Canadian kids’ entertainment company Wow! Unlimited Media and Bell Media have struck a deal that will bring Wow! programming to Bell channels in exchange for equity in the production outfit. The deal also includes an agreement to jointly develop and produce content.
“This strategic partnership will drive our planned multi-platform rollout of a new paradigm in entertainment for kids and youth across North America,” said Michael Hirsh, Chairman and CEO of Wow! “In addition, the support and collaborative efforts of Canada’s leading media and telecommunication company will provide strong momentum to Wow’s global expansion plans.”
The transaction will be structured as an asset purchase, with Wow! picking up the broadcasting license for Category B specialty service from Bell Media in exchange for over 3 million voting shares (12%), priced at $6.86 million. Bell Media will also be able to nominate a rep to Wow!’s board of directors following the closure of the transaction.
“We are very excited about our strategic partnership with Wow and the opportunity to work with them in realizing their strategy of becoming a best in class international producer of kids and youth content,” said Randy Lennox, President, Bell Media. “As part of our partnership, Bell Media will leverage Wow’s programming for use across all of our platforms including linear television, CraveTV, and SnackableTV.”
The sixth annual Asian Animation Summit will see the co-production promotion event return to Brisbane, Australia from November 29 to December 1 this year. Organizers expect some 250 attendees to descend on the Queensland coast, a mix of producers, broadcasters, distributors and investors from across Asia-Pacific and beyond.
AAS 2017 will present 24 new-to-market projects from Australia, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and other countries in the region that are seeking financing and partners. Each day will also begin with an informative panel discussion with broadcast buyers from one of the partner countries.
About half of the projects which have debuted at the first four AAS editions have gone into production, including Bottersnikes & Gumbles (2012), Kuu Kuu Harajuku (2013), Wonderballs (2012) and Balloon Barnyard (2014). A full 88% of producers who have presented projects at AAS report that they met critical broadcast and financing partners at the event. And 95% of them said attending AAS has helped them establish important relationships with international producers.
Registration for AAS 2017 is now open. The event is owned and produced by Kidscreen, with support from hosting partners Screen Queensland and Brisbane Marketing; presenting partners KOCCA (Korea), MDEC (Malaysia) and SIPA/DITP (Thailand); and supporting partner AINAKI (Indonesia).
Women in Animation has announced a first round of academic partnerships to encourage the next generation of animation professionals to engage with its network of support. New York’s School of Visual Arts has signed on as both a corporate sponsor and student membership sponsor, and California Institute of the Arts has also agreed to sponsor memberships so more of its students can take part in WIA.
These efforts were spurred by the discrepancy between females in animation schools, where they account for a roughy 65% majority of the student body, and in the industry, where women are placed in just 23% of creative leadership positions, according to WIA co-president Marge Dean.
“Connecting with women during their academic training is a way for us to support their professional development and effort from the start, and to work together towards our goal of making the creative leadership in the industry 50-50 by 2025,” said Brendan Burch, WIA treasurer and member of its student committee.
The partner schools issued enthusiastic statements:
“We at SVA are thrilled to offer our students access to the premier organization for women’s advocacy, gender equality and leadership training. Students are the future of our industry and the support they will gain by joining WIA will be a very positive influence on their education and their careers. We encourage our peers, educators and students to sign the pledge (50/50 by 2025!) – we did!” — John McIntosh, Chair of SVA Computer Art, Animation and Visual Effects
“CalArts treasures its long relationship with WIA and deeply appreciates its support for our students and graduates—whether they are still in school, first-time professionals or advanced in their careers. WIA creates an all-important community that encourages women to take creative leadership in the industry and is an essential resource for female professionals in the field of animation.” — Leighton Pierce, Dean of CalArts School of Film/Video.
Some fresh high-energy adventure is coming to streaming to Amazon Prime Video viewers in the US and UK with the launch of Amazon Original Kids Series Danger & Eggs set for June 30. Created by Yo Gabba Gabba animation colleagues Mike Owens and Shadi Petosky — who also executive produce with Chris Hardwick (Talking Dead, @midgnight) — Danger & Eggs is the Amazon Studios’ first comedy toon aimed at kids 6-11, according to Head of Kids Programming Tara Sorensen.
“I’ve been passionate about animation my whole life and to produce this series with my animation company [Puny Entertainment] fulfills a lifelong goal,” said Hardwick. “This show is funny, touching, and has incredible design — everything I’ve wanted to make.”
The 13-episode launch season features the voices of comedians Aidy Bryant (Saturday Night Live) as D.D. Danger and Eric Knobel (Huge Theater) as Philip the giant egg. Guest stars include Weird Al (Milo Murphy’s Law), Lori Petty (Tank Girl), Charlyne Yi (Knocked Up), Kate Micucci (Garfunkel and Oates), Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Scott Pilgrim), Jasika Nicole (Fringe), Felicia Day (Geek & Sundry), Jonah Ray (Mystery Science Theater 3000), Angelica Ross (Her Story) and Jazz Jennings (I Am Jazz).
