Fans of Rick and Morty will be trick-or-treated to a spookily special new short featuring a new look for the multiverse this weekend. Premiering Sunday, October 30 at midnight on Adult Swim, “Summer’s Sleepover” will be available to stream the next day (Halloween) on HBO Max and Adult Swim’s YouTube channel.
Created by British claymation filmmaker Lee Hardcastle (The ABCs of Death; leehardcastle.com), this trippy horror short unleashes an unexpected guest on Summer’s sleepover party.
Emmy-winning animated comedy Rick and Morty follows a sociopathic genius scientist who drags his inherently timid grandson on insanely dangerous adventures across the universe. Rick Sanchez is living with his daughter Beth’s family and constantly bringing her, his son-in-law Jerry, granddaughter Summer, and grandson Morty into intergalactic escapades.
Season 6 picks up with Rick and Morty where we left them — worse for wear and down on their luck. Will they manage to bounce back for more adventures? Or will they get swept up in an ocean of piss! Who knows?! Piss! Family! Intrigue! A bunch of dinosaurs! More piss! Another can’t miss season of your favorite show.
Rick and Morty stars Justin Roiland (Solar Opposites), Sarah Chalke (Scrubs), Chris Parnell (Saturday Night Live) and Spencer Grammer (Greek). The series is created by Dan Harmon (Community) and Roiland, who also serve as executive producers.
The #1 comedy across all U.S. cable in 2017, 2019 and 2021, since launch Rick and Morty has ranked as one of the top series for HBO Max, both domestically and globally. Lifetime to date, the half-hour series has been viewed over 10B times globally, across linear, digital and streaming.
Multi-award-winning Hungarian animation studio Cinemon Entertainment has unveiled a teaser trailer for its upcoming animation feature Four Souls of Coyote. Made with support from the Hungarian Film Institute, the project marks the continued expansion of Cinemon’s project roster as its fourth in-house feature production in the last five years.
Billed as an epic adventure based on a Native American creation myth, the film highlights the increasingly pressing need to live in harmony with the environment — before it is too late. Through adventures filled with animals, magic, hunger, greed and the sacred circle of all creations, the story gives us hope that humans can correct our course and preserve our species’ existence on Earth.
The film is created and directed by Áron Gauder, joined by co-writer Géza Bereményi. Gauder made a splash on the global animation scene with his feature debut, The District!, which was a hit in Hungarian cinemas and a favorite at festivals, screening at Toronto and picking up awards at Zagreb, Ottawa, Krok, Sitges, Kiev, Seoul and Annecy, where it won the Cristal for Feature Film.
Gauder began working on Four Souls of Coyote in 2017, teaming up with Cinemon and producer Réka Temple. The film project is now nearing completion.
According to the director, the film’s primary aim is to offer a cinematic escape for audiences, presenting a magical world inspired by Native American folklore that takes us back to the wonders of life. The animated retelling of Coyote’s universal creation myth is teamed with messages about sustainability and shared responsibility.
Squarely aimed at a young audience, the project will make use of 2D and 3D, paintings and drawings created by Gauder himself. The animation director was Zsolt Baumgartner, and the producers say the film’s music was selected from authentic Native American songs. Production duties are being handled by Budapest-based Cinemon Entertainment.
Four Souls of Coyoteis due to be released in Hungarian cinemas in 2023.
WildBrain, a global leader in kids’ and family entertainment, has secured worldwide distribution rights for Seasons 1 and 2 of the brand-new 2D-animated comedy-adventure series, Saving Me(20 x 22’ total). Produced by Montreal’s Sphere Animation in partnership with BYUtv, the series is currently available for delivery.
“Saving Me is a heartwarming second-chance story, perfect for kids and the whole family to enjoy together. It’s laugh-out-loud fun and a terrific addition to our robust catalog of animated content,” said Caroline Tyre, VP Global Sales & Rights Strategy at WildBrain. “We’re excited to share this entertaining adventure series with audiences around the world.”
Synopsis: What would you tell your 11-year-old self if you had the chance? Saving Me is the story of a tech billionaire from the distant future who has messed up his life, relationships and the world, but who now has the opportunity to reinvent his life and the future by going back in time to team up with … himself.
“We are thrilled with the work our team accomplished on Saving Me and on the outcome of our partnership with BYUtv. This is the beginning of a great relationship with an important player in family television,” commented Sphere Animation President & Producer Jacques Bilodeau.
Principal voice actors in Saving Me include Ivan Sherry (Inspector Gadget), Adam Sanders (Clifford the Big Red Dog), Jonathan Tan (My Little Pony: Tell Your Tale), Amariah Faulkner (Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood), Ana Sani (Strawberry Shortcake: Berry in the Big City), Dan Chameroy (Hotel Transylvania: The Series), Cory Doran (Total DramaRama) and Jamie Watson (True and the Rainbow Kingdom).
The 24th Bucheon International Animation Festival (BIAF2022) came to a close in South Korea on Tuesday, announcing its international selection of winning films.
The European co-pro feature No Dogs or Italians Allowed by Alain Ughetto won the festival’s Grand Prize. The autobiographical film, based on the director’s family history, has been described as “a simple and frank film that shows the director’s bond with his family.” The BIAF jury noted, “It is an understatedly beautiful film. We were deeply moved by the scene where the director’s real hand moves in interaction with the animated character’s hand.”
The Jury Prize for the feature film competition went to Dozens of Norths by Koji Yamamura. “Great animation work, you can feel the director’s artistic passion and the theme is outstanding,” jury members enthused. Special Distinction Prizes went to My Love Affair with Marriageby Signe Baumane and Perlimps by Alê Abreu. Warmly received by attendees, Little Nicholas – Happy asCan Be took the Audience Prize.
The Feature Film competition was judged by Jury President Florence Miaihle, novelist Choyeop Kim, Félix Dufour-Laperrière and Yusuke Hirota.
Nayola
The COCOMICS Music Prize went to Nayola by José Miguel Ribeiro, a film about three generations of women and their solidarity in the Angolan Civil War. The film also won the DHL Diversity Prize, taking two awards in total.
The jury for the Music Prize was made up of director Byungjun Kwon and actress Eunsoo Shin.
The judges described Nayola as “a masterpiece in which the rhythm is felt throughout the play, not only the rap but the lines are also musical, and the music harmonizes well with the drawings.”
The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyesby Tomohisa Taguchi won the Korean Animation Studies President’s Prize, and Perlimps by Alê Abreu won the Korea Animation Industry Association Prize.
The Debutante
The Grand Prize for a Short Film was given to The Debutante by Elizabeth Hobbs. Juries commented that the “film makes us feel an instinctive sympathy for this girl who doesn’t want to be a good girl. We witness a conservative and patriarchal society that forces this debutante, which makes her deny who she is and find no way but to let her inner hyena come out. It is the story of a time and place that may have not changed that much.”
The Jury Prize went to Scale by Joseph Pierce. “Big films find their strength in general aspects as in their smallest details. Here the director focused on every detail,” the jury commented. Special Distinction Prizes were given to Christopher at Sea by Tom CJ Brown, El After del Mundo by Florentina Gonzalez and Two Sisters by Anna Budanova.
Run Totti Runby Shad Bradbruy won the Audience prize for favorite short, and Dog – Apartment by Priit Tender won the AniB’s Choice.
The Short Film Competition was juried by Hugo Covarrubias, Dahee Jeong and Bastien Dubois.
Addition special awards, the cocone M Prize and EBS Prize Short Film, went to Home of the Heart by Sarah Saidan and Canary by Pierre-Hugues Dallaire and Benoit Therriault, respectively.
Persona
Persona by Sujin Moon won the Jury Prize for a Graduation Film. “It is a unique and creative film with excellent sensuous, realistic description,” the jury remarked.
The Jury Prize for TV & Commissioned Film went to Funny Birds by Charlie Belin.
House of Existence by Yumi Joung won the Jury Prize for a Korean Short Film, and I Am a Horse by Chaerin Im took the Special Distinction Prize.
The jurists for Graduation / TV & Commissioned Film / Korean Short Film were producer Hiromi Seki, director Yantong Zhu and editor Juhyun Lee.
