Author: Mercedes Milligan

Profiles in History Auctioning Major Disneyana Collection June 9

LA-based Profiles in History will be presenting an auction June 9 for fans of all things Disney — including the largest collection of theme park cast member costumes ever to be offered, with 50 get-ups going on the block. Highlights of the costume collection include a five-piece Haunted Mansion usher’s suit and four-piece maid’s ensemble, each estimated to go for $900-1,500. The collection includes examples from almost every attraction, including Pirates of the Caribbean, Hall of Presidents, Tomorrowland and Animal Kingdom, ranging in estimate from $100-800.

Another treasure is Walt Disney’s original, hand-annotated working script for Cinderella. The 147-page draft is dated 5 years before the film’s release, and contains a total of 20 pages written on by Walt. The document is expected to sell for $40,000 to $60,000.

Park fans can also vie for a Beauty and the Beast Main Street animated window display from Paris Disneyland, purchased at Disneyana Convention in 2000. The display is the real thing, with moving parts that still work and bring to life the gripping scene from the film in which the mobbing peasants are battering at the door of Beast’s castle. Est. $10,000 to $20,000.

There will also be 120 gorgeously detaied Pinocchio paintings, created by studio animators in England for the De Beukelaer Company in Belgium. The artwork was used for 120 designs on collectible stickers included in tins of De Beukelaer cookies. Est. $60,000 to $80,000. Another wonderful curiosity: a pot-bellied stove hand-crafted by Walt Disney for his backyard small-scale railroad train, the Carolwood Pacific. Est. $2,500-$3,500.

More details, catalog and online bidding options can be found here.

Animation and Disneyana Auction

May 26, 2017
1st BAFTA Student Animation Award Backed by LAIKA

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts has announced the finalists for the inaugural, 2017 BAFTA Student Film Awards. Nine nominees have been selected from a short list of 45 films. With this year’s international expansion of the Awards, over 400 submissions poured in from students at film schools in 15 different countries, including Argentina, Austria, Canada, China, Germany, India, Israel, Lebanon, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.

BAFTA has further announced that stateside animation studio LAIKA has signed on as the official sponsor of its first-ever Student Film Award for Animation. The category’s inaugural nominees hail from three distinguished US animation programs: RISD, USC and Ringling College.

The Animation prize adds to existing categories for Documentary, Live Action Film and the Special Jury Prize. Additional sponsors for this year’ Awards — to be presented at a gala ceremony at the Ace Hotel in Los Angeles on Thursday, June 22 — are presenting sponsor Bank Leumi USA and returning supporters AKA and AFEX.

The student competition was expanded this year as part of BAFTA’s growing international footprint, which seeks to foster strong talent connections across the globe. The expansion also furthers BAFTA Los Angeles’ work within its newly launched Access for All campaign, a commitment to ensuring that talented individuals are offered a clear pathway to careers in the entertainment industry, uninhibited by background, demographics or personal circumstance. The campaign will drive funds towards BAFTA Los Angeles’ scholarship, education and community initiatives.

2017 BAFTA Student Film Awards nominees:

ANIMATION

Adam
Directed by Evelyn Jane Ross
Rhode Island School of Design | Film/Animation/Video

Once Upon A Line
Directed by Alicja Jasina
University of Southern California | Animation & Digital Arts

The Wishgranter
Directed by Kal Athannassov, John McDonald & Echo Wu
Ringling College of Art & Design | Computer Animation (KA & EW), Animation (JM)

DOCUMENTARY

4.1 Miles; Directed by Daphne Matziaraki, UC Berkeley
The Female Voice; Directed by: Julia dos Santos, Goldsmiths – University of London
Living Behind Numbers; Directed by: Martin Read, University of South Wales

LIVE ACTION

Dekalb Elementary; Directed by: Reed Van Dyk, UCLA
F**king Drama; Directed by: Michael Podogil, Filmakademie Wien
Nocturne in Black; Directed by: Jimmy Keyrouz, Columbia University

Adam

The Wishgranter

Once Upon a Line

May 26, 2017
Daily News Bytes: Licensing Expo

Continuing coverage of the announcements coming out of the Las Vegas Licensing Expo and related industry this week. Prior snippets can be found here and here.

