Peruvian animation studio Tunche Films has partnered with global animation major Toonz Media Group to co-produce Kayara through its Spain-based Fortoon Island, following the worldwide success of Tunche’s Ainbo – Spirit of the Amazon. The CGI film is set amidst the Inca civilization and, like Ainbo, follows an adventurous female lead.
“It is, indeed, a privilege for Toonz to partner with Tunche Films for this very ambitious project which has its roots firmly placed in ancient, indigenous wisdom and modern, progressive values at the same time,” said Toonz Media Group CEO P. Jayakumar. “Apart from bringing on screen a strong female character, Kayara also provides us the unique opportunity to collaborate in a truly international project that brings together teams from diverse cultures across the world.”
Carlos Biern, the Group’s President of Animation Production & Co-Production, added, “Kayara is the story of a heroine who changed the role of women in many ways. Her epic journey follows situations and characters that can be easily identified by today’s audience, even though the story is set 500 years ago. We are very honored to bring it to life in our Spanish speaking animation industry, together with the award-winning Tunche studio.”
Kayara centers on a young Inca woman who aspires to join the Chasqui Messengers — an elite, male-only league of official messengers in the Incan Empire. In her quest to be the first female Chasqui Messenger, Kayara courageously overcomes arduous obstacles, while also discovering the ancient stories of her land and her people.
Directed by César Zelada (Together It’s Possible), the movie has attracted Beverly Hills-based international sales company Cinema Management Group (CMG) as executive producer and sales agent. CMG was instrumental in bringing Toonz and Tunche together, and has already licensed the film extensively around the globe to blue-chip distributors.
“We worked with Dutch co-producers on Ainbo and the cultural exchange between our Peruvian team and the Dutch was very helpful to our creating an indigenous story with a worldwide appeal,” noted Zelada. “We are looking forward to an exciting synergy in working with the Spanish based team with Toonz.”
Edward Noeltner, President of CMG, said, “After the positive experience of working with Toonz on animated feature The Canterville Ghost and the good collaboration we’ve had with Tunche Films on Ainbo, we are delighted to have brought these two exceptional teams together for an exciting new production.”
CMG has already pre-sold Kayara to 15 international distributors including Le Pacte (France), WW Entertainment (Benelux), Praesens (Switzerland), Front Row (Middle East), Rialto Distribution (Australia/New Zealand) and CDC (Latin America) among others. The family feature is set to release in 2024.
Apple TV+ today announced Pinecone & Pony, an all-new kids series from DreamWorks Animation, First Generation Films and New York Times bestselling author Kate Beaton, and unveiled the trailer ahead of the series premiere on Friday, April 8 on Apple TV+.
Based on Beaton’s hit book The Princess and the Pony, the new eight-episode animated comedy for kids and families follows a young girl named Pinecone who, with the help of her best friend Pony, is learning that there’s more than one way to be a warrior. Together they’ll show their world how to challenge expectations, and that life can be a fun-filled adventure if you let it.
Pinecone & Pony is produced by DreamWorks Animation and First Generation Films, and executive produced by showrunner Stephanie Kaliner. Beaton, Christina Piovesan and Mackenzie Lush are executive producers. The series features the voice talents of Maria Nash, Alicia Richardson, Andy Hull, Rachel House, Thom Allison, Chase W. Dillon and Viola Abley.
The new series will premiere alongside an expanding and award-winning lineup of original animation for kids and families on Apple TV+, including the recently premiered critically-acclaimed El Deafo; Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock and Harriet the Spy from The Jim Henson Company; Academy Award-nominated animated film Wolfwalkers; new series and specials from Peanuts and WildBrain including The Snoopy Show season two, Snoopy in Space season two and For Auld Lang Syne; and Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth, the Daytime Emmy Award-winning television event based on the New York Times bestselling book and TIME Best Book of the Year by Oliver Jeffers.
DreamWorks Animation and Mainframe Studios‘ brand-new preschool series Team Zenko Go has officially launched on Netflix, where the gadget-savvy do-gooders are leaping into action to do random acts of kindness in their community. “In this social media crazed world, where people always record everything they do, we wanted to make the point that helping someone in need is something you should do because it’s the right thing to do, not because it will make you famous or get you ‘likes,’” said executive producer and showrunner Jack Thomas.
One of the main characters, Ari, uses a wheelchair and is voiced by Hartley Bernier, who has lived with Intestinal Failure due to Total Hirschsprung’s Disease since birth, and also occasionally uses a wheelchair due to chronic pain. “Growing up I never saw anyone like me on TV and there aren’t a lot of characters who have disabilities represented,” said Bernier. “Casting an actor with a disability helps to make the character more authentic. For instance, my character, Ari and I share many things in common like our love for comic books and superhero movies. And even though we both rely on medical technology because of our medical complexities, we don’t let that get in the way of doing the things that we want to do.”
Bernier, Thomas and other members of the team recently talked to RespectAbility about Team Zenko Go — you can watch the conversation on Facebook.
Season 2 of Hulu original comedy series Woke is ready to drop eight new episodes on Friday, April 8. Based on the life and work of cartoonist Keith “Keef” Knight, the show uses random animated object to give voice to the lead character’s very creative anxieties as he tries to navigate life as a Black nerd, artist and activist (don’t even think “artivist.”)
In S2, Keef (Lamorne Morris) is now a popular activist on the rise, but he’s facing a world where “woke” has become big business. Can Keef and his friends bring about real change, or is it just about the dollar$? And can Keef navigate this new world without destroying what he’s become?
https://youtu.be/VcESFYy3duI
Grab a bag of Senzu Beans and hop on your Flying Nimbus cloud: For the first time ever, Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball GT are now available to watch on Crunchyroll in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. These three new series join Dragon Ball Super, which is currently available in English subtitles on the platform. Previously only on Funimation, these three series come as part of another wave of new content that will expand Crunchyroll’s extensive library since the March 1 unification announcement.
The Dragon Ball phenomena began in 1984 in Japan when the original manga series from Akira Toriyama premiered in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump. It quickly became a top ranked title throughout its ten and a half years of publication and its popularity has not waned with an astonishing record of 260 million copies sold worldwide and counting. Now 38 years later, Dragon Ball has grown into a global franchise which today includes four TV series, 20 feature films, numerous video game titles and a vast collection of licensed merchandise. The season and episode counts for the three newly available series are as follows:
Paris-based children’s entertainment content distribution company Kids First has inked a raft of deals with international broadcasters for both Season 1 (52 x 11’) and Season 2 (52 x 11’) of hit animated series Nate Is Late, produced by Watch Next Media and commissioned by France Télévisions (France), Super RTL (Germany) and Canal J (France). The comedy for kids 6-10 follows eight-year-old Nate and Malika who encounter some incredible situation on the way to school every morning — not that the principal believes their amazing excuses for being late.
Nate Is Late S2 sold to leading Chinese SVOD platform Tencent, as well as streaming platform Kidoodle for North America.
Both seasons have been snapped up in Africa by Canal+ International for its channel in Ethiopia and by Spanish broadcaster EITB for its free-to-air channel ETB Kids.
French-speaking TV broadcasters RTS in Switzerland, TV5 Monde and TV5 Québec in Canada have also picked up S2 of Nate is Late.
Narrative Entertainment has acquired S2 and renewed S1 for its free-to-air POP channel in the U.K. and Ireland, while leading European broadcasters France Télévisions and Super RTL, as well as Netflix, have also renewed S1 — the highest rated show on France 4, the dedicated children’s public channel.
Nate Is Late
Amazon Studios has placed a two-season order for an untitled adult animated comedy series from Emmy nominee Ramy Youssef and A24 as part of its first-look deal with Youssef’s Cairo Cowboy banner. Co-created by Pam Brady (South Park), the Prime Video toon will explore the experiences of a Muslim-American family that must learn how to code-switch as they navigate the early 2000s: A time of fear, war, and the rapid expansion of the boy-band industrial complex. Youssef and Brady executive produce along with journalist and illustrator Mona Chalabi.
