Author: Mercedes Milligan

Spark Sets All-Star Speakers for Canada 150 Series

In recognition of the great northern nation’s sesquicentennial, Spark CG has set a lineup of prestigious Canadian animators to speak over a six-month Special Series for Canada 150. Kicking off on July 8 and running through December 9 at the Vancouver Film School, heroes of indie Canadian animation hailing from Bonavista to Vancouver Island, from the Arctic Circle to the Great Lakes.

All sessions will be held Saturdays at 1:30 p.m.

SCHEDULE:

July 8: Robert Valley – “From Graphic Novels to Animated Music Videos and Short Films”

From writing to animating to directing, Robert Valley does it all. His latest independent film, Pear Cider & Cigarettes, oozes coolness and is a very personal story about Valley and his friend Techno, was recently nominated for an Oscar. How did he do it? Find out about this and much much more about this amazing artist and his distinctive stylings in this very special presentation.

August 12: Bruce Alcock – “The Commerce of Art & the Art of Commerce”

Is there anything Bruce Alcock can’t do? Music, painting, TV shows, independent films, commercials, apps, video games and multimedia art projects, he has done it all. Alcock’s work has been recognized by numerous awards including the Academy and Emmy Awards. Join us as Alcock discusses the balance of art and commerce, how they affect one another and how you need both to succeed.

September 9: Danny Antonucci – “East Van Rules! The Original Bad Boy of Animation”

Danny Antonucci has made a career of drawing on his childhood influences of life on the Eastside of Vancouver. From the cult classic Lupo the Butcher to The Brothers Grunt and the longest running original Cartoon Network series, Ed, Edd n Eddy, Antonucci continues to influence and inspire a generation of like-minded independents.

October 14: Cordell Barker – “Animation Heartland: A Field of Reams”

As an independent animation filmmaker who focuses on pacing, action and narrative, Cordell Barker is one of Canada’s brightest lights. With a distinguished career that has garnered two Oscar nominations and almost 50 awards from every major film and animation festival in the world, Barker has brought worldwide acclaim and attention, not only to Canada, but to its animation heartland, Winnipeg. It is our greatest pleasure to have Barker present and discuss his multi award-winning short films.

November 11: Theodore Ushev – “East Meets West: The Animation of Theodore Ushev”

Montreal is the most un-Canadian of Canadian cities. That’s why we love it. It’s Europe without the jetlag, Paris without the exchange rates, but with all the great things we’ve come to expect from the EU Continent — including animation. Theodore Ushev helps keep the Eastern European sensibility alive in Montreal. Growing up with a rich cultural heritage, mixed political landscape and cross border influences, Ushev has transformed his graphic designs into animated films that at once, entrance, shock and enthrall us. By the dark subject matter, the graphic textures and the European atmospheres, Ushev takes us on a cinematic journey of dreams and nightmares.

December 9: Janet Perlman – “Breaking out of the Cel, Janet Perlman Released”

Janet Perlman has carved out an impressive career in animated shorts, television commercials, educational films and children’s books. Alongside her independent work, her NFB films have earned international acclaim, including an Oscar nomination for The Tender Tale of Cinderella Penguin. Perlman’s films are humorously funny, and yet always convey a message. Animation has allowed Perlman to incorporate all her artistic musings, drawing, storytelling and humour, dance and movement and music together. Entertaining and educational, these are the qualities that are equally important to Perlman and found in her many films.

Janet Perlman has carved out an impressive career in animated shorts, television commercials, educational films and children’s books. Alongside her independent work, her NFB films have earned international acclaim, including an Oscar nomination for The Tender Tale of Cinderella Penguin. Perlman’s films are humorously funny, and yet always convey a message. Animation has allowed Perlman to incorporate all her artistic musings, drawing, storytelling and humour, dance and movement and music together. Entertaining and educational, these are the qualities that are equally important to Perlman and found in her many films.

Reservations are now open at canada150.sparkcg.ca; admission is $10 CAD or $7 for individuals in groups of 5 or more. Sign up for the Spark newsletter to stay up to date on announcements and events at list.spark.cg.

Bruce Alcock

Danny Antonucci

Cordell Barker

Janet Perlman

Theodore Ushev

Robert Valley

June 23, 2017
Daily News Bytes: Annecy Look-Back, Animation LootCrate, Boomerang’s ‘Dorothy’ & More

VIDEO: Film Ambience Annecy 2017
A quick video tour through the weeklong whirlwind which as Annecy/MIFA, which totted up an amazing 10,000 accreditations (including 3,000 for the market), honored a stunning array of films and filmmakers with Cristal awards and Special Prizes, and featured one of the catchiest sing-along trailers in animation history (produced by Folimage and directed by Hélène Friren)!

July ANIMATION LootCrate
Time is running out to order this all tooned-up home delivery swag bag, which features collectible goodies inspired by Rick and Morty, Bob’s Burgers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Futurama — authentic products with a combined retail value of over $45. Supplies are limited, orders close July 19.

VIDEO: Coming Soon to Boomerang: ‘Dorothy & the Wizard of Oz’
Warner Bros. Animation’s 2D toon will debut exclusively on Turner’s newly-launched premium US streaming service. The comedy-fantasy follows the further adventures of Dorothy and co. down the Yellow Brick Road.