+ DHX Brands and Dentsu Entertainment have appointed JAKKS Pacific as the worldwide master toy partner (excluding Asia) for the new animated Mega Man series. The multi-year agreement brokered by CPLG North America permits JAKKS to exclusive manufacture, market and distribute a range of products including action figures, figurines, playsets and accessories, dress-up and role-play itms, Halloween costumes, plush and vehicles. Based on the classic Capcom game franchise, the 3D series goes into production this summer at DHX Media Vancouver and is set for Cartoon Network (US) and Family CHRGD (Canada) channels.

+ BBC Worldwide has found soaring success with preschool animation series Go Jetters in the L&M sphere, announcing a raft of new partners including Finsbury (celebration cakes), TVMFL (daywear), Roy Lowe (socks) and DNC (lunch, drinkware & tableware). Now wee fans can hang out with the Go Jetters and Ubercorn any time of the day!

+ The Fred Rogers Company and Out of the Blue Enterprises have extended the master publishing agreement for Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood with Simon & Schuster through 2022 — more than a dozen titles are set to be published this year in a variety of formats. New partners for the pre-k toon include Party City (party supplies), Hallmark (Christmas ornaments), Church & Dwight Co. (toothbrushes & Orajel toothpaste, Fall 2017), Fabric Traditions (printed fabric, Spring 2018), SCS Direct (Melamine tableware, icepacks & lunch bags; Fall 2017) and The Bentex Group/Dreamwave (boys & girls swimwear).

+ J!NX has released a new men’s & women’s apparel line inspired by Overwatch — the hit game from Activision Blizzard. Arriving in time for the game’s one-year anniversary, the collection includes a windbreaker jacket, performance shorts and jerseys, lounge pants, scarf and fleece sweatshirt, available at jinx.com. J!NX will also be issuing a range of zip-up hoodies featuring characters from the game, including D. Va , Genji, Luco, Reinhardt, Roadhog, Widowmaker and Zarya.

+ Legendary and Universal Pictures have secured a slate of deals for the upcoming kaiju action flick Pacific Rim Uprising (2018), covering a broad range of categories. Bandai will create highly articulated figures, die-cast and resin action figure sets, die-cast figurines and plastic model kits. More toys and collectibles will come from Diamond Select Toys and Collectibles (action figures, Minimates, Vinimates, Gallery PVC dioramas, vinyl coin banks, replicas with lights and sounds, and housewares; Feb. 2018). Also on board are Isaac Morris (men’s and boy’s tees, fashion separates & sets, hoodies, juniors’ apparel, swimwear), Tri-Force (1:1 scale prop replicas, 10-24″ statues), Trends Interantional (home decor), Insight Editions (hardcover art books, junior novels), Titan Publishing (film novelization, Official Jaeger Handbook), and Rive Horse Games (collectible board games & role playing games).

+ Sutikki, the kids’ and family division of Bento Box Ent., has tapped Scholastic as global master publisher for Andrew Davenport’s (Teletubbies) new preschol series Moon and Me, co-produced with his company Foundling Bird. Davenport will act as principal author for the range, with titles expected to start rolling out in mutiple territories in Fall 2018. Scholastic is the second L&M signee for the show, following the appointment of Hasbro as worldwide master toy partner earlier this year.

Mega Man

May 25, 2017
‘Seoul Station’ Arrives Exclusively on ITunes US on May 30

Yeon Sang-ho’s much buzzed-about feature Seoul Station is getting an exclusive digital release in the US through iTunes on May 30. Presented in the original Korean version with English subtitles, this animated prequel to box-office smash Train to Busan is a thrilling spin on the modern zombie movie.

The film took the Best Animated Feature prize at the 2016 Asia Pacific Screen Awards, and was also nominated in the category at Fantasia Film Festival that year. Seoul Station also played at the Annecy animation festival among other prestigious international film events worldwide.

Synopsis: A man sleeping in Seoul Station becomes a catalyst for the pandemonium in downtown Seoul; a zombie apocalypse. The rapidly spreading infection propels an authentic family drama, drawing mordant parallels to real-world social horrors.

Seoul Station – Trailer from FilmRise on Vimeo.

