chief producer.

    Yao-Chinese Folktales is a bit of a commemorative tribute to the centennial of Chinese animation celebrated in 2022, with the past and present also colliding as traditional art influences such as paper cut out, shadow plays and watercolor are wielded by innovative young directors and producers to adapt classic literature.

    The first warmly reviewed episode, “Nobody,” is based on Journey to the West and centers on a low-ranking pig demon who rebels against his cruel superiors. “Nobody” was praised by fans for its reflection of contemporary class struggles, while the second episode “Goose Mountain,” based on Liang Wujun’s collection of myths and directed by Hu Rui, created a buzz for its fantastical visual spectacle and distinctly Chinese aesthetics.

    “As Chinese animation enters a new century, the series is not only a tribute, but also carries the animation studio’s creative concept of ‘not imitating others, not repeating ourselves,’” Shanghai Animation Film Studio President and series producer Su Da told Global Times. “We will strive to realize the creative transformation and innovative development of traditional culture, and highlight the national integrity and Eastern charm in China’s 5,000-year history and culture.”

    [Source: Global Times]

  • ‘Koala Man’ Duo Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit Ink Overall Deal with 20th TV Animation, ABC Signature

    ‘Koala Man’ Duo Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit Ink Overall Deal with 20th TV Animation, ABC Signature

    Writer-producer team Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit have signed a multi-year overall deal with 20th Television Animation, extending their relationship with the studio behind their new Hulu series Koala Man. Samit and Hernandez are executive producers and showrunners for the adult comedy created by Michael Cusack, which premiered today (Jan. 9). The deal also includes an arrangement with ABC Signature for live-action projects.

    “Dan and Benji are wildly talented writers with a truly unique sensibility and a hilarious voice. We have been obsessed with their work for years and are very excited to continue our relationship in animation with them, and are thrilled to expand their development into live-action within our studio,” commented Marci Proietto, Executive VP of 20th Television Animation and Jonnie Davis, President of ABC Signature. “We also can’t wait for viewers to dive into Koala Man, which is our first series with this incredible duo, launching on Hulu today.”

    Hernandez and Samit were previously under a joint animated/live-action series overall deal with 20th Television.

    The new agreement will see the Pokémon Detective Pikachu and Addams Family 2 scribes will develop, write and produce both animated and live-action series for all platforms through their Hermit House banner.

    “We’re so excited to expand our creative partnership with 20th Television Animation and ABC Signature,” said Hernandez and Samit. “Working with Marci Proietto and Chris Cikowski as well as Jonnie Davis and Tracy Underwood has been a dream come true. We hope we can be together forever, or at least until the kids go to college.”

    Having kicked off their writing collaboration as undergrads at Brown University, Samit and Hernandez’s credits alco include the Apple TV+ animated musical comedy Central Park and the 2016-19 live-action take on The Tick, starring Peter Serafinowicz. They created and executive produced the recently premiered superhero coming-of-age comedy Ultra Violet & Black Scorpion (Disney Channel).

    The pair’s next writing project will be a (likely live-action hybrid) feature film starring Figment, the purple dragon mascot of Walt Disney World EPCOT’s Imagination Pavilion, and produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s Point Grey Pictures for Walt Disney Pictures. They are also developing to-be-announced Lucasfilm and Walt Disney Pictures projects.

    Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit are represented by 3 Arts, UTA and Jackoway.

     

  • Sony Pictures Animation Reveals ‘Agent Elvis’ Teaser Art

    Sony Pictures Animation Reveals ‘Agent Elvis’ Teaser Art

    Coinciding with Elvis Presley’s (1935-1977) birthday on January 8, Sony Pictures Animation unveiled a first look at its adult action-comedy toon Agent Elvis with a teaser poster featuring a smirking king of rock ‘n’ roll with his trademark 1970s shades, holding a golden gun. The new art shared to Twitter also promises the series is “coming soon” to Netflix.

    Announced in 2019 as Agent King, the series is created by Priscilla Presley, who was married to Elvis from 1967-1973, and rock singer-guitarist John Eddie. The show reimagines the American music legend fulfilling his lifelong dream of becoming a world-saving hero.

    Elvis Presley trades in his white jumpsuit for a jet pack when he is covertly inducted into a secret government spy program to help battle the dark forces that threaten the country he loves — all while holding down his day job as the King of Rock and Roll.

    Presley and Eddie are creators and executive producers of the series, with Elvis Presley’s former talent manager Jerry Schilling serves as a consultant. Mike Arnold (Archer) wrote Agent Elvis and is serving as showrunner, with Fletcher Moules (Entergalactic). Menswear designer John Varvatos is designing the animated Elvis’s wardrobe and is a consulting producer on the series. Exec producers also include Kevin Noel, Jamie Salter, Marc Rosen and Corey Salter.

