A second edition of the Netflix Animation FoundationsProgram is underway, continuing the streamer’s initiative to create equitable access to the industry for early creatives from underrepresented communities. “Stories like Spirit Rangers,Maya and the Three and Over the Moon help us see new perspectives and bring us closer to each other. With better representation in the animation industry, we can bring more of these types of stories to the world,” the announcement points out.
The program was developed to help talent compete more effectively against candidates from prestige animation schools or well-connected referrals for entry-level roles in the industry. Last year, NAFP launched with a four-month mentorship offered in partnership with LatinX in Animation and Exceptional Minds.
“This program was so helpful as an aspiring storyboard artist trying to break in. My mentor showed us his creative process and was open to any questions from us,” said NAFP alum Enacio Diaz, who participated in the Story Group. “Just having first hand experience of someone creating a storyboard from a script was amazing to watch. All my niche questions were answered. I’ve learned so much. Thank you so much Netflix! Also to my mentor.”
Production Group mentee Valeria Valdes Cosilion was also enthusiastic about the first session: “This was such a wonderful program! I came in not knowing much about the animation industry and production management for animation, but now, I am leaving with a wealth of knowledge that my mentor, Pam Coats, bestowed on me.”
For the second session, the streamer is teaming up with Veterans in Media and Entertainment (VME) and IllumiNative to identify candidates from the veteran and Native American / Alaskan Native communities.
Veterans in Media and Entertainment is a professional association of U.S. military veterans working in, or aspiring to work in, media and entertainment. Members work in all facets of the industry from above the line creatives to positions in studios, networks, agencies, production companies, trades, and unions/guilds. With over 4,800 members across the nation, VME’s footprint spans film, television, commercials, digital media, theater, music, animation and gaming.
IllumiNative is a national, Native woman-led nonprofit dedicated to increasing the visibility of Native peoples and challenging and changing the narrative about Native peoples. We envision a future where the self-determination and sovereignty of Native peoples is respected, where our children see themselves reflected in the world around them, and where Native peoples author and drive our own narrative.
The first program saw 74 mentees work with 19 mentors from Netflix Animation Studio, focussing on art and visual development, storyboarding, CG/VFX, writing and production management. NAFP participants received mentorship on the industry, career advice and guidance with editing and curating professionally-styled portfolios, writing samples or resumes, preparing them to apply for internships, training/apprentice programs or entry level positions within animation.
“I learned so much about writing for animation. It was so much fun to write a fake episode for a show we loved and to adapt to the writing style and comedy,” said Katherine McSpadden (Writing Group).
Yuri Pineda (Story Group) attested, “I’m happy to have had the pleasure to connect with other artists; they have been very encouraging and have also helped me push myself. Throughout the mentorship, I gained a greater understanding of how to push storytelling, acting, staging and composition within my storyboards.”
Today, leading global kids content distributor Jetpack Distribution has acquired the worldwide rights for upper preschool 2D animated show Alice’s Diary, a co-production between Portugal-based Sardinha Em Lata, Spain’s Alice AIE and Brazil’s Geppetto Films; and preschool 2D animated show Wussywat the Clumsy Cat, a co-production between BAFTA Award-winning combination Baby Cow Animation, Bigfatstudio and Smiley Guy Studios, Toronto.
The deal for Alice’s Diary comprises 52 x four-minute episodes centered on Alice — a little girl who tries to understand the world through her own art. The show, currently in production, targets upper preschool boys and girls. It is set to air on Portuguese public service broadcaster, Radio e Televisão Portuguesa (RTP), Spain’s national broadcaster RTVE and Disney Junior in Latin America.
Alice’s Diary offers a magical insight into the individual thoughts of Alice, the adorable, quirky, and highly imaginative six-year-old lead, as she invites viewers into her beautifully illustrated diary. Alice’s wonder, inquisitiveness and unique view of the world are shared with audiences through her off-beat, funny and engaging conversations with her mum, Ana. As Alice talks, she draws and her pictures come to animated life, adding a captivating and comedic visualization of what she’s thinking.
“Alice’s unconventional and off the wall understanding of the world around her is delightfully relatable for children everywhere,” says Dominc Gardiner, CEO of Jetpack Distribution. “This show is a funny, warm, and unique addition to our catalog. The curiosity in Alice is both amusing and engaging for kids and parents.”
Wussywat the Clumsy Cat
The deal for Wussywat the Clumsy Cat comprises 52 x five-minute episodes. The hit show was originally commissioned by CBeebies and has aired in multiple territories on broadcasters including CBeebies, JIMJAM, WeKids, SVT, Mediacorp and RTVE. The show offers a stellar cast of comedy characters for two to four year olds and follows the slapstick antics of a curious, clumsy cat always on the lookout for fun new things to learn.
Narrated by popular broadcaster, Liza Tarbuck, Wussywat the Clumsy Cat is set in ‘The Garden’, where the hero encounters all manner of interesting things to bump into and fall over, with his friends, Duckadile, Oggy, Ird and Ortus, who gently steer him towards each new clumsy discovery, instilling the values of friendship and teamwork.
Wussywat the Clumsy Cat
“With a proven track record, Wussywat is a cherished and established show that we are equally as happy to bring to new audiences,” adds Gardiner. “The feline hero’s clumsiness is loveable and funny, and the show expresses some great values. We’re excited to present both to buyers at MIPTV.”
In the shadow of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the international collaborative animated short Mila has been enlisted by anti-war efforts in Europe, returning to screens on Italian national broadcaster RAI this week and being made available to broadcasters across the continent for free. Directed by Cinzia Angelini and produced by Andrea Emmes, the film was created by more than 350 volunteer artists in 35 different countries, and tells the story of a young girl caught in the chaos of World War II (read more here). Mila was first broadcast in November 2021 and again on New Year’s Day. The free distribution initiative is bolstered by Luca Milano at RAI Ragazzi and the European Broadcasting Association.
“From the very beginning of the film’s conception, we knew it was destined to be relevant. Sadly, we could never have imagined that we would be faced with yet another global crisis as this,” the Mila team wrote in a statement. “The leadership group, including our sales agent, Tania Pinto da Cunha, at Pink Parrot Media, has decided to grant limited broadcast rights of the film at no cost, for 30 days. We all agreed that in this very challenging, even difficult time, it is important that Mila’s message of hope be distributed to as many nations as possible. We hope to help children facing this tragedy understand that they are not alone, and to remind adults who may be far removed from the violence, what’s at stake.”
In related news, Netflix has temporarily halted all future projects and acquisitions in Russia, a source has reportedly told Reuters. The streaming giant, which is available in 190 countries and territories, had four Russian-language series in production and post-production. It was not noted whether any animation projects would be affected. Netflix currently offers popular Russian kids’ toons like Booba and Masha and the Bear, and just last year brought on its first animated feature produced in the country: Wizart’s Secret Magic Control Agency.
The stoppage is in line with the censorial actions being taken by studios, distributors and events across the entertainment industry in response to Moscow’s escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War. (Read more here.)
Dicktown “The Mystery of the Missing Pimento Cheese Recipe”
Season 2 of adult toon Dicktown is ready to crack more hard cases tonight (March 3) on FXX, premiering two all-new episodes at 10 p.m. ET/PT. In the first S2 capers, John and David must locate a legendary stolen recipe for pimento cheese. Then, they go undercover as lil’ animals in the Mammal Island video game. All episodes stream the next day on FX on Hulu.
The series centers on John Hunchman — once the famous boy detective of Richardsville, North Carolina (“Dicktown” to the locals), but now he’s pushing 40 and still solving mysteries for teens. David Purefoy, his former bully, is now his driver, muscle and only friend. Between chasing down stolen recipes and high school mascots gone rogue, John and David never stop trying to solve the biggest mystery: how to grow up. Dicktown was created, written and directed by John Hodgman and David Rees, and is executive produced by Hodgman, Rees and Matt Thompson (Archer) of Floyd County Productions.