Paddles
More acquisitions and expansions:
FuturumKids is expanding the reach of its CGI show Paddles outside Europe for the first time, as the lovable polar bear cub heads to Stan VOD in Australia through a new deal brokered by Monster Entertainment.
Magikbee has licensed Seasons 9, 10 and 11 of Mattel‘s classic Polly Pocket series from WildBrain for its global kids’ streaming platform, KidsBeeTV.
Rai Yoyo (Italy) has picked up the last installment of Pocoyo S4 from Zinkia, and renewed rights to S3. The national broadcaster has also ordered 20 Pocoyo music video clips.
Atlantyca Entertainment has secured several days for its hit IP series Geronimo Stilton: RTVE (Spain) renewed S1&S2 for Clan (free TV), IEG PT (Indonesia) snagged S2 (pay TV/OTT), Asiana Licensing (Korea) renewed S3 (DVD) and Netflix renews S2 and acquired S3 for Italy .
Gunpowder & Sky’s subsidiary sci-fi streamer DUST has picked up the animated adventure Parallel Man: Infinite Pursuit (starring Ming-Na Wen and Lance Reddick) from FutureDude Entertainment, launching March 28.
Sky (U.K.) is bringing two fun DreamWorks Animation features to its Sky Cinema and NOW streaming lineups next month: The Boss Baby: Family Business (April 9) and Spirit Untamed (April 2).
Genius Brands International launched the new Kartoon Channel! Worldwide programming block Kartoon Genius across 67 countries in LatAm (in Spanish and English) and MENA (Arabic and English).
Pluto TV (Paramount) is launching is free streaming TV service in Sweden, Denmark and Norway on May 18, offering 210 themed channels
Disney+ invites viewers to a one-of-a-kind drawing experience in the all-new, six-part Original Series Sketchbook with Walt Disney Animation Studios, streaming April 27.
From Supper Club (Chef’s Table) and in partnership with WDAS, audiences will be given an insider’s look into the animation process as some of the Studios’ talented artists teach them how to draw beloved Disney characters, including Kuzco from The Emperor’s New Groove, Olaf from Frozen, Genie from Aladdin, Captain Hook from Peter Pan, Mirabel from Encanto and young Simba from The Lion King.
An intimate, instructional documentary series, Sketchbook takes audiences onto the desks and into the lives of talented artists and animators as they explain how to draw a single iconic character from a Disney film. Each episode focuses on a single artist illustrating a character that either they helped create or inspired them to want to be an artist at the Studio. Along with the steps to drawing these characters, the artists each share a unique story about how they made their way to Disney and their chosen character.
Hyun-min Lee is the supervising animator of “Anna” in Frozen 2, and one of the people who helped design “Olaf.” Born in South Korea, her dream was to become a Disney animator. In this episode of Sketchbook she draws “Olaf.” [photo: Disney/Richard Harbaugh]
“This series is an unprecedented look at what it takes to bring these beloved characters to life,” says Jason Sterman, director & executive producer, Supper Club. “We are honored to feature this incredible group of artists who trusted us not only with presenting their skillset, but with sharing their personal, and often emotional, stories with the world. We’re looking forward to audiences becoming inspired to hopefully pick up a pencil and put it to paper themselves.”
“Think back to your favorite films from Walt Disney Animation Studios, whether from our earliest days, the films of our 1990s renaissance or the award-winning films of today like Encanto and Frozen, every film starts with an idea, a pencil and an artist. And within the thousands of artists who have created our 60 films over the last century, every person has a unique and special story,” says series executive producer Amy Astley, SVP Publicity/Communications, Creative Legacy & Brand Strategy, WDAS.
“It was an honor to partner with Supper Club, whose projects such as Chef’s Table create beautifully captured, intimate portraits of talented people. With Sketchbook, our hope is to demystify the art of drawing, making it accessible for anyone who wants to pick up a pencil and paper while deepening an appreciation for the individuals who contribute to our films.”
The characters and artists featured in the series include:
The Emperor’s New Groove “Kuzco” — Gabby Capili’s path to Disney Animation began at a young age when she saw her first Disney film in a theater with her father, The Emperor’s New Groove. As Gabby teaches us how to draw her favorite character from the film, “Kuzco,” she also shares the importance of following your instincts and being free to let life guide you where you belong.
Frozen “Olaf” — While teaching us to draw one of Disney Animation’s most beloved characters, “Olaf” from the worldwide hit Frozen films, Hyun-min Lee shares the joyful wonder of the character and how she channeled personal loss into being a guiding light in her career in animation.
Aladdin “The Genie” — Legendary Disney animator Eric Goldberg guides us through the steps of drawing his most iconic character creation, “The Genie” from Aladdin, while learning along the way the levels to which Robin Williams impacted the character and its animation.
In his over 40 years with Disney, Mark Henn has been the supervising animator of Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Tiana, Mulan, young Simba and more. In this episode of Sketchbook, he revisits “Young Simba.” [photo: Disney/Richard Harbaugh]
Peter Pan “Captain Hook” — Growing up in South Korea, Disney animator and character designer Jin Kim was always fascinated by the villains of Disney’s films. As Jin teaches us to draw Peter Pan’s “Captain Hook,” we learn that his journey to America and working at Disney almost didn’t happen because of his colorblindness.
Encanto “Mirabel” — Disney Animation story artist Samantha Vilfort teaches us how to draw one of the Studio’s newest characters, “Mirabel Madrigal,” from the award-winning hit film Encanto. Through her story we learn that her connection to Mirabel’s struggle of being different from everyone else in her family hits close to home.
The Lion King “Simba” — Storied Disney animator Mark Henn teaches us how to draw one of his favorite character designs, “Young Simba” from The Lion King. Through Mark’s story, we learn the importance of never giving up on your dreams, even in the face of rejection.
Sketchbook with Walt Disney Animation Studios is produced by Supper Club in partnership with Disney Animation. For Supper Club, Jason Sterman, David Gelb and Brian McGinn are executive producers. For Walt Disney Animation Studios, Amy Astley is executive producer. Sterman, Leanne Dare and Andrew McAllister serve as directors.
Sketchbook takes viewers behind the drawing desk to recreate characters from Disney classics as well as modern hits like Encanto. [photo: Disney/Richard Harbaugh]
Following its book-first introduction strategy, Fauna Entertainment has revealed a first look at its new series Brody Luckystar: The Record Breaker (52 x 11′). The 2D-animated comedy follows an enthusiastic girl on her quest to be the best … at something!
Brody Luckystar has everything in the world going for her: street smarts, drive, the ability to listen to podcasts while juggling golf balls … But, for all of Brody’s pluses, she’s missing the pièce de résistance: A world record. It’s not just that everyone in her family already has a record — everyone in the whole town does, too. Brody badly wants to break a record so she can fit in, but how far will she go? Do records really matter?
Brody Luckystar: The Record Breaker
The series currently has two scripts written by Eric Shaw (SpongeBob SquarePants, Big Nate), a bible and a pilot episode animated under production. Fauna will offer a first look and pitch the project to commissioners and co-production partners at Kidscreen. Brody Luckystar: The Record Breaker‘s production budget is approximately $5.2 million USD.
Following the successful launch of the first Brody Luckystar novel in mid-2021, Fauna will publish two new activity books this year.
Fauna is Turkey’s leading entertainment company, specializing in the development, production, distribution, licensing and brand management of linear and nonlinear kids’ content. Fauna’s shows air in over 80 countries around the world, and international co-productions and partnerships continue to grow its global presence.
WarnerMedia announced the names of cohort participants and mentors in the HBO Max x WarnerMedia Access Animated Shorts Program. Driven by HBO Max’s commitment to discover and nurture new and distinct voices in adult animation, this program provides artists with the tools, instruction, mentorship and resources to create original animated short films for adult audiences while exposing them to the business of animation and various pathways to a career in the field.
