Disney+ has released a trailer for Walt Disney Animation Studios’ new multispecies comedy series Zootopia+, which launches with all six episodes on the streaming service this Wednesday, November 9.
Zootopia+ returns to the fast-paced mammal metropolis of Zootopia in a short-form series that dives deeper into the lives of some of the Oscar-winning feature film’s most intriguing residents — including Fru Fru, the fashion-forward arctic shrew; ZPD dispatcher Clawhauser, the sweet-toothed cheetah; and Flash, the smiling sloth who’s full of surprises.
The series is directed by Josie Trinidad (co-head of story, Zootopia; head of story, Ralph Breaks the Internet) and Trent Correy (director, Once Upon a Snowman and Drop) and produced by Nathan Curtis (associate producer, Encanto and Raya and the Last Dragon).
Episodes:
Zootopia+ – Hopp on Board
“Hopp on Board” – When Judy boards the train from Bunny Burrow to Zootopia to begin her life as the big city’s first bunny cop, Stu and Bonnie’s youngest daughter, Molly, hitches a ride atop the train, forcing the down-to-earth duo out of their comfort zone and into an action-packed rescue mission.
Zootopia+ “The Real Rodents of Little Rodentia”
“The Real Rodents of Little Rodentia”–Newly engaged, Fru Fru kicks off wedding planning with enthusiasm and flourish — at least until her scene-stealing cousin Tru Tru arrives to assume the role of Shrew of Honor. A battle for the spotlight ensues until a close call with a giant donut reveals that for better or worse, no one knows you better than family.
Zootopia+ “Duke the Musical”
“Duke the Musical”–After being wrangled and arrested in a giant donut — compliments of Officer Judy Hopps — clever criminal weasel Duke reevaluates his life, pondering where he went wrong — in song. In a musical aptly staged in his own mind, Duke contemplates how to go from a small time crook to the Big Time!
Zootopia+ “The Godfather of the Bride”
“TheGodfather of the Bride” – A touching tale about the powerful arctic shrew known as Mr. Big revisits Fru Fru’s big day when he delivers a revelatory father-of-the-bride speech. Taking guests back in time to his days as Mr. Small, a new immigrant to Zootopia, he imparts the wisdom he gained then about the importance of friends, family and community.
Zootopia+ “So You Think You Can Prance”
“So You Think You Can Prance” – ZPD dispatcher Clawhauser persuades his boss, Chief Bogo, to audition for So You Think You Can Prance. The stakes are high as the ultimate prize is a dream-come-true opportunity to dance on stage with megastar pop sensation Gazelle.
Zootopia+ “Dinner Rush”
“Dinner Rush”–As super server Sam urgently tries to finish her restaurant shift to make a once-in-a-lifetime Gazelle concert, Flash and Priscilla show up at the last minute with hopes of a once-in-a-lifetime dinner.
Mavka and Swampy the Kittyfrog have joined Duggee and his Squirrel Club for a special animated, musical video, created to welcome Ukrainian child refugees and help them feel comfortable in their new country in “The Welcome Badge.”
The release is a result of a partnership between the creators of Ukrainian animated feature Mavka. The Forest Song and of British preschool favorite Hey Duggee — Animagrad (FILM.UA Group) and Studio AKA for BBC Studios. The animated stars were aligned by indie creative studio Mother, as part of its Friendly Faces project.
“Collaborating together on this project to help thousands of children see the value of friendship, across language barriers, has been an absolute privilege,” said Felix Richter, a Partner at Mother London.
This special episode of Hey Duggee demonstrates the different language that Mavka and Swampy speak being from Ukraine. To help them settle in, Duggee, The Squirrels and Hummingbirds sing “The Welcome Song,” complete with translations of Ukrainian phrases. The hope is that seeing the friendly faces of Mavka and Swampy with Duggee and friends will help real-world new arrivals feel even more welcome, while helping children in the U.K. bid a warm, Ukrainian hello (привіт) to their new friends.
“We are delighted to team up with Mother and Animagrad and feel very proud that Hey Duggee is playing its part to help children coming to the U.K. from Ukraine feel welcome in such a charming and educational way,” said Harriet Newby-Hill, VP Marketing – Kids & Family at BBC Studios.
Egor Olesov, CEO of Animagrad, emphasizes the importance of such projects in war time, both for the comfort and integration they offer displaced Ukrainians and for supporting Ukraine’s struggling entertainment industry.
“This cooperation is very important to us and we are happy and grateful for the support of the Mother in bringing Duggee and Mavka together, allowing us to help the children through a beloved British animated series making friends with much loved Ukrainian animated characters,” Olesov notes.
Kids Entertainment Professionals for Young Refugees (KEPYR), the award-winning children’s media charity organization, has partnered with powerhouse comedy prodco All Things Comedy to produce its annual holiday fundraiser, “Laugh It Forward”. The all-star comedy event, being held at L.A.’s legendary Comedy Store at 7 p.m. on November 13,will be headlined by Bill Burr and hosted by Caroline Rhea.
This year, the orgs are raising money for UNICEF’s Horn of Africa relief.
“The Horn of Africa was already home to the worst child displacement crisis on the continent. Now the most severe drought there in 40 years and resulting famine conditions are exacerbating the situation dramatically,” notes KEPYR founder Grant Moran. “Millions of children, some with families, some on their own, have been driven from home in search of food and water, threatening a humanitarian catastrophe. By donating funds to UNICEF, kids media can play a vital role in getting critical aid to these most vulnerable children.”
This year’s event will be accompanied by an exciting online auction with nearly 100 rare and one-of-a-kind items and experiences perfect for holiday gift-giving. These gifts were donated by major kids entertainment companies such as Mattel, Nickelodeon and Sesame Workshop and individuals including The Simpsons creator Matt Groening, Johnny Bravo creator Van Partible, filmmaker Kevin Smith and anime icon Mamoru Oshii (Ghost in the Shell). The auction begins on November 4 and concludes at 11 p.m. Pacific time on November 13.
Laugh It Forward is the first collaboration between KEPYR and All Things Comedy, a partnership with roots in ATC co-founder Al Madrigal’s show-stopping performance in KEPYR’s first such event in 2019. “I immediately admired the work KEPYR was doing and wanted to find a way to get involved in a more sustained way,” recalls Madrigal. The return of live performance has given me and ATC that opportunity and we’re proud we can be a part of this very cool and necessary project.”
Tickets to Laugh It Forward and auction access available at kepyr.org.
Honored by the White House in 2021 with a President’s Volunteer Service Award for “dedicated service to children around the world,” KEPYR was founded by industry professionals in 2017 to spread awareness in the children’s media community about the global child refugee crisis, the worst since WWII, and to rally support for UNICEF’s heroic work serving displaced children everywhere. Its Board of Directors comprises Grant Moran, Yang Chang, Chara Campanella, Aurora Simcovich, Johnny Hartmann, Scott Gray and Monica Dollive. Serving on KEPYR’s Advisory Board are Christopher Keenan, Jean Thoren, Greg Payne, Jo Kavanagh-Payne, Maca Rotter, Danielle Gillis, Ryan Gagerman, Martin Baynton, Gushi Sethi, Sabrina Propper, Dave Palmer and Sebastian Rich.