Immobile Stars
MIAM ! distribution and RAI (Italy) struck a new deal for the collection A girl’s coming of age journey: tales of feminine early bravery (4 x 26’). The quartet of TV specials are set to be broadcasted as part of RAI Ragazzi’s programming for International Women’s Day this month. Each half-hour animation follows pre-teen girls as they overcome their life challenges by conquering a new environment.
Mussels & Fries (Miyu Productions) Nine-year-old Noah comes to live with her mum on a small island. All the children there have known each other forever, and they all sail. Noah dreams of sailing in the annual regatta — except, her mother can’t afford to pay for sailing class…
Funny Birds (Doncvoilà Prod. / Camera Lucida) Ten-year-old Ellie has just entered middle school. It’s not easy making friends when you’re shy, so Ellie prefers observing birds, or reading about them. One day, the school librarian decides to trust her by lending her a rare ornithology book. But when she comes to return it, Ellie discovers the library is already closed. She decides to return it in person to the librarian, who actually lives on an island full of birds in the middle of the Loire river.
Luisa and the Feathered Snake (Kazak Productions) Nine-year-old Luisa just moved to Mexico with her family. It is not easy for her to adapt to this new environment, as she tells Keza, her beloved pet lizard. When Keza escapes, he drags Louisa into amazing adventures where she discovers Mexico’s culture and inhabitants. One encounter after the other, Louisa will find out that Keza might be a reincarnation of the god Quetzalcoatl!
Immobile Stars (Tripode Productions) Chenghua, aged nine, is preparing a school project on space travel with her best friend. She cannot find enough time to do this as she is constantly asked to translate for her parents. They do not speak French and are dependent on their child; they do not realize that they are placing too heavy a weight on her young shoulders. Chenghua can take no more and tries to break free from her family. Her desire for space and natural enthusiasm will help her take those steps. (Delivery: Q2 2022)
Jili & Gulu
U.K.-China media group The Media Pioneers (TMP), has signed a number of deals for the preschool educational series Jili & Gulu. Having successfully aired in Mainland China on multiple platforms including Tencent and Youku, Season 1 has also been sold to VIUTVsix (Hong Kong), START (Russia and CIS) and the largest non-for-profit Spanish language broadcaster in the U.S., HITN, to air on their Edye platform for preschool children, where it will premier across the United States and Latin America later in the year.
Produced by Le-Cool Culture and Zhongchuang Huashi Culture Development, Jili & Gulu (52 x 7’) is a heartwarming 2D comedy-adventure series, featuring a little lion named Jili, a crocodile called Gulu and a sweet bunch of lovely little animal friends who live happily together in the Drip Drop Forest. In this amazing place, they grow up together whilst learning and having lots of fun and adventures. The endearing series offers educational elements such as science, life skills, friendship, and humor. Season two is now complete and available worldwide, distributed by TMP.
Pil’s Adventure
This weekend, U.K. audiences can catch a new fantasy tale when Pil’s Adventure premieres on Sky Cinema on March 5 as a Sky Original.
Pil is a young orphan living in the medieval city of Misty Rock. One day, Tristain, the cruel regent curses Roland, heir of the thrones and changes him into a “chickat” (half chicken, half cat). To save Roland and the kingdom, Pil embarks in a quest for the antidote. Graubart, a clumsy guard with a good heart, Chuckly, a young loony jester, and her three teamed weasels come along. From the Cursed Forest to the Were-unicorn’s lair, Pil and her unlikely companions will live the greatest adventure. And find the family they never had.
Directed by Julien Fournet (The Jungle Bunch 2), Pil’s Adventure is produced by French animation studio TAT Productions, SND Films and France 3 Cinema. Jean-François Tosti, Eric Tosti and David Alaux are the film’s producers.
The fully remastered The Batman: The Complete Series Blu-ray release has officially hit shelves this week, collecting all 65 episodes of Bruce Wayne’s early adventures. Issued by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, the debut of the new box set (BD + digital $69.99 SRP US / BD only $79.98 SRP CAN) was marked by Warner with a sweet group photo snapped at the show’s final recording session.
Produced by Warner Bros. Animation and DC, the six-time Emmy-winning animated series premiered on September 11, 2004 on Kids’ WB before shifting to Cartoon Network for subsequent seasons. The Batman follows 20-something-year-old Bruce Wayne as he balances his daytime persona as a bachelor billionaire with his nighttime guise as a caped crimefighter. Along the way, Batman is joined by allies Robin and Batgirl as they combat Gotham City’s Rogues’ Gallery, including updated versions of his familiar foes as well as a bevy of rarely seen villains like Killer Moth and The Everywhere Man.
The Batman cast and crew [photo: Gary Miereanu]Pictured
First row: Production crew members Kelly Ann Foley, writer Alexx Van Dyne and director Vinton Hueck.
Second row: Chris Hardwick (voice of Green Arrow), Mitch Pileggi (Commissioner Gordon), Evan Sabara (Robin), Danielle Judovits (Batgirl), casting/dialogue director Andrea Romano, Charlie Schlatter (Flash) and supervising producer Michael Goguen.
Third row: Executive producer Alan Burnett, Dorian Harewood (Martian Manhunter), George Newbern (Superman), Rino Romano (Batman), Dermot Mulroney (Green Lantern), Robert Patrick (Hawkman) and supervising recording engineer Eddie Collins.
In addition to all episodes of the series, The Batman on Blu-ray includes multiple special features, including the brand-new featurette The Dark Dynasty Continues — an exploration of the relationship between The Batman and his allies has he evolves from mysterious vigilante to the World’s Greatest Detective. Read all about the set and the series in our previous post here.
Italy’s Gruppo Alcuni is releasing the short-form animated series Cartoons for Peace from its catalog, offering the timely title to broadcasters around the world for free, in exchange for donations that go toward helping children in Ukraine. The project does not require dubbing, making it easy for any channels interested to bring these shorts to their audiences.
Cartoons for Peace was developed by Gruppo Alcuni in cooperation with UNESCO’s Associated Schools Network and Italian public broadcaster RAI, inspired by the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World (2000-2010) designated by the UN General Assembly.
The project called for school children all over the globe to create storyboards on the theme of “peace.” Over 1,000 submissions from students in Ecuador, Egypt, Indonesia, Lebanon, Mexico, Philippines, Qatar, Uganda and other countries were narrowed down into a 20 x one-minute 2D animated series.
Cartoons for Peace
“We believe this animated content is still extremely relevant, because it reflects the hopes of thousands of children around the world and that hasn’t changed with time,” saiid producer Francesco Manfio. “In exchange, we’d ask the networks to give a free contribution for children in the Ukraine or in any war zone, since children are the first victims of war.”
Outlets interested in this offer can contact Gruppo Alcuni’s head of sale, Kristina B. Simon, at k.bsimon@alcuni.it.
Learn more about Cartoons for Peace and watch the trailer here.
Kyoto Animation let fly with a new trailer and official key art for its Tsurune feature film, based on the popular archery team anime series. The studio announced via Twitter that the movie will arrive in Japanese theaters on August 19 with the full title Tsurune the Movie -Hajimari no Issha- (translated as “The Starting Shot”). Additional key creatives on the project were also revealed.
Director Takuya Yamamura, whose TV credits also include Violet Evergarden, Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid and Sound! Euphonium, is writing the script for the movie, supervised by series head writer Michiko Yokote (Okko’s Inn, Tribe Nine). Masaru Yokoyama (Her Blue Sky, Fruits Basket) is composing the music, taking over from the show’s composer, Japan Academy Prize winner Harumi Fuuki. The Tsurune animation crew are tackling the film, including character designer Miku Kadowaki (Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid, Beyond the Boundary).