    Agent Elvis is being co-produced by Authentic Brands Group, Sony Pictures Animation and Sony Pictures Television. The stylized 2D  animation is being produced by Emmy-winning studio Titmouse, Inc. (Big Mouth, Star Trek: Lower Decks, The Legend of Vox Machina), with Chris Prynoski, Shannon Prynoski, Antonio Canobbio and Ben Kalina as executive producers.

    No voice casting has been announced yet.

  • MPSE Golden Reel Nominees

    MPSE Golden Reel Nominees

    The Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE) today announces nominees for the 70th Annual MPSE Golden Reel Awards. Nominees represent the contributions of sound artists around the world to the past year’s most outstanding feature film, television, animation, computer entertainment and student productions.

    “We are thrilled to celebrate the platinum anniversary of the MPSE Golden Reel Awards with our first live event in three years,” said MPSE President Mark Lanza. “We also take special pride in honoring the outstanding work of sound editors from around the world and across all forms of entertainment media. We look forward to a special night full of fun and surprises as we celebrate the art and craft of sound.”

    This year’s award winners — including 2023 MPSE Filmmaker Award winner Jerry Bruckheimer and MPSE Career Achievement Award winner Gwendolyn Yates Whittle MPSE — will be celebrated at a ceremony held Sunday, February 26 at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles.

    Animation series and feature nominees below; find the full list of nominees and more information at mpse.org.

    Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Broadcast Animation

    Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous – “The Last Stand” (DreamWorks Animation)
    Supervising Sound Editors: Rob McIntyre, D.J. Lynch
    Sound Designer: Evan Dockter
    Sound Effects Editor: Adam Cioffi
    Dialogue Editor: Anna Adams
    Foley Editor: Aran Tanchum
    Foley Artist: Vincent Guisetti

    Love, Death + Robots: “In Vaulted Halls Entombed” (Netflix)
    Supervising Sound Editor: Brad North MPSE
    Foley Editor: Antony Zeller MPSE
    Foley Artists: Zane Bruce, Lindsay Pepper

    Tales of The Jedi – “The Sith Lord” (Disney)
    Supervising Sound Editors: David W. Collins, Matthew Wood
    Sound Effects Editors: Kevin Bolen, Michael Brinkman
    Foley Supervisor: Frank Rinella
    Foley Artists: Margie O’Malley, Andrea Gard, Sean England

    Transformers: EarthSpark – “Age of Evolution” (Nickelodeon)
    Supervising Sound Editors: Brad Meyer MPSE
    Sound Effects Editor: Natalia Saavedra Brychcy MPSE
    Dialogue Editor: Christine Gamache
    Foley Editor: Carol Ma

    Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Feature Animation

    DC League of Super-Pets (Warner Bros. Animation)
    Supervising Sound Editors: Bill R. Dean MPSE, Ando Johnson
    Sound Designer: Erick Ocampo
    Sound Effects Editors: Chris Battaglia MPSE, Kip Smedley
    Supervising Dialogue Editor: Stephanie Brown
    Dialogue Editor: Chase Keehn
    Supervising Foley Editor: Jessie Pariseau
    Foley Editor: Bruce Tanis MPSE
    Foley Artists: Alyson Dee Moore MPSE, Christopher Moriana

    Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (Netflix)
    Supervising Sound Editor: Scott Martin Gershin MPSE
    Sound Effects Editors: Masanobu “Tomi” Tomita, Andrew Vernon MPSE, Dan Gamache MPSE
    Dialogue Editor: Dan Gamache MPSE
    Foley Artists: Dan O’Connell, John Cucci MPSE

    Lightyear (Disney Animation)
    Supervising Sound Editor: Coya Elliott
    Sound Designer: Ren Klyce
    Sound Effects Editors: Kimberly Patrick, Jonathon Stevens, Benjamin A. Burtt
    Dialogue Editor: Cheryl Nardi
    Foley Editors: James Spencer, Dee Selby
    Foley Artists: Shelley Roden MPSE, John Roesch MPSE

    Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (DreamWorks Animation)
    Supervising Sound Editors: Jason W. Jennings, Julian Slater MPSE
    Sound Designer: Tim Walston MPSE
    Sound Effects Editor: Ken McGill
    Dialogue Editor: Mia Stewart MPSE
    Supervising Foley Editor: Paul Pirola

    Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Non-theatrical Animation

    The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild (Disney)
    Supervising Sound Editor: Leff Lefferts
    Sound Effects Editors: Shaun Farley MPSE, Chris Manning
    Dialogue Editor: E. Larry Oatfield
    Foley Artists: John Roesch MPSE, Ronni Brown, Sean England

    Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous – “Hidden Adventure” (Netflix)
    Supervising Sound Editors: Rob McIntyre, D.J. Lynch
    Sound Designer: Evan Dockter
    Sound Effects Editors: Adam Cioffi, Ian Nyeste, Cat Gensler, Roger Pallan
    Dialogue Editor: Anna Adams
    Foley Editor: Aran Tanchum