The winner of the Venice Immersive Grand Jury Prize, Main Square by Pedro Harres, won the Jury Prize for a VR Film at BIAF2022 as well.
BIAF2023 will mark the festival’s 25th year. Visit biaf.or.kr for more information.
The 2022 World Animation Summit will soon bring together creative luminaries and industry leaders to explore the latest trends and technologies in animation and VFX next month, as well as celebrate the just-announced stars being honored with this year’s Hall of Fame awards. Animation Magazine is also excited to offer readers the chance to win a pair of tickets to the Summit (details below).
Taking place November 6-9 on the grounds North Hollywood’s historic hotel The Garland, the Summit will kick off with an opening night gala and award ceremony (Nov. 6), followed by three days of special keynotes, panels and networking breakfasts, lunches and parties with top-tier executives and creative talent representing various aspects of the industry.
Kristine Belson. President of Sony Pictures Animation, who has led the studio through its brightest years (which have seen the release of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, The Mitchells vs. the Machines, Vivo and Hair Love).
Jorge R. Gutierrez. Writer-director of Netflix’s Annie Award-winning limited series Maya and the Three, director of the feature The Book of Life and co-creator of Nickelodeon’s Emmy-winning show El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera.
Ramsey Naito. President of Nickelodeon and Paramount Pictures, who has been a driving force behind movies such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and PAW Patrol: The Movie and hit shows such as Star Trek: Prodigy, Big Nate, Santiago of the Seas and Kamp Koral.
Peter Ramsey. Academy Award-winning director of Sony’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and DreamWorks’ Rise of the Guardians, producer of 2023’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and director of Netflix’s limited series Lost Ollie.
Henry Selick. Academy Award-nominated director of stop-motion classics The Nightmare Before Christmas, Coraline and James and the Giant Peach and Netflix’s acclaimed new feature Wendell & Wild.
Mark Swift. Long-time DreamWorks Animation producer whose many credits include Penguins of Madagascar, Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie, The Croods: A New Age and this year’s Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.
Genndy Tartakovsky. Creator of beloved and award-winning animated shows such as Samurai Jack, Sym-Bionic Titan, Star Wars: Clone Wars and Primal and director of Hotel Transylvania and its two sequels.
TeamTO. Pioneering indie French animation studio behind such favorites such as Angelo Rules, Mighty Mike, YellowBird, Rabbids Invasion, City of Ghosts and the upcoming show, Jade Armor.
Jean Thoren
“It has been so rewarding to see our Animation Summit grow and flourish with each passing year. Despite all the challenges our industry has faced over the past year, 2022 has been quite an amazing year in terms of the range and high caliber of all the new animated movies, series and shorts available to fans of the medium,” says Summit founder and president and publisher of Animation Magazine Jean Thoren.
“Once again, we are thrilled to be able to celebrate and spotlight the vitality of our business and community and to spotlight the achievements of the creative forces in the animation industry. We can’t wait to catch up with all our friends in the worldwide animation community and learn about the their latest innovations and thrilling new projects at the Summit this year.”
Must-See Panels
This year’s Summit will explore many different facets of the animation and VFX industries. Panels will focus on advances in new animation technologies, co-production opportunities, how to pitch animated project to the top execs, a special focus on the latest adult animation boom, the 2023 business survival guide, how to produce your animation project, what animation execs are looking for in the near future and what leading studio recruiters look for in job candidates.
This year’s event will also feature special keynotes by iconic Disney director John Musker (The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, The Princess and the Frog, Moana), show creator Karissa Valencia (Spirit Rangers) and exec producer/supervising director Mike Hollingsworth (Inside Job, BoJack Horseman, Cat Burglar), as well as a fireside chat with Sony Picture Animation’s president Kristine Belson and a festive 20th Anniversary Party for Sony Pictures Animation.
The Summit agenda also features informative talks with the directors, producers and key creatives on this year’s animated films that are contenders for Academy Awards. Sessions
showcasing the making of top animated features include The Bad Guys, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, Lightyear, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, Wendell & Wild, Luck, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, My Father’s Dragon, The Sea Beast, Strange World and Turning Red. A spotlight on some of the award-winning animated shorts of the year will feature Black Slide, Christopher at Sea, Ice Merchants, Mr. Spam Gets a New Hat, My Year of Dicks, Sierra, The Flying Sailor and The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse.
To learn more about the 2022 World Animation Summit and how to purchase tickets, visit the official website at animationmagazine.net/summit.
FREE TICKET GIVEAWAY!
Animation Magazine is giving away five pairs of tickets to this can’t-miss Summit (excluding the sold-out Awards Gala) to the first readers to email ramin@animationmagazine.net with the subject line, “I want to go to the Summit!” Giveaway participants must be able to arrange their own travel to the Summit in North Hollywood, California.
L-R: Kristine Belson (Sony Pictures Animation), Margie Cohn (DreamWorks Animation) and Ramsey Naito (Nickelodeon/Paramount) discuss the state of the industry at the 2021 World Animation Summit.
Featured Speakers & Panelists
A complete list of Summit speakers is available here.
Saraswathi Balgam, Founder, Dancing Atoms
Zoe Bamsey, Head of Animation Development, BBC Kids & Family
Simon Barrionuevo, Founder, Pudoctopus
Ben Bayouth, Exec Producer, The Paloni Show! Halloween Special
Peter Baynton, Director; The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse
Kristine Belson, President, Sony Pictures Animation
Kim Berglund, VP of Development, Disney Junior
Carlos Biern, Director of Content & Distribution, Kids & Family, DEAplaneta Ent.
Tricia Biggio, CEO, Invisible Universe
Matt Bilfield, Artist and Director, Blockchain Creative Labs
Davis Brimer, Founder and CEO, Gamisodes
Mark Caballero, Founder, Screen Novelties
Sadaf Cohen Muncy, SVP, HappyNest Entertainment
Joel Crawford, Director, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, The Croods: A New Age
Mo Davoudian, Exec Creative Director/CEO, Brain Zoo
John Derevlany, Writer/Producer, Squish, LEGO Chima, Akedo
Karen Dufilho, Exec Producer, Epic Games
Frank Falcone, President, Creative Director, Guru Studio
Dean Fleischer Camp, Director, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On
Debbie Flores, Associate, Fox Rothschild
Amanda Forbis, Director, The Flying Sailor, When the Day Breaks
Jake Friedman, Author, The Disney Revolt, The Art of Blue Sky Studios
João Gonzalez, Director, Ice Merchants
Mark Gustafson, Director, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
Don Hall, Director, Strange World
Chris Hamilton, President/Creative Director, OddBot Inc.
Guillaume Hellouin, Founder, TeamTO
Richard Hickey, CCO, Moonbug Entertainment
Bob Higgins, President, Trustbridge Global Media
Mike Hollingsworth, Exec Producer/Supervising Director (BoJack Horseman, Inside Job)
Peggy Holmes, Director, Luck
Ron Holsey, Exec Producer, Interrupting Chicken
Shane Houghton, Co-Creator, Big City Greens
Elizabeth Ito, Director/Exec Producer, City of Ghosts, Yuki 7
Jasmine Johnson, Senior Director Production, Moonbug Entertainment
Sander Joon, Director, Sierra
William Joyce, Writer-Director, Mr. Spam Gets a New Hat, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
Andrew Kavanaugh, CEO/Founder, Kavaleer Productions
Brooke Keesling, Head of Animation Talent Development, Bento Box Ent.
Scott Kreamer, Executive Producer, Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous
Joel Kuwahara, Co-Founder, President of Production, Bento Box Ent.
Cort Lane, Exec Producer, My Little Pony: Make Your Mark
Wendy Tilby, Director, The Flying Sailor, When the Day Breaks
Nora Twomey, Director, My Father’s Dragon, The Breadwinner
Karissa Valencia, Creator, Spirit Rangers
Annette Van Duren, Founder, The Van Duren Agency
Dave Wasson, Exec Producer, The Cuphead Show!
Daniel Weidenfeld, Senior VP, Animation, FOX Entertainment
Chris Williams, Director, The Sea Beast, Moana
Kris Wimberly, Co-Founder/Head of Creative, Studio Smokescreen
The World Animation Summit will once again be hosted on the charming grounds of The Garland in North Hollywood.
