Buster Moon and his crew are back preparing to launch their most dazzling extravaganza yet in Sing 2, available to own on Digital today (March 1) and on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD on March 29 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.
Taking the top box-office spot for an animated release during the COVID pandemic and earning a 98% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, the home release offers even more reasons to get in the groove, brimming with exclusive bonus content including two never-before-seen mini movies, sing-alongs, a dance-along with renowned choreographer Sherrie Silver, outtakes with the star-studded cast and more interactive fun for the perfect family movie night.
Sing 2
Fans can get a preview of some of the extras that await in this never-before-seen clip from the Friends & Family featurette, hosted by writer/director Garth Jennings. Learn about how, in addition to the star-studded, top-billed cast, Sing 2 features some undersung voiceover cameos by surprise celebs (like acclaimed directors Edgar Wright, Spike Jonze and Wes Anderson), the filmmaking team — even the littlest WFH office assistants (i.e., the cast and crew’s kids) pitched in!
Synopsis: All of your favorite singing and dancing all-stars from Illumination’s Sing return in the definitive feel-good event of the year. The ever-optimistic Koala, Buster Moon (Matthew McConaughey), and his cast have big dreams of staging their most dazzling show yet in the glittering entertainment capital of the world, Redshore City. There’s just one hitch: they must persuade the world’s most reclusive rock star, Clay Calloway (Bono), to join them. Rosita (Reese Witherspoon), Ash (Scarlett Johansson), Johnny (Taron Egerton), Meena (Tori Kelly) and Gunter (Nick Kroll) return with all-new characters, spectacular hit songs and electrifying performances in Sing 2, a comedy about the emotional healing power of music.
The film is written and directed by Jennings (Sing, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy), and also stars Bobby Cannavale, Pharrell Williams, Halsey, Letitia Wright, Jennifer Saunders and Nick Offerman. The original score was created by Joby Talbot.
Bonus Features on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, DVD & Digital:
For Gunter’s Eyes Only (Mini Movie)* – Johnny and Gunter attend a hypnotist show in Redshore City where Gunter is hypnotized and believes he is a 007 type spy.
Animal Attraction (Mini Movie)* – Darius messes up his commercial shoot and audition.
Outtakes*
Meet the Animators
Super Sing-Alongs*
How to Dance & More!
How to Dance to Sing 2* – Choreographer Sherrie Silver takes you through dance steps inspired by the film –slowing down the process and simplifying just a bit to make sure you get your groove on.
Stage Design 101 – The stars of Sing 2 will make sure you’ll have the skills to put together a stage worthy of Redshore City!
Make-Up – Learn how to create a look that’s out of this world! MICS – Step-by-step instructions for making your own space-age microphone.
Costumes – Make amazing cosmic crowns and interstellar accessories.
Props – See how to build your very own spaceship – complete with control panel and observation deck.
The Voices of Sing 2
Matthew McConaughey as Buster Moon*
Reese Witherspoon as Rosita*
Taron Egerton as Johnny
Tori Kelly as Meena
Nick Kroll as Gunter
Garth Jennings as Miss Crawly
From the Drawing Room
Talent Talk with Tori Kelly – Director Garth Jennings chats one-on-one with Tori Kelly.
Choreography – Famed African choreographer, Sherrie Silver, puts the dancers through their paces to create realistic moves in the animated space.
Friends and Family – Check out these cameos from some of the friends and family of the Sing 2 filmmakers.
Costumes by Rodarte – Award-winning fashion label Rodarte designs the incredible costumes of Sing 2.
Anatomy of a Scene – The Bus Sequence & The Bicycle
From Scratch to Voice – A step-by-step look at how voices are added to an animated film.
Singing – See some of the stars of the film as they record their songs.
Toronto-based Bejuba! Entertainment has acquired distribution rights for 10 x 13′ / 5 x half-hour series Lisa and Kolos. Aimed at ages six and up, the new show from French studio Melting Productions about a fish-out-of-water hero in a whimsical, conflict-free world has been greenlit by Canal+; delivery is set for July 2023.
The mini-series is a comical, animated romp through an idyllic rainbow and butterfly world where two arch nemeses from another planet race to get off it. In his quest to return home, superhero Kolos, man of brawn and … well, brawn … teams up with adorable Lisa, a dewy-eyed bunny. Each episode ends on a cliffhanger.
“The format is different and the premise, funny. That’s what drew us to the property,” noted Tatiana Kober, President of Bejuba!
“I wanted to play with the idea of what would happen if a villain and hero from a stereotypical superhero world land in a world of rainbows, butterflies and naïveté … but also of love and friendship,” said Florent Guimberteau, President of Melting Productions. “I wanted to create a comedy with soul and cliffhangers.”
Synopsis: Kolos, a stereotypical hero, is sent by an evil overlord, Zardos, to the planet of Tchoukitty — a world of rainbows and butterflies and NO conflict. Inadvertently and unbeknownst to Kolos, Zardos also lands in this world. Lisa, the town’s problem solver, is tasked with getting Kolos to the Queen in the Land of Rainbows to have his wish granted to get back to his world. The race between Zardos on the one side and Kolos and Lisa on the other is on — who will reach the Land of Rainbows first?
Bejuba! specializes in distribution, rights management, co-productions, financing, third-party acquisitions, licensing and merchandising, in Canada, the U.S. and internationally. With offices in Ottawa, France and the U.S., the company maintains a growing catalog of over 1,000 half hours of children’s and family programs. Partners include Goddard/Brown, Collingwood and Co. Productions, Lupus Films and Giggle Garage.
Melting Productions is an animation studio dedicated to creating stories set in singular universes where young viewers can recognize themselves and have fun. Projects include France Televisions series Pandas in the Mist (three seasons), Bitmuch (two seasons), Degolas (one season), Arte series Boys Boys Boys (one season) and the feature film Silly Granny (40′).
The multi-night series of NAACP Image Awards ceremonies has wrapped up, with Disney’s Encanto taking the prize for Outstanding Animated Motion Picture. The acclaimed family pic set in Colombia was nominated alongside Luca (Pixar), Raya and the Last Dragon (Disney), Sing 2 (Illumination/Universal) and Vivo (Sony/Netflix).
As previously announced, Disney also took the Short-Form (Animated) prize with Zach Parrish’s Us Again, while We the People (Netflix) won for Animated Series. Cree Summer and Letitia Wright were recognized for their voice-over performances as Suzine Rugrats (Nickelodeon) and Nooshy in Sing 2.
South Park “Back to the Cold War”
South Park‘s 25th season continues Wednesday, March with the new episode “Back to the Cold War.” premiering at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Comedy Central. In the latest cut-out caper, a lot is riding on Butters’ ability to crush the competition in the all-important dressage championship…
The Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning series is created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, who serve as executive producers alongside Anne Garefino and Frank C. Agnone II. Eric Stough, Adrien Beard, Bruce Howell and Vernon Chatman are producers. Christopher Brion is the Creative Director of South Park Digital Studios. New episodes are available to stream in HD on SouthPark.cc.com, CC.com and the Comedy Central App post-premiere.
Just in time for Mardi Gras, Little Ellen is back for a fun-filled season on Cartoonito on HBO Max beginning Thursday, March 3. Inspired by Ellen DeGeneres’ childhood memories growing up in New Orleans, the preschool series from Warner Bros. Animation and Ellen Digital Ventures explores the world through the eyes of a hilarious and unpredictable seven-year-old Ellen DeGeneres. The series follows Little Ellen and her best friends on fun, everyday adventures across the Big Easy, teaching lessons of resilience, optimism and courage along the way.
In season two, Ellen and her friends celebrate Mardi Gras with an epic scavenger hunt through the musical French Quarter. Then, Little Ellen learns what it means to express herself when a salesperson tries to sell her “girl shoes” instead of the ones she really wants. With the perfect pair on her feet, Little Ellen dances along to more adventures filled with magic tricks, pranks on Gramsy, fun weddings and so much more! The voice cast features June Squibb as Gramsy, Laurel Emory as Little Ellen, JeCobi Swain as Freckle and Johanna Colón as Becky. DeGeneres, Kevin A. Leman II and Sam Register are executive producers; Jennifer Skelly is co-EP, Erik Knutson is supervising producer and Jason Blackman is producer.
https://youtu.be/Oaq-kCt-BOQ
Longtime Illumination Entertainment collaborator Cinco Paul will make his directorial debut with Winter Wonderland, a live-action/stop-motion hybrid feature based on the classic holiday tune. Paul was previously announced as the pic’s original songwriter. He is known for co-writing the Despicable Me trilogy, Minions, Horton Hears A Who!, The Lorax and The Secret Life of Pets with Ken Daurio. Paul is also the showrunner/songwriter for live-action series Schmigadoon! He is represented by Gersh.
Winter Wonderland is co-produced/co-financed by Imagine Kids+Family and Warner Music Group (which controls the song through Warner Chappell Music), currently shopping for distribution. Producers are Imagine Ent. Chairmen Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, Imagine Kids+Family President Stephanie Sperber, Warner Music Ent. President of TV & Film Charlie Cohen, WMG consultant/producer Meredith Milton and Warner Chappell Music SVP Theatrical & Catalog Kurt Deutsch. [Deadline]
Grubbs (Keenspot) | M.J. Offen (mjoffen.com)
Max Weaver’s kid-friendly Keenspot webcomic Grubbs is getting an animated series adaptation from M.J. Offen. Distributed in print by Simon & Schuster, the strips center on eight-year-old Billy “Grubbs” Watson who creates chaos wherever he goes with the help of his imaginary friend, Tyler. “I see Grubbs’ potential as a troublemaker we love to see act up, like Calvin or Dennis or Bart, but in today’s world, pulling shenanigans is going to go very differently,” Offen commented.