    LEGO Star Wars Summer Vacation (Disney)
    Supervising Sound Editors: David W. Collins, Matthew Wood
    Sound Designer: David W. Collins
    Sound Effects Editors: Kevin Bolen, Bill Rudolph
    Foley Supervisor: Frank Rinella
    Foley Editor: Eryne Prine
    Foley Artist: Margie O’Malley

    Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie (Nickelodeon)
    Supervising Sound Editor: Jeff Shiffman MPSE
    Sound Effects Editors: Jessey Drake MPSE, Brad Meyer MPSE
    Dialogue Editor: Xinyue Yu MPSE
    Foley Editor: Carol Ma

  • ‘Merge Fantasy Island’ Welcomes Adorable Sanrio Friends

    ‘Merge Fantasy Island’ Welcomes Adorable Sanrio Friends

    Mobile games developer Netmarble is welcoming iconic characters My Melody and Kuromi to its casual mobile title Merge Fantasy Island as part of its ongoing collaboration with Sanrio. In addition to the playable, fan-favorite characters, the update rolls out new resources, special events and more:

    • Two New Characters and Resources: My Melody and Kuromi descend upon the island, setting up new experiences for players to enjoy, like My Melody’s Macaron Shop and Kuromi’s Canelé Shop.
    • New Decorations: Adorable new decorations accompany the new characters, including pink and purple character tiles to customize the island in new ways.
    • Mystery Island Renewed as My Melody Island: For a limited time running January 7 to February 5, players can explore a new My Melody-themed Island upon reaching Level 12. Those who complete daily missions during the event period are also eligible to receive collaboration characters, Island decorations and resources.
    • Star Collection System: From January 5 to February 7, players can collect My Melody and Kuromi cards and exchange them for rewards such as Gems.

    Merge Fantasy Island brings Netmarble’s  Kuya IP to life in a merge genre-based game featuring enjoyable gameplay mechanics and adorable animations: Help the kuya by collecting a variety of resources and leveling up by merging three or more objects to create entirely new items. Players can dream up and expand their personalized islands, explore the Main and Adventure islands as they take on various missions and test their skills in Adventure Mode’s time attack stage, solving thrilling puzzles and engaging with exclusive resources that offer a whole new way to play the game.

    Learn more about Merge Fantasy Island at mergekuyaisland.netmarble.com and get to know the kuya through their official animation channel on YouTube.

  • CBS VFX Blazes New Trail for TV Effects in ‘Fire Country’

    CBS VFX Blazes New Trail for TV Effects in ‘Fire Country’

    Drama and action ignite with the help of explosive visual effects work in the new CBS series Fire Country. The producers relied on the experts at CBS VFX to fuel digital infernos and spectacular firestorms for the primetime hit from Jerry Bruckheimer Productions and CBS Studios.

    Led by visual effects supervisor Colin Strause — whose career includes such big-screen blockbusters as Rampage, San Andreas and The Avengers — CBS VFX brought together a crew of more than 100 people to deliver as many as 135 effects shots in every episode of the series.

    Fire Country follows Bode Donovan (Max Thieriot), a young convict who is given a chance at a redemption by joining a prison-release program in Northern California in which prisoners fight fires alongside elite fire crews. Visually, the show’s combustions range from small brush fires to wilderness infernos.

    To make fire into a palpable antagonist in the series, and to showcase the many different and terrifying forms that fire can take, the work from CBS VFX incorporates multiple elements, sometimes including actual pyrotechnics that were filmed on set in highly controlled circumstances. Although the series is set in Northern California, it’s shot in British Columbia, where extremely dry conditions mostly prevent the large-scale use of physical fire.

    Shots of real fire are combined with an enormous library of flames that has been amassed and catalogued by the CBS VFX team. “Each kind of fire, whether it’s a little brush fire or a huge forest fire, has its own library of footage,” Strause explains. Elements from those shots are extracted and further combined with computer-generated fire — the creation of which is itself a tremendous challenge, he says.

    “Fire is notoriously tricky to create on screen, but there have been huge advances in the simulation software for making fire, including the Houdini software from SideFX and the newest graphic cards and processing systems,” says Strause. “Only a few years ago, what we’re doing would have taken days or even weeks, but now we’re able to do massive shots in a couple of hours — sometimes even overnight.”

    As well as Fire Country (which airs Fridays at 9/8C on CBS), recent projects for CBS VFX have included the acclaimed series One Perfect Shot for HBO Max and ARRAY Filmworks; an innovative virtual-production solution to COVID-related challenges for The Drew Barrymore Show; and special productions for the 2021 MTV Movie Awards and NCAA Final Four.