’Pokémon Go’ Revamping Gyms, Adding Co-op Raids
The smash hit AR game’s one-year anniversary will be marked by developer Niantic with new gameplay options. (No, player vs. player battles aren’t included. Yet.)

VR/AR Innovation Report
The Virtual Reality Developers Conference (Sept. 21-22) is offering a free download of this insightful report on the emerging markets, which shows that pros believe the biz has long-term sustainability, Vive and Rift are on the rise, and platform exclusives are increasingly common.

Annecy

June 22, 2017
Turner APAC Invests in Vietnam Network POPS

Turner Asia Pacific has made a strategic investment in leading Vietnamese digital media and creator network POPS Worldwide, which will see the global broadcast giant take a minority stake in the outfit. The investment is an important avenue for Turner to participate in the rapid growth of one of the region-leading digital entertainment company, reach new audiences, and extend its existing partnership with POPS. Turner launched its Boomerang brand in Vietnam in April 2016 on POPS Kids.

“With its unique proposition, POPS has shown to be very adept at attracting and engaging audiences with its local content and creator network, and this agreement allows Turner to venture into this growing side of the business,” said Ricky Ow, President of Turner Asia Pacific.

“Our investment is part of Turner’s desire to place fans and consumers at the very core – to reach and engage them with branded content and playlists – as well as target diverse demographics in new ways. With a surge of video-on-demand viewing in both Vietnam and Southeast Asia, these are exciting times for two companies that share a very similar culture of innovation.”

Since launching in 2011, POPS has doubled its annual views each year, recently passing 40 billion lifetime views. It boasts more than 2 billion monthly views, 32 million YouTube subscribers, 1,210 channels and 4 million social media fans. In addition to managing a network of partner channels, POPS operates a number of branded premium channels, including POPS Kids (1.4M subscribers) and POPS Music. The network recently expanded to DailyMotion and Facebook, as well as a mobile POPS Kids app.

“We are excited to have Turner come on board. Using this investment, we can supercharge our ambitious vision to lead digital entertainment in Southeast Asia. We plan to expand our network onto more mobile and non-traditional platforms, invest heavily in content production and open new markets. Over the past year, we have been working closely with Turner on their Kids content,” added POPS founder & CEO Esther Nguyen.

“Through this journey, we realised that we share the same vision of the future of entertainment. Our work with Turner led to the successful YouTube launch of Boomerang Vietnam and popular Boomerang programming on POPS Kids. For the first time in Vietnam, full episodes of classic properties like Tom and Jerry, Ben 10, The Powerpuff Girls and Scooby-Doo were available for our audiences online. Though we started working together in the Kids business, we now look forward to broadening our content partnership even wider.”

Turner

June 22, 2017
Fabulous ‘Fantasia’ Collection Features in Heritage Auction

Dallas-based Heritage Auctions’ July 1 animation sale will offer up one of the largest selections of artwork from Disney’s groundbreaking 1940 anthology feature Fantasia. The shining star of these pieces is an energetic, epic concept painting for the “Night on Bald Mountain” segment, created by Ken Nielsen — the rare work is expected to fetch $50,000.

“We’re highlighting this sale featuring ‘The Art of Fantasia,’” said Jim Lentz, Director of Animation at Heritage Auctions. “This is one of the largest collections of production artwork – cels, animation drawings, concept art, storyboards – from this film ever in one auction. Over 60 pieces of original production art for this film are in this sale!”

Further highlights from Fantasia include an original production cel of Mickey Mouse as “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” (est. $15,000), a Nielsen “Night on Bald Mountain” background in pastels on black paper ($10,000), “Nutcracker Suite” production cel featuring Hop Low, hand-inked and painted Ben Ali Gator & Hyacinth Hippo production cel ($5,000), and “Sorcerer’s Apprentice” storyboard painting ($1,000).

The animation art auction’s Disney feature offerings will also include pieces from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the controversial Song of the South, Robin Hood, Cinderella, Lady and the Tramp and Pinocchio. Plus, early Disneyland Haunted Mansion studies by artist Ken Anderson ($5,000) — an important set collected with notes and plans in a soft binder put together by Walt Disney and Anderson in 1957, 12 years before the ride opened.

Pieces from the hands of a young Tim Burton coming to the block will feature Stalk of the Celery Monster ($10,000) from his student days at CalArts in 1979, and Disney’s 1985 misstep The Black Cauldron among several concept art pieces he created as a Disney apprentice ($5,000). There will also be lots of rare work from other major animation studios, and one of the earliest known Mighty Mouse production cels on its Key Master set-ups from the cartoon Pandora’s Box — with a rare blue Super Mouse ($5,000).

The auction will also feature the largest collection of hand-silkscreened Disneyland park entrance posters, according to Lentz, with the attractions Haunted Mansion ($5k), Peter Pan ($2.5k), Matterhorn ($3.5k), Monorail ($3k), Alice in Wonderland ($3k) and Autopia ($2.5k) represented.

Fantasia

Stalk of the Celery Monster

June 22, 2017
‘Batman and Harley Quinn’ One-Night Cinematic Event Set

Having enjoyed successful big-screen outings for Batman: The Killing Joke and Batman: Return of the Caped Crusader last year, Warner Bros. Studios, DC Entertainment and Fathom Events are teaming up for a one-night cinematic event for the new animated Dark Knight feature: Batman and Harley Quinn. The latest DC Universe Original Movie will hit theaters nationwide on August 14, following its premere at San Diego Comic-Con.