The theme for this inaugural program is “Only You,” as HBO Max looks to elevate artists whose style and voice push the boundaries of what’s possible in animation and storytelling. During the six- to nine-month program, which launched January 2022, participants will explore various career pathways and learn the business of producing an animation project, with comprehensive production budget resources to develop their original one to five-minute animated short.
Industry experts will conduct virtual Master Classes on production cycle topics, including script writing, storyboard and animatic, and character and location design. Selected creators will work independently on their projects and will have scheduled check-ins with a dedicated mentor and a seasoned producer who will guide participants through the entire process. Completed projects will have the opportunity to reach global audiences, streaming exclusively on HBO Max.
Program mentors include Billy Wee, SVP, Comedy & Animation, HBO Max; Aaron Davidson, Director of Original Programming, HBO Max; Amanda Miller, Producer & Executive Producer (Devil May Care, Lost and Crowned); Jordan Askins, Manager, Development, Adult Swim; Susan Peters, Director of Development, Warner Animation Group; Melanie Hadley, Program Director, WarnerMedia Access Canada; Dan Shorr, Co-Head of Studio & Head of Scripted, Roosterteeth; Diana Theobald, Senior Manager, Equity & Inclusion, Content, WarnerMedia; and Gabrielle Utsey, Coordinator, Original Programming, HBO Max.
The program is intended for historically underrepresented creators who identify as Indigenous, Black, LatinX, Asian, MENA and other communities of color, people with disabilities and members of LGBTQ2+ communities. The Canadian component of the program sought out Indigenous artists, selected through a key collaboration between imagineNATIVE and WarnerMedia Access Canada.
Evaluated by a diverse panel of executives and talent from across WarnerMedia’s iconic brands, eight projects were selected from the U.S. and Canada based on their visual artistry and the originality of their project proposal.
Presas’ project Aroon centers on a character who fears he is living in a fictional world. He embarks on a journey to find his purpose, tormented by a malevolent, child-like spirit who encourages him to transgress the rules of his Creator.
Set in his hometown of Coney Island, BMCC animation teacher Fequiere’s Burning Rubber follows a struggling 19-year-old on a mission to change his fortune by beating out the stiff competition in a high-stakes wallball tournament.
Green’s short Kent Hammer draws from his passion for mental health, as it illustrates a successful business man and community member who sinks into a psychotic episode. Kent’s briefcase starts talking to him, to guide him through his journey, but other office supplies may not be as trustworthy…
In Mohamed’s Leech, a vampire obsessed with the quality of blood they consume masquerades as a health coach to gain control of their client-victims’ lifestyles — and tells the tale of one who breaks free.
After the death of his soulmate, a young artist confronts his inner demons while apprenticing with Northwest coast totem carvers in Monstr, from these two multi-talented artists and craft creators.
In line with their focus on creating Indegenous stories in new and traditional media spaces, The Act of Stealing from the Lightning sisters is a post-apocalyptic tale about a thief who accidentally lifts a possessed object, unleashing the demons of colonization.
Stop-motion specialist Lee and director-producer Li’s Welcome to 8th Street unfolds as a wild turkey flies onto a New Jersey street, creating mayhem and bringing out the whole neighborhood to deal with the feathery fracas.
While living in New York, a young immigrant learns her father has died overseas, forcing a choice between going home to bury him or staying in the U.S. to keep her legal status in Yellowbird, created by Bulgarian-born designer/modeler Zdraveva and freelance animator North.
DreamWorks Animation and Netflix are celebrating National Panda Day by creating more panda-monium with a brand-new, CG-animated KFP series! Titled Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight, the show features the vocal talents of Jack Black, reprising his role as Po the panda.
Synopsis: When a mysterious pair of weasels set their sights on a collection of four powerful weapons, Po must leave his home to embark on a globe-trotting quest for redemption and justice that finds him partnered up with a no-nonsense English knight named Wandering Blade.
Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight
Together, these two mismatched warriors set out on an epic adventure to find the magical weapons first and save the world from destruction — and they may even learn a thing or two from each other along the way.
Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight
The Dragon Knight is executive produced by Peter Hastings and Shaunt Nigoghossian, co-executive produced by Chris Amick and Ben Mekler. The show is coming soon to Netflix streaming, date to be announced.
Multi-award-winning U.K. studio Aardman (aardman.com) has today announced two newly created roles to support the continued development of cutting-edge techniques and innovations as the studio builds on recent successes, including the Academy Award-nominated Robin Robin. Major new titles are entering production for both new and established IP, including a sequel to Chicken Run and the return of Wallace & Gromit.
Steven Shapiro
Steven Shapiro will start as Chief Technical Officer on March 28, overseeing the technology teams and developing a technology strategy reflecting the long-term plans of the studio as it takes on an ambitious slate of projects over the next five years. He will also play a key role as Aardman hones its creative skills bringing character, story and craft to opportunities enabled through new platforms and emerging technologies. Shapiro will report to Kerry Lock, Director of Finance & Operations at Aardman.
Shapiro joins Aardman from The Walt Disney Studios where, as Principal Architect, Motion Picture Innovation, he focused on applying innovation to support productions across all The Walt Disney Pictures live-action banners, from Marvel Studios to Disney Live Action MPP. Prior to this, he helped build the Production Technology team at Marvel Studios in his role as Director. He has more than 20 years of experience in media and entertainment technology, working on more than 30 features and episodics, managing teams and contributing in the areas of visual effects, gaming, image and color pipelines, stereography and conversion, finishing, FX art and more.
Harry Linden
Harry Linden joined the studio as Head of Stop Frame Production on March 14. He will support Aardman’s specialist teams to deliver an expanding stop frame slate, which includes feature films, shorts, specials and series, as well as commercials and content produced for partners, such as Turtle Journey (2020) for Greenpeace and the music video for Coldplay’s “Daddy” (2019). Linden will work closely with the Head of CG Production, Jess McKillop, to ensure an integrated approach across all techniques as well as collaborating with producers and production teams to ensure this content is delivered to the highest creative standards. He will report to Carla Shelley, Executive Director, Production.
Linden has worked in film and TV for 25 years across advertising and promos, trailers, series and features. His experience spans live action and animation, 2D and 3D, stop motion and CG, at all levels of budget. He first collaborated with Aardman as Floor Manager on Wallace & Gromit: A Close Shave (1995), before working with the studio again on its first feature, Chicken Run (2000) as Production Manager. He worked on Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride (Warner Bros., 2005) as Production Manager and was Line Producer on Coraline (LAIKA, 2009).
Guillaume Dubois
Mercury Filmworks (mercuryfilmworks.com), a leading independent animation studio in Ottawa, Canada, has appointed Guillaume Dubois to the post of Vice President Production, reporting to Clint Eland, Founder & CEO. Dubois carries over 16 years’ experience in animation and children’s TV, and will be responsible for managing current and future productions in the studio’s pipeline in both work-for-hire and original IP projects, including Pangors of Puddle Peak, Octicorn and Badjelly the Witch. He will work alongside CCO Heath Kenny and VP Original Series & Co-Production, Chantal Ling.
Dubois most recently served as Co-Founder & CEO of Caribara Montreal, overseeing operations and business affairs for the Canadian arm of Paris-based 2D animation firm Caribara (Yellow Yeti, Princess Dragon, Where Is Anne Frank?, Blazing Samurai, Last Man S2). Previously, Dubois was Head of Production and Line Producer at TouTenKartoon (Glitch Techs, Sgt. Stubby, Wakfu S3, Ollie & Moon S1) from 2016 to 2018. From 2014 to 2016, Dubois served as Development Head of Production at Gaumont, overseeing animated TV series, feature films and transmedia web projects for kids and adults. Dubois started his animation career at Mondo TV in France.
