Prepare to dive into adventure as a Kings of Atlantis, a brand-new CG-animated series inspired by the world of Minecraft, debuts on YouTube and the YouTube Kids app on Friday, April 7, exclusively for YouTube Red subscribers. The 13-episode series features bird bros Cody and Joe of the popular YouTube channel TheAtlanticCraft.
Kings of Atlantis is an epic animated series that tells the story of two young monarchs of the vast underwater city of Atlantis, who seek to overthrow the brutal usurper of their kingdom, not only to reclaim their birthright, but also to protect their people from his cruel reign. The long-format series was developed by digital content studio Omnia Media in association with Austin-based animation house Mighty Coconut.
YouTube Red is a paid membership for YouTube, YouTube Music, YouTube Gaming and YouTube Kids. Members get enhanced and uninterrupted viewing, and exclusive access to new original series and movies from top YouTube creators. YouTube Red is currently available in the US, New Zealand, Mexico and Korea with plans for additional international expansion throughout the year.
Fox Animation has acquired the rights to Bryce Moore’s children’s novel The Memory Thief for its live-action/animation hybrid features initiative. The story follows a boy with extraordinary powers, and will be produced by Adaptive Studios (Project Greenlight) and 21 Laps (Arrival). Moore is currently writing a sequel to the book, initially published in September by Adaptive Books.
The Memory Thief begins with a tweenage boy named Benji who encounters a strange old man peddling stolen memories at a carnival. Seeing a chance to use this skill to keep his parents from fighting, Benji enrolls himself as a “memory thief” in training. But he is not the only person with the ability to show and manipulate memories, and this power may come with a great price.
The film will be produced by Adaptive’s CEO and founding partner Perrin Chiles and Marshall Lewy, with 21 Laps’ founder Shawn Levy and Dan Levine. Creative executive Kate Imel will oversee for Adaptive, director of development Emily Morris will for 21 Laps, and Nate Hopper and Rachel Yeung will for Fox.
Launched last year, Fox Animation’s push for more hybrid family films is being spearheaded by former Sony Pictures Animation exec Hopper. This slate includes an adaptation of The Girl Who Drank the Moon, announced last October.
The nominations are in for the 2017 Daytime Emmy Awards, and DreamWorks Animation has emerged as the top toon producer with 21 nods. This includes seven for Guillermo del Toro’s Trollhunters (the most of any animated program), on top of the two Individual Achievement awards already announced.
Amazon’s The Snowy Day and Lost in Oz both garnered five nominations, while the four-nod club includes DWA’s All Hail King Julien, Disney’s LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures and Amazon’s Tumble Leaf.
Overall, this year’s most-named nominees were the usual suspects. For individual series, the most nods went to The Young and the Restless (25), The Bold and the Beautiful and General Hospital (23 each) and Days of Our Lives (22). Of the networks CBS received 70 nominations, but animation destinations Amazon (50), PBS (40), Netflix (36) and Nickelodeon (18) also had strong showings.
The 44th Daytime Emmy Awards will be presented by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences on Sunday, April 30 at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. They will be preceded by the Creative Arts Awards on Friday.
A select list of Daytime Emmy nominees follows. For a full list, see the Awards website.
2017 Daytime Emmy Awards nominees:
OUTSTANDING PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN’S SERIES
Bookaboo | Amazon
Executive Producers Martyn Freeman, Blair Powers; Producers Carla de Jong, Lucy Goodman, Catherine Stockhausen, Line Producer Stephen Turnbull
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
Odd Squad | PBS
Executive Producers J.J. Johnson, Tim McKeon, Blair Powers, Paul Siefken; Co-Executive Producers Matthew J. R. Bishop, Mark De Angelis, Adam Peltzman; Producer Georgina Lopez; Line Producer Stephen J. Turnbull
This Just In | POP TV
Executive Producer David McKenzie, Laura McKenzie, Elizabeth Stanton; Co-Executive Producer Gregori J. Martin; Producers Kristos Andrews, Celeste Fianna, Carol C. Hedgepeth, Rob Pinkston
Xploration DIY Sci | Syndicated
Executive Producers Steve Rotfeld, Steve Spangler; Producer Steve Bronstein; Line Producer Tina DeVirgiliis; Coordinating Producer Kara Lieff
OUTSTANDING PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN’S ANIMATED PROGRAM
Executive Producers Billy Aronson, Vince Commisso, Steven Jarosz, Kevin Morrison, Jennifer Oxley; Supervising Producers Tanya Green, Mason Rather; Animation Producers Brett Hall, Robert Powers; Producers Jaclynn Demas, Steven Rebollido Line Producers Jennifer Bradley, Alia Nakashima
