Late Night Work Club — a creative collective of award-winning artists and filmmakers — will be representing in Wales with a contingent of animators from the UK and Ireland taking part in a special event organized by Cardiff Animation Nights on Saturday, July 22, at Chapter.
LNWC has been making waves since the release of their first animated shorts anthology Ghost Stories in 2013, and have since released a second, Strangers, in 2016 — featuring contributions like Kirsten Lepore’s viral hit Hi Stranger.
Since these creatives collaborate over the internet, some of the collective have never med in person, which makes the Cardiff assembly extra special. Nicolas Ménard, Louise Bagnall, Conor Finnegan and Eimhin McNamara will be screening their films and discussing their work in a masterclass chaired by Ben Mitchell, author of Independent Animation: Developing, Producing and Distributing Your Animated Films.
Tickets for the masterclass and screenings of Ghost Stories and Strangers are available at chapter.org.
Organizers Cardiff Animation Nights have been presenting animation events in Cardiff since 2014, and will be officially launching a stand-alone Cardiff Animation Festival April 20-22, 2018. The three-day event will offer screenings, talks, parties, industry events, workshops and masterclasses.
Eimhin McNamaraConor Finnegan – Fear of FlyingLouise Bagnall – Loose EndsNicolas Menard – Wednesday with GoddardCardiff Animation Festival
There’s no slowing down for the African Animation Network, which in its most recent game-changing collaboration has teamed up with Nairobi Comic Con (NAICCON), The Association of Animation Artistes Kenya (A3K), My Child TV and Laugh Industry to launch East Africa’s first animation pitching competition at NAICCON 2017. The con is scheduled for July 29-30 in Nairobi, Kenya’s Sarit Centre Expo Hall.
“We strongly believe that we can create and produce Afro-centric content that can be sustained on our home broadcast territory. Furthermore, we would like to partner with pioneering animation associations, initiatives, studios and talents across the continent to develop content that resonates within their home country, which can travel and which can be monetized for the benefit of the content producers,” said Nick Wilson, Project Manager for AAN. “We would like to see a plethora of self-sustained animation studios across Africa and we would like to be a part of the skills development, collaboration and co-production that is necessary for that to happen.”
AAN, which also driving the Annecy – MIFA Pitches Animation du Monde collaboration with DISCOP in Abidjan and Johannesburg, is joined in this initiative by East Africa’s premiere comics convention, NAICCON, which promotes and displays both local and international comics, games, animation and visual arts. A3K, established in 2008, caters to the growing needs of artists, producers and animation fans in East Africa. The competition hosting collaborators are rounded out by Laugh Industry, the region’s leading comedy production company whose Churchill Show reaches 8 million viewers each Sunday; and My Child TV, which is spearheading Afro-centric animated content for mature audiences.
My Child TV notably self-financed their pilot My Child: Teenage Mutant Azanians, which is the first half-hour of adult animated comedy producer for and broadcast to an African audience. The pilot premiered at the Comedy Central International Comedy Festival and broadcast on Comedy Central Africa in late 2015. AAN’s Wilson is also MD of My Child TV.
The studio will mentor the NAICCON Animation Competition (AniComp) winner in character design, storyboarding and animation while producing a 2 minute short based on the winning pitch. The short will then be included in the up-and-coming web series Azanian All Stars, which boasts the strongest cast of African comedians ever assembled, including; Richelieu Beaunoir (SA), Nina Hastie (SA), Griff (US), Mpho Popps (SA), Trevor Gumbi (SA), Carl Joshua Ncube (Zimbabwe), Salvado (Uganda), Daliso Chaponda (Malawi), Basketmouth (Nigeria) and Churchill (Kenya).
Scriptwriters, illustrators, animators, comic-book and storyboard artists are invited to submit their pitch concepts by July 21, 2017 via the online submission form. Finalists will be notified on July 24. Rules and submissions here.
GKIDS & Fathom Events Bring ‘Kiki’s Delivery Service’ to US Cinemas
Tickets are on sale now for the next installment of STUDIO GHIBLIFEST, July 23 (English dub matinee) and July 24 (English sub evening screening). Hayao Miyazaki’s beloved coming-of-age story centers on a resourceful young witch making her way in the world with her chatty black cat, Jiji.
VIDEO: ‘Kuso’ Trailer #2
Flying Lotus’ mind-melting, mixed up feature blends live-action, effects and animation for an unforgettable indie film experience — coming to LA theaters and streaming exclusively on Shudder on July 21. Read more here.
China Box Office: ‘Despicable Me 3’ Smashes Animation Records with $66M Opening
The third installment of Gru’s amoral adventures has already surpassed DM2’s entire run in China — and with no major Hollywood competition coming its way thanks to a blackout of foreign live-action flicks this month, it won’t be slowing down.
Miss June Unveil Animated Video for “I Don’t Wanna Be Your Dog”
Max Fleischer gets a hardcore, MS Paint-y spin from director Dr D Foothead in this high-energy MV. The Auckland garage punk group’s frontwoman Annabel Liddell shares some behind the scenes deets in this Under the Radar interview.
Animation Nights New York Presents: July Pictures
Wed., July 12 in NYC, catch ANNY’s latest monthly batch of awesome international shorts. July’s assortment features action, angst, Bukowski, and … bread?