The groundbreaking, Peabody Award-winning animated series Molly of Denali is kicking off Season 3 on PBS KIDS with a trio of premiere episodes in honor of Native American Heritage Month (November). Each episode, which will also be available to stream, feature the wildlife-centered outdoor adventures, celebrations of Alaska Native culture, emphasis on family & community and innovative informational text curriculum that kids and parents look for in the series.
You can check out a sneak peek below, featuring some soaring sledding for the Qyah kids!
In addition, Molly of Denali: The Big Gathering, a series of 20 brand new shorts, will begin rolling out next week. The shorts follow Molly and the people of Qyah as they prepare for “The Big Gathering,” an annual festival for Indigenous peoples inspired by the real-life Alaskan Federation of Natives Convention in Anchorage. The first 10 shorts will stream free on PBS KIDS starting November 7, with the remaining ten launching on November 21.
Following the adventures of 10-year-old Molly Mabray, a curious and resourceful Alaska Native girl who lives in the fictional village of Qyah, Alaska, Molly of Denali is the first nationally-distributed children’s program to feature Native American and Alaska Native lead characters. The pioneering show incorporates Alaska Native voices in all aspects of the production, both on screen and behind the scenes as voiceover actors, writers, producers, musicians, animators and story and language advisors.
Season 3 of the standout series begins when Molly and her best friend Tooey realize they’ve never seen an Alaska Native superhero before, so they decide to dream up their own! The premiere week continues with Molly’s family hosting a Yup’ik exchange student, Molly and Tooey working to solve the mystery of what happened to the endangered beluga whales in Cook’s Inlet, and the discovery of the perfect remedy for boredom during a blizzard: a yuuyuuk — or, an Alaska Native yoyo.
“Homemade Heroes”: When Molly and Tooey realize they’ve never seen an Alaska Native superhero before, they decide to make a few of their own! Oscar and Vera convince them to enter a superhero design contest, but they can only enter one hero. Whose will it be?
“Molly & the Snow Hawk”: Trini’s sled is a slowpoke on the slopes, and Molly wants to give her something more Alaska-worthy. She and Tooey plan to surprise Trini by fixing up Molly’s old sled, the Snow Hawk, but is Molly ready to give away something so special?
Tues., Nov. 8
“Story of the Story Knife”: Molly’s family is hosting a Yup’ik exchange student, Willow, and Molly is super excited to spend the week with her! But when Willow loses her prized story knife, Molly must try to find a replacement before Willow goes home.
“Raven Saves the Birthday Party”: Oscar wants to be a storyteller one day, but he’s not sure he can remember all the stories his elders want to share with him. While he works on remembering the old stories, Uncle Jack, Aunt Merna and Auntie Midge help him tell a new one.
Weds., Nov. 9
“A Whale of a Time”: Molly and Tooey volunteer to help Nina count the endangered beluga whales in Cook Inlet. But when the whole day goes by and they still haven’t spotted a single whale, they have a mystery to solve: What happened to the belugas?
“That’s Snow Fun”: Molly is ready for a day of snow adventures with Trini when a blizzard forces them to stay inside. Luckily, an old box full of treasures from Mom’s childhood has the perfect remedy for boredom: a yuuyuuk, or an Alaska Native yoyo!
Alyssa Sapire has been promoted to lead all content for Disney Junior, the global multiplatform brand behind animated preschool hits including Mickey Mouse Funhouse, Eureka!, Doc McStuffins, Marvel’s Spidey and His Amazing Friends, Alice’s Wonderland Bakery and more. An industry veteran of more than 20 years, Sapire first joined Disney in 2016 and has served as acting head of Disney Junior content since March.
Sapire’s official appointment was announced today by Disney Branded Television President Ayo Davis, to whom she reports. As part of this announcement, Sapire also solidified her senior executive team across development and current.
“Alyssa is a dedicated champion of the power of storytelling and the absolute right leader for the Disney Junior brand,” said Davis. “She has assembled a best-in-class team and developed an incredibly strong content slate with one overarching goal: to create magical, memorable stories that provide joy, stoke curiosity and live in the hearts of young audiences everywhere.”
In this role, Sapire serves as creative steward for Disney Junior content, encompassing strategic oversight of development, current and acquired programming for linear and streaming. As Senior Vice President, Development, Series & Strategy, she works closely with Disney Media Entertainment and Distribution to identify, develop and advance Disney Junior franchise opportunities, extending the Disney Junior brand to consumers across multiple touchpoints.
“It’s been an honor to contribute to a brand that plays such an important role in the lives of so many,” said Sapire. “As we look to the future, we will continue to thoughtfully evolve Disney Junior to meet our audiences where they’re at, while drawing on nearly 100 years of The Walt Disney Company’s magical storytelling to inspire the imaginations of preschoolers and their families everywhere.”
Sapire has built a diverse slate of series, specials and shorts for Disney Junior that includes upcoming projects such as Young Jedi Adventures, a partnership with Lucasfilm and their first series for preschoolers; the Doc McStuffins stop-motion shorts; SuperKitties; Kindergarten: The Musical; a new series of Winnie the Pooh shorts; and recently launched shows Firebuds and Rise Up, Sing Out, a musical series executive produced by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson and Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter of The Roots.
Known as a champion of emerging talent and diverse creators, Sapire’s team founded The Writer’s Clubhouse, an initiative designed to engage, develop and mentor talent with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences to become the next generation of preschool storytellers.
L-R: Kim Berglund, Diane Ikemiyashiro, Lori Mozilo [ph: Disney/Craig Sjodin]Following her appointment, Sapire designated three top executives to direct-report leadership roles in Development and Current:
Kim Berglund, Vice President of Development, will lead Development for Disney Junior with oversight of all series, specials and shorts in development, including identifying new creative talent.
Diane Ikemiyashiro and Lori Mozilo, both Vice Presidents of Current Series, will now co-lead Current for the brand with oversight over all series, specials and shorts in production, working closely with partners across The Walt Disney Company on continued franchises.
“Kim, Lori and Diane bring distinct creative viewpoints, relationships with the best and brightest creative talent, and an immense respect and care for the brand and our audience to Disney Junior every day,” said Sapire. “They have all been incredible partners to me, and I’m thrilled to see them expand their leadership roles.”
Prior to Disney, Sapire was VP of Development and Programming, FremantleMedia Kids & Family Group, overseeing live-action and animated series, including My Babysitter’s a Vampire, Russell T. Davies’ Wizards vs. Aliens and the Danger Mouse reboot. She served 10 years at Nickelodeon, where she helped launch Noggin and TeenNick, known for the groundbreaking Play with Me Sesame and Degrassi series, and oversaw development and production of award-winning series including the Peabody-winning A Walk in Your Shoes. She was also a producer at Scholastic, overseeing award-winning TV and software projects for the I Spy franchise, and began her career in production and research for PBS/WNET-TV science documentaries.
The Disney Junior brand first launched in 2011 and has grown to encompass media, music, Parks & Resorts and consumer experiences, including national touring shows, museum exhibits and a specialized music brand for kids and families, Disney Junior Music. The 24-hour Disney Junior linear network is currently pacing to be the No. 1 preschool network for the 10th consecutive year (2013-2022) in Total Viewers and Kids 2-5, and the incredibly popular Disney Junior YouTube page currently has 13 million subscribers.
