London-based family animation specialist SC Films International announced the start of production on its latest project, a loose adaptation of Jules Vernes’ classic Around the World in 80 Days, according to ScreenDaily. The project will launch at the Cannes film market this month.
The 3D animated feature takes the story concept under the water for a new adventure featuring characters from SC Films’ previous projects The Reef: Shark Bait and The Reef 2: High Tide (pictured here). The film will follow a young fish as he sets out on a guided tour of the world’s watery landmarks with a wise old turtle. Along the way, he must learn to trust his instincts and his new friends in order to navigate the frigid Atlantic, the bustling Suez Canal and crocodiles of China.
Simon Crowe of SC Films is producing with Dan Chuba and Mark Dippé of the Animation Picture Company (The Reef 2, Outback). Dippé is co-directing with Taedong Park, from a screenplay by Stephen Meier. Around the World in 80 Days is set for delivery in Q3 of 2018.
The Acadmey Presents: 75th Anniversary of Bambi
Historian Leonard Maltin will be joined by original voice stars from the Disney classic and animation artists Andreas Deja and Paul Felix a celebratory screening and a tribute to artist Tyrus Wong on May 15 at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater.
VIDEO: GKIDS: A Tribute
The crew of indie film podcast One Week Only put together this fabulous visual medley of the acclaimed animations that the distributor has brough to theaters. You can check out episodes of the ‘cast here.
‘The Lenore Project’ – Augmented Reality
A small town newspaper gets a Lynchian-Lovecraftian spin in this eerie Mobile AR class project, which will be part of the Integrated Digital Media Showcase at NYU Tandon this Friday from 6-8 p.m.
Woodbury University in Burbank, California is capping another academic year by showcasing the portfolios and prize-winning works of graduating seniors and students of its School of Media, Culture & Design on Friday, May 5 at various campus venues. This includes the Animation, Filmmaking, Game Art, Game Design, and Media Technology undergraduate programs. All events are open to the public.
“The 2017 year-end showcase of student work promises to be among MCD’s best, as we highlight the creativity and accomplishments of graduating seniors,” said Sue Vessella, M.F.A., Dean, MCD. “Students value the opportunity to present their work publicly to their peers, instructors, professionals and guests, and we’re proud to share their achievements with the community. As they celebrate both skill and craft, this year’s showcase events mark the transition from student to professional for many of our graduating seniors.”
The Animation and Filmmaking showcase will take place from 7:30-10 p.m. in the Fletcher Jones Foundation Auditorium and Malburg Atrium. Seniors in Animation will present their Capstone projects in a lively program of short films, addressing a diverse range of topics. Graduating filmmaking students will screen their Senior Thesis films; each produced in keeping with industry professional standards.
Game Art & Design will take over Room 101 in Miller Hall from 7-9:30 p.m. Game Design students will be on hand to demonstrate and explain a few playable video games they made this year. Also on display will be select art pieces created by Game Art students.
And the Media Technology showcase will feature student presentations of a number of projects that demonstrate the creative potential of emerging technologies, including projection mapping, Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality, in the E103 Soundstage of the Entertainment Media Building, 7-10 p.m.
Works and thesis projects from the Communication, Graphic Design and Psychology programs will also be highlighted at their own exhibitions around campus.
Silicon Valley’s Nimble Collective — creators of the first cloud-native animation collaboration platform — has teamed up with California State University’s Summer Arts Program to offer scholarships as well as professional animation mentorship for this July. Five students selected based on their portfolios/reels and applications will receive scholarship prizes, ranging from $100 to $2,000, to be put toward the CSU Summer Arts class.
The deadline to apply is May 15 — instructions available here.
Accepted students will benefit from the guidance of Nimble’s industry pro leaders, whose credits include acclaimed feature films such as How to Train Your Dragon, Megamind, Toy Story and Lord of the Rings. It is recommended that students have at least two years’ experience with Maya animation/modeling software. Students will work on an animated film project as a group, including all aspects of production from storyboarding, modeling & animation, lighting, et al.
The CSU Summer Arts “Animating a Short Film with Nimble Collective” will run from July 10 to July 23 at the Fresno campus, and counts for three credit units. The course coordinator is Aubry Mintz; guest artists from Nimble Collective are Rex Grignon, Jason Schleifer, Scott LaFleur and Jennifer Dahlman. More info here.
The lineup for Animation Day in Cannes is starting to jell, with the big day of “Discoveries” set for May 23 during the prestigious film festival and market. This year’s showcase presentations include Buñuel in the Labyrinth of the Turtles, produced by Manuel Cristóbal; Release from Heaven by Seyed Vahid Olyaee, and Junod by Shinichiro Kimura.
Organized and curated by FilmFestivals.com and the Animaze festival of Montreal, the presentations will begin at 1:30 p.m. in Palais B and include a selection of the best trailers from the Animaze Daze in Cannes competition, “Best of Fest” trailers from recent festival winners and looks at upcoming features and shorts.
