Alpha Group US — a subsidiary of fast-growing media and toy company Alpha Group — has formed a creative partnership with Ben 10 and Big Hero 6 creators Man of Action Entertainment to write and produce an original animated series. Also onboard is Matthew Wexler of WexWorks Media, who will executive produce the project in partnership with Alpha.
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with best-in-class creative teams like Man of Action and WexWorks Media to develop dynamic new content,” said Brehan Maul, Vice President Marketing, Alpha Group US. “This project represents one of many ways we are approaching development, and will anchor our growing slate of animation content.”
Based in China, Alpha Group Co. is one of Asia’s largest animation, toy and entertainment groups. Its brand portfolio cover a range of target demographics, with titles including Super Wings, Sky Rover, Drone Force and Regal Academy.
Man of Action jointly added:
“Man of Action was very excited by the unique creative proposition brought forward by Alpha and WexWorks and we look forward to creating a fantastic new story world to explore it in.”
Man of Action are writers Joe Casey, Joe Kelly, Duncan Rouleau and Steven T. Seagle, whose original creations include $4.5 billion boys’ action franchise Ben 10 (for which they are executive producing the latest TV iteration) and Generator Rex for Cartoon Network. MoA is also creating, writing and executive producing Dentsu’s new Mega Man series, and ZAG’s upcoming Zak Storm. They also served as EP/writers for Disney XD’s Marvel’s Ultimate Spider-Man and Marvel’s Avengers Assemble, and created the characters of Disney/Marvel’s Oscar-winning Big Hero 6.
Fathom Events and Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions are giving the big screen treatment to Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars for one night only, across the US on August 21. The CG animated sequel to the 1997 cult classic features the voices of Casper Van Dien and Dina Meyer reprising their roles of Johnny Rico and Dizzy Flores, alongside comedian and ST super fan DeRay Davis.
Traitor of Mars is an all-new adventure written by Starship Troopers and Robocop scribe Ed Neumeier. The theatrical presentation will feature a special introduction by Neumeier and Van Dien, plus never-before-seen behind-the-scenes footage and filmmaker interviews. The film is produced by Sony Picture Entertainment, Lucent Pictures, Sola Digital Arts.
In Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars, Johnny Rico has just been demoted and sent to a small satellite station on Mars whilst the Federation attacks the bugs’ home planet. While trying to train his new recruits on this remote quiet station, the bugs show up in a surprise attack but the Federation’s Fleet is too far away to help. It’s up to Rico and his Troopers to save the planet and uncover how the bugs made it so close to home.
Starship Troopers: Traitor of MarsStarship Troopers: Traitor of MarsStarship Troopers: Traitor of Mars
The first footage of Disney XD’s upcoming animated superhero series Marvel’s Spider-Man has been revealed, and it promises an action-packed show rife peppered with smart-mouthed teen humor. In the first-look clip, we get to see 15-year-old Peter Parker in a cobbled together spidey suit playing his wits and acrobatics against the brute strength of the Scorpion.
Announced last fall during New York Comic Con, little has been revealed about Marvel’s Spider-Man — Disney XD has yet to reveal a specific launch date other than “this summer.” But we do know that the 2D Marvel Animation production has a pedigreed creative team on board. This includes supervising director Philip Pignotti (Marvel’s Avengers Assemble, Marvel’s Ultimate Spider-Man) and executive producers Alan Fine (Marvel’s The Avengers, Iron Man, Thor), Dan Buckley (Marvel’s Avengers Assemble, Marvel’s Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.), Joe Quesada (Marvel’s Avengers Assemble) and Jeph Loeb (Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.).
Co-executive producers are Stan Lee (Spider-Man), Eric Radomski (Spawn, Marvel’s Avengers Assemble), Cort Lane (Marvel’s Ultimate Spider-Man) and Stephen Wacker (Marvel’s Avengers Assemble); with supervising producers Kevin Shinick (Marvel’s Avengers Assemble, Robot Chicken) and Marsha Griffin (Transformers Prime, The Life and Times of Juniper Lee); consulting producers Dan Slott (Spider-Man: Big Time, The Superior Spider-Man), Kevin Burke and Chris “Doc” Wyatt (Marvel’s Avengers Assemble, Marvel’s Ultimate Spider-Man).
