GKIDS, producer and distributor of multiple Oscar-nominated animated features, announced today it will bring the stylish and humorous ode to filmmaking Pompo the Cinephile to cinemas nationwide this April. In addition to the full feature, audiences will view a special introduction from director Takayuki Hirao, exclusive to the Fathom Events screenings.
Continuing their partnership with Fathom Events, fan preview events for Pompo the Cinephile will play in cinemas nationwide on Wednesday, April 27 (Japanese language) and Thursday, April 28 (English language dubbed). Fan preview events will be followed by a limited theatrical release in select markets nationwide by GKIDS starting April 29.
Pompo the Cinephile
Acclaimed director Hirao (God Eater, The Garden of Sinners), known for his dynamic, maximalist animation sequences, returns to the director’s chair with this production from the all-new studio CLAP. An official selection and nominee for the Satoshi Kon Award for Best Animated Feature at the 2021 Fantasia Film Festival, Pompo the Cinephile was domestically released in Japan on June 4, 2021, and swiftly became an indie hit. Fueled by the excitement from the film’s domestic release, a crowdfunding campaign to create a 35mm print of the feature achieved its fundraising goals of ¥10,000,000 (approx. $91,000 USD) in just 11 days.
Pompo the Cinephile
Synopsis: Pompo is a talented and gutsy producer in “Nyallywood,” the movie-making capital of the world. Although she’s known for B-movies, one day Pompo tells her movie-loving but apprehensive assistant Gene that he will direct her next script: a delicate drama about an aging and tormented creative genius, starring the legendary and Brando-esque actor Martin Braddock, and a young actress seeking her first break. But when the production heads towards chaos, can Gene rise to Pompo’s challenge, and succeed as a first-time director?
Pompo the Cinephile is a rollicking, exuberant ode to the power of the movies, and the joys and heartbreak of the creative process, as a new director and his team devote their lives to the pursuit of a “masterpiece.”
Pompo the Cinephile
Tickets will be on sale March 25 at FathomEvents.com, PompoMovie.com and participating theater box offices. Ticket on-sale date may vary based on local cinemas, so check back often. (Theaters and participants are subject to change).
Nobody has ever failed so hard at trying to be good as The Bad Guys… In the new action comedy from DreamWorks Animation, based on Aaron Blabey’s New York Times best-selling Scholastic book series, a crackerjack criminal crew of animal outlaws are about to attempt their most challenging con yet — becoming model citizens.
A new trailer for the madcap morality play dropped today, whetting audience’s appetite for crime ahead of the April 22 theatrical release.
Never have there been five friends as infamous as The Bad Guys — dashing pickpocket Mr. Wolf (Academy Award winner Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri), seen-it-all safecracker Mr. Snake (Marc Maron, GLOW), chill master-of-disguise Mr. Shark (Craig Robinson, Hot Tub Time Machine franchise), short-fused “muscle” Mr. Piranha (Anthony Ramos, In the Heights) and sharp-tongued expert hacker Ms. Tarantula (Awkwafina, Crazy Rich Asians), aka “Webs.”
But when, after years of countless heists and being the world’s most-wanted villains, the gang is finally caught, Mr. Wolf brokers a deal (that he has no intention of keeping) to save them all from prison: The Bad Guys will go good.
The Bad Guys
Under the tutelage of their mentor Professor Marmalade (Richard Ayoade, Paddington 2), an arrogant (but adorable!) guinea pig, The Bad Guys set out to fool the world that they’ve been transformed. Along the way, though, Mr. Wolf begins to suspect that doing good for real may give him what he’s always secretly longed for: acceptance. So when a new villain threatens the city, can Mr. Wolf persuade the rest of the gang to become … The Good Guys?
The Bad Guys
The film co-stars Zazie Beetz (Joker), Lilly Singh (Bad Moms) and Emmy winner Alex Borstein (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel).
The Bad Guys is directed by Pierre Perifel (animator on the Kung Fu Panda films), making his feature-directing debut. The film is produced by Damon Ross (development executive, Trolls, The Boss Baby; co-producer Nacho Libre) and Rebecca Huntley (associate producer, The Boss Baby). The executive producers are Aaron Blabey, Etan Cohen and Patrick Hughes.
In a letter to AMPAS members, Academy President David Rubin revealed that this year’s 94th Oscars ceremony is aiming for a ‘tighter and more electric’ three-hour viewing experience on March 27, as part of a wider strategy to boost the audience for the ABC broadcast. Eight categories, including Best Animated Short Film and Best Original Score, will be taped before the telecast, and then re-inserted into the show as it goes.
The other categories getting the pre-tape treatment are Documentary Short, Film Editing, Makeup & Hairstyling, Production Design, Live-Action Short FIlm and Sound. The letter goes on to insist that all winners will have their ‘Oscar moment’, as the plan will include all nominees being named and all winners’ speeches included in the broadcast.
To recap, this year’s short film Oscar nominees are Affairs of the Art by Joanna Quinn (U.K.), Bestia by Hugo Covarrubias (Chile), BoxBallet by Anton Dyakov (Russia), Robin Robin by Dan Ojari & Mikey Please (U.K.) and The Windshield Wiper by Alberto Mielgo (Spain). Germaine Franco is up for Best Original Score for Encanto, which is also represented in Best Original Song for “Dos Oruguitas” (performed by Sebastián Yatra, lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda).
The Animated Feature, Visual Effects and Best Original Song categories remain in the live presentation lineup.
The 94th Oscars ceremony will be hosted by Regina Hall, Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes. Will Packer is producing the show, which will once again be helmed by veteran director Glenn Weiss.
Rubin’s letter reads in full:
“Dear Fellow Academy Members,
We’re excited to present a 94th Oscars broadcast that both honors the year’s achievements in motion pictures and provides boundless entertainment for our global audience of movie lovers. After carefully listening to feedback and suggestions from our film community, our network partner, and all those who love the Oscars, it was evident we needed to make some decisions about the broadcast that are in the best interest of the future of our show and our organization.
When deciding how to produce the Oscars, we recognize it’s a live event television show and we must prioritize the television audience to increase viewer engagement and keep the show vital, kinetic, and relevant. This has been an important focus of discussion for quite some time. We do this while also remembering the importance of having our nominees relish a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
In order to provide more time and opportunity for audience entertainment and engagement through comedy, musical numbers, film clip packages and movie tributes, a change in the show’s production will take place. This year’s show producers and Academy leadership with oversight of the Oscars have made the decision, with endorsement from the officers and the Awards Committee, that every awards category must be featured on the television broadcast, though eight awards will initially be presented in the Dolby Theatre in the hour before the live broadcast begins.
They will not be presented in the pre-show nor on the red carpet, as some have speculated. Instead, the in-person ceremony at the Dolby Theatre will begin one hour earlier to present eight awards categories before the live telecast starts. Those presentations will then be edited by our creative and production teams and will be folded seamlessly into the live televised show.
To be clear, all the nominees in ALL awards categories will be identified on air and ALL winners’ acceptance speeches will be featured on the live broadcast. Every awarded filmmaker and artist in every category will still have the celebratory ‘Oscar moment’ they deserve on the stage of the Dolby, facing an enrapt audience.
For the audience at home, the show’s flow does not change, though it will become tighter and more electric with this new cadence, and the live broadcast should end – yes, with the Best Picture category – at the three-hour mark.
This year, those categories presented in the evening’s first hour and seen later in the live broadcast are, alphabetically: Documentary (Short Subject), Film Editing, Makeup and Hairstyling, Music (Original Score), Production Design, Short Film (Animated), Short Film (Live Action), and Sound.
The categories to be presented live on this year’s broadcast are, alphabetically: Actor in a Leading Role, Actor in a Supporting Role, Actress in a Leading Role, Actress in a Supporting Role, Animated Feature Film, Best Picture, Cinematography, Costume Design, Directing, Documentary (Feature), International Feature Film, Music (Original Song), Visual Effects, Writing (Adapted Screenplay), and Writing (Original Screenplay).
We realize these kinds of changes can prompt concern about equity, and we ask you to understand our goal has been to find a balance in which nominees, winners, members, and viewing audience all have a rewarding show experience. Moving forward we will assess this change and will continue to look for additional ways to make our show more entertaining and more thrilling for all involved, inside the Dolby Theatre and watching from home.
Every Academy branch and award category is indispensable to the success of a film and vital to this industry. Both our challenge and our goal is to create an exciting, streamlined Oscars show without sacrificing the long-held fundamentals of our organization. We appreciate your understanding and will be grateful for your unwavering support.”
Cinesite (cinesite.com) has announced the appointment of Bradley Wald as Chief Operating Officer for Animation. Currently based in Los Angeles, he reports to Cinesite’s Group CEO Antony Hunt and the board of directors. Wald will operate as part of Cinesite’s senior leadership team and brings over 25 years of senior-level experience to the newly created role which stretches across the company’s international animation operations in Vancouver, Montreal and London. Wald will be responsible for leading Cinesite’s animation business operations as the studio continues to grow its roster of animated feature films and series while also cultivating a broad range of growth opportunities. His appointment coincides with the studio’s decision to embrace and facilitate remote working permanently.