The Agenda at a Glance
Monday, Nov. 7
8:30 — Registration & Networking Breakfast 10:00 — Creative Keynote: Karissa Valencia (Spirit Rangers) 10:30 — Creative Keynote: Mike Hollingsworth (BoJack Horseman, Cat Burglar) 11:00 — How I Got My Show Made! Ben Bayouth, Bob Higgins, Shane Houghton, Mary Bredin 12 PM — Finding the Right Global Partners. Simon Barrionuevo, Carlos Biern, Frank Falcone, Andrew Kavanagh, Karen L. Miller, Sander Schwartz 1:00 — Networking Lunch 2:30 — Award Season Feature Contenders, Part 1. Dean Fleischer Camp (Marcel the Shell with Shoes On), Joel Crawford (Puss in Boots: The Last Wish), Mark Gustafson (Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio), Peggy Holmes (Luck), Domee Shi (Turning Red), Chris Williams (The Sea Beast) 3:20 — Award Season Feature Contenders, Part 2. Don Hall (Strange World), Angus MacLane (Lightyear), Pierre Perifel (The Bad Guys), Henry Selick (Wendell & Wild), Nora Twomey (My Father’s Dragon) 4:30 — Local Heroes: Catching Up with L.A. Indie Studios. Mark Caballero, Mo Davoudian, Selma Gladney-Edelman, Chris Hamilton, Mark Hoffmeier, Mike Rauch 5:30 — L.A. Studio Party
Tuesday, Nov. 8
9 AM — Networking Breakfast 10:00 — Perfecting the Art of the Pitch. Dan Clark, Sadaf Cohen Muncy, Curtis Lelash, Kris Wimberly 11:00 — The Business of Show Business. Debbie Flores, Gregory McKnight, Matt Shichtman, Annette Van Duren 12 PM — Animation Execs Tell You How to Stand Out! Zoe Bamsey, Kim Berglund, Eryk Casemiro, Daniel Weidenfeld, Frank Saperstein 1:00 — Networking Lunch 2:30 — Secrets of Superstar Showrunners. Tze Chun, Scott Kreamer, Dan Povenmire, Dave Wasson, Cort Lane 3:30 — Your 2023 Animation Survival Guide. Saraswathi Vani Balgam, Josh Fisher, Guillaume Hellouin, Saxton Moore
4:30 — Nickelodeon Spotlight: Building Franchises for Kids in Today’s World. Eryk Casemiro, Latifa Ouaou, Claudia Spinelli 5:30 — Animated Shorts Roundtable. Peter Baynton, Tom CJ Brown, Amanda Forbis & Wendy Tilby, João Gonzalez, Sara Gunnarsdóttir, Sander Joon, Uri Lotan, William Joyce 6:30 — Animated Shorts Party 7:30 — Award Season Animated Shorts Screening
Wednesday, Nov. 9
9 AM — Networking Breakfast 10:00 — Breakfast with Animation Master John Musker 11:00 — The Next Frontiers: New & Exciting Trends & Innovations. Tricia Biggio, Matt Bilfield, Davis Brimer, Richard Hickey 12 PM — Transforming Animation with a Real-Time Mindset. Karen Dufilho, Elizabeth Ito, Patrick Osborne 1:00 — Networking Lunch 2:30 — A Taste of Apple TV+ A Preview of the Streamer’s Animated World. Jennifer Dodge, Ron Holsey, Loris Lunsford, Jane Startz, Alex Rockwell, Halle Stanford 3:30 — You’re Hired! A Primer on Finding Your Perfect Job in Animation. Eric Combrié, Brooke Keesling, Nellie Tehrani 4:30 — Welcome to the New Age of Adult Animation. Joel Kuwahara, Fletcher Moules, Alissa Nutting, Sam Riegel, Craig Silverstein 5:30 — Closing Night Fireside Chat with Kristine Belson 6:30 — Sony Pictures Animation’s 20th Anniversary Party
Prime Video today announced it has ordered Sausage Party: Foodtopia, based on the 2016 adult animated feature film,from Annapurna Television, Sony Pictures Television, Amazon Studios and Point Grey Pictures. The eight-part animated series will premiere exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide in 2024.
“Film used to be the superior art form to television, and we humbly reached the pinnacle of what can be achieved with film in our remarkable opus, Sausage Party,” said Point Grey’s Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. “But now that film is completely dead and TV is the forever-king of entertainment, we’ve decided to continue the epic adventures of our culinary crew in the soon-to-be-legendary televised masterpiece Sausage Party: Foodtopia. It’s got all the heart, double the puns, and triple the food-on-food sex. In other words, it’s exactly what the world needs right now.”
The show will reunite original Sausage Party voice stars Seth Rogen, Kristen Wiig, Michael Cera, David Krumholtz and Edward Norton, joined by tasty new talents Will Forte, Sam Richardson, Natasha Rothwell and Yassir Lester.
Details of the plot have yet to be unwrapped.
“The original Sausage Party was an incredibly hilarious, outrageous, one-of-a-kind entry into the world of animation,” commented Vernon Sanders, Head of Global Television, Amazon Studios. “We are thrilled to collaborate again with Seth, Evan and their team at Point Grey, as well as our partners at Annapurna Television and Sony Pictures Television, to offer a new look into this world that will be brought to life so vividly for our global Prime Video customers.”
“The original film was another irreverent comedy from the brilliant comedic minds of Seth and Evan. When Annapurna, Seth and Evan approached us to wholly reboot the project as a TV series we were thrilled to be a part of the collaboration and equally excited to have Prime Video as our partner,” said Sony Co-President Jason Clodfelter. “We look forward to the fanfare around Sausage Party: Foodtopia, which promises to be a hit.”
Sausage Party: Foodtopia is executive produced by Ariel Shaffir and Kyle Hunter, who also serve as showrunners. Shaffir and Hunter co-wrote the 2016 animated feature film with Rogen and Goldberg. Rogen, Goldberg, James Weaver and Alex McAtee will executive produce via Point Grey Pictures. Vernon, who co-directed the feature film, returns as supervising director for the series and will also executive produce alongside Annapurna Television’s Megan Ellison and Patrick Chu, and Andrew Millstein.
The series is a co-production of Annapurna Television, Sony Pictures Television and Amazon Studios. The original film was a co-production between Columbia Pictures and Great Beyond. Revisit the grocery store saga with the original film’s trailer below:
Women in Animation (womeninanimation.org) has announced the sixth annual WIA Diversity Award recipients, presented in partnership with the Spark Computer Graphics Society (Spark CG | sparkcg.org). The recipients of this year’s awards are: producer Chris Nee, Epic Games and Seyed Mohsen Pourmohseni Shakib’s film, It’s a Gray, Gray World.
The awards are being presented by WIA Head of Operations Jena Olson in a presentation made available online from the first day of SPARK ANIMATION 2022. The full event will run in-person and will also be live streamed from October 27-30 out of Vancouver, Canada.
The WIA Diversity Awards were established to recognize and honor individuals, films and organizations that have made a significant impact in expanding the diversity of voices in the art and industry of animation, either through their own creative work, by fostering the work of others, or by leading diversity initiatives that enrich our industry and society.
“For the last six years, the WIA Diversity Awards have shined a spotlight on those individuals and organizations putting in the work to make the animation and VFX industries a more diverse and equitable place for all people to prosper and create. They are cultivating a culture where rich storytelling can thrive,” said Marge Dean, President of WIA.
Peabody, Humanitas and Emmy Award-winner Chris Nee (Doc McStuffins, Vampirina, We the People) has had a storied career working with some of the most influential and educational studios in the industry including Sesame Street, Disney Junior and Nickelodeon. Throughout that time, Nee has never wavered in her commitment to inclusion and genuine representation in the genre of animation.
“As we get older our priorities change, and nothing could make me prouder at this point in my career than to be recognized for working to bring new voices, diverse voices, to the table. A huge thank you to WIA and the Spark Animation Festival for the huge honor,” said Nee.
Epic Games is world-renowned for their work within the gaming and VFX industry. They not only run one of the largest games — Fortnite — with over 350 million accounts and 2.5 billion friend connections but the company actively works toward making 3D engine technology accessible to as many creatives as possible. Through their flagship programs — The Unreal Educator Accelerator: Arts, Media, and Entertainment Workforce Training Initiative and the MegaGrants Program — the organization has removed some of the barriers facing many marginalized creatives looking to work in the gaming and VFX industry.