Nickelodeon is offering a unique chance for fans to share their creative flair with SpongeBob SquarePants: You Bring the Color — a digital initiative where viewers color scenes of the hit animated series, which may be selected to appear on-screen this fall.
Throughout July and August, artist in training can visit YouBringTheColor.com and digitally color SpongeBob in the iconic SpongeBob SquarePants opening sequence. This fall, additional images will be available from the final scene of an upcoming black-and-white episode, “Squid Noir.” Selected fan creations will debut on Nickelodeon this fall during You Bring The Color, a special themed week of new episodes.
The You Bring the Color digital destination has over 50 scenes to color. An online gallery will also display select submissions, providing users the opportunity to see their creations throughout the campaign.
This September, the campaign will reach retail aisles, where specially marked packages of products from official partners will feature codes that will unlock additional exclusive scenes to color. These include General Mills GoGurt, Frankford Gummy Krabby Patties Candy and International Vitamin Corporation’s SpongeBob Gummy Vitamins. Products will be available at many national mass and grocery retail chains.
A slew of popular toons for a variety of tastes and levels of maturity will be part of the dizzying Comic-Con International this month in San Diego, with panels, screenings, special events, exclusive merch and more from Cartoon Network and its late-night sibling Adult Swim on the menu.
Cartoon Network will put the emphasis on its upcoming action-adventure series OK K.O.! Let’s Be Heroes (premiering August 1) — including booth inspired by Gar’s Bodega (#3735) topped by a supersized K.O. balloon pointing the way to a can’t-miss shopping which will score you a CCI premium exclusive blind box item. Other highlights include panels and special goodies featuring Steven Universe and Ben 10, plus the annual Summertime Go! Screening & Costume Contest. This is on top of the previously announced panels for CN toons being hosted by Warner Bros. TV.
Among the Adult Swim hijinx not to be passed up are the Adult Swim on the Green experience, a visit from the Rickmobile, plus signings and panels with fan-favorite series like Rick and Morty as well as the brand-new animated series The Jellies! premiering this year. Wristbands are required for all signings.
PANELS
Friday, July 21 – Indigo Ballroom
10 a.m. – CN Presents OK K.O! Let’s Be Heroes: Get ready to witness the power of a true hero in training. Be the first to see exclusive content, dive into the super-powered world of Lakewood Plaza Turbo, and get to know the ever-enthusiastic K.O.! Get all your hero tips from Ian Jones-Quartey (Creator & voice of Rad), Toby Jones (Co-Executive Producer), Kate Flannery (voice of Carol) and Courtenay Taylor (voice of K.O.) Moderated by IGN’s Alanah Pearce.
11 a.m. – CN Presents Steven Universe:Hang out with Rebecca Sugar, Steven, and the gems, and be the first to hear the latest updates from Beach City. We’ve got never-before-seen footage, exciting announcements, and answers to all your burning questions! Ok…maybe not all of them. Join Rebecca Sugar (Creator), Deedee Magno-Hall (voice of Pearl), Michaela Dietz (voice of Amethyst), Estelle (voice of Garnet), AJ Michalka (voice of Stevonnie) with half-gem, half-human Steven Universe, Zach Callison, serving as half-guest, half-moderator!
12:15 p.m. – AS Presents The Jellies!: Show creators Tyler, The Creator (Loiter Squad) and Lionel Boyce (Loiter Squad), producer Carl Jones (Black Dynamite), and actor Phil LaMarr (Samurai Jack) invite you to preview an exclusive look at their brand new animated series The Jellies!, premiering this year on Adult Swim. Moderated by Walter Newman, VP of Comedy Development, Adult Swim.
1:15 p.m. – AS Presents Rick and Morty: Executive producers and co-creators Dan Harmon (Community) & Justin Roiland (Adventure Time), writer/producer Ryan Ridley (Community) and voice talent, Sarah Chalke (Scrubs) and Chris Parnell (Archer) invite fans to an inside look at the highly-anticipated third season, premiering this summer on Adult Swim. Moderated by Brian Q. Quinn (Impractical Jokers).
2:15 p.m. – AS Presents Robot Chicken: Walkers and bawk-bawkers collide this year when the RC crew arrives with an exclusive sneak preview of the upcoming season…including The Robot Chicken Walking Dead Special: Look Who’s Walking! Co-creator/executive producer Matthew Senreich, executive producer/co-head writer Tom Root, executive producer/co-head writer Doug Goldstein, actor/writer Breckin Meyer (Franklin & Bash), writer/director Tom Sheppard, creator/writer/executive producer Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead), and showrunner Scott M. Gimple (The Walking Dead) will be on hand for the fun, and who knows which surprise guests might “walker” onstage? Perhaps a guest who can write better puns than that. Moderated by Keith Crofford, SVP of Production for Adult Swim.
3:15 p.m. – AS Presents Mike Tyson Mysteries: It was a unanimous victory last time, but Iron Mike Tyson is taking on Comic-Con again and this rematch is sure to live up to all the hype. Currently in its third season of solving mysteries, the Mike Tyson Mystery Team has all-new episodes airing on Adult Swim. Join Mike Tyson, fellow voice cast member Rachel Ramras (The Looney Tunes Show) and producer Hugh Davidson (The Looney Tunes Show) for an exclusive look at upcoming episodes.