On the heels as his guest Shark appearance on ABC’s Shark Tank, entertainer and entrepreneur Kevin Hart’s global media company Hartbeat has closed its deal with Black Sands Entertainment, the comics publisher focused on ancient Black history and developing strong Black characters.
Founded by husband and wife Manuel and Geiszel Godoy, the multiplatform publishing company is known for popular graphic novels based on African history across the diaspora, including Black Sands, the Seven Kingdoms, and developing animated shorts.
As part of the partnership, Hartbeat will offer strategic advisory services to help accelerate Black Sands’ storytelling efforts, especially in the area of film and TV. Hartbeat and Black Sands are currently in development on an animated feature and a series around the publisher’s flagship franchise, Black Sands.
“The moment that Manuel, Geiszel and the Black Sands Entertainment team walked into the Tank, I knew that this was a company that I wanted to bring into my ecosystem,” says Hart. “The Black Sands team was looking for a partner that has resources to grow their distribution, expand on their production, find new creative talent and promote their current and future portfolio of content — these are all areas of Hartbeat’S core business. I’m very excited that our team will be able to help Black Sands grow and continue to share their unique stories with audiences all over the world.”
Manuel Godoy, CEO of Black Sands Entertainment, commented on the collaboration, “I knew that when I saw Kevin Hart on stage, it was time to change the world. He understands the world of independent business and IP ownership. His expertise will help propel our brand into a household name and empower a new generation of young Black creators for years to come. Black Sands will be a top 10 anime in the world one day.”
The deal follows Black Sands Entertainment’s successful launch of a Kickstarter campaign that reached its goal of $10,000 in one minute and garnered $100,000 in one day. In addition to the success of the current Kickstarter campaign and the investment secured on Shark Tank from Hart through Hartbeat and Mark Cuban, Black Sands Entertainment has also sold 200,000 print copies of its comic books, resulting in $2 million in sales since its inception.
Hartbeat plans to continue investing in companies and creative talent that speak to diverse cultural experiences and advance representation in entertainment.
Black Sands Ent. recently launched a new promo video for its Black Sands anime series, which it is actively pitching to multiple outlets.
Multi-platform comedy & culture company Hartbeat comprises three divisions Hartbeat Studios, which finances, develops and produces innovative content; Hartbeat Media, which connects with consumers through events and the company’s distribution network; and the company’s branded entertainment studio. Hartbeat’s flagship consumer brand, the LOL! Network, reaches audiences across its O&O social media, audio and OTT partners.
Creator & President Manuel Godoy and his wife Geiszel founded Black Sands Entertainment in 2016 with the mission to publish content that caters to Black families. Black Sands has produced numerous comics and animated series and has sold more than 200,000 units to date, garnering hundreds of thousands of followers online and $2 million in sales. The company is leveraging its influence to help Black creators reach a large audience with the launch of The Black Sands Publishing App, which will serve as an exclusive platform for Black and Brown creators and continue to bridge readers and creators in these communities.
Today (Friday, November 4), the winners of the 49th Japan Prize (nhk.or.jp/jp-prize) were revealed in an online awards ceremony that. The Grand Prix Japan Prize, the Best Works of each of the six divisions, and two special prizes were announced.
The Japan Prize is an international competition for educational media, covering feature films, shorts, television and more. This year’s competition received 353 entries and proposals from 57 countries and regions. The shortlisted works were judged by 12 producers and media professionals representing 12 countries.
This year’s Grand Prix winner is the 2D-animated feature Dounia and the Princess of Aleppo, from Canadian studio Tobo Media, directed by Marya Zarif & André Kadi. The film depicts the journey of Dounia, a six-year-old girl in search of asylum after being forced to leave her homeland of Syria due to the civil war. When she encounters the many obstacles that stand in the way of her journey, it is the wisdom of the fairy tales she heard as a child that come to her rescue.
Imbued with Syrian culture in both the animated visuals and the accompanying music, and based on interviews with Syrian refugee children, the story combines their real-life experiences with fantasy.
Dounia was also awarded the Best Work in the Primary Division (The Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Prize).
Animation was further represented among the Special Prizes, with the colorful preschool-targeted short Luce and the Rock, directed by Britt Raes and produced by Thuristar, Studio Pupil and La Cabane Prod. (Belgium/France/Netherlands). The short was awarded the Japan Foundation President’s Prize, awarded to a work that encourages mutual understanding among nations and races or contributes to cultural exchange.
The film introduces Luce, a little girl living in quiet harmony with the rest of her small village — until a mysterious rock creature lands in the middle of everything, blocking the villagers from even opening their doors. Furious, Luce sets out to send the rock packing … but why is the rock there in the first place?
Awards also went to Little Tiger Feeding the Chickens (Best Work – Preschool Division), Spotless (Youth Division), Young Plato (Lifelong Learning Division), Cultural Heritage in 8K (Digital Media Division), Children of the Mist (UNICEF Prize), Teen Talk (Hoso Bunka Foundation Prize) and The Story of the Dew (National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan Prize).
Adult Swim Smalls is inviting viewers to step into the weird world of its latest animated short, Hot Future, now live on the Adult Swim YouTube channel. With textural CG animation crafted in real time, the film takes viewers into the future where humans must bust moves and blast foes to survive.
One thousand years into the future, where dance is violent and everything is hot. Johnny can’t find his girlfriend. When the beat drops, no one is safe.
Hot Future is the latest project from Mike Anderson and Ryan Dickie whose past collaborations include Good Morning, Pickles!, the SXSW selected short film Night Stalker and the multi-award winning music video for Yeasayer’s “I Am Chemistry.” The filmmakers used cutting edge tech — real-time 3D animation tools such as Unreal Engine alongside motion and performance capture — to create the short’s distinctive aesthetic.
“It’s like Step Up meets Mad Max in Bollywood,” explain Anderson and Dickie. “The beat drops and heads explode. Inspired by Fury Road, Fist of the North Star and S. S. Rajamouli in equal measure, we want to give audiences an unforgettable experience full of unique characters and unexpected twists.”
The 10-minute short is written, directed and produced by Anderson and Dickie. It stars Matt Barats, Blair Socci, Johnny Pemberton, Crystal Chau and Demorge Brown. Dance choreography and performance by Lauren Elly. Associate producers Brianna Sedor and Zac Swartout. Produced by Alex Plapinger.
Adult Swim Smalls commissions original short-form content by emerging animators and comedic voices from around the world. Since launching in 2018, the program has released over 300 shorts globally. Fans can find Adult Swim Smalls shorts on Adult Swim’s digital and linear platforms and streaming on HBO Max.
Stampede Ventures’ President Chris Bosco announced today that they have brought aboard veteran studio executive Nate Hopper, who will oversee the world-building, development and production of IP and original characters by worldwide bestselling and award-winning author and illustrator, Mo Willems (Elephant and Piggie and Pigeon book series), in which Stampede Ventures is a producing partner. Hopper will report to Stampede Ventures CEO Greg Silverman.
Stampede and Willems have already produced two specials on HBO Max, Storytime All Stars Presents: Don’t Let the Pigeon Do Storytime (nominated for two daytime Emmys) and recent animated rock-tacular Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Underground Rock Experience. Hopper will be responsible for building the robust upcoming slate. “I’m excited to have Nate’s wisdom and support as we move forward with a new slate of ideas and projects,” said Willlems. “Now the Pigeon can pester him about driving the bus!”