Buñuel in the Labyrinth of the Turtles, directed by Salvador Simo and due out in 2018, is based on the graphic novel biography by Fermin Solis. The story follows young surrealist filmmaker Luis Buñuel as he departs 1930’s Paris to create a documentary about the community of Las Hurdes — one of the most impoverished and miserable places in Spain. Manuel Cristobal (Wrinkles) produces. (Sygnatia / Glow / The Glow Animation Studio / Submarine). www.bunuelenellaberinto.com.
Junod, produced by Shizuko Tsuya with direction and storyboards by Shinichiro Kimura, is also based on a true story, with a time traveling twist. In 1945, a Swiss doctor named Marcel Junod is appointed head of the Red Cross delegation to Japan. Shocked by the devastation he finds in Hiroshima following the United States’ atomic bombing, Dr. Junod successfully campaigns for medical supplies and devotes himself to treating the victims. Visitors from the present, Mii and Yuko, witness his work and learn about the motivation behind his selfless dedication. (Studio Hibari). www.junod.biz.
Release from Heaven, directed by Ali Noori Oskouei, is an enchanting mixed-technique animation project which blurs the lines between imagination, storytelling and reality. Set in a war-torn country, the film follows a school teacher and writer named Sareh. When she has to take two of her students to find their father, she tries to keep them calm on the perilous journey by telling them stories. When the little group discovers a cave that is exactly like one from Sareh’s stories, she finds out that the hero of her imagination is real. Determined to find him, she becomes a hero in her own right in the eyes of her students. The film is also screening at Cannes on May 22 at 8 p.m. in Gray 1. (Eshragh Animation Co.) http://animaeshragh.com/release-from-heaven.
Buñuel in the Labyrinth of the TurtlesJunodRelease from Heaven
Project Greenlight Digital Studios (from Adaptive Studios) and Tongal have revealed the winner of its “Next Great Animated Series Contest”. The honor was awarded to Alec Pinkston’s adult-targeted, puppet-animation political parody Senataur.
“Animation is such a special medium – it really allows a filmmaker to push the boundaries of storytelling. We saw such incredible and diverse submissions from the creative community – from traditional animation to 2D vector-based projects to papercraft and stop-motion. We loved working with Tongal to bring this contest to creators and can’t wait to see Alec’s vision come to life on screen,” said Brittany Turner, VP of Digital at Adaptive Studios.
Pinkston and his team, Gregory Hinchman and Peter Stepnoski, have won $70,000 to put towards producing an 11-minute pilot episode for Senataur. The proof-of-concept video was shot at Odd Machine studio in Chicago, and introduces a half-man, half-horse alien politician who is banished to Earth and makes a fresh start in the US with the hopes of recapturing his rightful place in the Intergalactic Government … by conquering our planet.
PGLDS, a story-driven creative community from Adaptive Studios, and Tongal, an award-winning creative network recognized by Sundance, Cannes and other top festivals, have helped many emerging filmmakers launch their careers. Through “The Next Great Animated Series Contest,” Pinkston now has a unique opportunity to develop, produce and market Senataur.
“This collaboration between Tongal and PGLDS is another powerful example of how being open can change the way talent and stories are discovered,” said James DeJulio, President at Tongal. “And in this case, we’ve discovered something that is really f***ing funny.”
You can check out the video entries for Senataur the other four finalists — Journeyus & the Journeynauts (Doug Lieblich & Chris Cimino), Kid Engine (Team Spaceman), Moon Rider (James Kwan) and The Woodland Post (Addie Snider) — here. Over 200 pitches were submitted to the contest.
Icelandic lifestyle brand Tulipop is extending its magical world with the help of DHX Media’s leading multiplatform kids’ network, WildBrain, which will create an animated web series featuring the idiosyncratic characters and their curious environment. WildBrain will also launch and manage a global Tulipop YouTube Channel.
Tulipop will come to life in a series of 2.5 minute episodes, set to launch on the YT channel in early summer. Aimed at kids’ ages 7 and up, the story-driven adventures are set on the absurd island of Tulipop — where the landscape is full of surprises, from volcanoes and beaches to mushroom swamps and strawberry fields … which aren’t always where you last found them. Here live the Tulipoppers, each with a unique flawed-but-loveable personality, like adventurous and hyperactive Gloomy the mushroom girl and Fred the smelly forest creature who is too gentle to be scary.
The web series is co-written by Tobi Wilson (The Amazing World of Gumball), and is being developed in collaboration with Ken Anderson of Red Kite Animation. Inspired by Iceland’s rich fairytale tradition, Tulipop is created by illustrator Signy Kolbeinsdottir and launched in 2010 with the help of her best friend, Helga Arnadottir. The multi-award-winning design brand comprises a book and a range of character products, available in 14 countries.
The animated content and dedicated channel will support the brand’s ongoing consumer products promotion across multiple territories.
“It has always been our ambition since launching the brand in 2010 to extend the world of Tulipop into animation, and we are delighted to be teaming up with WildBrain, Tobi and Red Kite to produce these wonderfully creative, funny and whimsical stories, which we hope will delight a whole new audience,” said Arnadottir, CEO Tulipop.
This summer, the north of Italy plays host to a three day celebration of animation as the BergamoTOONS Festival runs June 22 through. In addition to free symposiums, film screenings and exhibitions, Bergamo will welcome special guests, celebrate the anniversaries of two iconic characters, and toast the work of a local animation hero.