Saturday, July 22 – Indigo Ballroom
10:50 a.m. – CN Presents Ben 10: The Rustbucket has traveled far and wide to deliver Ben and his trusty alien heroes to sunny San Diego! We have so much to share about what’s new with the show, the app and the toys. We’ll have a lot of fun along the way with games and giveaways so set your Omnitrix to hero time! Panelists include Greg Cipes (voice of Stinkfly), John DiMaggio (voice of Four Arms), Montse Hernandez (voice of Gwen), Roger Craig Smith (voice of Diamondhead), Tara Strong (voice of Ben Tennyson), John Fang (Executive Producer), Joe Casey (Man of Action Entertainment, Creator) and moderator Eric Bauza.
SIGNINGS
Friday, July 21
1:30 – 2 p.m. Mike Tyson Mysteries (WB Booth #4545)
2 – 3:30 p.m. OK K.O.! Let’s Be Heroes (Autograph Area AA03)
4:30 – 6 p.m. Steven Universe (Autograph Area AA07)
Saturday, July 22
12 – 1 p.m. Rick and Morty (AS on the Green)
1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Robot Chicken (AS on the Green)
2 – 3:30 p.m. Ben 10 (Autograph Area AA03)
3 – 4 p.m. The Jellies! (AS on the Green)
SCREENINGS & SPECIAL EVENTS
Thursday, July 20
8 – 10 p.m. AS Nighttime on the Green: Toonami Pre-Flight – Behind-the- scenes content for the anime programming block, with hosts Jason DeMarco, Gill Austin, Steve Blum (Voice of TOM), and Dana Swanson (Voice of SARA). Lineup at 7 p.m.
8 p.m. Room 7AB – Cartoon Network Screening and Costume Ball – Tell your cousin, sister, papa and your mom that new episodes are a GO at the CON! Cartoon Network is new all summer and we’re ready to go with exclusive sneaks of your favorites, along with peeks of our newest shows. Dress as your favorite CN character and walk the runway for a chance to win incredible loot! Psst – the first 50 kids age 12 & under who show up in costume will receive a special prize. Guest judges include Ian Jones-Quartey (Creator & voice of Rad for OK K.O.! Let’s Be Heroes), Greg Cipes (voice of Stinkfly for Ben 10 and of Beast Boy for Teen Titans Go!), Zach Callison (voice of Steven for Steven Universe), Deedee Magno-Hall (voice of Pearl for Steven Universe), Michaela Dietz (voice of Amethyst for Steven Universe), led by the guy who has a voice in all of our shows, Eric Bauza!
Friday, July 21
8 – 10 p.m. AS Nighttime on the Green: Things You’ve Never Seen – A night of specials and original pilots, brought to fans by Snickers. Blankets, chocolate and surprises provided. Lineup at 7 p.m.
Saturday, July 22
10 a.m. Room 29AB – Steven Universe: Art & Origins – Join Steven Universe creator Rebecca Sugar for her first SDCC intimate conversation as she discusses the making of the official behind-the-scenes art book for the Emmy Award-nominated TV series. Accompanied by Ian Jones-Quartey and the book’s author Chris McDonnell, they will cover a wide range of topics including influences; the process in developing the characters, design, and music for Steven Universe; and art from the new book, plus a fan Q&A. A ticketed photo op in the autograph area with Sugar and McDonnell will follow the session.
7:30 – 11 p.m. Petco Park – Rick and Morty – AS and Old Spice help fans get their burning questions answered with a special evening featuring creators Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland.
Daily
Adult Swim on the Green – 5th Avenue Landing & Convention Way; Ages 18+. Thurs.-Sun. 1-6 p.m. all-new games, friends, prizes, fun, live-streams, motorized animals, a tarot card reader, dart throwing, and a must-have on the sun-drenched bay – shade. Highlights include It’s a Fish Hole, Meatwad Dome 4D Experience, Claw Machine sponsored by State Farm. Plus Free Rides Program cars sponsored by AS and Snickers running through the Gaslamp district Thurs.-Sun. From 11 a.m. – 7 p.m., complete with Snickers Crisper bars and monitors playing Adult Swim content.
EXCLUSIVES
Adventure Time Uglydoll (Booth #3245) – Uglydolls Ox and Jeero are headed to Comic-Con, and this year’s cosplay theme is Adventure Time! Ox and Jeero spent a lot of time arguing over who got to be Jake the Dog and who got to be Finn the Human. Jake can stretch his limbs, and Jeero stretches the truth, so that sort of helped in reconfiguring the exclusive Jake the Dog and Finn the Human Uglydoll only available at SDCC. Plus Ox had the four day passes, so yeah he wins. Or Jeero wins. You win.
Steven Universe Cartoon Network Titans (Booth #5537) – Affable cartoon hero Steven Universe is dressed in his favorite PJs (while he’s on his downtime away from saving Beach City with Crystal Gems) in an exclusive 3″ TITAN vinyl collectible; or dressed smartly in a tuxedo, as seen in the show’s colorful song and dance number “Mr. Greg” for an exclusive 4.5″ TITAN vinyl collectible.