Hopper’s 20-year career in feature animation began in 2002 when he was hired as Sony’s first animation development executive. He was later promoted to Senior VP of the division, running the day-to-day creative on all Sony Pictures Animation films, including Open Season 1 & 2, Oscar-nominated Surf’s Up, Cloudy with a Chance Of Meatballs, the Hotel Transylvania franchise and Smurfs (2011).
Later, he was SVP in the Fox Family division from 2016-2019 and developed a slate of projects now at Disney+. Hopper later joined Paramount Animation as a senior executive overseeing The Tiger’s Apprentice and Transformers. Hopper has held various executive producer and writing roles, including EP on Freeform’s Siren and co-writer/EP on the Paramount-backed animated feature Paws of Fury.
Paul Cameron
Four cinema savants have accepted invitations to join the Science and Technology Council of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, joining returning members Bill Baggelaar, Linda Borgeson, Visual Effects Branch governor Brooke Breton, Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Branch governor Bill Corso, Sound Branch governor Teri E. Dorman, Theo Gluck, Buzz Hays, Greg Hedgepath, Leslie Iwerks, Andrea Kalas, Colette Mullenhoff, Ujwal Nirgudkar, Helena Packer, David Pierce, David Schnuelle, Andy Serkis, Leon Silverman, Amy Vincent and Jeffrey White. They are:
Paul Cameron, whose cinematography credits include Reminiscence, 21 Bridges, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, Collateral, Man on Fire, Swordfish, Gone in Sixty Seconds and other notable films. An Academy member since 2006, he currently serves as a Cinematographers Branch governor.
Paul Debevec
Paul Debevec returns to the Council as co-chair (alongside Lois Burwell) after serving from 2012-2018, with three of those years as co-chair. He is the director of research for production innovation at Netflix, where he oversees R&D in new technologies in computer vision, computer graphics and machine learning with applications in visual effects, virtual production and animation. An Academy member since 2010, Debevec currently serves as a Visual Effects Branch governor.
Tom Duffield
Tom Duffield, whose credits as production designer include Patriots Day, Hell or High Water, Lone Survivor and Ed Wood; and as art director include Men in Black, The Birdcage and Batman Returns. He has lectured at AFI, Chapman and Loyola universities and various other educational institutions around the United States. Duffield, an Academy member since 1989, currently serves as a governor of the Production Design Branch.
Marlon West
Marlon West, head of effects animation and a visual effects supervisor at Walt Disney Feature Animation Studios. He has worked on hand-drawn and computer-generated projects. West’s credits include Encanto, Frozen, Frozen II, Moana, Winnie the Pooh, The Princess and the Frog, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Fantasia 2000, Tarzan, Hercules, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Pocahontas and The Lion King. He is currently serving as VFX supervisor of Iwájú for Disney+. An Academy member since 2015, West currently serves as a Short Films and Feature Animation Branch governor.
Janine Conway
Fancy House of Visual Effects (Fancy VFX) has appointed two highly accomplished visual effects veterans to its senior team. Launched earlier this year, the studio has already worked with major international brands, and was sole VFX provider for the immersive experience O’Keefe: One Hundred Flowers.
Janine Conway joins as Senior Producer, bringing 10 years of experience as a producer at visual effects and design houses including Buck and Method Studios. She previously collaborated with Fancy VFX on ad campaigns for FedEx and Service Now. Her other recent credits as VFX Producer include Google, Microsoft, Mastercard, Comcast and Budweiser. Conway is hoping to use her experience and contacts to grow the studio’s relationships among agencies and brands.
Chris Green
Chris Green arrives as the studio’s new Compositing Supervisor from a post as Senior Nuke Compositor at Crafty Apes VFX. His recent credits include Showtime’s Dexter: New Blood, Apple TV+’s Severance and the CBS series Star Trek: Discovery. His background also includes work with New York studios MPC, Phosphene and The Molecule. Green’s first assignments at Fancy VFX will be the Starz series Power Book IV: Force the independent feature The Shade.
Ross Wilkinson
Framestore welcomes aboard Ross Wilkinson in the role of VFX Supervisor. Based in London, he is tasked with driving forward the design and execution of VFX on a range of advertising and episodic projects across the studio’s Interactive Advertising division.
Wilkinson joins from Lola Post Production, where he was Head of 3D and VFX Supervisor, having previously risen through the ranks at DNEG. With over 13 years’ industry experience, his work spans many high profile projects including Inception which was awarded an Oscar for VFX, the Harry Potter, Avengers and Mission Impossible franchises, plus Netflix’s Black Mirror Season 5, Riviera for Sky Atlantic and BBC’s Les Miserables.
Steve MacPherson
Award-winning VFX studio Milk has appointed VFX industry veteran Steve MacPherson as Chief Technology Officer. In the newly created role, MacPherson will be responsible for all of Milk’s technology strategy and operations including Systems, Pipeline, Editorial and R&D, to support and develop the studio’s rapidly growing creative and technical ambitions as it takes on an expanding roster of premium film and episodic projects.
MacPherson brings rich technology expertise born from his early days at NASA Ames for Cray Research, at MPC and as a co-founder of DNEG. He joins Milk from Framestore in London, where he was Chief Technology Officer for 10 years.
He arrives as Milk settles into its new studio in London’s Clerkenwell; its recent acquisition of Lola Post Production and growing episodic and film slate, including Sony Tristar’s The Woman King and the much anticipated second season of Amazon’s Good Omens. MacPherson will also work closely with Milk’s creative team to develop Milk’s real-time / Unreal pipeline. In this role, he will be collaborating with VFX and real-time supervisor He Sun on the new eight-part NBC series Surviving Earth.
The “Happy Holidays” collection is returning to Disney+ for the third year, premiering exclusive new movies, series and specials throughout November and December to get the whole family feeling festive — including the new animated special Night at the Museum: Kahumunrah Rises Again, available on December 9.
Disney+ will bring more of the season’s magic to subscribers with new titles from Disney Channel, Disney Junior and Disney XD coming to the “Happy Holidays” collection, including Mickey Saves Christmas (Nov. 28) and new holiday episodes of Puppy Dog Pals (Nov. 23), Marvel’s Spidey and His Amazing Friends (Nov. 30), Alice’s Wonderland Bakery (Dec. 7) and Eureka! (Dec. 14).
As a special treat for Muppets fans, the full-length version of The Muppet Christmas Carol including the song “When Love Is Gone” will be added to the extras page of the film on Disney+ on December 9 in celebration of its 30th anniversary.
In addition to the seasonal themed offerings, Disney+ offers a dynamic slate of new exclusive content streaming. Highlights for animation lovers include:
Zootopia+(Shorts) | November 9 |Zootopia+ heads back to the fast-paced mammal metropolis of Zootopia in a short-form series that dives deeper into the lives of some of the Oscar-winning feature film’s most intriguing residents, including Fru Fru, the fashion-forward arctic shrew; ZPD dispatcher Clawhauser, the sweet-toothed cheetah; and Flash, the smiling sloth who’s full of surprises.
Disenchanted| November 18 | A musical comedy sequel to Disney’s box office hit Enchanted, featuring the original cast from the heartwarming story of the lovable, hopelessly romantic maiden, Giselle from the fairy tale world of Andalasia who has grown disillusioned with life in the city and moves with her growing family to the suburbs in search of a more fairytale life.