Offen will serve as showrunner on the project and is scripting the pilot, and co-producing with Keenspot’s Christ Crosby, Bobby Crosby and Weaver. Offen previously served as Head of Story for Girls’ Brands at Mattel, Head of Animation at comedy collective JASH, Creative Director of Animation at Maker Studios and is currently head writer for TeamTO’s Jade Armor, coming to Cartoon Network/HBO Max this summer. Grubbs is in pre-production for a holiday launch; Grace Diamaranan is overseeing production for Glass House Studios’ Top Peg division. [Variety]
Drag Her! playable characters
A “fast, frenetic & fabulous” new 2D fighting game featuring a roster of real-life drag superstars is within sashaying distance of its $69,000 goal on Kickstarter. Drag Her! is a hand-animated, retro fighter-influenced romp that pits celebrity drag personas against one another across a series of ridiculous stages. Playable characters include RuPaul’s Drag Race and The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula competitors Alaska 5000, Asia O’Hara, BenDeLaCreme, Kim Chi, Laganja Estranja, Landon Cider and Manila Luzon, as well as assists from Jiggly Caliente, Tammie Brown and Meatball.
Created for Steam (PC/macOS) Drag Her! will feature versus, career and training modes, with six planned stages; the Kickstarter will help the team create even more based on queer landmarks as well as interactive environmental objects and a stretch goal plan for minigames. The project hails from Fighting Chance Games — an L.A.-based collective of game and animation veterans who have worked for Blizzard, WB Games, Schell, Nickelodeon, Adult Swim and Skullgirls.
Veterans of Russia’s storied animation industry came together to speak out against their country’s military invasion of Ukraine in an open letter published by the Moscow-based Novaya Gazeta (New Gazette) paper. The declaration highlighted the fraternity of Russian and Ukrainian animators and the artform’s ability to connect people across borders, both physical and metaphorical.
“…The animation community in Ukraine and Russia is one and indivisible: We have been working together, watching each other’s films for many years. The art of animation is an art which helps people to feel human. Not to kill, not to destroy. To connect,” a translation of the letter reads. “And today our children and brothers are sent to kill those with whom, until recently, they played in the same yard and watched the same cartoons, without distinguishing whether they were Russian or Ukrainian.”
We Can’t Live without Cosmos by Konstantin Bronzit (2014)
The message was published in response to the latest, violent turn in the eight-year Russo-Ukrainian War, which saw Russia and pro-Russian forces launch a large-scale invasion across Ukraine’s borders on February 24 — the largest conventional warfare operation in Europe since World War II.
“Animation — and art in general — has always been imbued with an anti-war spirit. We believe that today’s hostilities are directed not just against our Ukrainian friends and colleagues, but against all human beings, humanity and man in general,” the letter continues, “… [There is] no justification for bombing and killing!“
Cheburashka, designed by artistic director Leonid Shvartsman (1969)
The letter’s 370 signatories include directors, producers, screenwriters and animators, including the 101-year-old animation legend Leonid Shvartsman, who made the character Cheburashka (also known as Topple in English) into an icon of stop-motion animation with his big-eared design for the 1969 Soyuzmultfilm shorts.
Other longtime leaders of the community who signed include Yuri Norstein (Hedgehog in the Fog, Tale of Tales), who has been honored with the Annie Award for Distinguished Contribution, Animafest Zagreb Lifetime Achievement Award, the Japanese Order of the Rising Sun, People’s Artist of Russia and Russian Independent Triumph Award; SHAR school-studio head Andrey Khrzhanovsky (Annecy jury award winner The Nose or the Conspiracy of Mavericks, The Lion with the White Beard); Palme d’Or winner and Order of Honor recipient Garri Bardin (Fioratures, Choo-Choo, Fitil); and writer Mikhail Lipskerov (Mountain of Gems, Wolf and Calf) — all artists in their 80s who got their start under the Soviet regime.
Hedgehog in the Fog by Yuri Norstein (1975)
Signatures also represented later generations of Soviet/Russian animators, including two-time Oscar-nominated director Konstantin Bronzit (We Can’t Live without Cosmos, Lavatory Lovestory, The God) and multiple Golden Eagle- and Nika-nominated director Mariya Muat (Metel, The Man and the Woman, Zheltukhin, The Snow Maiden).
Established in 1993, the Novaya Gazeta published three times a week and has earned multiple awards for writing, transparency and press freedom in the last two decades. Editor-in-chief Dmitry Muratov was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize in 2021.
Emmy Award-winning animation production company Titmouse announced today it will welcome back cartoon-loving audiences in person to watch its annual 5 Second Day shorts compilation. This year, evening screenings of 5 Second Night will be held in theaters in Vancouver, Los Angeles and New York.
The 5 Second Day 2022 screening features more than 70 original shorts created by Titmouse artists from its LA, NY and Vancouver studios. With a history of sold-out shows in all markets, advance ticket purchases are recommended. (Note: The shorts are not rated by the MPAA. The screenings are intended for an adult audience.)
”I’m a glutton for cartoons. My eyes are drooling to slurp up those sweet and salty 5 Second flavors!” said Titmouse President & Founder, Chris Prynoski.
Screening and Ticket Info:
March 22: Vancouver – 6 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. screenings at The Rio, located at 1660 E. Broadway, Vancouver, BC, V5N 1W1, Canada. Tickets can be purchased online here.
March 25: Los Angeles – 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. screenings at the Los Feliz Theatre, located at 1822 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA. 90027. Tickets are available online:
March 25: New York – 8 pm screening at the SVA Theatre located at 333 W. 23rd St., New York, NY, 10011. Tickets can be purchased here.
Titmouse is an independent Emmy award-winning animation production company with artist-run studios in Los Angeles, New York City and Vancouver, founded by Chris and Shannon Prynoski in LA. The studio creates animation for a range of ages and interests, including series such as The Venture Bros., Big Mouth, The Legend of Vox Machina, Midnight Gospel, Star Trek: Lower Decks, Tigtone, Metalocalypse and soon to premiere The Boys Presents Diabolical (March 4).
From Academy Award-nominated director Mamoru Hosoda and Studio Chizu, creators of Mirai, Wolf Children and Summer Wars, comes Belle, a fantastical, heartfelt story of growing up in the age of social media. Lauded by critics around the globe following its premiere at the 74th Annual Cannes Film Festival and nominated for five Annie Awards, including Best Independent Feature, this critically acclaimed animated film is hailed as a breathtaking adaptation of a fairytale classic.
Belle will be available on all major digital platforms on May 3, as a Blu-ray + DVD combo pack May 17 and a Target-exclusive Steelbook edition May 17 from GKIDS, with distribution by Shout! Factory. The Blu-ray + DVD and Steelbook editions also include a number of bonus features, including a conversation with director Hosoda, the featurettes The Making of Belle, The Music of Belle, Finding the Voice of Belle, Hosoda Draws Belle, Scene Breakdowns, and more!
Digital versions of the film will be available both in the original Japanese and as an English dub, and the Blu-ray + DVD combo pack and Steelbook editions will contain both Japanese and English versions. Belle boasts a star-studded English voice cast including Chace Crawford, Manny Jacinto, Kylie McNeill and Hunter Schafer.
Synopsis: Suzu is a shy, everyday high school student living in a rural village. For years, she has only been a shadow of herself. But when she enters “U”, a massive virtual world, she escapes into the online persona of Belle, a gorgeous and globally-beloved singer. One day, her concert is interrupted by a monstrous creature chased by vigilantes. As their hunt escalates, Suzu embarks on an emotional and epic quest to uncover the identity of this mysterious “beast” and to discover her true self in a world where you can be anyone.
The film’s Japanese creative team worked with a roster of international talents: Character designer Jin Kim (Moana, Tangled, Frozen) designed Belle. Cartoon Saloon’s Oscar-nominated Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart (Wolfwalkers, Song of the Sea, The Secret of Kells) contributed artwork for the various virtual fantasy worlds within the film. Up-and-coming British architect /designer Eric Wong designed the virtual world of “U.” Taisei Iwasaki (Blood Blockade Battlefront, Giant God Warrior Appears in Tokyo) composed original songs and score, led multiple composers and produced the film’s music. Other composers include the critically acclaimed Yuta Bandoh (Yuri on Ice) and BAFTA nominee Ludvig Forrsell (Death Stranding). The film’s main theme “U” was performed by Japanese act millennium parade, led by composer Daiki Tsuneta.
Peanuts Worldwide today announced the launch of “The Armstrong Project”: establishing $200,000 in endowments at two Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), which includes an annual scholarship to students studying either arts, communications, animation or entertainment. Each school will receive $100,000 to establish endowments.
The scholarship will first be awarded during the 2022-2023 school year at Howard University in Washington, DC, and Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia.
As an enhanced scholarship program, The Armstrong Project will also ensure mentorship and internship opportunities for the students with individuals and companies in entertainment fields such as animation, film and television.
Cartoonist Robb Armstrong, a longtime friend and colleague of Charles Schulz and the inspiration for Franklin’s last name (revealed in 1994), is a member of the Board of Directors of the Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa, California, and has been a consistent source of support throughout the creation of this important program.
“I’m very excited for the young aspiring artists at these HBCUs whose lives may be changed by Peanuts, just as my life was changed by the inspiration and mentorship of Charles Schulz,” said Armstrong, the award-winning creator of JumpStart. “Sparky was a thoughtful and generous man who took seriously the hopes and dreams of young people. It is my belief that he would be thrilled by the potential of The Armstrong Project to help young people fulfill their ambitions.”