Seoul Station

May 25, 2017
‘Masha and the Bear’ Makes New Den in Spain

Animaccord’s hit 3D family comedy Masha and the Bear is heading to Spain, where leading animation channel Clan TV has picked up seasons 1 and 2. “Clan TV is the best broadcaster we could have in Spain for Masha so we are delighted to team up with them and we are sure this will boost the whole licensing program,“ said Jordi Rey, CEO of Biplano Licensing, the sub-agent of Ink Group for licensing in Iberia and France.

The show’s TV presence currently spans nearly every country in the world. Other recent deals brokered by Ink Group, which represents Masha across Europe, MENA and Turkey, include Danish Broadcasting Corporation (season 2), free TV channel PTS and MOMO TV in Taiwan (season 2), ANTV in Indonesia (season 3), Italy’s De Agostini and pubcaster RAI (Season 3 and spin-off series Masha’s Spooky Stories), Canal Plus in France (season 3) and France TV (Masha’s Spooky Stories), and Puls TV in Poland (Masha’s Spooky Stories).

“The success Masha and the Bear has enjoyed in just a few years is nothing short of phenomenal. It’s gone from screening solely in Russia to become one of world’s hottest kids’ shows, which is testament to the extraordinary strength and quality of scripts, animation and production,” said Ink Group Managing Partner Claus Tømming.

Masha and the Bear

May 25, 2017
DreamWorks Announces Sequel Sibling for ‘Boss Baby’

On the heels of The Boss Baby home release announcement, DreamWorks Animation has revealed it’s expecting a sequel. The second feature is slated for release on March 26, 2021, to be released through Universal Pictures.

The Boss Baby 2 will bing back voice star Alec Baldwin as the business-savvy bundle of joy, and he’ll be reunited with the creative team behind the original film based on Marla Frazee’s picture-book series.

Directed by Madagascar helmer Tom McGrath, The Boss Baby arrived in theaters on March 31, exceeding box-office expectations by dethroning Disney’s Beauty and the Beast from the No. 1 spot wth a $50 million+ opening weekend. The CG family comedy has since cashed in $167 million domestically and over $300 million overseas, for a to-date worldwide total of $468.4 million.

The Boss Baby was scripted by Michael McCullers (Mr. Peabody & Sherman, Austin Powers) and produced by Ramsey Naito. The voice cast also featured newcomer Miles Bakshi as big brother Tim, Steve Buscemi, Jimmy Kimmel, Lisa Kudrow and Tobey Maguire as the Narrator.

The Boss Baby

May 25, 2017
California’s Kid Kon Debuts in June

A pop-culture party just for the littlest fans is coming to southern California’s Pasadena Convention Center as the first Kid Kon kicks off June 10-11. The event is organized as the state’s only comics convention just for children (and their geeky guardians).

“My wife and I are fans of just about everything,” says Kid Kon creator Jose Prendes. “We’ve raised our kids to appreciate pop culture and so we all spend a lot of time at conventions together as a family, and were shocked to find that there wasn’t an event that catered to kid-friendly pop culture, so we decided to put one together ourselves and give the young fans out there a comic con of their very own.”

The inaugral Kid Kon will feature unique and exciting experiences, like Jedi training, laser tag, kid’s yoga classes, arts & crafts, interactive panels, a large vendors’ room with tons of cool gear for sale, and free concerts. This year’s Guest of Honor is DJ Lance Rock from Yo Gabba Gabba, who will be in attendance all weekend and host a dance party to close out the event on Sunday.

Special guests set to appear Saturday include Lizzy Greene, “Dawn” from Nickelodeon’s Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn; and Bex Taylor-Klaus, “Audrey” from MTV’s Scream: The Series. On Sunday, fans can meet talented animation voice artists Greg Cipes, “Michelangelo” on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and “Beast Boy” on Teen Titans Go!; and Debi Derryberry, “Draculaura” from Monster High.

Kids under three years of age get in free. Two-day and single-day passes are on sale online now for $25 and $15 for kids 3 and up (and their adults), respectively. Passes will also be available at the door for $35 (two days) and $20 (single day). The first 500 people through the door will also receive a special surprise.

Visit Kid-Kon.com for more information.

Kid-Kon

May 25, 2017
Brazen Animation Braves a Mighty ‘Tempest’ in Original Teaser

Dallas, Texas-based Brazen Animation has unveiled a dramatic teaser for its first original content offering: Tempest. Featuring a mix of animation techniques, the three-minute spot introduces a grizzled and bereaved old sailor, determined to face down a powerful adversary that would give Captain Jack Sparrow pause. The project is self-funded and internally developed by Brazen’s in-house team, and the studio is currently seeking development partners for a long-form version of Tempest.