The common theme of the 2017 event is “humor,” a characteristic of acclaimed cartoonist and honorary BergamoTOONS associatino president Bruno Bozzetto — who will be honored with a Gala Night celebration and a screening of his feature masterpiece Allegro non Troppo at the Donizetti Theatre — and his friend, animator, writer and director David Silverman, who will introduce a special outdoor screening of his 2007 feature The Simpsons Movie on June 24 and deliver the closing keynote in the aula magna of the University of Bergamo.
Silverman directed the very first episode of Matt Groening’s The Simpsons, which debuted in 1987. Still an active director on the series, Silverman also notably helmed Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. (with Pete Docter) and the Oscar-nominated short Maggie Simpson in “The Longest Daycare”.
“We could not hope for a better guest for the kick-off edition of BergamoTOONS,” said Federico Fiecconi, artistic director of the festival. “David Silverman embodies, like no other, the key aspects of animation that we want to celebrate at the BergamoTOONS: an unbridled charge of irreverent and transgressive spectacularity. David is a shining light both as an animator and as a renown musician, who loves to entertain with humour by playing his tuba.”
The principle objective of BergamoTOONS is to cultivate interest in animation and increase awareness of this creative, enterprising field, and stimulate the industry development. To this end, introductory sessions, seminars, workshops and masterclasses aimed at young creatives will focus on script-writing, anrrative themes and filmmaking technology.
In support of this goal, Animation Magazine’s own Publisher and CEO, Jean Thoren will deliver the opening presentation. Animation Magazine, which also publishes the annual International Education and Career Guide, is celebrating its 30th anniversary year in 2017.
The Simpsons will feature prominently at the festival, with June 23 scheduled as “Simpsons Day.” In the morning, the University will host “The Phenomenon of The Simpsons” discussion with Silverman and Bolognese animator Silvia Pompeii and other experts. This will be followed by the opening of “The Art Behind the Scenes of The Simpsons” exhibition of original series artwork. The exhibit will be set up in the former church of Santa Maria Maddalena — a fittingly ironic nod to the struggles that Mayor Giorgio Gori and Fiecconi had in getting Italy’s Channel 5 to importing the then-controversial series, which finally happened in 1991 in a post-watershed timeslot. There will also be a “The Simpsons – Silverman’s Marathon,” curated by the director.
In addition to The Simpsons‘ big 3-0, Bergamo will also celebrate the 70th anniversary of iconic Looney Tunes star Daffy Duck, and the 50th anniversary of Croatia’s beloved cartoon scientist, Professor Balthazar; as well as contemporary works from around the globe.
The Donizetti Theatre will present the works of Italian-Bavarian cartoonist Joshua Held, featuring original animations created for the comic opera The Barber of Seville and The Journey to Reims. In the evening will follow a screening of a new restoration of Allegro non Troppo, hosted by Bozzetto himself. This iconic marriage of fantasy animation and classical music is returning 41 years after its release to the theatre where its live-action scenes were filmed. Director Maurizio Nichetti, who as a young actor played The Artist in the film, will also be in attendance.
The Art District of Bergamo will on June 22 host an afternoon dedicated to Bozzetto at the Modern Art Gallery GAMeC. This will feature the opening “Allegor, It’s Animated Art!” exhibition of original drawings, followed by a screening of documentary feature Bozzetto non Troppo (2016), with director Marco Bonfanti in attendance. The evening of June 23, the Carrara Art Academy will present a program of animated films in its courtyard.
Further highlights of BergamoTOONS include a screening of The Simpsons Movie at Sant Agostino Park on une 24, the kid-friendly Aperitoon gathering at MAITE, and the daily TOON Pub sessiosn in th San Michele area — a festive blend of food, drink and animation with live artist demonstrations, book dedications and entertainment. The festival will close with the grand finale Cartoon Party in the cloister of the Church of Santa Maria del Carmine in the heart of the upper city (registration is required).
Unity Technologies’ second Vision VR/AR Summit has kicked off in Los Angeles, bringing more than 1,200 creative, tech and business leaders from the industry together to discuss the current state and ponder the future of XR.
The opening keynote (which you can watch here) featured presentations from partners including Microsoft, Facebook, Oculus, Google, Vuforia, NFL Films, Jet Propulsion Laboratories/NASA, Audi/Zerolight, ScopeAR, Within, Rewind/Redbull, The Void, Multiverse, Baobab and Spiraloid. Day one also saw the big reveal of the 2017 Vision VR/AR Summit Awards, following a month of intense testing and review of over 250 submissions.
Among the keynote highlights:
+ Unity CEO John Riccitiello kicked things off with Unity’s mission to democratize development, solve hard problems, and enable success. According to Riccitiello, the three secret ingredients to success are price, mobility, and content. The company’s Head of VR/AR Strategy, Tony Parisi, also took the stage to present Unity 2017 (beta); Natalie Grant, Sr. Product Marketer for VR/AR and Film, joined him on stage to showcase an interactive 360 video with animated CG objects, using new video playback features.