The 2017 Double Fine Amnesia Fortnight game jam wrapped up back at the end of April, and now avid indie gamers can get their hands on the prototypes for some of the most inventive, irreverent games ever produced via a four-title Steam bundle available now for just $9.99. A Humble release is coming soon.
Included in the bundle are:
Darwin’s Dinner – A survival game where your actions shape the evolution of the creatures you eat. (Watch the pitch here.)
I Have No Idea What I’m Doing – A fast-paced VR party game where you need to rely on your friends outside VR to figure out who you are, where you are, and what the heck you’re supposed to be doing. (Pitch)
Kiln – A multiplayer, team-based brawler with a focus on creating unique player sculpted characters featuring crazy physics-based animation and destruction. (Pitch)
The Gods Must Be Hungry – A 3D platformer where warrior chefs make giant meals to stop ravenous gods from eating the human race! (Pitch)
The bundle also comes with a downloadable, high-res version of the Amnesia Fortnight 2017 documentary series created by 2 Player Productions, which reveals the mayhem of the jam over each day of development. You can watch a lower quality version on Steam and YouTube.
Amnesia Fortnight is an internal game jam which gives Double Fine’s development teams the chance to step away from their To Do lists and work on prototypes for new games in a fast-and-furious twist on the typical long development cycles. The initiative has previously churned out Costume Quest, Hack ‘n’ Slash and Stacking.
The teenage guardians of justice get super stupefied (and brick-ified) in a new animated adventure this summer, as LEGO DC Super Hero Girls: Brain Drain arrives on Digital HD (July 25, SRP $19.99) and DVD (August 8, $19.98) from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, DC Entertainment and The LEGO Group, Brain Drain is the first LEGO entry in the global DC Super Hero Girls franchise.
The mystery begins when young Supergirl (voiced by Anais Fairweather), Wonder Woman (Grey Griffin), Batgirl (Ashlyn Selich), Bumblebee (Teala Dunn) and Katana (Stephanie Sheh) suddenly realize they can’t remember a thing from their Monday at Super Hero High, when they apparently caused a super-sized commotion. The heroes band together to retrace their steps and find out who stole their memories, and what nefarious plan is afoot.
The voice cast also features Tara Strong as Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy, Yvette Nicole Brown (Amanda Waller), Greg Cipes (Beast Boy), Romi Dames (Lena Luthor), John DiMaggio (Gorilla Grodd, Wildcat), Jennifer Hale (Mad Harriet), Josh Keaton (Flash), Tom Kenny (Gordon), Rachael MacFarlane (Artemiz), Mona Marshall (Eclipso), Khary Payton (Cyborg) and Meredith Salenger (Lashina).
Todd Grimes (Back at the Barnyard, Star Wars: Detours) directs LEGO DC Super Hero Girls: Brain Drain from a script by Jeremy Adams (Justice League Action, LEGO Scooby-Doo). Rick Morales (LEGO Scooby-Doo! Haunted Hollywood) serves as producer, with Sam Register (Teen Titans Go!), Jill Wilfert (The LEGO Movie, The LEGO Batman Movie) and Robert Fewkes (My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic) as executive producers.
FINAL CALL FOR ENTRIES: Animation Block Party 2017
The deadline to enter the short film competition is June 5, so get clickin’. The ABP runs July 27-30 at Rooftop Films and BAMcinematek in Brooklyn, NY. Among this year’s more ironic program highlights: Bee Movie.
Framestore Re-Imagines Medieval England for ‘King Arthur: Legend of the Sword’
From laying the bricks of Camelot to hitching a ride on massive war elephants, the studio’s VFX teams in London and Montreal triumphed over a 437-shot crusade for the Guy Ritchie flick. (You can read more about it in the June issue of Animation Magazine!)