The Snowy Day | Amazon
Executive Producers Ann Austen, Laurence Fishburne, Deborah Pope, Irene Sherman, Helen Sugland, Chris White Producers Jamie Badminton, Tom Jordan
Tumble Leaf | Amazon
Executive Producers Kelli Bixler, Drew Hodges; Co-Executive Producers Carin Greenberg, Alice Wilder, Ed. D.; Producers Jodi Downs, Sarah Serata
Wallykazam! | Nickelodeon
Executive Producer Adam Peltzman; Co-Executive Producers Koyalee Chanda, Dave Palmer; Supervising Producer Laura Barbera; Line Producers Sara Kamen, Ian Muray
OUTSTANDING CHILDREN’S ANIMATED PROGRAM
Milo Murphy’s Law | Disney Channel
Executive Producer Dan Povenmire; Co-Executive Producer Jeff “Swampy” Marsh
Dragons: Race to the Edge | Netflix/Dreamworks Animation
Executive Producers Art Brown, Douglas Sloan; Producer Chad Hammes; Line Producer Lawrence Jonas
LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures | Disney XD
Executive Producers Torsten Jacobsen, Bill Motz, Bob Roth, Jill Wilfert, Erik Wilstrup; Producers Carrie Beck, Jake Blais, Jason Cosler, John McCormack, Irene Sparre; Co-Producers Vicky Kjaer Jensen, Jacqui Lopez; Line Producer Therese Sachse
The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show | Netflix/Dreamworks Animation
Executive Producer David P. Smith, Tiffany Ward; Line Producer Kelley Derr
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
OUTSTANDING SPECIAL CLASS ANIMATED PROGRAM
The Boy Who Learned to Fly | YouTube.com
Producer Limbert Fabian
A Love Story | YouTube.com
Executive Producers Debbie Crosscup, Mark Crumpacker, Ryan Goodwin-Smith, Mark Shambura; Producer Sibylle Preuss
Octonauts | Disney Junior
Executive Producers Cathal Gaffney, Kurt Mueller, Darragh O’Connell, Stephanie Simpson; Co-Executive Producers Michael C. Murphy, Vicki Wong; Supervising Producer Adam Idelson; Producers Brian Gilmore, Gillian Higgins, Karen Ialacci
Taking Flight | www.takingflightfilm.com
Producer Brandon Oldenburg
Trollhunters | Netflix/Dreamworks Animation
Executive Producers Guillermo del Toro, Rodrigo Blaas, Marc Guggenheim, Chad Hammes, Christina Steinberg; Co-Executive Producers Dan Hageman, Kevin Hageman Line Producer Lawrence Jonas
OUTSTANDING INTERACTIVE-ENHANCEMENT TO A DAYTIME PROGRAM OR SERIES
Ask the StoryBots – Companion App and StoryBots Classroom | Netflix
VP Digital Media Matthew Pickar; VP Operations Christopher Carsen
Nickelodeon’s Ultimate Halloween Haunted House 360 Challenge | Nickelodeon
Executive Producers Mark Feldstein, Brad Roth
Odd Squad | PBS
Executive Producers Ellen Doherty, Tim McKeon, Adam Peltzman, Blair Powers
Peg+Cat | PBS
Executive Producers Billy Aronson, Jennifer Oxley; Supervising Producer Mason Rather; Producers Jaclynn Demas, Alia Nakashima; Web Producer Dave Peth; Line Producer Ellen Doherty
OUTSTANDING PERFORMER IN AN ANIMATED PROGRAM
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
Creator/Executive Producer/Story Editor Chris Nee; Co-Executive Producer/Co-Story Editor Kent Redeker; Writers Chelsea Beyl, Kerrie Grant
OUTSTANDING WRITING IN AN ANIMATED PROGRAM
All Hail King Julien | Netflix/Dreamworks Animation
Written by Mitch Watson; Staff Writers Sharon Flynn, Benjamin Lapides, Elliott Owen; Story Editor Michael Ryan
Trollhunters | Netflix/Dreamworks Animation
Writer Marc Guggenheim
Harvey Beaks | Nickelodeon
Staff Writers C.H. Greenblatt, Shane Houghton, Kevin A. Kramer, Amalia Levari; Story Editor Dani Michaeli
Milo Murphy’s Law | Disney Channel
Writers Jeff “Swampy” Marsh, Kyle Menke, Dan Povenmire
Lost in Oz: Extended Adventure | Amazon
Writers Abram Makowka, Darin Mark, Jared Mark
OUTSTANDING DIRECTING IN AN ANIMATED PROGRAM
Little Big Awesome | Amazon
Director Sung Jin Ahn
A Love Story | YouTube.com
Director Saschka Unseld
The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show | Netflix/Dreamworks Animation
Directed by Greg Miller
Taking Flight | takingflightfilm.com
Director Brandon Oldenburg
Trollhunters | Netflix/Dreamworks Animation
Directors Rodrigo Blaas, Guillermo del Toro
OUTSTANDING DIRECTING IN A PRESCHOOL ANIMATED PROGRAM
Ask the StoryBots | Netflix
Directors Evan Spiridellis, Jacob Streilein, Ian Worrel
Beat Bugs | Netflix
Director Josh Wakely
Peter Rabbit | Nickelodeon
Supervising Director David McCamley
The Snowy Day | Amazon
Directors Jamie Badminton, Rufus Blacklock; Animation Director Jack Tilley
Tumble Leaf | Amazon
Director Drew Hodges
OUTSTANDING MAIN TITLE AND GRAPHIC DESIGN
Ask the StoryBots | Netflix
Director – Graphics Ian Worrel; Graphic Artists Taylor Clutter, Jeff Gill, Nikolas Ilic, Kendall Nelson, Taylor Price, Evan Spiridellis, Jacob Streilein, Nate Theis, Eddie West
Beat Bugs | Netflix
Directed by Josh Wakely; Storyboard by Mark Appleby; Animation Director Pablo De La Torre
The Mind of a Chef | PBS
Director of Design Mike Houston; Graphic Artists Ryan Frost, Angelique Georges, Naoko Saito; Art Director Daniel de Graaf
Odd Squad | PBS