+ Brandon Bray, Principal Group Manager from Microsoft, announced 91% of Hololens applications are made with Unity. He also unveiled Mixed Reality will soon be available for Unity developers and gifted audience members with new Acer MR headsets that will arrive this summer.
+ Nathan Martz, Google Product Manager from Google announced that Unity is now integrated with Google Tango, and announced that Daydream will experience an update this May allowing creators to test VR and AR changes for their app in minutes. Jay Wright, President of Vuforia, announced a new feature for Tango-enabled devices: Vuforia Smart Terrain, which gives developers and designers the ability to build AR experiences that dynamically interact with the world around them such as in the new Mars exploration sample app demoed.
+ Mike Wuetherick, Product Manager and Sarah Stumbo, VR Evangelist from Unity showcased the demo A Mighty Kingdom, hinting at the possibilities of streaming in VR, using Timeline for linear sequencing and Cinemachine for tailored broadcasts.
+ Bay Raitt’s explained how his company Spiraloid is bringing together the power of VR with the joy of comics for the first time. Through the combination of stories, movies, and games, this not only changes how consumers interact with comics, but revolutionizes how they themselves can be creators within these cross media experiences.
And now, drumroll please, the 2017 Vision VR/AR Summit Awards Winners:
Best Game: Superhot VR (SUPERHOT Team)
Best Cinematic VR: Zero Days VR (Scatter)
Best 360 Video: MIYUBI (Felix & Paul Studios, in collaboration with Funny or Die)
Artistic Achievement Award: Chocolate (Tyler Hurd)
Technical Achievement Award: Ghostbusters: Dimension (The Void and Hyper Reality)
Narrative Achievement Award: Zero Days VR (Scatter)
Best AR Experience: ProtoSpace (NASA)
Best VR Experience: ASTEROIDS! (Baobab Studios)
Social Impact Award: Out of Exile: Daniel’s Story (Emblematic Group, Atrevida Productions, True Colors Fund)
CALL FOR ENTRIES: BIAF2017
The Bucheon Int’l Animation Festival in South Korea is now accepting shorts, graduate films, TV & commissioned works and online animations until July 15; and feature films until August 15. Last year’s Grand Prize winners were Sebastien Laudenbach’s The Girl Without Hands (feature), Igor Kovalyov’s Before Love (short) and Nadja Andrasev’s The Noise of Licking (graduate).
Sanrio Appoints COO
The Hello Kitty brandmaster has tapped former WME | IMG licensing veep Simon Gresswell to oversee Sanrio affairs in EMEA, Oceania, South Africa and India, and Mr. Men and Little Miss worldwide.
NBCUniversal’s preschool network Sprout will be rebranding to Universal Kids, which will go live September 9. Universal Kids will continue to offer premiere preschool programming while expanding its lineup to include DreamWorks Animation Television series, unscripted and live-action scripted originals, extending its audience to kids 2 to 11. The announcement was made by NBCU Cable Entertainment Lifestyle Networks President Frances Berwick on Monday.
“We see enormous potential to grow our audience in this space and create the Universal Kids platform for families to experience together,” said Berwick. “NBCUniversal is invested in the kids and family business, and the company believes in working together – we will benefit from promotion across our portfolio of networks and across the company through support that is unparalleled in the industry.”
The Universal Kids/DreamWorks collaboration will begin this fall with two Emmy-winning series: All Hail King Julien, based on the Madagascar films, and DreamWorks Dragons: Riders of Berk, from the How to Train Your Dragon franchise.
In the meantime, Sprout continues to build its slate, with plans to launch Kody Kapow from Zodiak Kids in July. The martial-arts adventure will join top-rated series Floogals, Dot., Nina’s World and Noddy Toyland Detective from DreamWorks TV. Sprout will air 15 hours of preschool programming daily from 3 a.m. to 6 p.m., with Universal Kids programmed from 6 p.m. for older kids and families.
“The launch of a channel that represents the world of NBCUniversal family brands with great TV content at its center makes tremendous sense for our business,” said Deirdre Brennan, General Manager, Universal Kids. “Just as children grow, Sprout is growing into Universal Kids – and we will reflect all that is universal about being a kid through connection, storytelling and entertainment. A place that reflects their life and passions.”
Times animated classic Bambi will be joining the luxe lineup of the Walt Disney Signature Collection, with a fresh release on Digital HD and Disney Movies Anywhere on May 23, followed by Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand on June 6. The Signature treatment, just in time for the film’s 75th anniversary, was announced at the Tribeca Film Festival this weekend.
The Signature Collection includes a medley of new bonus material, including recordings of Walt Disney discussing the production, deleted scenes and characters, reflections on Bambi’s impact, and more. The Digital HD release also includes an exclusive feature on the late, legendary artist Tyrus Wong, who inspired the film’s iconic watercolor backgrounds and naturalist palette.
Ranked as No. 3 on the American Film Institute’s Top 10 list of the greatest animated films of all time, Bambi was released in 1942 during World War II. The Disney team took five years to craft the exquisitely detailed, hand-drawn feature. Based on the popular 1920s novel by Felix Salten, Bambi follows a young deer as he encounters the wonders and dangers of life in the woods with his playful rabbit friend, Thumper, the lovable skunk Flower, and wise Friend Owl, ultimately fulfilling his destiny as Prince of the Forest.