Mickey: The Story of a Mouse| November 18 | Mickey Mouse is recognized as a symbol of joy and innocence in virtually every corner of the globe. Mickey became an overnight sensation when he starred in the first sync-sound animated short, Steamboat Willie. Through the decades, he evolved into strikingly different versions that reflect both his creator’s remarkable career and dramatic societal shifts in the nation he came to represent.
Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again | December 9 | Nick Daley is following in his father’s footsteps as night watchman at the American Museum of Natural History, so he knows what happens when the sun goes down. But when the maniacal ruler Kahmunrah escapes, it is up to Nick to save the museum once and for all.
Encanto at The Hollywood Bowl | December 28 | Step into Casa Madrigal for an unprecedented concert spectacular as the original voice cast of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Academy Award-winning Encanto reunites at the Hollywood Bowl. Starring Stephanie Beatriz (Mirabel), Adassa (Dolores), Carolina Gaitán (Pepa), Jessica Darrow (Luisa), Diane Guerrero (Isabela), Mauro Castillo (Félix), Angie Cepeda (Julieta) and Olga Merediz (Abuela Alma) and special guests, including legendary Colombian superstars and multiple Latin Grammy winners Carlos Vives and Andrés Cepeda,
Encanto at the Hollywood Bowl turns the historic venue into the world of the animated film that became a global phenomenon. This live-to-film concert experience, featuring an 80-person orchestra, 50 dancers and out-of-this-world special effects, gives viewers a front-row seat to the unprecedented musical extravaganza celebrating the world, characters and songs of Disney Animation’s Encanto.
The Disney+ Season’s Streamings celebration coincides with The Walt Disney Company’s 2022 Disney Ultimate Toy Drive benefiting the Marine Toys for Tots Program. For 75 years, Disney has supported Toys for Tots to help bring toys to millions of children in need during the holiday season. Families and fans can join the drive and give back to those who need it most by:
Donating a toy online at shopDisney.com from now through December 24, 2022, or
Donating a new, unwrapped toy in person at one of our drop-off locations now through December 12, 2022 (the list of which can be found at Disney.com/toydrive)
For fans looking to spread the joy of streaming with other Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic lovers, Disney+ is offering the option to gift a one-year subscription to new subscribers for $79.99. Details at disneyplus.com/welcome/gift-subscription.
The filmmakers behind Beltane, a stop-motion animated short inspired by ancient mythology, have officially announced the project is being supported by BFI Network, awarding funds from the U.K.’s National Lottery. The partnership was hinted at in August, when the producers launched a crowdfund campaign to meet their contributory obligation.
Working closely with the BFI Network’s South West hub, based in the Watershed creative technology center in Bristol, indie prodco Mycellum Productions has been busy developing the script, storyboard, animatic and begun fabrication for Beltane, which is being directed by Helena Houghton and written by WGGB Award nominee Matt Gibbs.
“We are passionate about the art of storytelling, and having the support of an esteemed organization like the BFI Network, has catalyzed the production, making it a reality,” said the short’s producer, Yomi Ayeni. “Production is underway, and we’re looking forward to revealing more of the process and world of Beltane soon.”
The five-minute horror short is described as “an evocative exploration of the Summer King myth, exploring themes of humanity’s careless attitude towards nature and feminine agency. Through the use of stop motion animation and shadow puppetry, the team aims to create a world immersed in horror and steeped in folklore.”
Beltane is the first animated short project from Mycellum Productions, based out of Bristol’s Puppet Place, and was initially funded at the end of August when the project’s Kickstarter campaign exceeded its £5,000 goal with the help of 76 backers.
VIZ Media has revealed the key English dub voice cast and U.S. launch time for BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War, the new four-cours anime series based on Tite Kubo’s smash-hit manga Bleach. Following its Japan premiere on TV Tokyo in October, the new Soul Reaper adventure will debut on Hulu streaming starting Friday, November 4 at 12 noon PT. (You can watch the Japanese language trailer below.)
The dub cast features the following performers in the main roles:
Johnny Yong Bosch (Dragon Ball Super: SUPER HERO) as Ichigo Kurosaki
Michelle Ruff (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba) as Rukia Kuchiki
Derek Stephen Prince (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba) as Uryu Ishida
Stephanie Sheh (Sailor MoonCrystal) as Orihime Inoue
Wally Wingert (Tiger & Bunny) as Renji Abarai
and Alain Mesa (CoD: Modern Warfare II) as Yasutora Sado (Chad)
Synopsis: Was it all just a coincidence, or was it inevitable?
Ichigo Kurosaki gained the powers of a Soul Reaper through a chance encounter. As a Substitute Soul Reaper, Ichigo became caught in the turmoil of the Soul Society, a place where deceased souls gather. But with help from his friends, Ichigo overcame every challenge to become even stronger
When new Soul Reapers and a new enemy appear in his hometown of Karakura, Ichigo jumps back into the battlefield with his Zanpakuto to help those in need. Meanwhile, the Soul Society is observing a sudden surge in the number of Hollows being destroyed in the World of the Living. They also receive separate reports of residents in the Rukon District having gone missing. Finally, the Seireitei, home of the Soul Reapers, comes under attack by a group calling themselves the Wandenreich.
The series is supervised by Kubo, directed by Tomohisa Taguchi with character design by Masashi Kudo and music by Shiro Sagisu. The opening theme “Scar” is performed, written and composed by Tatsuya Kitani; the ending theme “Saihate” is by SennaRin (artist/lyrics) and Hiroyuki Sawano (composition/arrangement). The animation is produced by studio Pierrot.
CBS announced today the star-studded voices behind the new CBS Original animated holiday special Reindeer in Here, which premieres Tuesday, Nov. 29 (9:01-10:01 p.m., PT/ET), on the CBS Television Network and will be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+. The one-hour special, filled with joy and magic for the whole family, will immediately follow the beloved holiday classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (8-9:01 p.m., ET/PT).
The cast of the special includes Adam Devine voicing Blizzard (or “Blizz”), Jim Gaffigan voicing Santa;, Melissa Villaseñor voicing Candy, Henry Winkler voicing Smiley, Candace Cameron Bure voicing Pinky, Donald Faison voicing Buck,; Jo Koy voicing Hawk, Gabriel Bateman voicing Theoand Brooke Monroe Conaway voicing Isla.
Based on the award-winning Christmas book and plush set created by Adam Reed, who serves as executive producer, written for the screen by Greg Erb & Jason Oremland and directed by former head of animation for Walt Disney Animation Studios Lino DiSalvo, Reindeer in Here tells the story of how Blizzard (Blizz), a young reindeer who has one antler that is significantly smaller than the other, and his unique group of friends band together to save the future of Christmas — and unknowingly create a magical holiday tradition like none other.
Published by Simon and Schuster, the Reindeer in Here book is now available as an updated giftable boxed set, which bundles the picture book (featuring new illustrations) with a huggable plush.
Reindeer in Here is produced by CBS’ Eye Animation Productions, CBS Studios’ animation arm. Executive producers and writers are Erb & Oremland (The Princess and the Frog, Monster High: The Movie). Jonathan Koch and Sander Schwartz are executive producers and DiSalvo is director and executive producer. Animation production is by Ottawa-based JamFilled. Executive producers for JamFilled are Jamie Leclaire, Phil Lafrance and Kyle Mac Dougall.