The character of Franklin emerged from a correspondence between Charles Schulz and a California schoolteacher named Harriet Glickman. Glickman wrote to Schulz after the assassination of Martin Luther King, suggesting that the introduction of Black characters into the comic strip could help change the “vast sea of misunderstanding, fear, hate and violence.” After much introspection and consideration, Schulz felt this was a step he could take authentically and introduced Franklin in the summer of 1968, making history in the process.
Franklin’s first appearance in Peanuts, 1968
“It is incredibly moving to me that The Armstrong Project is intended to create positive change in the lives of young Black animators and artists — just as the character of Franklin did so many years ago,” said Jean Schulz, widow of Charles Schulz.
“Thank you to Peanuts Worldwide for this opportunity that is being afforded to Howard University students studying arts and graphic design,” said Denise Saunders Thompson, Assistant Dean, Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts. “The goal of our program is to develop an immense range of knowledge, skills and competencies in the areas of visual communication through cross-curricular experiences. We are grateful to our partners who help us to meet the needs of the students in preparation for careers in the art industry.”
“Many thanks to Peanuts Worldwide for its investment in Hampton University students and other HBCUs involved in this initiative,” said Hampton University Chancellor & Provost, Dr. JoAnn Haysbert. “The establishment of The Armstrong Project endowment will ensure our talented and bright students at Hampton studying the arts, communications, animation or entertainment will continue to receive a world-class education for life.”
Franklin recently featured in the original video Speak from the Heart, which debuted February 8 on Peanuts.com as part of the “Take Care with Peanuts” initiative. This animated shorts campaign promotes good global citizenship through three themes: Take care of yourself. Take care of each other. Take care of the Earth. In the video, Franklin loses all of his Valentines thanks to a strong gust of wind—but discovers that the Valentines’ true value comes not from the cards, but from his heartfelt messages to his friends. (Watch here.)
French distributor Superights (superights.net) announced a raft of sales for its animated series catalog in Asian territories:
In Japan, agregator Me Interactive has picked-up a selection of shows distributed by the company, including Bo Bear (52 x 5’) produced by Spark AS, Clay Time (60 x 4’30″) produced by Reaz, Superprod’s Helen’s Little School (52 x 13’) and Pat the Dog season 1 (78 x 7’), Koumi’s Animated Picture Book (52 x 5’) produced by Le Regard Sonore and Zibilla (26’) produced by Nadasdy Film.
In Hong-Kong, SVOD platform NowTV has selected edutainment series Handico (24 x 3’) produced by Cross River Productions, Croco Doc (26 x 7’) produced by Croco Doc AIE, Buenpaso Films, Nuts Ideas and RTVE, and Helen’s Little School (52 x 5’).
Indonesia’s MolaTV has bought SVOD rights for preschool series Clay Time, Koumi’s Animated Picture Book (52 x 5’) and Moko, the young explorer (52 x 5’) produced by Le Regard Sonore, Handico (24 x 3’) and Will (52×2’) produced by Cross River Productions, Pat the Dog season 1 (78 x 7’) and Nadasdy production Ralph and the Dinosaurs (26 x 5’).
Mighty Mike
Kids’ entertainment co. TeamTO (teamto.com) has inked an agreement with Sunwoo to distribute its global hit slapstick series, Mighty Mike (78 x 7′) in South Korea, across all media (linear, SVOD, satellite and cable). “We have been putting our eyes on Mighty Mike since it was first introduced to Korea – it’s just SO FUN to watch!” said Sunwoo SVP of Strategic Affairs, Steve Cho. “The characters are cute and the slapsticks kick laughs, but we can see the magic actually comes from great storytelling combined with high production values, and we were just drawn to the show’s outstanding quality. Mike can work for a wide demographic so this will be our focus throughout our distribution push.”
An original TeamTO production with Canada’s Digital Dimension, the photorealistic animated series follows the relentless travails of a sophisticated pug defending his home from furry intruders, while also trying to impress the neighbor’s charming dog. Key international broadcasters include CITV (U.K.), Universal Kids (U.S.), Cartoon Network & Boomerang (worldwide), France 3, Super RTL (Germany) and Tencent (China), among others. Licensing agents have been appointed to represent Mighty Mike in the U.K. (This is Iris), France (France Télévisions Distribution) and China (Uyoung).
Big Blue
Cartoon Network Africa is ready to dive in with Big Blue (Ages 5+, 52 x 11′), the newest animated comedy-adventure from Guru Studio (gurustudio.com). Created by Gyimah Gariba, a Ghanian Canadian named by Forbes as one of the ‘15 Young African Creatives Rebranding Africa’ in 2015, the series follows sibling underwater adventurers Lettie and Lemo and their quirky submarine crew as they explore and protect a vast, ocean-covered planet from ship-stealing crabs, know-it-all jellyfish, a health inspector shark and the murky mass of pollution known as The Blegh! The show premieres on CN Africa on Monday, March 7, airing M-F at 7:30 CAT.
“I am hoping to inspire kids watching Big Blue to not only see themselves represented on screen but to also plant a seed in their mind that they can be the heroes of their own lives,” said Gariba. “The story is based on my childhood and running around with my siblings. We were all different ages but the lessons we learned together defined what family meant to us, and that was all about taking care of each other no matter what.”
Spacetoon Pictures (spacetoon.com) is taking Peyo’s blue pals to the pictures! In its latest collaboration with rights holder IMPS, the MENA localizing and distributing specialist launched a theatrical release for a collection of episodes from the new 3D CGi The Smurfs series on Feb. 24. Fans can catch The Smurfs: Amazing Adventures in GCC cinemas across the region (runtime: approx. 90 minutes).
“The Smurfs is a multigenerational title that has been watched by kids for 40 years now, educating them about the true values of building a healthy society. We are thrilled to be the first to organize such an event, releasing the new Smurfs series in cinemas across GCC.” said Kamel Weiss, the Director of Business Strategy Development at Spacetoon.
More deals, launches & expansions!
Winsing Animation launched the new season of its popular spin-off toon, GG Bond: Dino DiarySeason 5 on Chinese screen on Feb. 8, with S6 in the works. The studio will launch GOGOBUS S9 in March, GG Bond: Kung Fu Pork Choppers S3&4 in May and GG Bond: Racing S5&6 in October.
Mondo TV has sold season 2 of its eco adventure-comedy MeteoHeroes to Canal+ for Canal+Kids and Piwi+ (France/French-speaking Pay TV, exc. Canada, April launch), which also took its TV movies, and Turkuvaz Media Group’s Minika Çoçuk (Turkey Free TV). Shortform clips sold to RSI La 1 (Italian-speaking Switzerland Free TV). S1 will soon arrive on TVP ABC (Poland, July), Channel 5 Okto (English-language Singapore, Feb.); the first 19 eps. are now available on Prime Video Italy, with more coming in April and Sept.
Omens Studios has partnered with VlogBox to create brand-new AVOD and SVOD apps featuring 11′ eps. and curated content from Leo the Wildlife Ranger plus 20 x 2.5′ of nursery rhymes for the Counting with Paula app. Rolling out on Roku, Android TV & Fire TV.
Award-winning pre-k STEM series Space Racers is now available on Prime Video, Vudu, The Roku Channel and YouTube Kids, thanks to distributor 1091 Pictures. The series from Space Race LLC also has a line of toys and merch available now on Amazon.
Crunchyroll has launched its app on Nintendo Switch, bringing more than 1,000 series and 30,000 episodes to anime fans around the world. Available to watch in AVOD or with Crunchyroll subscription (ad-free, plus simulcast titles). Titles include smash hits Demon Slayer and One Piece.
Paramount+ is expanding to France through a strategic partnership between ViacomCBS and Canal+ Group, bringing originals and fan-favorite titles from Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, MTV and CBS like SpongeBob SquarePants and South Park, as well as being the local home of SHOWTIME.
The Visual Effects Society (VES), the industry’s professional global honorary society, has named Lynwen Brennan, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Lucasfilm, as the forthcoming recipient of the VES Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her valuable contributions to visual arts and filmed entertainment. The award will be presented at the 20th Annual VES Awards on March 8 at The Beverly Hilton Hotel.
The VES Lifetime Achievement Award, bestowed by the VES Board of Directors, recognizes an individual and their outstanding body of work that has significantly contributed to the art and/or science of the visual effects industry. The VES will honor Brennan for her dedication to the industry and advancement of unforgettable storytelling through visual effects. Brennan is a driving force for creativity, collaboration and synergy and cutting-edge endeavors at the forefront of our craft. At the helm of a vast operational portfolio, Brennan has been instrumental in the studio’s creation of groundbreaking entertainment, pioneering visual effects, sound design and computer animation for TV and film.
“Lynwen has elevated visual effects as an integral element of the art and production of moviemaking,” said VES Board Chair Lisa Cooke. “She is a powerhouse talent with incredible business savvy, sharp creative and technical instincts and a vision that has delivered some of the most popular movie franchises of all time. Lynwen’s keen sense of culture and community, coupled with her leadership in the global industry, is paving the way for future generations of artists, innovators and executives. We are very proud to honor such an exemplary role model with the VES Lifetime Achievement Award.”
Lynwen Brennan (courtesy of Lucasfilm)
As General Manager and Executive Vice President of Lucasfilm — home to the legendary Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises — Lynwen Brennan oversees all businesses, including Lucasfilm, Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound. She is responsible for the development and execution of Lucasfilm’s business strategy, and works across each division to implement the company vision. Brennan was integral in the creation of ILMxLAB, which combines the talents of Lucasfilm, ILM and Skywalker Sound to break new ground in creating interactive storytelling and immersive entertainment experiences.
Brennan’s career with Lucasfilm started in 1999 with her role as Technical Area Leader in Lucasfilm’s storied visual effects company, Industrial Light & Magic. She rose through the ranks to become President of ILM in 2009, and guided the studio through one of its most successful periods. Under her leadership, ILM added three new studios to its global footprint, and expanded their studios in San Francisco and Singapore. In February 2015 she was promoted to General Manager and EVP of Lucasfilm.