Animation Executive Producer Matthew J.R. Bishop; Lead VFX Artists Matt Crookshank, Nial McFadyen
Trollhunters | Netflix/Dreamworks Animation
Creative Director Rodrigo Blaas; Storyboard Artist Andy Erekson; Designer Jonathan Catalan; Comp Supervisor Dai Weier; Editor John Laus, VFX Supervisor David M.V. Jone
OUTSTANDING SOUND MIXING – ANIMATION
All Hail King Julien | Netflix/Dreamworks Animation
Foley Mixer Aran Tanchum; Re-Recording Mixer DJ Lynch; SFX Mixer Ian Nyeste
Dragons: Race to the Edge | Netflix/Dreamworks Animation
Sound Supervisor Otis Van Osten; Re-Recording Mixer Carlos Sanches, CAS
Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness | Nickelodeon
Production Mixer Roberto Dominguez Alegria, Justin Brinsfield, Matt Corey; Re-Recording Mixer Thomas J. Maydeck, C.A.S.; SFX Mixer Rob McIntyre
Lost in Oz: Extended Adventure | Amazon
Foley Mixer Dicken Berglund, Tony Solis; Re-Recording Mixer Patrick Rodman, CAS
Trollhunters | Netflix/Dreamworks Animation
Re-Recording Mixer Carlos Sanches, CAS
OUTSTANDING SOUND MIXING – PRESCHOOL ANIMATED PROGRAM
Ask the StoryBots | Netflix
Production Mixers Leonardo Nasca, Jared Nugent; Re-Recording Mixer Jeffrey Shiffman
Beat Bugs | Netflix
Sound Mixers Brent Clark, Sam Hayward, Bob Mothersbaugh, Wes Swales
Dinotrux | Netflix/Dreamworks Animation
Sound Effects Mixers Roberto D. Alegria, Devon G. Bowman, Alex Hall, Rob McIntyre; Re-Recording Mixer DJ Lynch
Sofia the First | Disney Junior
Re-Recording Mixers Timothy J. Borquez, Nicholas Gotten III
Peter Rabbit | Nickelodeon
Sound Supervisor Steven Maher
The Snowy Day | Amazon
TBD
Tumble Leaf | Amazon
Sound Design & Mix John Jackson
OUTSTANDING SOUND EDITING – ANIMATION
The Adventures of Puss in Boots | Netflix/Dreamworks Animation
Dialogue Editors Shawn Bohonos, Robbi Smith; Sound Effects Editor Heather Olsen; Foley Editors David Bonilla, Shaun Cunningham, Aran Tanchum; Foley Artist John Lampinen
Dragons: Race to the Edge | Netflix/Dreamworks Animation
Sound Supervisors Dan Smith, Otis Van Osten; Sound Editor Josh Johnson; Dialogue Editor Jason Oliver
Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness | Nickelodeon
Supervising Sound Editor Gary Falcone; Music Editors Benjamin Wynn, Jeremy Zuckerman; Sound Editor Rob McIntyre; Dialogue Editor Anna Adams; Sound Effects Editors Andrew Ing, Marc Schmidt Foley; Editor Roberto Dominguez Alegria; Foley Artist Cynthia Merrill
LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures | Disney XD
Sound Production by David Acord, Reda El-Kheloufi, Troels Rohde Jørgensen, Stefan Leissner, Kåre Kabel Mai, Matthew Wood; Foley Editor Tobias Hellkvist
Lost in Oz: Extended Adventure | Amazon
Sound Supervisors/Dialogue Producers Eric Paulsen, Patrick Rodman, CAS, James Scullion
OUTSTANDING SOUND EDITING – PRESCHOOL ANIMATED PROGRAM
Ask the StoryBots | Netflix
Supervising Sound Editor Jeffrey Shiffman; Sound Editors David Carfagno, Brad Meyer; Production Sound Designer Nicholas J. Ainsworth; Dialogue Editor Elliot Herman
Beat Bugs | Netflix
Sound Editors Jared Dwyer, Sam Hayward, Blair Slater
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
Tumble Leaf | Amazon
Sound Design & Mix John Jackson; Foley Artist Brooke Lowrey
VeggieTales in the House | Netflix/Dreamworks Animation
Supervising Sound Editor Sarah Vorhees
OUTSTANDING MUSIC DIRECTION AND COMPOSITION
Sofia the First | Disney Junior
Composer Kevin Kliesch
LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures | Disney XD
Composer Michael Kramer
Pig Goat Banana Cricket | Nickelodeon
Music Director David Burns; Composers David Burns, Matt Ouimet
The Snowy Day | Amazon
Music Supervisor Rossanna S. Wright; Music by Kris Bowers
The Tom & Jerry Show | Cartoon Network
Composer Vivek Maddala
OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL SONG
“Dickinson Duet” Peg+Cat | PBS
Composer D. D. Jackson; Lyricist Billy Aronson
“The Legend of Everfree” My Little Pony Equestria Girls: The Legend of Everfree | Netflix
Composer & Lyricist Daniel Ingram; Lyricists Joanna Lewis, Kristine Songco
“She’s Not Very Nice” Disney 7D | Disney XD
Music by Parry Gripp
“Sisi Ni Sawa” The Lion Guard | Disney Junior
Composer Beau Black; Composers & Lyricists Sarah Mirza, Ford Riley; Lyricist Kevin Hopps
“Morse Code” The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show | Netflix/Dreamworks Animation
VIDEO: ‘Voltron 84’ Trailer
On Fri., March 24, Netflix is presenting 12 classic Voltron: Defender of the Universe episodes hand-picked by the creative team behind DreamWorks’ Voltron Legendary Defender, with intros by Joaquim Dos Santos (Exec. Producer), Lauren Montgomery (Co-Exe. Producer), Tim Hedrick (Story Editor), Josh Hamilton (Story Editor), Josh Keaton (voice of Shiro), Kimberly Brooks (voice of Allura), Steve Ahn (Director), Chris Palmer (Director), Mitch Iverson (Writer), Christine Bian (Design Supervisor), Benjamin Kaltenecker (Line Producer), and Jeff Adams (Supervising Picture Editor).