“Between servicing our commercial clients and partners, we created Tempest as a sincere attempt to test the conventions of animated storytelling and what our incredibly talented team can achieve,” said Bryan Engram, Brazen CEO and director of Tempest. “We want to boldly tackle subject matter and styles not represented in typical animated fare.”

The moody visuals and cinematic symoblism imbued in Tempest are created with an engaging mix of CG animation and 2D design sensibilities, drawn from a variety of sources from theatrical lighting, classic animation styles and the allegorical turns of Melville’s Moby Dick. You can watch a Making-Of video here.

“For Tempest, we were inspired by cinematic realism and exaggerated animation and design sensibilities. There’s no ‘house style’ at Brazen. We craft a look and feel for each piece of content based on what best serves the story,” said Engram.

Engram founded Brazen in 2014, having previously served as director of studio animation, animation director and supervisor on films and theme park experiences, including The Wild, Everyone’s Hero, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Open Season 2 & 3, Looney Tunes theatrical shorts, The Simpsons Ride and Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem. The studio team includes industry veterans hailing from Disney, Fox, Blue Sky, Sony, ILM and Reel FX, who deliver projects for clients such as The Academy, Riot Games, Telltale Games, DreamWorks, Ford and Hasbro.

Visit BrazenAnimation.com to learn more about the studio.

Tempest from Brazen Animation on Vimeo.

Tempest

Tempest

Tempest

Tempest

Tempest

May 25, 2017
CG Supe Gabriel Portnof, Ad Creative Director Jordi Bares Join Framestore

Framestore has announced a couple key appointments to two of its internationally dispersed offices this week. Joining the New York facility as CG Supervisor is DreamWorks veteran Gabriel Portnof, while Jordi Bares has been named the new Creative Director in Advertising for the London office.

A native New Yorker, Portnof returns home having spent 15 years with DreamWorks in Los Angeles, where he supervised films such as Turbo, Madagascar 3, Kung Fu Panda 3, Penguins of Madagascar and recent release The Boss Baby. He also spent time at Blue Sky Studios, where he worked on Horton Hears a Who and previsualized all the lighting for Ice Age 3. Portnof also has experience at Bur Studio creating high-end video game cinematics, and on the award-winning commercial CG team at R/GA.

Framestore New York has recently produced groundbreaking projects such a Field Trip to Mars (with McCann NY, Lockheed Martin) and WB’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them VR experience for Google Daydream. “The opportunity at Framestore requires a mix of skills that will challenge me. It is exciting to dive into what I believe to be the future of advertising, using traditional craft alongside emerging technologies,” said Portnof.

An established name in the visual effects industry, London’s newly appointed advertising CD Bares has previously led teams at The Mill, Realise Studio and, most recently, Glassworks. His portfolio of boundary-pushing work includes collaborations with leading directors for brands including Adidas, Guinness, Heineken, Levis and Sony. Bares trained as an architect in his home country of Spain, working in software engineering and cell animation before discovering his VFX calling.

Bares’ enthusiasm and distinctive eye will bolster Framestore’s successful Advertising division, which frequently lends artistic support to the company’s VR Studio, Framstore Pictures and Framestore Labs, offering clients a streamlined, 360-degree approach to campaigns.

“I can’t think of a better environment in which to tackle the upcoming creative and technical opportunities in our industry,” commented Bares. “Framestore has been always a reference point in both film and advertising, and in the coming years I am certain that the company’s pedigree and vision will prove critical in reinventing what visual effects mean for our clients.”

Gabriel Portnof

Jordi Bares

May 25, 2017
Sony Pictures Animation Reveals ‘Puppy!’ Poster

If you subscribe to the saying “bigger is better” and have a soft spot for canine companions, your dreams are about to come true with this first-look poster for Sony Pictures Animation’s brand-new Hotel Transylvania short: Puppy! Not since Cujo has such a fearsome beast wrought havoc on the silver screen…

Puppy! is directed by franchise helmer Genndy Tartakovsky (Samurai Jack, Dexter’s Laboratory, Star Wars: Clone Wars) and produced by Hotel Transylvania 1 & 2 alum Michelle Murdocca. The short finds the resident of Hotel Transylvania coping with chaos when little Dennis gets a surprise monster-sized pet.