Born in Rasht, Iran, Seyed Mohsen Pourmohseni Shakib began his art career at age 17 by becoming a member of the Iranian Young Cinema Society. As a filmmaker, he has focused on uplifting the voices of marginalized people through his art. His latest film, It’s a Gray, Gray World, presents a monochrome gray world where a discreet young man’s colorful identity is accidentally publicly exposed by a playful child accidentally. The frightened gray community call the police to arrest the young man, but he is able to escape only to return to fight for his full freedom.
Shion Takeuchi’s deep-state adult comedy Inside Job is preparing for its Season 2 mission (8 x 30′), with a drop date of November 18 on Netflix. Ahead of the Season premiere, fans are treated to a sneak-peek clip that takes us inside the terrifying world of cryptid group therapy: Anonymous Anonymous, led by one Mr. Mothman.
Inside Job reveals the secrets of the shadow government and the dysfunctional team whose daily grind is committing the world’s conspiracies. From convoluted coverups to secret societies to masked orgy etiquette, navigating office culture at Cognito Inc. can be tricky, especially for anti-social tech genius Reagan Ridley (Lizzy Caplan). Even in a workplace filled with reptilian shapeshifters and psychic mushrooms, she’s seen as the odd one out for believing the world could be a better place. Reagan thinks she can make a difference, if only she could manage her unhinged, manifesto-writing father, her irresponsible coworkers, and finally snag the promotion she’s been dreaming about.
The clip also introduces voice cast newcomer Adam Scott as Ron Staedtler, Chief Mind Erasing expert for the Illuminati — Cognito’s rival company. A lone wolf who’s not shy about his opinions, he’s not the most popular guy in the office for taking a moral stance on what they do. But despite working for a rival company, he might just become Reagan’s most unlikely ally.
The returning cast for S2 includes Caplan, Christian Slater as Reagan’s dad, Rand Ridley; Clark Duke as DC yes-man Brett Hand; Andrew Daly as crafty Cognito CEO J.R. Scheimpough; Bobby Lee as free-spirited biochemist Dr. Andre Lee; John DiMaggio as the hybrid super soldier Glenn Dolphman; Tisha Campbell as Cognito’s Head of Media Manipulation & Subliminal Messages, Gigi; Chris Diamantopoulos as ROBOTUS and Brett Gelman as Magic Myc, a psychic mushroom-y hive mind from Hollow Earth.
Inside Job is executive produced by series creator Shion Takeuchi and Alex Hirsch (Gravity Falls).
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) today announced the acquisition of Pixomondo, an Oscar- and Emmy Award -winning virtual production, visualization and VFX company, from Mayfair Equity Partners, a dedicated technology and consumer investor.
Pixomondo (PXO), which is known for its work on premium content including Sony Pictures Television’s The Boys, as well as Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon and the upcoming Avatar: The Last Airbender, maintains three LED sound stages and seven offices in the U.S., U.K., Germany and Canada.
“We could not be more excited to be joining the SPE team at this tipping point in the evolution of PXO,” said Jonny Slow, CEO at PXO. “Sony’s legacy, and creativity-driven technology strategy, mean that our company has found a home where it can truly thrive. We look forward to continuing to innovate in the virtual production and VFX space with our clients over many years to come.”
Under the deal, SPE has acquired 100% of PXO, which will continue to be led by Slow, who will now report to Ravi Ahuja, Chairman of Global TV Studios and SPE Corporate Development.
The acquisition of PXO, alongside Sony Pictures Imageworks and Sony Innovation Studios, bolsters Sony’s position as a virtual production leader and further enables the studio to serve the growing VFX and premium TV and film production industries. Collaboration between these lines of businesses will also be supported by Sony Electronics.
“Pixomondo’s impressive end-to-end virtual production technology, software and solutions further build Sony’s leadership in high quality visual effects and virtual production. And, for our TV studios, Pixomondo’s capabilities will make the hundreds of shows we produce for our streaming and network partners even more exceptional,” said Ahuja.
Bertie Aykroyd, Partner at Mayfair Equity Partners, commented, “We are proud to have partnered with the Pixomondo team, supporting the company’s evolution and growth since 2018. Pixomondo was an early mover in virtual production and has successfully diversified its offering to allow filmmakers to make tech-enabled creative decisions from the very early stages of production. With the ever-increasing demand for high-quality content, PXO’s innovative team will undoubtedly be a great success when partnered with Sony’s global offering.”
This announcement comes on the heels of Sony Innovation Studios unveiling its first LED sound stage on the historic Sony Pictures Studios lot in Culver City, earlier this month.
The Raine Group served as the financial advisor to PXO, and Goodwin Procter LLP served as their legal counsel. Hogan Lovells LLP was legal counsel for SPE.
The recipients of more than 20 industry awards and nominations, PXO has been creating high profile work since 2011, with additional credits including Martin Scorsese’s Oscar-winning Hugo, Star Trek Discovery, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Netflix’s upcoming movie The Pale Blue Eye. The group employs more than 600 people across seven studios and three LED volumes in Los Angeles, Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto, Stuttgart, Frankfurt and London.
Central Florida’s Steamroller Animation has received an Epic MegaGrant from Epic Games, which will be used to support the production of the new animated series Spice Frontier using Epic’s Unreal Engine. As a collaborative value add, Steamroller will also share feedback as they develop their animation pipeline to the Unreal Engine team to help develop new technology and innovation for animation and pipeline tools within Unreal Engine 5.
Unreal Engine is utilized by many of the top-selling games on the planet — as well as for virtual production, motion pictures and more — and it will be adapted to build Steamroller’s first self-produced IP animated episodic. UE5 is the latest edition of the real-time 3D tool.
Spice Frontier
“We’re beyond excited for this opportunity and to be welcomed as Epic MegaGrants recipients. Creating this type of linear content using Unreal Engine will help us immensely in expediting the production of Spice Frontier and other pieces of IP that we have in the works as a studio,” said Aaron Gilman, CEO of Steamroller Animation.
“As we develop robust pipeline tools for an animated show, we plan to share our learnings with the Unreal Engine team, so that our discoveries will be of tremendous value to not only the production quality of the show, but help to assist animators and improve the pipeline for all teams. We’re very excited to be a part of developing efficient and cost-effective storytelling for the industry as a whole.”
The studio’s Chief Creative Officer, Jalil Sadool, added, “Using Epic Games’ Unreal Engine primarily for an animated series will truly help streamline our production and allow for a one-stop shop software solution. With the use of Unreal, a growing studio like Steamroller Animation can tell complex and engaging stories while alleviating the potential for increasing debts.”
Spice Frontier
Steamroller is currently in the process of aligning potential distribution partners for Spice Frontier and other original IP projects happening at the studio.
Spice Frontier the series is based on Steamroller’s award-winning animated short of the same name, which follows space explorer Kentucky “Kent” Williams and his cyborg pilot C-LA as they scour the universe for rare Earth spices, centuries after the planet’s destruction. Watch it below.
Based in Mt. Dora, Florida, Steamroller Animation produces its own animated originals in addition to collaborating with some of the world’s biggest gaming and film studios, including Blizzard, Insomniac, Rio Games, Weta FX, Framestore and DNEG.
This past weekend, Exceptional Minds (exceptional-minds.org), a nonprofit academy and working studio training young adults on the autism spectrum for careers in the creative arts, celebrated their 10-year anniversary on the Walt Disney Studios lot in Burbank, California.
During this event, Disney announced that they would make a $1 million multi-year commitment to Exceptional Minds to support the work that the nonprofit does with neurodivergent individuals to prepare them for careers in entertainment.
“At Disney we recognize the importance of investing in skill-building opportunities when it comes to preparing youth for careers in storytelling,” said Jennifer Cohen, EVP Corporate Social Responsibility, The Walt Disney Company. “As part of our Disney Future Storytellers initiative, we’re honored to be able to work with Exceptional Minds to help neurodivergent talent build their technical and artistic abilities through their renowned academy and training studios.”