Brand-new Blu-ray & Digital HD bonus features include:
– The Bambi Effect – Bambi was full of innovations for its time. Let’s take a look at how those past innovations affected future Disney animated titles all the way up to today.
– Studio Stories: Bambi – Recordings of Walt Disney. Listen in on intimate moments where he discusses the challenges, pitfalls and triumphs during the production of Bambi.
– Deleted Scene: Bambi’s Ice and Snow – Bambi coaxes Thumper and his brothers and sisters to come play on the ice during the first snow.
– Deleted Scene: The Grasshopper – A grasshopper confronts Bambi and Thumper and finds himself in quite a predicament.
– Bambi Fawn Facts – Think you know everything there is to know about Bambi and his forest companions? Well, it’s time to discover some fun real-life facts about the creatures that live in the forest he calls home.
– Oswald the Lucky Rabbit: “Africa Before Dark” short film.
– Celebrating Tyrus Wong (Digital Exclusive) – A heartfelt look at the man who played a key role in the success of Bambi. Much like Mary Blair and Eyvind Earle, Tyrus Wong had a unique signature style all to his own. The soft water-colored backgrounds and beautiful palettes in Bambi were inspired by Tyrus’ concept art paintings.
The updated release also includes classic extras, including deleted scenes (“Two Leaves,” “Bambi Stuck on a Reed,” “Winter Grass,” “Twitterpated”), The Making of Bambi: A Prince Is Born series (Story, Characters, Actors, Art Design, Music, History), Trick of the Trade excerpt, Inside the Disney Archives, The Golden Age, original theatrical trailer, and The Old Mill animated short.
Malaysian children’s author and illustrator Maslina Yusoff has made a pact with South Korea’s H Culture studio to adapt her Mila books into an animated TV series. Inspired by Yusoff’s young daughter, the nine-title storybook series follows the everyday adventures of a little girl with “big curly hair.”
The 52-episode TV series aimed at kids 3-9 will expand Mila’s world, with Yusoff taking a guiding role as scriptwriter and character development supervisor. H Culture anticipates the full series will take two years to deliver, and it will be available in English for the international market, according to the studio’s President and animation director Sukhwa Hong.
Currently, a two-minute trailer is in production to show to potential buyers in France, the UK and Poland which have expressed interest. Mila will make its market debut in September, with H Culture acting as the sole global sales agent.
Mila author Maslina Yusoff (photo by Shiraz Yasmine Ali)
VIZ Media has appointed distributor Televix Entertainment to represent the former’s extensive catalog of anime titles, expanding the company’s reach and continuing to build an international audience for the multi-genre medium. Based in Beverly Hills, California, Televix has offices and reps in San Juan, Sao Paulo, Bogota and Santiago.
“Our partnership with Televix Entertainment is a key move in helping us share some of our most popular and critically acclaimed anime series with the fast- growing fan base in Latin America,” says Brad Woods, CMO of VIZ Media. “Televix has a proven track record of success and possess an unrivaled understanding of the Latin American marketplace. They will be a valuable partner in VIZ Media’s continued growth internationally.”
VIZ’s catalog includes internationally acclaimed series such as Bleach, Death Note and Naruto, which Televix will be shopping to broadcasters, DVD distributors and mobile operators across Latin America. The partnership will kick off with the companies’ joint participating at LA Screenings (May 16-19), where they will take meetings in Intercontinental Hotel Suite 821.
“Anime is adored by millions of ardent viewers across Latin America and VIZ Media’s impressive catalog of titles will engage these fans and also capture new ones,” says Hugo Rose, CEO of Televix. “We look forward to developing this catalog for a potent range of broadcast, licensing and multimedia partners across the entire region and to the energy and excitement of anime spreading further throughout Latin America.”
Danish developer SYBO has signed Daytime Emmy Award-winning producer Sander Schwartz to develop and produce animated content based on its smash hit mobile game, Subway Surfers. Schwartz is charged with taking the colorful urban adventure property to TV, film and other platforms.
“With over 1.5 billion downloads around the world, Subway Surfers is well on the way to becoming a strong brand with evergreen potential. This initiative marks one of the very first to migrate an app-based mobile game to longform animation, and it is a trend we will see more of in the future,” said Schwartz, who will be splitting his time between the creative team in Copenhagen and content development in Hollywood.”
“An important aspect of the project will be to live and breath the special atmosphere of SYBO in its birthplace, and to bring the creative community in Hollywood into that world. Starting with short subjects, which begin production soon, our goal is to have a full-fledged longform series ready to go by the end of the year. Conversations are already well underway with potential distribution partners.”
Schwartz, a former president of Warner Bros. Animation, Sony Pictures Family Entertainment Group and FremantleMedia Kids & Family Entertainment, recently oversaw the development and production of the popular Skylanders Academy series for Activision/Blizzard Film & TV Group and Netflix, and has advised various IP owners on the process of taking game-based properties to other media and for exploitation across multiple platforms.