In 2016, Brennan was awarded Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) on behalf of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, for her contributions in support of the U.K.’s visual effects industry. This was followed in 2019 with a Special Award for Outstanding Contribution to Film and Television from the British Academy of Film and Television Art in Wales, BAFTA Cymru.
Brennan serves as a studio representative for the company-wide women’s initiative, sponsors Women in Animation and passionately supports the education and development of female artists and engineers.
Previous winners of the VES Lifetime Achievement Award have included Martin Scorsese, George Lucas, Robert Zemeckis, Dennis Muren VES, Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy & Frank Marshall, James Cameron, Ray Harryhausen, Stan Lee, Richard Edlund VES, John Dykstra, Sir Ridley Scott, Ken Ralston VES, Jon Favreau, Chris Meledandri and Sir Peter Jackson.
As previously announced, acclaimed filmmaker Guillermo del Toro is the forthcoming recipient of the VES Award for Creative Excellence, to be bestowed at the 20th Annual VES Awards.
See the full list of nominees for the 2022 VES Awards here.
Utterly Enchanting! Critics, audiences — basically, everyone and their abuela have been singing the praises of Disney’s latest visually stunning musical fantasy, Encanto. Fresh off its Golden Globe win, the tale of a Colombian family who must rely on one (gasp!) normal daughter (voiced by Stephanie Beatriz) to restore their magical gifts is hitting discs. Even if you’ve already seen Jared Bush & Byron Howard’s hit, you won’t want to miss out on bonus features covering the Madrigal family, their enchanted Casita, the music (from composer Germaine Franco and songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda) and more. (Disney, $20 DVD/$25 BD/$30 4K, Feb. 8) [Buy Now]
Deliciously Dark Fantasy: If your toon preferences are more Heavy Metal than Cinderella, Philip Gelatt & Morgan Galen King’s The Spine of Night is the horror fantasy of your twisted, twisted dreams. The hand-drawn rotoscope tale draws inspiration from Frank Frazetta and Ralph Bakshi to follow a group of heroes from different times on a quest to stop a sinister magic. The stellar voice cast includes Richard E. Grant, Lucy Lawless and Patton Oswalt. (Image, $28 DVD/$29 BD/$36 SB, Feb. 1) [Buy Now]
The Purr-fect Crime: Selina Kyle tries on a fierce anime look in the new DC animated movie Catwoman: Hunted, directed by Shinsuke Terasawa. Catwoman (Elizabeth Gillies) can’t resist stealing the world’s biggest emerald — unfortunately, she snatches it from the hands of the Leviathan criminal empire, who put a price on her head. This cat and crook chase is joined on disc by a villain spotlight doc and a focus on The Feline Femme Fatale herself. (Warner, $30 BD/$40 4K, Feb. 8) [Buy Now]
More to Watch This Month
Attack on Titan: Final Season Part 1 (Funimation, $65 BD/$85 LE, Feb. 22)
Berserk: The Complete Series (Funimation, $70 BD, Feb. 15)
Pages of the Past: Flip through 620 pages of studio history in the latest edition of Daniel Kothenschulte’s The Walt Disney Film Archives: The Animated Movies 1921-1968, reissued by Taschen as a landscape hardcover packed with 1,500 photos, sketches and cel setups from the Golden Age of Animation, and more affordable at $80 (Feb. 25). [Pre-Order]
Aspiring auteurs also have a chance to snag a 10th anniversary edition of Bill “The King of Indie Animation” Plympton’s invaluable Make Toons That Sell without Selling Out, for paperback ($45) and ebook ($32) perusal. Delve into the secrets of creating poignant expressions of your vision with the Oscar-nominated animator as your guide, offering time-saving techniques, the secrets of crafting a good narrative and more. (CRC, Jan. 26) [Buy Now]
You know we stan the story of an unsung animation heroine around here. While toon aficionados are likely familiar with the oldest-surviving feature, The Adventures of Prince Achmed (1926), a new picture book from Fiona Robinson aims to introduce a wider audience of grade school readers to its pioneering German director. Out of the Shadows: How Lotte Reiniger Made the First Animated Fairytale Movie is a tribute to one little girl’s love for lore and papercut silhouettes grew into a woman’s piece of cinema history. (Abrams, $19, Feb. 8) [Buy Now]
We Care a Lot! CloudCo and its partners are ramping up merch this spring to celebrate the Care Bears 40th anniversary with a variety of licensed products. Kicking off the roll out are a candy-colored, vegan leather backpack, wallet and crossbody bag (pictured, $40; Pre-Order) from Loungefly and apparel for adults and kids from H&M, featuring retro, tie dye and patterned sweater style notes — the black crop hoodie is such a mood ($25) [Buy Now].
Message in a Bauble: Those money-siphoning sirens at Funko are at it again, this time with an irresistibly cute (and, of course, collectible) greeting figs called Popsies: Just press the bow button on the character’s box base for a speech bubble surprise! Launched with a Valentine’s line, the collection includes characters from Disney/Pixar, DC, Marvel, Peanuts and more. ($7 each) [Shop All]
Love hurts — even if you’re not usually sentient. At least, that’s how it is in Crush, a new animated short from creator collective MegaComputeur. Produced by Passion Pictures and Val Thorens, the whimsical and beautifully textured 3D CGI film debuted on Vimeo as a Staff Pick last week.
Crush
On the verge of crushing two old cable cars, a nostalgic scrap dealer delves into his memories and imagines the life they once shared…
Crush
Directed and written by MegaComputeur (Camille Jalabert, Corentin Yvergniaux and Oscar Malet) and rendered in the group’s signature cartoony CG animation (plus some doodle-like 2D characterizations for some elements), Crush is eligible for the 2023 Oscars.
Crush
MegaComputeur (Wild Love, Plaisir Sucré, Hors Piste) is a collective of French directors based in London represented by Passion Pictures, best known for bringing an off-kilter sense of humor to CGI films that stand out both artistically and technically, featuring quirky characters. Their work has been showcased at Annecy and SXSW, among other festivals, while their short film Hors Piste earned them a Student BAFTA in Animation.
Paris-based Technicolor announced the breakdown of its 2021 activities during the Board of Directors meeting on Thursday, confirming plans to list and spin-off a majority of its animation/visual effects operations, Technicolor Creative Studios. Technicolor met its 2021 guidance for the full year, with adjusted EBITDA reaching €268 million (adjusted €95 million, free cash flow €2 million). Revenues declined by 1.7% at constant exchange rate, but TCS recorded a strong improvement in revenues.
“2021 was a year of great success despite the volatile business environment, and we have yet again proved our ability to react quickly and efficiently to unexpected challenges. The efforts of our dedicated teams have enabled us to achieve our 2021 guidance, and I want to thank everyone around the world who contributed to this excellent result. The outlook is strong, and today I am pleased to confirm our 2022 guidance,” said CEO Richard Moat in a statement.
“…After a comprehensive review, we determined that pursuing the partial spin-off of TCS from the Group along with the full refinancing of the existing debt will be the solution that best aligns strategy, value creation and financial objectives for all of Technicolor’s stakeholders. We are convinced that this operation is a unique opportunity to ensure both TCS and Technicolor Ex-TCS have the adequate capital structure to support their developments, long-term ambitions and organic growth. The execution of these operations will allow both companies to pursue their own strategic agendas, be more agile and ultimately thrive as independent businesses.”
The proposed spin-off resulted in a Board-approved plan to list Technicolor Creative Studios, divesting the larger Group from a 65 percent stake in TCS. The “Technicolor Ex-TCS” division, comprising Connected Home and DVD Services, is expected to retain up to a 35 percent stake in TCS. This split will allow TCS to focus on its own strategic agenda and growth trajectory. The VFX business will be listed on Euronext Paris.
Technicolor Creative Studios’ MPC delivered the Oscar-nominated VFX for The Lion King (2019, Disney) and is now working on the sequel.
Demand for Technicolor Creative Studios’ VFX artistry and cutting-edge technology is expected to continue to grow significantly throughout 2022. The division has been awarded multiple new projects, resulting in approximately two thirds of the revenue pipeline for MPC and Mikros Animation being already committed for 2022. Significant investment in artist recruitment, retention and training (including TCS Academy programs) will continue.
Following the appointment of Christian Roberton as President in 2020, the TCS studios have been integrated under dedicated business lines with MPC (film & episodic VFX), The Mill (advertising), Mikros (animation) and Technicolor Games. These specialities are supported by growing markets and the opportunity to explore new areas such as metaverse projects. Roberton will be appointed CEO of the new independent TCS entity, based in Paris, and Anne Bouverot will be proposed as Chairperson of the Board of Directors.
Mikros’ latest feature animation credits include PAW Patrol: The Movie and The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run. The studio is currently hiring for upcoming projects Thelma the Unicorn for Netflix, The Tiger’s Apprentice for Paramount and Ozi with GCI Films.
MPC has lately used its quarter century of VFX experience to add dazzle to Godzilla vs. Kong, Cruella, Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Ridley Scott’s The Last Duel. Upcoming projects include Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Sony), Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers (Disney+); The Lion King 2, Disenchanted and the live-action remakes of The Little Mermaid and Pinocchio for Disney; and Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio for Netflix.
Technicolor’s full Board report for 2021/2022 is available here.
Spire Animation Studios (spirestudios.com) announced two key new hires to their powerhouse team: Pixar alumni Ricky Nierva and Michal Makarewicz. “We couldn’t be more excited to be working with Ricky and Michal. Both bring a wealth of creative experience from working at Pixar on many of the studio’s most beloved movies. Their addition to our growing team continues us down the path of building a next-generation studio with best-in-class professionals,” said studio founders Brad Lewis and P.J. Gunsagar.