Tsurune aired on NHK in Japan in 2018 and 2019, streaming on Crunchyroll worldwide as episodes rolled out. The show centers on Narumiya Minato, a new high school student who is invited to join the archery club. While his two childhood friends eagerly sign up, Minato is hesitant. Because Minato is a rare student with archery experience, the club’s advisor Tommy-sensei demands a demonstration … When Minato’s arrow misses the target, it is revealed he has developed an archery “dysfunction.”
Kyoto Animation is an animation studio and light novel publishing house based in Uji, Kyoto. Founded in 1981 by President Hideaki Hatt and VP Yoko Hatta, the studio has produced hit anime franchises including K-On!, Sound! Euphonium, Free!, Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid and Violet Evergarden, as well as the award-winning feature film A Silent Voice.
[Source: Tsurune Official Twitter via Crunchyroll]
Hearst Media Production Group and Toonz Media Group today announced a partnership to produce new animated productions. Through the new partnership, Hearst brings its distribution prowess to engage U.S. audiences with Toonz’s prolific slate of children’s animation productions, including brand new titles like Paddypaws, Sunnyside Billy, Kingdom of None and Aliens in My Backpack.
Hearst Media Production Group, a business unit of Hearst Television, is a producer and distributor of television programming with more than 30 series and hundreds of hours of content annually on leading broadcast station groups and networks — and in 97 countries — and on connected TV and streaming platforms, with a library of more than 4,000 hours of programming.
Global kids and family entertainment studio Toonz Media Group has created some of the most highly-rated international shows including Wolverine and The X-Men, Speedracer Next Generation and Playmobil. Hearst and Toonz will collaborate to procure U.S. distribution partners for the next slate of animated hits, including:
PaddyPaws: An interactive preschool series created by Emily and Keith Chapman (PAW Patrol, Bob the Builder), about a group of adventurous kitties led by the mischievous PaddyPaws and their young, loving owner Daisy.
Sunnyside Billy: An upbeat comedy from the makers of Oggy and the Cockroaches and Robotboy, Sunnyside Billy features a witty, happy-go-lucky fried egg and his pals, who get into wild adventures with visiting tourists who discover that the fish are not the fishiest thing about their small, sleepy seaside Alaskan town. The series was conceptualized by a team including legendary animator Olivier Jean-Marie.
Kingdom of None: Welcome to the Kingdom of None; a high-octane landscape where everyday lives become imaginary worlds full of wild adventures! Fueled by their creative and boundless imaginations, our hero Meter and his band of friends transform their backyard into the ultimate playground.
Aliens in My Backpack: This comedy adventure series created by Rob Lee, best known for hits like Fireman Sam, brings to life a family of characters from a distant planet, who are on a mission to share their secrets with Earth and make our planet a greener and better place.
“This is a strategic alliance for Toonz as we broaden our presence in North America. We are confident that together Toonz and Hearst Media Production Group can produce and deliver high quality content that will appeal and entertain children and family audiences everywhere,” said Bruno Zarka, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer for Toonz Media Group.
“Creating key alliances with global partners like Toonz is critical to Hearst Media Production Group’s aggressive strategy to expand our reach into all genres of content for all audiences,” said Angelica Rosas McDaniel, EVP and General Manager, Entertainment for Hearst Media Production Group.
Studio Ghibli Fest is back in theaters this spring with a new slate of timeless animated classics for 2022 — beginning with 25th anniversary screenings of the epic historical fantasy Princess Mononoke. Written and directed by Academy Award winner Hayao Miyazaki, Princess Mononoke held Japan’s box office record for domestic films for four years until it was unseated by another Studio Ghibli film, Spirited Away.
Studio Ghibli Fest 2022 will highlight seven beloved films from the acclaimed studio, including the aforementioned Academy Award-winning masterpiece Spirited Away, the Oscar-nominated fantasy epic Howl’s Moving Castle, the critically acclaimed Ponyo and 20th anniversary screenings of The Cat Returns, the fantastical adventure where the Baron from Whisper of the Heart returns to the big screen. Rounding out the series, the intimate and timeless drama Only Yesterday, from Academy Award-nominated director and Studio Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata, joins this year’s lineup in its first-ever nationwide theatrical release in North America.
Studio Ghibli Fest 2022 will run in U.S. cinemas through fall.
The Cat Returns
“The team at Fathom Events is thrilled to kick off Studio Ghibli Fest for the fifth time,” said Fathom Events CEO Ray Nutt. “We’re not only excited to bring these cherished films to the big screen for dedicated fans of animation but we’re also proud of our long-standing relationship with GKIDS. It’s going to be a great series!”
Each event will be shown in both original Japanese and English dubbed versions and will include exclusive bonus content. Tickets for Studio Ghibli Fest 2022 can be purchased online starting today (March 3) through FathomEvents.com, GhibliFest.com or at participating theater box offices. (Theaters and participants are subject to change).
Studio Ghibli Fest 2022 Schedule:
Princess Mononoke 25th Anniversary
Sunday, April 3 – 3 p.m. Local Time (English Dubbed)
Monday, April 4 – 7 p.m. Local Time (Japanese with Subtitles)
Wednesday, April 6 – 7 p.m. Local Time (English Dubbed)
Ponyo
Sunday, May 15 – 3 p.m. Local Time (English Dubbed)
Monday, May 16 – 7 p.m. Local Time (Japanese with Subtitles)
Wednesday, May 18 – 7 p.m. Local Time (English Dubbed)
The Cat Returns 20th Anniversary
Sunday, June 26 – 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Local Time (English Dubbed)
Monday, June 27 – 7 p.m. Local Time (Japanese with Subtitles)
Kiki’s Delivery Service
Sunday, July 31 – 3 p.m. Local Time (English Dubbed)
Monday, August 1 – 7 p.m. Local Time (Japanese with Subtitles)
Wednesday, August 3 – 7 p.m. Local Time (English Dubbed)
Only Yesterday
Sunday, August 28 – 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Local Time (English Dubbed)
Monday, August 29 – 7 p.m. Local Time (Japanese with Subtitles)
Howl’s Moving Castle
Sunday, September 25 – 3 p.m. Local Time (English Dubbed)
Monday, September 26 – 7 p.m. Local Time (Japanese with Subtitles)
Wednesday, September 28 – 7 p.m. Local Time (English Dubbed)
Spirited Away
Sunday, October 30 – 3 p.m. Local Time (English Dubbed)
Tuesday, November 1 – 7 p.m. Local Time (Japanese with Subtitles)
Wednesday, November 2 – 7 p.m. Local Time (English Dubbed)
Animated Women UK (animatedwomenuk.com) will be running a virtual F*ck Up Night event on the evening of Tuesday, March 8, International Women’s Day. After a successful first event in December 2020, F*ck Up Night returns with a new panel of speakers across the VFX and animation industry coming together on Zoom to share their experiences and talk about “how to get something positive out of f*ck ups and failures.” The event is free for AWUK members or £5 for non-members; tickets available here.
Led by AWUK Animation co-Chair Dara McGarry, the speakers will share their ‘less than successful moments’ and what they learned from them. This is followed by the opportunity for all participants to join in a Q&A via chat and live discussion over Zoom. Participants will then be invited to break out into smaller groups and encouraged to share their own stories. Speakers:
Debra Coleman, Founder of Open Frame Coaching and alumna of Animated Women UK’s Achieve program
Bianca Iancu, Lead Animation at Bompa Studio
Emma Taylor-Gilli, Digital Matte Painter at One of Us
Karla Young, Head of PR, Marketing & Communications at Jellyfish Pictures.
Top: Guillermo del Toro, Lynwen Brennan. Bottom: Drew Carey, Tawny Newsome, Phil Tippett, Denis Villeneuve.