The short will debut at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival next month, and will run in theaters worldwide this summer attached to SPA’s The Emoji Movie.

Puppy!

May 25, 2017
Daily News Bytes

VIDEO: ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ – Trailer 3
Peter Parker is perhaps the only millennial who is getting valuable compensation for his internship in this latest spot for the July 7 release. (e.g., churros, high-tech super suits)

Unreal Engine 4.16 Released
Update highlights include new Volumetric Fog feature, dynamic lightweight rigid body and low level cloth simulation, double-speed Garbage Collection, VR Mode, and support for Nintendo Switch.

CALL FOR ENTRIES ***EXTENDED***: KLIK! Amsterdam Animation Festival
You now have until July 1 to enter shorts, features, music videos, VR and other assorted animated madness to this fun-filled event, taking place October 17-22 in the libertine capital of Europe.

TWEET: Blue-Zoo Teases Vive VR Short
UK-based animation studio is at work on an immersive experience centered on Claw, a little cat on a big adventure.

LIMA Study: Global Retail Sales of Licensed Goods and Services Hit US$262.9 Billion in 2016
The Int’l Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association’s annual survey reveals 4.4% growth, with Entertainment/Character licensing remaining top dog with a 45% share of the total global market.

Spider-Man: Homecoming

May 24, 2017
‘Boss Baby’ Gets Home Delivery in July

DreamWorks Animation’s comedy adventure of pint-sized heroics will be stork-dropped into living rooms everywhere with the arrival of The Boss Baby on Digital HD on July 4, and on Blu-ray and DVD on July 25 from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment — complete with a diaper load of bonus features.

Directed by Tom McGrath (Madagascar franchise), the chaos kicks in when seven-year-old Tim Templeton (voiced by Miles Bakshi) suddenly finds his share of parental love plummeting when his new baby brother (Alec Baldwin) arrives — wearing a suit and toting a briefcase — and makes it clear to everyone that he’s in charge. But when Tim discovers that Boss Baby is on a secret mission, he reluctantly agrees to team up with his pint sized sibling for an epic adventure that might just change the world! The voice cast also features Steve Buscemi, Jimmy Kimmel, Lisa Kudrow, and Tobey Magquire.

Over a half-hour of extras are included in the Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, 4K Ultra HD, DVD and Digital HD releases:

– The Boss Baby and Tim’s Treasure Hunt Through Time — New mini adventure narrated by Wizzie the magical wizard.

– “The Forever Puppy” Infomercial – Always playful, always snuggly, and everlastingly cute; The Forever Puppy is destined to win the cuteness competition with babies once and for all.

– BabyCorp and You – Helpful advice and more for new infants on the job at BabyCorp.

– Babies vs. Puppies: Who Do YOU Love? – Who has won the hearts of familes once and for all? This “scientific” experiment compares and contrasts factors such as “cuddliness,” “adorability,” and “attention grabbing techniques” used by both demanding competitors.

– The Boss Baby’s Undercover Team – From Staci, the note taker who can’t read, to Jimbo the huge baby who’ll take a suction cup arrow for the Boss, to the triple-threat of the Triplets, Boss Baby dives deeper into this team of cute corporate board members.

– Cookies Are for Closers: Inside BabyCorp – Go behind the scenes with director Tom McGrath as he introduces us to BabyCorp, a secret organization of infants united for a common goal in The Boss Baby.

– The Great Sibling Competition – A fun, kid-friendly and humorous look at the competition among siblings to win the affection of their parents. Explore conversations with the cast and crew on their competitive sibling relationships and get very special insights from Boss Baby himself: Alec Baldwin.

The Boss Baby

May 24, 2017
Nickelodeon Int’l Picks Up More ‘The Day Henry Met’

Nickelodeon International has acquired international broadcasting right to seasons three and four of hit animated preschool series The Day Henry Met..? — and renewed rights to the first two seasons — from distributor Monster Entertainment. Produced by Dublin-based Wiggleywoo Ltd., the charming show has won a Pulcinella Award from Cartoons on the Bay (2015) and this year took the Best Animation prize at the Irish Animation Awards.