Ricky Nierva [photo: Deborah Cohen]
Ricky Nierva is a Filipino-American animation production designer. Nierva started his acclaimed career at Pixar in the Story Department on Toy Story 2 in 1997, and is best known for his work designing iconic characters for Monsters, Inc. and Finding Nemo: Mike Wazowski, Sully and Dory. He also led Pixar’s production design team on award-winning Up. As Spire’s new Production Designer, Nierva will initially be focused on Trouble, the studio’s first animation feature co-created by writer, actor and director Danny McBride and Brad Lewis.
“I’m honored to join Spire Animation Studios and to have the unique opportunity to production design our first animated feature film,” said Nierva. “The team is unbelievably talented and we are breaking the way things have been done in the past, blazing new trails. I’ve loved the animation art form since I was a kid — and through my time at Pixar — and want to push this medium forward. It’s altogether invigorating, terrifying and exciting!”
Michal Makarewicz [photo: Deborah Cohen]
Before joining Spire as its new Head of Character Animation, Michal Makarewicz was at Pixar for 19 years, where he worked his way up to directing animator. While there, he worked on more than 14 feature films and five shorts, including The Incredibles, Cars, Ratatouille, WALL-E, Up, Inside Out, Onward and Soul, among others. Makarewicz has been honored by ASIFA with two Annie Awards for Best Animation in a Feature Production (Soul, Ratatouille), a VES Nomination for his animation on Helen in Incredibles 2 as well as a Feature Animation nomination for the 75th annual 2020 Reuben Award for his work on Soul.
“Spire is a melting pot of tremendous talent from the leading companies in the animation industry,” said Makarewicz. “It’s exciting to build something new from the ground up with all that knowledge and experience at our disposal. We get to play in a sandbox where the what-ifs are all very possible. I’m also thrilled to keep the animation industry growing, for the community as a whole, and to push the boundaries of our field in a new way with a fantastic team.”
Nierva and Makarewicz will work closely with Shawn Krause (Creative Director Animation & Story), Michael Surrey (Creative Director Animation & Story), Ted Mathot (Creative Director of Development), Karen Disher (Creative Director of Development) and Sharon Bridgeman (story artist) as well as Co-founder/CCO Lewis (Ratatouille, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, The LEGO Batman Movie) on Trouble.
Cyber Group Studios (cybergroupstudios.com) has named three industry veterans to lead its production, development and R&D in response to the strong business growth now at an historical high with 10 series in production and 10 more in development this year. All three will report to COO & Co-founder Dominique Bourse. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with such a talented team of executives at an exciting moment of growth for our company, where new opportunities are constantly arising in this very fast-evolving industry worldwide,” said Bourse.
Laurence Barret, in her new role as Vice President Studio Operations, will be in charge of managing the Paris studio. She will as well supervise all production budgets and the allocation of resources for all the company studios. In addition, Barret will determine and allocate production resources to new projects in development for the company. Barret was previously Head of Production & Studio Director at Ellipse Studio and Head of Production at TeamTO.
Stéphanie Legraverant, previously Production Director at Cyber Group Studios’ Roubaix (Hauts-de-France), has been promoted to Managing Director, Roubaix Studio, in charge of developing the company’s facilities and resources. During her tenure, the Roubaix studio developed a unique 2D production expertise and forged ahead into real-time production with the development of an Unreal native pipe, inaugurated with the studio’s first digital program, Giganto Club (26 x 11’). Produced in 2021/2022, the digital series exclusively for AVOD platforms and social networks, launched worldwide in partnership with YouTube on February 3.
Andreas J Carlen, a veteran software engineering wizard and a Technical Director with more than 25 years of experience in the animation production and videogame industries, has been promoted to Chief Technology Officer of the group. Together, Andreas and his team will be responsible of furthering the real-time production pipe initiated in 2021 to create the Giganto Club; as well as industrializing the production process while keeping it creative-driven for the entire group worldwide.
Marion Claret
French animation production and distribution company Dandelooo (dandelooo.com) has appointed Marion Claret to head its animation studio Ooolala in La Cartoucherie, Valence, France. A partner at Dandelooo, Claret also helped launch the Ooolala studio three years ago, founded by Jean Baptiste Wéry and Emmanuèle Pétry. Claret will spearhead a development slate of original productions, drive its expanding studio, and help supervise the pre-production teams for both original and client service work.
A graduate from Gobelins, Ecole de l’image (Paris), Claret joined Dandelooo in 2016 to produce the 2D /live-action Emmy-winning series The Treehouse Stories for Canal+, now in its fourth season. Marion previously worked at French production companies Stromboli Films and Medialab Technology. Ooolala is currently in production on 2D preschool series Billy the Cowboy Hamster, commissioned by France Televisions, and recently completed the heart-warming special Mum Is Pouring Rain, co-produced with Laïdak Films and commissioned by Canal+, and Stinky Dog, a slapstick comedy series co-produced with Folivari, Panique! and Pikkukala, commissioned by France Televisions.
Kabir Malik
Boutique VFX and finishing house Stone Dogs (stonedogs.co.uk) announced the expansion of its studio, relocating to a larger office to provide a wider, more flexible service to clients. The new space, located next to Lincoln Fields, will roughly double Stone Dogs’ current footprint. In order to deliver on this increased scope and flexibility of services, the studio has invested in both its backend capabilities — increasing capacity and speed of storage — and a brand new cooled server cabinet.
In addition, Kabir Malik has joined the team as Executive Producer. Kabir joins from Bubble TV Group, where he was responsible for creating and building the commercials picture department. Prior to that, he worked as an EP for both production and post-production projects, having developed his craft at a range of VFX studios. He now represents Stone Dogs alongside Orchard for CG, which complements both company’s creative services and helps the team deliver on more complex CG and VFX combined projects. On top of this, he will place any of his own production requirements with the appropriate studio, strengthening Stone Dogs’ ties with the industry.
Johannes Sambs
Framestore (framestore.com) has named Johannes Sambs as Head of CG, London. Based at the company’s headquarters, Sambs will lead the CG team on a range of projects across Advertising, Episodic and Immersive. He joined Framestore in 2016, and has been instrumental in a number of major projects including Framestore’s first dark ride, Pearl Quest for China’s Wanda Group, and the technically challenging immersive experience for Comcast’s Philadelphia based planetarium-style theater, the Universal Sphere. Sambs was also Framestore’s CG supe on Netflix’s Alien Worlds, which won an Emmy for the studio, and delivered the Storybook Sequences for Netflix’s Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey.
Originally from Austria, Sambs studied Audiovisual Fine Art before moving to the U.K., where he worked as a CG generalist freelancer, mainly in advertising as well as theater productions. He joined Framestore as a Lookdev Artist and has subsequently worked as both CG supervisor and VFX supervisor across many forms including commercials, TV shows and feature films including the Sky Atlantic episodic show, Curfew. “I am delighted to embark on this journey as Head of CG,” Sambs commented. “Framestore partners with world-renowned brands and creative studios and the spectrum of the projects we can work on is limitless. I am excited to lead our talented team as we take on even more challenging, ambitious and fresh projects this year and beyond.”
Youth Media Alliance (YMA) and TAAFI have announced the first recipients of the John Rooney Creator Fund. Established to honor the late Rooney’s ardent support of LGBTQ2S+ talent in children’s, youth, and family animation, the fund has two streams of professional development: Content Development and Scriptwriting.
Content Development Stream:
Kai Little-White is a writer and creator of linear and immersive content with a global sensibility. Kai has worked on over 100 hours of television, features, shorts, and music videos including creating the Caribbean’s first reality series The Golden Nugget. Kai’s focus on the next generation led to curriculum development spotlighting STEAM, social justice and emotional intelligence. Kai is an alum of the Canadian Film Centre and Centennial’s Children’s Media program. In 2021, Kai associate-produced the preschool series Gary’s Magic Fort. This year, Kai is creating an AR installation through the Under the Tent collective storytelling project. Kai will receive mentorship from industry professionals and up to $5,000 (CAD) for creative development, and $5,000 (CAD) for travel and registration costs for conferences of her choosing throughout the year.
Scriptwriting Stream laureates will be placed in a writing room for a show currently in production to gain an understanding of the script writing process, how stories are developed for series and, if possible, contribute to the room creatively. The Fund will cover a maximum of 10 working days, at $250 per day, for a total allocation of $2,500 per writer:
Alora Lafontaine is a Toronto-based author and artist. They write prose, poetry, and scripts for screen and comics. Currently, they are developing the feature Morph and are adapting The Waking Crossroads from comic to novel. Alora also has over six years’ experience in film and television production as an assistant art director and illustrator with the Directors Guild of Canada. In 2015, Alora graduated on full scholarship with a BFA from Adelphi University’s Academic Honors College in the little-known city of New York. They also won the Global Studies Scholarship to attend the Bard Globalization and International Affairs program. Alora will be placed with 9 Story Media Group.
David diGiovanni is an award-winning director and writer. He is the Artistic Director of Shakespeare in Action, the resident professional theater organization at the new Artscape Weston Common. He also co-founded Madonnanera with Amanda Cordner, a theater company invested in creating new intersectional work for the stage which has toured across the country. In 2020, Amanda and David turned their work Body So Fluorescent into a short film which premiered at the InsideOut Festival and won Best Emerging Canadian Artist. David will be placed with Sinking Ship Entertainment.
Mia Ema Falak is a multilingual writer, actress and producer. She is a graduate of McGill University’s English Literature and Psychology programs, as well as House of Actors’ Full-Time program. Since then, Mia has worked as a script editor for acclaimed Canadian filmmakers. Recently, she wrote and acted in her debut short film, Broken Colours! Mia is incredibly passionate about storytelling: in her free time, she enjoys reading screenplays before watching the corresponding TV shows or movies, taking acting classes and engaging in creative writing. She hopes to use the immeasurable power of story to enrich the lives of Canadian youth. Mia will be placed with Little Engine Moving Pictures.