You can also check out an interview on i09 the EPs.
If you admire the Planeteers, feel you could be one, too, and know that saving our planet is the thing to do, we have great news: Captain Planet and the Planeteers, The New Adventures of Captain Planet and The All New Adventures of Captain Planet — six seasons of super-powered eco-justice! — are being made available for the first time via digital download on April 10, thanks to Cartoon Network. Just in time for Earth Day.
Individual seasons will be available for $9.99 and $14.99, while individual episodes can be had for $1.99 each. Fans can purchase either through major digital content shops, including iTunes, Amazon Video, Google Play, Vudu, Playstation Store and Xbox Store.
In case you need a refresher on this ‘90s classic:
Captain Planet and the Planeteers centers on a team of five teens from across the globe, including Kwame from Africa, Wheeler from North America, Linka from Eastern Europe, Gi from Asia and Ma-Ti from South America, who are chosen to help defend planet Earth from environmental disasters. Gaia, the spirit of the planet, gives each of the teens a magical ring charged with the power to control an element of nature, including earth, fire, wind, water and the heart. The group of teens become known as the Planeteers and are sent by Gaia to right the wrongs of the Eco-villains who are responsible for causing various environmental damage to the planet. Whenever they encounter a situation they cannot resolve on their own, they combine all their powers to summon Captain Planet, a superhero who has the power to bring catastrophic environmental disasters to an end.
Captain Planet and the Planeteers premiered on TBS in 1990. The series name was later changed to The New Adventures of Captain Planet and The All New Adventures of Captain Planet. Altogether, the series aired for a total of six successful seasons and can now be seen on Boomerang. A total of 113 episodes were produced, which are now available for download. Aside from educating viewers about important environmental concerns such as pollution, deforestation, poaching and overconsumption, the series was also known for tackling serious subject matter such as drug addiction and AIDS/HIV.
Captain Planet featured a star-studded cast, including the voices talents of Whoopi Goldberg as Gaia, LeVar Burton as Kwame, Louis Gossett Jr. as Commander Clash and Edward Asner as Hoggish Greedly. Other talent who regularly lent their voices to the series included Jeff Goldblum, Meg Ryan, Martin Sheen, Sting, Malcolm McDowell and many more.
Santa Monica shop Timber has taken on Art Director Jon Lorenz and Digital Effects Supervisor Jeff Willette, as announced by company Creative Directors and Co-Founder Jonah Hall and Kevin Lau.
“Jon and Jeff are both heavy hitting additions to the team at Timber,” said Hall. “We’re thrilled to have them here and we’ve already benefited immensely since they arrived. Jeff brings years of visual effects experience to the table with an unparalleled understanding of pipeline and workflow. He is known in the community as someone whose presence in a studio makes other team members perform more efficiently and achieve bigger things.”
Art Director Jon Lorenz has worked with such well-known companies as Buck, Royal, Modus Operandi, Big Block, Troika, Mocean, and Oishii Creative. He has been on staff at Shilo as a designer/compositor and as Art Director at King and Country (including a leadership role in the Motel 6 “Metamorphosis” campaign). Jon has also collaborated directly with clients on projects for H2 and History Channel (Rise of the Machines and Hangar 1) and Vivint; and on projects for Lime TV via agency Just Knight and with T3 via agency Dark Horse.
“Having freelanced with Timber on projects for the past year, I’ve concluded that the company is in a class of its own,” said Lorenz. “More than just a working community, the team is a family with a shared pulse of growth, ambition and heart.”