Cast & Characters
Blizzard (Blizz), a young reindeer living at the North Pole who has an unusual trait – one antler that is significantly smaller than the other – voiced by actor, comedian, singer, screenwriter and producer Adam Devine.
Santa, voiced by Grammy-nominated comedian, actor, writer, producer, New York Times bestselling author, Emmy-winning performer, and multiplatinum-selling recording artist Jim Gaffigan.
Candy, the oversharing snowgirl, voiced by comedian, actor, artist and author Melissa Villaseñor.
Smiley, an adorable and hilarious elf who has served as Santa’s harried H.O.H.O (head of holiday operations) for the past 500 years, voiced byEmmy Award-winning actor Henry Winkler.
Pinky, the beautifully blingy and only all-pink reindeer at the North Pole, voiced by Emmy-nominated actor, director, New York Times bestselling author and producer Candace Cameron Bure.
Bucky, the big-toothed nervous-Nelly reindeer, voiced by actor and comedian Donald Faison.
Hawk, the endearingly dim-witted mohawked polar bear, voiced by stand-up comedian and actor Jo Koy.
Theo, a lonely 10-year-old boy and the new kid in town who longs to make friends, voiced by young actor Gabriel Bateman.
Isla, Theo’s brilliant classmate, voiced by young actor Brooke Monroe Conaway.
A new featurette exploring Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Strange World has landed, revealing how the voice cast describes the upcoming feature: crazy, bizarre, adventurous, mysterious, thrilling, mind-blowing and, of course, strange.
Featured stars include Jake Gyllenhaal, the voice of Searcher Clade, a family man who finds himself out of his element on an unpredictable mission; Dennis Quaid, who voices Searcher’s larger-than-life explorer father, Jaeger; Jaboukie Young-White the voice of Searcher’s 16-year-old, adventure-seeking son, Ethan; Gabrielle Union, who voices Meridian Clade, an accomplished pilot and Searcher’s partner in all things; and Lucy Liu, who voices Callisto Mal, Avalonia’s fearless leader who spearheads the exploration into the strange world.
Opening in U.S. theaters this November 23, the film introduces a legendary family of explorers, the Clades, as they attempt to navigate an uncharted, treacherous land alongside a motley crew that includes a mischievous blob, a three-legged dog and a slew of ravenous creatures.
Strange World is helmed by Don Hall (Oscar-winning Big Hero 6, Raya and the Last Dragon) and co-director/writer Qui Nguyen (co-writer, Raya and the Last Dragon”), and produced by Roy Conli (Oscar-winning Big Hero 6, Tangled).
Canadian kids’ & family entertainment co. WildBrain has signed an overall first-look deal with acclaimed producer Bonnie Arnold (How to Train Your Dragon, Toy Story).
Academy Award and BAFTA nominee Arnold will spearhead numerous episodic projects, TV specials and features for WildBrain. Initial projects include Which Way to Anywhere, the latest novel from Cressida Cowell, the bestselling author of the How to Train Your Dragon series, as well as Cowell’s Emily Brown picture books. WildBrain has exclusively optioned both properties from Cowell.
“I love the unconventional characters and exciting worlds that Cressida creates. I’m thrilled to be working with her again on such a fresh and imaginative story,” said Arnold. “Which Way to Anywhere has all the right ingredients — comedy, heart and a little bit of magic too. WildBrain is an ideal partner for this and Emily Brown. Eric and the wonderful team at WildBrain Studios have so much experience creating outstanding family programming. I look forward to working with them in bringing these and other captivating stories that I am passionate about to the screen.”
Arnold produced all three blockbuster How to Train Your Dragon movies for DreamWorks Animation, based on Cowell’s bestselling novels, which have sold more than 10 million copies worldwide. The Dragons film franchise has grossed more than US$1.6 billion worldwide.
Cowell’s newest work, Which Way to Anywhere, was published in September 2022 by Hachette Children’s Group and immediately shot to the top of the Children’s and YA Fiction bestsellers lists in the U.K. The first in a new book series from Cowell, the novel has been heralded by The Times of London as “pacey, thrill-packed and highly imaginative” and by The Telegraph as a “joyously anarchic story.”
Synopsis: K2 O’Hero is a seemingly ordinary boy — after all, he and his twin sister Izzabird have been sworn to keep their family’s magical history a secret. Not even their infuriating stepsiblings, Theo and Mabel, know that magic exists. They believe K2 to be the most hopeless person they have ever known.
But K2 has a secret gift: he draws maps of worlds that are beyond the wildest of imaginations. Worlds with 600 moons, burning rivers and dark, twisty jungles alive with plants that hunt by the smell of fear. What K2 doesn’t know, is that the maps he draws are real.
When their baby sister Annipeck is kidnapped, the warring stepsiblings will have to use K2’s gift to find a crossing point into one of those worlds and embark on a daring rescue mission. With a terrible beast and a petrifying robot assassin in their way, they must learn to work together quickly — because the future of their family is at stake.
The critically acclaimed and award-winning five-volume Emily Brown picture-book series, which is illustrated by Neal Layton and follows Emily and her toy rabbit, Stanley, as they embark on intrepid adventures to help others, has been sold worldwide by Hachette Children’s Group.
“I couldn’t be more thrilled that we’ve reunited Bonnie Arnold with Cressida Cowell for two terrific new projects at WildBrain. Bonnie is a treasure in the world of animation, combining not only outstanding creative and storytelling vision, but also a keen commercial sensibility,” said WildBrain CEO Eric Ellenbogen. “Given her stewardship of the Dragons franchise, there’s no one better to bring Cressida’s splendid new novel, Which Way to Anywhere, to life on screen. Welcoming a producer of Bonnie’s exceptional taste and experience into the WildBrain fold will further elevate our creative slate both in scope and ambition.”
Cowell commented, “I have worked with Bonnie Arnold for over a decade with the How to Train Your Dragon movies: she’s a powerhouse of creativity and commercial instinct. I’m delighted to be partnering with her and the ambition, imagination and vision of WildBrain to bring Which Way to Anywhere and Emily Brown to screen.”
Two-time Academy Award nominee Bonnie Arnold is a veteran filmmaker and a leading force in imaginative storytelling. As an accomplished producer in almost every genre, the combined global revenue for the films that Arnold has produced totals more than US$2.2 billion at the box office.
Arnold most recently produced the Academy Award-nominated animated How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World. Previously, Arnold served as Co-President of Features at DreamWorks Animation, overseeing an impressive slate that included such successes as Kung Fu Panda 3, Trolls and The Boss Baby.
Arnold’s broad range as a producer spans from Disney’s history-making animated feature, Toy Story, to Sony Pictures Classics’ The Last Station. Additional credits include DreamWorks Animation’s Over the Hedge, Disney’s Tarzan, Best Picture Oscar winner Dances with Wolves and hit comedy The Addams Family.
Inu-Oh, the much-lauded latest acclaimed director Masaaki Yuasa (Ride Your Wave; Mind Game; Night Is Short, Walk On Girl) will take the stage on major digital platforms on December 20 and on Blu-Ray + DVD on January 24 from GKIDS, with distribution by Shout! Factory.