    CBS VFX has developed groundbreaking technology and created visual effects for multiple series across many networks, including Apple TV’s Roar, The Offer for Paramount+, This Is Us on NBC, Netflix’s Dead to Me and Big Shot on Disney+. The studio maintains a dedicated virtual production soundstage, and its team is available to television production professionals for live demonstrations of virtual production, digital set extension and real-time pre-viz technologies.

    cbs-vfx.com

  • ‘NieR:Automata Ver1.1a’ Uploads to Crunchyroll (New Character Trailers)

    ‘NieR:Automata Ver1.1a’ Uploads to Crunchyroll (New Character Trailers)

    Buckle in and prepare for a high-stakes sci-fi adventure in NieR:Automata Ver1.1a, the new anime series based on the PlatinumGames/Square Enix Drakengard spinoff sequel RPG, created by Yoko Taro. Produced by A-1 Pictures (Kaguya-sama: Love Is War, Sword Art Online), the show will unleash a wave of android soldier action on Crunchyroll starting Saturday, January 7 at 12:30 p.m. EST / 9:30 a.m. PST.

    NieR Automata: Ver1.1a
    ©SQUARE ENIX/Council of Humanity

    Synopsis: The distant future, 5012. The sudden aerial invasion of Earth by <Aliens> and their creations <Machine Lifeforms> led mankind to the brink of extinction. The surviving number of humans who took refuge on the moon to organize a counterattack using <android> soldiers to recapture Earth. However, the war reaches a stalemate as the <Machine Lifeforms> continue to multiply infinitely. In turn, humanity deploys a new unit of android soldiers as an ultimate weapon: YoRHa. Newly dispatched to Earth 2B joins 9S, the analyst currently stationed there, where amid their mission, they encounter a myriad of mysterious phenomena… This is the story of these lifeless <androids> and their endless fight for the sake of mankind.

    Ahead of the series debut, Crunchyroll this week unveiled a series of character trailers. (You can also watch the official trailer released previously here.)

    “2B” Trailer (voiced by Yui Ishikawa)

    “9S” Trailer (voiced by Natsuki Hanae)

    “Commander” Trailer (voiced by Chiaki Kano)

    “Pascal” Trailer (voiced by Aoi Yuki)

    “Adam” & “Eve” Trailer (voiced by Daisuke Namikawa & Tatsuhisa Suzuki)

    “Lily” Trailer (voiced by Atsumi Tanezaki)

    The voice cast also features Ayaka Suwa as A2, Hiroki Yasumoto as Pod 042, Kaoru Akiyama as Pod 153, Keiko Isobe as Operator 60 and Mary Hatsumi as Operator 210.

    NieR:Automata Ver1.1a is directed by Ryoji Matsuyama, who also handled series composition with creator Yoko Taro. Jun Nakai (Michiko & Hatchin, Samurai Champloo, Mardock Scramble movies) is the project’s character designer and chief animation director. Music by MONACA.

  • Middlechild Prod. Rebrands Ad Division as Friday’s Child

    Middlechild Prod. Rebrands Ad Division as Friday’s Child

    Middlechild Productions is going through a rebrand and splitting up its TV Documentary and Advertising arms. The Advertising arm, which specializes in charity campaigns, will become Friday’s Child, it was announced today.

    David Sumnall
    David Sumnall

    “We’ve run the two parts of our business side by side successfully for a few years now but with both growing significantly in recent times it felt right to give them their own distinct brands,” said David Sumnall, Founder and MD of Middlechild Productions. “According to the poem, ‘Friday’s Child is loving and giving,’ which felt like an apt name for our charity clients to be under.”

    Middlechild established its credentials as a TV production company and pivoted into DRTV advertising by chance. “We were working on an RSPCA TV series and they asked us to help on their ad campaign — initially in post, then to direct and produce them,” added Sumnall. “Our documentary sensibilities really helped us develop a fresh and unique style of adverts that has now become commonplace in the industry.”

    A few years later and the company is now working with most of the major charities in the U.K., including RSPCA, Age U.K., Action Aid, Christian Aid and Save the Children U.K. Concentrating on producing advertisements, podcasts and digital content solely for charities and non-profit organizations has proved a winning strategy for the team.

    Tom Sabbadini
    Tom Sabbadini

    “We’re focused on the third sector and how to improve the fortunes of these brilliant organizations. It’s enabled us to become experts in the field and we can bring that expertise to our clients,”  noted Senior Producer Tom Sabbadini. “As we’re a stand-alone production house we can work with agencies on behalf of the charities or with the charities directly depending on the brief.”

    In the past 12 months, Middlechild has worked directly with new charity clients Animals Asia and The Woodland Trust. After two successful campaigns, this year will see the studio reteam with both charities on new projects.

    Reteaming with creative agencies has allowed Middlechild to embrace some new creative challenges. Sabika’s Story is the company’s first fully animated project which was developed alongside animators The Like Minded and 11London for Christian Aid. The animation tells the important story of the children swept up in the Rohingya genocide.