Digital Effects Supervisor Jeff Willette joins Timber with a resume naming luminary studios including Mirada, Method, Asylum, Sony Pictures Imageworks and a52, having started his career at Traveling Pictures Animation in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Notable projects for Willette include: Fallout 4 opening cinematic for Mirada, the Jameson “Fire” commercial for Method Studios, Terminator Salvation and The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons feature films, both for Asylum. Jeff’s work has garnered a series of awards and award nominations including VES, HPA, Addy and Clio awards. He collaborated on HBO’s Carnivale, which garnered an Emmy Award for “Outstanding Main Title Design.”
“I had collaborated with Jonah and Kevin previously,” noted Willette. “When I saw what they had put together with Timber, the diverse blend of artists and interesting projects, I knew I wanted to be a part of that and add my skill set to the mix.”
Boat Rocker and Industrial Brothers have tapped Fisher-Price as the master toy partner as part of its development strategy for their new original property, Kingdom Force. The series was created by Matt Fernandes of Industrial Brothers, and coproducer Boat Rocker’s Rights, Brands and Digital teams are overseeing multiplatform IP development, including international distribution and L&M management on all platforms, as well as spearheading digital and brand initiatives.
Kingdom Force centers on a team of fearless animals who fight disaster and protect their community with the help of their individual rescue vehicles that transform into a giant super robot.
“We are committed to partnering with the best, and Kingdom Force is a great opportunity for us to bring to life original characters and a world that appeals to today’s preschoolers,” said Lauren DeFeo, Vice President Global Marketing, Fisher-Price Friends. “We’re thrilled to soon be able to offer families across the globe a variety of ways to play out all the fun and action inspired by this new series.”
The early-stage partnership with Fisher-Price is a key component of the IP strategy, which will allow Fisher-Price, Boat Rocker and Industrial Brothers to collaborate at the earliest stages of development with a view to maximizing opportunities for Fisher-Price’s premiere toy line based on the property.
“The opportunity to partner with Fisher-Price on an original series of this scale is a testament to our shared commitment to the unique creative qualities of Kingdom Force and to the world-class partnership that has developed between Industrial Brothers and Boat Rocker,” said David Fortier and Ivan Schneeberg, Co-Executive Chairmen of Boat Rocker Media. “As Boat Rocker Media expands its mandate in 2017 to include enhanced development and production financing of original series, we see Kingdom Force as the perfect opportunity to showcase how the expertise of each of our divisions will bring this new series to a global audience on multiple platforms.”
The Walt Disney Company (Japan) has announced it will hold a D23 Expo Japan in 2018. The special event created by the the Official Disney Fan Club will run February 10-12 at Tokyo Disney Resort in Maihama. Details will be posted to disney.jp/D23 as they become available.
D23 Expo is held every two years in the US (the next one will be held this July 14-16 in Anaheim; d23.com/d23-expo). The first D23 Expo Japan was held in 2013 as a distinct event that was unique to the country while remaining true to the original vision of “The Ultimate Disney Fan Event.” D23 Expo Japan 2015 was themed to “The Power of Story.” Guests were treated to spellbinding stories from Disney’s brands—Disney, Disney-Pixar, Star Wars, and Marvel. Fans enjoyed experiences, merchandise, collectibles, and endless surprises.
“We heard from a lot of fans about how delighted they were with the D23 Expo Japan 2013 and 2015D23 Expo Japan 2018 promises to be even more spectacular,” said Paul Candland, President, Walt Disney Asia and President, The Walt Disney Company (Japan). “2018 marks The Walt Disney Company’s 95th anniversary and the 90th anniversary of Mickey Mouse’s screen debut. In Japan, it marks Tokyo Disney Resort’s 35th, Disney Channel’s 15th, and the Disney-JCB Card’s 10th. We’re very excited about being able to present this great event once again, and we know our guests will have an incredible experience during the three days we have planned for them.”
In the first 100 days since its inception,WOW! Unlimited Media has come flying out of the gates to make a legible mark on the kids and youth animation marketplace. Formerly Rainmaker Entertainment, and now comprised of core companies Rainmaker and Mainframe Studios as well as Frederator Networks, WOW! has a number of exciting projects underway….
A new deal with Amazon Studios will see WOW!’s Frederator Studios produce Costume Quest, based on the hit video game series by Double Fine Productions and the world originally created by Tasha Sounart. Aimed at kids 6-11, Costume Quest is set in the fictional town of Auburn Pines where dark forces lurk in the shadows. It’s up to four kids who discover supernormal costumes with transformative and magical powers to harness them in order to defend the sleepy town. The series is executive produced by Will McRobb (The Adventures of Pete & Pete) who also serves as story editor, as well as WOW!’s Fred Seibert (The Fairly OddParents), Kevin Kolde (Adventure Time) and Eric Homan (Adventure Time).
One month ago, it was announced that Frederator would produce the animated Netflix Original Series Castlevania, based on the classic Konami game and written by best-selling author and comics icon Warren Ellis. The first proprietary production of US-based Frederator under the WOW! umbrella, Castlevania is a dark medieval fantasy following the last surviving member of the disgraced Belmont clan, trying to save Eastern Europe from human extinction at the hand of Vlad Dracula Tepes himself. The series will be available exclusively on Netflix globally.
