Author: Mercedes Milligan

Netflix Unveils September Highlights, Plus ‘Dragon Prince’ S4 Key Art
While certain streamers are dumping animated favorites from their libraries, Netflix at least is planning another highly animated month of kids & family, anime and special animation events.

Today also saw the release of the official key art for The Dragon Prince Season 4, which is due to take us back to Xadia for the new “Mystery of Aaravos” arc in November.

Among September’s highlights are the debut of Kid Cudi’s Entergalactic and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners; new episodes of Samurai Rabbit, Karma’s World, Dogs in Space and My Little Pony: Make Your Mark; plus the long-awaited arrival of Bee and PuppyCat Season 2, which will drop alongside remakes of episodes from Natasha Allegri’s fan-favorite first season.

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners (Netflix © 2022)

New on Netflix: September Animation

Coming Soon
- Cyberpunk: Edgerunners – Netflix Anime – In a dystopia riddled with corruption and cybernetic implants, a talented but reckless street kid strives to become a mercenary outlaw — an edgerunner. (Watch)
Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles (Netflix © 2022)

Sept. 1
- JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure STONE OCEAN Episodes 13-24 — Netflix Anime – The legacy of the Joestar family continues with Jolyne as she and her companions take on new Stand users behind the bars of Green Dolphin Street Prison. (Watch)
- Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles Season 2 – Netflix Family – With the Yokai no longer their enemies, Usagi and the gang enjoy a short-lived peace but soon must prepare for an invasion by evil aliens. (Watch)
- Barbie: Mermaid Power, Despicable Me, Despicable Me 2, Morphle Halloween Candy Magic Pet
Sept. 5
- CoComelon Season 6 – Netflix Family – Jump into a bright and colorful “CoComelon” world, where cute characters and kid-friendly tunes help little ones learn and grow! (Watch)
Bee and PuppyCat (Netflix © 2022)

Sept. 6
- Bee and PuppyCat – Netflix Family – On a charming magical island, the impulsive Bee and her furry pal get up to all sorts of adventures while working for an intergalactic temp agency. (Watch)
Sept. 12
- Ada Twist, Scientist Season 3 – Netflix Family – Pint-sized scientist Ada Twist and her two best friends are asking big questions — and working together to discover the truth about everything! (Watch)
Dogs in Space (Netflix © 2022)

Sept. 15
- Dogs in Space Season 2 – Netflix Family – Fetch — a new planet for us all! With Earth in danger, desperate scientists send genetically enhanced dogs into space to find a new world to call home. (Watch)
Sept. 19
- Go Dog Go Season 3 – Netflix Family – The gang’s on-the-go adventures take an un-fur-gettable turn when Tag, Scooch and friends welcome a new family to Pawston and show them all around town! (Watch)
Karma’s World (Netflix © 2022)

Sept. 21
- Karma’s World Season 4 – Netflix Family – New songs and adventures await in Hansberry Heights as Karma rhymes her way through bigger challenges and shows up for her family, friends and community. (Watch)
Sept. 23
- Pokémon: The Arceus Chronicles – Netflix Family – While investigating the legend of the mythical Pokémon Arceus, Ash, Goh and Dawn uncover a plot by Team Galactic that threatens the world.
My Little Pony: Make Your Mark (Netflix © 2022)

Sept. 26
- My Little Pony: Make Your Mark Chapter 2 – Netflix Family – When these sure-footed friends stick together, their magic is even better! Welcome to Equestria, where everypony belongs.
Sept. 30
- Entergalactic – Netflix Special – From the minds of Kid Cudi and Kenya Barris comes a story of two young artists navigating the twists and turns of finding love in New York City. (Watch) Read more in the Sept./Oct. ’22 issue of Animation Magazine, available soon!
Entergalactic (Netflix © 2022)
August 24, 2022
Canada Enters Hybrid Doc ‘Eternal Spring’ in International Film Oscar Race

The Canadian Selection Committee — the body responsible fore choosing the film that will represent Canada at the Academy Awards — announced today that the feature documentary Eternal Spring (長春) will be its entry in the one-film-per-country contest for the Oscar for Best International Feature Film.

Directed, written and produced by Jason Loftus and featuring the animated memories of Chinese comic-book artist Daxiong, Eternal Spring will vie for nomination at the 95th Academy Awards, to be held on March 12, 2023. The film is produced by Lofty Sky Entertainment and the international sales agent is Sideways Film. 

Eternal Spring (copyright Lofty Sky Pictures)

“It is with great enthusiasm that we announce that Eternal Spring was selected from among 16 films submitted to the pan-Canadian selection committee for having the best chance of positioning itself well in the multi-stage Oscar race,” said Christa Dickenson, Executive & CEO, Telefilm Canada.

“This venture represents an exceptional opportunity for Eternal Spring to reach new audiences and offers a golden opportunity to showcase the high quality of Canadian filmmaking. That is why Telefilm will be supporting the film team in this prestigious competition and we wish them the best of luck.”

Eternal Spring has been presented at several international festivals and will be released across Canada on September 23. 

Eternal Spring (copyright Lofty Sky Pictures)

Synopsis: In March 2002, a state TV signal in China is hacked by members of the banned spiritual group Falun Gong. Their goal is to counter the government narrative about their practice.

In the aftermath, police raids sweep Changchun City, and comic-book illustrator Daxiong (Justice League, Star Wars), a Falun Gong practitioner, is forced to flee. He arrives in North America, blaming the hijacking for worsening a violent repression. But his views are challenged when he meets the lone surviving participant to have escaped China, now living in Seoul, South Korea.

Combining present-day footage with 3D animation inspired by Daxiong’s art, Eternal Spring retraces the event on its 20th anniversary, and brings to life an unprecedented story of defiance, harrowing eyewitness accounts of persecution, and an exhilarating tale of determination to speak up for political and religious freedoms, no matter the cost.

So far, five countries have submitted their entries for the Best International Film Oscar; Eternal Spring is the only entry representing animation artistry in the category. Last year, 92 countries submitted a film. Animation is rarely seen among the international entries; the first and so far only animated feature to be nominated was Ari Folman’s Waltz with Bashir — also a documentary — representing Israel back in 2008.

In the history of the Oscars, eight live-action Canadian films have made the nomination cut for the category, previously called Best Foreign Language Film. Out of these, the country has celebrated one win: for Denys Arcand’s French-language comedy-drama The Barbarian Invasions in 2004.

Telefilm Canada coordinates and chairs the pan-Canadian Selection Committee, without voting right. The committee comprises some 20 members representing key government agencies and national film industry associations.

August 24, 2022
‘Heavy Metal’ Director Gerald Potterton Dies at Age 91

The National Flim Board of Canada (NFB) today shared the news that animator, director and producer Gerald Potterton died Tuesday evening (August 23) at the Brome-Missisquoi-Perkins Hospital in Cowansville, Quebec. The acclaimed filmmaker, who helped bring groundbreaking films like Heavy Metal and Yellow Submarine to screens, was 91 years old.