Steven Universe: Art & Origins (Booth #1216) – The first book to take fans behind the scenes of the groundbreaking series is bursting with concept art, production samples, early sketches, storyboards and exclusive commentary plus a meticulous oral and visual history of the show and an all-access tour of the creative team’s process. The SDCC limited edition includes an exclusive cover and poster.
Cartoon Network X We Love Fine (Booth #1316) – Exclusive designs include chaotic Flame Princess surrounded by her element (Adventure Time), Peridot in all her green Crystal Gem glory (Steven Universe), and a nighttime themed shirt featuring silhouettes of Wirt and Greg encased in an outline of Beatrice (Over the Garden Wall).
AS on the Green – Rick & Morty screening, Adult Swim at Comic-Con International: San Diego 2016Ugly DollBen 10OK K.O.! Let’s Be HeroesOK K.O.! Let’s Be HeroesSteven Universe TitanSteven Universe TitanSteven Universe Book PosterSteven Universe Exclusive Book CoverSteven Universe Signing SheetWe Love Fine – ForestWe Love Fine – MeditatingWe Love Fine – Peridot
Streaming service Netflix has announced that its award-winning original animated series BoJack Horseman will return with a fourth season this fall, launching on Friday, September 8. The debut date was first revealed on the show’s official Twitter account with a tantalizing teaser pic.
The image harkens back to the end of season three, which saw BoJack take to the open road to reflect on where his life is going, and come to a stop in the desert to watch herd of running horses… err, horsemen, rather. It’ll be interesting to see what happens next to the immature, depressed and perpetually substance-abusing former sitcom star .. will BoJack turn his back on “Hollywoo” forever? Will he find true meaning in life and peace in spirit? … Probably not, but let’s pretend it’s possible.
BoJack Horseman is created by Raphael Bob-Waksberg, and produced by The Tornante Company for Netflix. The voice cast is lead by Will Arnett as BoJack Horseman, with Aaron Paul as Todd, Amy Sedaris as Princess Caroline, Alison Brie as Diane, Paul F. Tompkins as Mr. Peanutbutter and Kristen Schaal as Sarah Lynn. The animation is produced by ShadowMachine.
A popular late ’80s one-shot that pits the Dark Knight against the dark side of the Victorian era is the next DC Universe Original Movie, as revealed in the bonus features list on the upcoming Batman and Harley Quinn home entertainment release. The next DC Ent. and Warner Bros. Animation collaboration, Batman: Gotham by Gaslight will be the first adaptation of a comic from the non-canon Elseworlds line.
Written by Brian Augustyn with art by Mike Mignola (creator of Hellboy) and inked by multiple Harvey and Eisner Award winner P. Craig Russell, Gotham by Gaslight is an early steampunk tale set in 1889. Bruce Wayne and his night-flyer alter ego get caught up in a ghastly crime wave which pits his sleuthing abilities against Jack the Ripper in a mortal race against the clock. Gaslight kicked off the Elseworlds imprint in 1989, and proved popular enough that a sequel arrived in 1991 — Master of the Future, written by Augustyn and drawn by Eduardo Barreto.
While a planned videogame adaptation was scrapped in 2012, leaked footage and concept art created quite an appreciative buzz amongst fans. “Gaslight Batman” went on to appear in other games: As a champion in Infinite Crisis, an exclusive skin in Arkham Origins, and as a DLC character for LEGO Batman 3.
French producer Superprod has tapped Carole Brin to lead its newly-created digital department as Chief Digital Officer. Brin will develop digital strategy for the company’s TV and theatrical feature projects for the European and international markets, and oversee all digital operations — including development and production of content based on in-house and third-party brands and IPs.
“The arrival of Carole is a major step in the expansion of Superprod. Carole’s knowledge of kids and family content, which is a significant part of Superprod’s activity for TV and cinema, as well as her proven expertise in digital media and the revolution they created both for the viewers and producers of content, are key assets in an ever changing and competitive environment,” commented company founders Clément Calvet and Jérémie Fajner.
Brin began her career at EM.TV in Germany in 2001, before joining Tele Images as International Sales Executive in 2003 and then Carrere Group as International Sales Manager in 2006. In 2008, she was appointed VP of Sales, Acquisitions & New Media for Cyber Group Studios and lead development of international activities. Bring left CGS in 2015 to specialize in digital business, and has since completed an MBA in Digital Marketing & E-Business.
Founded in 2010, Superprod produces both live-action and animated content, and runs toon shop Vanilla Seed in Angouleme. The company has delivered animated series Lassie, Kika & Bob and The New Adventures of Geronimo Stilton, and is currently producing Helen’s Little School. Feature animation projects include Song of the Sea (with Cartoon Saloon), Cafard, and White Fang, now in production.
BAFTA-winning kids’ TV producer Sixteen South has launched a new distribution division to handle some of its properties, including its award-winning preschool animation Lily’s Driftwood Bay — existing agreements for other shows will remain in place. Dubbed Sixteen South Rights, the new branch will be lead by Gillian Calvert-Ridge as Head of Global Distribution.