Vancouver-based Mainframe Studios is partnering with The Weinstein Company to producer another Netflix Original Series, Spy Kids: Mission Control (20 x 22 min.). This animated spinoff of the family film franchise follows brother and sister team Juni and Carmen Cortez as they attend Spy Kids Academy, a top secret spy school for kids. With fellow cadets, they lead a young team to battle S.W.A.M.P. (Sinister Wrongdoers Against Mankind’s Preservation) and their diabolical leader, Golden Brain. FM Demarco (Dragons: Race to the Edge) is serving as showrunner. Spy Kids: Mission Critical will be available on Netflix in 2018.
Mainframe is also currently rebooting the world’s first fully computer-animated half-hour series as ReBoot: The Guardian Code (20 x 22 min.), to be broadcast on the Corus Network (Canada), with Nelvana picking up worldwide distribution and licensing rights. According to Mainframe president Michael Hefferon, the new show is a live-action/CG hybrid that will deliver a 360-engagement experience for kids by utilizing the Unreal game engine for the animation production. The show follows four 16-year-old kids who become the next gen guardians of cyberspace. Battling viruses with the help of a virtual evolutionary reconnaissance avatar, VERA, who gets bio printed as a 16-year-old girl, the four teens must wear protective cybersuits to allow them to survive in the digital world.
Further, Mainframe is now in production on a 60-minute Barbie special, Barbie: Dolphin Magic. The studio has produced over 30 Barbie adventures with Mattel in the past 17 years.
WOW!’s feature animation company Rainmaker Studios is currently working with Awesometown Entertainment on their upcoming holiday movie Elliot: The Littlest Reindeer. The adventure unfolds when Blitzen announces his retirement on December 21, and a miniature horse has three days to fulfill his lifelong dream of earning a spot on Santa’s team at the North Pole try-outs.
Capping off these developments, WOW!’s Frederator Digital has greenlit new seasons of two of its popular YouTube series: Season 8 (50 episodes) of 107 Facts is due in April, and Season 4 of Cartoon Conspiracy — the show that confirms or debunks fan theories about their favorite toons — will debut in June.
Children’s content producer-distributor Federation Kids & Family and sister prodco Cottonwood Media have secured further sales of animated comedy-adventure The Ollie & Moon Show (52 x 11) to Super! (Italy) and YLE (Finland), its first Nordic terrestrial broadcaster. These latest partners join the show’s global reach of over 150 countries already on board.
“In very little time, we have been fortunate to secure broadcast for The Ollie & Moon Show in well over 150 territories, across a varied array of markets and platforms,” said David Michel, Producer and Co-Founder of Federation Kids & Family and Cottonwood Media. “This enthusiastic reception of the series, which follows its huge publishing success, lays the groundwork for our long-term licensing strategy.”
Previous key sales include top channels like France Télévisions (France), NBC Sprout (USA), TVO (Canada), Discovery (LatAm), D-Kids (MENA), Knowledge (Canada), VRT (Belgium), and IETV (Israel).
The Ollie & Moon Show features a couple of curious, globe-trotting cats who drag their upper-preschool audience with them on their travels around the world introducing them to the joys of unlikely friendships and global citizenship. Kids join them on their vivid adventures around the world – enjoying the fun that comes from discovering new food, language, cities, customs, and friends.
The series is produced using a mix of animated characters and live-action backgrounds by Cottonwood Media, based on the best-selling book series by author-illustrator Diane Kredensor, who is also an Emmy winning artist, direct and producer with credits including Pinky and the Brain, Clifford and World World. The show was developed in collaboration with Kredensor by Robert Vargas (Wonderpets, Zack & Quack, Henry Hugglemonster) and David Michel (Totally Spies!, Get Blake, Rekkit Rabbit). Kredensor is also creative producer.
The Ollie & Moon Show is distributed by Federation Kids & Family, and will be delivered this year.
A “pugtastic” new animated series is coming to screens, with Puppy Dog Pals set to premiere Friday, April 14 at 10:30 a.m. ET with two back-to-back episodes on Disney Channel, which will also launch the same day on the Disney Junior app and YouTube page. Created by comedian Harland Williams, the show follow two fun-loving pug brothers on their exhilarating adventures. Williams also acts as consulting producer and writer, and voices “Bob,” the pups’ devoted owner. Sean Coyle (The Awesomes, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse) serves as executive producer.
Pug brothers Bingo and Rolly are always up for adventure, whether in their neighborhood or around the globe. Their motto is: life is more exciting with your best friend by your side! Along for their ride are their colorful animal pals, including Bob’s cat Hissy and his loveable robot dog creation, A.R.F. Each episode features two 11-minute stories that illuminate Bingo and Rolly’s similarities and differences while demonstrating positive lessons about friendship, problem solving, collaboration, creativity and adventure.
Puppy Dog Pals stars Issac Ryan Brown (black-ish) as quick-witted problem solver Bingo; Sam Lavagnino (Miles from Tomorrowland) as silly, energetic Rolly; Tom Kenny (SpongeBob SquarePants) as A.R.F.; and Jessica DiCicco (The Lion Guard) as Hissy.