Born March 8, 1931 in London, England, Potterton studied at the Hammersmith Art School before emigrating to Canada as a young adult in 1954 to join the pioneering artists at NFB’s animation studio, spearheaded by Norman McLaren. Potterton created animation for others’ films through the ’50s before directing his own shorts, including the Stephen Leacock adaptation My Financial Career (1962) and Christmas Cracker (1963, co-directed with McLaren, Jeff Hale and Grant Munro), both nominated for Academy Awards.

My Financial Career

During this time, Potterton Gerald also made his mark in live-action comedy with The Ride (1963) and the multi-award-winning silent film throwback The Railrodder (1965), starring cinema icon Buster Keaton in one of his last film roles.

Potterton returned to England to work on the animated Beatles feature Yellow Submarine (1968, directed by George Dunning), followed by a collaboration with Harold Pinter on the innovative NBC TV special Pinter People, during which he began a lifelong friendship and collaboration with actor Donald Pleasence.

Yellow Submarine

Back across the pond in Canada, he formed Potterton Productions, a prolific independent production house for film and TV projects — including his Oscar Wilde adaptation The Selfish Giant (1972), an animated short that netted him his third Oscar nomination. From 1970 to 1971, he served as vice president of ASIFA.

Potterton also directed the cult classic animated feature Heavy Metal (1981) for Columbia Pictures, supervising the work of more than 65 animators in Canada, England and the U.S. He also collaborated with the NFB again on his second Leacock adaptation, The Awful Fate of Melpomenus Jones (1983), and co-created the animated children’s series The Smoggies (1987–1990).

The Awful Fate of Melpomenus Jones

In later years, “the flying animator” took up painting and was known for his historically accurate aviation paintings and extraordinary skies. He remained active and prolific into the 21st century, continuing to develop film and TV projects as well as pursuing other artistic endeavours from his farm in Knowlton, Quebec.

In 2020, he wrote and illustrated a popular children’s book about Canadian inventor and entrepreneur Joseph-Armand Bombardier, L’homme des neiges, published by Éditions Québec Amérique.

Buster Keaton and Gerald Potterton on the set of ‘The Railrodder’

A member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, Potterton was selected by the World Animation Celebration in 1998 as one of “Ten Men Who Have Rocked the Animation World.” There have been over a dozen retrospectives and lifetime honors for his work in the past few decades, including at the Ottawa Animation Film Festival (1994) and the Seattle Film Festival (1997), as well as in India (2000). He was honored with the Pulcinella Lifetime Achievement Award at Cartoons on the Bay 2008.

A documentary on Potterton directed by AniMaze Film Festival producer Laurie Gordon, The Flying Animator, launched a Kickstarter several years ago (last updated in November). You can see more of Potterton’s work with the NFB here.

The Selfish Giant

August 24, 2022
Watch: Ethan Hawke Is Batman in Cartoonito’s ‘Batwheels’

Start your engines, superheroes! A first look (and listen) of Ethan Hawke as the voice of Batman in Batwheels is revved up and ready to go. The upcoming CG-animated series inspired by the DC Universe is set to debut as part of the preschool block on Cartoonito on HBO Max and Cartoon Network.

The new clip features a scene from the upcoming half-hour special, “Secret Origin of the Batwheels,” premiering on Batman Day, September 17, exclusively first on Cartoonito on HBO Max. The special will introduce viewers to Bam (the Batmobile), Bibi (the Batgirl Cycle), Redbird(Robin’s Sports Car), Batwing (the Batwing Jet Plane) and Buff (the Bat Truck), and tell the backstory of how this team of young sentient super-powered vehicles came to be.

In the “Secret Origin” special, when Batman, Robin and Batgirl are captured, the Batcomputer brings the Bat-Vehicles to life. The newly-minted Batwheels must defend the Batcave and face off with the Legion of Zoom — all without Batman’s help!

The series will officially launch later this fall on Cartoonito on Cartoon Network and Cartoonito on HBO Max. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, Batwheels marks DC’s first entry into preschool, offering young viewers a high-speed, vibrant iteration of the Caped Crusader. The show will follow a group of young sentient super-powered vehicles as they defend Gotham City alongside Batman, Robin and Batgirl.

Series synopsis: They are a team of incredible crimefighters who have banded together to oppose evil, combat crime and clean up the streets of Gotham City. They are … okay, they’re NOT Batman and Robin. They’re the Batwheels: an awesome group of sentient super-powered crime-fighting vehicles defending Gotham City alongside Batman, Robin and Batgirl.

Having just been created by the Batcomputer, our heroes are essentially kids with little to no life experience. Led by Bam (the Batmobile), the Batwheels — Bibi (the Batgirl Cycle), Redbird (Robin’s Sports Car), Batwing (the Batwing Jet Plane), and Buff (the Bat Truck) — must navigate the growing pains of being a newly formed super-team as well as the growing pains that come with just being a kid. This relatable and aspirational series will follow the journey of this dynamic team as they thrill and entertain with their heroic adventures as well as demonstrate to kids the value of self-confidence, friendship and teamwork.

As well as four-time Oscar nominee Hawke, the all-star voice cast includes Jacob Bertrand (as Bam), Gina Rodriguez (as Catwoman), Xolo Maridueña (as Snowy), Jordan Reed (as Redbird), Madigan Kacmar (as Bibi), Noah Bentley (as Buff), Lilimar (as Batwing), Kimberly D. Brooks (as The Batcomputer), AJ Hudson (as Duke Thomas/Robin) and Leah Lewis (as Cassandra Cain/Batgirl)

The rogues’ gallery of villains are voiced by Mick Wingert (as Moe and The Joker), Griffin Burns (as Prank), Alexandra Novelle (as Jetstah), Josey Montana McCoy (as Quizz), Ariyan Kassam (as Ducky), SungWon Cho (as Badcomputer and The Riddler), Tom Kenny (as Crash), Chandni Parekh (as Harley Quinn), Jess Harnell (as The Penguin), Regi Davis (as Mr. Freeze) and James Arnold Taylor (as Toyman).

Sam Register (Looney Tunes Cartoons) serves as executive producer. Michael G. Stern (Doc McStuffins) serves as co-executive producer, Simon J. Smith (Penguins of Madagascar) is supervising producer, and Steven Fink of Bang Zoom Ltd. is the producer. Based on characters from DC, Batwheels is produced by Warner Bros. Animation. Animation services are provided by Superprod Studio.

August 24, 2022
New Trailer for Zemeckis’ ‘Pinocchio’ Previews a CG Critter Parade

The new trailer, key art and stills from Disney’s live-action Pinocchio, which features a menageris of CG animals (and of course, the famous boy puppet) have arrived. Premiering on Disney+ Day September 8, the film is directed by Oscar winner Robert Zemeckis and delivers a retelling of the beloved Collodi tale, starring the characters made famous in Disney’s 1940 animated feature.

Jiminy Cricket (voiced by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) in ‘Pinocchio’, [courtesy of Disney Enterprises, Inc. © 2022 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.]
Pinocchio is the story of a wooden puppet who embarks on a thrilling adventure to become a real boy. Tom Hanks stars as Geppetto, the wood carver who builds and treats Pinocchio (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) as if he were his own son. Joseph Gordon-Levitt voices Jiminy Cricket, who serves as Pinocchio’s guide as well as his “conscience”; Academy Award nominee Cynthia Erivo is the Blue Fairy; Keegan-Michael Key is “Honest” John; Academy Award nominee Lorraine Bracco is Sofia the Seagull, a new character, and Luke Evans is The Coachman. Also in the cast are Kyanne Lamaya as Fabiana and Jaquita Ta’Le as her marionette Sabina, Giuseppe Battiston as Stromboli and Lewin Lloyd as Lampwick.