“Disney’s unprecedented investment in our growth will give more artists on the autism spectrum an opportunity to contribute their creativity to this industry and beyond,” said David Siegel, Executive Director & CEO of Exceptional Minds. “Disney is helping us develop the next generation of storytellers. We can’t imagine a more magical company with whom to share in that endeavor.”
Marvel Studios received the inaugural Exceptional Impact Award.
Marvel Studios was honored at the event with the inaugural “Exceptional Impact” award for their work with Exceptional Minds and inclusive hiring practices. Victoria Alonso, President of Physical, Post Production, Visual Effects & Animation at Marvel Studios, accepted the award.
Speaking via video message to the audience in attendance, Alonso said, “We love working with Exceptional Minds and are lucky to have had a relationship for many, many years. You are incredibly special and talented artists we count on every single time.”
Young guests share their drawing skills during the Exceptional Minds anniversary party.
Disney and Exceptional Minds has a long and transformative history of collaboration, beginning with Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Age of Ultron in 2015. As vendors for Disney, Exceptional Mind students gain practical skills working with Disney content, while graduates and supervisors continue to be placed in full-time roles, several who are now working at Marvel Studios. The academy’s studio works on the end credits for Marvel Studios’ films and series, and consistently does visual effects work.
Past projects include Star Wars: The Last Jedi as well as Marvel Studios’ Black Panther and WandaVision. The academy’s graduates have worked on nearly 30 Marvel titles over the past seven years.
Disney’s investment in Exceptional Minds is part of Disney Future Storytellers, an initiative that empowers the next generation of storytellers and innovators to dream about their future, build their talents and skills, and become who they imagine they can be.
The colorful, music-driven series Deepa & Anoopis dancing back to streaming screens worldwide next month, when Season 2 premieres on Netflix on November 7. A new trailer and cheery new S2 artwork have been unveiled ahead of the debut.
Deepa & Anoop follows the adventures of seven-year-old Deepa and her best friend Anoop, a half-ton color-changing baby elephant. The dynamic duo, self-appointed “concierges of fun,” makes everything bigger, grander and more wonderful for guests at Mango Manor, the bed and breakfast run by Deepa’s multigenerational family.
Deepa creates music, merriment and mischief while working with the rambunctious Anoop to solve the simplest of problems with the most imaginative of solutions.
Created by acclaimed Bollywood animator Munjal Shroff (Shortcut Safari), accomplished writer Lisa Goldman (Dragon Tales) and award-winning producer Heather Kenyon (Doki Adventures), Deepa & Anoop is Mattel Television’s first original series based on original intellectual property.
Watch Deepa & Anoop S1 on Netflix now and tune in Nov. 7 for S2.
Norway’s 2022 Fredrikstad Animation Festival came to a conclusion this weekend, celebrating the year’s best in Nordic-Baltic animation at the FAF Award Ceremony held at Quality Hotel. The redesigned FAF Award statuette was bestowed on deserving winners across shorts, features, commissioned films, student films and projects aimed at younger audiences.
This year’s Grand Prix for best short film went to Estonian director Sander Joon’s Sierra, which has already qualified for the 2023 Academy Awards. Based on the director’s own childhood and incorporating vintage stop-motion animation created by his father 40 years ago, the film is a black comedy in which a man’s obsession with rally racing turns his kid into a car tire. Joon and producer Aurelia Aasa accepted the award via video, donning some Sierra-inspired AR headgear.
Best Feature Film was awarded to Signe Baumane’s meditation on the romantic expectations forced on girls and women, My Love Affair with Marriage (Latvia/U.S./Luxembourg). Best Short was awarded to another exploration of modern relationships: I’ll Be Your Kettle by Tobias Rud, in which a woman desperately tries to keep up with her partner’s unusual desires.
Three juries of international industry professionals were tasked with selecting the 2022 award winners:
The short film jury selecting the award winners for Grand Prix, Best Short Film and Best Student Film is Ida Melum, Gísli Darri Halldórsson and Aneta Ozorek.
The award winner for Best Feature Film was selected by Johan Edström, Maria Anestopoulou and Maria Mac Dalland.
For Best Commissioned Film the jury selecting the award winner is Tobias Rud, Katz Plunkett and Jens Jonathan Gulliksen.
In addition to the professional jury, FAF also had a children’s jury for Best Children’s Film. And, new this year, the Young Audience program had its own jury of children aged 12-15.
And of course, the Audience Award winner was determined by festivalgoers.
FAF 2022 Winners
Sierra
Grand Prix Sierra | Director: Sander Joon
Jury statement: “It’s not often that we experience such a supersonic and bombastic film about family dynamics. This short is told with clarity, visual nerve, and energy. Thank you for the ride, Sander.”
Audience Award The Harbormaster (Havnesjefen) | Dir.: Mia Ludvigsen Henriksen & Konrad Hjemli
Best Short Film I’ll Be Your Kettle| Dir.: Tobias Rud
Jury statement: “You will appreciate this film if you are compulsively trying to fix your relationships by becoming an electrical appliance. The jury enjoyed this lighthearted and surreal short about the serious struggles of codependency. The whimsical design fits the tone of the film perfectly.”
Best Student Film Cowboy Kevin | Dir.: Anna Lund Konnerup
Jury statement: “It’s not easy to talk about love, and it’s even harder to not become sentimental and cheesy when doing so. The director of the winning film succeeded in telling a playful, sincere and perfectly paced love story, elevated by a remarkable voice acting performance.”
Best Commissioned Film Toleransevinduet | Dir.: Julia Torjak
Jury statement: “After a lot of deliberation, we have landed on Toleransevinduet [The Tolerance Window]. This is a film that approaches its subject with clarity and is at eye level with its target audience. It is a stylistically confident film with a very appealing design.”
Special Mention Commissioned Film Black Midi “Welcome to Hell” | Dir.: Gustaf Holtenäs & Sevi Iko Dømochevsky
Jury statement: “Special mention goes to ‘Welcome to Hell’ -Black Midi. It was cool and beautifully chaotic and it was so nice to see music videos entered in the selection.”
My Love Affair with Marriage
Best Feature Film My Love Affair with Marriage | Dir.: Signe Baumane
Jury statement: “This very unique animated film, where myths & symbols confront neurology and hormones, succeeds in a very bold way to transform a personal to a universal story.”
Best Children ́s Film Tales of Zale – Flickering Lights | Dir.: Sif Savery
Jury statement: “This year’s best children’s film is awesome, amazing. The plot and drawings were very nice.”
Special Mention Children’s Film Hjemme Hos Sinna (At Home with Sinna) | Dir.: Tommy Vad Funderud & Markus Vad Flaaten
Jury statement: “Another film we really liked was Hjemme Hos Sinna. It was good, funny and a little weird.”
Best Young Audience Film Troublemaker Tommy | Dir.: Rao Heidmets & Pauline Heidmets
Jury statement: “This year’s best youth film is charming with great music. Childish, but fun.”
Special Mention Young Audience Film Bear Hug | Dir.: Margrethe Danielsen
Jury statement: “Another good film on the program is Bear Hug. Very good animation with an unexpectedly good plot twist.”
Lifetime Achievement Award Heikki Prepula, born in 1939 in Finland, started his career in animation in 1965. In Finland, animation has historically been small-scale and individualistic, as in Norway and the other Nordic countries. But in the 1960s and 1970s, cut-out animation had its heyday in public television, and Prepula and others produced imaginative works for children’s programs.
Prepula started out worked for TV, making long animated serial films for children. Later, he started to produce his own independent short films and has made a total of 29 through his career, producing, directing, writing, designing and animating them himself. Prepula has also drawn numerous illustrations and cartoons for books and magazines, publishing about 4,700 artworks and 360 cartoons.
Kössi the Kangaroo is Prepula’s most popular character, and is considered a classic of Finnish animation. Prepula’s linear, two-dimensional drawings have been screened at festivals around the world. Some of his best known shorts, like The Locomotive(1978), The Turnip (1982), The Magic Hat (1987) and The Flying Pig (1994), have won great popularity in France and his films has even been screened at Centre Charles Pompidou.
Prepula continues to influence younger generations in Finland, notably the Helsinki-based studio Haruworks.
For more information about the Fredrikstad Animation Festival, visit animationfestival.no.