“As creatives, we thrive from our crazy ideas and love when we come up with truly innovative concepts. Having an industry veteran like Sander on our team really grounds us, and the exchanges between us help us make a show that has the best of both worlds. We have been waiting for the right moment to take the game back to animation, but we wanted to make sure we preserved the depth of the characters and the creative universe in which they live. This will be a very exciting journey,” said Bodie Jahn-Mulliner, Co-founder of SYBO.
SYBO has also brought in Star Wars Rebels and Clone Wars writer Brent Friedman to script a series of shorts and a long-form series.
“With both Sander and Brent on board, we have fortified our position as universe-builders and brand-makers way beyond the mobile screen,” said Mathias Gredal Nørvig, Managing Director, SYBO.
Originally conceived as an animation property, Subway Surfers‘ characters and universe were created and developed by SYBO, and released as a mobile game together with Kiloo in 2012. The game is now played on every fourth smartphone in the world, making it the most popular and played mobile app game to date.
The 44th Daytime Emmy Awards were held Sunday night at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in southern California, presented by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Hosted by actors Mario Lopez and Sheryl Underwood, this year’s celebration saw DreamWorks Animation’s Netflix Original Series Trollhunters as the big animation winner.
Guillermo del Toro’s modern fantasy epic did the studio’s 21 nominations proud, taking home four awards: a performance honor for Kelsey Grammer (“Blinky”), casting props for Mary Hidalgo and Ania O’Hare, the writing prize for Marc Guggenheim, and the award for directing in an animated program went to Rodrigo Blaas and del Toro.
These are on top of the Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation awards given to animator Mike Chaffe and character designer Victor Maldonado at Friday’s Creative Arts ceremony.
Amazon’s Lost in Oz also performed well, scoring three awards: Outstanding Children’s Animated Program, and both the sound mixing and sound editing for animation honors.
A complete list of categories dedicated to animation or with animated projects nominated follows:
44th Daytime Emmy Awards
OUTSTANDING PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN’S SERIES WINNER: Sesame Street | HBO
Executive Producer Carol-Lynn Parente; Senior Producer Benjamin Lehman; Producers Mindy Fila Line, Stephanie Longardo; Coordinating Producer April Coleman Bookaboo | Amazon
Dino Dan: Trek’s Adventures | Nickelodeon
Mutt & Stuff | Nickelodeon
Sunny Side Up | Sprout
OUTSTANDING CHILDREN’S OR FAMILY VIEWING SERIES WINNER: Give | NBC
Executive Producers Robert Friedman, Kate Kenny, Anthony Melikhov, Dave Morgan, Gary Reeves, Maria Simone, Pete Sniderman, Blair Underwood, Chad Warren; Co-Executive Producers Jenna Bush Hager, Kate Chumley, Tommy Morgan, Mike Powers, Dan Solomon, Liz Yale Marsh; Producer Erin Glass Annedroids | Amazon
Odd Squad | PBS
This Just In | POP TV
Xploration DIY Sci | Syndicated
OUTSTANDING PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN’S ANIMATED PROGRAM WINNER: The Snowy Day | Amazon
Executive Producers Ann Austen, Laurence Fishburne, Deborah Pope, Irene Sherman, Helen Sugland, Chris White Producers Jamie Badminton, Tom Jordan Ask the StoryBots | Netflix
Peg+Cat | PBS
Tumble Leaf | Amazon
Wallykazam! | Nickelodeon
OUTSTANDING CHILDREN’S ANIMATED PROGRAM WINNER: Lost in Oz: Extended Adventure | Amazon
Executive Producers Kallan Kagan, Abram Makowka, Darin Mark, Jared Mark, Mark Warshaw; Executive Producers Flaunt Productions Jack Liang, Andrew Pearce, Richard Scott, Shuzo John Shiota; Supervising Producer Ken Duer; Senior Producer Dan Mokriy; Producers Sean McAlear, Amy Paterson, Therese Trujillo; Line Producer Sarah Cortina Milo Murphy’s Law | Disney Channel
Dragons: Race to the Edge | Netflix/Dreamworks Animation
LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures | Disney XD
The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show | Netflix/Dreamworks Animation
OUTSTANDING SPECIAL CLASS ANIMATED PROGRAM WINNER: Taking Flight | www.takingflightfilm.com
Producer Brandon Oldenburg The Boy Who Learned to Fly | YouTube.com
A Love Story | YouTube.com
Octonauts | Disney Junior
Trollhunters | Netflix/Dreamworks Animation
OUTSTANDING INTERACTIVE-ENHANCEMENT TO A DAYTIME PROGRAM OR SERIES Ask the StoryBots – Companion App and StoryBots Classroom | Netflix
Co-Creators / Chief Creative Officers Evan Spiridellis, Gregg Spiridellis Cyberchase: Save the Park! | PBS
The Dr. Oz Show | SYNDICATED
Nickelodeon’s Ultimate Halloween Haunted House 360 Challenge | Nickelodeon
Odd Squad | PBS
Peg+Cat | PBS
OUTSTANDING INTERACTIVE MEDIA – ORIGINAL DAYTIME CONTENT WINNER: Invasion!