Two newly launched European production companies have received a literal stamp of approval from the Vatican for their work on the upcoming faith-based animated feature Fatima and the Secret Treasure, announced last fall. His Holiness, Pope Francis, has even recorded performances of two different characters in the family-friendly adventure, inspired by the apparition of the Virgin Mary to three shepherd children in the Portuguese parish 100 years ago.
Slated for release in May 2018, the producers hope to attract not only the world’s 1.2 billion Catholic moviegoers, but people of all ages and religious (or non-religious) beliefs with its overarching message of friendship, peace, tolerance and respect. The movie is being produced in American English by Imaginew in Portugal, with Platige Image in Poland handling creative duties and animation.
FatimaFatimaFatimaFatimaFatimaImaginew Executive Producer & CEO Rui Pedro Oliveira presents ‘Fatima’ to Pope Francis
Paris-based producer-distributor GO-N Productions has formed a new Digital Department and appointed Amélie Oliveau to the newly-created role of Digital Manager. Oliveau will oversee all digital operations, including digital exploitation, development and production of content.
“After enjoying four years as Production Manager on Zip Zip and Simon, the development of GO-N Productions digital activities will be a terrific new challenge,” said Oliveau. “I’m delighted to be continuing my wonderful adventure with this dynamic and admirable production company, and benefit from this amazing opportunity to implement both my production and marketing skills in order to grow the GO-N Digital domain.”
The Digital Division’s launch is part of GO-N’s ongoing expansion activities pushed by founders Eric Garnet and Anne de Galard to accelerate content creation for both broadcast and new platforms. The expansion began in January 2016 with the launch of a Paris studio headed by Emmanuel de Franceschi. Commercial activities were bolstered with the appointment of Marie Congé in September 2016 to direct GO-N International.
Oliveau’s career progressed from working as Marketing Assistant at the Ogilvy advertising agency and Fremantle in Paris, to audio-visual production when started as Production Coordinator at Technicolor Animation. In 2013, she moved to GO-N Productions as Production Manager. More recently she has been instrumental in launching GO-N Productions’ official YouTube channels.
Canada’s Bron Animation has enlisted the talents of comedy stars Maya Rudolph, Terry Crews, Martin Short, Jane Krakowski and veteran voice actor Sean Cullen for its upcoming animated kids’ book adaptation The Willoughbys. The announcement was made by Bron’s President Brenda Gilbert.
Rudolph will be the voice of Nanny, who looks after the Willoughby children. Crews is voicing the candy mogul, Commander Melanoff, and Short and Krakowski give voice to Father and Mother Willoughby, parents so in love with each other they forget they even have children. Cullen voices the twin boys Barnaby A and B. They join previously announced narrator Ricky Gervais.
Written by Newbery Award-winning author Lois Lowry and published in 2010, the story follows the four Willoughby children: Tim, Jane and the twins, Barnaby A and B. Abandoned by their selfish parents, they embark on a wild adventure through the modern world, colliding with a cat, an orphan, a nanny and a candy mogul, to reunite with the “family they were born into,” only to discover along the way the value of love in the “family they choose.”
Sony Pictures Animation veteran Kris Pearn is writing and directing the film, with Cory Evans co-directing. Bron’s Brenda Gilbert, Aaron L. Gilbert and Luke Carroll are producing. Gervais serves as an executive producer on the project, alongside Jason Cloth of Creative Wealth Media. The project is currently in pre-production at Bron’s studio in Burnaby, BC.
“We’re so excited to have this amazing cast, some of the funniest actors in the world adding their distinctive voices to the Willoughbys,” said Pearn, “It’s a very special movie with a timely message and I know Ricky, Maya, Terry, Martin, Jane and Sean are going to have so much fun breathing life into these characters.”
Timed to the long-awaited release of Wonder Woman, directed by Patty Jenkins and starring Gal Gadot, the team at London motion graphics design studio Scorch Motion have released a bold animated short honoring real-life female heroes of today. Wonder Women celebrates five diverse and unquestionably fierce trailblazers who have made a positive impact on the world.