The Visual Effects Society (VES, visualeffectssociety.com) has announced the full special honorees and award presenters list for the 20th Annual VES Awards, recognizing outstanding visual effects artistry and innovation in film, animation, television, commercials and video games and the VFX professionals who bring this work to life (see the full list of nominees here). During the ceremony on Tuesday, March 8 at The Beverly Hilton Hotel, awards will be presented in 25 categories and the program will feature special presentations. Honorees and presenters are (in formation order):
Guillermo del Toro – Academy Award-winning filmmaker/current nominee (Nightmare Alley); VES Award for Creative Excellence recipient
Lynwen Brennan – EVP/General Manager of Lucasfilm; VES Lifetime Achievement Award recipient
Drew Carey – VES Awards host; The Price is Right, Whose Line is It Anyway?
Denis Villeneuve – Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Dune, Dune: Part 2
Alfred Molina – Spider-Man: No Way Home, Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans
Tawny Newsome – Space Force, Star Trek: Lower Decks
Deborah Cox – Grammy Award-nominated/multi-platinum R&B/pop recording artist; Station Eleven
Phil Tippett – Academy Award-winning VFX supervisor
Jim Morris – President, Pixar Animation Studios; founding VES Chair
Eric Bourque – Senior Director, Engineering at Autodesk, presenting the VES-Autodesk Student Award
Yet another compelling VIEW Conference virtual session has joined the calendar. Following the news of its Feature Animation and VFX Oscar contender panels, the Italian CG confab announced it will be hosting Five Animated Short Film Oscar Contenders on Wednesday, March 16 at 9:30 a.m. PST / 5:30 p.m. UK / 18:30 CET. Registration is free (sign up here) but donations to support VIEW programming are appreciated (donate here).
The event features director Joanna Quinn and writer/producer Les Mills (Affairs of the Art), director Hugo Covarrubias and executive producer Tevo Diaz (Bestia), director Anton Dyakov (Boxballet), directors Mikey Please & Daniel Ojari (Robin Robin) and director Alberto Mielgo and producer and CG supervisor Leo Sánchez (The Windshield Wiper). Animation Magazine‘s own Editor-in-Chief Ramin Zahed is moderating!
Why shouldn’t animated short filmmakers get their “Oscar moment” on live TV?
Speaking of the Oscars, The Animation Guild (IATSE Local 839) has reportedly denounced the Academy’s decision to cut the Best Animated Short presentation from its live program this year. The category is one of eight (also including Original Score) that will be pre-recorded and re-inserted into the telecast on March 27 in what the Academy hopes is a “tighter” three-hour show.
The TAG Board’s statement on the change, as shared by Cartoon Brew, reads: “Short Films are critical to showing the diversity of voices in the world, and excluding them from the live broadcast impacts inclusion efforts. Filmmaking is a collaborative undertaking, and each contribution is essential. We are disappointed in the Academy’s decision to send a message that some artistic endeavors are less valuable than others. We strongly feel that the artistry behind animated short films and the seven other categories should be presented and accepted in the live telecast.”
Maxon has announced their comprehensive offering of 3D, VFX and motion design events for their community of users for 2022. The annual schedule includes the return of the popular 3D and Motion Design show, weekly webinars and, after two years of canceled shows, a hopeful transition back to in-person events — beginning with NAB 2022 (April 24-27); the April 3D and Motion Design Show is expected to be broadcast live from the Maxon NAB booth.
The 3D and Motion Design Shows will continue to feature presentations from expert motion graphics and VFX artists showcasing professional 3D techniques and real-world production workflows using Maxon’s Cinema 4D, Redshift and the Red Giant product lines, as well as the newly acquired ZBrush tools. New for 2022, each show will open with “News and Notes” from Maxon. Presentations from each event will be streamed live and will be available online shortly after airing on 3DMotionShow.com as well as the Maxon YouTube channel. The 3D and Motion Design Shows kick off March 23 at 8 :30 a.m. PT with presenters including 3D generalist Matt Milstead, Rocket Lasso founder Chris Schmidt, concept/character artist Pablo Munoz Gomez and Michael Pavlovich, director of Character, Weapon and Vehicle Art at Certain Affinity. Additional shows are set for May 18, June 22, July 20, SIGGRAPH (Aug. 8-11), Sept. 28, Oct. 19, Nov. 9 and Dec. 7.
Numerous webinars will also go live each week, with the themes “Demystifying Post-Production” (Mondays at 9 a.m. PST), “Hands-on with Maxon” (Wednesdays at 8 a.m. PST), “Max On Color” (1st & 3rd Thursdays, 9 a.m. PST), “Ask the Trainer” (2nd & 4th Thursdays, 8 a.m. PST) and “VFX and Chill” (Fridays at 10 a.m. PST). Check weekly topics and register at maxon.net/en/events.
Spanish-language site Animación para Adultos has issued its second annual list of the year’s best animated works, as voted on by a panel of industry pros, journalists, critics, researchers and festival organizers. The 2021 list published here covers three key categories of animated achievement (titles in alphabetical order):
Feature films:Belle, Cryptozoo, Encanto, Evangelion 3.0+1.01 Thrice Upon a Time, Flee, The Summit of the Gods, Luca, Mad God, Raya and the Last Dragon, The Mitchells vs. the Machines
Series:Arcane, Cut along the dotted line (Strappare lungo i bordi), Invincible, Cosmic Kid, City of Ghosts, Love Death + Robots, Marvel What If…?, Maya and the Three, Rick and Morty, Tuca & Bertie
Short films:Affairs of the Art, Bad Seeds, Bestia, Easter Eggs, Namoo, Us Again, Robin Robin, Swallow the Universe, Twenty Something, The Windshield Wiper
The Walt Disney Family Museum has announced its next major special exhibition, Walt Disney’s The Jungle Book: Making a Masterpiece, in celebration of the beloved animated classic’s 55th anniversary. Guest-curated by acclaimed animator and Disney Legend Andreas Deja, the exhibit will debut Summer 2022 in the Diane Disney Miller Exhibition Hall, and will explore the creative complexities behind the film including the unique character personalities, voices, artwork, cutting-edge techniques, the memorable songs by the Sherman Brothers and Terry Gilkyson, the impact of Walt’s death during production and the picture’s enduring popularity. Further details will be announced in April.
Running concurrently with this exhibition, the museum will also present its first Cause Awareness exhibition, Creative Conservation: The Art of Endangered Animals, in the Lower Lobby and Theater Gallery. In partnership with five wildlife sanctuaries located around the world, the exhibition will be free to view for all museum ticket holders, and will feature abstract and pawprint creations by rescued and rehabilitated animals, complemented by wildlife-inspired artwork by Deja. All works will be available to purchase through the museum’s website, with proceeds supporting the wildlife sanctuaries.
But wait, there’s more…
Public voting is open for the EE Game of the Year Award, which will be presented at the BAFTA Game Awards (April 7). The six jury-selected contenders are Chicory: A Colorful Tale, Deathloop, It Takes Two, Metroid Dread, The Forgotten Cityand Unpacking. Game fans can vote for their fave at ee.co.uk by 6 p.m. GMT on April 1, 2022.
WIFTV announced the official selection for the 2022 Vancouver International Women in Film Festival (March 8-13; Vancouver, BC). Animated highlights among the 33 films from 12 countries include Elles by Mélanie Saint-Germain, The Ancestral Tree by P.A. Duquette and Martina Scarpelli’s music video for Kai’s “A Little Too Much.”viwff.ca
SIGGRAPH 2022 (Aug. 8-11; Vancouver, BC) call for submissions to the Electronic Theater is open. Deadline: March 22, 2022.s2022.siggraph.org
Swedish International Film Festival (April 10-13; Arvika, Sweden) calls for entries for its live event, including animated and experimental films and music videos. Deadline: March 9, 2022 (early bird) / March 31 (final). thesiff.com
Cartoon Forum 2022 (Sept. 19-22; Toulouse, France) is open for project submissions — don’t miss your chance to pitch your animated series / TV special to 950 animation pros this fall! Deadline: May 9, 2022.cartoon-media.eu
Production workers at award-winning animation indie Titmouse’s Los Angeles studio are reaching out for representation in collective bargaining by The Animation Guild (TAG, IATSE Local 839). A petition for a union election at the L.A. facility was filed with the National Labor Relations Board on February 28.