Taking place one night prior to the digital release — and 15 days before the Blu-ray and DVD debut — Batman and Harley Quinn will screen at 7:30 p.m. local time, accompanied by an exclusive featurette spotlighting star character Harley Quinn. A complete list of theater locations will be available when ticketing opens Friday, June 30 through FathomEvents.com.

From an original story by Bruce Timm, Batman and Harley Quinn finds Poison Ivy (voiced by Paget Brewster) and Jason Woodrue, a.k.a. The Floronic Man (Kevin Michael Richardson), embarking on an ecological quest to save the planet – and eliminate most of humankind along the way. To save humanity, Batman (Kevin Conroy) and Nightwing (Loren Lester) are forced to enlist Harley Quinn (Melissa Rauch) to catch Poison Ivy, Harley’s BFF and frequent partner-in- crime. Batman’s patience is put to the test by the unpredictable and untrustworthy Harley during the reluctant companions’ bumpy road trip.

Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, the DCU movie is directed by Sam Liu (The Killing Joke) from a teleplay written by Timm and Jim Krieg (Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox). Alan Burnett co-produces, with executive producers Timm, Sam Register, Benjamin Melniker and Michael Uslan.

Batman and Harley Quinn

Batman and Harley Quinn

Batman and Harley Quinn

June 22, 2017
Sprout Adds 2 New Toons, Jason Alexander Joins ‘Kody Kapow’

Universal Kids has given the greenlight to two new animated series, which will debut on its preschool destination Sprout in 2019: Powerbirds and Norm. The network will also soon premiere its newest original toon, Kody Kapow, on July 15, with award-winning actor Jason Alexander leading the voice cast.

“As Sprout grows into Universal Kids, our mission is to reflect all that is universal about being a kid. For our youngest viewers, that means helping them grow into good people,” said Amy Friedman, SVP Programming and Development, Universal Kids. “Our commitment to creating original, high quality preschool content for families to watch together is very important to us. Kody Kapow – as well as Powerbirds and Norm – are characters who share kindness, resilience, and humor, and allow us to deliver on that promise.”

Set in China, Kody Kapow centers on 9-year-old boy who discovers that he is destined to become a martial arts superhero. Kody goes on adventures to save his village using martial arts tenets like mindfulness, patience and perseverance with the help of his cousin Mei and their Tiger friend, Goji (Jason Alexander) — a bit of a scaredy cat nevertheless entrusted to accompany Kody and Mei on their missions. Kody Kapow was created by Alexander Bar and developed for television by Robin J. Stein and Daniel Bryan Franklin. Zodiak Kids Studios produces with Eryk Casemiro as executive producer. The animation is produced by Jam Filled, with Sam Chou as animation director.

Created by two-time Pulitzer Prize winning author Steve Breen, Powerbirds is about two pet parakeets who live secret superhero lives, saving their neighborhood (and the world) one kind deed at a time. Slated to debut on Sprout in early 2019, Powerbirds has been picked up for 52 x 11 min. episodes.

Norm follows Norman, Mother Nature’s Son and the handyman of the forest. He fixes the problems of its highly eccentric animal characters with a touch of magic and a can-do attitude. The 52 x 11 min. stop-motion animated comedy will roll out in late 2019.

Powerbirds

Kody Kapow

June 22, 2017
‘Girl without Hands’ Gets NYC & LA Openings with GKIDS

Auteur filmmaker Sébastien Laudenbach’s Brothers Grimm adaptation The Girl without Hands will receive Oscar-qualifying cinema runs through GKIDS, which picked up the rights last year. Openings are set for July 21 at the IFC Center in New York City, and August 4 at the Laemmle Music Hall in Beverly Hills, California.

A true labor of love, Laudenbach hand-animated the haunting tale with paint on paper, crafting each still in chronological order in a driven, improvisational one-man production push for his feature debut. This hard work has paid off, with a premiere in Cannes’ ACID section, César Award nomination for Best Animated Feature, and both the Jury Prize and Best French Film honors at the 2016 Annecy fest — as well as the André-Martin Award for Best French Feature Film special prize this year. The film has also been recognized with top prizes at Anim’est, Bucheon and Tokyo Anime Awards.

Synopsis: In hard times, a miller sells his daughter to the Devil. Protected by her purity, she escapes from the Devil who, in revenge, deprives her of her hands. So begins her long journey towards the light… but in spite of her resilience and the new protection of a handsome prince’s estate, the Devil devises a plan of his own.

The Girl without Hands was produced by Les Films Sauvages, in co-production with Les Films Pelléas and with the support of CNC and ECLA – Aquitaine’s innovation fund.

The Girl Without Hands

June 22, 2017
Jorge Gutiérrez Chairing Spark Animation 2017 Conference

Spark CG Society welcomes The Book of Life helmer Jorge R. Gutiérrez as the Spark Animation 2017 Conference Chair. The visionary Mexican animator, character designer, painter, writer and director will bring his years of experience and indomitable passion to the Great White North to curate and host the biggest animation event in western Canada — taking place in Vancouver from October 26-29 (conference.sparkanimation.ca).