Danger & Eggs follows the endless adventures of a fearless, teal-haired girl named D.D. Danger and her ever cautious best friend, a giant talking egg named Phillip. As the daughter of world-renowned stunt daredevil, Roy Danger, D.D. is following in his footsteps and is always chasing her next big thrill. Luckily for her, Phillip is always there by her side with jerry-rigged safety mechanisms to make her thrill-seeking dreams come true. Together, they go in search of new adventures at their favorite spot, Chicken Paw Park, which is home to Philip’s mom Becky, a gargantuan chicken. The first season finds D.D. and Phillip meeting a raccoon with a thirst for technology, being sucked into a mysterious underground science lab, discovering a lonely robot in an overgrown garden, and taking on a famous zip line. Throughout their journey, they overcome obstacles with the “Buddy System” because even though they are polar opposites, their differences complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses to solve problems. Their Buddy System mantra says it all: “You look out for me and I’ll look out for you!”
“For us, the heart of Danger & Eggs is the friendship between Phillip and D.D. that proves you can face fear and danger and have a blast in the process because you are not alone,” said Owens. Petosky added: “We can’t believe we get to take out our anxiety on a show–putting our inside voices into these characters and seeing if they stay friends.”
The pilot was part of Amazon’s Fall 2015 pilot season, and received 4.6 out of 5 stars.
Fox Animation has picked up adaptation rights to forthcoming middle grade book The Care and Feeding of a Pet Black Hole, Deadline reports. The book is coming this September from Dial Books and author Michelle Cuevas (The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles, Confessions of an Imaginary Friend).
The studio is finalizing a deal with War for the Planet of the Apes director Matt Reeves to produce the project under his shingle 6th and Idaho. Elizabeth Reddy will oversee production for Fox Animation.
In the book, 11-year-old Stella Rodriguez is followed home from NASA by a lonely black hole. At first, the black hole’s ability to swallow everything he touches comes in handy for unwanted items — like the ugly sweaters from her aunt and the things that remind her painfully of her dead father. It’s not until things get entirely out of hand that Stella realizes she has been letting her own grief consumer her.
Commercial production company Not To Scale have signed Academy Award-winning director John Kahrs, who will join its newly opened Los Angeles studio for exclusive commercial representation. Formerly an animator at Pixar and Disney, Kahrs won the Best Animated Short Oscar and Annie Award in 2013 for 2D/3D hybrid film Paperman.
“I’ve always admired great commercials. They are marvels of efficient storytelling and expert craftsmanship. To be honest, they are a huge inspiration for so much of my work, which is why I’m excited to be a part of Not To Scale and their new creative team here in Los Angeles,” said Kahrs. “I think it’s a great fit. I’m eager to collaborate and create something special with this talented group of people.”
Kahrs’ career began at New York animation powerhouse Blue Sky Studios in 1990. In 1997, he moved to California to join Pixar, where he worked as an animator on hit films A Bug’s Life, The Incredibles, and Monsters, Inc. Relocating to southern California in 2007, Kahrs was part of the revitalization of Disney Feature Animation, where he moved into leadership roles with animation director duties on Tangled. He then directed Paperman, which won praise for its emotional story as well as its technological and artistique innovation.
More recently, Kahrs delivered the seven-minute animated short June for ride-share company Lyft. The film has racked up more than 7.5 million views on YouTube, thanks to its striking approach to lighting and color in a 2D/CG hybrid world. You can read more about June in Tom McLean’s story here, originally published in Animation Magazine.
“I’m delighted that John is joining the Not To Scale family. A gifted filmmaker, John has that rare ability to create beguiling, heartwarming films and stories that continue to reward the audience long after viewing,” said Not To Scale’s Founder and Executive Producer, Dan O’Rourke. “With his latest film June, John has shown that he is able to weave these skills subtly into films that are commissioned by brands too. We now look forward to sharing his work across different territories and seeking out many more exciting, creative opportunities for John to let his exceptional talent shine.”
LA- and Paris-based entertainment mainstay Gaumont has appointed Laura Laas as Vice President, International TV Sales, Animation. Charged with selling the company’s TV toon slate within EMEA and North America, as well as securing international co-production partners, Laas will report to Vanessa Shapiro, President of Worldwide TV Distribution & Co-Production.
Laas will also work closely with Gaumont’s animation team, lead by Nicolas Atlan, President, Animation. She will join the company’s contingent at the MIFA in Annecy next week for her first market attendance in her new role.