Nick originally picked up the first two seasons in 2016 for its channels across markets on six continents, including the UK, Scandinavia, Benelux, Germany, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Central & Eastern Europe, Russia, Israel, Australia & New Zealand, Africa, Asia, Middle East and Latin America. The Day Henry Met has also sold to RTE (Ireland); TV Ontario, Television Francaise Ontario and Knowledge Network (Canada); Canal Plus (French-speaking territories); ABC (Australia); Kids TV (Korea); YLE (Finland) and SVT (Sweden).

The Day Henry Met..?

May 24, 2017
Turner EMEA Greenlights Second Season of ‘Happos Family’

Turner EMEA has greenlit a second season of its first Boomerang Original, The Happos Family, which will return with longer adventures featuring the lovable characters as well as fresh digital content. Season two, comprising 25 seven-minute, non-dialog episodes, will launch on Boomerang channels starting January 2018.

The series follows the lives of a family of animals living in a safari park. By day, they loll about for the edification of drive-through human tourists, but when the park closes they jump out of their mud wallows, get dressed and embark on their own adventures. Season two will also introduce three brand-new characters to the family: Football Happo, Scientist Happo and Acrobat Happo. Created in partnership with Italy’s Ferrero, season two will be produced by Paris-based Cyber Group Studios, which also recently signed a co-production deal with Boomerang for Taffy.

“We immediately fell in love with The Happos Family and it’s not at all surprising that the show is already resonating with kids and families around the world,” said Cyber Group’s Chairman and CEO, Pierre Sissmann. “We’re delighted to be partnering again with Turner and coming on board to produce the second series of Happos, this time with longer stories and great new characters.”

In addition to the new TV season, the Happos will appear in a variety of interactive digital initiatives, including the popular Boomerang Make n’ Race app — which has been downloaded more than 20 million times — alongside other Boomerang favorites such as Scooby-Doo and Tom and Jerry.

“The great audience reaction, channel exposure and performance of Happos to date are all positive signs that we have an exciting new franchise on our hands,” said Johanne Broadfield, VP, Cartoon Network Enterprises EMEA. “We’ve seen kids actually belly-laughing while watching the content and demonstrating really strong engagement with the humour and characters. Taking the show to a new level, with longer episodes and extensive support across digital, stands us in very good stead for a successful consumer products program – and we’re looking forward to the reaction we get from prospective partners here at [Licensing Expo] Vegas.”

The Happos Family

May 24, 2017
‘Aliens Love Underpants AND…’ Kits Up for Sky TV

Underwear and outerspace collide in the new animated series Aliens Love Underpants AND…, coming to UK broadcaster Sky and the Sky Kids app this summer. Based on the award-winning children’s books by Claire Freedman and Ben Cort, the show is being produced by Tiger Aspect under head of animation and kids’ content Tom Beattie (Mr Bean, Charlie and Lola, Tinga Tinga Tales), with original songs by David Schweitzer (Charlie and Lola, Mike the Knight, Q Pootle 5).

“As a parent, I know how much kids love the fun silly songs that they repeat again and again (and again!)” said Beattie. “We’re looking forward to making our own, using the cast of brilliant and beloved aliens from the world that Claire and Ben have created. The catchy songs and get-up-and-dance routines will make these aliens pop stars for pre-schoolers and parents everywhere will be humming their songs!”

Aliens Love Underpants AND… will be adapted into 12 animated segments of two minutes each, in which the unmentionables-loving extraterrestrials will sing and dance along to ditties about cupcakes, spaceships, gobbledegook and more. The madcap lyrics and exuberant dance moves will entice kids ages 3-6 to join in.

Sky’s new kids programming also includes educational short-form series Miniteve, treating young children to documentary style videos about animals, vehicles and play activities (availalbe no on Sky in the UK and Ireland); animated musical short-form Big Block Singsong from Goddard/Brown (availalbe now); and a fresh comedy from BAFTA-winning producer Darrall Macqueen, Bear Behaving Baldy, coming later this month.

“At Sky, we have the very best range of entertainment for kids and their families. We are thrilled to be working with Tiger Aspect to bring Aliens Love Underpants to rowdy life, to be adding great British comedy from Darrall Macqueen, and mesmerising mini-docs from Miniteve – we know kids will love these new shows,” commented Lucy Murphy, head of kids’ content for Sky.