    Last year, Arthur London and Middlechild worked on an important campaign for Save the Children International, which shared the dangers faced by millions of new-born babies across the world and the amazing work carried out by birth attendants, nurses and doctors to save their lives. Towards the latter part of 2022, Middlechild reunited with Consider to create an ambitious campaign launching in time for the World Cup 2022 for Age U.K.

    Laura King
    Laura King

    Laura King, Producer, said, “2022 was an exciting year for the company in which we’ve nurtured our existing relationships with charities and also embraced new opportunities to broaden the company’s portfolio. The launching of Friday’s Child couldn’t have come at a better time as the team begins to grow. Though Middlechild has been creating DRTV content for years, the launching of Friday’s Child feels so exciting and we can’t wait to start working with our clients in 2023.”

    Friday’s Child will carry on the legacy that Middlechild created; working with talented agencies and vital charities to tell important stories to the public.

    fridayschild.tv

  • ‘Zom 100’ Resurrects as Anime Series from VIZ, Shogakukan

    ‘Zom 100’ Resurrects as Anime Series from VIZ, Shogakukan

    VIZ Media, Shogakukan and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions Japan, have announced a partnership for the development and production of the anime series, Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead, based on the manga by creators Haro Aso (Alice in Borderland) and Kotaro Takata (Hallelujah Overdrive!).

    Following the series launch in July 2023, VIZ Media will distribute the anime in North America, Latin America, Australia and New Zealand territories; Hulu will offer the show in the U.S. Further streaming platforms are to be announced across all territories.

    “Zom 100 is finally getting an anime!! I’ve had a chance to take a sneak peek at the script, character design and teasers, and I have to say, they’re all beautiful; the quality is great. I’m thrilled!” said Aso. “I can’t wait to see Akira and his friends come to life, now through the medium of animation, to see them in color, with actual voices, with actual music! Stay tuned!”

    Takata agreed, “It’s such an honor to know that Zom 100 is getting an anime adaptation! Seeing all the pieces come together through everyone’s hard work is amazing. I’m so grateful. I’m imagining Akira and his friends now, running around an anime world. I can’t wait! Enjoy!”

    The zombie hordes are coming, so it’s time to live your best life! There’s nothing quite like the end of the world to inspire your bucket list…

    In Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead, 24-year-old Akira Tendo’s life has lost its luster. After spending three hard years at a soul-crushing corporation in Japan, his spirit is broken. He can’t even muster the courage to confess his feelings to his beautiful co-worker Saori. Then one morning, he stumbles upon his landlord eating lunch —which happens to be another tenant! The whole city’s swarming with zombies, and even though he’s running for his life, Akira has never felt more alive!

    Now Akira’s on a mission to complete all 100 items on his bucket list before he … well, kicks the bucket.

    “The first time I read Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead, I was struck by the way Akira puts his whole heart into everything he does. He really kept me turning the page,” said voice actor Shuichiro Umeda (Shikimori’s Not Just a Cutie, The Dawn of the Witch), who plays the lead character.

    “Akira battles his way through all these zombies, but you also get to see him get real with himself, all the while managing to make his dreams a reality. I want to do the same. As his voice actor, I want to really understand Akira and challenge myself in every way, like him, throughout the voice acting journey. I hope you’ll tune in!”

    The Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead anime series is directed by Kazuki Kawagoe (Komi Can’t Communicate, Ikebukuro West Gate Park), with series composition by Hiroshi Seko, character design by Kii Tanaka, zombie design by Junpei Fukuchi and music by Makoto Miyazaki. BUG FILMS (Summer Time Rendering) is handling animation production.

  • ‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish’ Crosses Over to Vudu Friday

    ‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish’ Crosses Over to Vudu Friday

    Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, the latest chapter in DreamWorks Animation’s fairytale-land franchise, is pouncing to streaming tomorrow (Friday, January 6) on Vudu, Fandango’s premium on-demand video service. The film debuted in theaters on December 21 and has been purring along nicely at the box office over the holiday season, powered by positive reviews.

    Directed by Joel Crawford (The Croods: A New Age) and featuring the voices of Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Harvey Guillén, Florence Pugh, Olivia Colman, Ray Winstone, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, John Mulaney and Wagner Moura, the film picks up with the kitty cavalier at the end of his nine lives. Together with Kitty Softpaws and a new canine friend, with storybook crime bosses hot on their tails, Puss embarks on a grand quest to find a magical Wishing Star and reset his mortal clock.

    Puss in Boots Vudu

    Fans can order The Last Wish for $29.99 or opt for the two-movie Puss in Boots collection, which includes the original 2011 spinoff movie, for $39.99. Shrek-heads who really want to indulge can opt for a special Shrek 6-Movie Collection offer (all four Shrek movies and both Puss in Boots titles) for $69.99.