Recurring guest stars include musician Huey Lewis as Bulworth, the junkyard dog; Patrick Warburton as Captain Dog, the star of the pups’ favorite TV show; Jack McBrayer as Hedgie the hedgehog; Yvette Nicole Brown as Daisy, a kind German Shepherd; sportscaster Bob Uecker as a baseball announcer; Leslie David Baker and Cheri Oteri as neighbors Frank and Esther Exposition; Jill Talley as bossy pup Cupcake; Mo Collins as Strider, a fast-talking sheep herder; and Tress MacNeille as Bob’s Mom.
The series is produced by Wild Canary (Miles from Tomorrowland, Sheriff Callie’s Wild West) in association with Disney Junior.
Games and activities inspired by Puppy Dog Pals will launch on the Disney Junior app and DisneyJunior.com on Fri., April 7. Branded products from Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media, such as activity and story books, will arrive in June followed by an apparel and toys launch in August.
VIZ Media has picked up digital, broadcast, home media and master merchandising rights to the latest installment in everyone’s favorite ninja anime franchise, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. VIZ will be bringing the much anticipated new series to the North and Latin American markets swiftly, with the first episode to premiere with a Japan-US simulcast on Hulu, beginning April 5. New episodes will continue to premiere Wednesdays.
Hulu subscribers will also be able to catch up on the entire Naruto Shippuden collection ahead of the new series’ premiere, available now at hulu.com/naruto-shippuden. Episodes of Boruto will become available for streaming on its own dedicated page, hulu.com/boruto.
The latest action-packed installment of the smash-hit anime series, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations focuses on the adventures of the son of the celebrated ninja. As the series opens, the life of the shinobi is beginning to change. Boruto Uzumaki, son of Seventh Hokage Naruto Uzumaki, has enrolled in the Ninja Academy to learn the ways of the ninja. Now, as a series of mysterious events unfolds, Boruto’s story is about to begin!
VIZ is planning an English dub for the series featuring the talented cast highlighted in Boruto: Naruto the Movie, including Amanda Miller in the lead role of Boruto, Cherami Leigh as Sarada, the daughter of Sasuke from the original Naruto series, and Robbie Daymond as the mysterious “synthetic human” shinobi, Mitsuki. The series animation is produced by Japan’s Pierrot studio.
The anime series announcement comes just as VIZ is preparing the home video release of Boruto: Naruto the Movie and the Next Generations manga.
The movie (trailer here) will arrive March 28 on Blu-ray/DVD combo and standard DVD editions. Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto drafted the screenplay and character designs for Boruto: Naruto the Movie, and served as executive producer. In it, Naruto has achieved his dream of becoming Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village, and now has a troublesome son, Boruto, who resents that his father’s responsibilities prevents him from spending time with him. Sasuke, now with a family of his own, takes Boruto under his wing, while his only daughter, Sarada, dreams of being Hokage one day. As the new Chunin Exams dawn though, evil is upon the horizon!
The Boruto: Naruto Next Generations manga series will launch in print and digital editions on April 4.
VIDEO: ‘Star Wars Rebels’ Season 3 Finale “Zero Hour”
In the two-part season-end spectacular, Phoenix Squadron’s final preparations for the attack on Lothal are disrupted when Grand Admiral Thrawn discovers their location. Premiering Sat., March 25 at 11 a.m.ET on Disney XD.
CALL FOR ENTRIES: CINANIMA 2017
Submissions are now open for the 41st edition of the Oscar-qualifying fest, taking place in Espinho, Portugal Nov. 6-12. Submissions are free, deadline is July 1, 2017.
When ‘Batman: The Animated Series’ Batgirl Began … Twice
CBR’s 10th installment of animation/comics comparison series Adventure(s) Time examines the continuity of Batgirl’s earliest appearances on the iconic ‘90s-noir Bruce Timm cartoon.
Nickelodeon and Viacom Consumer Products has appointed Vivid Group as the international master toy licensee (excluding US) for its recently debuted preschool series Nella the Princess Knight. Vivid will create a range of playthings, including dolls, figures, play sets, plush and role play items. New products will launch in spring 2018 in all territories outside of the US.
“Nickelodeon’s preschool properties have fueled the brand’s consumer products success abroad, and we look forward to even more growth in the space as we embark on this partnership with Vivid Group for Nella the Princess Knight,” commented Ron Johnson, EVP of Nickelodeon and Viacom Consumer Products. “Nella represents Nickelodeon’s unique twist on the traditional princess story, and we’re confident that Vivid is the right partner to bring this special property to toy aisles around the world.”
Nella premiered stateside in February, and will begin rolling out internationally next month. The 40 x half-hours series stars a confident 8-year old who likes dancing at extravagant balls just as much as she likes meeting fire-breathing dragons. When trouble stirs, this plucky young girl transforms into Nella the Princess Knight to protect her kingdom with the help of her unicorn, Trinket; loyal knight Sir Garrett; and Clod, Garrett’s trusty steed.
One of Europe’s leading branded toy and games companies, Vivid Toy Group Ltd. was acquired earlier this month by Privet Capital for an undisclosed amount, and is planning to use the backing capital to further accelerate its growth.