Before joining Gaumont, Laas most recently served as International Sales Manager at France TV Distribution, where she created and oversaw global distribution strategies for animation content. Her resume also includes previous posts at Toei Animation Europe and Warner Bros. Entertainment.
“We have seen significant growth in our animation business over the past year, with three new kids series close to completion, and three recently announced projects in development with several more to be unveiled in the coming months,” commented Shapiro. “Laura’s extensive industry background and expertise will be of paramount importance as we roll out these completed series and finalize co-production partnerships for our new development slate.”
Slated for delivery by Gaumont’s animation division this year are Belle & Sebastian (52 x 11 min.), a co-production with Canada’s Groupe PVP Inc., to air on ZDF (Germany), M6 (France), Piwi+ (France), Radio Canada (Canada), VRT (Belgium), RTBF (Belgium) and RTS (Switzerland); Furry Wheels (52 x 11 min.), commissioned by France Télévisions and Disney XD; and Trulli Tales (52 x 11 min.), co-produced with Groupe PVP Inc., Congedo Culturarte and Fandango, to air on Disney Junior EMEA, RAI, Radio Canada and Globosat.
Registration is now open for the 2017 VIEW Conference (www.viewconference.it) — Italy’s premiere computer graphics, digital media and games confab. The 18th edition will take place October 23-27 in Torino, welcoming top industry pros including keynote speakers Rob Pardo (World of Warcraft designer), and Bonfire Studios CEO / Baobab Studios Chief Creative Director Eric Darnell (co-director/writer, Madagascar films).
Organizers have also opened submissions for the competitive VIEW Awards, celebrating the best in animation and video games with four competitive categories: Best Short (short film or music video, student or professional), Social Contest (short clip or commercial with social theme), Game Contest, and ItalianMix (animated, experimental or documentary shorts by Italian artists). Submit here by September 15, 2017.
The initial slate of VIEW Conference speakers includes:
– Rob Pardo (Keynote Speaker) – CEO, Bonfire Studios. Renowned video game design career including World of Warcraft.
– Eric Darnell (Keynote Speaker) – Chief Creative Officer, Baobab Studios whose career includes co-directing & co-writing all DreamWorks’ Madagascar films, VR projects Invasion, Asteroids and Rainbow Crow,and more.
– Phil Chen – Co-founder, HTC VIVE. A technology explorer and investor who is Managing Partner of Presence Capital VR/AR Venture Fund and Partner, Horizons Ventures who invest in VR/AR/AI.
– Paul Debevec – Senior Staff Engineer, Google VR and Oscar Winner.
– Kevin Lin – Chief Operating Officer, Twitch.TV.
– Christopher Townsend – Overall VFX Supervisor, Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2.
– Vicki Dobbs Beck – Executive in Charge of ILM x LAB.
– Mark Osborne – Director of The Little Prince and DreamWorks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda.
– Kris Pearn – Director of upcoming feature The Willoughbys from Bron Animation, and co-director of Sony Pictures Animation’s Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2.
– Shannon Tindle – Director/writer, Sony Pictures Animation, Disney, Laika, Google Spotlight Story On Ice.
– Cinzia Angelini – Director of upcoming CG animated short Mila.
– Hal Hickel – Animation Director, Rogue One, ILM. Oscar and BAFTA winner.
– Rob Coleman – Head of Animation, The LEGO Batman Movie, Animal Logic. Two-time Oscar nominee for his work on Star Wars.
– Kim White – Director of Photography – Lighting, Cars 3, Pixar Animation Studios.
– Noelle Triaureau – Production Designer, Smurfs: The Lost Village, Sony Pictures Animation.
– Mike Ford – VFX Supervisor, Smurfs: The Lost Village, Sony Pictures Imageworks.
– Carlos Zaragoza – Production Designer, The Emoji Movie, Sony Pictures Animation.
– Maureen Fan – Chief Executive Officer, Baobab Studios, VR.
– Larry Cutler – Chief Technology Officer, Baobab Studios.
– Eloi Champagne – Technical Director, National Film Board of Canada, VR.
– Claudio Pedica – Senior Interaction Designer, Sólfar Studios & AI researcher at Reykjavik University.
– Michael Rubin – Founder and Chief Photo Officer, Neomodern.
– David Putrino – Director of Rehabilitation Innovation, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Director of Telemedicine and Virtual Rehabilitation Medicine at Weill-Cornell Medical College. Chief Mad Scientist, Not Impossible Labs.
– Victor Perez – VFX Supervisor, Gabriele Salvatores Invisible Boy sequel.
– Francesco Filippi – Director, Mani Rosse (“Red Hands”), Studio Mistral.
– Ed Hooks – Multi-faceted theatrical professional, actor, author and acting teacher.
The 2017 VIEW Conference is made possible with the support of Compagnia di San Paolo, Fondazione CRT, Piedmont Region, Turin’s Chamber of Commerce and the City of Turin, Twith.tv.