The beloved classic comes to life in the all-new live-action #Pinocchio! Watch the new trailer and stream the movie, a #DisneyPlusDay premiere, on September 8 on @DisneyPlus! 🕰 🕯🦗🧚‍♂️🌟🐋 pic.twitter.com/vUEeyYSmfG

— DisneyPinocchio (@DisneyPinocchio) August 24, 2022

In addition to beloved songs from the original animated classic, including “When You Wish Upon a Star” performed by Cynthia Erivo, the film features new original songs composed by Academy Award nominees Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard (The Polar Express). The soundtrack from Walt Disney Records will be available on September 8 and is available for Pre-Save/Pre-Add.

The Blue Fairy (Cynthia Erivo), Pinocchio (voiced by Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) and Jiminy Cricket (voiced by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) in ‘Pinocchio’ [courtesy of Disney Enterprises, Inc. © 2022 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.]
The screenplay for Pinocchio is by Zemeckis & Chris Weitz. Andrew Miano, Chris Weitz, Zemeckis and Derek Hogue are the film’s producers, with Jack Rapke, Jacqueline Levine, Jeremy Johns and Weitz as the film’s executive producers.

Disney’s Live-Action Pinocchio, exclusively on Disney+. All photos courtesy of Disney Enterprises, Inc. © 2022 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

August 24, 2022
Trailer: ‘Central Park’ S3 Springs Anew on Sept. 9

Apple TV+ today unveiled the trailer for the Emmy- and NAACP Image Award-nominated animated musical comedy Central Park, which will feature over 40 new original songs.

Hailing from creator, writer and executive producer Loren Bouchard, Josh Gad and Nora Smith, the 13-episode third season will premiere globally on Friday, September 9 on Apple TV+ with three episodes, followed by one episode every Friday thereafter through November 18.

In the third season of Central Park, as Bitsy (voiced by Stanley Tucci) continues her relentless pursuit to buy the park, Owen (Leslie Odom Jr.) embarks on a new promotional campaign to make more people fall in love with it, and Paige (Kathryn Hahn) finds herself busier than ever when she lands her first book deal.

The acclaimed voice cast also features Josh Gad as Birdie, Tituss Burgess as Cole, Daveed Diggs as Helen, Emmy Raver-Lampman as Molly and Kristen Bell, who returns in Season Three in the new role of Abby, Paige’s little sister.

New guest stars lending their voice talents to this season include Sam Richardson, Ike Barinholtz, Ben Schwartz, Zoë Chao, Ron Funches, Jack McBrayer, Amber Ruffin, Yvette Nicole Brown, Craig Robinson, Tim Meadows, David Alan Grier and more.

Kristen Bell, who stepped down from voicing the multiracial character Molly in 2020, returns in ‘Central Park’ S3 as new character Abby. [Apple TV+]

The first two seasons of Central Park are now streaming on Apple TV+. The seires is written and executive produced by Bouchard, alongside Gad and Smith. Steven Davis and Kelvin Yu serve as showrunners and also executive produce. The series is produced for Apple by 20th Television Animation, a part of Disney Television Studios.

Apple TV+ (tv.apple.com) offers premium series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries and kids & family entertainment across over 1 billion screens worldwide. After its launch on November 1, 2019, it became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world (100+ countries and regions), and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut. To date, Apple Original films, documentaries and series have been honored with 264 wins and 1,149 award nominations and counting.

L-R: Molly (Emmy Raver-Lampman), Owen (Leslie Odom Jr.), Paig (Kathryn Hahn) and Cole (Tituss Burgess) in ‘Central Park [Apple TV+]

August 24, 2022
Cinekid’s Junior Co-Pro Market Selects 20 Projects from 15 Countries

Leading kids & youth film and audiovisual festival Cinekid has revealed the 20 children’s film and television projects in development and works in progress for its Junior Co-production Market (JCM), to be held October 18-21. The JCM offers strong finance opportunities as well as high levels of interactivity between rights owners and international funders, broadcasters and producers.

The diverse selection includes live-action and animation projects from Norway, Germany, The Netherlands and, for the first time, three projects from Latin America by renowned and emerging children’s international media talents. The projects will be presented to international professionals from the children’s media industry to facilitate their future development and production.

The organizers have also sahred that, once again, a film previously selected for Junior Co-production Market will open the festival. Totem by Sander Burger and produced by Volya Film (Netherlands) — a live-action feature which co-stars a giant, magical CG porcupine — will compete for the prestigious Cinekid Lion in two categories: Best Children’s Film and Best Dutch Children’s Film. The project was presented at JCM 2019.

Totem

This year’s JCM selection includes two projects from previous Cinekid Script LAB / Directors LAB programs. Gorgius, directed by Samuele Rossi and written by Rossi and Tommaso Santi (produced by Italian company Solaria Film), will be presented simultaneously in JCM and the Script LAB. The work in progress Kiddo, written and directed by Zara Dwinger and produced by Studio Ruba (Netherlands), was part of Script LAB in 2020 and Directors LAB in 2022.

Two prizes will be handed out at the JCM: The prestigious Eurimages Co-Production Development Award (€20,000 in cash) will be presented to the best eligible film project with European co-production potential. The Filmmore Post-Production Award (€5,000 prize) will be given to the best live-action project of the Junior Co-Production Market. The award forms an invitation to start a long and fruitful collaboration with the Dutch Visual Effects & Post-production lab Filmmore. All winners will be announced on Thursday, October 22 during the Cinekid Ball.

Babu in the Night City

Junior Co-Production Market 2022 Selections

Films
* Indicates animated projects.

Achoo, Hiccups & CO
Directed by Meike Fehre
Written by Eva Dax (alias Mesken)
Production company: ahoifilm
Produced by Meike Fehre, Sabine Dully
Production countries: Germany

*Babu in the Night City
Directed by Petr Vodička
Written by Petr Vodička
Production company: Kuli Film
Produced by Radim Prochazka
Production countries: Czech Republic, Portugal

Gorgius
Directed by Samuele Rossi
Written by Samuele Rossi, Tommaso Santi
Production companies: Solaria Film, Arsmedia
Produced by Emanuele Nespeca, Bostjan Ikovic
Production countries: Italy, Slovenia

Greetings from Mars
Directed by Sarah Winkenstette
Written by Anette Unger
Production company: Leitwolf Filmproduktion GmbH
Produced by Barbara Daljavec, Branislav Srdić
Production country: Germany

Halloween

*Halloween
Directed by Silvia Prietov
Production company: Lucy Animation Studio
Produced by Karina Forero
Production country: Colombia

Mira
Directed by Marie Limkilde
Written by Ida Åkerstrøm Knudsen
Production company: Toolbox Film
Produced by Morten Kaufmann
Production country: Denmark