    To celebrate the debut, Vudu has also shared an exclusive interview with Banderas, the voice behind the whiskered wonder! Watch this special conversation below, and be sure to read Animation Magazine‘s feature story on Puss in Boots: The Last Wish here.

     

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  • Award-Winning VR Nuclear Threat Doc ‘On the Morning You Wake’ Sets MoMI Exhibition

    Award-Winning VR Nuclear Threat Doc ‘On the Morning You Wake’ Sets MoMI Exhibition

    New York City’s Museum of the Moving Image has announced a new exhibition offering a contemporary view of nuclear weaponry, On the Morning You Wake to Nuclear Threat: Exploring Social Impact Through Virtual Reality, running January 20 to February 12.

    Co-presented by Games for Change, the exhibition features screenings of On the Morning You Wake (to the End of the World), a groundbreaking virtual reality documentary at the center of a global nuclear disarmament campaign that demonstrates the unique power of immersive storytelling for social impact, and an exploration of the project’s production and worldwide impact.

    “MoMI is proud to be partnering with Games for Change on the presentation of On the Morning You Wake,” said Carl Goodman, the Museum’s Executive Director. “What’s so striking about the work is the way in which new technologies for creative expression can be used to confront and address one of the world’s most powerful technologies of destruction. Whether through documentary film and television or through immersive media, MoMI continues to explore, create awareness of, and, hopefully, spur action related to our most urgent global threats.”

    On the Morning You Wake (to the End of the World)
    On the Morning You Wake (to the End of the World)

    On the Morning You Wake (to the End of the World) immerses viewers in the first-hand experience of people in Hawai’i who faced nuclear threat. With real-life audio testimonies and performances recorded with volumetric video-capture technology, the piece brings human stories into a panic-gripped 3D world.

    On the morning of January 13, 2018, a message from the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency flashed on phones across the state: “BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.” As cellular communication networks collapsed and panic took hold, 1.4 million people came to understand the real, growing, and urgent nature of today’s nuclear threat. Thirty-eight minutes later, the alert was retracted. Though nothing happened, everything changed.

    Created by Archer’s Mark and Atlas V (the award-winning producers of Notes on Blindness VR), this impactful project offering a human-centric perspective on a complex geopolitical issue was originally conceived in partnership with social impact organization Games for Change and Princeton University’s Science and Global Security Program. Since its global premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2022, On the Morning You Wake has inspired audiences around the world to get involved in the global nuclear abolition movement.

    “On the Morning You Wake is a transformative work of art and a proof point for the power of immersive technologies to drive social impact,” said executive producer Susanna Pollack, President of Games for Change. “We are delighted to partner with MoMI on this first-of-its-kind U.S. museum exhibition of On the Morning You Wake, which aims to spark critical dialogue and action towards nuclear abolition, and inspire current and future creators and changemakers to continue pushing the boundaries of immersive storytelling for impact.”

    The MoMI exhibition offers an opportunity to view the VR project, and also provides insight into the creative storytelling process, technical innovation, and worldwide impact of the film.

    On the Morning You Wake (to the End of the World)
    On the Morning You Wake (to the End of the World)

    On the Morning You Wake (to the End of the World) is created by Archer’s Mark and Atlas V, executive produced by Games for Change and Princeton University’s Science and Global Security Program. Supporters include VR for Good, Arte France and British Film Institute. The project is currently being distributed internationally by Astrea.

    On the Morning You Wake to Nuclear Threat: Exploring Social Impact Through Virtual Reality will be on view in MoMI’s Amphitheater Gallery. Tickets for the VR documentary are $15 and include access to the exhibition (an additional $5 offers access to all Museum galleries).

    You can read our interview with the director here

    For more information and to purchase tickets, visit movingimage.us/event/morning-you-wake.

    On the Morning You Wake (to the End of the World)
    On the Morning You Wake (to the End of the World)
  • Star-Studded Hybrid Travel Series ‘Jam Van’ Rolls to YouTube Kids

    Star-Studded Hybrid Travel Series ‘Jam Van’ Rolls to YouTube Kids

    YouTube Originals Kids & Family today released the official trailer for its newest series, Jam Van, and announced the new lineup of celebrity voice talent and musical guests. From the Oscar, Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award-winning team of Believe Entertainment Group (Dear Basketball), composer/producer Bill Sherman (Hamilton, In the Heights, Sesame Street) and animation studio Global Mechanic comes a road-tripping, original music series for preschool kids and families.

    The 8 x 11′ series launches January 19 at 9 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. ET with two new episodes featuring Lin-Manuel Miranda and Brandi Carlile. Thereafter, new episodes of Jam Van will roll-out weekly on Thursdays on the YouTube Originals for Kids & Family channel and the YouTube Kids app.