Oculus Rift, Gear VR, HTC Vive, Sony PSVR, Google Daydream Daily Burn 365
Design Squad
Mission US: The Presidents
OUTSTANDING PERFORMER IN AN ANIMATED PROGRAM WINNER: Kelsey Grammer, as Blinky
Trollhunters | Netflix/Dreamworks Animation Danny Jacobs, as King Julien, Pancho
All Hail King Julien | Netflix/Dreamworks Animation
Kate McKinnon, as Squeeks
Nature Cat | PBS
Andy Richter, as Mort, Smart Mort, Morticus Khan, Ted
All Hail King Julien | Netflix/Dreamworks Animation
Rick Zieff, as Spike
The Tom & Jerry Show | WarnerBrothers.com
OUTSTANDING CASTING FOR AN ANIMATED SERIES OR SPECIAL WINNER: Trollhunters | Netflix/Dreamworks Animation
Casting By Mary Hidalgo, Ania O’Hare, CSA Bubble Guppies | Nickelodeon
LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures | Disney XD
Lost in Oz: Extended Adventure | Amazon
The Snowy Day | Amazon
OUTSTANDING WRITING IN A PRESCHOOL ANIMATED PROGRAM WINNER: Beat Bugs | Netflix
Writers Joshua Mapleston, Cleon Prineas, Josh Wakely Peter Rabbit | Nickelodeon
Bubble Guppies | Nickelodeon
Octonauts | Disney Junior
Justin Time GO! | Netflix
Doc McStuffins: Toy Hospital | Disney Junior
OUTSTANDING WRITING IN AN ANIMATED PROGRAM WINNER: Trollhunters | Netflix/Dreamworks Animation
Writer Marc Guggenheim All Hail King Julien | Netflix/Dreamworks Animation
Harvey Beaks | Nickelodeon
Milo Murphy’s Law | Disney Channel
Lost in Oz: Extended Adventure | Amazon
OUTSTANDING DIRECTING IN AN ANIMATED PROGRAM WINNER: Trollhunters | Netflix/Dreamworks Animation
Directors Rodrigo Blaas, Guillermo del Toro Little Big Awesome | Amazon
A Love Story | YouTube.com
The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show | Netflix/Dreamworks Animation
Taking Flight | takingflightfilm.com
OUTSTANDING DIRECTING IN A PRESCHOOL ANIMATED PROGRAM WINNER: Tumble Leaf | Amazon
Director Drew Hodges Ask the StoryBots | Netflix
Beat Bugs | Netflix
Peter Rabbit | Nickelodeon
The Snowy Day | Amazon
OUTSTANDING MAIN TITLE AND GRAPHIC DESIGN WINNER: The Mind of a Chef | PBS
Director of Design Mike Houston; Graphic Artists Ryan Frost, Angelique Georges, Naoko Saito; Art Director Daniel de Graaf Ask the StoryBots | Netflix
Beat Bugs | Netflix
Odd Squad | PBS
Trollhunters | Netflix/Dreamworks Animation
OUTSTANDING SOUND MIXING – ANIMATION WINNER: Lost in Oz: Extended Adventure | Amazon
Foley Mixer Dicken Berglund, Tony Solis; Re-Recording Mixer Patrick Rodman, CAS All Hail King Julien | Netflix/Dreamworks Animation
Dragons: Race to the Edge | Netflix/Dreamworks Animation
Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness | Nickelodeon
Trollhunters | Netflix/Dreamworks Animation
OUTSTANDING SOUND MIXING – PRESCHOOL ANIMATED PROGRAM WINNER: Sofia the First | Disney Junior Re-Recording Mixers Timothy J. Borquez, Nicholas Gotten III
Ask the StoryBots | Netflix
Beat Bugs | Netflix
Dinotrux | Netflix/Dreamworks Animation
Peter Rabbit | Nickelodeon
The Snowy Day | Amazon
Tumble Leaf | Amazon
OUTSTANDING SOUND EDITING – ANIMATION WINNER: Lost in Oz: Extended Adventure | Amazon
Sound Supervisors/Dialogue Producers Eric Paulsen, Patrick Rodman, CAS, James Scullion The Adventures of Puss in Boots | Netflix/Dreamworks Animation
Dragons: Race to the Edge | Netflix/Dreamworks Animation
Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness | Nickelodeon
LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures | Disney XD
OUTSTANDING SOUND EDITING – PRESCHOOL ANIMATED PROGRAM WINNER: Dinotrux | Netflix/Dreamworks Animation
Sound Editors Andrew Ing, DJ Lynch, Marc Schmidt; Sound Supervisors Roberto D. Alegria, Devon G. Bowman, Alfredo Douglas, Rob McIntyre, Monique Reymond; Dialogue Editor Shawn Bohonos Ask the StoryBots | Netflix
Beat Bugs | Netflix
Tumble Leaf | Amazon
VeggieTales in the House | Netflix/Dreamworks Animation
OUTSTANDING MUSIC DIRECTION AND COMPOSITION WINNER: The Snowy Day | Amazon
Music Supervisor Rossanna S. Wright; Music by Kris Bowers Sofia the First | Disney Junior
LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures | Disney XD
Pig Goat Banana Cricket | Nickelodeon
The Tom & Jerry Show | Cartoon Network
OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL SONG WINNER: “She’s Not Very Nice” Disney 7D | Disney XD
Music by Parry Gripp “Dickinson Duet” Peg+Cat | PBS
“The Legend of Everfree” My Little Pony Equestria Girls: The Legend of Everfree | Netflix
“Sisi Ni Sawa” The Lion Guard | Disney Junior
“Morse Code” The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show | Netflix/Dreamworks Animation
Last week, publisher Papercutz announced that it would be giving fans a sneak peek at the upcoming graphic novel The Loud House: There Will Be Chaos — the first-ever based on Chris Savino’s top-rated Nickelodeon toon — for its 2017 Papercutz Free Comic Book Day Issue. The comics house has kindly given Animag a sneak-sneak peek ahead of the May 6 celebrations with a selection of exclusive preview pages. Check them out below!