The move follows Titmouse New York’s historic vote to join the Guild (90% in favor) in January — which was voluntarily recognized by the company and marked the first time TAG had taken on representation of an animation studio outside Los Angeles County — and Titmouse Vancouver’s overwhelming vote (98%) to become TAG’s first Canadian outpost in 2020. Animation creative and production workers in British Columbia can now be represented by The Animation Guild, IATSE Local 938.
Production workers on the hit series Rick and Morty and Solar Opposites also announced their intent to collectively bargain under TAG just last week.
If L.A.’s union is certified by the NLRB, all three of Titmouse’s studios will be unionized under IATSE.
“We are proud of the focused and passionate efforts of the organizing committee at Titmouse L.A., as they work to harness the collective power of their peers to make working conditions sustainable for all production workers. Moreover, this organizing effort would designate Titmouse as a fully union studio In Los Angeles, New York and Vancouver,” TAG wrote in the announcement. “The Animation Guild has been in communications with the leadership at Titmouse, and together they are working towards a path to voluntary recognition.”
In a follow-up statement, Titmouse Founder & President Chris Prynowski echoed the studio’s acceptance of a union from the New York organization: “We support our Titmouse production workers in L.A. and are excited to move forward together! As we work with IATSE on a union contract for our L.A.-based production employees, this will build upon our union agreements for our studios in L.A., N.Y. and Vancouver.”
Those represented in the unit of 69 workers include production managers, production supervisors, storyboard coordinators, script coordinators, writer’s assistants, office production coordinators and assistants, and more.
“In my 13 years in the animation industry I have worked at several animation studios in both feature and television animation. I have seen the highs and lows that can come with working in production. Titmouse has been my favorite studio to work at and I want it to be the shining example of how an animation studio should be run,” said production manager Bonnie Robinson Stewart in a statement shared through TAG. “I hope that what we at Titmouse and our friends at Green Portal accomplish will empower production people at other studios to unionize and get the better treatment and benefits that they deserve. Industry wide, we should have the support, respect, mobility and continuity of benefits, like health insurance and pensions, that the TAG artists have had for years. We want to take our cool jobs and make them into sustainable, great lifelong careers.”
Production coordinator Cel La Flaca also shared the benefits to individuals that come with collective bargaining power: “I’ve had a bevy of disparaging experiences in the industry as an out trans person, as an at-will employee. When I came to Titmouse, it felt like I found home; however, even your own house needs renovations sometimes and it’s OK to admit that. I want other BIPOC, LGBTQIA, disabled and marginalized peoples to have a presence in this industry without going through the trials I had to. I want people to be able to grow in their work and have sustainable lives. I want others to have a future.”
TAG is still in negotiations for a new master agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which will emphasize more equitable wages for animation writers, better compensation for streaming projects and other key issues (read more on TAG’s site). Negotiations were originally scheduled for June of 2021 but were delayed to allow IATSE to set its own master agreement.
Founded by Chris and Shannon Prynoski in 2000, Titmouse is an award-winning independent animation company employing over 700 creatives across its three studios in Los Angeles, New York and Vancouver. Its recent work includes The Boys Presents: Diabolical (premiering this Friday, March 4 on Prime Video) and Human Resources (March 18 on Netflix), as well as The Legend of Vox Machina, Fairfax (Prime Video), Big Mouth Season 5 (Netflix), Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 2 (Paramount+) and Harriet the Spy (Apple TV+).
[Sources: The Animation Guild, Hollywood Reporter]
The panicky townsfolk of Fairview rally to clean up the streets — by any means necessary — in tonight’s episode of the new Comedy Central animated series. In Animag‘s exclusive sneak peek below, cognitive dissonance takes hold of an anti-crime mob.
Premiering tonight (Weds., March 2) at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT, “Crime Spike” follows what happens when, after witnessing a crime (on television), Fairview is forced to beef up its small town police force with military-grade equipment. Meanwhile, Sheriff Rogers and Deputy Connie seek respect from their fellow citizens.
Fairview is a half-hour adult animated series about how national politics causes wild small town drama in the Natty Light-chugging, grocery store parking lot-fighting, public urinating town of Fairview through the lens of its sloppy party girl turned pragmatic mayor, Kelly Sampson.
The series features the voice talents of Marina Cockenberg, James Austin Johnson, Aparna Nancherla, Jeremy Levick, Blair Socci, Graham Techler, Atsuko Okatsuka, Otter Lee, Carl Foreman Jr, Jack Bensinger, Lisa Gilroy and Joey Romaine.
Fairview “Crime Spike”
From CBS Studios and the creators of Tooning Out the News, Fairview is created and executive produced by RJ Fried with Stephen Colbert, Chris Licht, Tim Luecke, Kim Gamble, Mike Leech and Zach Smilovitz as executive producers. Grant Gish is the executive producer with co-executive producer Sachi Ezura and supervising producer Michael Stanger for MTV Entertainment Group.
Yogi, Boo Boo, Cindy and fellow Hanna-Barbera characters have many more misadventures ahead in their quaint little town…
Announced today, WarnerMedia Kids & Family has picked up additional new episodes of Jellystone! from Warner Bros. Animation. The news comes as the hit animated comedy prepares to debut its second season on Thursday, March 17 on HBO Max. A trailer for season two was also revealed today. (All Jellystone! episodes will be available at a later date on Cartoon Network.)
The Max Original series helmed by Emmy-nominated showrunner and executive producer C.H. Greenblatt (Chowder, Harvey Beaks) presents a reimagined take on the beloved cartoon characters, modernizing them for today’s family audience and introducing them to a new generation of fans. The newly announced episodes will continue expanding the kooky town of Jellystone, digging deeper into the Hanna-Barbera library to feature as many popular and obscure characters as possible.
“It’s been great to dip back into the vast world of Hanna-Barbera characters,” said Greenblatt. “Fans can expect more silly adventures from their favorite Jellystone citizens — whether that’s flying to the Moon, pretending to be a sea monster to get everyone off the beach, trying to get arrested to go to a swanky jail, or overcoming other wacky obstacles.”
Season 2 consists of 19 new episodes. In this next batch, fans can look forward to their favorite characters crossing paths in fun and ridiculous ways including, Augie, Shag, and Yakky accidentally turning everyone in Jellystone into babies, Jabberjaw and Loopy dressing up as sea monsters, and Yogi, Doggie Daddy, and Mildew Wolf teaming up to save the town.
Series synopsis: Welcome to Jellystone, a quaint little community chock-full of colorful characters. It would be a peaceful place, if it weren’t for the hilarious personalities constantly getting themselves, and the town, into trouble! Yogi Bear, Cindy Bear, and Boo Boo are the medical staff at Jellystone Hospital, Jabberjaw is hungry for a promotion at Magilla Gorilla’s swanky clothing shop, El Kabong fights crime, and Doggie Daddy takes helicopter parenting of Augie Doggie to new heights. With Huckleberry Hound as mayor and Top Cat running the streets, there’s never a dull moment in this madcap little town!