The announcement comes on the heels of a busy stopover in Annecy for Gutiérrez, which included the unveiling of his immersive, animated VR short Son of Jaguar for Google Spotlight Stories, confirmation that he will return to the director’s chair for a Book of Life sequel at Reel FX, and a work-in-progress presentation of his feature project Kung Fu Space Punch — a comedic blend of ‘90s Kung Fu films, ‘60s Spaghetti Westerns, and epic space adventures of the past several decades.

This year’s Spark Animation Conference will be held in the Vancouver Convention Centre, with a focus on celebrating diversity in this multi-faceted medium. The two-day meet will includes discussions on animation and all its applications; panels and presentations with leading international animators and directors; insights into the global state of the art and business; and primo networking opportunities. Early bird registration is open through September 30.

Jorge Gutiérrez

June 22, 2017
Fans Get a ‘Despicable Me 3’ Kick with PUMA X MINIONS Collection

Animation sensations and iconic duds are always a great match, and the latest must-have gear is launching this summer with the PUMA x Minions Collection hitting shelves worldwide June 29. The range of footwear, apparel and accessories is a collaboration between Illumination Entertainment, Universal Brand Development and the global sports brand. Despicable Me 3 arrives in theaters June 30.

Since being introduced to audiences in 2010’s Despicable Me, the squat yellow Minions have become the world’s favorite bumbling accomplices to evil, inspiring artists, designers and tastemakers across the globe. The PUMA collection taps into Minions Stuart, Carl and Kevin’s subversive sweetness for playful, yet fashionable designs that blend classic PUMA silhouettes with new patterns and splashes of color — and a bunch of ba-na-na.

The collection includes a wide assortment of kids’ offerings, The PUMA Basket is topped with a banana-print strap, or laced version with black-and-white Minions illustration wrapping the top, blue Formstripe and yellow laces — both with PUMA No. 1 debossing with Minions logo. Kids apparel selects include track jackets, sweat pants, hoodies and tees featuring the PUMA X Minions logo and a variety of graphics. Plus: bags, scarves and gloves.

And for the not-quite grown-ups, the classic Suede sneaker comes in black with Minions graphic inlay and insoles, while the Disc Blaze is decked with white and Minions print panels — both in the goggle print in the tongue label and heel. Apparel offerings include oversized crew sweat, bomber jacket and oversized tee — all with spunky yet subtle branding and name imprints of the main Minions. Stash it all in a black PUMA X Minions backpack, in black with popping character graphics.

PUMA x Minions

PUMA x Minions

PUMA x Minions

June 22, 2017
VIZ Reveals Events & Exclusives for Anime Expo ‘17

VIZ Media is heading into the Japanese pop-culture mega-event Anime Expo 2017 with a full slate of activities and con exclusives featuring some of its most popular titles. The largest dedicated anime and manga fan convention in North America will take place July 1-4 at the Los Angeles Convention Center (anime-expo.org), where you can find VIZ on the main floor at Booth #2206.

As previously announced, Food Wars! manga co-creator Yuto Tsukuda will be in attendance as a Guest of Honor, appearing in several panels and autograph sessions (for more information: anime-expo.org/how-to-get-an-autograph) through the weekend. Panels will also cover Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, Sailor Moon, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations and Weekly Shonen Jump.

Meanwhile, the booth will once again host a must-shop retail section, where you can bundle off your purchases in an exclusive, limited edition tote featuring Sailor Moon, Shonen Jump (with One-Punch Man and Boruto) or Pokémon theme. Read on for details.

VIZ AX events:
Saturday, July 1
1:30pm – 2:30pm: VIZ Media Panel (Petree Hall / Room LP1)
Catch special announcements, exclusive first looks, and prizes.

4:00pm Yuto Tsukuda Autograph Session (Anime Expo Autograph Signing Area)
Meet the Food Wars! co-creator and receive a personally signed shikishi art board.

6:30pm – 7:30pm Weekly Shonen Jump Official Panel (LACC Room 408AB / Room LP3)
Find out about the latest developments on new series, fan favorites, and special guest, Yuto Tsukuda!

Sunday, July 2
11:20am Yuto Tsukuda Autograph Session (Anime Expo Autograph Signing Area)

2:30pm – 4:00pm VIZ Media Food Wars! Panel (LACC Room 408AB / Room LP3)
Join VIZ Media and Warner Bros. Japan in welcoming the co-creator of the saucy culinary manga. Tsukuda Sensei, along with his Japanese and English editors, will discuss the creative process behind the hit series.

5:00pm Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure Cast Signing (VIZ Media Booth #2206)
Meet English voice actors Patrick Seitz (Dio) and Matt Mercer (Jotaro) from the legendary series’ Season 2, “Stardust Crusaders,” and get a signed poster.

7:30pm – 9:00pm Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure Official Panel (Room LP1 / Petree Hall)
Join the voice cast for a celebration of this epic series with special guests and surprises!

Monday, July 3
11:00am – 1:00pm Sailor Moon Official Panel (Room LP1 / Petree Hall)
Join many members from the staff and cast of Sailor Moon and Sailor Moon Crystal for a festive time filled with news and updates from everyone’s favorite Guardians of Love and Justice.

11:30am Yuto Tsukuda Autograph Session (Kinokuniya Anime Expo Booth #3700)
This signing event will be limited to the first 100 customers that purchase a VIZ Media Food Wars! manga at the Kinokuniya booth during Anime Expo.