“While our list of inspirational women might not be able to deflect bullets; paddling a boat full of refugees to safety, building schools for children in need, fighting against climate change and, most importantly, inspiring the young women of today, are all heroic acts,” said Dan Hankinson, Post Production Manager. “And that’s why we’ve depicted these women as superheroes — to showcase their expertise in a manner in which they deserve.”
The “Wonder Women: depicted are…
Syrian swimmer Yusra Mardini, who last year competed in the first-ever Refugee Olympic Team at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics. The natural hero was forced to flee her hometown during the Syrian Civil War, and while crossing the Aegean Sea on a six-passenger dinghy carrying 20 people, the motor stopped working. Mardini, her sister and two others swam for three hours to push the boat to shore, saving the lives of the other passengers on board.
Stanford University mathematics professor Maryam Mirzakhani, an internationally recognized genius when it comes to geometric structures on surfaces and their deformations. Mirzakhani won gold in the International Mathematical Olympiad in 1994, becoming the first female Iranian student to do so. In 1995, she achieved a perfect score in the Olympiad, taking two gold medals. And in 2014, she was the first woman and first Iranian to be honored with the Fields Medal — the “Nobel Prize of mathematics.”
A sports legend, Serena Williams is an American tennis player and superstar philanthropist. Among her many achievements and records, Williams has won multiple Olympic gold medals and holds the most Grand Slam titles of any active player (23), and has even guest starred on The Simpsons. As a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, she has supported the construction of schools in Kenya, created university scholarships for underprivileged students, endorsed clinics and community centers for at-risk children, and, more recently, advocated for a not-for-profit organisation that provides legal representation for people who may have been denied a fair trial.
Fashion designer, businesswoman, and political activist Vivienne Westwood (“The Queen of Punk”) is an icon for modern British alternative culture and has been awarded with the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II. Beginning her remarkable career making clothes for Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren’s King’s Road boutique, Westwood was largely responsible for bringing modern punk and new wave fashion to the masses.
Now retired from the Royal Air Force, Flight Lieutenant Caroline Paige was the first transgender officer to serve openly in the British Armed Forces, making her an inspirational figurehead for equality and diversity in the military. Over her 35-year career piloting jets and helicopters, Paige intercepted Soviet bombers during the Cold War, and was deployed to Gulf War, Bosnia Conflict, Iraq and Afghanistan military operations.
’Steven Universe’ Creator Rebecca Sugar on Animation and the Power of Empathy
“I relate very, very much to the fans of the show, because growing up, I was a very extreme fan of cartoons. The cartoons I loved were such a huge source of strength for me. So with this show, I always wanted it to be something that could be a part of someone’s life in that way, a source of strength,” says Sugar. The groundbreaking Cartoon Network series has won over fans and critics alike with its deft handling of deep topics.
CALL FOR ENTRIES: Animage International Animation Festival of Pernambuco
Submissions are open until August 8 for films made from 2016 with a maximum runtime of 30 minutes to vie in the competition categories. The Nov. 10-19 event will also include feature films, workshops, masterclasses, exhibition and seminars bringing international stars to Brazil.
Disney’s World of Avatar: What It’s Like to Spend a Day on Pandora
With the blockbuster’s sequel inching toward realization (it’s due out Dec. 18, 2020), THR’s Heat Vision scouts out the alien landscapes of the new Walt Disney World Animal Kingdom Park attraction.
Atlantyca Entertainment has secured a new multi-territory broadcast deal that will bring the newest seasons of animated series Geronimo Stilton and The New Adventures of Geronimo Stilton to viewers throughout Central Europe and the Baltics.
Children’s broadcaster Minimax has renewed Geronimo Stilton: The Animated Series seasons 1 and 2, and has acquired the “third season” The New Adventures of Geronimo Stilton, for its channels in Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Moldova, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Slovenia and Croatia.
Atlantyca has also secured a deal for the renewal of seasons 1 and 2 plus The New Adventures of Geronimo Stilton for EER, Estonia’s public broadcaster.
Inspired by the popular books, Geronimo Stilton follows the life and adventures of the super famous mouse journalist and head of the Geronimo Stilton Media Group. Together with his fearless nephew Benjamin, his funny cousin Trap and his sister and daring special correspondent Thea, he scours New Mouse City for new scoops, traveling the world from exotic islands, to the frozen arctic and scary jungles!