Showtime: The Rise and Fall of Sara and Laki Popovic
Directed by Dusan Joksimovic
Written by Matthias Nerlich, Milica Zivanovic
Production company: Sense Production
Produced by Barbara Maja Popovic Milojevic
Production countries: Serbia, Germany

The Legend of Magnus the Good

*The Legend of Magnus the Good
Directed by Frank Mosvold
Written by Frank Mosvold, Rob Sprackling
Production companies: A Film Production AS, Kool Produktion AS, Phanta Animation
Produced by Frank Mosvold
Production countries: Norway, Denmark, The Netherlands

Tora’s Secret
Directed by Sigvaldi J. Kárason
Written by Solveig Sigmond Ræsted
Production company: Polarama
Produced by Guðný Guðjónsdóttir
Production country: Iceland

Television

Blushing Ears
Directed by Sophie Dros
Production company: Halal Film & Photography
Produced by Olivia Sophie van Leeuwen
Production country: The Netherlands

Forget me not
Directed by Jojo Erholtz
Written by Eriikka Etholén-Paju
Production company: Zodiak Finland Oy
Produced by Teea Hyytiä
Production country: Finland

*Giggle Wiggle
Directed by Marzena Nehrebecka
Written by Marzena Nehrebecka
Production company: Badi Badi
Produced by Magdalena Rawa
Production country: Poland

I Want to Know

*I Want to Know
Production company: BFILM s.r.o.
Produced by Peter Badač
Production country: Slovakia

*Rainbow Hunters
Directed by Santiago O’Ryan
Written by Karen Harvey, Santiago O’Ryan
Production company: Lunes Animation Studio, Startoons Animation Studio
Produced by Catalina Fontecilla
Production countries: Chile, Peru

The Huggingtons

*The Huggingtons
Directed by Lars Hegdal, Ole Kristian Øye
Written by Darren Jones
Production company: Klipp og Lim as
Produced by Kjersti Greger
Production countries: Norway, Iceland

The Inner Life
Directed by Simone van Dusseldorp
Written by Dajo Leunge, Lorans Al Dandachli , Lasse Feijen, Gabriel D. Calvo Nencel
Production company: Flatland
Produced by Roel van de Weijer
Production country: Spain

*Ugamu, My Imaginary Enemy
Directed by Yuly Velasco
Written by Fabián Guamaní
Production company: Mito Estudio Creativo
Produced by Juan Camilo Gonzales
Production countries: Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia

*Yukon – Space Botanist
Directed by Martin Engh
Written by Sara Daddy
Production company: Imaginær Film AS
Produced by Eirik Smidesang Slåen, Elisabeth Opdal
Production country: Norway

Yukon – Space Botanist

Works in Progress

Kiddo
Directed by Zara Dwinger
Written by Nena van Driel, Zara Dwinger
Production company: Studio Ruba
Produced by Maarten van der Ven, Layla Meijman
Production country: The Netherlands

*Mavka. The Forest Song
Directed by Oleg Malamuzh, Oleksandra Ruban
Written by Yaroslav Voytseshek
Production company: Animagrad Studio (Film.UA Group)
Produced by Iryna Kostyuk, Аnna Eliseyeva (Koval), Egor Olesov
Production country: Ukraine

The Junior Co-production Market will take place during Cinekid for Professionals (Oct. 17-21). Registration is open until September 12.

cinekid.nl

August 23, 2022
VES Announces 2022 Hall of Fame Inductees

Today, the Visual Effects Society (VES), the industry’s global professional honorary society, announced the Society’s newest inductees into the VES Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame inductees — and other special honorees — will be celebrated at a special event this Fall. The 2022 VES Hall of Fame honorees are Mary Ellen Bute, Alice Guy-Blaché, Grace Hopper, Bill Kovacs and George Pal.

“Our VES honorees represent a group of exceptional artists, innovators and professionals who have had a profound impact on the field of visual effects,” said VES Board Chair Lisa Cooke. “We are proud to recognize those who helped shape our shared legacy and continue to inspire future generations of VFX practitioners.”

As previously anno unced, venerated educator and industry leader Pam Hogarth was named recipient of the 2022 VES Founders Awards. The Society designated Hogarth, Jeff Barnes, Patricia “Rose” Duignan, Toni Pace Carstensen and David Tanaka with Lifetime VES memberships and Pete Docter with Honorary VES Memberships.

2022 VES Hall of Fame Inductees

Mary Ellen Bute

Mary Ellen Bute (1906–1983) was a pioneer American film animator, producer and director. She was one of the first female experimental filmmakers, and was the creator of some of the first electronically generated film images. Her specialty was visual music. While working in New York City between 1934 and 1958, Butte made 14 short abstract musical films exploring the relationship of sound and image in cinema, and a second body of work focused on the relation of language and cinema through adaptation of literary sources. Many of these were viewed in movie theaters, such as Radio City Music Hall, usually preceding a prestigious film, and several of her abstract films were part of her Seeing Sound series.

Alice Guy-Blaché

Alice Guy-Blaché (1873-1968) was a French pioneer filmmaker. She was one of the first filmmakers to make a narrative fiction film, as well as the first woman to direct a film. She experimented with Gaumont’s Chronophone sync-sound system, and with color-tinting, interracial casting and special effects. As artistic director and a co-founder of Solax Studios in New York in 1912, she made the film A Fool and His Money — probably the first to have an all African-American cast. The film is now preserved at the National Center for Film and Video Preservation at the American Film Institute for its historical and aesthetic significance. Guy-Blaché was awarded the Légion d’honneur, the highest non-military award France offers, and honored in a Cinématheque Française ceremony.

Commodore Grace M. Hopper, USN

Grace Hopper (1906-1992), known as “Grandma COBOL,” was an American computer scientist and United States Navy rear admiral. One of the first programmers of the Harvard Mark I computer, she was a pioneer of computer programming who invented one of the first linkers. Hopper was the first to devise the theory of machine-independent programming languages, and the FLOW-MATIC programming language she created using this theory was later extended to create COBOL, an early high level programming language still in use today. The U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Hopper was named for her, as was the Cray XE6 “Hopper” supercomputer at NERSC. In 2016, Hopper was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama.

Bill Kovacs

Bill Kovacs (1949-2006) was a pioneer of commercial computer animation technology. As Vice President of R&D at Robert Abel and Associates, he co-developed the company’s animation software. Kovacs used this software, with others, in the film TRON. He later co-founded Wavefront Technologies as Chief Technology Officer, leading the development of products such as The Advanced Visualizer as well as animated productions. Along with Richard Childers and Chris Baker, he was a key organizer of the Infinite Illusions exhibit at the Smithsonian Institute. Following his retirement from Wavefront, Kovacs co-founded Instant Effects, worked as a consultant to Electronic Arts and RezN8, serving as RezN8’s CTO from 2000 until his death. He received a Scientific and Engineering Academy Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and two Clio Awards for his work on animated TV commercials.