Certified Fresh by Rotten Tomatoes, Inu-Oh is a soaring glam-rock opera set in fourteenth-century Japan from visionary director Yuasa, that is an ode to the power of music and a forceful statement on artistic freedom. Featuring character creation from manga artist Taiyo Matsumoto (Tekkonkinkreet), who previously collaborated with Yuasa on the anime adaptation of Matsumoto’s series Ping Pong the Animation, Inu-Oh features original rock songs by the lead voice actors Avu-chan and Mirai Moriyama.
Fans picking up the home release will be treated to bonus features including audio commentary and interviews with the original cast, an interview with Yuasa and more. The physical release exclusively includes the all-new English language dub, and is now available for pre-order on GKIDS.com and ShoutFactory.com.
Inu-Oh made its world debut at the 78th Venice International Film Festival, followed by a North American premiere at the 46th Toronto International Film Festival, marking the Yuasa’s first invitation to both. Following the film’s presentation as a work in progress at the 2020 Annecy Film Festival, Yuasa returned to Annecy honored as the patron of the 2022 MIFA Campus. The film continued its world tour at several other international film festivals including Fantasia (Winner: Satoshi Kon Award), Warsaw, Seattle, Tokyo, Bucheon Int’l Animation Festival (Winner: International Feature) and more. The film also enjoyed a successful North American theatrical run.
Synopsis: Born to an esteemed family, Inu-oh is afflicted with an ancient curse that has left him on the margins of society. When he meets the blind musician Tomona, a young biwa priest haunted by his past, Inu-oh discovers a captivating ability to dance. The pair quickly become inseparable friends as crowds flock to their electric, larger-than-life concerts. But when those in power threaten to break up the band, Inu-oh and Tomona must dance and sing to uncover the truth behind their creative gifts.
This Sunday, acclaimed Oregon animation studio LAIKA capped its month of special screenings and activities at the Academy Museum with an extra special and seasonally spooky day, featuring showings of two beloved films, activities and a compelling filmmakers conversation.
Fans of all ages got hands-on with ‘Coraline’ and ‘ParaNorman’ themed creative workshops.
Visitors were able to catch screenings of Coraline(2009) and ParaNorman(2012), with cosplay encouraged and the chance to meet their favorite characters. Throughout the month, LAIKA artists also visited the Museum to share their expertise with guests in special activities and drop-in workshops. Guests were also able to score exclusive merchandise in the Academy Museum Store.
Costume designer Deborah Cook admires a new look for Norman created during the Academy Museum’s LAIKA workshop.
Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, ParaNorman features Kodi Smit-McPhee as the voice of Norman Babcock: a teenage boy with the ability to communicate with the dead who finds himself forced to save his hometown from a witch’s curse. This visually imaginative and surprising emotional stop-motion horror-comedy was nominated for the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, and features a charming score by Jon Brion (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind). It was also the first PG-rated animated feature to receive a GLAAD nomination for its depiction of Mitch, a gay teenage character.
L-R: Deborah Cook, Arianne Sutner, Chris Butler and moderator Ramin Zahed discussed the making of and legacy of ‘ParaNorman’ in a special post-screening Q&A.
Following the screening of ParaNorman in the Museum’s Ted Mann Theater, the celebration continued with a live Q&A featuring writer-director Chris Butler, producer Arianne Sutner and costume designer Deborah Cook, moderated by Animation Magazine Editor-in-Chief, Ramin Zahed.
Don’t worry, you’re not seeing double! A young fan in cosplay poses with LAIKA’s fearless heroine Coraline.
The eighth edition of Cartoon Springboard welcoming young animation talents from across Europe to Madrid, Spain from October 25-27, to present their next-gen projects and offer attendees a vision of the themes, artistic styles and preferred formats the industry can expect in the near future.
Cartoon Springboard’s first Madrid event was organized as ever by European animation org CARTOON.
Spanish animator, screenwriter, producer, and director Sergio Pablos(Klaus, The SPA Studios) opened the event with an inspiring master class on story development for the 170-some participants from 24 countries present at this event, supported by Creative Europe – MEDIA, the Region of Madrid, Madrid City Council, Madrid Film Office and ICEX Spain Trade and Investments.
Featuring professionals from 13 countries, the conferences held at the event explored the latest trends and challenges facing European animation. In addition to Pablos, guest speakers included Telidja Klaï (Belgium public children’s channel Ketnet-VRT), who talked about the definition of target audiences; Daniella Gallegos (Tribes Media – Glitch, Netherlands), who reflected on the role of VoD services; and Louis Jacobée (Gallimard Group, France), who delved into the relationship between the publishing and animation industries.
Developed by students or recently graduated screenwriters, directors or producers from animation schools based in Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Slovakia, and Spain, the projects were pitched in front of a panel of 26 experts in order to ensure their creative and financial strengthening.
With six projects, Spanish animation led the line-up followed by France (four), Czech Republic (three) and Denmark (two). Germany, Belgium, Croatia, Slovakia, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, and Sweden were present with one project each.
Comedy was king, expressed in a range of genres from the romantic to the absurdest and darkest twist on humor. Freely expressed approaches to current social challenges — such as inclusivity, diversity, immigration, environmental issues and ecological anxiety — also stood out amid the 23 selected projects.
Format-wise, TV series topped the list with 15 works, while web series continued to gain ground with six projects, confirming their importance as a memorable introduction for new talents to the global industry. The selection also included two feature films and one TV Special.
In terms of target audience, animation aimed at Young Adult/Adult audiences accounted for almost half of the selection (46%). The rest was divided between projects for children 5-11 with 34%, and for family audiences with 12%, while projects for preschoolers and teenagers represented 4% each.
Topics & Trends for 2022
Salty Banana
Positive vibes. More than half of the projects were listed under “Comedy,” 14 in total, and 13 projects were defined as “Adventure,” expressing the next generation’s eagerness to pursue a positive approach in animation. Popular projects included Apocalypse Mojito (Animation Sans Frontière), Beanboy (The Animation Workshop), Happily Never After (Tomas Bata University), KAHIBO (Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg), Missing Pieces (La Salle Campus Barcelona – Universitat Ramón Llull) and Salty Bananas (Academy of Fine Arts, Croatia).
Garbage
Contemporary challenges. Sustainability is touched upon in multiple projects — the future of our planet is in question, and the answer is sometimes absurd or extreme, like in Garbage (FAMO, Czech Republic) or The Last Drop (Universidad Politécnica de Valencia). Diversity has also emerged as a major concern, with projects touching on racism, LGBT issues and mental health at the forefront in Awa in the Desert(Universidad Pompeu Fabra) or For an Hour and a Half (EMCA, France).
Surkotés
Friends and family first. Symptomatic of our post-COVID times, solo main characters are giving way in favor of a core family or group of friends; a community supporting each of its members. Examples are Ajo West! (New Animation Sardinia), Dark Dark Woods (The Animation Workshop ), Eva and the World (Gobelins), Lil’ Wonders (Pulse College, Ireland), OTIS (Academy of Performing Arts - Film & Television Faculty), Phantasma (Lightbox Academy, Spain), Surkotés (HEAJ, Belgium) and The Red Cliff (Willem de Kooning Academie).
Women behind the camera. As for the creative teams supporting the projects presented on stage, Cartoon Springboard saw a strong show for women in animation: 42% of directors and 44% of project pitchers.