Stephen Melagrano
Florida’s Steamroller Animation (steamrollerstudios.com) has promoted Stephen Melagrano as (Joint) Head of Animation, to jointly run the studio’s rapidly growing animation department with industry veteran Amanda Renfroe. Steamroller offers animation services to partners including Weta Digital, Epic Games, NetherRealm, Framestore and Guerrilla Games, and is currently producing its own IP projects such as the video game Curse of the Deadwood (Summer 2022).
Melagrano came to Steamroller in 2016 after working with Pixar, Blue Sky, DreamWorks Animation, Blizzard Entertainment and Sony Pictures Imageworks. “I am beyond excited to be joining Amanda as Head of Animation,” he commented. “We have one of the best animation teams in the entire world, it’s such an honor to work with these amazing people every day. I’m looking forward to helping lead the team on our phenomenal slate of upcoming projects, continuing to help them learn and grow, and in the end, creating incredible work together.”
Frederator Media (frederator.com) announced the appointment of Joy Osinlaye as Digital Media Strategist. The latest addition marks the expansion of Frederator Media’s Brand Partnerships Division, cementing their mastery of online branding. “With a specialty in influencer marketing, Joy is a tour-de-force for helping brands and companies tell their story, bridging the gap between business and their consumers,” said GM Kenny Ash. “She is an excellent addition to Frederator, kickstarting our Brand Partnerships Division.”
Frederator Media boasts over 2000 exclusive creators and influencers that garner over a billion views every month. As the Digital Media Strategist, Osinlaye will connect brand and media companies with Frederator’s owned and operated YouTube channels, and their roster of global influencers. Frederator Media has a strong track record of engaging marketing campaigns and activations, with clients that include Xbox, Crunchyroll and Webtoon.
Lucie Léger
The Youth Media Alliance (ymamj.org) announced industry veteran Lucie Léger as the Chair of this year’s Awards of Excellence jury. The gala will honor Canada’s best youth programming productions on May 25 in Montréal. Throughout her career, Léger has shaped the course of many youth television production teams.
From 2006 to 2018, Léger was director of youth and family content at Télé-Québec, where she actively contributed to the direction and decision-making process of Télé-Québec’s youth programming department and was involved in many award-winning productions. After beginning her career as a researcher for Radio-Canada, she focused on launching Télé-Québec’s first Outaouais region programming. She became programming director in Montréal in 1985, coordinator of youth programming in 2004 and director of youth and family programs in 2006, responsible for external productions and acquisitions, overseeing more than 40% of the programming schedule. Under her leadership, Télé-Québec’s youth programming truly earned its place within the youth media universe, pleasing critics and audiences alike.
Steven Anderson
Chicago cross-media production company Sarofsky (sarofsky.com) has added Managing Director duties for longstanding Executive Producer Steven Anderson. As announced by company Principal and Executive Creative Director Erin Sarofsky, the company is also adding Designer/Animators Tyler Scheitlin and Mollie Davis, Junior Designer/Animator Lirio Ramirez and Production Coordinator Annie Lynch to its full-time staff. Sarofsky has more than doubled in size since 2014.
Top L-R: Mollie Davis and Tyler Scheitlin; bottom L-R: Annie Lynch and Lirio Ramirez
Scheitlin joins from The Mill Chicago, where he spent several years as a leading Cinema 4D Designer. Also formerly the Creative Lead for Emmy Award-winning post production studio 11 Dollar Bill, he originally joined that firm as a freelance motion designer, following nearly two years with creative content studio Protokulture.
Davis pursued an animation focus through a joint program with Northeastern University and School of the Museum of Fine Arts before starting out as an Associate Motion Designer for Wayfair. Landing next as Lead Animator with Planet Nutshell, her expanding skillset led to more impressive credits, including animation, compositing and effects for the short film Azúcar.
Ramirez is a 2021 BFA graduate from SCAD’s Motion Graphics program. During her design internship with high-tech company Hexbug, her talents earned an extended engagement, leading to work on commercials, the brand’s YouTube channel and logo animations for its sister companies. She then spent several months as a freelance motion designer at NBCU Telemundo, developing graphics and animation for series including En Casa Con Telemundo and Suelta La Sopa.
Lynch earned her Bachelor’s degree in Film/Cinema/Video Studies from the University of Toronto. She spent several years in Hollywood writing screenplays and working her way up the ladder in the production industry before returning to her hometown of Chicago. She started out with Sarofsky as a temporary office manager.
Phantom Limb
Nexus Studios (nexusstudios.com) has signed Australia-based director Alex Grigg to its global creative studio. With an impressive back catalog of award-winning films, Grigg has made a name for himself through his refined and painterly 2D aesthetic, knowing humor and ability to tap into key cultural moments. Through his education program, Alex’s commitment to enriching the industry by arming the next generation of animators with accessible skills, has earnt him great respect amongst his peers.
Having previously worked with clients such as The New York Times, BBC and Cartoon Network, Cocacola and Mailchimp, Grigg’s notable credits include visualizing Trevor Noah’s thoughts on the weaponization of words for WeTransfer, directing two episodes of Netflix’s Headspace animated series and multi-award winning short film Phantom Limb. Grigg’s work has earned Official Selections at Annecy, Sundance and Pictoplasma, picking up Best Animation awards at Cannes Lions and Sydney Film Festival as well as Webby Awards, Hiroshima International Animation Festival Special Jury Prize and an Honorable Mention at Ottawa International Animation Festival. He was part of the animation collective, Late Night Work Club.
Naomi Stopa | Jinnie Pak
Framestore (framestore.com) announced two key hires to its Vancouver studio as it enters the next phase of its major global expansion and ongoing strategic work to integrate Method Studios’ film and episodic teams into the fold. These efforts in Vancouver, Montreal and Melbourne combined with the expansion to Mumbai and rapid pre-production division growth will boost Framestore’s team by 40%, connected by the established Framestore VFX pipeline across four continents.
Naomi Stopa, Managing Director, Vancouver joins from Digital Domain, where she was Head of Production for Vancouver, Montreal and L.A. She previously held positions with ILM, Method Studios and Rainmaker, and her credits span titles such as Oscar nominee Free Guy, Black Widow and Bong Joon-ho’s Okja.
Jinnie Pak, Head of Production, Vancouver joins from Electronic Arts, where she was Senior Producer, and also held roles with ILM and Method. Her VFX Production credits include Jungle Cruise, Overlord and Transformers: Age of Extinction.
Pariah studio team
Full-service VFX and post-production studio Pariah (pariahcreative.com) has officially opened for business. Founded by VFX Supervisors Patrick Murphy and Glyn Tebbutt and Managing Director Mark Tobin, Pariah brings together a collective of talent with decades of combined experience. Prior to its official launch, Pariah completed a spot for Expedia, starring Ewan McGregor and directed by Lance Accord (Park Pictures) that aired during the NFL’s championship game. The company followed up with a spot for Gatorade’s Fuel Tomorrow campaign that premiered during the NBA All Star Game featuring Candace Parker and Damian Lillard, and directed by Wesley Walker (Tool of North America).
Pariah’s seasoned production team includes Head of Production Michael Steinmann, Flame artists Fed Saccone and Gretchen Capatan, CG Supervisor Mike Wynd, and graphics artist Diego Binatena. “It’s a well-rounded force of incredible talent that – combined with our extensive network of creatives around the globe – allows us to deliver exceptional work for clients,” commented Tebbutt. Pariah will also collaborate closely with sister company Exile Edit, headed by Editor Kirk Baxter and Managing Director CL Kumpata.
In the wake of the show’s nine-win triumph at this weekend’s Annie Awards, League of Legends developer and publisher Riot Games (riotgames.com) announced a new equity investment in Fortiche Productions (forticheprod.com), the France & Spain-based animation studio behind breakout LoL series Arcane. Under the terms of the investment, which closed earlier this year, Riot now holds a significant non-controlling stake in Fortiche.
Brian Wright (Chief Content Officer at Riot) and Brendan Mulligan (Director of Corporate Development at Riot) have also joined Fortiche’s board of directors.