Following a productive Cannes film market, international brand manager PGS has lined up a raft of top distribution partners for the upcoming animated feature Tall Tales from the Magical Garden of Antoon Krings. These include include Praesens (Switzerland), NOS (Portugal), Monolith (Poland), Acme (Baltics), Shooting Stars (Middle East), New Guys (Israel), Cracker Pictures (South Korea), Skyline (Vietnam) and HiShow (China), as previously announced.
The film is set to bow in French theaters this December through Universal and Gebeka — France 3 and Canal+ have already snapped up TV premiere rights.
Co-produced by ON Entertainment (The Little Prince) and Bidibul Productions, Tall Tales is based on Antoon Krings’ charming storybook, which has sold over 20 million copies in the past 10 years. Tall Tales follows the adventures of Apollo the Cricket — vagabond, singer, and hero — who arrives one day in the most magical garden of all. Hoping to start a new life, he finds true love with Marguerite, the Queen of the Hive, but ends up falling into a trap… Will our hero overcome? Will he find his true place in the world?
Krings is co-directing the movie with Arnaud Bouron, and wrote the screenplay with Arnaud Delalande and Christel Gonnard.
Tall Tales will be released internationally in 2018, accompanied by a full publishing, licensing and merchandising rollout, as well as a TV series to support the franchise development plans. PGS represent the brand’s rights internationally in partnership with ON Animation.
Tall Tales from the Magical Garden of Antoon Krings
GLAS Presents Georges Schwizgebel Retrospective
Swiss indie animation legend (and this year’s Annecy Honorary Cristal recipient) will be celebrated with a special screening and drinks reception on June 22 (doors at 7:30 p.m., screening begins at 8:30 p.m.) at the Downtown Independent in Los Angeles.
Animation Nights New York Presents June Flix
On the opposite coast, ANNY will present its monthly free screening on June 14 at 8 p.m., a strong line-up of shorts from across Europe and beyond including Sofya Badalova’s The Beard, Pete Kavanagh’s PNXKNF and Nicolas Bianco-Levrin’s The One Who Tamed Clouds.
VIDEO: ‘Statue’ Behind the Scenes
London creative studio Saddington Baynes’ latest R&D project through SBLabs freezes a Muay Thai fight with full-body 3D photo scans, created in partnership with FBFX. “We wanted to create a project to showcase our expertise working with complex simulations and highly detailed 3D talent, while also demonstrating our imaginative storycraft and VFX capabilities. The Statue project quickly picked up a Platinum award and we’ve entered it into others. It’s a great piece that shows off a variety of high level skills, applicable to multiple market sectors,” says Exec. Creative Director James Digby-Jones.
100M Euro Irish Animation Industry Sketches Out a Bright Future
The local biz has grown by leaps and bounds since the early days of the Sullivan-Bluth and Murakami-Wolf studios, gaining a strong economic foothold and international recognition for the artistry of projects like Cartoon Saloon’s Oscar-nominated The Secret of Kells.
France’s La Cabane Productions and Belgium’s Thuristar are planning to put the “fun” in “fungi” with a new CG animated comedy-adventure, Mush-Mush and the Mushables. The producers have just announced a development partnership for the series with French network CANAL+ and leading international kids’ entertainment specialist CAKE. Production is set to begin in 2018, with delivery slated for early 2019.
Mush-Mush was created by Belgian artists Elfriede de Rooster for an upper preschool audience (ages 4-7). The project inspired “strong enthusiasm” at Cartoon Forum, noted La Cabane producer and co-founder Perrine Gauthier in the announcement.
The 52 x 11 min. series is set to air on CANAL+ channels Piwi+ and Canal+ Family. VRT-Ketnet has also confirmed its interest in co-producing Mush-Mush in Dutch-speaking Belgium. And RTS (French-speaking Switzerland) and RTBF-OUFtivi (French-speaking Belgium) are committed to pre-buying the show. CAKE, on board as co-producer and international distributor, is already in talks with additional European and international buyers.
“We are delighted to be working with La Cabane and Thuristar on this little gem charmingly named Mush-Mush and the Mushables, which puts community, wonder and friendship at the heart of its world,” said CAKE’s CEO & Creative Director, Tom van Waveren. “These are values we feel have merit in being promoted and certainly when done with this much talent and creativity, and a smile never far away.”
Mush-Mush and the Mushables follows the forest adventures of Mush-Mush, his best friends Chep and Lilit, and the rest of the Mushable community, as they explore, grow and discover just how fun and wild life can be. Mushables are the Guardians of the Forest, and each member has a special talent or ability: While Mush-Mush can communicate with nature, Chep has a huge memory and Lilit lights up and glows – all of this in theory at least, as they all still have a lot to learn! The show relates this journey of self-discovery from a child’s point of view, through exciting adventure, comedy and mush mush more!