Series creator and executive producer Savino will also be making a Free Comic Book Day signing appearance at House of Secrets in Burbank, CA on May 6 from 2 to 4 p.m. The Loud House: There Will Be Chaos will be available in comic shops May 3 and in bookstores May 8. See the previous announcement for more information.
The Indiegogo campaign to crowdfund the ambitious visual development of Gutsy Animations’ new Moomin series has inspired fans from across the globe to help raise $253,320. The campaign’s target of $200,000 was exceeded thanks to over 3,701 backers.
With 127% funding secured, the creative team can go ahead with the development of a cutting-edge hybrid technique that will render 3D characters in an environment enriched with illustrative or painterly 2D elements.
This new adaptation of Tove Jansson’s beloved characters inspired plenty of buzz in the fan community, and the show has already sold to Finnish public broadcaster YLE, which has agreed to broadcast the first two 13-episode seasons beginning in Spring 2019. Gutsy Animations is currently in talks with major networks in the UK, US and Japan.
“We knew that a new television series would be hugely popular with Moomin fans, but we are completed bowled over by the excitement and enthusiasm that we’ve seen in response to the campaign. We will now be able to give fans what they deserve – which is the most faithful Moomin animation there has ever been,” said Marika Makaroff, CEO of Gutsy Animations.
“We won’t shy away from the complexity and depth found in Tove Jansson’s original stories, and the result will be a beautiful and heartfelt series that appeals to the whole family. We will be sharing new visual concepts, behind-the-scenes stories and clips as the production progresses and are so excited to take fans on this journey with us.”
We know you’ve been counting down the days ever since GKIDS and Fathom Events announced their Studio Ghibli Fest 2017 theatrical engagement series, which kicks off across the US this June. Tickets are on sale now through FathomEvents.com, gkidstickets.com, and at participating theater box offices – more info here.
In addition to individual showings, select theaters are offering series pass options for true Ghibli fanatics. Cinemark is offering full series passes for $60. Plus, for a limited time, Cinemark Connections members can unlock an exclusive poster reward! (https://cinemark.com/Ghibli) Regal Entertainment Group is also offering series passes for $60. And the first 5,000 pass purchases will receive an exclusive, mounted decommissioned Spirited Away film cell. (http://www.regmovies.com/Studio-Ghibli-Fest-2017)
Studio Ghibli Fest 2017 runs through November, with six installments. Each screening event features one of the acclaimed Japanese toon house’s feature films from legendary director Hayao Miyazaki, as well as the ongoing short animation celebrations of GKIDS Minifest.
Schedule:
My Neighbor Totoro – Sunday, June 25 and Monday, June 26
Kiki’s Delivery Service – Sunday, July 23 and Monday, July 24
Castle In The Sky – Sunday, August 27 and Monday, August 28
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind – Sunday, September 24 and Monday, September 25
Spirited Away – Sunday, October 29 and Monday, October 30
Howl’s Moving Castle – Sunday, November 26 and Monday, November 27
All Sunday presentations will be dubbed and shown at 12:55 p.m. local time; Monday showings will be subtitled and shown at 7 p.m. local time.
Gallery Nucleus Opens Line Weight V and BFF Shows April 29
Head to Alhambra, CA for the opening of the latest Line Weight drawing collection curated by Natalie Hall (artist include Babs Tarr, Marguerite Sauvage, Tuna Bora, and more!), then head upstairs for comic artist/charcter desigenr Anna Cattish’s first solo exhibition. (PS, both selections will be posted online on Sunday).
’Isle of Dogs’ Release Date Announced
Wes Anderson’s new stop-motion feature film project will hit North American theaters on April 20, 2018. Read more about the projecte here.
Trio of Turner Channels Join Kwesé TV
African broadcaster Econet Media will make Cartoon Network, Boomerang, CNN International to satellite TV and mobile across the continent beginning May 3.
VIDEO: Double Fine’s Amnesia Fortnight Wraps Up
The rapid-fire game development jam this year included Darwin’s Dinner, I Have No Idea What I’m Doing, Kiln and The Gods Must Be Hungery; community game Pong Ball; and guest titles Glopters (Glumberland), Engie (Hitbox Team), Blowin’ Up (Sea Hellbang) and Writer’s Block (Misfits Attic). Click around the DoubleFineProd channel for more videos, including pitches and jam footage.