“This is a really exciting chapter in our studio’s growth. We really enjoy doing presales on all of our new properties to get them over the line, so it feels very natural for us to begin to distribute our own wholly owned properties ourselves,” stated Colin Williams, Creative Director. “I’m thrilled to welcome Gillian back home to Belfast and to join our Sixteen South family. We’ll continue to work with our valued distribution partners—American Greetings Entertainment on Claude and WDR on WildWoods.”
Calvert-Ridge will initially concentrate on distribution of Lily’s Driftwood Bay, taking on new titles as they are developed. The exec joins Sixteen South with previous stints as Acquisitions Manager for Foxtel (Australia) and posts at Viacom International Media Networks and Entertainment Rights under her belt.
“I am delighted to be finally back home working with an incredibly talented and passionate team. I’m excited about bringing Sixteen South’s unique, endearing and fun-infused properties to an even wider global audience,” said Calvert-Ridge.
VIDEO: Remembering Joan Lee
Marvel released a touching tribute to Stan Lee’s wife of 69 years and a key player in comics history, who passed away July 6 at age 95. The video is a discussion between Stan and Marvel’s Chief Creative Officer Joe Quesada shot in April.
‘Despicable Me 3’ Nearly Catches Animation Single-Day Record
It really is good to be bad for Illumination and Universal this week, as the threequel came this close to the record with its mainland China release with $24M — less than 3% under the biggest single day score by Zootopia. DM3 opened in the US at No. 1 with $75M last week.
LIMA Unveils New Board
Execs from Striker Ent., Sony Pictures and other join the L&M association’s Board of Directors. Ciaran Coyle, global VP for licensing at Electrolux, continues as Chairman, with Hot Topic merchandise & marketing SVP Cindy Levitt as Vice Chairman.
Herotainment and Toonz Media Group have launched their original animated series Smighties worldwide on YouTube and YouTube Kids. The 39 x 7 min. comedy-adventure debuts with three episodes on the Smighties channel, centered on relatable and inspiring heroes with an empowering message.
Smighties will initially be available in English, French, Spanish, and in several other languages soon after.
“We are thrilled to premiere the Smighties series on YouTube and YouTube Kids, the largest global platform where kids discover and enjoy content today,” commented Herotainment co-CEO Caryn Teman.
Smighties is about the small and mighty heroes from a magical land. Featuring the Super Six Smighties — Zip, Zap, Nardy, Melody, Leila, and Dude — the series will also introduce over 130 unique Smighties from five regions. Smighties protect the Smighty Stones, magical gems that when combined, create an unstoppable force. When trouble comes along, these small heroes always shine through with teamwork, friendship, and fun.
The show is written by a multi-Emmy award-winning team whose credits include DuckTales, Winnie the Pooh, Angry Birds Toons, Super Wings, and more. The show’s musical score is composed by five-time Emmy nominee Daniel Ingram (My Little Pony: The Movie), whose songs have garnered over 1 billion views.
“Toonz always believes in producing content with a soul,” added P. Jayakumar, CEO of Toonz Media Group. “For us, Smighties are role-models for kids across the world to be inspired by and be entertained. With its global reach and appeal, YouTube and YouTube Kids is indeed the best place for this wonderful show.”
Netflix has ordered a second season of the new videogame-inspired original animated series Castlevania, doubling the episode package to eight for the new batch. The dark, violent and deliciously occult cartoon is the first proprietary production of Frederator Studios under the WOW! Unlimited Media umbrella.
Based on the classic Konami games, the animated Castlevania is written by best-selling author and comic-book icon Warren Ellis. The dark medieval fantasy follows the last surviving member of the disgraced Belmont clan, trying to save Eastern Europe from extinction at the hand of Vlad Dracula Tepes himself.
“Castlevania has been a world icon for 30 years. WOW! and Frederator are honored to have the privilege of bringing it to life as an entertainment series that will continue its story for years to come,” commented Fred Seibert, Chief Creative Officer of WOW! Unlimited Media and CEO of Frederator Networks & Frederator Studios.
The cast features the voices of Graham McTavish (The Hobbit, Outlander) as Dracula, Richard Armitage (The Hobbit trilogy) as Trevor Belmont, James Callis (Battlestar Galactica) as Alucard, Emily Swallow (Supernatural) as Lisa, Matt Frewer (Orphan Black) as The Bishop, Tony Amendola (Annabelle) as The Elder and Alejandra Reynoso (G.I. Joe: Renegades) as Sypha Belnades.
Ellis executive produces with Seibert, Kevin Kolde, Adi Shankar. Production services are provided by Austin, Texas based Powerhouse Animation with Brad Graeber supervising producer, Jason Williams as producer, and Sam Deats as director.
Oscar-winning animation studio LAIKA is bringing its pop-up exhibition “The LAIKA Experience” to San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter, from Friday, July 14 to Sunday, July 23 — coinciding with the Comic-Con International. With free admission, visitors can get an up-close look at the marvelous props, puppets, monsters and sets from acclaimed films Coraline, ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls and Kubo and the Two Strings.
The LAIKA Experience will also showcase fan art, a photo/GIF booth, social media activations, merchandise (including a new limited edition Coraline doll and display case), giveaways, and daily drawings for a pair of LAIKA-themed Nike shoes designed by Tinker Hatfield.