The voice cast includes C.H. Greenblatt (Doggie Daddy, Boo Boo, Peter Potamus, Benny), Jeff Bergman (Yogi, Mr. Jinks, Wally Gator, Lippy the Lion), Jim Conroy (Huckleberry Hound, Captain Caveman, Pa Rugg), Georgie Kidder (Auggie Doggie, Brain, Floral Rugg), Grace Helbig (Cindy Bear, Yappy, Taffy, Granny Sweet), Niccole Thurman (Jabberjaw, Squiddly Diddly, Dee Dee Sykes), Thomas Lennon (Top Cat), Ron Funches (Shag Rugg), Bernardo de Paula (El Kabong, Mildew Wolf), Dana Snyder (Snagglepuss, Touché Turtle, Lambsy), Katie Grober (Yakky Doodle), Paul F. Tompkins (Magilla Gorilla), Jenny Lorenzo (Bobbie Looey, Hardy Har Har, Choo Choo), Fajer Al-Kaisi (Shazzan, Hadji), Lesley Nicol (Winsome Witch), Ulka Simone Mohanty (Loopy De Loop) and Andrew Frankel (Fancy Fancy, Jonny Quest).
Jellystone! is executive produced by Greenblatt alongside Sam Register (Looney Tunes Cartoons, Teen Titans Go!). Adam Middleton (Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?, Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz) produces.
Private equity firm Key Capital Partners (KCP), has completed a minority investment into Jellyfish Pictures — a London-based studio providing high-quality animation, visual effects and art department services to media corporations around the world. With its pipeline of confirmed work standing at an unprecedented level, KCP’s investment will expedite the global scaling of Jellyfish’s VFX and animation teams, and advance the development and production of its original kids and family content through Jellyfish Originals.
With clients such as Disney+, Netflix, DreamWorks, Apple TV, HBO, Sky, BBC and Amazon, Jellyfish Pictures has worked on a slate of well-known productions such as three Star Wars films (Lucas Films), numerous drama series (Black Mirror, The Book of Boba Fett), and recently completed animated feature film Spirit: Untamed and special How to Train Your Dragon: Homecoming for DreamWorks Animation. The business has won over 40 industry awards including BAFTA, Emmy, VES, Annie and RTS Awards.
Over the past 20 years, founder & CEO Phil Dobree has strategically grown the company into a global business. He is supported by an experienced senior management team and a talented pool of artists, production and support staff.
“We are delighted to have KCP on board for the next stage of Jellyfish’s ambitious journey,” said Dobree. “We have seen an unprecedented demand for our services over the last year and this investment allows us to accelerate the company’s growth, providing our clients and partners with the technical and creative resources to continue to bring compelling, award-winning work to the screen.”
Jellyfish has established a reputation for its industry-leading IT infrastructure, which enables its artists to work seamlessly and securely anywhere in the world. Jellyfish pioneered remote working by setting up virtual studios, using advanced, centralized, secure technology long before the mass work-from-home shift brought on by the pandemic. This has allowed the company to break away from the traditional studio model helping create a modern future proof facility with a truly global reach.
The company’s HQ is in a state of the art facility in Brixton, London, with a further studio in Sheffield both providing hubs for its hugely talented, global network of staff. The KCP deal will help the company grow to more than 600 staff in 2022. Dobree will continue as CEO, with the company’s leadership team supplemented by the appointment of Lynton Barker as Non-Executive Chairman and Philip Duquenoy of KCP as Non-Executive Director. The investment was led for KCP by Duquenoy, James Hall and Matt Tice.
Duquenoy commented, “This is an exciting time for the creative TV and film industry in the UK and we are thrilled to be working with such an innovative business to enable even greater growth.”
Legal advice was provided to KCP by Addleshaw Goddard, RSM provided financial and tax due diligence services and commercial due diligence was performed by FTI. Jellyfish were advised by JEGI CLARITY and Waterfront. This will be KCP’s third investment in the last nine months, building its track record of equity investments into growth businesses, delivering strong returns to investors while supporting management teams.
The inaugural Disney Junior Fun Fest, a one-day event celebrating the entertaining and music-filled stories of the #1 preschool television network’s hit series, will bring the magic straight to fans on Friday, April 29.
Held at Disney California Adventure park in Anaheim, California, the festivities will include sneak peeks at upcoming Disney Junior series, special announcements, surprise appearances, a Doc McStuffinsstage show highlighting 10 years of the beloved series, and an Alice’s Wonderland Bakery Unbirthday Party, a hands-on cupcake decorating course inspired by the new Disney Junior series that is also being offered for guests throughout Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival from March 4 through April 26.
The event will kick off in the morning with a cavalcade of beloved Disney Junior characters welcoming fans and making their way through the park. Throughout the day, there will be main stage attractions with fun games, trivia and music to keep preschoolers and their families singing and dancing together.
Guests can also enjoy regular Disney Junior programming at Disney California Adventure park, including the Disney Junior Dance Party! and the Spidey and His Amazing Friends photo wall at the Hollywood Backlot.
Additional details, a schedule of events and special appearances will be announced soon.
Throughout the year, families visiting with small children will find unforgettable experiences across Disneyland Resort as they step into the fairy-tale worlds of Fantasyland, blast into the future in Tomorrowland, gear up for fun in Cars Land, meet some of their favorite Super Heroes in Avengers Campus and beyond.
The Oscar-qualifying New York International Children’s Film Festival announced the complete short films lineup for its 2022 event, which runs March 4-19 at SVA Theatre, New York. Established in 1997, the nation’s largest for children and teens and will present over 60 new animated, live action, documentary and experimental shorts and features from 28 countries. Tickets are on sale at nyicff.org. (Use promo code ANIMMAGNYICFF22 for 10% off your first four tickets, exc. special events.)
This year proudly celebrating its 25th anniversary, the 2022 Festival offers three exciting weeks of groundbreaking, artistically distinct, fun, thought-provoking and lively new programs carefully curated for a new generation of filmgoers ages 3 to 18. In addition to its dynamic feature film presentations, the Festival’s shorts screenings are its most popular offerings annually. From the eclectic Tots and Short Films One, Two and Three programs, to the thematically organized Girls’ POV, highlighting viewpoints from girls and women around the world, and Heebie Jeebies, with slightly spine-chilling and quirky eye-opening content, this short-form cinema continuously inspires audiences to consider things from a whole new perspective.
The Short Films programs will feature the World Premieres of Meta by Antje Heyn (Germany) and How I Got My Wrinkles by Claude Delafosse (France), as well as regional debuts and can’t-miss screenings of acclaimed animated works A Bite of Bone (Honami Yano, Japan), Mum Is Pouring Rain (Hugo de Faucompret, France) and the inspiring student shorts Sanctuary (Eva Matějovičová, Czech Rep.), about a refuge for handicapped animals; and Wolf and Cub (U.S.), conceived by Marvin Bynoe and completed by over 80 CalArts students and professors after his sudden death in March 2020.
Select shorts will also be screening in front of feature films, including Dumplings (Johanna Xue, U.S.), Gary the Duck (Ben Knight, U.S.), The Ocean Duck (Huda Razzak, U.S.), My Grandma Matilde (Miguel Anaya Borja, Mexico) and Polar Bear Bears Boredom, the latest from Oscar-nominated Japanese director Koji Yamamura.
The Ocean Duck | Polar Bear Bears Boredom | Gary the Duck
Visually inventive and full of smarts, silliness, wit and inspiration, the Festival’s signature short film programs are carefully selected out of thousands of submissions from around the globe. Through NYICFF’s curation of the top selections, audiences of all ages are invited to be awed, delighted, challenged and inspired.
The Festival’s 25th anniversary year brings two additional special short program offerings, ¡Hola NYICFF!, spotlighting Spanish-language and Latinx stories, and Celebrating Black Stories, a collection of shorts from throughout the Festival that embrace the joy, resilience and complexity of the lives of Black youth. These two programs will be offered exclusively online beginning March 14. While both will appear in other programs throughout the Festival, screening them together amplifies their importances and provides a new context in which the audience can consider these essential stories.