2:00pm Sailor Moon Voice Cast Autograph Session (Anime Expo Autograph Signing Area)
Don’t miss the chance to meet the English voice cast! The first 100 people will receive a signed personalized poster.

5:30pm Yuto Tsukuda Autograph Session (Barnes & Noble at The Grove)
This off-site signing will be limited to the first 100 customers that purchase a Food Wars! manga title at the Grove location on July 3. **Note – this appearance is not affiliated with Anime Expo.

Tuesday, July 4
1:00pm – 2:00pm Shonen Jump Presents Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Official Panel (Room LP3 / LACC 408AB)
Meet the English voice cast of the hit film! We’ll be talking about the movie, manga and the all-new TV series streaming each week on VIZ.com.

VIZ AX exclusives:
FOOD WARS! Vol. 19 – $10. Latest volume of the series available ahead of street-date. ONE-PUNCH MAN and ONE PIECE Manga Replicas – $15 each. Exclusive from Japan! ONE-PUNCH MAN Oppai T-Shirt – $20. Exclusive VIZ Media color edition.

SAILOR MOON CRYSTAL Season III T-Shirt – $15. 2017 exclusive design!

Pre-street & pre-sales:
THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: FOUR SWORDS – LEGENDARY EDITION – $15

POKÉMON ADVENTURES 20TH ANNIVERSARY ILLUSTRATION BOOK – $25

VAMPIRE KNIGHT: MEMORIES, Vol. 1 – $10

JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE Season 1 Blu-ray Set – $65. Pre-Order the set at the VIZ Media booth and receive an exclusive bandana as your gift with purchase.

Special bundles/gift with purchase:
ONE-PUNCH MAN Starter Bundle – $60. Includes ONE-PUNCH MAN Limited Edition Blu-ray Set and Vol. 1 manga; also receive an exclusive Hero Association silvertone metal pin.

BORUTO Starter Bundle – $32. Includes BORUTO: NARUTO THE MOVIE Combo Pack and BORUTO: NARUTO NEXT GENERATIONS Vol. 1 manga; also receive an exclusive BORUTO postcard set.

Premium WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP Annual Subscription – $30. Includes an exclusive WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP hat and YU-GI-OH! trading cards, Apprentice Illusion Magician and Galaxy Eyes Cipher Blade Dragon.

Booth activities:
SAILOR MOON CRYSTAL Quest for New Power – Help the Sailor Guardians on their quest and win a special prize from Sailor Moon herself!

ONE-PUNCH MAN – What Hero Rank Are You? – Find out your Hero Association Rank!

Manga sampler, poster and postcard giveaways – Stop by the VIZ Media booth’s front desk for a variety of freebies!

Sailor Moon Crystal tshirt

June 22, 2017
‘Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling’ Special Brings Back Classic Cast

Nickelodeon has confirmed that a cavalcade of cast members from the original ‘90s series will reprise their roles for the brand-new, original, hour-long TV movie Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling. Written and executive produced by the hit toon’s creator, Joe Murray, the special will premiere in 2018.

Reuniting for Static Cling will be Carlos Alazraqui (The Fairly OddParents) as Rocko, Spunky, and Leon; Tom Kenny (SpongeBob SquarePants) as Heffer Wolfe, Chuck, and Really Really Big Man; Mr. Lawrence (SpongeBob SquarePants) as Filburt Turtle and Maitre D’; Charlie Adler (Blaze and the Monster Machines) as Ed Bighead, Bev Bighead, Mr. Dupette, Grandpa Wolfe, and Mrs. Fathead; Linda Wallem (Nurse Jackie, executive producer) as Aunt Gretchen and Dr. Hutchinson; Jill Talley (SpongeBob SquarePants) as Nosey; and Joe Murray as Ralph.

Newcomers Steve Little (Adventure Time) and Cosmo Segurson (who is directing Static Cling) join the cast as Cowboy and Pillow Salesman, respectively.

Following up on Rocko’s Modern Life, which ran from 1993 to 1996, Static Cling brings Australian wallaby Rocko and his pals Heffer and Filburt back to Earth after being lost in space since ‘96. While Heffer and Filburt embrace all the modern-day technology, social media experiences and endless food truck diversity they find on their return, Rocko has trouble accepting the 21st century and believes his nostalgia for the past can protect him from the tortures of modern life.

Announced last summer, Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling is one of Nick’s three planned revamps of classic animated properties from its millennial-friendly portfolio. Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie will debut this fall, also featuring original voices and picking up where the series ended in 2004. The latest addition is a 90-minute Invader Zim TV movie.

June 22, 2017
Daily News Bytes: ‘Han Solo’ Helmers Out, LA Schwizgebel Event, D23 Goodies & More

’Star Wars’: Why the Han Solo Film Directors Were Fired
Sources say the the LEGO Movie helmers clashed creatively with Star Wars script vet Lawrence Kasdan. Possible replacements are Ron Howard and Joe Johnston. Maybe now Lord and Miller will have time to bring back Clone High? (A fan can dream…)

GLAS Animation to Host Georges Schwizgebel Retrospective in Los Angeles
The recent Annecy Cristal honoree will be celebrated at the Downtown Independent on June 22 — the Swiss animator was a special guest at the 2016 GLAS. “He is truly an unparalleled voice in animation history and his films bring the use of the frame and the cycle to an entirely new conceptual level,” says fest director Jeanette Bonds.