Travis Knight, President & CEO of LAIKA and director of Kubo, will appear in person on Friday, July 21 at 3 p.m. to autograph merch purchased at the exhibit.
“LAIKA’s films are a unique fusion of art, craft, science, and technology, commingling cinema’s history with the future of film. But our techniques are often shrouded in mystery,” said Knight. “The LAIKA Experience offers a rare opportunity to peel back the curtain, giving fans an immersive, up-close look at our process, characters, worlds, and dreams made manifest.”
Other highlights of LAIKA’s presence in San Diego:
July 16: LAIKA will host 25 BAFTA LA students at the Giants/Padres game in Petco Park
July 16: Watch for LAIKA walkaround costumed characters at the LAIKA Photo Booth inside the gates of Balboa Park during the PRIDE Festival. Pose for a photo with ParaNorman’s “Mitch Downe,” the first gay character ever featured in an animated film. Customized LAIKA headbands will be distributed.
July 21: From 2-3 p.m., Travis Knight will be joined by New York Times bestselling author Tony DiTerlizzi (The Spiderwick Chronicles; Star Wars: Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight) for a Facebook Live tour of The LAIKA Experience. Travis will share LAIKA’s unique creative process with Tony as they take fans on a virtual tour of the pop up exhibit.
The exhibit will be located at 520 Fifth Avenue in San Diego.
International distributor Portfolio Entertainment has secured a hearty batch of sales for the acclaimed animated preschool series The Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About That! with new and existing partners across the globe.
New broadcast partners Ultra Kids (ex-Yugoslavia) and Sony Pictures Television Networks (UK & Africa) picked up the first two seasons — Sony also opted for the four one-hour The Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About That! Movies on Camping; Space; Halloween; and Christmas.
The movies were also picked up by MENA broadcasters E-Junior and Discovery Kids, which further added The Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About That! season 3 (20 x 30 min.) to its lineup. Elsewhere, MiniMini+ in Poland has snagged season 3, and Irish pubcaster TG4 has acquired season 1 plus the Christmas special.
And on the SVOD front, MBC’s Gobo.net has snapped up season 2 for the Middle East, and Taiwan’s Horng En Culture will be bringing all four movies to both DVD and SVOD release.
“In an era where content is king, it so great to see digital networks embracing The Cat in the Hat as much as our linear partners,” said Jonathan Abraham, Portfolio’s director of International Sales and Acquisitions.
NOMINATIONS OPEN: License Global’s Wonder Women of Licensing Report
LG is planning an inaugural special report on women industry leaders, slated for the January 2018 issue. Nominations are now open for 18 selectees to be celebrated for their impact on today’s licensing biz.
Putin Orders Creation of Animation High-Tech Park
The Russian President has instructed federal government and Moscow authorities to push for a new animation hub at the site of Soyuzmultfilm studio — a status report is scheduled for early 2018.
Qube! 6.10 Releases with Online Performance Reports
The latest iteration of PipelineFX’s leading render farm management software — developed with beta testers at Method Studios, RodeoFX and Qvisten Animation — also boasts updated Shotgun integration, Microsoft Azure beta integration, Clarisse support and more.
Crunchyroll brightened up the 2017 Anime Expo in LA by announcing a fun lineup of new anime & manga titles coming to its platform, and the first raft of special guests confirmed for the inaugural Crunchyroll Expo — scheduled for August 25-27 in Santa Clara, California (crunchyrollexpo.com), including Yoshitaka Amano, Gigguk, Hiroshi Shimizu and The Chocobros.
Joining the new and upcoming anime slate along with previously announced A Centaur’s Life, Classroom of the Elite, Restaurant to Another World and Saiyuki Reload Blast are:
Knight’s & Magic: A genius programmer and hardcore robot otaku are reborn into a world of knights and magic, where huge robots called Silhouette Knights roar across the land! Now reborn as Ernesti Echevalier, he uses his vast knowledge of machines and programming talents to begin to make his ultimate robot. But his actions have unexpected results…?! The dreams of a robot otaku will change the world! FIrst episode available now for premium users.
Kino’s Journey – The Beautiful World: Kino travels around the world with nothing but her guns (for protection) and talking motorcycle Hermes (for company). She visits many mystical lands, each with its unique customs and people, and learns about the world through their stories, at some times conjuring humor and inspiration or other times piercing cynicism. However, Kino has her own custom, to stay no longer than three days in every town without exception, as she believes it is enough time to learn almost everything important about the place while still leaving time to explore new lands. Coming this fall.
URAHARA: Based on PARK: HARAJUKU Crisis Team!, which began serialization on Crunchyroll Manga and Tumblr in 2015 as part of a collaboration between writer-editor Patrick Macias, artist Mugi Tanaka (aka Oplant), and the PARK store in Harajuku, Tokyo. The story concerns a trio of shop girls – Rito, Mari, and Kotoko – that band together to battle an alien menace intent on removing famous locations and landmarks from the Earth. URAHARA is a new series with a unique worldview and a striking visual style. A new era in Harajuku is dawning! Debuts this fall.