    “We came up with the idea for Jam Van with the intention of creating a funny, music-filled show that would expand young kids’ world and foster a sense of openness and an appreciation for each other’s similarities and differences. And we are thrilled to have this incredible roster of musical artists and comedic talent along for the ride,” said Bill Sherman and Brian Hunt, co-creators and executive producers.

    Craig Hunter, Global Head of Kids & Family, for YouTube Originals, added, “Jam Van will greatly appeal to our preschool and bridge audiences with its fun characters and catchy original songs, but it’s also perfect for families to enjoy together. With a line-up of incredible artists kicking-off with Lin-Manuel Miranda and Brandi Carlile, this show is for music lovers of any age.”

    The series is a blend of animation and live action, with each episode following the animated music-loving best friends Lamb (voiced by Pete Lee) and Anne the Alligator (Nicole Byer) who travel to new locations around the country, where they meet up with famous live-action musical artist friends who help them tackle a relatable social-emotional learning challenge with the assistance of a new original song they sing together. The series also features the voice of Marc Maron as Grumpy GPS.

    The trailer highlights the series’ diverse roster of musical artists and the locations they are featured in, including Boyz II Men (Philadelphia), Brandi Carlile (Seattle), Sheryl Crow (Nashville), Daveed Diggs (Oakland), Fitz and The Tantrums (Los Angeles), Lin-Manuel Miranda (New York), Old Crow Medicine Show (Virginia) and Trombone Shorty (New Orleans).

    Jam Van is produced by Believe Entertainment Group, Bill Sherman’s Pop Music Misery, Inc. and animation studio Global Mechanic. Craig Hunter is Global Head of Kids & Family Originals for YouTube with Zoë Di Stefano and Daniel Haack serving as creative leads on the series.

  • Sneak Peek: ‘TRIGUN STAMPEDE’ Premieres Saturday on Crunchyroll

    Sneak Peek: ‘TRIGUN STAMPEDE’ Premieres Saturday on Crunchyroll

    The long-awaited return of Vash the Stampede is nigh, as the ‘humanoid typhoon’ crashes into Crunchyroll’s streaming lineup this Saturday, January 7. The brand-new series TRIGUN STAMPEDE launches at 11:30 a.m. ET / 8:30 a.m. PT. Ahead of the highly anticipated premiere, fresh sneak peek footage has been released that finds our quirky hero in one of his inevitable, potentially disastrous jams. Watch it below!

    Synopsis: Vash the Stampede’s a joyful gunslinging pacifist, so why does he have a $$6 million bounty on his head? That’s what’s puzzling rookie reporter Meryl Stryfe and her jaded veteran partner when looking into the vigilante only to find someone who hates blood. But their investigation turns out to uncover something heinous—his evil twin brother, Millions Knives.

    TRIGUN STAMPEDE ©2023 Yasuhiro Nightow, SHONENGAHOSHA / TRIGUN STAMPEDE Project
    TRIGUN STAMPEDE ©2023 Yasuhiro Nightow, SHONENGAHOSHA / TRIGUN STAMPEDE Project

    TRIGUN STAMPEDE is the latest anime based on the hit manga by creator Yasuhiro Nightow, rendered in an updated hybrid style by animation studio Orange with original character designs by Hollywood concept artist Kouji Tajima (Loki, The Sandman, Space Jam: A New Legacy). The series is directed by Kenji Muto (Rage of Bahamut: Gensis, Zankyou no Terror) and written by Shin Okashima, Tatsuro Inamoto and Yoshihisa Ueda, from an original story by Takehiko Okishi, and features music by prolific composer Tatsuya Kato (FREE!, Food Wars and IDOLISH7 franchises).

    The Japanese voice cast features Yoshitsugu Matsuoka as Vash the Stampede, Sakura Ando as Meryl Stryfe, Yoshimasa Hosoya as Nicholas D. Wolfwood, Kenji Matsuda as Roberto De Niro, Junya Ikeda as Millions Knives, Koki Uchiyama as Legato Bluesummers, TARAKO as Zaz i.e. the Beast, Ryusei Nakao as William Conrad, Tomoyo Kurosawa as Young Vash, Yumiri Hanamori as Young Knives and Maaya Sakamoto as Rem Saverem.

    Crunchyroll has licensed TRIGUN STAMPEDE for global release, excluding Asia but including some Asian countries such as the Philippines, Singapore, India and Pakistan, et al.

  • MyFrenchFilmFestival to Stream ‘The Crossing’, Animated Shorts Across Multiple Territories

    MyFrenchFilmFestival to Stream ‘The Crossing’, Animated Shorts Across Multiple Territories

    Today in Paris, Daniela Elstner, Executive Director of UniFrance, and Serge Toubiana, President of UniFrance, revealed the complete selection and juries of this 13th edition of MyFrenchFilmFestival. The 2023 fest will be held January 13 to February 13 online.