Among the animation highlights in these programs is My Name Is Maalum (Luísa Copetti, Brazil), about a little girl from an Afro-Brazilian home. When her classmates tease her about her name, she discovers the lovely legacy of her name and ancestry. The Portuguese-language short is making its North American Premiere at NYICFF.
Additionally, the first thematic edition of Girls POV, Science on Screen, looks to the past and present to celebrate stories of young, diverse scientists who are trailblazing creative ways to solve some of the world’s biggest challenges. Science on Screen® is an initiative of the Coolidge Corner Theatre, with major support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
Wolf and Cub | My Name Is Maalum | My Grandma Matilde
NYICFF jury winners qualify films for consideration for the 2022 Academy Awards in the Live Action and Animated Short Film categories. This year’s esteemed jury comprises:
Geena Davis, Academy Award-winning actor and founder of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media
Madeline DiNonno, CEO, Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media; Chair, Board of Directors of the Television Academy Foundation
Amy Friedman, Head of Kids & Family Programming, Warner Bros.
Elizabeth Ito, NYICFF Award-winning director (Welcome to My Life), creator of Netflix’s City of Ghosts
Kyle MacLahlan, Award-winning actor (Twin Peaks, Dune, Inside Out)
Guillermo Martinez, Head of Story, Sony Pictures Animation (The Mitchells vss the Machines), Story Artist, Laika Studios (Kubo and the Two Strings, Missing Link)
Matthew Modine, Award-winning actor and filmmaker (Stranger Things, Full Metal Jacket)
Ramsey Naito, President, Nickelodeon Animation; President, Paramount Animation; Academy Award-nominated producer (The Boss Baby)
Mark Osborne, Academy Award-nominated director, writer, producer & animator (Kung Fu Panda, The Little Prince)
Peter Ramsey, Academy Award-winning director (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Rise of the Guardians)
Ira Sachs, Award-winning filmmaker (Little Men, Love is Strange); founder and Executive Director, Queer/Art
Uma Thurman, Academy Award-nominated actor (Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill vol. 1 & 2); Board of Directors, Room to Grow
Nora Twomey, Academy Award-nominated director (The Breadwinner, The Secret of Kells); co-founder, Cartoon Saloon
As the repercussions of the February 24 military invasion of Ukraine continue to echo around the world, the entertainment industry is joining in the sanctions and exclusionary actions against Russia. Although notable members of the Russian animation industry have spoken out against the violent escalation in a recent open letter, representatives of the country are being barred from key industry events, and Hollywood is withholding major motion pictures from Russian screens.
Hollywood’s biggest studios are crossing off Russian cinema windows from their movie release plans. Disney made the first move on Monday, canceling the debut of Domee Shi’s coming-of-age Pixar feature Turning Red, which has been slated for March 10. The country hovers around the top 12 territories for international box office revenue.
“Given the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and the tragic humanitarian crisis, we are pausing the release of theatrical films in Russia, including the upcoming Turning Red from Pixar,” a Disney spokesperson told EW. “We will make future business decisions based on the evolving situation. In the meantime, given the scale of the emerging refugee crisis, we are working with our NGO partners to provide urgent aid and other humanitarian assistance to refugees.”
Warner Bros. is pausing its release of The Batman in Russia, while Sony Pictures is nixing its April debut plans for Spider-Man spin-off Morbius. Paramount Pictures has also confirmed that it is putting the brakes on Russian releases for anticipated titles like The Lost City and Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
The Red Carpet at Cannes (image courtesy the Cannes Film Festival)
The prestigious Cannes Film Festival (May 17-28) issued a statement Tuesday expressing solidarity with “Ukrainian artists and film industry professionals, as well as their families whose lives are now in danger” as well as “those in Russia who have taken risks to protest against the assault and invasion of Ukraine.” Noting its history of resistance, organizers have decided to “not welcome official Russian delegations nor accept the presence of anyone linked to the Russian government” unless the situation ends with conditions satisfactory to the people of Ukraine. Read the full statement here.
Multi-event organizer Reed Expositions (RX) issues a statement saying it “strongly condemns the Russian invasion of Ukraine” and intends to follow “government sanctions and policies in each territory where [RX] operates.” This will most immediately impact Russian producers, distributors, broadcasters and trade groups who had planned to attend the spring content market MIPTV in Cannes (April 4-6). The company asserted that RX “stands in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, particularly with our employees around the world who have family and friends in Ukraine” as well as in solidarity with its Russian employees working in challenging conditions, calling Russian president Vladimir Putin a “brutal dictator.”
RX also organizes the fall events MIPCOM and MIPJunior, which are also held in Cannes, the Asia TV Forum and many other markets, conferences and conventions across the entertainment industry.
Series Mania rescinded its invitation to the state-run AV representative body ROSKINO following a veto of its presence by the French culture ministry. The org was scheduled to host a presentation of Russian content at the March event. NATPE organizers declared “the Ukrainian people have our full support over the barbaric and horrific invasion of their homeland by the brutal dictator Putin and his surrogates” and added, “We wish we could provide more tangible assistance, but what we can do is join the world community and prevent Russian presence from conducting commerce.” The TV and emerging media confab is slated to take place in Budapest in June.
Cosm Studios announced an exclusive agreement with Baobab Studios to distribute Erick Oh’s acclaimed animated short, Namoo, to planetariums and fulldome theaters around the world. Baobab has created a 360 fulldome experience adapted from the VR version of the film for Cosm.
“The vision Baobab shares with Cosm to uniquely transform Namoo for planetariums and domes around the entire globe marries our love of both the theatrical and immersive collective viewing experiences in the most awe-inspiring way we can imagine as filmmakers,” said Kane Lee, Baobab Studios’ Head of Content. “We couldn’t be more excited to kick off our collaboration with Cosm than with a project that at its core not only embraces art and innovation, but the full human experience.”
A narrative poem brought to life through hand-crafted animation, inspired by the passing of the director’s grandfather, Namoo – which translates to “tree” in Korean – follows the beautiful and heartbreaking moments of a man’s life, from beginning to end. It was written and directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Erick Oh (Opera) and marks his most personal and ambitious work to date. The film was produced by nine-time Emmy Award-winning Baobab Studios, executive produced by John Cho and produced by Larry Cutler, Eric Darnell, Maureen Fan and Kane Lee.
The film was named one of the 15 Oscar shortlisted films by the Academy, was nominated for two Annie Awards, was named Best Animated Short from the 2022 Gold List Awards, and was nominated for a Producers Guild of America (PGA) Innovation Award. The theatrical version of the short has been acquired by Warner 150 and is now streaming on HBO Max, and the VR experience is currently available on Oculus Quest.
“Baobab is one of the most respected animation studios in our industry,” said Neil Carty, Head of Cosm Studios. “These creative content producers are known for their immersive storytelling and diverse characters. We look forward to our collaboration as we bring Namoo out of the headset and into planetariums and fulldome theaters where audiences will have an opportunity to experience the film together in 360 for the first time.”
Namoo fulldome experience
Cosm Studios is a part of Cosm, established in 2020 — the fusion of Evans & Sutherland, Spitz Inc., and Cosm Immersive (formerly LiveLike VR) to form a global experiential technology company uniquely qualified to deliver the best in immersive entertainment. More recently, Cosm launched Cosm Studios to create, produce, and distribute immersive films, tapping both emerging and veteran content creators.
Cosm’s Experience Center in Salt Lake City showcases the company’s immersive experience expertise on a 20-meter LED Dome in stunning 8K resolution. This technology allows customers to come together — for the first time — in the same physical space while enjoying a virtual experience without a headset. This merging of the physical and virtual experience is called Shared Reality, and sets the pace for the future of immersive entertainment.