Crunchyroll’s manga app ebook service, which launched earlier this year with over 800 books from Kodansha Comics, is this month adding 400+ titles from Seven Seas. Plus, a trio of exciting new titles join the simulpub service this month: Final Fantasy: Lost Stranger by Hazuki Minase (July 12), Knight’s & Magic by Takuji Katou (July 5) and Restaurant to Another World by Junpei Inuzuka & Takaaki Kugatsu (July 2).
Crunchyroll Expo guests confirmed so far are:
Yoshitaka Amano: As a Japanese artist, character designer, and illustrator, Amano also works in the grounds of scenic art and stage costumes. Hired at Tatsunoko Production at the age of 15, he has created characters for some of the most prominent TV animations in Japan. He then became an independent artist in 1982. He is most well-known for his work as a character designer, title logo designer, and image illustrator for the Final Fantasy series. Since his debut, Amano’s career as an artist has flourished, producing paintings with his unique, mysterious touch in solo shows in cities such as New York, Paris, and London. Crunchyroll is further excited to announce that it will work with Amano-sensei to display an exhibition of his artwork. This marks the first time Amano has exhibited in the U.S. for seven years.
Gigguk: Gigguk is a YouTuber best known for his satirical look into the world of anime and it’s culture. He has done various reviews and rants but is also known for his parody work.
Hiroshi Shimizu: A prolific Japanese animator, Shimizu started at Studio Ghibli working on Porco Rosso, Princess Mononoke, My Neighbors the Yamadas and Pompoko. After leaving Ghibli he went freelance and started to work on a combination of series, high quality movies and OVA, including: Jin Roh, Furi Kuri, Ghost in the Shell (Stand Alone Complex season 2), Millennium Actress, Lupin, SkyCrawler, One Piece (OAV), Naruto, Dragon Ball Z, and recently on the last Doraemon movie. He worked in several other well-known studios such as Madhouse, Ankama Japan, TMS, Production I.G, Toei Animation, WIT Studio, Shin Ei Studio and now Yapiko-animation. His specialities are character designer (Michiko to Hachin), animator, animation supervisor and storyboarder.
The Chocobros are animation and videogame voice actors Ray Chase (“Noctis” in Final Fantasy XV, “Edgar” in World of Final Fantasy, “Jason Blood” in Justice League Dark), Max Mittelman (“Kousei” in Your Lie in April, “Saitama” in One Punch Man; “Tredd” in Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV), Chris Parson (Lil’ Bush, Family Guy, “Gladiolus Amicitia” in Final Fantasy XV) .and live-action and voice-over performer Adam Croasdell (“Baldur” in Supernatural, “Bothwell” in Reign, “Torvin” in Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor).
New animated kids’ adventure Lost in Oz — inspired by the magical world created by author L. Frank Baum — will make its highly anticipated streaming debut on Amazon Prime Video in the US and UK on August 4. Aimed at kids ages 6-11, the new series build on the Emmy Award-winning Amazon Original special Lost in Oz: Extended Adventure, which will be split into 3 separate episodes and joined by 10 brand-new ones.
“We’re excited for families everywhere to experience the magic of this serialized action-adventure comedy, led by a fearless female character and featuring a diverse group of friends,” said Tara Sorensen, Head of Kids Programming at Amazon Studios. “The Lost in Oz pilot and the extended special were extremely popular with young viewers and parents alike, and the new series, poised to be the next Oz-based classic, serves up even more fun for fans.”
In Lost in Oz, 12-year-old Dorothy Gale discovers her mother’s magical travel journal hidden beneath the floorboards of their Kansas home. The book triggers a tornado, which rips her house from its foundation and transports Dorothy and her dog, Toto, to Emerald City, a bustling, modern, metropolis. In order to get home, Dorothy learns she must acquire every element on Oz’s “periodic table of magic” – while the city faces the worst magic drought in eons! Along the way, Dorothy and Toto meet unlikely allies in West, Ojo, Reigh the Lion, Scarecrow, and Glinda the Good, who are each eager to help, but struggling with their own problems. Together, they navigate the magical landscape of Oz while undergoing their own unique journeys of self-discovery.
The voice cast features Ashley Boettcher (Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street), Gina Gershon (Red Oaks), Allison Mack (Smallville), Jorge Diaz (Elena of Avalor), Nika Futterman (Star Wars: Clone Wars), Stephen Stanton (Star Wars Rebels) and Keith Ferguson (The LEGO Movie).
Lost in Oz is created by Bureau of Magic and animated by Polygon Pictures. The series is developed and executive produced by Abram Makowka, Darin Mark, Jared Mark, and Mark Warshaw. The Special, Lost in Oz: Extended Adventure, won three 2017 Daytime Emmy Awards, for Outstanding Children’s Animated Program, Sound Mixing – Animation, and Sound Editing – Animation.
The feature films in official competition in the 2017 Ottawa International Animation Festival (well, four out of five of them anyway) have been revealed. The lineup includes three Asian titles — including two films from Japanese auteur Masaaki Yuasa. OIAF organizers have also revealed the Young Audiences short film competition, which is split into Preschool and Ages 6-12 categories.