Disney-Pixar has revealed the character and voice talent lineup for its November 22 release Coco, featuring an all-Latino cast bringing to life a multi-generational family tale. Directed by Lee Unkrich (Toy Story 3) and co-directed by Adrian Molina (story artist, Monsters University) and produced by Darla K. Anderson, Coco will introduce audiences to a variety of colorful characters from both sides of the mortal divide joining stars Anthony Gonzalez, Gael García Bernal and Benjamin Bratt.
“These parallel worlds couldn’t be more different,” said Unkrich. “One is the Rivera family’s charming and hardworking hometown of Santa Cecilia, and the other is the vibrant, rich land where loved ones go when they’ve passed. Coco introduces characters from both worlds on the eve of Día de los Muertos—one extraordinary night when a living boy named Miguel gets a glimpse of the other side.”
“Our voice cast is incredibly talented, helping to shape our eclectic group of characters. Each actor has told us they find something relatable in this film, so they’re finding it easy to capture the heart of this story—it’s all about family, so we hope that these characters will resonate with everyone,” added Molina.
FROM THE LAND OF THE LIVING:
– Anthony Gonzalez (Ice Box, The Last Ship) lends his voice to Miguel, a 12-year-old aspiring musician who struggles against his family’s generations-old ban on music. When a magical mishap lands him in the Land of the Dead, Miguel seeks out his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz, to help him return to the Land of the Living before it’s too late.
– Ana Ofelia Murguía (Mozart in the Jungle, Bandidas) voices Miguel’s cherished great-grandmother Mamá Coco. She is very old and fragile, but that doesn’t stop Miguel from sharing his daily adventures with her.
– Renée Victor (Weeds, The Apostle) provides the authoritative voice of Abuelita, Miguel’s grandmother and the ultimate enforcer of the Rivera family’s ban on music. She loves her family very much and will do anything to protect them. But when she gets angry, she wields a mean slipper.
– Jaime Camil (Jane the Virgin, Elena of Avalor, Secret Lives of Pets) is the voice of Papá, Miguel’s supportive father who hopes that some day Miguel will join him in the family shoemaking business.
– Sofía Espinosa (Gloria) provides the voice of Miguel’s loving Mamá who gently encourages her son to embrace their family’s traditions.
– Luis Valdez (Which Way Is Up, director of La Bamba & Cisco Kid) is the voice of Tío Berto, Miguel’s uncle, a hard worker in the Rivera family shoemaking business.
– Lombardo Boyar (Happy Feet, Murder in the First) lends his voice to a friendly Mariachi who Miguel encounters in Santa Cecilia Plaza.
FROM THE LAND OF THE DEAD:
– Gael García Bernal (Mozart in the Jungle) helps bring to life Hector, a charming trickster in the Land of the Dead who is forced to enlist help from Miguel to visit the Land of the Living.
– Benjamin Bratt (Star, Doctor Strange) is the voice of Miguel’s idol Ernesto de la Cruz, the most famous musician in the history of Mexico. Revered by fans worldwide until his untimely death, the charming and charismatic musician is even more beloved in the Land of the Dead.
– Edward James Olmos (Blade Runner, Stand and Deliver) lends his voice to Chicharrón, a curmudgeonly friend of Hector’s who is sadly being forgotten—an unfortunate condition in the Land of the Dead.
– Alanna Ubach (Meet the Fockers, Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce) provides the voice of Mamá Imelda, Miguel’s great-great-grandmother, the matriarch of the Rivera family and the founder of their successful shoemaking business. Miguel meets Mamá Imelda in the Land of the Dead and discovers she does not share his passion for music.
– Selene Luna (My Bloody Valentine, Celebrity Wife Swap) voices Tía Rosita, Miguel’s late aunt who resides in the Land of the Dead.
– Alfonso Arau (Three Amigos, director/producer Like Water for Chocolate, director A Walk in the Clouds) is the voice of Papá Julio, Miguel’s late great-grandfather who he meets in Land of the Dead.
– Herbert Siguenza (Larry Crowne, Ben 10: Alien Swarm) lends his voice to both Tío Oscar and Tío Felipe, Miguel’s late identical twin uncles who he meets in the Land of the Dead.
– Octavio Solis (playwright Lydia, Santos & Santos) is the voice of an Arrival Agent in the Land of the Dead’s Grand Central Station.
– Gabriel Iglesias (Planes, The Nut Job, The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature) provides the voice of the Head Clerk in the Land of the Dead’s “Department of Family Reunions.”
– Cheech Marin (Cars 3, Tin Cup, Nash Bridges) is the voice of a Corrections Officer in the Land of the Dead.
– Blanca Araceli (The Bridge) voices the Emcee for a colorful talent show in the Land of the Dead.