George Pal

George Pal (1908-1980) was a Hungarian-American animator, film director and producer, principally associated with the fantasy and science-fiction genres. He became an American citizen after emigrating from Europe. He was nominated for Academy Awards (in the category Best Short Subjects, Cartoon) for seven consecutive years (1942–1948) and received an honorary award in 1944. As an animator, he made the Puppetoons series in the 1940s, which led to him being awarded the honorary Oscar for “the development of novel methods and techniques in the production of short subjects known as Puppetoons. Pal then switched to live-action film-making with The Great Rupert. He is best remembered as the producer of several science-fiction and fantasy films in the 1950s and 1960s, four of which were collaborations with director Byron Haskin, including The War of the Worlds. He himself directed Tom Thumb, The Time Machine and The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm.

www.vesglobal.org

August 23, 2022
LAIKA’s ‘Coraline’ Enjoys Evergreen Theatrical Return

For the second year in a row, a bring-back screening of LAIKA’s groundbreaking stop-motion film Coraline scored impressive results at the box office on Monday, August 15. The film doubled last year’s box office, scoring over $800,000 in a one-day-only presentation from Fathom Events, LAIKA and Park Circus.

The showing was one of the most successful for Fathom this year. Coraline was #2 at the box office overall and the #1 per-screen average of any film in release, playing in just 800 locations. The Coraline screening also included an exclusive behind-the-scenes featurette, giving audiences a glimpse into the unique creative process behind LAIKA’s extraordinary film.

Originally released in 2009, Coraline is a wondrous, thrilling, fun and suspenseful adventure from director Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas, James and the Giant Peach) and is based on the novella of the same name by author Neil Gaiman (Sandman). Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher and Ian McShane topline an all-star cast.

“We’re very excited to see fans come back to the theater to see Coraline,” said Ray Nutt, CEO of Fathom Events. “We’re proud to continue to work with such great partners and to see how much moviegoers love to see this film on the big screen.”

LAIKA Chief Marketing Officer and SVP of Operations David Burke added, “Fathom’s platforming of Coraline as summer destination theatrical viewing is proving to be an evergreen delight for our fans. We’re delighted with the continued success of LAIKA’S maiden voyage into filmmaking.

“The same fans who are making the Coraline bring-back screenings such a success can look forward to another original female protagonist in an Oregon setting in our next film Wildwood, which takes place in LAIKA’s hometown of Portland.”

August 23, 2022
Trailer: ‘Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo!’ Brings a New Mystery Home in October
Everyone’s favorite mystery-solving gang is back! Grab your Scooby Snacks and get ready to go undercover as Warner Bros. Home Entertainment releases Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo! on Digital on October 4 and DVD on October 18. In addition to the 72-minute all-new original animated film, the DVD release also includes three bonus classic Scooby-Doo! episodes.

Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo! will be available to own on Digital for $14.99 SRP (US and Canada) and on DVD for $19.98 SRP ($24.98 in Canada).

Synopsis: Mystery Inc. has cracked the case to top all cases! They’ve tracked down Coco Diablo, the head of the notorious costume crime syndicate that colludes The Black Knight, Space Kook and the Ghost Diver. With Coco and her kitty in prison, Mystery Inc. thinks that they can finally enjoy a break. Wrong! Suddenly, menacing doppelgänger ghosts of the Scooby crew and favorite classic foes show up in Coolsville to threaten Halloween. Now it’s up to the meddling kids — and their unlikely new partner Coco — to unmask the latest scoundrel and save Halloween! For Shaggy and Scooby-Doo, with trick-or-treating on the line — this time it’s personal!

Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo! features the familiar voice talents of Frank Welker as Scooby-Doo/Fred Jones, Grey DeLisle as Daphne Blake, Matthew Lillard as Shaggy Rogers and Kate Micucci as Velma Dinkley.

The film is executive produced and directed by Audie Harrison (Uncle Grandpa) from a teleplay by Audie Harrison & Laura Pollak (Fairfax, Rise of the Pink Ladies) and Daniel McClellan (Lost in Space). Sam Register (Looney Tunes Cartoons) serves as executive producer.

Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo! will also be available on Cartoon Network and HBO Max during this year’s annual Scoobtober celebration.

Bonus Episodes
- “El Bandito”
- “Headless Horseman of Halloween”
- “To Swtich a Witch”
Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo!
August 23, 2022
Teaser: Netflix Dates ‘Big Mouth’ S6, Sets Nick Kroll Stand-Up Special

Netflix announced today that Season 6 of Big Mouth, the fan beloved, critically-acclaimed and Emmy-winning adult animated comedy about the glorious nightmare that is puberty, will premiere October 28.

Nick Kroll: Little Big Boy [ph: Frank Mcpartland / Netflix © 2022]
The streamer also announced that series co-creator and voice star Nick Kroll will make his Netflix stand-up special debut with Nick Kroll: Little Big Boy, which will warm audiences up for the return of the hormone monsters with a global September 27 premiere.

Filmed at the Warner Theatre in Washington DC, Kroll shows a bit of his vulnerable side in Little Big Boy as he talks getting his heart broken for the first time at the ripe age of 33, the power of mothers, his journey to fatherhood, the trick to farting without making any noise … and much more. The special is executive produced by Kroll, John Irwin, Casey Spira and Christie Smith, directed by Bill Benz.

Inspired by Kroll and Andrew Goldberg’s childhood, Big Mouth follows a group of friends and their hormone monsters as they navigate adolescence, human sexuality, and coming of age. Season six focuses on the theme of family as the beloved characters continue each of their journeys, discovering that while you can’t always pick your family, you can surround yourself with those that love you for who you are.

The series is co-created and executive produced by Kroll, Goldberg, Jennifer Flackett and Mark Levin under their Brutus Pink animation production banner, which recently extended its content deal with Netflix. The crew is also responsible for the Big Mouth spinoff Human Resources; the series have been renewed for a seventh and second season, respectively.

August 23, 2022
People on the Move: Flying Bark Taps Harper as 2D CD, Sirrs Joins DNEG & More
Sarah Harper

Studio 100’s Flying Bark Productions (flyingbark.com.au) has today announced the appointment of Sarah Harper to Creative Director – 2D. In her new role, she will oversee 2D projects for both original and client service work in the Sydney studio and will help spearhead Flying Bark’s further expansion into original content with a specific focus on anime-influenced traditional animation and the studio’s recently announced After Bark brand. Harper joins fellow Creative Directors Alexs Stadermann (100% Wolf, Maya the Bee Movie) in Sydney and Ian Graham (Glitch Techs, Legend of Korra) jn Los Angeles.

Part of the Flying Bark Productions team since 2016, Harper has been pivotal in the growth of the 2D team, most recently with her work as series director, co-producer and writer on LEGO: Monkie Kid, working with the LEGO teams out of China, Los Angeles and Denmark to bring the series to life. The series has attracted more than 600 million views.

Flying Bark continues to grow its world class animation team across CG, 2D and CG/2D hybrid productions. With 350 employees (including a 2D team of over 200 artists), it has quickly become one of the world’s most sought-after studios for traditional frame-by-frame animation. Its list of recent projects include Nickelodeon’s Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Movie, the team’s first foray into 2D features, as well as LEGO: Monkie Kid S1-3, Disney/Marvel’s upcoming Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur and What If..?. Flying Bark is preparing for further expansion to support more 2D feature animation in addition to the various development and pre-production projects as part of its growing slate.