Bradley Wald
“I am honored and excited to join Cinesite at such an electrifying time in the animation business as we continue collaborating with incredible filmmakers on commercial films and series with global appeal,” said Wald. “There is a lot of momentum around Cinesite and I’m taking on this new role knowing how well-positioned the studio is for continued success.”
Wald’s career highlights include managing the release of LAIKA’s award-winning feature films Kubo and the Two Strings and Missing Link, as well as growing brand extensions and commercial opportunities through live exhibitions, consumer products and planning its move into TV adaptation, whilst developing the studio’s social media presence. He also managed NBCU’s highly successful brand and commercial activities surrounding Downton Abbey via distribution, home entertainment as well as other ancillary revenue streams including a LIMA Award-winning consumer products portfolio, and other apps and games.
Wald previously was SVP and Managing Director, Europe, Middle East & Africa, at Comcast International Media Group, where he led a team which developed and distributed E! and other Comcast television brands throughout the region, running all aspects of sales, business development, marketing and finance.
David Cobb has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Operations & Content Planning for Disney Branded Television, as announced by President Ayo Davis. In this new role, Cobb is responsible for strategic oversight and content planning for Disney Branded Television, a provider of original content — scripted and unscripted, live-action and animated — for Disney+, Disney Channel, Disney XD and Disney Junior, with a primary focus on imaginative, aspirational stories geared towards kids, tweens, teens and families.
Cobb will also now oversee studio operations and technology teams supporting DBT’s Disney Television Animation and the entertainment property acquisitions and partnerships for Disney Branded Television overall. He also serves as a strategic advisor to Davis and the executive leadership team. Reporting to Cobb is Scott Erickson, VP Technology, Disney Television Animation; the yet-to-be-announced VP Studio Strategy & Operations, Disney Television Animation; and Kelly Fountaine, manager integrated culture, Disney Branded Television.
Previously,Cobb was VP Business Planning & Strategy for Disney Channels since 2010. He joined The Walt Disney Company in 1996 and held positions in Disney Consumer Products, Walt Disney Imagineering and Disney Parks and Resorts divisions. Cobb has a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Architecture from University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a Bachelor of Science in civil and environmental engineering from Tennessee Technological University.
Guillermo del Toro
On the heels of being named the recipient of the 2022 VES Award for Creative Excellence, the Advanced Imaging Society (theadvancedimagingsociety.com) announced today that Academy Award-winning director and producer Guillermo del Toro will be honored with the first ever Gene Kelly Visionary Award at the 2022 AIS Lumiere Awards. AIS will also present The Sir Charles Wheatstone Award to Epic Games for Unreal Engine, the real-time 3D tool used by filmmakers to enhance production pipelines. These join previously announced honorees Denis Villeneuve (Harold Lloyd Award) and Adam McKay (Voices For the Earth Award) at the 12th annual awards ceremony, which will take place as a luncheon on Friday, March 4 at The Beverly Hills Hotel. Gene Kelly’s widow and biographer Patricia Ward Kelly will present del Toro’s award.
Acclaimed Mexican director-producer-screenwriter del Toro has received multiple awards and nominations. His films have alternated between Spanish-language fantasy films, such as The Devil’s Backbone and Pan’s Labyrinth, and American studio films such as Blade II, Hellboy, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, Pacific Rim and Crimson Peak. He received the Academy Award for Best Director and Best Picture for the fantastical romance The Shape of Water. Nightmare Alley, del Toro’s latest project, has received four Academy Award nominations including Best Picture; three BAFTA nominations; a WGA nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay; and an ASC nomination for Best Feature Film, among many others. Del Toro’s upcoming projects include his stop-motion adaptation of Pinocchio, and the Netflix anthology series Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities. Del Toro was included in Time Magazine’s list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2018 and he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2019.
Ethel Rubinstein (LVLY) | Kevin Robinson (Juniper Jones)
New York, L.A. and cloud-based creative content specialists LVLY Inc. (lvly.tv) has recently acquired Brooklyn-based studio Juniper Jones (juniperjones.tv), expanding its capabilities as a strategic creative partner for advertising agencies and global brands. Moving forward with Juniper Jones as a key division, LVLY will leverage the combined depth of their creative talent, problem solving approach, and technology-forward workflows to empower all clients, through creative collaboration, to grow and express their brands.
“We can deliver the full range of communication services that brands need today and serve as a long-term creative partner helping them adapt to the communication landscape of the future,” said Ethel Rubinstein, LVLY’s CEO. “The demand for digital content continues to accelerate and evolve. With virtual engagement between companies and their customers more important than ever, our Clients are looking for agile partners who can support them throughout the entire content creation lifecycle from Brand Strategy to Design to Content Creation.”
Acquiring Juniper Jones makes LVLY home to a full-lifecycle of creative specialists, providing a connected portfolio of services including Strategy, Ideation, Visual Identity, Motion Design, 3D Animation, VFX, Live Action, Social/Digital, Editorial and Sound.
“Our clients value true collaboration with skilled artists in every creative capability. They want to work with people who invest the time to know and love their brands as much as they do. They trust us to tailor solutions that grow their brands through storytelling,” said Juniper Jones founder Kevin Robinson, now Executive Creative Director at LVLY, “By merging the content creation and production know-how from LVLY Studio with Juniper Jones, we super-charge those capabilities with big-picture creative strategy, making our interface with client teams more seamless and growing our capability to craft innovative solutions. We’re built to shorten the distance between a strategy and its execution.”
Javier Barboza
Film Independent (filmindependent.org), the nonprofit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards, has selected 30 filmmakers for Project Involve 2022 — a free nine-month program for writers, directors, producers, editors, cinematographers, animators, programmers and entertainment executives from diverse backgrounds. During the program, participants meet one-on-one with film industry mentors, create short films, attend master workshops taught by top film professionals and industry networking events. The fourth LAIKA Animation Fellowship provides a production grant to produce a stop-motion animated short film in Project Involve. This year’s LAIKA Animation Fellow is Javier Barboza.
Didimo, Inc. (didimo.co) has made a series of key staffing hires in the past quarter that highlights a deeper capability in gaming character design, planning and support as the company rolls out additional capabilities for the important Gaming and VR industries. These senior hires continue to expand capabilities as the company seeks to elevate the capability and identity likeness of characters for games and VR. In addition to developing new support tools like a Unity SDK and new visualization standards, this team has helped Didimo prepare to launch bodies this Spring, to provide game designers full 3D characters with incredible quality and animation capability. Among the recent hires:
Sean Cooper
Sean Cooper, Lead Platform & SDK Developer. With over 30 years of experience in game and character design, Sean has designed and programmed many hit titles for Electronic Arts (which collectively sold 20+ million copies) such as Magic Carpet, Syndicate, Dungeon Keeper, Battlefield, 007, Godfather and more. Since then, he has developed key technologies for gaming in browsers and designed & developed digital twin technologies for various industries. Sean has also worked to design and build configurators in Unity, including defining new character creation methods. He is currently leading the development of Didimo’s next-level user likeness and bodies systems.
Hai Phung
Hai Phung, Senior Character Artist. Hai brings a wealth of character artistry experience working at companies like Browzwear, Industrial Light & Magic, Bild Studios and Dimension. At Didimo, he has helped to revamp and automate the 3D character art pipeline and AI deep learning system to generate full-body avatars able to work with industry-standard animation and fashion tools.
Jamie Blyth
Jamie Blyth, Lead Rigger. Whilst working at leading VFX studios MPC and Framestore, Jamie has led the asset development and animation systems for multiple award-winning films – most notably bringing to life characters such as Smart Hulk and the Black Order for Avengers: Endgame & Infinity War, Lady for Lady and the Tramp and a menagerie of cartoon animals for Tom and Jerry. His other credits include Doctor Strange 2, Fantastic Beasts 2 & 3, Venom 2, Thor: Ragnarok, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Mowgli and many more. Jamie is now helping to guide next-level animation capabilities, with new Didimo animation features set to launch in March 2022.
Veronica Orvalho
Veronica Orvalho, Founder and CEO of Didimo, stated: “We are excited that Didimo is growing and attracting industry-leading talent. Our most recent additions of Sean, Jamie, and Hai greatly expand our abilities to serve Gaming and VR clients and are helping to advance our product to include bodies, additional animation capabilities and continuously improving likeness quality. We are excited for the expertise they bring and their deep knowledge in helping clients make the most of our leading-edge technology.”