Riot and Fortiche have partnered in creating new experiences for LoL players for nearly a decade, first collaborating on the music video “Get Jinxed” (featuring Djerv) to celebrate the launch of the League champion (and star of Arcane) Jinx. Other notable collaborations include: “WARRIORS” and “Enemy” (both featuring Imagine Dragons); “Seconds” (a cinematic showcasing Ekko, who also appears in Arcane); “POP/STARS” (featuring Madison Beer, (G)I-DLE and Jaira Burns as the virtual K-pop band K/DA); and “RISE” (the anthem for the 2018 League of Legends World Championship featuring Glitch Mob, Mako and The Word Alive).
Fortiche worked closely with Riot during the early ideation and storyboard development of Arcane and has been a key partner throughout the development of the show. The two companies are currently collaborating on the second season of Arcane, as well as other to-be-announced projects.
Arcane premiered at #1 globally on Netflix in November 2021 and held the top spot for three weeks in a row, hitting the top 10 in over 52 countries and maintaining a rare 100% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes. The series has just won nine Annie Awards, making it the most-nominated and awarded TV show of the year, with wins including Best TV/Media General Audience, Best Character Design and Best Writing. “Enemy,” the single by Imagine Dragons from the original sound track, has reached over 1 billion streams and hit #1 on the Billboard rock chart.
“The various collaborations with Riot Games, and especially Arcane, have made Fortiche Production a new major player on the international animation scene. Riot Games, by trusting us, has given us the means to achieve our common ambitions and has shown that it is possible to offer new content that can reach a large audience,” said Pascal Charrue, Jérôme Combe & Arnaud Delord, co-founders of Fortiche. “In 2023, we will celebrate 10 years of collaboration: there is no better way to symbolize the trust and ambitions of our two companies than this association!”
Nicolo Laurent, CEO of Riot, commented, “Fortiche has been an integral partner for a long time, but this agreement ensures we’ll be working closely for decades to come. We hold a high bar for everyone we work with and insist they understand players deeply and focus on them relentlessly, and from day one, Fortiche has exemplified Player Experience First. In working with Fortiche, we collaborate to push the boundaries of what’s possible and raise expectations for how games can be represented in media. As proud as we are of Arcane, we know the best is yet to come.”
Fortiche, which now includes 350 employees and collaborators in Paris, Montpellier, and Las Palmas, Spain, will remain operationally independent from Riot aside from Riot’s positions on the board of directors. The company leadership team includes co-founders Charrue, Combe and Delord Arnaud, as well as Hervé Dupont, appointed Managing Director.
Arcane is available worldwide on Netflix and Tencent Video in China. Read more about the series in Animation Magazine‘s March ’22 feature story here.
To toast the conclusion of the first season of Prime Video’s adult comedy-adventure The Legend of Vox Machina, Nexus Studios teamed up with Amazon Studios to connect fans with the lovable Critical Role mercenaries Grog and Scanlan, beamed from a virtual tavern to real-world screens.
Nexus Studios tapped into real-time technology to open an exciting new chapter in the live animation space. In this first of its kind event, Travis Willingham (Grog) and Sam Riegel (Scanlan) performed as their animated characters live to a global audience and responded in real-time to questions from fans during the show’s Finale Watch Party.
The Legend of Vox Machina / Critical Role cast at the Finale Watch Party. Top L-R: Sam Riegel, Laura Bailey, Travis Willingham; bottom L-R): Matt Mercer, Ashley Johnson, Taliesin Jaffe.
“Real-Time digital puppetry promises to transform the production of linear animated content in years to come, allowing more creative freedom, spontaneity and accessibility for creators with more iterative turnarounds,” said Julia Parfitt, Executive Producer, Nexus Studios. “We are super proud to have pioneered this technology and enabled Grog and Scanlan to entertain their cult fandom with a unique unscripted performance.”
An audience of over 20,000 tuned in to the Finale Watch Party on the day, and a further 300,000+ caught up with it post-premiere, and the tooned up twist for this capstone virtual event won praise from many fans commenting.
Nexus Studios’ real-time process allowed Willingham and Riegel to puppet articulated hand motions and facial expressions onto their animated characters, Grog and Scanlan.
Developed by the Real-Time division at Nexus Studios and led by Oscar winner Patrick Osborne, the team took motion capture beyond its typical capabilities by developing a system to stylize actor movements in real time, better matching the appeal of hand-animated content. These advances allow actors to match the intent of their performance with the expressiveness of animation.
Further, a suite of rendering tricks were used to match the live 3D performance with the series’ 2D aesthetic. The whole approach was designed to counter the uncanny nature of unfiltered animation data applied to graphic characters, and bring a new level of craft and artistry to this process.
The Legend of Vox Machina is available to stream on Prime Video. Learn more about Nexus Studios’ work at nexusstudios.com.
The Annecy Festival selection committee has announced the Official Selection for 2022. This year, more than 1,347 short films were submitted for consideration (152 more than in 2021) from a hundred countries. With male and female directors equally represented, the selection breaks down into:
38 films in the Official competition
Eight in the Off-Limits category
17 in Perspectives
Nine in Young Audience
“In recent years, we have noticed a strong trend in short film productions. Generally, they are increasingly longer, and sometimes with higher ambitious narratives. The 2022 Selection reflects this development as there are fewer films than usual. This means, even more so than previous years, that our team had to make tough choices and not include some quality works,” said Marcel Jean, Artistic Director.
“In the end, we believe that it’s a diverse selection with a fine balance between new blood and works from established artists: Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby, Anna Budanova, Špela Čadež, Kōji Yamamura, Claude Luyet, etc. This year, regarding the films’ origins, we noticed that the United States and Japan had a burst of dynamism in independent productions, and by happy coincidence, as we pay tribute to Swiss cinematography, the Swiss films are top notch. Lastly, we are thrilled with the selection of Blind Spot, by the Tunisian Lofti Achour, and Akplokplobito, by Franco-Togolese Ingrid Agbo, two films that show the vibrancy of African animation, that we honored last year.”
The Flying Sailor (Amanda Forbis & Wendy Tilby)
In addition to Jean and the Festival’s Films & Program Planning team (Laurent Million, Yves Nougarède and Sébastien Sperer) as well as Cécile Giraud, Project Manager for Nouvelle-Aquitaine Independent Cinemas; journalism and film critic Marie-Pauline Mollaret; Clémence Bragard, programmer of the National Animation Film Festival (AFCA); Gala Frecon, who has worked with the festival in a variety of capacities for several years; and Isabelle Vanini, Programmer of the Forum des images (Carrefour du cinéma d’animation…) and “animation expert” for the CNC, the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region, Ciclic and the César.
The official Graduation Films and TV & Commissioned Films lineup will be announced on March 28, followed by the Feature Films and VR Works. Discover the short films official selection here.
Two Sisters (Anna Budanova)
Short Films in the Official Competition:
Amok by Balazs Turai (Hungary/Romania)
Anxious Body by Yoriko Mizushiri (France/Japan)
Backflip by Nikita Diakur (Germany/France)
Beware of Trains by Emma Calder (U.K.)
Bird in the Peninsula by Atsushi Wada (France/Japan)
A Bite of Bone by Honami Yano (Japan)
Black Slide by Uri Lotan (Israel/U.K.)
Bottle Cap by Marie Hyon & Marco Spier (U.S.)
The Debutante by Elizabeth Hobbs (U.K.)
Drone by Sean Buckelew (U.S.)
The Flying Sailor by Amanda Forbis & Wendy Tilby
The Garbage Man (Laura Gonçalves)
The Garbage Man by Laura Gonçalves (Portugal)
Garrano by David Doutel & Vasco Sá (Portugal/Lithuania)
Glazing by Lilli Carré (U.S.)