Aliens Love Underpants

May 24, 2017
Disney, WB & Mattel Top 2017 LIMA Licensing Awards

Tuesday night, LIMA presented the 2017 International Licensing Awards to winners in 20 categories at a ceremony held during the Licensing Expo, underway at the Mandalay Bay Concention Center in Las Vegas. Dominating the awards were brands from Warner Bros. and Disney, as well as toy giant Mattel.

This year’s top animated entertainment licensing program is PAW Patrol — recently re-upped for a fifth season by Nickelodeon, while the winning live-action property was, unsurprisingly, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Hot Topic took the coveted Retailer of the Year prize for its Suicide Squad program.

“This year’s Award winners represent world-class licensing programs and products from around our global industry,” said LIMA president, Charles Riotto. “We are proud to recognise and honour the achievements of these companies – chosen from a record 461 submissions this year – for their impressive initiatives and outstanding results.”

In addition to revealing the winners, LIMA also confirmed three new global representatives have been appointed to represent the growing markets in Brazil (Marici Ferreira), France (Laurent Taieb) and Russia (Marina Semenikhina), and a new head of LIMA India (Jiggy George).

Full list of 2017 Licensing Awards winners below. You can review the nominees roster here.

LICENSING PROGRAM

Art/Design: V&A – Victoria and Albert Museum

Celebrity/Fashion: Open Hearts by Jane Seymour – Jane Seymour Designs/Licensing Matters Ltd.

Character/Toy Brand: DC Super Hero Girls – Warner Bros. Consumer Products

Corporate Brand: Girl Scouts of the USA – Girl Scouts of the USA/The Wildflower Group

Digital: Five Nights at Freddy’s – Scottgames/Striker Entertainment

Film/TV/Entertainment – Animated: PAW Patrol – Spin Master Ltd.

Film/TV/Entertainment – Live-Action: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story – Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media

Food & Beverage/Restaurant: Corona – Constellation Brands/The Joester Loria Group

Sports: NFLPA – NFLPA

Licensed Promotion: Batman v Superman Dawn of Justice & Turkish Airlines – Warner Bros. Consumer Products/Lisans A.S.

Location-Based or Experiential Initiative: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade at Universal Studios Hollywood – Warner Bros. Consumer Products

Retailer: Hot Topic – Suicide Squad licensing program

LICENSED PRODUCTS

Apparel/Footwear/Accessories: Coach – Mickey & Minnie Mouse/Disney Coach Collection

Appliances/Automotive/Electronics/Hardware/Housewares/Paint: Select Brands – Disney/Pixar – Pixar Collection Slow Cooker

Digital: NextGames – AMC’s The Walking Dead: No Man’s Land Mobile Game

Food/Beverage (TIE): Finsbury Foods – Shopkins Cupcake Queen Cake; The J.M. Smucker Company – Pillsbury Girl Scout Cookie Inspired Baking Mixes

Health & Beauty Aids: Clinique – Crayola Limited Edition Chubby Stick Lip Balm

Home Décor: Jay Franco & Sons, LLC – Star Wars Back-to-College & Adult Bedding

Publishing/Social Expression/Back-to-School: Scholastic – Five Nights at Freddy’s: The Silver Eyes Novel

Toys/Games/Novelties/Role-Play: Mattel – DC Super Hero Girls Action Figures

Disney Coach Collection

May 24, 2017
Jon Stewart, HBO Walk Away from Animation Venture

A year and half after first announcing it, HBO and former The Daily Show host Jon Stewart are shuttering their short-form digital animation venture. The plan as detailed last summer was to utilizie Otoy 3D software to churn out topical toon segments for HBO’s various platforms. At that time, the partners were hoping to deliver content by the fall.

According to a statement from HBO: “HBO and Jon Stewart have decided not to proceed with a short form digital animated project. We all thought the project had great potential but there were technical issues in terms of production and distribution that proved too difficult given the quick turnaround and topical nature of the material. We’re excited to report that we have some future projects together which you will be hearing about in the near future.”

Stewart signed a four-year production deal with HBO shortly after departing The Daily Show, which he had steered from his spotlighted desk from 1999 to 2015. In addition to the scrapped animation venture, the agreement included a first-look option for film and TV projects.