Seasons 1 and 2 were produced with the participation of RAI Fiction, France Television and M6, have been sold in more than 130 countries. The New Adventures, a co-production with Superprod with the participation of RAI Fiction and France Television as broadcasting partner, has launched in more than 30 countries and it has been sold in more than 100.
German brand management and media company m4e AG has inked a raft of deals for the recently premiered third season of hit hybrid series Mia and Me (78 x 23 min.), on the heels of its warmly received debut on KiKA.
Nickelodeon has acquired pay TV rights for season 3 in the Nordic territories, plus free TV and pay TV rights in Benelux. Estonian pubcaster ERR picked up free TV rights for ETV2. Further pay TV agreements were struck with Dreamia for Canal Panda (Portugal), Turner (France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Monaco, Switzerland, French-speaking Africa), and ITGA Co. (Thailand).
Elsewhere, Australia’s Channel 11 has snapped up free TV rights for all three seasons of Mia and Me, while Globosat has renewed its pay TV rights for season 1 in Brazil.
Mia and Me is produced by Hahn and m4e Productions, and distributed worldwide by m4e.
Things are heating up on Cartoon Network this month with two sizzling guest appearances lighting up a string of new episodes of Clarence and Uncle Grandpa. (Scroll down to check out the new clips!)
During a six-night special programming event for Clarence (starting Monday, June 5), NPR’s Fresh Air host Terry Gross will voice her cartoon counterpart in the episode “Public Radio” on June 14. After listening to a public radio broadcast during class, Clarence is inspired to record a radio interview of his own featuring his buddy Sumo. When Ms. Baker hears the charming interview, she calls in a favor and gets Clarence a spot on the actual Aberdale Public Radio with host Debra Copper! The search is on – to find the perfect interview subject for his big day.
And in the madcap world of Uncle Grandpa (new episodes start Tues., June 6), award-winning director Robert Rodriguez (whose credits span Sin City to Spy Kids) guests as himself in “New Directions” on June 8, when Uncle Grandpa and the best directors in the business help a kid in need of acting lessons become a star.
June will also see the debut of new episodes of Teen Titans Go!, Ben 10, The Powerpuff Girls, Transformers: Robots in Disguise and Justice League Action on Cartoon Network.
The yet-to-be released graphic novel The Witch Boy, the first solo title from illustrator and animation artist Molly Knox Ostertag, has been picked up for feature adaptation by Fox Animation. Per Hollywood Reporter, Darlene Caamaño Loquet will be the overseeing executive for the studio.
Due out in October from Scholastic, The Witch Boy centers on a 13-year-old boy named Aster, who comes from a family where girls are raised to be witches and boys to be shapeshifters. Anyone who defies these traditions is doomed to exile. Fascinated by witchery and not yet having achieved his first shapeshifting, Aster realizes that the only way to save the other boys from a mysterious threat is to embrace his true witchy self.
Ostertag is a cartooning and illustration graduation of the School of Visual Arts, and currently works as a designer on Disney Television Animation’s Star vs. The Forces of Evil. She recently collaborated with author Sharon Shinn on the sci-fi graphic novel Shattered Warrior (First Second Books). Ostertag also illustrates the webcomic Strong Female Protagonist, with co-creator Brennan Lee Mulligan.
Fox Animation is getting up quite the adaptation development slate, with Witch Boy joining the ranks of graphic novels Nimona and Zita the Space Girl, as well as several kids’ and YA novels, and The Dam Keeper.
A new viral campaign to raise awareness and critically necessary funds to aid the people affected by the Syrian refugee crisis, especially kids, officially kicked off in honor of International Children’s Day: The Blindraw Challenge. In a nutshell, animators and artists are invited to record themselves as they create a doodle, sketch, painting or other artwork while blindfolded, share their videos, donate to the cause, and “challenge” other creatives to do the same.
All donations through The Blindraw Challenge Indiegogo page go to the SKT Welfare organization. The campaign was conceived by Simone Giampaolo, an animation director at London’s Blue-Zoo Animation.