Granny’s Sex Life by Urska Djukic & Emilie Pigeard (France/Slovenia)
Hysteresis by Robert Seidel (Germany)
The Invention of Less by Noah Erni (Switzerland)
Krasue by Ryo Hirano (Japan)
Letter to a Pig by Tal Kantor (France/Israel)
Louis I. King of the Sheep (Markus Wulf)
Louis I. King of the Sheep by Markus Wulf (Germany)
Lucky Man by Claude Luyet (Switzerland)
Lullaby by Lin Zhang & Qinnan Li (China)
Miracasas by Raphaelle Stolz (France/Switzerland)
Of Wood by Owen Klatte (U.S.)
Pachyderme by Stéphanie Clément (France)
The Passerby by Hannah Letaïf (Belgium/France)
Piteous Liaisons by Violette Delvoye & Chloé Alliez (Belgium/France)
The Record by Jonathan Laskar
Scale by Joseph Pierce (France/U.K./Czech Rep./Belgium)
Sprite Fright by Matthew Luhn & Hjalti Hjalmarsson (Netherlands)
Stain by Shiva Sadegh Asadi (Iran)
Steakhouse (Spela Cadez)
Steakhouse by Spela Cadez (Slovenia/Germany/France)
A Story for 2 Trumpets by Amandine Meyer (France)
Terra Incognita by Pernille M.A. Kjaer & Adrian Dexter (Denmark/France)
Things That Disappear by Changsoo Kim (South Korea)
‘Til We Meet Again by Ülo Pikkov (Estonia)
Two Sisters by Anna Budanova (France)
Yugo by Carlos Gomez Salamanca (Colombia/France)
Terra Incognita (Pernille M.A. Kjaer & Adrian Dexter)
The 2022 Annecy Festival will be held June 13-18. Early Bird rates for Festival, Festival+ and Mifa accreditations are on offer until April 28.
Netflix and Dr. Seuss Enterprises today announced they will bring some of the most iconic and beloved stories and characters of Dr. Seuss to life with five new animated preschool series and specials. The announcement expands the partnership even further, following the launch of the critically acclaimed animated series Green Eggs and Ham in 2019, which will have its anticipated second season premiere April 8.
The projects are inspired by treasured stories like Horton Hears a Who!; The Sneetches; One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish; and Wacky Wednesday, in addition to lovable characters like Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose. Executive producer Dustin Ferrer (Esme & Roy, Shimmer & Shine, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood) will serve as showrunner across all five, and additional showrunners will be revealed in the coming weeks.
Read on for a quick summary of the greenlit projects below.
The new Dr. Seuss line-up will serve as a true anchor for Netflix’s expanded focus on preschool. Introducing concepts of foundational learning, this new slate of programming will explore themes of diversity and respect for others all told through fun and engaging stories that incorporate the whimsical humor, distinctive visuals and rhythmic style of Dr. Seuss.
“Netflix is a trusted home for characters kids love, and generations of kids love the characters imagined by Dr. Seuss. These beloved stories have been a core part of families’ libraries for many years and it gives me great pride that we are bringing them to our catalog of Netflix shows, in a fresh and modern way that resonates with audiences today,” said Heather Tilert, Director of Preschool Content, Netflix.
Susan Brandt, President & CEO of Dr. Seuss Enterprises, added, “Dr. Seuss Enterprises is proud of the collaborative relationship we share with Netflix. We are always looking for new and engaging ways to share our stories, characters and messages with the next generation of fans, and Netflix has a unique ability to create original, delightful adaptations of our timeless classics with an emphasis on imagination, fun, and education. Our partnership has been very prosperous thus far with our award-winning animated series Green Eggs and Ham. We hope to continue that success with our upcoming projects.”
New Dr. Seuss titles coming to Netflix Animation:
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish: This series follows the adventures of two loveable fish who are different in every way. Red and Blue consistently find themselves in comedic situations that allow them to introduce oppositional vocabulary to our preschool viewers. Format: Series, 7 minute episodes and 2 min. music videos. Animation: 2D.
The Sneetches: As long as there have been Sneetches on beaches, the Star-Bellies and Moon-Bellies have lived separate lives. But when two young Sneetches form an unlikely friendship, they teach their communities that differences don’t need to be avoided, they can be celebrated. Format: 45 min. special. Animation: 3D.
Wacky Wednesday:In an otherwise perfectly normal town, whenever Wednesday rolls around things suddenly get wacky! Luckily, this town has a ten-year-old Wacky Expert who knows that humor inspires creativity and never fails to solve every wacky problem with an equally wacky solution. Format: Series, 11 min. eps. Animation: Mixed media.
Horton Hears a Who!: This series follows a young Horton as he explores the Jungle of Nool with his two best friends: going on daring adventures, helping their community, and learning how to stand up for what’s fair. Format: Series, 11 min. eps. Animation: 3D.
Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose: When a grumpy moose leader decides that he wants to be the happiest moose in the pack, he calls upon sweet Thidwick to help him. As this unlikely duo embarks on a comical adventure, Thidwick discovers that the key to happiness is being kind to others. Format: 45 min. special. Animation: 3D.
On the bootheels of yesterday’s first look and cast reveal Universal Pictures has launched the official trailer for DreamWorks Animation’s Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. The first feature film from the Shrek universe since the furry hero’s solo spin-off in 2011, The Last Wish looks to be a carryover of classic DWA style melding with the snappy, graphic animation aesthetic of today’s CGI blockbusters.
Brought to the screen by the team behind The Croods: A New Age, director Joel Crawford and producer Mark Swift, the fearless feline outlaw’s new adventure begins when Puss in Boots discovers that his passion for peril and disregard for safety have taken their toll. Puss has burned through eight of his nine lives, though he lost count along the way. Getting those lives back will send Puss in Boots on his grandest quest yet.
Antonio Banderas returns as the voice of the notorious PiB as he embarks on an epic journey into the Black Forest to find the mythical Wishing Star and restore his lost lives. But with only one life left, Puss will have to humble himself and ask for help from his former partner and nemesis: the captivating Kitty Soft Paws (Salma Hayek). Aided — against their better judgment — by a ratty, chatty, relentlessly cheerful mutt, Perro (Harvey Guillén), our heroes will have to stay one step ahead of Goldilocks (Florence Pugh) and the Three Bears Crime Family, “Big” Jack Horner (John Mulaney) and terrifying bounty hunter, The Big Bad Wolf (Wagner Moura).
The voice cast also features Olivia Colman, Ray Winstone, Samson Kayo, Anthony Mendez and Da’Vine Joy Randolph. Chris Meledandri serves as executive producer.
Disney+ will be introducing Sing-Along versions of beloved fan-favorite musicals, beginning with Walt Disney Animation Studios’ critically acclaimed Encanto on Friday, March 18. On average, Encanto streamers have watched the film five times, with the title accumulating over 180 million re-watches globally since launch. The Sing-Along version will allow fans to further immerse themselves in the music by following the on-screen lyrics to their favorite songs, including “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” “Family Madrigal,” “Surface Pressure,” “Dos Oruguitas” and more.
Subscribers can look forward to the release of additional Sing-Alongs later this year on Disney+ across a range of titles, including Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Frozen, Frozen 2 and both the animated (1991) and live-action (2017) Beauty and the Beast.
Brendan Carroll for WarnerMedia Global Brands and Experiences
WarnerMedia Global Brands and Experiences (WMGBE) is launching an 80th anniversary celebration for Looney Tunes star Tweety on a global scale. WMGBE has commissioned a diverse group of artists worldwide to design 80 original murals reflecting Tweety’s rich history and dynamic personality. The “80 Years of Tweety” campaign kicked off in Austin at SXSW 2022 on March 11, where the first group of murals will officially debut.
The anniversary honors will continue throughout the year across the Studio with new Tweety content from HBO Max, WarnerMedia Kids & Family, along with new themed experiences and collections from Warner Bros. Consumer Products — including a Looney Tunes Shop exclusive collection inspired by the murals, plush backpack and zip-around wallet from Loungefly and a set of magnetic false eyelashes from Ugly Dukling Beauty. The celebration will culminate on Tweety’s birthday on November 21, 2022.