Founded by Maureen Fan, Eric Darnell and Larry Cutler in 2015, nine-time Emmy Award-winning Baobab Studios is the world’s leading independent interactive animation studio. Baobab has released eight critically acclaimed and commercially successful projects to date: Invasion!, Asteroids!, Jack, Crow: The Legend, Bonfire, Baba Yaga, Paper Birds and Namoo. The studio’s IP is currently being adapted into books (MacMillan, Penguin Random House), film (Roth/Kirsch, Disney), original series with the premium streamers and games. Recently, the studio announced a deal with Disney+ to develop an animated anthology series called The Witchverse, based on the Emmy-winning VR short Baba Yaga.
Starting today, existing and new Crunchyroll subscribers will have access to library and simulcast content previously exclusive to Funimation. This move makes good on the promise to fans that the merger of Funimation and Crunchyroll would bring together the previously separate services into a single subscription. Crunchyroll’s pricing remains unchanged, offering fans the ultimate anime experience with subs, dubs, films and simulcast series in over 200 countries and territories and in 10 languages.
“When we brought Funimation and Crunchyroll together last year, our top priority was to put fans first,” said Colin Decker, CEO of Crunchyroll. “Unifying all of our brands and services under the Crunchyroll brand globally enables us to offer more value than ever before as we combine subs, dubs, simulcasts, library, music, movies, manga — all into one subscription. The new Crunchyroll is the realization of a dream, and we are grateful to the creators of anime and the millions of fans who have joined us in making the community what it is today.”
Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba-
As of today, 40,000+ sub and dub episodes are available on Crunchyroll for fans to enjoy, with more hitting the service daily over the next few weeks ahead. All new series from the upcoming Spring season – the biggest on record to be announced soon – will stream only on Crunchyroll; Funimation will continue to add new episodes of current series.
Popular series offered through the service include Attack on Titan, Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba-, JUJUTSU KAISEN, My Hero Academia, Naruto Shippuden, Fruits Basket, Ranking of Kings and That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime.
Crunchyroll’s ad-free subscription options have not changed, creating a huge benefit for new and existing subscribers who will no longer have to pay for two services. (Crunchyroll tiers are $7.99/month, Fan; $9.99/month, Mega Fan; and $14.99/month, Ultimate Fan). Existing subscribers of Funimation can learn more here.
Attack on Titan
In addition to consolidation of SVOD services, Sony-owned Funimation Global Group, LLC will now operate as Crunchyroll, LLC and has initiated rebranding across its global footprint to solidify Crunchyroll as the single, global brand for anime.
“Today we celebrate a historic day for anime fans worldwide with the integration of two trailblazing entities under one brand. Our goal at Aniplex is to always put the creators and fans first, so we have high hopes that our continued partnership with Crunchyroll will allow us to strengthen and uphold this motto,” said Atsuhiro Iwakami, CEO of Aniplex Inc.
My Hero Academia
Crunchyroll connects anime and manga fans across 200+ countries and territories with the content and experiences they love. In addition to free ad-supported and subscription premium content, Crunchyroll serves the community with events, theatrical releases, games, consumer products, collectibles and manga publishing. Now offering access to the world’s largest collection of licensed anime, translated in multiple languages, as well as simulcasts of top series available immediately after Japanese broadcast, the Crunchyroll app is available on over 15 platforms including game consoles.
Crunchyroll, LLC is an independently operated joint venture between U.S.-based Sony Pictures Entertainment and Japan’s Aniplex, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., both subsidiaries of Tokyo-based Sony Group Corporation. crunchyroll.com
Grown-up problems require professional solutions from highly professional creatures — unfortunately, humanity is stuck with the Hormone Monsters, Lovebugs and Logic Rocks of Human Resources. Netflix has dropped a new official trailer for the Big Mouth spin-off series today and revealed a stellar guest star roster ahead of the show’s March 18 release.
(Read all about Human Resources in the April ’22 issue of Animation Magazine, available now!)
The just-announced guest stars will play a raft of new characters in the adult animated series.
New Creatures:
Helen Mirren as renowned Shame Wizard Rita St. Swithens
Hugh Jackman as Dante the seductive Addiction Angel
Lupita Nyong’o as Asha the Shame Wizard
Chris O’Dowd as Flanny the Lovebug
Harvey Guillén as Jose the Spider Receptionist
Human Resources
New Humans:
Ali Wong as Becca
Janelle Monáe as Claudia
Mike Birbiglia as Barry
Tim Robinson as Doug
Human Resources
These join previously announced guest stars Pamela Adlon, Rosie Perez, Henry Winkler, Thandiwe Newton, Jemaine Clement, Maria Bamford and Bobby Cannavale, as well as series regulars Nick Kroll, Maya Rudolph, Aidy Bryant, Randall Park, Keke Palmer, Brandon Kyle Goodman and David Thewlis.
Human Resources
Synopsis: From the inventive minds that brought us the award winning adult animation favorite Big Mouth comes the even edgier and adult-ier Human Resources. The spin-off pulls back the curtain on the daily lives of the creatures – Hormone Monsters, Depression Kitties, Shame Wizards and many more – that help humans journey through every aspect of life from puberty to parenthood to the twilight years. It quickly becomes clear that though the protagonists are creatures, they have a lot of humanity themselves.
The 10 x 30′ series is co-created and executive produced by Kelly Galuska, Nick Kroll, Andrew Goldberg, Jennifer Flackett and Mark Levin.
The captivating tale of a little boy with big dreams and the sentient scrap heap at his side, Poupelle of Chimney Town is heading to Premium VOD on May 3, following its nationwide theatrical release, and comes to digital download on May 17 and, for the first time in North America, on Blu-ray + DVD combo pack on May 31, from Eleven Arts and Shout! Factory.
Based on a popular Japanese picture book by celebrated author and creator Akihiro Nishino, the fantastical tale of Lubicchi and Poupelle leaps from pages to the screen. Directed by Yusuke Hirota and produced at Tokyo’s famed STUDIO4ºC, Poupelle of Chimney Town brings to life a unique and inspiring tale about friendship, courage, hope and perseverance to reach for the stars through an awe-inspiring adventure.
Poupelle of Chimney Town
The film boasts the stellar English-language voice cast of Tony Hale (Being the Ricardos, Veep), Antonio Raul Corbo (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), Stephen Root (Finding Nemo, King of the Hill), Misty Lee (Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Ultimate Spider-Man) and Hasan Minhaj (The Daily Show, The Morning Show).
The Poupelle of Chimney Town Blu-ray + DVD combo pack contains an exciting movie presentation (featuring both English audio and Japanese audio with English subtitles), insightful bonus content and an exclusive art booklet with a special message from executive producer and creator Nishino. The release is available for pre-order now at ShoutFactory.com. Fans who order the Blu-ray + DVD combo pack from Shout! Factory will receive an exclusive poster while supplies last.
Synopsis: Young Lubicchi ling amid the thick smoke from the chimneys of his isolated town, yearning to see the “stars” his father always told him about — to know the truth. One Halloween night, he meets Poupelle, a man made of garbage, and together they look to the sky as their adventure begins. Spectacularly beautiful, filled with inspiring performances and splendid music and sound effects, Poupelle of Chimney Town brings laughter, tears and joy.
An official selection of Annecy International Animation Film Festival and other renowned festivals, Poupelle of Chimney Town has been recognized with several honors and movie awards nominations, including a Japan Academy Film Prize for Excellent Animation of the Year, a Cristal Award nomination from Annecy for Best Feature, an Annie Awards nomination for Best Music – Feature, and a nomination from Fantasia for the Satoshi Kon Award for Best Animated Feature.
Bonus Features:
The World of Chimney Town — A discussion with director Yusuke Hirota and creator Akihiro Nishino.
What’s Next for Chimney Town — An Exclusive Interview with Creator Akihiro Nishino.
Creator Akihiro Nishino Special Q&A — Malibu Film Society screening.
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