In honor of today’s Hindu holiday, Disney Junior has released a new Diwali-themed Me & Mickey short, hosted by the mouse himself. The CG-animated celebration is debuting across Disney Channel, Disney Junior and the Disney Junior YouTube channel.
Presented in a preschool-friendly vlog style, the short features Mickey Mouse as he shares how he celebrates the festival of lights, Diwali, and encourages kids to help him make it a bright and joyous day!
Launched this year, Me & Mickey invites preschoolers to laugh and play along with Disney icon Mickey Mouse as he talks about everyday topics, offering silly games and challenges. Produced by Walt Disney Studios.
Blue Zoo and Plug-In Media, collaborators for over 15 years, have announced the creation of Brighton Zoo, a new regional studio ‘designed for a new era of animation.’
The outpost aims to address the changing work-style landscape in the U.K., where being a player in the industry no longer means a London location or bust. Remote working allows for greater geographic flexibility — however, there can still be a benefit to the in-office culture of creativity and collaboration. Brighton Zoo aims to provide both a place for local employees to come together and do their best possible work, while empowering them to balance their lives in alignment with Blue Zoo’s B Corp accreditation. The new studio further offers clients more flexibility in resourcing and scale for their productions.
Based in Brighton — attributed with progressive values, creative outlook and a high quality of life — Brighton Zoo is housed in the New England House close to the train station. The studio is designed with hybrid workstyles in mind and is looking to attract talent from across the South East.
Brighton Zoo offers a convenient location for animation artists in the South East.
Led by Plug-in Media principals Dom Minns and Juliet Tzabar, the new studio is already bringing its award-winning expertise to animation and interactive projects, including Supertato (52 x 5′, 2D) which premiered on CBeebies on October 17, as well as an innovative short-form pilot for Cartoon Network.
Continuing both companies’ track records in producing original, BAFTA-winning IP, Brighton Zoo will also be growing a slate of new multiplatform kids & family entertainment and making use of Blue Zoo’s licensing and merchandising arms, as well as Plug-in Media’s specific expertise in creating digital-first IPs, exploited across platforms from broadcast TV to the mobile app stores, YouTube to Spotify.
“Having worked closely with Blue Zoo on various projects for over a decade, I couldn’t be more excited about our new venture together,” said Minns, Brighton Zoo’s Creative Director. “It’s a meeting of minds and shared values, and we look forward to creating some amazing stuff together over the years to come. There are great plans afoot … Watch this space!”
Follow @Brighton_Zoo on social media for the studio’s newest work and updates.
The historic U.K. seaside town of Brighton offers Brighton Zoo employees a creative, progressive community just outside the studio doors.
The 24 HOURS Animation Contest for Students, now in its 20th year, has crowned its 2020 winners, announced by contest creator Aubry Mintz in a live stream on YouTube on Friday, Oct 21. A long list of sponsors helped provide seven award-winning teams with incredible prize packs and cash, totaling over $150,000.
The super-speedy contest challenges its participants to create a 30-second film based on a given theme (assigned by California State University of Long Beach animation professor Mintz) in a designated 24-hour period. Teams work from their home school and submit a YouTube link of their films before the deadline, which are judged by industry artists.
This year saw the participation of a record 300 teams from 86 schools (1,500 students) from 17 countries (Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Indian, Italy, Kenya, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Philippines, Russia, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, the U.K. and the U.S.A.)
Films were judged by a panel of industry artists which included character & prop designer/lead Angela Abeyti (Baby Shark’s Big Show, BoJack Horseman), background painter/color designer Grace Babineau (Nickelodeon, Titmouse), animator & director Todd DeJong (Warner Bros. Animation), director/TD/storyboard artist Karina Gazizova (Wacky Races, Teen Titans GO!), animator Rebecca Kartzmark (Tangled the Series, Hilda), animator Kimmie King (Rick and Morty, Helluva Boss), cinematographer Ira Owens (Sucker Punch Prod.), vizdev artist/character designer Nathan Palm (Duncanville, Solar Opposites) and storyboard artist Ryan Stapleton (American Dad!, Trash Truck).
Mintz offered special thanks to the faculty of the 86 schools that participated this year for supporting their students through this all-night competition — especially on a weekend — and congratulated the 1,500 brave student competitors who took on the challenge, noting that he hopes it demonstrates to the students what can be accomplished in an incredibly compressed timeline and ignites their work ethic and creative spark for the rest of the school year.
“For no other reason we do this to help build community through animation education — and this came in handy especially to help get many of us through the pandemic, even it was just for 24 hours — to find a group of people that we could create with and talk to made a difference for students around the world,” Mintz shared. “As we emerge and now come together in person I just want to say I am thankful for you and glad we are all here!”
24 HOURS 2022 Award Winners
Ramsey Ratscallions BTS
Behind the Scenes Prize
Team: Ramsey’s Ratscallions | Middle Tennessee State University (U.S.) Watch BTS Film.
Prize Pack ($13,183 value)
Toon Boom prize: $500 ($100 each team member)
Five Harmony Premium / Five Storyboard Pro one-year licenses
Animation Magazine two-year Digital subscription for each team member of all winning teams
Five CRC Press Ideas for the Animated Short, 2nd Edition for each winning team
Full student passes to Toronto Arts and Animation Festival International (virtual or in person) for each team member
Superfluous!
Best High School Team Clam | Sisler High School (Manitoba, Canada) + Seventh place overall by points.
Film: Superfluous!
Prize Pack ($14,783 value)
Nickelodeon $1,500 cash prize for Best High School team ($500 each team member)
Five Harmony Premium / five Storyboard Pro one-year licenses
Animation Magazine two-year Digital subscription for each team member of all winning teams
Five CRC Press Ideas for the Animated Short, 2nd Edition for each winning team
Full student passes to Toronto Arts and Animation Festival International (virtual or in person) for each team member
Nickelodeon prize pack for one winning team
Mac Hollywood WACOM – Five small Wacom Intuos
Fungal Future
5th Place
The Goofy Funners | Seneca College (Ontario, Canada)
Film: Fungal Future
Prize Pack ($12,933 value)
5th place Toon Boom team winner prize: $750
Five Harmony Premium / five Storyboard Pro one-year licenses
Animation Magazine two-year Digital subscription for each team member of all winning teams
Five CRC Press Ideas for the Animated Short, 2nd Edition for each winning team
Full student passes to Toronto Arts and Animation Festival International (virtual or in person) for each team member
Five DreamWorks Art of books
Premium Vision
4th Place
The Doodlers | California State University Long Beach (U.S.)
Film: Premium Vision
Prize Pack ($15,058 value),
ASIFA-Hollywood/AEF 4th place prize: $1,000 ($200 each team member)
Five Harmony Premium / five Storyboard Pro one-year licenses
Animation Magazine two-year Digital subscription for each team member of all winning teams
Five CRC Press Ideas for the Animated Short, 2nd Edition for each winning team
Five DreamWorks art-of books
Stuart NG Books – Five $75 gift certificates for one winning team
Animation Is Film – Five passes for festival (Oct. 21-23)
Xencelabs – Five small Pen Tablets
Made to Last
3rd Place
Shepard90 | Fundação Amando Alvares Penteado (São Paulo, Brazil)
Film: Made to Last
Prize Pack ($20,933 value),
Toon Boom cash prize: $1,000 ($200 each team member)
Five Harmony Premium / five Storyboard Pro one-year licenses
Five pro licenses of Digicel’s Flipbook software
CSU Summer Arts $500 scholarships each to five winning team members
Animation Magazine two-year Digital subscription for each team member of all winning teams
Full student passes to Toronto Arts and Animation Festival International (virtual or in person) for each team member
Five CRC Press Ideas for the Animated Short, 2nd Edition for each winning team
Pixar prize pack for each team member
Xencelabs – Five small Pen Tablets
Atomic Shores
2nd Place
Keyframe Coffee Break | California State University Long Beach (U.S.)