Giampaolo wrote to Animation Magazine ahead of the campaign’s launch: “Being an artist in this immersive, competitive and (at times) overwhelming industry of ours keeps my mind so busy I sometimes tend to forget how lucky we are to have the chance to pursue our passions… while hundreds of millions still struggle to obtain the most basic of the human rights: the right to life.”
The Blindraw Challenge campaign will be live through June 30, and is aiming to raise $50,000. Visit the Indiegogo page to learn more and watch the official launch video, which features two of the first Blindraw-ers: Alex Williams (Head of Animation, Escape Studios) and Kris Pearn (director, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2).
You can also follow along with the Challenge at its official YouTube channel, on Facebook, Twitter (@BlindrawC) and Instagram (@blindrawchallenge).
Indie French distributor Superights has licensed two animated series — Helen’s Little School (52 x 11 min.) and Boyster (52 x 13 min.) — to UYoung Culture & Media Group, which will represent all TV, home entertainment and digital rights for both shows in mainland China. “We are thrilled of this first collaboration with UYoung. We feel there could be no best partners for our shows in China,” said Morgann Favennec, Deputy MD in charge of international sales & acquisitions at Superights.
Produced by Superprod and Muse Entertainment, Helen’s Little School is a preschool-targeted comedy which promotes social development, starring five-year-old Helen and her very special toy students. The show is debuting next fall on France 5; Tele-Quebec, TFO, Knowledge Network, BBC Kids (Canada); and Discovery’s DKids (Latin America).
Boyster is a kids’ comedy animation from Je Suis Bien Content, produced in association with The Walt Disney Company EMEA. The hilarious adventures of the young man/mollusc are already winning over fans on channels from France Televisions, Disney (USA, Southeast Asiea, India, Japan, LatAm), Animax (S. Korea) and TV5 (global French-speaking).
“Dedicated to delivering high quality western animation to China, UYoung is excited to bring Helen’s Little School and Boyster into China where the shows are sure to be enjoyed by millions of Chinese children.” commented Clara Yang, Vice President of UYoung.
Canada’s Youth Media Alliance presented its 2017 Awards of Excellence to deserving kids’ content creators at a “fancy”-themed gala at CBC Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto on Wednesday. The evening was hosted by Studio K stars Tony Kim, Janaye Upshaw and Victor Verbitsky — joined by puppet pals Gary the Unicorn and Mr. Orlando. The gala was scripted by Carly Watt and directed by Aidan Cosgrave, and featured piano accompaniment by Lou Pomanti. A video will be posted to the YMA website.
Taking both the Grand Prize and Interactive Content award was The Incredible Tales of Weirdwood Manor. Animation honors were awarded to preschool series Peg + Cat and kids’ show Fangbone! This year’s Outstanding Achievement Award was presented to DHX Media’s President & COO, Steven DeNure. And director Mars Horodyski — whose credits include DHX title The Next Step — received the Emerging Talent Award.
2017 YMA Awards of Excellence Winners: Grand Prize for Best Production, All Categories: The Incredible Tales of Weirdwood Manor
Produced by All Play, No Work, Relish Interactive
Jury’s note: A successful mix of elements makes the Grand Prize production outstanding. With beautiful animation, interactive features, readable content and strong storytelling, the app encourages writing, reading and critical thinking while entertaining the target audience. The jury was delighted and impressed with the original interactive production The Incredible Tales of Weirdwood Manor.