Disney Store Readies for D23 Fan Expo
New covetous collectibles and limited edition delights will celebrate landmark anniversaries for Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Snow White and Bambi. Plus, the revamped Disney Designer Collection and all-new Disney-Pixar, MXYZ mini blind box, Star Wars and Tsum Tsum collections, to name a few.

Time Warner Will Spend $100M on Snapchat Original Shows and Ads
The owner of HBO, Turner and Warner Bros. is the latest to dip its distribution toe into the whippersnapper social media platform, with plans to release series across a variety of genres in the vertical format, running 3 to 5 minutes.

Marc Hustvedt Comes on as CEO of Digital Comedy Network Above Average
The five-year-old network/prodco snags an online video heavyweight with the Supergravity Pictures, Tubefilter and Streamy Awards co-founder. Above Average’s largely live-action catalog includes animation, such as Tiny Town, Swimming Lessons, Podtoons and Monkey Love.

Han Solo

June 21, 2017
Adam Goodman Producing Animated Adaptation ‘Wolf Totem’ for Le Vision

Adam Goodman, formerly president of Paramount, is turning his sightline to animation, according to Hollywood Reporter. The film biz vet will be producing the adaptation of award-winning Chinese novel Wolf Totem for Le Vison Entertainment, which he launched last year in partnership with China’s LeEco. The project is being directed by The Lion King helmer Rob Minkoff.

The new development on the project — first announced in 2015 — was revealed at the Shanghai International Film Festival this week by Goodman, Minkoff and LeEco vice chairman Zhang Zhao. Minkoff is serving on the international competition jury at the fest. In addition to his animation credits, Minkoff directed the 2008 martial arts flick The Forbidden Kingdom, a China-US co-pro starring Jackie Chan and Jet Li.

Written by Jiang Rong, Wolf Totem is a semi-autobiographical tale about a young student from Beijing who is sent to the rural expanses of Inner Mongolia during the Cultural Revolution. There, he meets native shepherds and learns about their special connection with wild wolves. The book was adapted as a successful live-action feature co-produced in France and China in 2014.

Adam Goodman

June 21, 2017
NFB Forms 3-Year Plan to Uplift Indigenous Peoples

The National Film Board of Canada has unveiled a three-year plan and series of commitments shaped by the work and recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and Indigenous creators’ longstanding concerns about the systemic inequities of national production landscape.

Canada’s public producer and distributor of animation, documentary and interactive/immersive experiences, NFB has backed works by First Nations, Métis and Inuit directors since 1968, bringing more than 280 titles by Indigenous filmmakers to screens.

“The NFB acknowledges its enormous debt to the first generation of Indigenous filmmakers at the NFB, first and foremost Alanis Obomsawin,” said Claude Joli-Coeur, Government Film Commissioner and Chairperson of the NFB. “Alanis joined the NFB in 1967 and fought against an often hostile environment to create an unparalleled body of work that has fundamentally recast understandings of Indigenous realities and relationships with settler society. The struggles of Alanis and others to claim a space for Indigenous voices within the NFB, on Canadian screens and within the broader Canadian production industry constitute the foundations for the commitments we are making today.”

In order to build on its existing relationship with Indigenous creatives and communities, the NFB’s equity plan contains 33 commitments grouped under “Institutional Transformation,” “Industry Leadership,” “Production,” and “Distribution, Collection Management and Education.” The full list of commitments is posted online.

First-year priorities include developing a plan toward NFB’s goal of representational parity in its workforce by 2025; an immediate commitment of 15% of production spending for Indigenous-directed projects; and working with Indigenous partners to develop protocols/guidelines for the production and distribution of works with Indigenous content/themes as well as for the access to and reuse of archives.

Current members of the NFB Indigenous Advisory Group are Alanis Obomsawin (Producer-Director & Cultural Attaché, NFB), Tasha Hubbard (Filmmaker & Assistant Professor, University of Saskatchewan), Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers (Filmmaker), Lisa Jackson (Filmmaker), Jason Ryle (Artistic Director, imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival), Monika Ille (Executive Director, Programming, APTN), Nancy Henry (Instructional Coach, FNMI Education, Ottawa-Carleton School Board), Elizabeth Logue (Director, Inuit Relations Directorate, INAC), Camille Callison (Librarian, Archivist and Anthropologist), Heather Igloliorte (Professor of Aboriginal History & Arts Curator).

This new, needed initiative follows the NFB’s previously announced commitment to reaching gender parity by 2020.

Images provided by NFB. L to R: Angry Inuk (Alethea Arnaquq-Baril); Reel Injun (Catherine Bainbridge, Neil Diamond & Jeremiah Hayes); Lumaajuuq (Alethea Arnaquq-Baril); Trick or Treaty? (Alanis Obomsawin); Hi-Ho Mistahey! (Alanis Obomsawin); The Mountain of SGaana (Christopher Auchter); Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance (Alanis Obomsawin).