OIAF is set for September 20-24 in Ottawa, ON, with the Oscar-qualifying Independent Short competition contenders yet to be announced. More info at www.animationfestival.ca.
FEATURE FILM OFFICIAL COMPETITION
My Dogs, Jinjin & Akida – Jong-duck Cho (South Korea) [Trailer] Lu Over the Wall – Masaaki Yuasa (Japan) [Trailer] Night Is Short, Walk on Girl – Masaaki Yuasa (Japan) [Trailer] Torrey Pines – Clyde Petersen (USA) [Trailer] Fifth Feature TBA
YOUNG AUDIENCES OFFICIAL COMPETITION
Young Audiences 1 – Preschool (Ages 4-8)
Big Block Singsong: Turkey – Warren Brown (Canada) Konigiri-Kun: Kitchen Sports Day – Mari Miyazawa (Japan) George and Paul: Sleepwalking – Erik Verkerk, Joost van den Bosch, Mirjam Plettinx & Soetkin Verstegen (The Netherlands & Belgium) Island – Max Mörtl & Robert Löbel (Germany) The Cloud and The Whale – Alyona Tomilova (Russia) Melia and Jo: Marshmallow Castle – Jennifer Oxley, Billy Aronson, Brett Hall & Robert Powers (USA) Sabaku – Marlies van der Wel (The Netherlands) Miriam: Hen’s Dream – Andres Tenusaar (Estonia) Hey Duggee: The Shape Badge – Grant Orchard (UK) The Little Bird and the Caterpillar – Lena von Döhren (Switzerland) What You Eat – Hunter Gatherer (USA) The Pocket Man – Ana Chubinidze (France) Sesame Studios: Celebrate Lunar New Year! – Lizzi Akana (USA) Goats – Yekaterina Filippova (Russia) Do the Scrub – Bradley Lambert (USA)
Young Audiences 2 – Ages 6-12
Heads Together – Job, Joris & Marieke (The Netherlands) The First Thunder – Anastasia Melikhova (Russia) Regular Show: Meet the Seer – JG Quintel & Mark Hamill (USA) The Mountain of SGaana – Christopher Auchter (Canada) The Unicorn – Rémi Durin (France) Hedgehog’s Home – Eva Cvijanovic (Canada & Croatia) Jiffy – Roberto Valle (Spain)
Paris-based Technicolor Animation Productions has form a network of partnerships with industry-leading companies for its new original animated series, Team DroniX. France Télévisions and Gloob (Brazil) will produce the 26 x 22 minute show with Technicolor, while Silverlit has signed on as worldwide master toy partner, and PGS will spearhead all global distribution, licensing and merchandising activities.
“As the leading worldwide manufacturer of drones, we have been amazed by the creative development of Team DroniX and are excited to join this adventure,” said Guillaume Coulaud, Marketing Director at Silverlit. “As many projects have been introduced to us in recent months, Team DroniX stands out with its compelling characters, sense of fun, storytelling and overall design. We look forward to developing an incredible universe of toys for children to engage with the brand worldwide.”
Team DroniX relates the adventures of three drone enthusiasts: pilot Buck Roquette, designer Tim Chessmat and engineer Vicky Risk, who meet in the prestigious Hawkings Academy, the mecca of everything high-tech. Together, they build a one-of-a-kind drone, DroniX, competing against fellow student teams and garnering envy from a few evil-intentioned individuals. The trio’s lives are full of action, fun, racing and high-stakes spy missions.
“We’re thrilled to introduce this original show with all of the outstanding partners that have been supporting Team DroniX’s vision since inception,” said Sandrine Nguyen, Managing Director of Technicolor.
“We’re always looking for content that mixes adventure with other interesting elements, and Team DroniX is the perfect vehicle to offer boys and girls alike the chance to embark on thrilling adventures with Buck, Tim and Vicky—modern, diverse characters our audiences will care about and relate to—amidst the elaborate high-tech universe of drones,” added Pierre Siracusa, Director of Animation, France Télévisions.
FUN Union and Riki Group have signed a coproduction agreement with China Central Television Animation to develop and produce a new animated series aimed at school children, Krash and Hehe. The 52 x 11 minute first season will be created in 3D CGI with 2D inserts, to be delivered by early 2019. A signing ceremony was held July 4 during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Moscow.
Krash and Hehe is set in a toy store, where the toys come to life by night and embark on an endless series of wild, wacky and fun adventures. The main characters already have a strong fanbase: Krash from KikoRiki (Russia’s No. 1 rated series with boys and girls ages 5-12) and Hehe the Panda from CCTV’s programs.
Hong Kong-based start-up FUN Union in is financing the project and will be highly involved in the development. “This partnership integrates our values of quality entertaining content, with education at its core. And we are proud to be a part of such an exceptional opportunity to work with CCTV,” said Christine Brendle, FUN Union’s CEO.
“This follows a steady success in the Chinese market where all KikoRiki and PinCode series have broadcasted on CCTV Kids with high ratings,” noted Zijing Wu, China Director. Preschool series BabyRiki is also set to debut on digital platforms in China on July 8.
Krash and HeheZijing Wu, Ilya Popov, Wang Yan, and Diana YurinovaIlya Popov (Riki Group) and Wang Yan (CCTV)