Dan Shimmyo
Multi-talented developer and CG artist Dan Shimmyo has joined Nice Shoes (niceshoes.com) as its Lead XR Developer. With over 15 years of experience across the industry, Shimmyo has an impressive background in feature animation, working on such favorites as the Ice Age film series and its spin-offs, the Rio films, Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who!, The Peanuts Movie, Epic and Ferdinand. Following this hugely successful career in feature animation, Shimmyo has turned his attention to crafting VR experiences, sculpting and 3D modeling, using Unity and Unreal Engine to develop a range of exciting projects such as the ‘Saber Thing’ plasma sword mechanic. He previously collaborated with Creative Director Ninaad Kulkarni to build an immersive virtual showroom for Audi.
Sporting a keen eye for creative solutions, Shimmyo has been an asset when it comes to automating numerous repetitive processes in animation, notably during his time at Blue Sky Studios as Materials Technical Director and Senior Fur Technical Director. During this time, he handled asset management and pipeline tools development, using PERL, MEL and CGI Studio scripting languages. He also handled shaders development using Maya Hypershade, and colored and textured 3D models using a proprietary shading language. Working across character and environment models, he used procedural tools to apply fur and hair to characters, leaves and branches on trees, and grass on ground planes. Shimmyo also developed Maya nodes and fur generator plug-ins using C++.
For the Ice Age franchise, Shimmyo developed a way to add barnacles to a character’s skin using shaders and materials, rather than by modeling it. This eliminated the need for extra geometry to be built, as barnacles could be positioned in code and generated at render time. For the Rio movies, meanwhile, Dan created a way to automate the process of mapping bricks onto the various buildings in the films. He built a procedural brick wall texture that could detect the orientation of each wall and position the brick texture appropriately. In addition to this, he crafted a fur coloring pipeline that would automatically convert all the characters from the first film to fit the updated workflows of the second.
Fred Rogers Productions, the award-winning children’s media organization behind multiple Emmy-winning PBS KIDS series, including Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, has received grants from the Richard King Mellon Foundation and Heinz Family Foundation. The combined funding totals $350,000 to support onscreen programming and community outreach initiatives for its newest hit series, Alma’s Way and Donkey Hodie, which launched in 2021 on PBS KIDS.
The Richard King Mellon grant for $250,000 will be split between the two series, while the $100,000 from Heinz Family Foundation is designated for Donkey Hodie. Both Foundations have a history of supporting local efforts to foster early learning. The Richard King Mellon Foundation’s most recent contribution to Fred Rogers Productions was the lead gift to the “Legacy Lives On Campaign,” of which the Heinz Family Foundation was also a generous supporter.
“The Richard King Mellon Foundation and Heinz Family Foundation are long-time supporters of the organization and our mission to provide quality programming that serves the needs of children and helps to foster a love of learning,” said Paul Siefken, President and CEO, Fred Rogers Productions. “We’re grateful to both foundations for their commitment and support that make our work possible.”
Aimed at viewers ages 4-6, Alma’s Way follows six-year-old Alma Rivera, a proud, confident Puerto Rican girl who lives in the Bronx with her parents, younger brother, Junior and Abuelo as well as a diverse group of close-knit and loving friends, family and community members. Each episode models self-awareness, responsible decision-making, and empathy, while encouraging kids to generate and value their own ideas and questions.
Alma’s Way is created by Sonia Manzano, best known to generations of kids and families as “Maria” on Sesame Street. Ellen Doherty, Chief Creative Officer at Fred Rogers Productions, and Manzano are executive producers. Alma’s Way is produced by Fred Rogers Productions in association with Pipeline Studios.
Inspired by the funny, quirky side of children’s television pioneer Fred Rogers, Donkey Hodie is an imaginative puppet series following the adventures of Donkey Hodie, an enthusiastic and charming go-getter who takes on each day with curiosity and resilience, and her pals Purple Panda, Duck Duck and Bob Dog. Set in the whimsical land of Someplace Else, the social-emotional series is designed to empower children ages 3-5 to dream big and overcome obstacles in their own lives, to work hard and persevere in the face of failure, to be resourceful and discover they can solve problems on their own — and to laugh themselves silly along the way.
Donkey Hodie is created by Adam Rudman and David Rudman, co-founders of Spiffy Pictures, and developed by Ellen Doherty; all three are executive producers.
Boston public media producer GBH has awarded five fellowships to early-career writers who will bring diverse viewpoints and BIPOC representation to Work It Out Wombats!, a new animated GBH Kids series for PBS. The GBH Kids Scriptwriting Fellowship aims to diversify the pipeline of writers for both the series and the greater children’s media industry by providing early-career writers who are members of underrepresented groups with hands-on learning experience in television writing for children.
“The GBH Kids team is incredibly excited to welcome our five accomplished scriptwriting fellows to Work It Out Wombats!,” said GBH Kids Executive Producers Marcy Gunther and Marisa Wolsky. “We can’t wait to see how each individual brings their unique style, perspective and experience to the Wombats world.”
Work It Out Wombats! is a new animated series for kids ages 3-6 from GBH Kids (Arthur, Molly of Denali) and Pipeline Studios (Nina’s World, Bubble Guppies). The series stars Malik, Zadie and Zeke — three energetic and creative marsupial siblings who live with their grandmother in her treehouse apartment complex, known as the Treeborhood. The playful trio will demonstrate computational thinking (CT) for preschoolers, a way of thinking that enables them to solve problems, express themselves, and accomplish tasks using the practices, processes and ideas at the core of computer science.
Work It Out Wombats! will premiere on PBS KIDS in early 2023.
The GBH Kids Scriptwriting Fellowship is taking place virtually, with weekly writing assignments, along with mentorship and feedback sessions. The Fellowship will cover all aspects of writing for GBH Kids, with support on writing stories that specifically engage children in STEM learning. It also will provide guidance for the writers’ individual career development within the children’s media field.
The Fellowship is led by head writer Kathy Waugh, whose credits include Peep and the Big Wide World, Curious George and Arthur, and who co-created and executive story edited Molly of Denali; senior producer Gabe Monje-Paulson, who is also a Senior Manager, Development & Current for Mattel TV; and production manager Melissa Martin Pollard, who has years of experience coordinating and production managing large series with multiple episodes, including Work It Out Wombats!
Work It Out Wombats! Scriptwriting Fellows:
Mercedes Brazier-Thurman is a Harlem-based screenwriter and abolitionist educator from Detroit. Mercedes has a BA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts in Film and Dramatic Writing and an MA in Educational Theater from NYU’s Steinhardt School of Education.
Shemeka Foster is a New York-based writer, educator and youth motivational speaker. Her mission is to write stories that empower children and help build their self-esteem. Shemeka is a member of Women In Animation, Children’s Media Association and Act One.
Sofia Geck is a writer and composer based in Brooklyn, NY. Her children’s writing has been featured in Sesame Workshop’s “Caring for Each Other” initiative as well as the animated web series Gnome Bros.
Cheyenne “Casper” Lynn is a Toronto Film School graduate. They produced an award-winning short film, Her Little Rose, recipient of the Writers for Writers Diversity Initiative in 2019 and the Al MaGee Diverse Screenwriter Award.
Dejen Tesfagiorgis is the founder of a media education startup and has appeared in videos for Disney+, NBC News Digital, Bleacher Report and Cosmo. Dejen performs standup, improv and sketch regularly throughout NYC, and trained at Upright Citizens Brigade Theater.
Major funding for this fellowship is provided by a Ready To Learn Grant from the U.S. Department of Education; the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American People; and public television viewers.
The contents of this Scriptwriting Fellowship were developed under a grant from the Department of Education. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. [PR/Award No. S295A200004, CFDA No. 84.295A]
Warner Bros. Animation continues to glean beloved characters from DC’s robust library for the popular DC Showcase line of animated shorts, this time opting to elevate Constantine, Kamandi, The Losers and Blue Beetle in the 2021-2022 compilation release, DC Showcase: Constantine – The House of Mystery. The R-rated shorts collection will be available from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on Blu-ray (U.S. $24.99 SRP; Canada $29.99 SRP) and in 4K on Digital starting May 3.
Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, DC and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, and inspired by characters and stories from the iconic DC Universe, the all-new quartet of DC Showcase shorts are produced by Rick Morales (Mortal Kombat Legends franchise, Injustice). Jim Krieg is producer, and Sam Register is executive producer.
While Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth!, The Losers and Blue Beetle have all appeared as enhanced content on past DC Universe Movies, the extended-length Constantine – The House of Mystery makes its public debut as the anchor for this dynamic shorts compilation.
Matt Ryan (Constantine, Legends of Tomorrow) reprises his live-action and animated role as the Hellblazer himself in Constantine – The House of Mystery. In the all-new short, John Constantine wakes up in the eerie House of Mystery with no recollection of how he got there. Fortunately, Zatanna and his friends are all there. Unfortunately, they have a bad habit of turning into demons and ripping him to shreds, over and over again!