June 21, 2017
BANPRESTO to Host Loot Crate Anime Figure Sculpt Contest

Artists and anime fans heading to New York Comic Con (Oct. 5-8, www.newyorkcomiccon.com) will get to witness the first-ever BANPRESTO World Figure Colosseum, a sculpting competition where nominated pros from around the world will enter their creations for a shot at the title and the distinction of having their figure included in a future Loot Anime subscription from Loot Crate.

“We’ve been hosting this style of figure tournament in Japan for the past seven years, and it is true that it has been a great help to boost the quality of our figures,” said BANPRESTO Chief Producer, Norihiko Sakata. “We’re very excited to bring this competition to North America and [have] the award ceremony at NYCC 2017. I’ll also be visiting Anime Expo in L.A., and I am very excited to meet the figure community fans in person!”

Twelve hobby figure sculptors have already been selected and are at work on their entries, which will be recreations of characters from anime hits Dragon Ball and One Piece. Once completed, fans will be invited to participate by voting for their favorite — the figure with the most votes will be honored at an Award Ceremony at NYCC and will be included in the Loot Anime crate.

BANPRESTO’s NYCC program will also feature guest speakers from both the professional and fan communities, and an in-depth look at the art of figure-making. BANPRESTO is a fully owned subsidiary of BANDAI NAMCO. More info on the event at http://bfcworld.bpnavi.jp.

Chopper

June 21, 2017
‘The Master,’ ‘Parque Pesadelo’ Light Up Lanterna Mágica Awards

An Estonian stop-motion short swept Brazil’s Lanterna Mágica animation festival awards this weekend, with Riho Unt’s The Master taking three prizes (Best Film, Best Direction and Best Script) in the international shorts category. Unt has previously won awards from Annecy and the Krok animation fests.

Produced by Nukufilm Studios and supported by the Estonian Film Institute and Cultural Endowment of Estonia, The Master is based on Estonian author Friedebert Tuglas’ Popi and Huhuu, about a dog and a monkey awaiting the return of their master, who one day realize he won’t be coming home any more, and determine to form a new life together.

In Lanterna Mágica’s national competition, the Best Film award and Best Art Direction went to Parque Pesadelo (“Nightmare Park”) by Aly Muritiba, Francisco Gusso and Pedro Giongo. Produced in the state of Paraná by GRAFO and Tijucas studios in co-production with RPCTV, the paper cut-out animation follows a young boy burdened by a strange curse.

The 2017 Lanterna Mágica award winners are:

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

Best Film (Official Jury): The Master by Riho Unt (Estonia)

Best Film (Audience) TIE: (Otto) by Job, Joris & Marieke (Netherlands) | Chika, the Dog from the Ghetto by Sandra Schiebl (Germany)

Best Direction:The Master, Riho Unt

Best Script: The Master, Riho Unt

Best Art Direction: Valley of White Birds by Busifan & Cloud Yang (China)

Best Animation Technique: Yin by Nicolas Fong (Belgium)

Best Sound: The Evening Her Mind Jumped out of Her Head by Shaun Clark & Kim Noce (UK)

Best Music Composition: Yin, Nicolas Fong

NATIONAL COMPETITION

Best Film (Official Jury): Parque Pesadelo by Aly Muritiba, Francisco Gusso & Pedro Giongo (Paraná, Brazil)

Best Film (Audience): Lipe, Vovô e o Monstro by Felippe Steffens & Carlos Mateus (Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil)

Best Direction: Caminho dos Gigantes by Alois Di Leo (São Paulo, Brazil)

Best Script: Brinquedo Novo by Rogério Boechat (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

Best Art Direction: Parque Pesadelo, Aly Muritiba, Francisco Gusso & Pedro Giongo

Best Animation Technique: Finito by Mauricio Bartok (São Paulo, Brazil)

Best Sound: Caminho dos Gigantes, Alois Di Leo

Best Music Composition: Finito, Mauricio Bartok

The Master

June 21, 2017
David Oyelowo Voicing Scar in ‘Lion Guard’

Acclaimed actor of stage and screen David Oyelowo (A Most Violent Year, Selma, Queen of Katwe) will be putting on the pelt of one of animation’s most iconic villains to voice Scar in season two of Disney Junior’s The Lion Guard. Scar will reappear in the flames of a volcano after Kion, son of Simba and Nala, unwittingly summons him with the Roar of the Elders in a fit of anger.

Season two of The Lion Guard debuts Friday, July 7 with back-to-back episodes starting at 8 a.m. ET on Disney Channel. Scar will arrive in a special extended episode, “The Rise of Scar,” premiering Saturday, July 29 at 9 a.m.

In addition to his celebrated turns in live-action productions, Oyelowo is no stranger to animation voice over. He regularly performs the role of Agent Kallus in Star Wars: Rebels, and has hit the recording booth for episode of Robot Chicken and Glenn Martin DDS.

The season two guest star list also includes Tony Award-winning actress Renée Elise Goldsberry as Dhahabu, a charismatic golden zebra; Academy- and Grammy Award-winning rapper, actor, producer and poet Common as Kiburi, an arrogant crocodile; Kristofer Hivju as Kenge, a ferocious monitor lizard; AJ Mclean as Kuchimba, an adorable golden mole; Carla Hall as Mpishi, a “foodie” African harrier hawk; Christopher Jackson as Shujaa, a massively strong gorilla; CCH Pounder as Kongwe, a wise old turtle; Rico Rodriguez and Raini Rodriguez as Raha and Starahe, a brother and sister zebra duo; Sinbad as Uroho, a comedic baboon; Michael Dorn as Bupu, a large sable antelope; Justin Hires as Hodari, a tiny gecko; Jacob Bertrand, Mekai Curtis and Cade Sutton as Chama the elephant, Furaha the monkey and Mzaha the antelope, respectively; and Landry Bender as Makini, Rafiki’s spirited young mandrill apprentice.