Scott Farley is a writer, actor, producer, voice artist, and failed unicyclist. Scott was nominated for a Canadian Comedy Award for his short film Club Six which is now available on OUTtv and recently he wrote for Family Channel’s new kids’ queer TV series The Fabulous Show! with Fay & Fluffy. As an actor, Scott is known for his role as Carlin Caterpillar on CBC Kids’ hit TV show The Moblees, where he received a Juno Award Nomination. In partnership with Blue Ice Pictures, his series Stories from My Gay Grandparents has just received IPF production funding. Scott loves peach pie and jungle gyms. Scott will be placed with Nelvana.
Today, the Producers Guild of America (PGA) announced nominees for The PGA Innovation Award ahead of the 33rd Annual Producers Guild Awards. This Award recognizes the production of a noteworthy, impactful new media program that significantly elevates the audience’s viewing experience.
“As the PGA Innovation Award enters its third year, we are continuously blown away with the creative and technological advancements that each of our nominees represent. We’re honored to shine a light on the amazing artists and producing teams that not only define excellence in the immersive medium, but showcase to audiences all over the world the emotional and storytelling magic that these experiences present,” said Eric W. Shamlin, Committee & Jury Chair of the PGA Innovation Award.
The recipient of the 2022 PGA Innovation Award, as well as the PGA Award-winners of the Short Form, Sports and Children’s categories, will be announced during the New York Nominees Celebration on Monday, March 14 at the Bryant Park Grill Garden, sponsored by Cadillac and GreenSlate.
Nominees for the 2022 PGA Innovation Award are listed below in alphabetical order. The PGA will honor the program as a whole, rather than the individual producers. As such, the producers of these programs are not required to go through the awards eligibility determination process.
Clockwise: Namoo, Madrid Noir, The Severance Theory: Welcome to Respite
2022 PGA Innovation Award nominees:
Artificial: Factions (96 Next)
Breonna’s Garden (YesUniverse)
Eschaton (Chorus Productions Holdings, INC)
Eternals: AR Story Experience (Walt Disney Studios)
For All Mankind: Time Capsule (Apple)
Live@Expo (Hovercast)
Madrid Noir (Atlas V / No Ghost)
Namoo (Baobab Studios)
Pacha Mama (Noitom International, Inc.)
The MetaMovie Presents: Alien Rescue (The MetaMovie)
The Severance Theory: Welcome to Respite (Ferryman Collective)
Tutankhamun: Enter the Tomb (CityLights)
Clockwise: Breonna’s Garden, For All Mankind: Time Capsule, Artificial: Factions, Eternals: AR Story Experience
The award honors exceptional distinctiveness, inventiveness and the impact of the submitted work in expanding the conventions of program format, content, audience interaction, production technique and delivery. Such work may reflect a reimagining or reworking of existing concepts and approaches in a new way, or may be an entirely novel type of experience.
Entries are vetted by a nominating committee and reviewed and voted-on by a jury of experts. Programs released between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021 were eligible for the honor.
In 2019, the PGA awarded the inaugural PGA Innovation Award to the team behind Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series Episode 1. Last year, the team behind BRCvr, an official virtual Burning Man Experience hosted on AltSpaceVR, was honored with the prize.
The PGA Awards Ceremony will be held on the evening of Saturday, March 19 at the Fairmont Century Plaza. The winners of the Innovation Award, as well as the Short Form, Sports and Children’s categories, will also be highlighted at the Ceremony.
See the previously announced 33rd PGA Awards animated feature nominees here.
New York’s School of Visual Arts (SVA) and the Visual Arts Foundation announced today that the College has partnered with Braintreehouse, creators of the award-winning design tool Sketchboard Pro, for a new scholarship for students in the MFA Visual Narrative program.
Awarded to two students annually in support of their thesis projects, the scholarship provides each recipient $2,500, an iPad Pro and the Sketchboard Pro artist bundle, which includes a Sketchboard Pro for iPad, Sketchboard Pro travel bag and sticker pack, and Braintreehouse’s original Essential Procreate Brushpack, plus advisory expertise from designated Sketchboard Pro artists.
Additionally, all MFA Visual Narrative students will be eligible for an annual discount accessible up to one year after graduation.
Sketchboard Pro artist bundle
Created in 2019 by illustration studio Braintreehouse, the Sketchboard Pro iPad holder has quickly become a must-have tool for artists. Designed for and by artists and featuring strong legs that easily fold out to create a comfortable 20-degree angled drawing surface or a tabletop easel, a form-fitted cradle and a charging port for your device, the ergonomically designed stand allows users to bring the drawing desk experience virtually anywhere.
The company also partners with climate collective Ecologi, which plants a tree for every Sketchboard Pro sold.
Sketchboard Pro Scholarship applicants were asked to provide an essay detailing how they will use the technology and financial award for the creative and production process of their thesis project; 10 samples of their best work to demonstrate the strength and merit of their creative and professional pursuits; and a formal presentation of their thesis project story and concept, including visuals. Two MFA Visual Narrative program alumni were included in the submission review panel.
For upcoming years, the application deadline will be in October with the final award decision announced in November and awarded in December ahead of their final semester.
Laura Brown and her drawings of Stone Arch Bridge and Woodstock (from lauracatherinebrown.com)
The first two scholarship recipients, Laura Brown (lauracatherinebrown.com) and Oret Peña (digitalartmonstr.com), are both second-year MFA Visual Narrative students. Brown’s novel project, Fallen, uses a base of scanned pencil drawings to tell a story of friendship, desire and loss, touching on the self-help paradox. Peña’s project, currently titled Magical Girl Leila, brings Latino lead characters and representation to American comics, inspired by her love for cartoons, anime and classic magical-girl manga heroes such as Sailor Moon, Tokyo MewMew and Madoka Magica.
“It began as a cute pun when we would tell people that our mission with Sketchboard Pro is to support artists,” said JJ Harrison, Co-Founder of Braintreehouse. “As artists ourselves, we understand the grave importance of raising awareness, appreciation and value of the arts with the hope that each new generation of artists has it better than the last. We are incredibly grateful that the success of Sketchboard Pro is allowing us to make good on our mission and sponsor scholarships for such talented young artists as Oret and Laura. We couldn’t have asked for a better partner in this endeavor than the School of Visual Arts and we look forward to broadening our relationship with education.”
Oret Peña and her “Fruit Girl” illustrations (from digitalartmonstr.com)
Introduced in 2013, MFA Visual Narrative is a flexible, low-residency program designed for working professionals and students of visual storytelling alike. Three onsite summer sessions are connected by two years of online study during the fall and spring semesters. Through creative writing and visual development, graduates are empowered to become the next generation of original content creators. Alumni have moved into careers in creative direction, animation, comics, game development, film, toy design, information and motion design, education and many other disciplines. Recent graduates have worked for such organizations as Apple, Fisher Price, Penguin Books, Disney+, Chase, Deloitte Digital, Nickelodeon, MTV2, Exploding Kittens, Major League Baseball, Nike, Google, The Boston Globe and the White House. Founding program chair Nathan Fox and artist, printmaker and faculty member Panayiotis Terzis also created the SVA RisoLAB, the only dedicated educational Risograph printing facility of its kind.
Founded in 1968, the Visual Arts Foundation provides scholarships for deserving students to study at the School of Visual Arts; supports exhibitions, conferences, and competitions and promotes the study and improvement of the arts; encourages cooperation and exchange among artists, designers, students, publishers and others engaged in artistic activities; receives gifts, legacies and donations; and offers awards, appropriations and scholarships from these resources.
Emmy Award-winning animation studio Bento Box Entertainment, a division of FOX Entertainment, has entered a development deal with ex-WarnerMedia executives Chris Linn and Marissa Ronca’s Contrast Media. Under terms of the agreement, Linn and Ronca will work closely with Bento Box’s development department, advising on creative strategy, packaging and development of animated projects for FOX Entertainment, its free streaming service Tubi, and third-party platforms.
Linn and Ronca also will offer support regarding Bento Box’s NFT studio, Blockchain Creative Labs.
“Chris and Marissa are fantastic executives, whose work we’ve admired for quite some time,” said Scott Greenberg, Co-Founder & CEO, Bento Box Entertainment. “As we continue to grow Bento Box’s output and expand into Web3 with Blockchain Creative Labs, we’re thrilled to be partnering with them, and are eager to create amazing new content together.”
“Scott Greenberg and his team share our passion for comedy, collaboration and fan-favorite content,” added Linn and Ronca. “We look forward to bringing our expertise to Bento Box during this exciting period of growth.”
Linn, the former President at WarnerMedia’s truTV, and Ronca, the cable network’s former Executive Vice President and Head of Original Programming & Development, spearheaded the comedic rebrand of truTV, with successful fan-driven franchises, such as Impractical Jokers (series and feature film), Billy on the Street, I’m Sorry and At Home with Amy Sedaris. In 2021, the two formed the consulting firm Contrast Media to assist companies in developing breakthrough content and creative teams.
From its studios in Los Angeles and Atlanta, Bento Box produces animated programming, features, music videos, branded content and motion graphics, wielding and innovative digital production pipeline and talent-centric focus. Recent work includes shows on Apple TV+ (Central Park), Comedy Central (Brickleberry, Legends of Chamberlain Heights), FOX (multiple Emmy Award-winning Bob’s Burgers, Duncanville, The Great North, Housebroken), Hulu (The Awesomes), NBC (The David S. Pumpkins Halloween Special), Netflix (Mulligan, Paradise PD, Farzar, The Who Was? Show) and Syfy (Alien News Desk).