Film: Atomic Shores
Prize Pack ($28,137 value),
Bento Box cash prize for 2nd place winning team: $1,500 ($300 each team member)
Five Harmony Premium / five Storyboard Pro one-year licenses
CSU Summer Arts $1,000 scholarships each to five winning team members
CTNX – Five three-day passes (in person or online) to CTN Animation eXpo (Nov. 17-20)
Huion – 5 Kamvas Pro 16, one for each team member
Animation Magazine two-year Digital subscription for each team member of all winning teams
X in a Box – team will participate in Story Xperiential
Animation Is Film – Five passes for the festival (Oct. 21-23)
Five CRC Press Ideas for the Animated Short, 2nd Edition for each winning team
Sony Pictures Animation prize pack for the winning team
Get Out
1st Place
BBB | Sheridan College (Ontario, Canada)
Film: Get Out
Prize Pack ($36,071 value),
Illumination cash prize for 1st place: $2,500 ($500 each team member)
$2,000 scholarships to CSU Summer Arts each to five members
Five Harmony Premium / five Storyboard Pro one-year licenses
Wacom – Five 16” Wacom Cintiq tablets
Five pro licenses of TVPaint Animation
Walt Disney Animation Studios prize pack for every member
Each team member will be invited to participate in a one-hour virtual “coffee chat” session with members of Walt Disney Animation Studios Recruitment & Talent Development team.
Animation Magazine two-year Digital subscription for each team member of all winning teams
Five CRC Press Ideas for the Animated Short, 2nd Edition for each winning team
Full student passes to Toronto Arts and Animation Festival International (virtual or in person) for each team member
24 HOURS 2022 sponsors include Toon Boom, ASIFA-Hollywood and ASIFA-Hollywood’s Animation Educators Forum, Illumination, Nickelodeon, Bento Box, TAAFI, CSU Summer Arts, Wacom, TVPaint, Digicel, Animation Magazine, Huion, CTN, Taylor and Francis, X in a Box, Xencelabs, Mac Hollywood, Animation Is Film, DreamWorks Animation, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar, Sony Pictures Animation, Stuart NG Books and Legends Animated.
Aubry Mintz, Creator of 24 HOURS Animation Contest for Students and Professor of Animation at California State University Long Beach
Watch the full playlist of the films from 24 HOURS 2022 on YouTube.
TMS Entertainment announced Sunday the upcoming release of new anime spinoff, Lupin Zero with a teaser visual and trailer. The anime, which depicts the youthful days of the world’s greatest thief, Lupin III, will premiere at this year’s Anime NYC convention. The show is slated to be released December 16, and will be available to stream on HIDIVE in the United States.
The 6 x 30′ series features a young, nameless, Lupin III running around the streets of 1960s Japan during the economic boom — the era contemporaneous to Monkey Punch’s release of the original manga.
A teaser trailer offering a glimpse at Lupin III’s veiled beginnings has been released, as well as early key art. TMS has also shared a brief interview with series director Daisuke Sakou (Lupin the 3rd Part 5, Yokai Watch) and producer Koji Nozaki (Lupin the 3rd Part 6, Lupin III: The First), which you can read below.
Synopsis: How did this young boy become notorious gentleman thief “Lupin III”? Since the initial serialization of Monkey Punch’s globally renowned Lupin the 3rd manga in 1967, Lupin III has taken the world by storm and has appeared in various media. However, despite his longstanding status and notoriety as the world’s greatest thief, there was once a time when even Lupin III, was young and inexperienced.
Loosely based on Young Lupin III from the original manga, Lupin Zero will tell a nostalgic, yet brand new original story, finally lifting the veil cast upon Lupin III’s humble beginnings. Set during the era in which the original series was first published, the anime depicts Young Lupin III running around the streets of 1960’s Japan during the country’s economic boom.
A young boy climbs the staircase to villainhood. What was he thinking and what steps did he take? This is the untold origin story of the world’s greatest thief.
Production studio, Telecom Animation Film Co., Ltd., (responsible for several other Lupin the 3rd series) will handle the animation, which TMS says will feature a unique, retro-inspired art style. Music for the show will be written by Yoshihide Otomo (Ama Chan, Inu-Oh), with arrangements of Takeo Yamashita’s musical works from Lupin the 3rd Part 1.
In addition to Sakou and Nozaki, the series’ key creative case includes supervisor Ichirou Okouchi (Lupin the 3rd Part 5, Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress), settings researcher Seiichi Shirato (Lupin the 3rd Part 5, Jormungand) and character designer Asami Taguchi (Lupin the 3rd Part 5, Chain Chronicle: The Light of Haecceitas).
TMS Ent. and HIDIVE will hold the show’s world premiere screening at Anime NYC on November 18 (6:30 p.m.), at the Javits Center in New York, Panel Room 4 — attendees must be aged 18 or over due to mature content. The debut will be accompanied by a voice cast reveal and exclusive prize giveaways. Screening/panel attendees will also receive an exclusive Lupin Zero temporary tattoo, depicting our scrappy young hero.
LUPIN ZERO Q&A
What moved you to make an anime about Lupin III’s past?
Koji Nozaki (Producer): We wanted to depict Lupin III’s younger days, as they had never been animated before. We based him off the Young Lupin III from Monkey Punch’s original manga.
How did you create Lupin III’s younger self? What did you value most when you created him?
Daisuke Sakou (Director): We created Young Lupin III based on the few chapters of him in the manga, as well as the moments in which older Lupin III would reminisce about his youth. While the Lupin III we bring to life in this animated world is the only Lupin we know, he is actually the young master and third-generation son of the famous Lupin family. The staff wanted to give the fans the ability to peek into his past and took into consideration the many possibilities of what the young master would have been like at 13 years old.
Why did you set the story in 1960s Tokyo?
Sakou: Though Lupin’s age and nationality are a mystery, it doesn’t change the fact that he was once a kid. Lupin III first appeared in the anime in 1971 on the Hida Speedway. If we turn back time from that era, it’s safe to assume that Lupin would have been a kid in the 1960’s in Japan. We wanted to encapsulate the vibe of the era and provide fans with a glimpse into his past — although an adult Lupin III would likely detest his past being seen.
What is the theme of the story throughout all six episodes?
Sakou: While adult Lupin makes his living as a thief, as a 13-year old, he would have been a middle schooler. Though he comes from a family of thieves, he has yet to take over the family profession. Knowing his personality, it is also unclear if Lupin III would even succeed the family profession just because he was told. He’s at the age where being told what to do is annoying, but he won’t be young forever. In this story, Young Lupin will decide what he wants to do for himself.
Was there anything you incorporated into Lupin Zero that the series had never tried?
Sakou: Things that adult Lupin III cannot do. Though he is a mysterious man, we are turning back time to revisit his adolescence. Even as a 13-year old, he possesses a level of wisdom and ingenuity that puts adults to shame, but due to his age, he does not possess the same level of physical strength of an adult. Combined with Lupin III’s carefree nature, these characteristics lend themselves to making Lupin Zero a fun anime to watch. Even those who aren’t as familiar with Lupin III will still be able to enjoy his shenanigans. Those familiar with the adult Lupin III will take pleasure in getting to meet the cute boy who later becomes the world’s greatest thief.
YouTube Kids & Family today released the official trailer for The Eggventurers, a new preschool animated series featuring a cast of egg characters who jump into engineering adventures, building spectacular chain reaction machines to help them overcome obstacles and achieve their goals. The series was created and produced by STEM-focused kids’ media & toy company GoldieBlox and produced in partnership with animation company Mainframe Studios.
The premieres episode, “Zombie Eggpocalypse,” will be available to watch for free on Friday, October 21 at 9 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. ET on the GoldieBlox YouTube channel and the YouTube Kids app, with all-new episodes rolling out weekly on Fridays.
“The Eggventurers is a dialog-minimal yet entertainment-heavy show for preschoolers that centers around its lovable characters, amazing machines and problem-solving adventurers,” said Craig Hunter, Global Head of Kids & Family Originals for YouTube. “The series fosters imagination, creativity, trial and error, and teamwork in a relatable and fun way.”