Award of Excellence for Best Program, Live Action, Ages 3–5: The Adventures of Napkin Man “Bye Bye Boogaloo”
Produced by Breakthrough Entertainment, Little Airplane; aired on CBC Kids
Award of Excellence for Best Program, Live Action, Ages 6–9: Annedroids “The Mother of Invention”
Produced by Sinking Ship Entertainment; aired on TVO Kids, Amazon
Award of Excellence for Best Program, Live Action, Ages 9 +: Giver “Amherstberg Sports Park”
Produced by Sinking Ship Entertainment; aired on TVO Kids
Award of Excellence for Best Program, Animation, Ages 3–5: Peg + Cat, Season 2 “The Disappearing Art Problem”
Produced by 9 Story Media Group, The Fred Rogers Company, 9ate7 Productions; aired on YTV, Treehouse, PBS Kids
Award of Excellence for Best Program, Animation, Ages 6–9: Fangbone! “Cavity of Terror”/“The Sickness of Home”
Produced by Radical Sheep Productions, a division of Boat Rocker Media; aired on Family CHRD, Disney XD
Award of Excellence, Best Original Digital Content: mathXplosion
Produced by GAPC Entertainment, in association with TVO Kids and TFO
Award of Excellence, Best Original Interactive Content: The Incredible Tales of Weirdwood Manor
Produced by All Play, No Work, Relish Interactive
Award of Excellence, Best Cross-Platform Interactive Content: Dotopedia
Produced by Industrial Brothers
Outstanding Achievement Award: Steven DeNure is President and Chief Operating Officer of DHX Media, a company he co-founded in 2006. In a film and television career spanning more than three decades, he has produced numerous highly acclaimed and award-winning shows and films across multiple genres, including Inspector Gadget, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Degrassi, Yo Gabba Gabba, Super Why and the 2015 relaunch of Teletubbies. To further honour his contribution to the industry, the YMA Board is creating a grant in his name as a tribute to his entrepreneurial spirit, innovation and creativity. The grant will support an industry cause to be chosen by Mr. DeNure.
Emerging Talent Award: Award-winning director Mars Horodyski has over a decade of directing experience. His series credits include BBC/DHX’s The Next Step, PBS’s Odd Squad, the Amazon series Dino Dana, the web series Carmilla and CBC’s This Hour Has 22 Minutes.
VIDEOS: New Episodes of ‘Justice League Action’ on Cartoon Network Sat., June 3
In “Inside Job” (7:30 a.m.) Batman and Wonder Woman embark on a Fantastic Voyage-style adventure when Atom shrinks them down to enter Superman’s blood stream to destroy a lethal nanite virus. And “The Trouble with Truth” (7:45 a.m.) finds the JLA in danger of losing Wonder Woman when the goddess Athena comes to Earth with a job offer Diana can’t refuse: Goddess of Truth on Mt. Olympus.
VIDEO: ‘Sonic Mania’ Pre-Order Trailer
SEGA’s iconic hedgehog is returning to retro-style 2D for the new game, now open for pre-orders and due out on August 15. Check out the sweet trailer featuring animation by Tyson Hesse.
Animated Series ‘Baahubali: The Lost Legends’ to Launch on Colors (India)
The country’s highest-grossing film ever has spawned both a feature franchise and now a cartoon spin-off, which will get its linear broadcast debut through Viacom18’s Colors following its digital debut on Amazon Prime.
Igniting a Nigerian Socio-Economic Revolution via Digital Animation
The full text of Minister of Information & Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed’s speech in Beijing last month. A choice quote: “Nigeria keeps striving for organic, intuitive and homegrown solutions, undaunted by setbacks and false dawns, in its quest to turn problems to progress and claim its place amongst the global greats.”
A new CG animated family flick takes wing thanks to Lionsgate this week, as A Stork’s Journey launches in the US and Canada Thursday, June 1. You can meet the flick’s fledgling hero — voiced by Drake Bell — in the clip below. As previously announced, the feature will also be available on DVD, Digital HD and On Demand, and will receive a theatrical release June 30.
Featuring the voice talents of Drake Bell (Superhero Movie, Drake and Josh), YouTube star Justine “iJustine” Ezarik, and Jane Lynch (Glee, Wreck-It Ralph), A Stork’s Journey follows Richard, an orphaned sparrow who believes he’s a stork, just like his adoptive family! But when winter comes and the flock prepares to migrate to Africa, his stork family must reveal his true identity and leave him behind in the forest with the other sparrows unable to survive the long journey. Determined to prove he is a stork after all, Richard ventures south on an epic adventure, accompanied by friends big and small, to unleash his true potential and be reunited with his family.