Janek Sirrs

Leading VFX and animation studio DNEG (dneg.com) announced that Janek Sirrs has joined its creative leadership team as Visual Effects Supervisor. The Oscar and BAFTA winner, who comes to DNEG with more than three decades of experience in the film industry, will be based at the company’s Los Angeles studio.

Sirrs’s impressive list of production VFX supervisor credits includes Marvel movies Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Spider-Man: Far from Home and Homecoming, The Avengers and Iron Man 2. Other client-side VFX supervisor credits include Terminator Genisys, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and Batman Begins. In 2000, Sirrs received the Academy Award and the BAFTA Award for Best Special
Visual Effects for his work on The Matrix. He has subsequently received two additional Oscar nominations, for his work on The Avengers and Iron Man 2, and two additional BAFTA nominations, for his work on The Avengers and Batman Begins.

“As a client-side supervisor, I have worked with DNEG for more than
20 years, all the way back to Batman Begins and Mission: Impossible II. I am a big fan of the company’s work and its ethos. This new extension of my relationship with DNEG is incredibly exciting for me, as it allows even closer collaboration with DNEG’s talented teams, and the opportunity to develop groundbreaking and unconventional ideas, concepts and approaches,” said Sirrs. “One of my goals in designing and worldbuilding for movies is to create something that has never been seen before, and I am looking forward to working with interesting and esoteric filmmakers to help bring a different take and a unique approach to the craft of storytelling.”

Rich Venezian | Ayumi Ashley [ph: Scott Kaplan] | Holly Greig

More Moves:
- Post-production solutions outfit Remote Pictures Labs (RPL, remotepicturelabs.com) has appointed Rich Venezian as Director of Business Development. The post industry pro will work alongside VP of Sales Sal Baldomar in Burbank.
- Color and post house Rare Medium (raremedium.tv) announced the hire of Ayumi Ashley as Senior Colorist, bringing in her expertise honed on campaigns for Instagram, Amazon Echo, Spotify and YouTube.
- London-based VFX boutique Stone Dogs (stonedogs.co.uk) has brought on Holly Greig as Colorist at its new color facility; she joins from Prime Focus.
August 22, 2022
5 Eclectic VR Shorts Selected for BIAF2022

The 24th Bucheon International Animation Festival (BIAF2022) has announced five selected films for its VR category. While the number of films is reduced from last year’s 11 picks, the overall selection promises to be even more colorful, showcasing strong contenders from around the world vying for the Best VR Jury Prize at the South Korean gathering.

The BIAF2022 VR films are:

From the Main Square
Pedro Harres (Germany/Brazil)
Encircling a central square, a new town emerges in all its diversity. A crossroad of stories, buildings, hopes and conflicts. Social ties and cultures take root. People nurture sympathy and care for their equals, but also animosity towards those who are different.

Thank You for Sharing Your World
Yu Sakudo (Japan)
Takashi lost his eyesight in grade school. Though he can recreate the world in his mind, he is losing interest with fewer things to enjoy. One day, his friend Shinji, who is autistic, invites Takashi to a steam locomotive ceremony…

Thank You for Sharing Your World

Midnight Story
Antonin Niclass (U.K./Switzerland/France)
An old lady is waiting for the last coach in a sad station. Looking for distraction, she starts observing the lonely travellers. Suddenly, the pigeons manage to create a connection between them all.

Reimagined Volume I: Nyssa
Julie Cavaliere (U.S.)
This woman-led, -directed and -produced anthology series will take the viewer into a new kind of storybook by showcasing lesser-known fables, myths and folklore in a gender-inclusive experience.

Reimagined Volume I: Nyssa

Diagnosia
Mengtai Zhang (U.S./China)
Diagnosia portrays the director’s memories of being incarcerated in a military-operated Internet addiction camp in Beijing in 2007.

BIAF is the first Korean film festival to add a VR category to its international competition. Previous winners include the high-profile projects Age of Sail in 2019 (also nominated for the Best Animated Short Academy Award), Production I.G’s Ghost in the Shell experience in 2020 and The Hangman at Home by Michelle and Uri Kranot in 2021.

BIAF2022 will be held October 21-25 in Bucheon, South Korea.

www.biaf.or.kr

August 22, 2022
‘DC League of Super-Pets’ Collars Home Video Release
DC’s unsung heroes Krypto, Ace and the gang are ready to bring their action-packed adventures to home screens when DC League of Super-Pets arrives for Premium Digital Ownership at home on August 23 ($24.99 for 48-hour rental, $19.99 PVOD), available in Filmmaker Mode. The film will also be available on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD on October 4 and on Movies Anywhere.

In DC League of Super-Pets, Krypto the Super-Dog (Dwayne Johnson) and Superman (John Krasinski) are inseparable best friends, sharing the same superpowers and fighting crime in Metropolis side by side. When Superman and the rest of the Justice League are kidnapped, Krypto must convince a rag-tag shelter pack — Ace the hound (Kevin Hart), PB the potbellied pig (Vanessa Bayer), Merton the turtle (Natasha Lyonne) and Chip the squirrel (Diego Luna) — to master their own newfound powers and help him rescue the superheroes.

The voice cast also features Marc Maron (Joker), Thomas Middleditch (Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie), Ben Schwartz (Sonic the Hedgehog) and Keanu Reeves (Matrix and John Wick films).

The film is directed by Jared Stern from a screenplay by Stern and John Whittington, based on characters from DC and Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Patricia Hicks, Johnson, Dany Garcia, Hiram Garcia and Stern are producers, with John Requa, Glenn Ficarra, Nicholas Stoller, Allison Abbate, Chris Leahy, Sharon Taylor and Courtenay Valenti executive producing.

Digital & Blu-ray Bonus Features
- How to Draw Krypto
- Behind the Super Voices – Also available on DVD.
- Super-Pets Animation 101
- Find the Easter Eggs
- The World of Super-Pets
- Deleted Scenes
August 22, 2022
Trailer: ‘Go, Dog. Go!’ Introduces First Feline Family in S3

Inspired by the classic children’s book, brand new episodes of Go, Dog. Go! will be arriving on Netflix September 19.

The newest residents in the dog town of Pawston… are cats! Tag and Scooch take it upon themselves to welcome the Whiskerton family, but thinking about what cats like doesn’t come easy. Who knew that kibble omelets aren’t everyone’s favorite? Kit teaches the pups about all of her favorite cat-ivities, joins Tag and Scooch on a hunt for the legendary Bigpaw, and together they set out to win the Pawston Chewbilee Games!

Based on PD Eastman’s beloved book and executive produced by Adam Peltzman (Odd Squad, Blue’s Clues, Wallykazam!), Go, Dog. Go! follows six-year-old Tag Barker on her adventures in the city of Pawston, a fun-loving community of dogs on the go. Tag is a skilled mechanic and loves anything that goes. With her ingenuity and creativity, Tag can go as far as any plan will take her with her best friend Scooch Pooch by her side.

The voice cast features Michela Luci as Tag Barker, Callum Shoniker as Scooch Pooch, Katie Griffin as Ma Barker, Martin Roach as Paw Barker, Lyon Smith as Spike Barker and Gilber Barker, Tajja Isen as Cheddar Biscuit, Judy Marshak as Grandma Barker and Patrick McKenna as Grandpaw Barker.