Debbie Sterling, Founder and CEO of GoldieBlox, said, “Our goal in creating The Eggventurers was to give preschoolers all over the world a wildly entertaining introduction to STEM through cool machines, lovable characters and problem-solving adventures. We hope that our egg heroes will inspire kids to build contraptions out of the stuff they have lying around the house, igniting an engineering mindset that will benefit them for years to come.”
https://youtu.be/ZKbbH_T3q5o
The trailer showcases our main egg heroes Robin, Pascha, Goose, Ducky and Red, who use STEM, creativity and teamwork to help surprise egg guest characters overcome obstacles and reach their goals. And although our egg heroes have no arms or legs, that doesn’t stop them from achieving the extraordinary, as they resourcefully use the common household objects they find around them to build whimsical solutions to problems big and small.
In the premiere Halloween-themed episode, “Zombie Eggpocalypse,” scary-looking Egg Zombies descend upon Egg Mummy’s house and the Eggventurers face various challenges to save her from their mindless marauding. When they arrive on the scene (a.k.a. the kitchen counter) in their best costumes, they hatch a plan first involving candy corn, a turkey baster, fruit punch and then a spooktastic chain reaction machine made out of kitchen utensils and Halloween decor that takes them on a wild ride. It turns out the zombies weren’t what they thought and an important lesson is learned — don’t judge an egg by its shell!
The Eggventurers is Produced by GoldieBlox and Mainframe Studios. GoldieBlox’s Founder and CEO Debra Sterling is creator and executive producer of the series with Brett Doar and Melissa Schneider as executive producers. Tanya Green, Michael Hefferon and Kim Dent Wilder are executive producers (Mainframe Studios). Craig Hunter is Global Head of Kids & Family Originals for YouTube as well as creative lead for The Eggventurers with Zoë Di Stefano also serving as creative lead.
Independent content creation, distribution and licensing company Epic Story Media Inc. has started production on new animated series Mia & Codie and a second season of Luna, Chip and Inkie: Adventure Rangers Go, with sales for both launching at the upcoming MIP Junior market. Epic Story Media will be based at the Canada Pavilion – stand R8.E1.
Knowledge Network has commissioned a second season of preschool series Luna, Chip andInkie: Adventure Rangers Go (28 x 11’ plus 22’ special); Epic Story Media produces the show as well as managing global sales and licensing. The outdoor adventure animation features original songs in each episode from Emmy-nominated composer Daniel Ingram, who returns for S2 — following a successful first season run on both Knowledge Network channel and its companion Knowledge Kids streaming video app. TFO holds French-Canadian rights to the project, which is produced with the support of Shaw Rocket Fund and Canada Media Fund.
Epic Story Media’s preschool coding comedy series from Emmy Award winner Don Moody, Mia& Codie (40 x 4.5’), has been commissioned by TVO, Knowledge Network and TFO. Epic Story Media will produce, with Relish Studios in Vancouver leading on animation. The series has been informed by research consultants from MIT and curriculum advisors including Dr. Natascha Crandall. An app is being developed alongside the series for broadcasters to offer online, so young audiences can interact and begin understanding coding first hand. Mia & Codie is written by Shelia Rogerson (Max & Ruby, The Berenstain Bears, Handy Manny) and Renae Ruddock, who also acted as the series Cultural Advisor.
“We’re really proud of our slate this MIPCOM, which is brimming with fun, smart and beautifully made shows for kids. We’re making projects with the best in the business — from award winning creators to MIT consultants — and bringing young viewers entertainment which is both engaging on screen and comes with companion online elements to build the experience out 360 degrees.”
Free Access to Portal for Animation Magazine Readers
It’s been another busy year for animation pros, and with so many amazing films debuting at every international festival, it is hard to keep on top of it all! Luckily, The Animation Showcase is offering a chance to catch up on a curated “Best of the Year Collection,” available to stream now. The seven-film animation lineup features exclusives from Oscar-nominated directors as well as buzzy newcomers.
“It’s already the seventh year of The Animation Showcase Best-Of Collection, and I am as excited as ever to present it on the platform, but also to be going back into the studios with in-person screenings to show all this pure animated goodness I got to discover around the world,” says showcase founder and curator Benoit Berthe Siward.
Siward says this year’s award season is shaping up to be a particularly interesting one since there are no projects from studios such as Disney, Pixar, DreamWorks, Sony or Netflix up for consideration. “This is the first year without the traditional Pixar short, there will be no Netflix shorts nor Sony shorts, so it will be a very interesting year with a wide door open to the indie animation family. And even if I personally often really like what the major studios are doing with shorts, I am very curious and excited to see how the different Academies will navigate the strong and diverse selection of shorts this year.”
He adds, “I have the feeling that animation filmmakers are exploring quite mature and modern themes with more freedom and less restraint. For instance, Steakhouse explores toxic masculinity. Christopher at Sea is a queer operatic thriller tackling sexual fantasies. My Year of Dicks follows a young teenager trying to lose her virginity and Black Slide gently approaches loss and the fear of the unknown.
Siward points out that the 2022 Best-of Animated shorts will include fewer titles than usual. “However, we might be releasing a wider selection of very interesting 2022 shorts this winter,” he notes. “Some exclusive making-of including Animated Feature behind the scenes and new featurettes will follow. The platform will also offer a new format of live events, which will allow our members to gain an exclusive insight into the world of specific animation studios. The first one will be focusing on the National Film Board of Canada. I am also trying hard to get an Animated Feature streaming for the end of year celebration, after giving special access to watch Flee last season, and Calamity the year before.”
Animation Showcase is free online portal available to animation professionals and students from the motion picture and animation industry. Animation Magazine readers can request a membership by clicking on this Animation Magazine Special membership Portal Link, and providing a work proof.
Best Animation Shorts – New Collection 2022
Black Slideby Uri Lotan (Israel | The Hive, Flipbook Studio)
Eviah, a timid boy on the brink of puberty and his best friend Tsuf, Sneak into the Black slide, the most terrifying ride in Aqua Fun. There he will gain insight to prepare him for events about to unfold back home.
Christopher at Sea by Tom CJ Brown (France, U.S., U.K. | Miyu, Psyop, Temple Carrington & Brown)
Christopher embarks on a transatlantic voyage as a passenger on a cargo ship. A chance encounter with Third Engineer Valentin under moonlight waylays his hopes of finding out what lures so many men to sea and sets him on a journey into solitude, fantasy, and obsession.
The Flying Sailor by Amanda Forbis & Wendy Tilby (Canada | NFB)
Two ships collide in a harbor. An explosion shatters a city. A sailor is jettisoned skyward. With ears ringing, blood pulsing and guts heaving, he soars high above the mayhem and towards the great unknown. A bold mix of comedy, suspense and philosophy, The Flying Sailor is an exhilarating contemplation of the wonder and fragility of existence.
Ice Merchants by João Gonzalez (Portugal, U.K., France | COLA, Royal College of Art, Wild Stream)
Every day, a father and his son jump with a parachute from their vertiginous cold house, attached to a cliff, to go to the village on the ground, far away where they sell the ice they produce daily.
https://vimeo.com/701648301
My Year of Dicks by Pamela Ribon & Sarà Gunnarsdóttir (U.S. | produced by Jeanette Jeanenne)
It’s 1991 and Pam is trying very hard to lose her virginity, but it sure doesn’t match up to her fantasies. Always searching for her ultimate paramour, this old soul swimming in new puberty will struggle between the real world and her grandiose fantasies by exploring a relatable variety of boys of yore — goths, skaters, indie film snobs, straight edge posers — all while trying her best to avoid being grounded. Luckily she has her best friends by her side, who’d like to keep her from cementing a mistake. Created by Pamela Ribon from her critically-acclaimed memoir.
Passenger by Juan Pablo Zaramella (Argentina | JPZtudio)
A journey through the conflictive relationship between a man, his social environment and codes.
Steakhouseby Špela Čadež (Slovenia, Germany, France | Miyu, Finta Studio, Fabian&Fred, RTV)
The steak has been marinating for a few days now. The pan is heated. Franc’s stomach is rumbling. But Liza’s co-workers surprise her with a birthday party. Will she be home on time?
The Animation Showcase website is also hosting Best Live-Action Shorts Collection for 2022, featuring festival darlings Warsha (Dania Bdeir), Solarium (Jonathan Koulavsky), Sideral (Carlos Segundo), The Right Words (Adrian Mayse Dullin) and Enjoy (Saul Abraham).
For access to The Animation Showcase, visit the account activation page and submit your email and proof of work int he animation and/or motion picture industry.
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