The Miami Media and Film Market and Film London will co-host a special live animation webinar, “Get Animated in 2022!” featuring a special introduction by Film London Chief Exec Adrian Wootton, OBE on Thursday, February 24, beginning at 11 a.m. EST / 4 p.m. GMT.
This will be followed by a panel discussion featuring Fred Seibert (Fred Films), a legend in animation and a visionary in TV branding (MTV, Nickelodeon) who has served as executive producer Adventure Time,Bravest Warriors, The Fairly Oddparents, Castlevania and Bee & Puppycat.
Peter Lopez and Jorge Otero of the Miami- and Colombia-based iKartoons will also serve as panelists to discuss their work in the Latin American market, particularly their animation work for Discovery Inc, NatGeo Kids, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network and Televisa. There will be some time for participant Q&A and networking immediately following the panel discussion. This virtual event is in partnership with the Latin Chamber of Commerce of the United States and Miami Dade County. Register at Eventbrite or at miamimediafilmmarket.org.
VIEW Conference is laying on the virtual panels this season. Up first will beFive Oscar Contenders for Best Animated Feature (in partnership with OGR), featuring director Byron Howard, co-director/co-writer Charise Castro Smith and producer Yvett Merino of Encanto (Disney); director Jonas Poher Rasmussen and producer Charlotte de la Gournerie of Flee (Final Cut for Real); director Enrico Casarosa and producer Andrea Warren of Luca (Pixar); director/co-writer Mike Rianda and producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller of The Mitchells vs. the Machines (Sony/Netflix); co-director Carlos Lopez Estrada, co-writer Adele Lim and producer Osnat Shurer of Raya and the Last Dragon (Disney). March 4, 10 a.m. PST.
VIEW and VFX Festival have also teamed up to present a panel with Five VFX Oscar Contendersa few days later. Learn the secrets of this year’s top contenders with visual effects supervisors Paul Lambert (Dune), Swen Gillberg (Free Guy), Charlie Noble (No Time to Die), Christopher Townsend (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) and Kelly Port (Spider-Man: No Way Home). March 9, 10 a.m. PST.
Then, get the scoop on Pixar’s latest feature from the Turning Red Creative Team, presented with OGR and moderated by Animation Magazine‘s own Ramin Zahed. The panel will feature director Domee Shi, producer Lindsey Collins, VFX supervisor Danielle Feinberg, production designer Rona Liu, director of photography Mahyar Abousaeedi and animation supervisor Aaron Hartline. (Prep for the talk by picking up the April ’22 issue of Animag and reading all about this hairy coming-of-age comedy.) March 18, 10 a.m. PST.
2022 Goya winners The Monkey and Valentina
With a refreshed selection of animated nominees to choose from, the 2022 Goya Awards gave Spain’s top cinema honors to Chelo Loureiro’s Valentina, a 2D/3D, feature-length musical about a young girl with Down syndrome who dreams of being a trapeze artist; and the dark period drama short The Monkey by Lorenzo Degl’Innocenti and Xosé Zapata, about an animal tried as part of the 1588 Spanish Armada and sentence to death.
Meanwhile, at the 12th MyFrenchFilmFestival, Rémi Chayé picked up another accolade for Calamity by winning an International Press Jury Special Mention for a Feature Film.
Eternal Spring | Tacheles – The Heart of the Matter
The 26th Human Rights Watch Film Festival (March 17-25; London; ff.hrw.org) will present 10 compelling new films from around the world, including documentaries which make use of animation and drawings to tell their stories and reflect participants’ personal experiences.
Through insightful interviews and beautiful animated sequences, Jason Loftus’ immersive documentary Eternal Spring reveals the persecution of religious movements and political dissent by the Chinese government. Animation by the comic-book artist Daxiong (Justice League, Star Wars) graphically reveal his personal memories and experiences, on the 20th anniversary of a bold and perilous hack into state television by Falun Gong activists.
In Jana Matthes and Andrea Schramm’s Tacheles – The Heart of the Matter, Yaar, a young Jewish Berliner, attempts to process and overcome intergenerational trauma by developing a video game set in 1940’s Germany, where he enables Jews to defend themselves and Nazis to act humanely. He decides to model one of the game’s protagonists, a young Jewish girl, on his grandmother Rina. Her opponent is an SS officer, who is inspired by one of his friend’s actual ancestors. Yaar’s father is shocked, and the work opens old family wounds left unaddressed for generations. While we also witness the creative process of developing the game project — with animated sequences and original illustrations featured — Yaar must find his way between the trauma of preceding generations, and his own claim to an unburdened life.
Animated sequences of crumbling homes also enhance the creative storytelling in Silence Heard Loud – the Opening Night film of this year’s festival, by artist-filmmaker Anna Konik, that weaves together journeys of seven asylum seekers in the U.K. and elusive dream of home and better life.
CartoonNext 2022 projects
CartoonNext (April 12-15; Marseille, France) unveiled the eight cross-media projects selected to pitch at the event for “the future of animation and digital content.” Learn more about them at cartoon-media.eu/next.
Astrid and the School of Astronauts. Lumiar (Italy), TV Series
Ewilan’s Quest. Andarta Pictures (France), TV Series
Eyes of Shame. Joni Art (Lithuania), Feature/VR/Comic
Here. Patrones y Escondites (Spain), Videogame/AR/VR/Live
Journey to Yourland. BFilm (Slovakia), Feature/AR/VR/Mobile Game
Lumieres! Les Films du Tambour de Soie (France), Webseries/AR/VR/Live
Sex Symbols. TV ON (Spain), TV Series
Subtopia. Curio and Co. (Austria), TV Series/Licensing/Videogame/Comics
SXSW Game of the Year nominees (clockwise) Psychonauts 2, Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker, Resident Evil Village, It Takes Two, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
The South by Southwest Gaming Awards announced that this year’s virtual ceremony will be co-hosted by two of TV’s freshest faces — Jana Morrison and Samantha Aucoin, the heroic leads of SYFY network’s Astrid & Lilly Save the World. A diverse roster of presenters from entertainment and sports has been assembled, as well as some special partnerships and premiere content. Produced by Georgia-based Peach Maria Productions, executive produced by Laurie Lockliear (upcoming esports reality competition series GameMaster), the 2022 Awards will stream for free as part of SXSW Online on March 12 at 7 p.m. CT.
The final nominees for Game of the Year are Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker (Square Enix), It Takes Two (Hazelight/EA), Psychonauts 2 (Double Fine/Xbox), Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (Insomniac/Sony Interactive) and Resident Evil Village (Capcom). Find the full list of presenters, partners and nominated titles at sxsw.com.
Calls for entries, dates & updates:
New York Int’l Children’s Film Festival General Public tickets are now on sale. Animation Magazine readers can apply the promotional code ANIMMAGNYICFF22 to receive 10% off the first four tickets purchased (excl. special events). nyicff.org
Long Story Short is returning to Kickstarter for another month-long celebration and an open call for filmmakers. Don’t wait to bring your vision to life! kickstarter.com/short-films
Screen Ireland has extended the application deadline for its flagship short film scheme Frameworks, aimed at boosting the Irish animation sector. Deadline: March 4, 2022. screenireland.ie
NVIDIA GTC (March 21, 2022) invites you to see the future of entertainment in a series of free sessions, covering immersive possibility, virtual production, global workflows and more. nvidia.com/gtc
MoCCA Arts Festival 2022 (April 2-3; NYC) unveiled its official artwork. This year’s key visual is created by Yadi Liu. Several notable artists will create additional work for the show, including badges by Natalie Andrewson and spot illustrations featuring Patrick McDonnell‘s Mutts. moccafest.org
MAKE is now taking applications for its Summer ’22 Internship. Interns will work alongside full-time artists on internal projects and client work at the creative studio, based in Minneapolis and specializing in motion graphics, VFX and animation. Send resumes and portfolios to internships@makevisual.com.
Animasyros 2022 (Sept. 20-25; Syros Island, Greece) calls for entries for its 15th edition in seven competition categories. Deadline: June 30, 2022. animasyros.gr
Stereopsia EUROPE 2022 will take place Oct. 17-19 in Brussels, introducing two new conference sections: Europe Track and Human Connection Track. stereopsia.com
MoCCA Arts Festival official artwork by Yadi Liu (left), Natalie Andrewson (top right) and Patrick McDonnell (bottom right)
Producer managers, supervisors, design assistants, casting assistances, storyboard coordinators and office production workers on adult sci-fi comedy toons Rick and Morty (Adult Swim) and Solar Opposites (Hulu) are beaming up with The Animation Guild (TAG), IATSE Local 839, to collectively bargain for their first union contract. TAG filed a petition for a union election following the request.
“This move follows a request by a super majority of the workers last week to be voluntarily recognized,” the Guild stated. “Attorneys representing both production companies responded to this request by contacting TAG and stating that the productions’ parent studios, Adult Swim and 20th Century Fox [Ed. note: Now 20th Television], were not willing to voluntarily recognize the entire unit as was proposed by The Animation Guild.”
Solar Opposites production manager Kallan Zimmerman offered comment on the move through TAG: “Production workers are the heart of the animation industry and have been underappreciated and undercompensated for far too long. It’s time for us to have a seat at the table alongside our artist colleagues.”
One of cables #1 watched comedies, Rick and Morty was co-created by Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon. The show follows the misadventures of a sociopathic genius scientist who drags his inherently timid grandson on insanely dangerous adventures across the universe. Rick Sanchez (voiced by Roiland) is living with his daughter Beth’s (Sarah Chalke) family and constantly bringing her, his son-in-law Jerry (Chris Parnell), granddaughter Summer (Spencer Grammer) and grandson Morty (also Roiland) into intergalactic escapades.