Jon Stewart

May 24, 2017
Hornet Films Seeks Original Kids Series Pitches

Hornet Films, an extension of award-winning commercial animation house Hornet, is seeking original concepts for its development slate. The studio is primarily looking for animated series for kids ages 6-11 years old, but will also consider fresh preschool-targeted ideas. Submissions can feature any animation style, genre or episode length.

“Ultimately we’re looking for what the networks and SVODs are looking for since eventually we need to be able to sell it to them,” said Executive Producer Jan Stebbins. “Since that’s a constantly moving target aside from the standard request for ‘unique characters and compelling stories,’ I look for projects that immediately grab me. If I go home and can’t stop thinking about a pitch then I know that there’s something there. At the end of the day I need to love the project as much as the creator does so that I can be the best possible champion for it.”

Hornet Films was born out of the studio’s commercial writers and directors interest in telling longer stories, and the company alligned with these wishes by supporting them in developing and pitching original ideas. “As producers, we also develop the talent we represent and we didn’t want to hold our directors back to just the thirty and sixty seconds of traditional advertising,” said Managing Director Michael Feder.

Under Stebbins’ guidance, original series from Hornet directors — Dan & Jason (Rocket Monkeys) and Julia Pott (Summer Camp Island). The studio counts Cartoon Network, Disney, Nickelodeon, 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures and Sesame Workshop among its partners in recent years.

Hornet Films opened up its pitching process to creatives from outside the studio in 2015. “Since we are a small operation I keep the slate deliberately lean so that every single project is being actively developed or pitched,” Stebbins noted. “We don’t option things willy nilly and then let them sit in development limbo. If a creator is going to trust us with their baby I want to ensure that it will be well taken care of.”

Stebbins is looking to option one or two projects in this round of pitching — interested creators should email him directly (contact info here) to obtain a release form. Pitches should be submitted by email, and include an overview of the series, character descriptions, and episode seeds. Original art is welcome, but not required.

Hornet Films

May 24, 2017
Cirrina Studios Unearths First Feature ‘The Extincts’

Recently launched entertainment finance, development and production outfit Cirrina Studios has announced its first animated feature project: The Extincts. Based on the popular middle-grade novel by British writer Veronica Cossanteli, the project is adapted by president of the studio David Lipman (producer, Shrek 2) and being directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker and celebrated author-illustrator William Joyce.

Aiming for a 2019 release, The Extincts will begin pre-production in June, and will be the first Cirrina feature to kick off at Olivier Pinol’s Dwarf Animation Studio in Montpellier, France. The film will be produced by Lipman and Michael Siegel (exec. producer of The BFG, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Rise of the Guardians). Jane Startz and Barry Cunningham will executive producer with Jim Pesoli and Karine Martine of Cirinna Studios.

“Feature animation is one of the cornerstones of Cirrina Studios’ broad ambitions,” said Lipman. “I’m thrilled to partner with Olivier and Dwarf, we’ve assembled an unbelievably talented group of artists and technicians to make a ‘studio quality’ film with a unique look and global appeal.”

The Extincts follows the madcap adventures of a boy named George Drake, who discovers a hidden cache of extinct and mythological creatures deep in the woods near the farm where he works. Unfortunately, one of these improbably beasts escapes to terrorize the town. Cossanteli’s novel is published in the UK by Chicken House/Scholastic, in the US by Henry Holt, and worldwide in translation.

The Extincts

May 24, 2017
New ‘Despicable Me 3’ Trailer: It’s Good to Be Bad

A new spot has arrived for Illumination Entertainment’s Despicable Me 3 — rocketing into theaters June 30 through Universal Pictures — and things are getting even crazier.

The spot opens with Gru’s less than ideal mother (paging Dr. Freud…) before whisking us off to his long-lost twin brother Dru’s palatial villain pad. While Dru is busy tempting Gru back to the dark side with extremely fun toys behind Lucy’s back, the Minions are locked up as little yellow jailbirds, and the girls take in some local color.

Also, there are several explosions and some very cute pigs. See for yourself below! You can check out the previous trailer here.

Directed by Kyle Balda and Pierre Coffin, Despicable Me 3 features the voices of Steve Carrell (Gru and Dru), Kristen Wiig (Lucy), Trey Parker (Balthazar Bratt), Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier and Nev Scharrel. Ken Daurio and Cinco Paul wrote the script. Illumination’s Chris Meledandri and Janet Healy serve as producers.

Despicable Me 3

May 24, 2017