Breonna’s Garden
Last year, in solidarity with Breonna Taylor’s family, artist and curator Lady Pheønix developed Breonna’s Garden, a revolutionary framework for veneration through augmented reality (AR). Now, less than a full year later, the project is providing virtual safe spaces to larger audiences through fully immersive VR.
The development of the project began after Lady Pheønix learned that Ju’Niyah Palmer (Breonna’s younger sister) was receiving death threats while publicly grieving her sister’s murder on Instagram. After speaking with Ju’Niyah, it was apparent that she not only needed a safe space to process her grief; but so did entire online communities that supported Breonna. The Garden has evolved from a healing tool for Ju’Niyah and her family into a healing tool for the nation.
Following successes at Tribeca Film Festival, the Perez Art Museum Miami, Breonna’s Garden blossoms in Austin during SXSW this week (march 13-15). The new VR and volumetric content marks the beginning of an innovative approach to storytelling in AltspaceVR that has never been seen before. In situ, audiences hear stories about Breonna’s passion for helping others and have the chance to read heart-felt letters from supporters from all over the world.
Betty’s Dream concept art
A striking new crowdfunded animated fantasy from a team of dedicated artists is beginning its journey to the screen. Titled Betty’s Dream, the project has raised over £47,000 (almost 95% of its goal) on the Greenlit platform in just over a week, with a goal of £50K to develop and produce a trailer. Created by Liam Engels, the trailer’s creative team includes artistic supervisor Edgar Martins (head of story, Klaus) and co-director Shen Yi (Annie-winning student film Best Friend).
The story centers on a girl named Betty and her brother, Sami, who has a severe disability — but also the power to control his sister’s dreams. Once Betty enters Sami’s magical inne world, their bond grows and they set out on a life-changing quest.
The Adventures of Zizwe
The Adventures of Zizwe (adventuresofzizwe.com), an Africa-based animated series featuring young indigenous women from Zulu, Aboriginal, Mayan and Celtic backgrounds, has been selected to participate at the 2022 Socially Relevant Film Festival, March 16-20 in New York City. In addition to playing at the venue, the webisode will be seen online via the festival’s YouTube channel. The animation previously won an Award of Merit from IndieFEST and has screened in the official selections of the LA Femme, Montreal Independent and Toronto Women Film Festival.
Created by Robyn Stalson-Johns, an African travel expert and philanthropist specialist, and her husband Kevin Johns, the show focuses on Zizwe, a young African girl and her three mystic friends, who call upon the ancient wisdom of their elders and embark on a mission to banish dark forces. “They are able to transform the planet into a place where the freedom and dignity of every person is acknowledged and respected,” says Stalson-Johns.
The magical world of My Little Pony it trotting along in the audio space with a new, relaxing adventure on top sleep and meditation app Calm. Available now in the Kids section, the story features the voice of Princess Pipp Petals herself, Sofia Carson. Young listeners can dreamily drift into their bedtime routines as Princess Pip soars beneath the twinkling stars, exploring the scenic sights of Equestria and the history of Zephry Heights.
“I’m immensely happy to bring the voice of my beloved Princess Pipp to Calm, so that together we may journey into a restful night sleep filled with sweet dreams,” said Carson. “The Sleep Story will transport us to an enchanting world of magic and adventure with My Little Pony at bedtime.”
The second ACE Program team created the short film Pivot, which premiered at SPARK 2021.
Women in Animation Vancouver (WIA Vancouver announced its shortlist of candidates for the ACE Program’s (wiavan-ace.org) third iteration with Netflix Canada as the premiere sponsor. The program is WIA Vancouver’s immersive Animation Career EXCELelerator training program, for animation professionals who identify as women and non-binary.
Applications submitted showcase the diversity of animation talent that exists across Canada. This includes identifying as women (83.3%), LGBTQ2+ (25.8%), non-binary (16.7%), Latin American (13.6%), Southeast Asian (10.6%), Indigenous and Métis (combined is 4.5%), disabled (6.1%), among others. Thirty-two applicants were shortlisted to participate in the first phase of the program, which includes workshops, pitch training and mentoring:
This fall, DreamWorks Animation’s leche-loving, swashbuckling, fear-defying feline returns! For the first time in more than a decade, a new adventure in the Shrek universe will unfold as daring outlaw Puss in Boots discovers that his passion for peril and disregard for safety have taken their toll. Universal Pictures today unveiled a first look image featuring the whiskered hero, his partner in adventure Kitty and a new canine companion — and the roster of voices bringing Puss in Boots: The Last Wish to life.
In the long-awaited sequel, Puss has burned through eight of his nine lives (though he lost count along the way). Getting those lives back will send Puss in Boots on his grandest quest yet. Academy Award nominee Antonio Banderas returns as the voice of the notorious PiB as he embarks on an epic journey into the Black Forest to find the mythical Wishing Star and restore his lost lives. But with only one life left, Puss will have to humble himself and ask for help from his former partner and nemesis: the captivating Kitty Soft Paws (Oscar nominee Salma Hayek).
In their quest, Puss and Kitty will be aided — against their better judgment — by a ratty, chatty, relentlessly cheerful mutt, Perro (Harvey Guillén, What We Do in the Shadows). Together, our trio of heroes will have to stay one step ahead of Goldilocks (Oscar nominee Florence Pugh, Black Widow) and the Three Bears Crime Family, “Big” Jack Horner (Emmy winner John Mulaney, Big Mouth) and terrifying bounty hunter, The Big Bad Wolf (Wagner Moura, Narcos).
The all-star comedic cast also includes Oscar winner Olivia Colman, Ray Winstone (Black Widow), Samson Kayo (Sliced), Emmy nominee Anthony Mendez (Jane the Virgin) and Tony nominee Da’Vine Joy Randolph (Trolls World Tour).
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish first-look image
Joel Crawford is directing this epic follow-up to the Oscar-nominated 2011 blockbuster, with Mark Swift as producer — the creative team behind DreamWorks Animation’s smash The Croods: A New Age. The film’s executive producer is Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri.
The character of Puss in Boots first appeared in 2004’s Oscar-nominated Shrek 2 and instantly became a global, scene-stealing sensation. Puss then co-starred in two other Shrek sequels and his solo film, as well as in multiple DreamWorks Animation videos and TV series. The Shrek and Puss in Boots films have collectively earned more than $3.5 billion worldwide.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is slated for theatrical release on September 23.The official first trailer is coming soon, so stay tuned!
Disney+ released a trailer and poster this morning celebrating Embrace the Panda: Making Turning Red, a feature documentary about the all-woman team at the helm of Pixar’s original feature, Turning Red.
With behind-the-scenes access to director Domee Shi and her core leadership crew, this documentary shines a light on the powerful professional and personal journeys that brought Pixar’s latest comical, heartfelt feature to the screen. Embrace the Panda: Making Turning Red is now streaming on Disney+.
Viewers will also hear from producer Lindsey Collins, visual effects supervisor Danielle Feinberg and production designer Rona Liu as they explore the different ways the team found to push the look of the CGI animation with anime influences, and call upon their own experiences to push the relatable teenage weirdness of Mei and her friends. The documentary also gives a glimpse at recording sessions with stars like Rosalie Chiang (Mei) and Sandra Oh (Ming).
Read all about Turning Red in Animation Magazine‘s feature story here.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is picking up speed heading to its April 8 theatrical release, and the just-dropped new trailer shows how much things are heating up for the videogame hero in the next stage. With a new ally in Tails and a new nemesis in Knuckles, Sonic will race to outpace and outwit the megalomaniacal Dr. Robotnik across snowy peaks, mysterious temples, and at least one wedding.
It was also announced that the hybrid action-adventure is offering Sonic fans a chance to catch the sequel before anyone else, with an Early Access Screening on Wednesday, April 6.