    Founded in 2010, MyFrenchFilmFestival is touted as the first online French-language film festival. This year’s edition will be available entirely for free in Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia, South Korea, Romania, Russia and Ukraine. The program can be accessed at myfrenchfilmfestival.com as well as over 70 VOD platforms internationally.

    This year’s selection comprises 29 feature and short films in a variety of techniques and genres, illustrating the wealth, vitality and diversity of French-language cinema.

    Included in the feature film competition is Florence Miailhe’s acclaimed animated refugee story The Crossing. Nominated for the César and Lumiere awards, the animated painting feat has won over a dozen awards from festivals including the Annecy, Bucheon, Zagreb and Anima Brussels animation festivals as well as Warsaw, Torino, DOK Leipzig, SCHLiNGEL and Nouveau Cinéma film festivals.

    A small village looted in darkness, a family forced to flee… The two oldest children, Kyona and Adriel are quickly separated from their parents facing the road of exile alone. They embark on a heroic journey which takes them from childhood to adolescence in search of shelter, peace and the hope of finding refuge and their family. Crossing a continent torn apart by war and migrant persecution, these courageous siblings survive incredible challenges, before reaching a new world, free at last.

    The selection of short films out of competition includes several animated shorts. Among these is Yoriko Mizushiri’s Annecy Jury Distinction winner and Cannes selection Anxious Body (trailer), Amandine Meyer’s A Story for 2 Trumpets (trailer), Juliette Laboria’s Pests (trailer), Capucine Gougelet’s Please Don’t Touch and Julien Regnard’s The Night Watch (trailer).

    The themes of this year’s MyFrenchFilmFestival are “Doing It Their Way,” “France Has Got Talent,” “Kids Turned Out Fine,” “Under Your Spell,” “Faces + Places” and “Enjoy the Silence.”

    The Grand Prize of the Jury (€15,000) and the International Press Awards will be announced on February 10. The Audience Awards will be revealed at the end of the festival on February 14.

    MyFrenchFilmFestival is organised by UniFrance, the organization responsible for promoting French cinema and TV content worldwide.

    myfrenchfilmfestival.com

  • ‘Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman’ Slates UK Release with Modern Films

    ‘Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman’ Slates UK Release with Modern Films

    Following its world premiere at the Annecy International Animation Festival in 2022, Modern Films is bringing director, composer & painter Pierre Földes’ debut feature film Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman to cinemas across the U.K. and Ireland. The animated Haruki Murakami adaptation is set to release on February 17.

    Inspired by a collection of short stories by international best-selling Japanese author Murakami (Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman; The Elephant Vanishes; After the Quake), Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman is set in Tokyo, a few days after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, and follows the existential repercussions of the natural disaster on the lives of multiple characters as they navigate a seismic event both real and internal.

    Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman
    Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman

    Kyoko (Shoshana Wilder) suddenly leaves her husband after spending five days in a row glued to unfolding earthquake footage on TV. Her helpless husband Komura (Ryan Bommarito) takes a week’s leave from work and heads north to deliver a box and its unknown contents to two young women. His colleague Katagiri (Marcelo Arroyo), a simple debt collector by profession and an awkward loner in life, returns home one evening to find a two-meter-tall frog (Földes) asking for his help to save Tokyo from impending destruction by a giant subterranean worm.

    Through memories, dreams and fantasies, Kyoko, Komura and Katagiri, influenced by their visions of earthquakes — which are manifested as evil willow trees, giant earthworms, secret vows, mysterious boxes and a dark, endless corridor — attempt to rediscover their true selves.

    Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman
    Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman

    Featuring a blended animation technique incorporating live-action footage, 3D motion capture and traditional 2D animation layouts, the film’s visual style lends itself Murakami’s surreal imagery, while the original score composed by the film’s French-English director Földes carries viewers through the characters’ discovery of deep truths about loneliness, purpose and humanity.

    Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman also features the voices of Scott Humphrey (Sasaki) and Arthur Holden (Mr. Suzuki). Földes wrote and directed the film, with Olivier Tanguy (head of productions at Miyu Productions) as line producer.

    Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman
    Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman

    The movie is produced by Cinéma Defacto and Miyu Prod. (France) in coproduction with Studio MA (France), micro_scope (Canada), An Original Picture (Netherlands), Doghouse Films (Luxembourg), Production l’Unité Centrale (Canada), Arte France Cinéma and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Cinéma. International sales by The Match Factory.

    Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman was awarded the Jury Distinction for feature film at Annecy and has been an official selection at Toronto, Busan, Ghent and Sao Paulo. Ahead of the theatrical release, the film will make its U.K. premiere introduced by Földes at BFI Southbank on Feb. 6, and will screen during Leeds Film on Feb. 8.

    More information and updates about screening engagements in the U.K. & Ireland can be found at modernfilms.com/blindwillow.