Camilla Luddington (Grey’s Anatomy) and Ray Chase (Licorice Pizza) reprise their roles from Justice League Dark: Apokolips War as Zatanna and Jason Blood/Etrigan, respectively, while Robin Atkin Downes (The Strain) and Damian O’Hare (Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl) reprise their roles from Constantine: City of Demons as Negral and Chas, respectively. In addition, Grey Griffin (Scooby-Doo franchise) and Lou Diamond Phillips (La Bamba, Longmire, Young Guns) join the cast of the short, which is directed by Matt Peters (Injustice) from a script by Ernie Altbacker (Batman: Hush).
Also included in the collection:
Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth! — Directed by Matt Peters (Justice League Dark: Apokolips War) from a script written by Paul Giacoppo (Young Justice, Star Wars: Resistance), initially released as a bonus feature on Justice Society: World War II in Spring 2021. Jack Kirby’s beloved DC comic creation features the last civilized teenage boy on a post-apocalyptic Earth ruled by talking animals. In this short, Kamandi and his friends Prince Tuftan of the Tiger Kingdom and humanoid mutant Ben Boxer are kidnapped by a gorilla cult dedicated to finding the reincarnation of their god, The Mighty One. Golgan, the cult’s leader, puts Kamandi’s team through a series of deadly tests to find if any of them know the secret of The Mighty One.
The thriller features the voices of Cameron Monaghan (Gotham, Shameless) as Kamandi, Steve Blum (Star Wars: Rebels, Cowboy Bebop, Naruto franchise) as Golgan & Tuftan, Adam Gifford (Masters of the Universe: Revelation) as Zuma and Armen Taylor (Justice Society: World War II) as Ben Boxer.
The Losers — The legendary rag-tag team of World War II outcasts – Captain Storm, Johnny Cloud, “Mile-a- Minute” Jones, rookie Gunner and Sarge – find themselves marooned on an uncharted island in the South Pacific that is completely overrun with dinosaurs! Their would-be ally on this deadly mission, the mysterious and beautiful Fan Long of the Chinese Security Agency, tells them their job is to rescue the scientists that have been sent to study a time/space anomaly. Perhaps… but what is her mission?
Ming-Na Wen (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., The Book of Boba Fett) leads the cast as the mysterious Fan. Along for the journey is Dean Winters (John Wick, 30 Rock) as Captain Storm, Dave B. Mitchell (Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms) as Gunner & Sarge, Eugene Byrd (Bones, Arrow) as Mile-a-Minute Jones and Martin Sensmeier (Westworld, The Magnificent Seven) as Johnny Cloud. Initially included as a bonus feature on Batman: The Long Halloween, Part One, The Losers is directed by Milo Neuman (LEGO DC Comics Super Heroes: The Flash) from a script by Tim Sheridan (Batman: The Long Halloween).
Blue Beetle — Sufferin’ Scarabs! Silver Age Blue Beetle is back! And had he ever starred in a 1960s Saturday morning limited-animation cartoon with its own jazzy earworm of a theme song, it would have been just like this short! Welcome to the adventures of Ted Kord, alias the Blue Beetle, as he teams up with fellow Super Heroes Captain Atom, The Question and Nightshade to battle that nefarious finagler of feelings, Doctor Spectro.
Matt Lanter (Timeless, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, 90210) stars as Blue Beetle alongside Jeff Bennett (Johnny Bravo, Curious George) as Captain Atom & Pops, Ashly Burch (The Ghost and Molly McGee) as Nightshade, David Kaye (Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, He- Man and the Masters of the Universe) as The Question and Tom Kenny (SpongeBob SquarePants) as Dr. Spectro. Originally attached to Batman: The Long Halloween, Part Two, Blue Beetle is directed by Milo Neuman (Freedom Fighters: The Ray) from a screenplay by Jennifer Keene (Phineas and Ferb) based on a story by Jeremy Adams (Mortal Kombat Legends franchise).
Launched in 2010, DC Showcase was originally comprised of four animated shorts: The Spectre (2/23/2010), Jonah Hex (7/27/2010), Green Arrow (9/28/2010) and Superman/Shazam: The Return of Black Adam (11/9/2010). An additional short, Catwoman (10/18/2011), was attached the following year to the release of Batman: Year One. For 2019-2020, DC Showcase returned with five shorts: Sgt. Rock (8/6/2019) Death (10/22/2019), The Phantom Stranger (3/17/2020), Adam Strange (5/19/2020), and the interactive Batman: Death in the Family (10/13/2020).
DC Showcase: Constantine – The House of Mystery – Special Feature (Blu-ray and Digital)
DC Showcase: One Story at a Time (New Featurette) – Since the 1993 debut of Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, Warner Bros. Animation has revolutionized and mastered the feature film world with their critically successful DC Universe Movies and DC Animated Movies. In 2010, the creative team hit upon the idea of presenting some of the more under-utilized DC characters in shorter stories – and thus, the DC Showcase was born. The shorts program has provided a fertile venue for creators and animators to explore the vast array of DC’s diverse heroes, worlds and universes, and gives audiences a taste of their infinite possibilities. Featuring some big names as well as the deeper cuts, these short films reflect different styles and sensibilities, and are inspired by renowned creators like Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko and Alan Moore. This documentary takes a look at the roots of DC Showcase – from Catwoman and Sgt. Rock to Death and Superman/Shazam: The Return of Black Adam, as well as the current quartet of shorts. Included are interviews with producer Rick Morales and directors Matt Peters & Milo Neuman as they explore the featured heroes and villains, the comics that inspired them, and these adventures’ place in the bigger picture of the DC animated universe.
Ahead of the Cartoon Movie‘s live event return in Bordeaux, France March 8-10, organizers have revealed a dozen nominees for this year’s Cartoon Movie Tributes. Created in 2001, the awards recognize the work of European animation professionals in the categories of Producer, Distributor and Director. Most of the nominated films have gone through the pitching and co-production confab in their development or production stage, reasserting the importance of Cartoon Movie to the local industry.
The Cartoon Tributes were last awarded in 2020, honoring Zabou Breitman & Éléa Gobbé-Mévellec (The Swallows of Kabul) as Directors of the Year, Lumière (Belgium) as Distributor of the Year, and France’s Xilam Animation / Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Cinéma as Producers of the Year for I Lost My Body by Jérémy Clapin. Because the 2021 Cartoon Movie was held virtually, due to the pandemic, the Tributes were not organized last year.
But, 2022 will at last see the 21st edition of the Cartoon Tributes. During Cartoon Movie attendees can hear a few words from all the nominees before the vote starts. All participants on site will have the possibility to vote for their peers during dedicated timeframes for each of the three categories. The result of the votes will be announced on Thursday, March 10 at the end of the closing day lunch.
Cartoon Tributes
The 2022 nominees are:
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
Lardux Films / MIDRALGAR (France) for The Neighbors of My Neighbors Are Neighbors of Mine. Together with Bordeaux-based MIDRALGAR, Lardux created a sort of Nouvelle Vague in animated cinema for this film.
Julianne Films / Folivari (France) / Mélusine Productions (Studio 352) (Luxembourg) for The Summit of the Gods. An adaptation of the manga by Jiro Taniguchi and Baku Yumemakura, the animated film is a great cinematographic expedition. Nominated at the César & at the Annie Awards for Best Animated Film 2022; Winner of the Prix Lumière Best Animated Film 2021.
Purple Whale Films / Walking the Dog (Belgium) / Samsa Film / Doghouse Films (Luxembourg) / Bridgit Folman Film Gang (Israel) / Submarine (Netherlands) / Le Pacte (France) for Where Is Anne Frank?. Based on the successful graphic novel, the movie was a major new step for this emblematic story. Renowned Israeli director Ari Folman created the graphic novel and directed the animated movie.
Fresh Films (Czech Republic) / Les Films du Cygne (France) / Cinemart SK (Slovakia) / Animoon (Poland) for Even Mice Belong in Heaven. The fully European team shared creative enthusiasm for making a beautiful stop-motion film for the whole family. Nominated for the 2022 César.
DISTRIBUTOR OF THE YEAR
Charades (France) | Carole Baraton, Yohann Comte and Pierre Mazars founded Charades in January 2017, following successful tenures as head and VPs of International Sales at Wild Bunch, Gaumont and StudioCanal, respectively. A dynamic sales company based in Paris with a global reach, Charades offers a fresh perspective and wealth of experience in international sales, packaging and distribution. Charades wishes to promote the singularity of each film and the plurality of cinema. Their catalog includes eclectic and prestigious animated movies such as The Queen’s Corgi and I I Lost My Body.
Folkets Bio (Sweden) | An art-house distributor in Sweden that has been in business since 1973. Every year Folkets Bio releases around 25 feature films and 15-20 short films theatrically. Its latest animation releases are Latte Igel and the Magic Waterstone, Shooom’s Odyssey, Wolfwalkers and The Breadwinner.
New Europe Film Sales (NEFS) (Poland) | A Warsaw-based boutique world sales company selling quality-feature films and shorts from all over the world. The company’s catalog includes award-winning and widely-sold films Gordon & Paddy and Jacob, Mimmi & the Talking Dogs, among others, as well as the upcoming new movie from Oscar-nominated Loving Vincent director Dorota Kobiela, The Peasants (coming in 2023).