A new creative collective called PHD has opened its doors in Los Angeles, led by visual effects industry veterans John Hughes (co-founder, Rhythm & Hues) and Helena Packer (VFX supervisor, 21 Jump Street, Charlie Wilson’s War) and film/TV/commercials director Kevin Donovan. The shop will offer full service post-production across VR/AR, indie films, documentaries, select TV projects and commercials, as well as live-action production services.
“In a sense, our new company is a reconfigured version of R&H, but now we are much smarter, much more nimble, and much more results driven,” said Hughes. “We have very little overhead to deal with. Our team is among the best in the world, and has worked on hundreds of award winning films and commercials, many of which have featured highly acclaimed digital animals, such as the Oscar-winning Life of Pi.”
PHD is capable of providing soup-to-nuts services, including all post-production, color grading, off and online editorial, high quality VFX, and deliver all on a cost-efficient fee structure for its diverse worldwide clients. Since launching, PHD has already worked on a number of projects, including several PSAs for climate change organization 5 to Do Today and animal advocacy group WildAid.
“The word ‘Value’ is of utmost importance to us when it comes to our clients. PHD is a highly efficient new company – we have digital artists here in Los Angeles, as well as in India, Malaysia and South Africa. Our combined team has extensive experience in prepping, shooting and handling all aspects of production and post-production for visual effects,” added Packer. “The team is based upon creating world-class, VFX storytelling with the hands-on involvement of all the principals on every project. Because of our vast network of worldwide talent, we are able to produce stunning results in the most efficient, timely, and cost-effective manner possible.”
PHD Founders (Left to Right) John Hughes, Helena Packer, Kevin Donovan
British actor Peter Sallis, a prolific performer who provided the voice of Wallace for Aardman Animations’ popular Wallace & Gromit franchise, died in his home at Denville Hall on June 2 at age 96. A statement released by agents Jonathan Altaras Associates said that he “died peacefully, with his family by his side.”
Born in the London suburb of Twickenham, Sallis had a 60-plus year career on stage and screen starting in the 1940s, amassing more than 150 credits before retiring in 2010. In this time he worked alongside legendary actors Orson Welles, Laurence Olivier and John Gielgud. Sallis notably played the role of “Norman Clegg” in Roy Clarke’s long-running comedy The Last of the Summer Wine from 1973 to 2010, appearing in all 295 episodes. He also portrayed “Penley” in the 1967 “The Ice Warriors” arc of sci-fi classic Doctor Who.
Sallis first took on the voice role of good-natured, cheese-loving inventor Wallace in Nick Park’s 1989 short A Grand Day Out. The film won a BAFTA Award and was nominated for the animated short Oscar. He reprised the role, for which he adopted a Northern accent, in the BAFTA- and Oscar-winning follow-ups The Wrong Trousers and A Close Shave, the 2005 theatrical feature Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit — which took the Animated Feature Oscar and earned Sallis a voice acting Annie Award — and the 2008 short A Matter of Loaf and Death.
Prior to making his mark with the Aardman films, Sallis cut his voice acting chops playing “Rat” in Cosgrove Hall’s stop-motion series adaptation of The Wind in the Willows (1983), and in the follow-up Oh! Mr. Toad (1990). Sallis was awarded the OBE for services to Drama as part of Queen Elizabeth II’s 2007 Birthday Honours.
International animation and entertainment company Toonz Media Group, based at India’s Technopark, and Hollywood-based mobile entertainment network ReachMe.TV, announce the launch of Toonz TV — a next gen channel for the young and young at heart. The venture will leverage ReachMe.TV’s production and entertainment platform and Toonz’s veteran creative team to create new titles, and tap into Toonz’s popular international animation catalog and a growing collection of interactive and games content, including AR/VR.
At launch, Toonz TV will have a reach of over 100 million US viewers via ReachMe.TV’s networks in airports and hotels. The partners are planning foreign market expansion in Q3 of 2017.
“We all know that the entertainment landscape is changing, and kids’ programming is a big part of that evolution,” said ReachMe.TV Co-founder and CEO Lynnwood Bibbens. “Toonz’s immense experience from software development to feature film animation and interactive gaming is a perfect match for our platform and our 100 million plus viewers on the go!”
Toonz TV will kick off with a lineup of free content, featuring a Toonz Channel and “bingeable” series selection on ReachMe.TV’s mobile web platform, featured segments on its airport network and as part of the hotel network available in over 750,000 rooms across the US. These will be augmented with a growing set of features, including games, free in-room movie packages, downloads and mobile features for families on the go.
“We have wanted a partner who shared our philosophy and experience and could go beyond traditional media production and distribution to reinvent the network model,” said P. Jayakumar, CEO, Toonz Media Group. “ReachMe.TV is the ultimate partner to bring our unique philosophy and talent to life.”