Go, Dog. Go!

August 22, 2022
Addiction Story ‘Scale’ Wins Best Animation at HollyShorts

The Oscar-qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival has wrapped its 18th edition, after 10 days of compelling short film programming at the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres in Hollywood, Calif. This year’s top prizewinning films, which are now eligible for Academy Award consideration in the short film categories, are Victor Gabriel’s Hallelujah (Grand Prix), Seemab Gul’s Sandstorm (Best Live Action) and Joseph Pierce’s Scale (Best Animation).

Adapted from the novella by Will Self, Scale is a 13-minute French, British, Belgian and Czech co-production, produced with rotoscope animation. Pierce also wrote the screenplay with Nicolas Pleskof; the cast features Sam Spruell, Zahra Ahmadi and Evelyn & Lila Neghabian Pierce. The short received a special screening at Cannes Critics Week and was selected for Annecy and the Guanajuato International Film Festival.

Driving along the motorway, Will loses his sense of scale. As his crippling drug addiction deepens, he struggles to unpick the sequence of events that led to his predicament, before he’s lost forever.

Scale was created with the support of French broadcaster Arte, receiving multiple CNC funds and production grants from around France. Paris studio Melocoton drove the project, produced by co-founder Hélène Mitjavile, with U.K. coproducer Chris Hees at Bridge Way Films (support from BFI), Jérémie Mazurek & Christophe Beaujean at Belgium’s Ozù Productions (support from FWB) and Jiri Konecky at Endorfilm in the Czech Republic (support from the Czech Film Centre).

You can find the HollyShorts 2022 animation competition lineup here.

www.hollyshorts.com

August 22, 2022
Disney+ Day Pluses-Up Fan Experiences with Animation, Movies, Park Events & AMC Screenings
This year, Disney+ Day will deliver even more excitement to subscribers with additional content premiering globally on September 8 as well as celebrations across Disney Parks, Experiences and Products.

New titles include Marvel Studios’ Thor: Love and Thunder and Assembled: The Making of Thor: Love and Thunder, Obi-Wan Kenobi: A Jedi’s Return, Remembering, the Frozen and Frozen 2 Sing-Alongs and Welcome to the Club, a new short from The Simpsons.

Disney Parks, Experiences and Products will join in the Disney+ Day festivities with perks for subscribers including early entry to Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort, celebratory photo opportunities, entertainment, culinary delights, and more. Additionally, Disney+ Day special screenings will return to select AMC Theatres from September 8-19.

The Disney+ Day streaming lineup will feature anticipated global premieres from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, The Simpsons and more. In addition to the previously announced Pinocchio and Cars on the Road, new animation/hybrid content coming to the service will include:

Frozen and Frozen 2 Sing-Alongs
Disney+ will release new Sing-Along versions of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Frozen” and Frozen 2. As subscribers watch the Sing-Along version of these films, they will be able to fully immerse themselves in the music with on-screen lyrics.

Welcome to the Club (a new short from The Simpsons)
Heart set on becoming a princess, Lisa Simpson is surprised to learn being bad might be more fun.

Previously announced titles include:

Pinocchio
Academy Award winner Robert Zemeckis directs this live-action retelling of the beloved tale of a wooden puppet who embarks on a thrilling adventure to become a real boy. Tom Hanks stars as Geppetto, the wood-carver who builds and treats Pinocchio (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) as if he were his own son. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is Jiminy Cricket, who serves as Pinocchio’s guide as well as his “conscience”; Academy Award nominee Cynthia Erivo is the Blue Fairy; Keegan-Michael Key is “Honest” John; Academy Award nominee Lorraine Bracco is Sofia the Seagull, a new character, and Luke Evans is The Coachman.

Cars on the Road
The series follows Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) and his best friend Mater (voice of Larry the Cable Guy) as they head east from Radiator Springs on a cross-country road trip to meet up with Mater’s sister. Along the way, every stop is its own adventure, with outrageous roadside attractions and colorful new characters. Cars on the Road is produced by Marc Sondheimer. The series’ episodes are directed by Steve Purcell (Eps 1, 2, 8), Bobby Podesta (Eps 5, 6, 9) and Brian Fee (Eps 3, 4, 7). Composer Jake Monaco created the score for all nine episodes.

Additional content launches include:
- Thor:Loveand Thunder
- Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Thor: Love and Thunder
- Obi-Wan Kenobi: A Jedi’s Return
- Remembering – original short film by Emmy winner Elijah Allan-Blitz with companion AR app
- Dancing with the Stars: The Pros’ Most Memorable Dances
- Tierra Incógnita – original mystery series series produced in Latin America
- She Hulk-Attorney at Law – new episodes Thursdays
- Growing Up – docu-series from Brie Larson and Culture House
- Epic Adventures with Bertie Gregory -National Geographic series that explores in depth the lives of animals around the world with the BAFTA-winning cinematographer
Robert Zemeckis’ Pinocchio

Disney Theme Parks, Experiences and Products Celebrate Disney+ Day:

In celebration of Disney+ Day, guests at Disney theme parks will discover new ways to “plus” up their experience with special offerings and fan-favorite fun. On September 8, Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Disneyland Resort in California will usher in the festivities with Disney+-inspired character meet-and-greets, photo opportunities and more. Disney+ subscribers and their party with theme park tickets and reservations are once again invited to enter the theme parks at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort 30 minutes before regular park open on September 8. Subscribers will also enjoy complimentary Disney PhotoPass digital download(s) at select locations at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and the Disneyland Resort theme parks that day.*

Fans are invited to join the celebrations digitally by stepping up their selfie game with Disney PhotoPass Lenses for Disney+ Day. These new limited-time lenses will be available to those celebrating in the parks or at home in the U.S. through Snapchat and the My Disney Experience app.

Disneyland Paris will delight guests with new surprises including special entertainment, dedicated photo opportunities and a blue-themed dessert on September 8. For more fanfare, Disney+ subscribers* and their party with theme park tickets and reservations are invited for the first time to enter Disneyland Park at Disneyland Paris at 9 a.m. (30 minutes before regular park opening) only on September 8, 2022. Hong Kong Disneyland will celebrate with guests visiting the park on September 10.

During the Aug. 29-Sept. 5 Disney Vacation Club Member Cruise, Members aboard the Disney Wonder will be treated to special gifts from Disney+ and 9 exclusive shows and experiences supporting current and upcoming Disney+ programming.

Around the world, Consumer Products, Games and Publishing will also be celebrating Disney+ Day. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more details on how to join in on the fun.

(*Guests may be required to verify that they are a Disney+ subscriber by displaying their logged-in home screen on the Disney+ app via their phone to enter early and to receive special benefits at the parks. Download the Disney+ app and sign in prior to arrival.)

AMC Theatres Disney+ Day Screenings

From September 8-19, select AMC Theatres will celebrate Disney+ Day with screenings of fan-favorite movies including Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Encanto, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Marvel Studios’ Thor: Ragnarok, Disney and Pixar’s Cars and Newsies.