Spamflix (Portugal) | Created in 2019, Spamflix is a VOD streaming platform focused on avant-garde and cult films that are difficult to frame into one precise genre. Recent additions to its animated offerings include A Town Called Panic, Birdboy: The Forgotten Children and The Old Man Movie.
DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Michaela Pavlátová for My Sunny Maad (Czech Republic) | Pavlátová started her career directing short animation movies, and this is her first feature-length animation. She won the short film Cristal at Annecy 2012 for Tram, which was also shortlisted for an Oscar. In 2021, My Sunny Maad won the Annecy Jury Award for feature film.
Florence Miailhe for The Crossing (France) | Miailhe is a visual artist, painter and engraver at the school of Decorative Arts in Paris. She makes pictorial and personal animated short films. Her work has garnered many awards, including an Honorary Cristal at the 39th Annecy Festival in 2015, and a special mention at the Cannes Film Festival in 2006 for Conte de quartier. The Crossing is the first feature animated entirely by oil painted on glass; it won the Jury Distinction in Annecy 2021.
Jonas Poher Rasmussen for Flee (Denmark) | His latest film Flee, an animated documentary about a close friend, was officially selected for Cannes 2020, won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, the Best Doc Prize at Gothenburg, the Annecy Cristal for a Feature Film and the Gan Foundation Award for distribution. It is nominated in three categories at the 2022 Oscars — Animated Feature, Documentary Feature and International Feature — further demonstrating animation ability to go beyond its traditional boundaries.
Julien Fournet for The Adventures of Pil (France) | Julien, screenwriter and director, worked for several years on the series The Jungle Bunch to the Rescue, for which he wrote or directed more than 50 episodes. Convinced by his talent, TAT asked him to develop his first animated feature film.
Learn more about Cartoon Movie 2022 and register to attend at cartoon-media.eu.
Apple today released the official trailer for season two of The Snoopy Show, which is set to premiere with all six episodes Friday, March 11 on Apple TV+.
Peanuts fans all around the world can also look forward to two brand new Peanuts specials coming soon to Apple TV+, including It’s the Small Things, Charlie Brown a new original special in celebration of Earth Day featuring an original song by American singer-songwriter Ben Folds, premiering on April 15; and, To Mom (and Dad), With Love, launching on Friday, May 6, just in time for Mother’s Day Sunday.
Also coming soon to Apple TV+ through its partnership with WildBrain are classic Peanuts titles, including Charlie Brown’s All Stars!; You’re Not Elected, Charlie Brown; She’s a Good Skate, Charlie Brown; It’s Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown and Snoopy’s Reunion. The anthology collection will make its streaming debut March 4, on Apple TV+.
The expanding and award-winning lineup of original animation for kids and families on Apple TV+ also includes the recently premiered, critically-acclaimed El Deafo; Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock and Harriet the Spy from The Jim Henson Company; Wolfboy and the Everything Factory from Joseph Gordon-Levitt, HITRECORD and Bento Box Entertainment; Get Rolling with Otis; Helpsters from Sesame Workshop; Academy Award-nominated animated film Wolfwalkers; Peabody Award-winning series Stillwater; new series and specials from Peanuts and WildBrain including Snoopy in Space S2 and For Auld Lang Syne; and Daytime Emmy-winning Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth, based on the New York Times best-selling book and TIME Best Book of the Year by Oliver Jeffers.
Apple TV+ is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions for a broad range of screen devices. tv.apple.com
Disney+ has released the key art for Ice Age: Scrat Tales, a series of six all-new animated shorts starring Scrat, the franchise’s hapless saber-toothed squirrel, who experiences the ups and downs of fatherhood as he and the adorable, mischievous Baby Scrat alternately bond with each other and battle for ownership of the highly treasured Acorn.
Featuring the vocal talents of Chris Wedge (Scrat) and Kari Wahlgren (Baby Scrat), the series is produced by Anthony Nisi, with Robert L. Baird and Andrew Millstein serving as executive producers. Ice Age: Scrat Tales will debut on Disney+ on April 13.
Ice Age: Scrat Tales
The shorts series comprises the following misadventures:
“Nuts About You” Directed by Michael Berardini and Donnie Long, story by Michael Berardini – Scrat meets his son Baby Scrat and experiences the pure joy of being a new parent — until Baby Scrat sees The Acorn for the first time.
“LoFi Scrat Beats to Sleep/Chill To” Directed by Donnie Long and Matt Munn, story by Donnie Long – Scrat pounds out a percussive lullaby to get a crying Baby Scrat to fall asleep.
“X’s and Uh-O’s” Directed by Donnie Long and Drew Winey, story by James Young Jackson and Drew Winey – Scrat demonstrates for Baby Scrat how to plant The Acorn, but Scrat is really the one being taught a lesson.
Ice Age: Scrat Tales
“Nutty Reflections” Directed by Donnie Long and Eric Prah, story by Galen Tan Chu. – Scrat and Baby Scrat run after The Acorn into a dark cave, which resembles a creepy funhouse hall of mirrors.
“Teeter Toddler” Directed by Jeff Gabor and Donnie Long, story by Galen Tan Chu – Thanks to a dodo bird, Scrat and Baby Scrat end up on opposite sides of a log held up by a single branch.
“Nut The End” Directed by Lisa Allen Keane and Donnie Long, story by Michael Thurmeier – The Acorn goes flying off a cliff. With it seemingly gone forever, can Scrat and Baby Scrat live in harmony?
Cardiff Animation Festival (CAF) is back for its third year, and has announced its official selection of animated short films in competition. This year, Cardiff Animation Festival is going hybrid, with online events held throughout April, and in-person events held at Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff from April 7-10.
A full jam-packed program of screenings, masterclasses, Q&As, networking events and parties will be announced in early March, but key among them are the short film screenings that showcase some of the best animated work that has been made over the last two years.
With 102 short films from 22 countries – over half of which were directed by women – the selection features a variety of unique voices and a diverse range of stories. The seven screenings for adult audiences all have ‘hybrid titles’ that reflect the festival’s 2022 theme:
Clockwise: Reduction, The Principle of Sunrise, A Bite of Bone, Soft Tissue, 04111311 (center)
Together/Apart explores the struggles and the joys of relationships, featuring everything from fighting to survive in the post-apocalyptic future in Reductionby Réka Anna Szakály, to reflecting on time spent with a loved one in A Bite of Bone by Honami Yano.
Human/Nature asks the question: What makes us human? Are we truly different from everything else on the planet? The concept of humanity is explored through films from the serene The Principle of Sunrise by Ye Song to the U.K. premiere of Soft Tissue by Cliona Noonan.
Sound/Vision is a treat for the ears as well as the eyes. Music and animation come together to provide a multi-sensory experience, featuring films like the abstract 04111311by Flora Martyr and the adorable Polar Bear Bears Boredom by Koji Yamamura.
Clockwise: Arka, Affairs of the Art, Polar Bear Bears Boredom, Forever a Kid, Chado (center)
Home/Sick is a selection packed with nostalgia. It’s an opportunity to cozy up with cherished memories from childhood in Forever A Kid by Frederieke Mooij and a family’s eccentric obsessions with Affairs of the Art by Joanna Quinn.
Silent/Cinema shows that a great film transcends language barriers. The films in this selection don’t have dialogue, but each one says a lot. Fall into dreamy summer memories in Chado by Dominica Harrison and sail away with surreal cruise ship tragicomedy Arka by Natko Stipanicev.
Reel/Life is a showcase of animated documentaries. From stories of the Hong Kong Riots in Prince Edward by Hoching Kwok to an autobiographical portrayal of living with autism in Strangeby Cameron Carr, this selection is packed with touching tales and inspiring stories.
After/Dark is a late-night screening of shorts with a bit of a bite. From ravenous spiders in Arachnarche by Emma Jordan, to a gruesome re-telling of human history in Cutiesby Theo W. Scott, this adults-only selection is not for those who are unsettled easily…
Clockwise: Arka, Affairs of the Art, Polar Bear Bears Boredom, Forever a Kid, Chado (center)
Cardiff Animation Festival’s family program will also include a variety of events for children. The Animated Family Shorts screening for primary school-age children includes an adventure with some furry friends in A Cat Called Jam (Lorraine Lordan) and an eventful journey to school in Tobi and the Turbobus (Verena Fels). Further events for children and families will be announced in early March.
“After having to postpone CAF 2020 at the eleventh hour, the last two years have been a crash course in running online events. This year, we’re combining our experience of running online and in-person events with our first ever hybrid edition,” said Festival Director Lauren Orme. “We’re so excited to be back at Chapter and venues around Cardiff with a huge range of in-person events, as well as making lots of the festival available online, giving our audiences the chance to access the festival however they want to. We can’t wait to see everyone in person and in the online chat box!”