Produced by Williams Street with animation duties split between Rick and Morty LLC and Green Portal Productions, Rick and Morty premiered on Adult Swim in 2013 and has aired five seasons so far. Adult Swim announced an order for 70 episodes back in 2018 — the same year TAG helped the show’s animators ratify a new labor agreement and Roiland took to the show’s subreddit with some (soon deleted) pointed words.
Rick and Morty has won numerous accolades over the years, including two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Animated Program, two Annie Awards and a Critics’ Choice TV Award.
Solar Opposites
Co-created by Roiland and Rick and Morty writer/EP McMahan, Solar Opposites centers on a team of four aliens who escape their exploding homeworld, only to crash land into a move-in ready home in suburban America. Korvo (Roiland) and Yumyulack (Sean Giambrone) only see Earth’s pollution, crass consumerism and human frailty while Terry (Thomas Middleditch) and Jesse (Mary Mack) love humans and all their TV, junk food and fun stuff. Their mission: protect the Pupa, a living super computer that will one day evolve into its true form, consume them and terraform the Earth.
The Hulu Original series, which first premiered in 2020, is produced by 20th Television, with animation services provided by Green Portal, Bardel and Copernicus Studios. Solar Opposites has been renewed through season four (two seasons currently available to stream).
Hasbro’s entertainment studio, eOne, and Netflix are gearing up to launch Transformers: BotBots, the first-ever comedy series in the beloved Transformers franchise. The charged up 10 x 22′ animated series is set to make its streaming premiere on March 25, in a month packed with animation and anime series and season premieres. (Read on for the full lineup!)
Full of high-energy humor designed to delight kids, Transformers: BotBots will transport the next generation of viewers into a brand new world of mischievous little ‘bots. When a mall is hit with Energon, everyday objects from the food court, the hardware store and other locations spring to life and convert into tiny Transformers robots called BotBots — a wide and comical range of characters, who are the epitome of “more than meets the eye.” These squads hide quietly by day but jump into adventure at night … until a misfit group called ‘The Lost Bots’ run into a security guard and put all the BotBots in danger.
Kevin Burke and Chris “Doc” Wyatt (Spider-Man, Transformers: Rescue Bots Academy, Stretch Armstrong & the Flex Fighters) are executive producers and serve as showrunners on the series.
March 3 – He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Season 2 (Netflix Family) The fate of Eternos hangs in the balance as He-Man and the heroes forge new alliances — and new destinies — to outrun evil Skeletor’s pursuit of power.
March 8 – Chip and Potato Season 3 (Netflix Family; Canada) Chip’s learning even more about the great, big world with a little help from Potato — from getting her first haircut to getting on her first airplane!
March 10 – Karma’s World Season 2 (Netflix Family) New challenges inspire new songs for Karma as she starts a new job, runs for school president and works to make a difference in her community.
March 10 – Kotaro Lives Alone (Netflix Anime; Japan) A lonely little boy moves into a ramshackle apartment building all on his own and makes friends with the broke manga artist who lives next door.
March 15 – Adam by Eve: A live in Animation (Netflix Anime; Japan) Anime, live action and music by cutting-edge artist Eve — all weave together into this dreamlike sonic experience inspired by the story of Adam and Eve.
March 15 – Team Zenko Go (Netflix Family) No good deed is too small for this kind kid squad! Niah, Ari, Ellie and Jax go undercover to help others and squash their town’s problems in secret!
March 18 – Human Resources (Netflix Series) The Big Mouth 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. (Read more in the April ’22 issue of Animation Magazine, coming soon!)
March 29 – Thermae Romae Novae (Netflix Anime; Japan) A proud bath architect in ancient Rome starts randomly surfacing in present-day Japan, where he’s inspired by the many bathing innovations he finds.
Mighty Express Season 6 (Netflix Family) A team of trains and their kid friends overcome trouble on the tracks with quick thinking and teamwork in a new season!
Last Chance (Leaving March 31) –Bee Movie, Despicable Me, Despicable Me 2, Happy Feet Two, Kung Fu Panda, Madascar: Escape 2 Africa, Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted, Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You!, Pokémon the Movie: The Power of Us, Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon, Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon: Ultra Adventures, Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon: Ultra Legends
Netflix Games is also rolling out new titles to Netflix subscribers on Android and iOS devices. Coming soon:
Shatter Remastered: A retro-inspired brick-breaking game that combines classic action with unique twists and incredible boss battles.
Into the Dead 2: Unleashed: Do whatever it takes to save your family and survive the zombie apocalypse in this ultimate action shooter! How far will you go to make it out alive?
This Is a True Story: Explore a beautiful, hand-painted landscape in this lush narrative puzzle game that’s based on actual events and interviews.
Legendary road cyclist Gino Bartali has become the inspiration for a new feature film, this time an animated treatment targeted at a younger audience. Global animation major Toonz Media Group is teaming up with Lynx Multimedia Factory, Rai Ragazzi and Telegael to co-produce Bartali’s Bicycle (working title), inspired by the sportsman’s daring acts of courage and humanism during World War II. Bartali’s Bicycle is set for release in early 2023.
“Gino Bartali was not only a great cycling champion, but a man who risked his life to fight racism and discrimination and for this he was honored as Righteous among the nations. In a world still plagued by wars and conflicts, his fast and brave bicycle is a symbol of peace for kids and families. That is why RAI has promoted the project of this important film from the very beginning.” said Luca Milano, Director of RAI Kids.
The PG-rated 2D animated feature will be targeted at the 7+ and family audience. Set in the modern day in the Middle East, the 80 minute feature follows two young boys from rivaling communities who are brought together by their shared love for cycling. The movie’s theme is woven around Bartali’s awe-inspiring services for Holocaust victims during World War II.
As the producers explain: “Bartali saved many Jewish lives during the Nazi occupation of Italy by concealing their documents in his bicycle. The feature begins 60 years later, when Bartali’s bicycle becomes the tool and symbol of victory for David, a smart and sensitive Jewish boy. David accepts the challenge of winning a cycling championship together with his Arab friend Ibrahim, violating rules but making peace and tolerance triumph between their communities.”
The multinational co-production focusing on themes of tolerance, teamwork and diversity will be released in Italy by RAI and distributed worldwide by Toonz and Rome-based distribution and production company TVCO.
“Bartali’s Bicycle is a story that will resonate with audiences all across the world. It is exactly the kind of story that Toonz is committed to relate to the younger generation. This is, indeed, a prestigious project for Toonz and we are very excited to team up with our amazing partners Lynx, Rai Ragazzi, TVCO and Telegael for this international co-production,” said Toonz Media Group CEO P. Jayakumar.
Gino Bartali (photo from Federazione Ciclistica Italiana)
The development, pre-production and picture post-production of the movie will be led by Lynx Studio in Italy, while the animation production will be done at Toonz studios in India. Final backgrounds and sound post-production will be carried out at Emmy Award-winning Irish studio and Toonz group company Telegael, who will also handle some elements of pre-production.
“We are so proud to be in co-production for the film Bartali’s Bicycle with Toonz Media Group, a major international animation group, and Rai Ragazzi which from the beginning believed in this project. It is wonderful to share with our partners themes such as solidarity in sports, altruism in life, friendship that wins over everything, and more in- depth important topics such as the Shoah and civil coexistence, and try the best way to represent them in animation,” said Evelina Poggi, Lynx Multimedia Factory CEO.
Lynx Multimedia Factory is a Rome- and Milan-based animation prodco creating original transmedia projects and work for third parties. The studio notably worked on the award-winning 2019 TV special The Star of Andra and Tati (Larcadarte/Rai Ragazzi) and is currently working on a new special based on Fabio Geda’s In the Sea There Are Crocodiles and developing preschool series Nip & Lena, Fin Friends and feature film Giants by Enrico Paolantonio .
The film’s crack Italian creative team is led by director Enrico Paolantonio (The Extraordinary Adventures of Jules Verne, Egyxos) and head of production Sabrina Callipari. The original idea was conceived by the late Roman writer Israel Cesare Moscati (A Starry Sky Above the Roman Ghetto), who also developed the screenplay with Marco Beretta (Foot 2 Rue Extreme). Noted comic-book artist Corrado Mastantuono (Nick Raider, Magico Vento) is creating the character designs for the project, while illustrator Andrea Pucci is the background artist. Valentina Mazzola (The Star of Andra and Tati) serves as script editor.
“I am proud to collaborate with Toonz, such a prestigious brand in animation. It is the first cooperation of this kind between our two companies,” noted Vincenzo Mosca, CEO of distributor TVCO. “Bartali’s Bicycle is a story of human endurance and trust that has deep and distant roots in the true story of the rescue of hundreds of Jews during the German occupation in Italy by a cycling legend: Gino Bartali. We look forward to bringing this animated movie to the world market and to contributing to making that story known to all worldwide.”
Paul Cummins, CEO of Telegael, added, “Bartali’s Bicycle is a very emotional story which is inspired by the heroic and humanitarian actions of champion cyclist, Gino Bartali, during World War II. Telegael is delighted to partner with Lynx, RAI, TVCO and Toonz to co-produce this animated feature and to bring the story of David and Ibrahim to children’s and family audiences around the world.”
Toonz Media Group is a 360-degree media powerhouse and one of Asia’s most active animation production studios. ITs credits include Wolverine and the X-Men, Speedracer: Next Generation, Gummybear and Friends and Fruit Ninja, with current upcoming projects including Keith Chapman’s Paddypaws, Janet Hubert’s JG and the BC Kids, Olvier Jean-Marie’s Sunnyside Billy and Pierre the Pigeon Hawk, starring Whoopi Goldberg, will.i.am, Jennifer Hudson and Snoop Dogg. (toonz.co)