Featuring Swahili language elements, original songs and expert input from Disney’s Animal Kingdom, The Lion Guard follows the adventures of Kion (Max Charles), the second-born cub of Simba (Rob Lowe) and Nala (Gabrielle Union), The regular voice cast also features Joshua Rush as Bunga, Atticus Shaffer as Ono, Diamond White as Fuli, Dusan Brown as Beshte, Eden Riegel as Kiara, Jeff Bennett as Zazu, Andrew Kishino as Janja, Vargus Mason as Cheezi, Jonny Rees as Mzingo, Khary Payton as Rafiki, Kevin Schon as Chungu and Timon, Gary Anthony Williams as Mufasa and Ernie Sabella who reprises his role as Pumbaa.

Ford Riley is executive producer with co-EP and supervising director Howy Parkins. Music by composer Christopher Willis and singer/songwriter Beau Black. Author and Swahili expert Sarah Mirza is language and cultural advisor. Disney Television Animation produces.

The Lion Guard

The Lion Guard

June 21, 2017
Fred Seibert, Netflix’s Andy Yeatman to Keynote MIPJunior

MIPJunior (www.mipjunior.com) has announced that two major influencers in the kids’ animation industry have been confirmed a keynote speakers for the 2017 confab: Fred Seibert and Andy Yeatman. MIPJunior will take place October 14-15 at the Marriott in Cannes ahead of MIPCOM — both events are organized by Reed MIDEM.

Fred Seibert is the founder of Frederator Networks, the Chief Creative Officer of WOW! Unlimited Media — formed last fall — and a serial media entrepreneur. He was the first creative director of MTV and the last president of Hanna-Barbera Cartoons. Frederator Networks is Channel Frederator, the leading online cartoon network; Frederator Studios, an independent production company with hits on Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon; Cartoon Hangover, the home of Bravest Warriors and Bee & PuppyCat (the most funded web series Kickstarter in history); and Frederator Books. Frederator distributes hundreds of independently owned, animator operated, YouTube channels. WOW! Unlimited Media is the merger of Frederator, Rainmaker Entertainment, and Ezrin Hirsh (founded by veteran producer Bob Ezrin and animation pioneer Michael Hirsh).

Andy Yeatman leads the kids & family programming team for Netflix globally, covering all original and licensed content for kids ages 2-12. Prior to this role, he acquired Major Studio film and television content for Netflix’s North America service. Yeatman joined Netflix in 2011, helping to launch its service internationally. Before joining Netflix, he worked in Digital Distribution for The Walt Disney Studios. In that role, Yeatman negotiated movie distribution deals with digital platforms such as iTunes, Sony Playstation Network and Microsoft Xbox for a number of territories, including the US, Canada, Mexico, Japan and Korea. Yeatman holds an MBA in Strategy and Entertainment Management from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management and an International Relations degree from Tufts University.

Fred Seibert

June 21, 2017
Exclusive Clip: First Look at Nick’s ‘Welcome to the Wayne’ Opener

Nickelodeon will bid viewers Welcome to the Wayne when the brand-new animated mystery series debuts Monday, July 24. Ahead of the big debut of Emmy-winning writer and composer Billy Lopez’s original toon, we’re delighted to present a first look at the show’s theme song, which reveals just how wonky the Wayne can be!

The theme song features lyrics penned by Lopez, and is composed and performed by That Dog frontwoman Anna Waronker and former Go-Gos guitarist Charlotte Caffey.

“Writing the Welcome to the Wayne theme song was a true joy,” said the songsters. “Billy Lopez, Jeffrey Lesser and the whole team at Nickelodeon wanted the song to reflect the mysterious, adventurous, energetic, and eccentric spirit of the show itself, so we were able to take a lot of twists and turns musically that made writing this song so much fun!!”

Waronker and Caffey are also the creative force behind the award-winning Lovelace: A Rock Musical.

Welcome to the Wayne

June 21, 2017
Pélénope Bagieu’s ‘Brazen’ Getting Animated Series Treatment

Illustrator and comicker Pélénope Bagieu’s celebrated feminist webcomic Brazen (Les Culottées) is being adapted into an animated 30 x 3 min. TV series by France’s Agat Films & Cie and Silex Films. An English version of Volume 1 of the collected comics will be published by First Second in 2018, following the success of two volumes released in French.

The short format toon will follow the comics’ approach of presenting mini-biographies of bold female game-changers from history, with the first season delving into the lives of 30 notables including “The Sword of Damascus” Naziq al-Abid, Josephine Baker, Nellie Bly and Dr. Mae Jemison.

The series concept was whipped up by Arnaud Colinart, Head of New Media for Agat. The animation is being handled by Silex at its studio, for delivering to pubcaster France Televisions. Sarah Saidan, who won the Tokyo Anime Award for Beach Flags in 2015, is directing.

Brazen (Les Culottées)

June 20, 2017