Festival passes are on sale now at cardiffanimation.com, with a limited number available at reduced Early Bird prices. Tickets for individual events will be on sale following the full programme announcement in early March.
Legendary Scottish comedian, actor, writer, musician and raconteur Billy Connolly is pulling brow-raising anecdotes from his 50-year career for a new TV series, Billy Connolly Does…, premiering on UKTV’s Gold channel on February 24. London-based animation house Kong Studio was tapped to bring the stories to life, as narrated by the 79-year-old retired stand-up.
Billy Connolly Does… Scuba
“I’m really looking forward to sharing a few of my favorite moments from over the years… it’s been brilliant, and I hope you’ll come along for the ride!” said Connolly, who has appeared in beloved movies from Muppet Treasure Island to The Boondock Saints to The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. Animation fans will recognize him as the voice of Fergus in Brave, and from The Ballad of Nessie, Open Season and Pocahontas.
“Billy Connolly is one of the world’s great storytellers, so we were thrilled to be asked to help bring his stories to life,” said Kong co-founder Tom Baker. “Being the renaissance man, not only is he a dab hand on the banjo but he’s also an accomplished visual artist. This helped establish the style of the animation.”
Billy Connolly Does… Crocodile
The show was commissioned by UKTV’s Iain Coyle, the Head of Comedy Entertainment in partnership with Moonshine Features. Each episode focuses on ‘The Big Yin’s’ musings on a given topic, like work, travel, parenthood and love. All the interviews took place at Connolly’s Florida home, filmed by his frequent collaborator, director Mike Reilly.
“How do you improve a Billy Connolly story involving a boring salesman, a rock’n’roll roadie and a bowl of trifle?” posed Reilly, co-Creative Director of Moonshine. “Animate it.”
Billy Connolly Does… Marlon Brando
The first thing to pin down was the design of Connolly himself — the avatar needed to be instantly recognizable. With Connolly being an accomplished artist himself, the Kong team had plenty of material to work with. Kong, inspired by Connolly’s line drawings, went to work replicating his signature hair, iconic lycra and banana boots
“We needed something quick and expressive but also identifiably Billy Connolly — and we got this all from the great man’s signature. He does a little caricature of himself when he signs stuff. This small detail gave us a great insight into how he sees himself,” noted Baker. “It’s a given he was center stage of every anecdote, so once we had a Billy that looked good, the rest almost drew itself. “
With the release of its debut feature film right around the corner, Skydance Animation announced an exciting addition to its movie slate: Oscar-winning helmer Brad Bird’s Ray Gunn. The project will mark his first return to animation since Pixar box-office record hit The Incredibles 2 (2018).
The filmmaker behind The Incredibles, Ratatouille, The Iron Giant and live-action flicks Tomorrowland and Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is directing and producing the project, which is based on his original story concept. The script is written by Bird and Matthew Robbins, who penned Guillermo del Toro’s Crimson Peak and upcoming Pinocchio).
Bird will reunite with ousted Pixar leader John Lasster, who as Head of Skydance Animation is producing for the studio, alongside Skydance CEO David Ellison and Chief Creative Officer Dana Goldberg.
Details of Ray Gunn‘s plot were not revealed, except for Lasseter and President Holly Edwards referencing its “immersive world” and “rich characters.” (But it is probably unrelated to the Chicago burlesque artist of the same name.)
Among his many accolades, Bird has won two Oscars for Best Animated Feature (Ratatouille, The Incredibles) with three additional nominations; three BAFTAs and several Annie Awards for directing, writing, voice acting (Edna Mode in The Incredibles) as well as the Winsor McCay Award, alongside Eric Goldberg and Matt Groening. Bird was an executive consultant on the first eight seasons of The Simpsons, and on King of the Hill and The Critic.
Bird was also the creator of Nelvana/Amblin series Family Dog and a longtime member of the Pixar senior creative team.
Skydance Animation’s first full-length movie, Luck, will premiere as an Apple Original Films offering on Apple TV+. Directed by Peggy Holmes, the story of an unlucky foster kid whose life gets turned around when she discovers a magical world features the voices of Eva Noblezada, Simon Pegg, Flula Borg, Lil Rel Howery, Colin O’Donoghue, John Ratzenberger, Adelynn Spoon, Jane Fonda and Whoopi Goldberg.
ShortsTV, the first and only global channel and network dedicated to short films, announced today the return of the 17th annual Oscar Nominated Short Films theatrical releases. Spanning the categories of Live Action, Animation and Documentary, the short films, listed below, will be available in theaters across the U.S. and Canada starting February 25.
The program will open in over 350 theaters across 100+ theatrical markets including New York and Los Angeles, before expanding to over 500 theaters. To learn more about the participating theaters and how to purchase tickets, visit tickets.oscar-shorts.com. This is the only opportunity for audiences to watch the short film nominees in theaters before the Academy Awards ceremony on Sunday, March 27.
“What a way to get back to the big screen! ShortsTV is bringing pure cinematic gold — this year’s Oscar-nominated shorts — to theaters across the U.S. and Canada once again,” said ShortsTV CEO & Founder Carter Pilcher. “This batch of Oscar contenders will blow your minds: they’re that good, that shocking and that entertaining. We promise fifteen of the best movies you’ll see this year.”
The program will be available only in theaters for the first four weeks and then will also be available on VOD via iTunes, Amazon, Verizon and Google Play beginning March 22.
Animated Short Film Nominees (Running Time: 97 minutes)
For mature audiences only.
Affairs of the Art (2021 | U.K./Canada | 16 min.) With Affairs of the Art, director Joanna Quinn and producer/screenwriter Les Mills continue the series of beloved, hilarious and award-winning animated U.K. films starring Beryl, a 59-year-old factory worker who’s obsessed with drawing and determined to become a hyper-futurist artiste. We also meet her grown son, Colin, a techno geek; her husband, Ifor, now Beryl’s model and muse; and her sister, Beverly, a fanatical narcissist living in LA. Affairs of the Art provides glimpses into Beryl’s, Beverly’s and Colin’s peculiar childhoods, and we see that obsession is in this family’s DNA. The first co-production between Beryl Productions International and the National Film Board of Canada, Affairs of the Art features Quinn’s signature hand-drawn animation with attitude and Mills’ raucously humorous scenarios, in an endearing romp through one family’s eccentric addictions.
Bestia
Bestia(2021 | Chile | 16 min.) Directed by Hugo Covarrubias. Inspired by real events, Bestia enters the life of a secret police agent in the military dictatorship in Chile. The relationship with her dog, her body, her fears and frustrations, reveal a macabre fracture in her mind and a country.
BoxBallet
BoxBallet (2021 | Russia | 15 min.) Directed by Anton Dyakov. Delicate ballerina Olya meets Evgeny, a rough boxer who personifies “strong but silent.” With very different lives and worldviews, will they be brave enough to embrace their feelings? Can two fragile souls hang on to each other despite the world’s cruelty?
Robin Robin
Robin Robin (2021 | U.K. | 31 min.) Directed by Daniel Ojari & Michael Please. Robin Robin, an Aardman Production, is the tale of a small bird with a very big heart. After a shaky nativity of her own — her unhatched egg falls out of the nest and into a rubbish dumpster — she comes out of her shell, in more ways than one, and is adopted by a loving family of mice burglars. More beak and feathers than fur, tail and ears, more cluck and klutz than tip-toe and stealth, she is nonetheless beloved by her adopted family, a Dad Mouse and four siblings. As she grows up, though, her differences make her something of a liability, especially when the family take her on furtive food raids to the houses of the humans (pronounced ‘Who-mans’) in the dead of night. Neither fully bird, nor fully mouse, Robin embarks on a food heist of her own to prove herself worthy of her family and also, hopefully, to bring them back a Christmas sandwich. Along the way, she encounters a curmudgeonly magpie who has a house full of glittery things that he’s stolen and, as it turns out, an unlikely heart of gold. He has set that heart on stealing the sparkling star from the top of a local who-man family’s Christmas tree. And who better to help him than the eternally optimistic Robin herself. The adventure brings them face-to-terrifying-face with a menacing, yet very cool Cat, who has a warm place for birds and mice alike: her tummy. Can they survive? Can they bring home the sandwich and the star? And, most of all, can Robin discover, and learn to love, who she really is, delighting her family and earning her wings in the process?
The Windshield Wiper
The Windshield Wiper (2021 | Spain | 15 min.) Directed by Alberto Mielgo. Inside a cafe while smoking a whole pack of cigarettes, a man poses an ambitious question: “What is Love?” A collection of vignettes and situations will lead the man to the desired conclusion.