Toonz & ReachMe.TV Launch Kids’ Entertainment Channel
TF1 Licenses has been named licensing partner for collectible, cuddly toy brand Monchhichi, which will make a fresh 3D animated debut on TFOU this year thanks to production house Technicolor Animation. The monkey-like characters were created in 1974 by Japan’s Sekiguchi and now boasts an active fan community across social networks, particularly on Facebook.
In this new partnership, TF1 will help bring Monchhichi to shelves for a new generation of fans, with an expanded selection of products featuring both the original ’70s designs and the updated animated versions. A first deal has already been struck for the new toon with Silverlit, the twelfth largest toy manufacturer in France.
“We are particularly proud and pleased to be a master toy licensing partner for Monchhichi! We have all the ingredients to make this property a tremendous success in France in the short and medium term: an iconic character with a longstanding, solid reputation, top-quality production and incredible TV exposure” said Guillaume Coulaud, Marketing Director for Silverlit France.
The dynamos behind Epic Games’ Unreal Engine are keeping quite busy, announcing the return of the Unreal E3 Awards to the LA gaming extravaganza (June 13-15), as well as the awarding of $275,000 in the latest round of Unreal Dev Grants.
The 2017 Unreal E3 Awards are being presented in partnership with VentureBeat, to honor the most innovative, creative and visually stunning Unreal Engine-powered games participating in this year’s expo. Competition categories include Eye Candy, Best Hook, Most Addictive, Best Sequel, Best Original Game Biggest Buzz, Best VR Game, Outstanding Gameplay and Unreal Underdog. Each winning team will receive an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti graphics card, courtesy of NVIDIA.
Epic Games will also hold a casual Unreal Engine meetup at E3 at the Golden Gopher in downtown LA on Wednesday, June 14 from 6-8 p.m. Attendees can take part in a discussion with the Unreal Engine team, enjoy some drinks and get a chance to win an NVIDIA GTX 1080 Ti graphics card.
The latest batch of Unreal Dev Grants recipients — representing projects in a variety of mediums including games, film, technology and community support — are listed below. Information on applying for grant funding is available here.
VIDEO GAMES
Albino Lullaby from Ape Law – A horror adventure game that doesn’t rely on jump scares or gore, Episode 2 is coming this year. The interactive environment twists and contorts around in real time as players navigate the game’s twisted narrative. http://albinolullaby.com
Be:Brave by One Dream – Coming soon to iOS and Android, an original RPG adventure that takes players on a journey through Camelot castle. http://one-dream.info/bb
Deep Rock Galactic from Ghostship Games – A four-player co-op game set in space. Players must fight and dig their way through various cave systems in order to find great treasures and hopefully make it out alive. www.ghostship.dk
Formula Fusion by R8 Games – Test out your anti-gravity racing abilities. Players can tackle the game’s single player campaign mode, or take their skills online for multiplayer fun! Formula Fusion is now available in Early Access.www.formulafusiongame.com/teams
Galactic Feud from Fat Bomb Studios – Recently greenlit on Steam, Galactic Feud is a fast-paced party brawler currently in beta. Featuring hilarity-inducing gameplay and a wild roster of 12 characters, the game offers plenty of local and online multiplayer fun! galacticfeud.fatbombstudios.com
Mothergunship from Terrible Posture Games – From Joe Mirabello, creator of Tower of Guns, Mothergunship features chaotic, first-person shooter survival action that has recently been earning praise at various conferences. Published by GRIP Digital, the game also features gun-crafting and co-op, and will be launching on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Steam. www.mothergunship.com
No More Room in Hell 2 – The highly anticipated sequel to the top-rated 2011 zombie survival game for PC. https://blog.nmrih2.com
Omen of Sorrow by AOne Games – An upcoming fighting title starring a dozen iconic characters from myth and legend. Acclaimed artist Genzoman (Double Dragon: Neon, Ultra Street Fighter IV, Hearthstone) has contributed to the game’s unique art style. Includes local and online multiplayer and is being developed for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. http://aonegames.com/en/index.html
Project EX from Playearth – Currently in development from Korean studio Playearth, Project EX is an upcoming game pushing the boundaries of mobile graphics. www.playearth.co.kr/?lightbox=dataItem-iytsfh9a
Raiders of Erda from Cooperative Innovations – An intense VR RPG experience, announced earlier this year. The game features a complex combat system and an alpha is expected in 2017. Sign up for the Raiders of Erdamailing list for updates.