Tickets are $5 per screening and are available to everyone. Attendees will receive a free Disney+ poster, while supplies last. Plus, a special concessions offer will be available for Disney+ subscribers. Tickets will be on sale on September 1

Additional special subscriber perks will be announced in the lead-up to September 8.

This year, Disney+ Day will lead into D23 Expo: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event presented by Visa in Anaheim, Calif., that runs from Friday, September 9 to Sunday, September 11.
August 22, 2022
BIAF2022 Unveils Trailer by ‘The Crossing’ Director Florence Miailhe

Florence Miailhe

The 24th Bucheon International Animation Festival (BIAF2022) has debuted its official festival trailer, created by Florence Miailhe. The acclaimed French director, who won the Grand Prize, Audience Prize and Diversity Prize at BIAF2021 for her feature film The Crossing, will also serve as the Jury President at this year’s festival, which will take place in the South Korean city from October 21-25.

The white screen. A line appears — this is the horizon. The blue surface — this is the ocean. What can look as simple as the ocean? Yet, what secrets does the ocean hide in the deep. Sometimes, the conch murmurs to us what rumors shake the ocean. A woman on the beach, eyes closed. Listen, dream and visualize through the image … The film has already started.

Mialhe is an animator, director and painter who has received special mention at the Cannes Festival, César Awards and an Honorary Cristal from the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, as well as the 2022 André Martin Award for a Feature Film for The Crossing. She also created the poster art for BIAF2022 and will present a masterclass on the making of The Crossing at the event.

The trailer is hosted at biaf.or.kr and the BIAF’s official YouTube channel. Visit the festival website for more information.

August 17, 2022
Goodbye Kansas Crafts a Rags-to-Riches Tale for Ubisoft’s ‘Skull & Bones’

The cinematic trailer for Ubisoft’s latest AAA game title Skull and Bones, released on July 7, tells a rags to riches story about the destitute character Sam, finding his way from the streets of Boston, overcoming adversities and swashbuckling his way to become a pirate lord in the Indian Ocean.

“After a great collaboration with DDB Paris and Ubisoft on Assassins Creed: Valhalla in 2021, we were given the opportunity to pitch on the release trailer for Skull and Bones,” shared Jan Cafourek, Executive Producer at Stockholm-based Goodbye Kansas Studios. “We understood from the start that DDB and Ubisoft were looking for something exceptional, and we eagerly accepted the challenge.”

Skull and Bones

In order to tell the story — which spans oceans, continents and time — Goodbye Kansas collaborated closely with DDB and Ubisoft Singapore to find the correct context, tone and tempo of the narrative as well as flesh out and develop the protagonist: Sam. The challenge was to show the hero’s journey, the rags to riches story, as well as hint at the larger scope of the game’s world and the possibilities it offers.

“We have a great team here at Goodbye Kansas and we’re constantly pushing ourselves to become better and create beautiful and engaging imagery,” said Henrik Eklundh, VFX Supervisor. “Our digital human characters are some of the best in the business and we feel we pushed the boundaries with Sam, but also expanded our capabilities within FX simulation and Houdini integration.”

Skull and Bones

The team were particularly keen to work on the visual effects of the different environments in the story: from sea locations, water, storms and sea battles, each scene required an understanding of the art of the craft itself. “My favorite thing about this project was the simulations in the combat shots. The flamethrower from our main ship cast its fire around 120 meters to the opposite boat. That looked incredible,” added Eklundh.

For director Emnet Mulugeta, working with the actor portraying the protagonist, David Nzinga, was exciting. “It was a real treat working with an actor like David who could bring out the character through subtlety that suited the part. It helped us convey the character’s emotional journey naturally and truthfully. ”

Skull and Bones will be released November 8.

Accomplished Swedish actor David Nzinga provided the performance for the ‘Skull and Bones’ trailer’s main character.

Goodbye Kansas Studios offers award-winning and uniquely integrated visual effects, animation, design, performance capture, scanning and real-time production services for feature films, TV series, commercials, games and game trailers. The 250+ staffed company is part of Goodbye Kansas Group AB, which has studios and offices in Stockholm, London, Helsinki, Vilnius, Belgrade, Beijing, Los Angeles and Manila.

goodbyekansasstudios.com

August 17, 2022
AMC+ Uploads ‘Pantheon’ Official Trailer Ahead of Sept. 1 Debut

AMC+ today released the trailer and key art for its first traditionally animated series, Pantheon. The sci-fi drama based on a collection of short stories by award-winning author Ken Liu will premiere with two episodes on Thursday, September 1 on AMC+. The series will also be featured on AMC’s newly-acquired anime streaming service, HIDIVE. One new episode will debut every Thursday on AMC+ and HIDIVE.

The thrilling speculative drama is centered on a bullied teen, Maddie (Katie Chang), who receives mysterious help from someone online: a stranger soon revealed to be her recently deceased father, David (Daniel Dae Kim), whose consciousness has been uploaded to the Cloud following an experimental destructive brain scan. David is the first of a new kind of being — an “Uploaded Intelligence” or “UI” — but he will not be the last, as a global conspiracy unfolds that threatens to trigger a new kind of world war.

Pantheon explores the outer limits of what we and our technology are capable of creating and destroying, focusing on the “uploading” of human consciousness into the cloud. It explores the theme of technology through the lens of family, focusing on both the people whose brains have been digitally uploaded, and the loved ones they’ve left behind. Ultimately, Pantheon challenges our understanding of what it means to be human.

https://youtu.be/TrC-0XJR3qo

In addition to Kim (Lost, Hawaii Five-O) and Chang (The Bling Ring), the all-star cast features Paul Dano (Escape at Dannemora) as Caspian, Rosemarie DeWitt (Little Fires Everywhere) as Ellen, Aaron Eckhart (The Dark Knight) as Cary, Taylor Schilling (Orange Is the New Black) as Renee, Ron Livingston (A Million Little Things) as Waxman, Chris Diamantopoulos (Silicon Valley) as Pope, Raza Jaffrey (Homeland) as Chanda and William Hurt (Black Widow, Goliath) as Stephen Holstrom.

Other voice actors for the series include Scoot McNairy, Anika Noni Rose, Maude Apatow, Corey Stoll, Michael Kelly, Grey Griffin, SungWon Cho, Kevin Durand, Samuel Roukin, Krystina Alabado, Lara Pulver, Madhur Jeffrey, Heather Lind, Nyima Funk, Tunde Adebimpe, Quinn Hawking, Clyde Kusatsu, Ken Leung, Jacob Sartorius, Vincent Ventresca, Julian Lerner, Magnus McLain, Ajay Mehta, Annabella Sciorra and Suraj Sharma.

Craig Silverstein (TURN: Washington’s Spies, Nikita) is writer, creator, showrunner and executive producer. Animation is by Titmouse(Big Mouth, Mike Judge’s Beavis and Butt-Head, Star Trek: Lower Decks). Executive producers for Titmouse are Chris Prynoski, Shannon Prynoski, Antonio Canobbio, Ben Kalina and Juno Lee, who also directs. Pantheon is an AMC Studios production.

Read all about the creative journey that led to Pantheon in the Sept./Oct. ’22 issue of Animation Magazine, available soon.

August 17, 2022