Today, the Visual Effects Society (VES), the industry’s professional global honorary society, named acclaimed director-producer-screenwriter Guillermo del Toro as the forthcoming recipient of the VES Award for Creative Excellence in recognition of his valuable contributions to filmed entertainment. The award will be presented at the 20th Annual VES Awards on March 8 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
The VES Award for Creative Excellence, bestowed by the VES Board of Directors, recognizes individuals who have made significant and lasting contributions to the art and science of the visual effects industry by uniquely and consistently creating compelling and creative imagery in service to story. The VES will honor Academy Award-winning director del Toro for his consummate artistry and expansive storytelling that blends iconic visual effects and unforgettable narrative. Harnessing his intuitive vision, del Toro has created a distinctive cinematic style mixing the world of monster movies, comic books and exuberant visuals straight from his imagination.
Guillermo del Toro
“Guillermo is a fiercely inventive storyteller, who has pushed the boundaries of filmmaking,” said VES Board Chair Lisa Cooke. “An exemplary talent, he has consistently elevated not just the technical aspect of visual effects, but also the emotional. Guillermo is an amazing creative force and a defining voice in our global community, and his body of work is a rich source of inspiration for future generations of artists and innovators. For Guillermo’s outstanding mastery of his craft, we are proud to honor him with the prestigious VES Award for Creative Excellence.”
Acclaimed Mexican filmmaker del Toro received the Academy Award for Best Director and Best Picture for the fantastical romance The Shape of Water; the film also won for Best Production Design and Best Original Score. Additional accolades for del Toro and the film included: the Golden Lion for best film at the Venice Film Festival in 2017; Best Director awards from the DGA, BAFTA and Los Angeles Film Critics Association; Outstanding Producer Award from the PGA; and a Best Original Screenplay nomination from the Academy.
The Shape of Water
Del Toro reunited with his The Shape of Water studio Searchlight Pictures for his directorial follow-up, Nightmare Alley, which has received wide acclaim with four Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture; three BAFTA nominations; a WGA nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay; and an ASC nomination for Best Feature Film; among others. Del Toro’s upcoming projects include his stop-motion adaptation of Pinocchio, and the Netflix anthology series Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities.
In his filmmaking career, del Toro has alternated between Spanish-language gothic fantasy films such as The Devil’s Backbone and Pan’s Labyrinth, and American studio movies including Blade II, Hellboy and its sequel Hellboy II: The Golden Army, Pacific Rim and Crimson Peak. Pan’s Labyrinth became one of the top-grossing foreign releases in the United States and was also a critical smash, receiving six Oscar nominations, and winning for art direction, cinematography and makeup.
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (concept art)
A prolific producer, del Toro’s work includes acclaimed and successful films such as The Orphanage, Julia’s Eyes, Biutiful, Kung Fu Panda 2, Puss in Boots and Mama. Del Toro garnered accolades when his first feature Cronos won nine Ariel Awards (the Mexican equivalent of the Oscars), then went on to win the International Critics Week Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
Del Toro studied makeup effects with legendary artist Dick Smith. He spent 10 years as a special-effects makeup designer and formed his own company, Necropia. He also co-founded the Guadalajara International Film Festival.
Del Toro was included in Time Magazine’s list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2018 and he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2019.
Pan’s Labyrinth
Previous recipients of the VES Award for Creative Excellence include award-winning creators-executive producers-writers-directors David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, acclaimed visual effects supervisor Sheena Duggal and award-winning visual effects supervisor and director of photography Robert Legato, ASC.
You can find the list of all nominees for the 2022 VES Awards here.
Hasbro, Inc. debuts all new animated My Little Pony content in 2022 — a weekly YouTube series, a Netflix series and two Netflix Specials — giving fans almost 500 minutes of brand-new Pony adventures.
Hasbro will premiere My Little Pony: Tell Your Tale, a weekly YouTube series launching on April 7, and My Little Pony: Make Your Mark, an animated series which will premiere as a 44-minute animated special on Netflix on May 26, followed by the launch of an eight-episode series with the same name on September 26. A second 44-minute special, My Little Pony: Winter Wishday, will debut on Netflix on November 21.
The impressive cast lineup will span all content, featuring the voice of Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, the star of Netflix’s hit show Never Have I Ever.
“My Little Pony was a childhood favorite for me and now, I get to be a pony! Life brought me full circle and I couldn’t be more thankful. I am so excited to be able to bring some fun adventures and wholesome magic into fans’ lives!” said Ramakrishnan.
The two series and bonus specials debut on the heels of the immensely successful release of 2021’s My Little Pony: A New Generation on Netflix, which debuted as the #1 Kids Title in 86 countries and the overall No. 1 film in 20 countries. Both series will continue to follow the adventures of the Mane 5 ponies introduced in the film: Sunny Starscout, Izzy Moonbow, Hitch Trailblazer, Pipp Petals and Zipp Storm.
My Little Pony: Tell Your Tale will launch April 7 for free on the My Little Pony YouTube channel, with a new five-minute episode released each week. The series introduces My Little Pony‘s beloved next-generation characters in a sprightly 2D animation style and features upbeat, comedic stories that kids of all ages can enjoy. The slice-of-life series will showcase new sides of the Mane 5 and expand their universe in exciting new directions. The series is produced by Lil Critter Workshop, with Gretchen Mallorie serving as head writer/story editor and David Flack as creative producer.
My Little Pony has an extensive presence on YouTube, with 35 channels in 33 different languages and over 5.9 million subscribers across all channels.
My Little Pony: Make Your Mark will launch on Netflix on May 26 with a bonus 44-minute animated special teasing the “mane” series, to debut in September. Created with a dazzling 3D CG animation style evocative of the recent film, the special and series (8 x 22′) will follow the Mane 5 on a journey of self-discovery told through action-packed, hilarious, and heartfelt stories. My Little Pony: Make Your Mark was developed for television by Gillian Berrow, is produced by Atomic Cartoons, with Cort Lane serving as executive producer and William Lau as supervising director.
My Little Pony aims to inspire everyone to explore, express and celebrate what makes them unique. Just as Everypony has its special sparkle and “cutie mark,” every child has the opportunity to make their mark and celebrate their true colors. Aside from episodic content, fans will get to enjoy the Mane 5 through new audio stories, a console game, apps, music and a dedicated podcast throughout the course of the year.
Hasbro will also be bringing the series to life through their new line of toys which will feature characters, locations, and songs kids will love from the series. The two-in-one convertible “Musical Mane Melody Playset” gives kids the chance to beautify their ponies before taking the stage for an epic karaoke performance. Additionally, the My Little Pony Mini World Magic line of toys lets kids build their world of magical mini-friends from all across Equestria and consists of tiny scenes and adorable characters from the My Little Pony: Tell Your Tale YouTube series.
Kids can take their pony scenes on the go with the My Little Pony Company Creation Set and My Little Pony Mini World Magic Epic Mini Crystal Brighthouse — each set comes in a compact case. For more travel-friendly fun, the My Little Pony Mini World Magic Crystal Keychain comes in a crystal-shaped carrying case that can be connected to a backpack. All products will be available at most major retailers nationwide.
A new squad of preschool super heroes is ready to roll on Netflix next month in Team Zenko Go. The show follows four kids who help their community through random acts of kindness, with the help of some slick gadgets and a top secret food truck HQ.
Production partners DreamWorks Animation and Mainframe Studios today debuted the official trailer, key art and images for the 12-episode CGI series, set to premiere as a Netflix original on March 15.
Niah, Ari, Ellie and Jax are members of Team Zenko Go, a secret squad of stealthy do-gooders who harness the art of distraction to perform anonymous acts of kindness for the unknowing residents of Harmony Harbor. These four kids have been taught by their mentor, Auntie Yuki, a special set of skills that allow them to do good deeds (or Zenkos) for others, making their town the happiest in the world. Like Auntie Yuki says “when we help people without them knowing, they start to think that the world is just a nicer place.”
Jack Thomas (Dragons Rescue Riders) serves as executive producer and showrunner for Team Zenko Go; Michael Hefferon, Gregory R. Little, Kim Dent Wilder are also executive producers on the series.
The voice cast includes Nakai Takawira as “Niah,” Hartley Bernier as “Ari,” Dominic Mariche as “Jax,” Penelope Good as “Ellie,” D’arcy Han as “Auntie Yuki” and Tabitha St. Germain as “Ponzu.”
Invisible Universe (invisibleuniverse.com), an internet-first animation studio, today announced that David Levy has been named Chief Creative Officer.
Dan Levy
Levy joins Invisible Universe with more than 20 years of experience in animation and development for several major entertainment corporations. As the CCO, Levy will focus on the creative aspects of the company’s content pipeline, working in partnership with CEO Tricia Biggio and the rest of the team, and supervise the development and execution of Invisible Universe’s IP to drive engagement across all platforms.
“Invisible Universe is leading the way in creating content for this next generation that spends most of their time on their phones,” said Levy. “The internet is primed for storytelling and meeting consumers where they already are. These characters are so engaging, inspiring, and indelible and will become the entertainment franchises of the future.”