The Soulkeeper VR by Helm Systems – An episodic dark fantasy role-playing game coming soon to Steam Early Access. As one of the only graphically powerful RPGs for VR players, it’s packed with adventure and utilizes the full play space through both free roaming and teleportation. http://vr.thesoulkeeper.com
Unfortunate Spacemen from Sandswept Studios – A multiplayer game in which spacemen must work to be rescued from a failing outpost as a shape-shifting, body-stealing monster lurks amongst them. The game is currently in beta with positive reviews on Steam Early Access. http://unfortunate.space
FILM
Tree by New Reality Co – From New Reality Co, the creators of the social awareness VR experience Giant, comes Tree, an emotionally touching VR experience that uses sight, sound, touch and even smell to explore the lifecycle of a rainforest tree from a seedling to full-grown state to unfortunate human consumption. Shown at VRLA, the Tribeca Film Festival, and now at Cannes, the experience has earned critical acclaim for its impactful push for environmental change. www.treeofficial.com
TECH
gameDNA – An independent game development studio that has contributed several analytics and ad service plugins currently available for purchase on the Unreal Engine Marketplace. For a full list of plugins, including gameDNA’s Google Analytics provider and an Extended Facebook Online Subsystem, visit gameDNA’s profile on the Unreal Engine Marketplace.
realityvirtual.co – Based in New Zealand, realityvirtual.co are R&D pioneers in new media, including drone UAV cinematography and virtual reality. They have been pushing the bleeding edge of photogrammetry and volumetric capture for VR in UE4. Their MANA VR project is currently touring the world. www.realityvirtual.co
COMMUNITY
MGSStudios – MGSStudios has been leading the charge in the creation of Robo Recall mods. Their contributions have led to several of the most actively used mods, such as the popular locomotion mod that changes how the game is played and other popular community mods.
Shadowriver – A developer who has been instrumental in supporting the Unreal Engine developer community ever since the early days of the Unreal Engine 4 (codenamed Rocket) beta. He has played an integral role in the AnswerHub and Unreal Engine forum communities by sharing his knowledge through discussions on countless questions and topics.
Go Behind the Scenes of ‘American Gods’ Stunning Animation Sequence
The Starz TV adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s widely acclaimed modern myth recently featured a haunting animated take on Atsula’s “Coming to America” tale (produced by Tendril in Canada) — and Nerdist has got a backstage pass.
CALL FOR ENTRIES: Festival Stop Motion Montreal 2017
The ninth edition of the dedicated stop-motion fest is open for submissions of films less than 30 minutes long (produced after Jan. 1, 2015) now through June 30. The event is set or September 15-17, offering competition screenings, conferences, and workshops for all ages.
DEADLINE EXTENDED: animago AWARD 2017
Submissions of 3D animation & still art, VFX, visualization and design in 11 CGI categories are welcome until Monday, June 19, to be reviewed by a jury of industry experts. This year’s conference will take place Sept. 7-8 in Munich.
Registration Opens for Summer Courses at Gnomon
The VFX, games and animation school is offering both on-campus and online courses covering fine arts skills, story development, and the latest technology.
Acclaimed animation house Studio Ghibli is planning a theme park dedicated to one of co-founder Hayao Miyazaki’s most beloved films, My Neighbor Totoro. Dubbed “Ghibli Park” for now, the attraction is set to open in Japan’s Aichi Prefecture in 2020, local governor Hideaki Omura announced last week.
Omura told The Japan Times: “Studio Ghibli’s films have love toward living creatures and Earth, which fits the concept of the expo. I would like to pass down this idea to future generations.”
The project is a collaboration between the Aichi government and Studio Ghibli, and will build around an existing replica of the country house where much of the film takes place that was erected for the 2005 World Expo in the 200-hectare Aichi Commemorative Park in Nagakute. The completed “Ghibli Park” will recreate other locations and landscapes from the movie. (Working Catbus not yet confirmed.)
Released in 1988, My Neighbor Totoro was written and directed by Miyazaki. The story centers on Satsuki, a schoolgirl who moves to a “haunted” house in the country with her father and younger sister, Mei, to be closer to the hospital where her mother is convalescing. What unfolds is a series of incredible adventures with the local forest spirits for the sisters.
In keeping with Totoro‘s theme of respecting spirits of nature and Miyazaki’s own passion for ecological preservation, new attractions will be created in existing park playgrounds and other built areas to avoid felling trees.
Bikini Bottom’s favorite comedy foil and perpetual driving student gets up to some mistaken aiding and abetting in an all-new episode of SpongeBob SquarePants, “The Getaway,” premiering Saturday, June 10 at 10 a.m. ET/PT on Nickelodeon. The misadventure guest stars Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire) and Joe Pantoliano (The Matrix).
In “The Getaway” (as you can see in the clip below), SpongeBob gets into a sticky situation when he mistakes an escaped convict — expert thief Sticky Fins (Pantoliano) — for his new driving instructor. Meanwhile, Mrs. Puff catches a ride with getaway driver, Dordal Dan (Buscemi).