Eva and the World
New business models and alliances. When young creators and producers team up, it’s for the best! Some even already have funded their creative studio, for the projects Eva and the World, Fridge & TV (U-tad, Spain) and The Cherry Brothers (Gobelins). Others relied on the support of their regional fund, like Ajo West!with NAS (New Animation Sardinia).
A strange world. Absurd humor and dystopia were topics of choice in Apocalypse Mojito, Fridge & TV, Happily Never After, Missing Pieces and Salty Banana.
Dialog-free. A few projects decided to go without any words, at least not from an understandable language; notably 9 Million Colors and Lazaro (La Poudrière, France).
The Cherry Brothers
Stunning visuals. Stop-motion, animation on live shots and ultra-colors featured in 9 Million Colors (FAMU, Czech Republic), For an Hour and a Half, Dark Dark Woods, Surkotés and The Cherry Brothers.
Telepathic sympathy. On several creators’ minds was the possibility of entering someone else’s, to read it and gain better understanding of emotions and feelings, such as in Beanboy, Eva & The World and Rille & Julia (Vancouver Film School).
Since Cartoon Springboard’s first edition in 2015, a total of 190 projects have been presented, nine of which have been released and another 60 are in active development. The event has been tagged as a first step before CARTOON’s co-production events for animated series (Cartoon Forum) and feature films (Cartoon Movie).
Cartoon Springboard will return to Madrid for its next edition, taking place October 24-26, 2023. Visit cartoon-media.eu for more information.
Academy Award-nominated French animation studio Xilam Animation is extending its partnership with Youku, the online video and streaming platform of Alibaba Group, for a second season of 2D/3D animated preschool seriesLupin’s Tales.
This season, Youku comes on board as co-production partner for the series. The new episodes will also be available on France Télévisions (France), as commissioning broadcaster. Currently in production, S2 Lupin’s Tales will consist of 78 x 7’ episodes and is set to launch on Youku and France Télévisions in early 2024.
Lupin’s Tales follows a wolf-cub who dreams of being like the storybook heroes he admires and goes from one tale to another to live out their adventures through all continents and ages. But the impetuous Lupin is far from perfect, and it is not always easy for him to get to his “happily ever after” — luckily, he can count on help from the narrator and on his good heart to guide him and learn from his mistakes.
The upcoming second season will see the introduction of a new environment as Lupin journeys into space.
Alongside the new instalment, Xilam Animation is producing a new series of 26 x 2’30 shorts from the show’s universe for the two broadcasters, titled Lupin on a Mission, which is set to launch from this Christmas. In the shorts, Lupin is always ready to lend a helping hand, and thanks to his can-do attitude and his cleverness, there’s not a problem he can’t crack!
Lupin’s Tales
“Following our highly successful partnership with Youku on the original season of Lupin’s Tales, which marked our first ever French-Chinese co-production project, it’s fantastic to now be building upon this with an all-new season of this beloved show,” said Xilam Animation CEO Marc du Pontavice. “We’ve seen Lupin’s Tales capture the hearts and imaginations of audiences across China, as demonstrated by its impressive performance results, and all around the world, so we can’t wait to bring fans these new episodes and shorts that promise even more magical adventures.”
Xilam and Youku co-produced the first season of Lupin’s Tales, which launched in 2021 and, according to a report published by Nian Tong Kids Observe, ranked as the fifth best performing international new series across all VOD platforms in China in terms of views and performance.
“We’re delighted to extend our partnership with Xilam Animation and to bring all new Lupin’s Tales content to Youku and China,” added Qian Wu, VP of Alibaba Digital Media & Entertainment and General Manager of Youku Kids. “The first season has been hugely popular with our audiences, who love having the chance to journey into different worlds with the endearing young wolf cub, and we know they’re now going to be really excited to travel around the cosmos in the brand new episodes.”
Under the existing deal, Xilam and Youku are also collaborating to develop a range of merchandise for China and international markets, with an initial focus on educational products. Alibaba holds distribution and merchandising rights to Lupin’s Tales in mainland China, and Xilam handles the rest of the world.
Montreal-Madrid based Pink Parrot Media has announced the voice cast for its 3D animated featureButterfly Tale at this year’s American Film Market (AFM), casting the voice talents of Tatania Maslany (She-Hulk, Trollhunters, Rise of the Titans, Bite Size Halloween) as Jennifer and Mena Massoud (Aladdin, Aladdin 2, The Royal Treatment) as Patrick/ The film is set for theatrical release in the fall of 2023.
“I couldn’t be more thrilled to have Tatiana and Mena on board to voice these characters,” said director Sophie Roy. “I’ve been following Tatiana’s career for years. She’s an exciting actress with unbelievable range second to none. She is the perfect person to play Jennifer. Finding an actor to play Patrick whose character is resilient, naive, fearless and optimistic was no easy task. Mena has all these qualities and more. I can’t wait to go into the recording studio with these two talented actors!”
Synopsis: Butterfly Tale is a heartwarming animated feature film about Patrick, a gutsy and resourceful teen butterfly who cannot fly — but won’t let that keep him down! It is a tale of adventure, self-realization and heroism, told with humor, whichmessage is that our differences are less important than the bonds we share, and it is in adversity that our true character shines through.
“We have been eagerly looking for just the right voices to portray these two wonderful characters,” said Tania Pinto Da Cunha, VP/Partner at Pink Parrot Media. “Tatiana and Mena have an enormous amount of talent, as seen in their acting credits. We are so lucky to have these two actors as part of our feature. Together, the two of them are going to bring Patrick and Jennifer to life, ready to share the adventures we have set forth in Butterfly Tale.”
The film is produced by Marie-Claude Beauchamp of Montreal-based CarpeDiem Film & TV (Snowtime, Racetime) and Emely Christians of Germany’s Ulysses Films (The Amazing Maurice, Ooops! Noah Is Gone). The producers said in a joint comment:
“We are very happy to be producing this fantastic film full of excitement, heart and fun and that we are now able to roll-out with announcements about this amazing cast! Tatiana and Mena will inspire the success of our butterflies and carry them into the world.”
Butterfly Tale
Butterfly Tale animated feature film has already been pre-sold to Canada (Vortex, Maison 4:3), CIS (Top Films), France (Wildbunch), Former Yugoslavia (Blitz), Germany (Wildbunch), Middle East (Front Row), Spain (Flins & Piniculas) and Poland & Romania (Monolith).
Directed by Roy, whose previous credits include producer on Racetime and The Legend of Sarila, the family adventure’s writing team includes Heidi Foss and Lienne Sawatsky.
As well as being an author, screenwriter, story editor and working in series development for shows on HBO, FOX, PBS, YTV, Nickelodeon and BBC, Foss is a well-known Canadian stand-up comedian. Foss recently served as story editor on the first season of Air Bud Ent.’s Pup Academy (Disney).
Sawatsky was nominated for the 2019 Canadian Screen Awards and WGC Awards for Best Writing on the animated TV series Wishfart. She is best known for her work on notable series for Disney Channel (Sidekicks), Nickelodeon (MiddlemostPost), Cartoon Network (Hot Wheels: Battle Force 5) and more recently the original Netflix show Kid Cosmic.
Butterfly Tale was recognized with the Animation Screenplay Award from the 2021 Stuttgart International Animation Film Festival (IFTS).