Prior to Invisible Universe, Levy served as the Director of Animation at Disney+, where he spearheaded the creative and production for all animation content on social media. Levy helped guide multiple teams of artists, producers and writers on various projects and also led development on short form content for Lucas Film, Walt Disney Feature Animation, Pixar and others. His two decade career has also brought him through the doors of Viacom and Warner Bros.
John Koltai
Nice Shoes (niceshoes.com) has hired John Koltai as Creative Director with a focus on innovative motion-graphic design for film, television, advertising and other media. “I look forward to contributing to a lot of interesting projects,” Koltai commented. “I am well versed in 3D animation (Cinema 4D), 2D animation (After Effects) and designing styleframes and storyboards. At Nice Shoes, I hope to participate in all that. The scope and quality of the work they do here is the biggest attraction for me.”
Koltai is a multidisciplinary creative director, designer and animator with experience spanning virtually all forms of visual media. He is also a specialist in FUI (future user interfaces) and other future tech graphics for film, with credits including Spider-Man: Far From Home, Spies in Disguise, Thor: Ragnarok and Iron Man 2 & 3. Additionally, his design work has been featured in ads, branded content and broadcast media for IBM, Ford, CBS, NBC, The Daily Show and The Economist. In his most recent project, Koltai designed FUI graphics for the new HBO Max series Peacemaker.
A graduate of New York’s Parsons School of Design, Koltai began his career in broadcast motion graphic design, creating show opens, promos and similar media. His focus shifted in 2011 when as a designer at Perception, New York, he created graphic sequences for the film Iron Man 2, depicting technology used by Tony Stark in his superhero creation and his “Stark phone.” He followed that with design sequences for many other films, including holographic, smart glass and multi-touch user interfaces.
Susan Vargo
Moonbug Entertainment Ltd. (moonbug.com) announced the appointment of Susan Vargo as Head of Live Events, responsible for live events across all the Moonbug properties, including Blippi, CoComelon and Little Baby Bum. In the newly created role, Vargo will lead, oversee, manage and drive all of Moonbug’s brand and franchise specific live shows, branded areas, character events and experiences in locations such as theme parks, water parks, attractions and more. She will be based in the U.K. head offices, working closely with the Moonbug team in the U.S.
Vargo is the Tony Award nominated and Drama Desk Award winning executive producer of The SpongeBob Musical on stage and for TV. Before joining Moonbug, Vargo oversaw global creative development for Nickelodeon live entertainment, where she was also responsible for the strategic expansion of the live theatrical business from one domestic U.S. touring theatrical to multiple simultaneous domestic and international tours, including preschool megahit adaptations PAW Patrol Live! and Dora the Explorer Live!. Previously, Vargo managed licensing of stage adaptations for Paramount Pictures including Ghost the Musical and Clueless.
Earlier in her career, Vargo worked on Broadway in general management for shows including Russell Simmons’ Def Poetry Jam, Beauty and the Beast and Chicago and more. She has also advised theatrical producers Fiery Angel, Limelight and Cinema Gypsy on creative development, global licensing expansion and property acquisition and continues to develop independent projects for the stage. She holds a theater management and business administration degree from The Theatre School at DePaul University in Chicago.
Gary Aigner | Scott Flynn | Rich Rooney
International toy and game company PlayMonster (playmonster.com) reached a new milestone, as recently promoted CEO Tim Kilpin announced a global organizational structure that will unify the company’s mission to use the power of play to make a positive impact around the world. PlayMonster’s Global Executive team will now include:
Gary Aigner, responsible for Global Design as PlayMonster’s Chief Design Officer
Rich Rooney, responsible for Global Operations as PlayMonster’s Chief Operations and Logistics Officer
Scott Flynn, responsible for Global Sales as PlayMonster’s Chief Commercial Officer
This news comes after PlayMonster announced a significant capital injection from global private equity firms Adams Street Partners and H.I.G Capital. “We are stronger than ever as a global company, and we’re pleased with the opportunities ahead of us as we prepare to roll out our 2022 initiatives around the world,” said Kilpin. “We have great unity as an organization, as demonstrated by the strength of our senior leadership team, who are respected authorities in their departments, and bring incredible strategic insights to our mandate as a global company.”
Fresh off the Season 2 renewal for his HBO Max antihero series Peacemaker, Warner Bros. announced that actor, WWE Superstar and meme icon John Cena will be starring in the live-action/animation hybrid feature Coyote vs. Acme. Produced by Warner Animation Group, the Looney Tunes movie is due in theaters July 21, 2023.
From director Dave Green (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows), Coyote vs. Acme will feature the age-old rivalry between the Roadrunner nemesis and his preferred mail order supplier: After one too many ACME products foils his plans, Wile E. Coyote hires a lawyer to sue the company. The case pits the canid and his counsel against the lawyer’s intimidating boss (played by Cena), but their growing, unlikely friendship across species and cartoon lines spurs them on.
The screenplay is from James Gunn, Jeremy Slater, Jon Silberman and Josh Silberman and Samy Burch, based on the Wile E. Coyote character and fictitious Acme corporation from Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies, and the New Yorker magazine article “Coyote v. Acme” by Ian Frazier.
Chris DeFaria and James Gunn will produce, the latter under his Two Monkeys, A Goat and Another, Dead, Monkey production banner. Gunn is also the creator of Peacemaker, a spinoff of The Suicide Squad movie and based on DC Comics characters. Cena plays the violent vigilante Peacemaker, a.k.a. Chris Smith.
John Cena has racked up dozens of credits in and out of the ring in the last 20 years, including a number of voiceover roles for animated characters, most recently as Yoshi the polar bear in Dolittle (2020). He also portrayed Baron Draxum in Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, title roles in Dallas & Robo and Blue Sky’s Ferdinand, J.C. in Surf’s Up: WaveMania and (mostly) himself in The Flintstones & WWE: Stone Age Smackdown and Scooby-Doo! WrestleMania Mystery from Warner Bros. Animation.
‘The Prototype’ recently appeared in F9, and is set to flex in several upcoming action-comedies and thrillers, including this year’s Snafu and Argylle.
In a TCA tour interview, HBO & HBO Max Chief Content Officer Casey Bloys told Deadline that The Prince, the adult animated send-up of the U.K.’s royal family, has not been renewed for the streaming platform. However, the exec noted that “adult animation is still full-steam ahead” under Head of Comedy Suzanna Makkos’ (formerly of FOX), who has “a whole slate planned.”
Created by Gary Jenetti from his series of Instagram toons,The Prince drew criticism for aiming at the royal children with its “biting, satirical look at the life of Prince George of Cambridge” (voiced by Janetti), third in line to the throne. Upheavals in the house of Windsor also had their effect: The 20th Animation show launched quietly in July after a delay in deference to Prince Philip’s death; the Queen’s consort was one of the main characters (voiced by Dan Stevens), as were Prince Harry (Orlando Bloom) and Megan, Duchess of Sussex (Lucy Punch), who stepped away from the court in 2020.
As Prince Charles once put it: “Something as curious as the monarchy won’t survive unless you take account of people’s attitudes. After all, if people don’t want it, they won’t have it.”
Close Enough
As for the surviving adult animation slate at HBO Max, Close Enough from Emmy winner J.G. Quintel (Regular Show) has been renewed for a second and third season. This was announced almost exactly a year ago, along with a healthful lineup of reboots and originals:
Clone High (two seasons) – A modern refresh of Phil Lord, Chris Miller and Bill Lawrence’s hit series. Writer Erica Rivinoja returns as showrunner. Produced by MTV Entertainment.
Velma (10 episodes) – An adult animated comedy exploring the origins of Scooby-Doo’s underappreciated brains. Exec produced by and starring Mindy Kaling. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation.
Fired on Mars – An existential workplace comedy set on a Martian tech company campus. Created by Nate Sherman and Nick Vokey. Exec produced by and starring Pete Davidson.
Hello Paul (in development) – Musician Sean Solomon’s concept about a neurotic millennial cat.
Obi (in dev) – Adapted from Obi Arisukwu’s popular Instagram comic about a 30-year-old aspiring artist navigating adulthood; co-created with Arthur Harris. Produced by Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Society, Studio71 and David Devries.
Uncanny Valley (in dev) – Three awkward domestic robots kill their human owners and assume their identities. Exec produced by Ed Helms, creators Brendan Walter & Greg Yagolnitzer and writer Andrew Guest. Produced by Universal Television, Pacific Electric Picture Company.
Cover (in dev) – Brian Michael Bendis and David Mack adapt their DC Comics espionage thriller; writing and directing, respectively. Produced by Rooster Teeth.
It was not confirmed whether HBO Max adult animated originals Ten Year Old Tom and Santa, Inc. would be returning. The platform is also currently home to Comedy Central’s long-running hit South Park; however, it was announced Tuesday that the show will be transitioning to the network’s ViacomCBS sibling streamer Paramount+ — the platform is set to be the exclusive home of Kyle, Stan, Cartman and Kenny by 2025.