The Early Access Screening event will air at 6 p.m. local time in participating theaters and will be presented exclusively in premium formats. Moviegoers can get theater listings and buy tickets to all Sonic the Hedgehog 2 shows at sonicthehedgehogmovie.com. Tickets will also be on sale at exhibitors’ websites & mobile apps, and at participating theater box offices nationwide.
Additionally, commemorative gifts commissioned for this event will be given to each ticketholder. Each fan attending the event will receive an exclusive, limited edition Collector’s Print designed by artist Tyson Hesse, best known for his work on the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise; and a limited-edition comic book reprinted with cinema-exclusive cover art illustrated by Nathalie Fourdraine, an illustrator and animation concept artist who contributes to the IDW Sonic the Hedgehog comic series.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Synopsis: The world’s favorite blue hedgehog is back for a next-level adventure in Sonic the Hedgehog 2. After settling in Green Hills, Sonic is eager to prove he has what it takes to be a true hero. His test comes when Dr. Robotnik returns, this time with a new partner, Knuckles, in search for an emerald that has the power to destroy civilizations. Sonic teams up with his own sidekick, Tails, and together they embark on a globe-trotting journey to find the emerald before it falls into the wrong hands.
From the filmmakers behind The Fast and the Furious and Deadpool, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 stars James Marsden, Ben Schwartz as the voice of Sonic, Tika Sumpter, Natasha Rothwell, Adam Pally, Lee Majdoub and Jim Carrey returning, alongside new additions Shemar Moore, with Idris Elba as the voice of Knuckles and Colleen O’Shaughnessey as the voice of Tails.
The sequel is again directed by Jeff Fowler from a screenplay by Pat Casey & Josh Miller and John Whittington, story by Pat Casey & Josh Miller, based on the SEGA videogame. A Paramount Pictures presentation in association with SEGA Sammy Group; an Original Film, Marza Animation Planet & Blur Studio production.
As the esteemed Annecy Festival charts a course to its 2022 live edition after last year’s hybrid event, organizers announce that Illumination Entertainment’s little yellow mischief makers are returning to the lakeside animation celebration for the World Premiere of Minions: The Rise of Gru. After COVID-related delays, the eagerly awaited prequel will at last debut as part of the festival’s Opening Ceremony, screening in the Grande Salle de Bonlieu on Monday, June 13.
“The Minions franchise is inextricably linked to Annecy,” said Marcel Jean, Artistic Director of the festival. “As early as 2010, Despicable Me made its mark at the event, and since then each film in the series has started its success here. Annecy’s enthusiastic audience is the best there is to uproariously celebrate the return of this happy crew who is the symbol of success for Illumination.”
Directed by Kyle Balda, co-directed by Brad Ableson and Jonathan del Val, and produced by Illumination founder & CEO Chis Meledandri, Janet Healy and Chris Renaud, Minions: The Rise of Gru reveals the untold origin story of how the world’s greatest supervillain, first met his iconic Minions, forged the cinema’s most despicable crew and faced off against the unstoppable criminal supergroup, the Vicious 6.
Minions: The Rise of Gru
The voice cast is again led by Steve Carrell as Gru and Pierre Coffin playing the Minions, joined by a criminally brilliant lineup including Taraji P. Henson, Michelle Yeoh, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Lucy Lawless, Dolph Lundgren, Danny Trejo, Russell Brand, Alan Arkin, RZA and Julie Andrews as Gru’s mother, Marlena.
“We are hoping to see the public return in large numbers to cinema theaters and we all need frivolity and laughter. This is why Minions: The Rise of Gru seemed the perfect film for us to open the Festival’s 2022 edition,” added Jean. “It is also the opportunity for the Festival to highlight both French and American expertise. We thank Illumination and Universal Pictures for offering this wonderful gift to the festival-goers.”
Universal will release Minions: The Rise of Gru on July 1, and in cinemas across France on July 6.
Annecy 2022 runs June 13-18. Visit annecy.org for more information and registration.
Web3 animation studio Toonstar and Sixth Wall, the digital arm of Mila Kunis’ Orchard Farm Productions, today announced the launch of The Gimmicks, a Web3 enabled, community-driven animated NFT series powered by Solana. Described as “South Park meets WWE,” the adult animated series centers on a group of washed up wrestlers trying to regain their status.
The series is voiced by former WWE stars Luke “Doc” Gallows, Karl “Machine Gun” Anderson, FKA Enzo Amore and Rocky Romero, and is written by “The Daves”: Dave Ihlenfeld and David Wright (Family Guy, The Simpsons).
The Gimmicks utilizes NFT technology to give fans a chance to participate in character and storyline development. At the end of each episode, a “choose your own adventure” option will be voted on by NFT holders, influencing future episodes and character arcs. NFT holders will also have the opportunity to interact with other fans via an on-chain social layer. This interactive social layer will connect to the holder’s NFT, and actions will be recorded on-chain as proof of community engagement.
“Toonstar absolutely gets the ridiculously fast nature of creating in Web3,” said Mila Kunis. “They are able to make animation at unprecedented speed while also managing creative community elements; I can’t wait for people to come and engage in the fun.”
“As veterans in the animation industry, we know how invested the audience can get in storylines and characters. Working on the blockchain gives us a chance to engage with the community in ways never possible before,” said John Attanasio, CEO & Co-Founder, Toonstar. “We’re thrilled to see The Gimmicks launch and are looking forward to giving other new voices an animation platform.”
In an effort to open up this medium to new fans and the “crypto-curious,” NFTs will be free to mint and available on March 18 via The Gimmicks website. The NFTs are powered by the Solana blockchain to ensure an environmentally conscious use of crypto technology. On Solana, the minting of one NFT takes less energy than two Google searches or one Instagram post, according to the announcement.
Netflix announced the cast for their forthcoming stop-motion animated film Wendell & Wild, the highly anticipated return to the director’s chair for Academy Award nominee Henry Selick (Coraline, The Nightmare Before Christmas). The news was shared with a punk-influenced video released today. The film is due to debut globally in Fall 2022.
Lyric Ross voices tough human teen Kat (right), with Sam Zelaya as classmate Raul (Wendell & Wild)
As well as Emmy Award winner Keegan-Michael Key (Key and Peele) and Academy Award winner Jordan Peele (Get Out, Us) as the titular hellspawn Wild and Wendell, respectively the otherworldly tale will also star Lyric Ross (This Is Us) as Kat; Angela Bassett (Black Panther) as Sister Helley; James Hong (Kung Fu Panda) as Father Bests; Sam Zelaya as Raul; Seema Virdi, Tamara Smart (A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting) and Ramona Young (Never Have I Ever) as Sloane, Siobhan and Sweetie; and Ving Rhames (Pulp Fiction) as the demon Buffalo Belzer.
Natalie Martinez (The Twilight Zone), Tantoo Cardinal (Dances with Wolves), Gabrielle Dennis, Igal Naor, David Harewood, Maxine Peake and Gary Gatewood round out the devilishly delightful cast.
Synopsis: From the delightfully wicked minds of Henry Selick and Jordan Peele comes Wendell & Wild, an animated tale about scheming demon brothers Wendell and Wild, who enlist the aid of 13-year-old Kat Elliot — a tough teen with a load of guilt — to summon them to the Land of the Living. But what Kat demands in return leads to a brilliantly bizarre and comedic adventure like no other, an animated fantasy that defies the law of life and death, all told through the handmade artistry of stop motion.
The film marks Selick’s first return to the helm since writing, directing and producing Coraline (LAIKA, 2009). The celebrated stop-motion master wrote Wendell & Wild with Peele; the duo also serve as producers alongside Ellen Goldsmith Vein for The Gotham Group and Win Rosenfield for Peele’s shingle Monkeypaw.
Executive producers are Lindsay Williams and Eddie Gamarra for The Gotham Group, Ian Cooper for Monkeypaw and Kamil Oshundara. The movie’s key creative team also includes Oscar-nominated composer Bruno Coulais (Les Choristes, Wolfwalkers, White Fang).