Lionsgate will be releasing the latest home video adventure in its family-friendly lupine franchise soon, with Alpha and Omega: Journey to Bear Kingdom coming to DVD (MSRP $14.98), Digital HD and On Demand on May 9. Produced by Lions Gate Films and Splash Entertainment, Journey to Bear Kingdom follows three wolf pups on a mission to defend the royal bear family. To date, the Alpha and Omega film series has sold over three million DVDs worldwide.
Synopsis:
The pack is back in a pawsitively thrilling adventure the whole family will love! All the animals in the Eastern Forest are excited because Queen Bear and Princess Canue are coming to visit. But when evil Rogue Wolves threaten the royal bears, wolf pups Stinky, Runt, and Claudette leap into action. With courage, wits, and plenty of help from their wild and wonderful friends, the alpha and omega wolves rise to protect the queen and princess and save their forest home.
After a small scheduling bump, The Weinstein Company will be releasing French-Canadian animated co-pro Leap! in theaters across the US on April 21. Featuring a sterling voice cast and original music from pop stars Sia, Demi Lovato and Carly Rae Jepsen, the film in a heartfelt (and comedic) tale of two young orphans who travel to Belle Epoque Paris to pursue their dreams.
Leap! features the voices of Elle Fanning, Nat Wolff and Maddie Ziegler, with Mel Brooks and Carly Rae Jepsen. Saturday Night Live star Kate McKinnon has recently been confirmed for th cast list, and will be voicing three roles for the film, including Félicie’s mother.
Synopsis: Paris, 1884. A orphaned girl arrives in Paris from Brittany. Félicie Milliner (Fanning) is 11 and has no money, but one big, passionate dream: to become a dancer. With nothing left to lose, Félicie takes a big risk: she “borrows” a spoiled brat’s (Ziegler) identity and enters the Opera Ballet School. But how long can she be someone else? Mentored by the tough and mysterious cleaner, Odette , Félicie learns that talent is not enough — it takes hard work to be better than her ruthless, conniving fellow students. That and friendship. Felicie’s inventive, exhausting and charismatic best friend Victor (Wolff) also has a dream: becoming a famous inventor. Together, they both encourage each other to reach for the stars.
Produced by Quad Productions, Main Journey and Caramel Film, Leap! is directed by Eric Summer and Éric Warin, from an original story by Summer & Laurent Zeitoun, with script by Carol Noble, Summer & Zeitoun. Producers are Nicolas Duval Adassovsky, Yann Zenou and Zeitoun for Quad and Main Journey, and Andre Rouleau and Valerie D’Auteuil for Caramel.
The 12th Summit, Conferences and International Film Festival Animayo will be held on the paradisiacal island of Gran Canaria from May 2 to 6 this year, and has announced a program entirely dedicated to women working in animation, visual effects and video games. The week’s activities will pay tribute to great talents of these industries, focus on work by women, and foster the growth of opportunities for and representation of women in these fields.
While events across the world are increasingly spotlighting women’s contributions and challenges with special programming, Animayo has decided to go full-bore to demonstrate that work by women in the audiovisual sector is important and remarkable enough to fill an entire festival program.
The 12th edition will even see festival director Damian Perea, who has spent the last two years working on putting this special edition together, step back from the role he has held for the past 11 events to make way for female leadership. “Women in the world of animation has always been very important and deserves to claim the right to its space and the relevance of their work,” Perea said in the announcement.
Every element of Animayo 2017 will put women at the forefront, from the official poster design to programming highlights which will include female-lead presentations, master classes and workshops, as well as screenings of Animayo award-winning works, film competitions, premieres, concerts, outdoor activities, and Animayo’s second professional forum. The program will highlight the role of women and their contributions to the industry, their points of view and artistic approaches, and the obstacles women still face in the business today.
Event organizers expect to begin announcing special guests in April. The roster will include professionals who have worked with top international producers, including Ilion Animation, Disney, Warner Bros., Animal Logic, Scanline, Double Negative, Weta Digital, MPC and more, and creatives with feature film and television credits ranging from Guardians of the Galaxy to The Simpsons.
Last year’s Animayo festival saw a 20% increase in attendees over the 2015 edition, setting a new record with over 15,000 participants. The festival has also been made a partner of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of Spain in qualifying works for the Best Animated Short Film nominations at the 31st Goya Awards. Further, Perea has been nominated as an ambassador of the European Animation Awards, or “Emile Awards.”
In addition to the Gran Canaria event, Animayo presents traveling festivals across Spain (Lanzarote, Madrid, Huesca, Zaragoza) and worldwide in Los Angeles, India, Uruguay, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany and Portugal, to name a few. Visit www.animayo.com for more information.
Digital entertainment service Azoomee — which offers TV shows, games, audiobooks, art studio and messaging within a kid-safe app — has licensed 90 hours of multi-award-winning content from the BBC. The service launched in the UK in July 2016 for mobile devices. The deal marks Azoomee as one of a small number of SVOD partners with the world’s oldest public broadcaster.
“We are incredibly excited to add BBC’s award-winning shows to Azoomee’s rapidly growing content library. These shows explore a wide range of important values, which fit perfectly with our overall mission to provide entertainment that is good for children,” said Estelle Lloyd, co-Founder of Azoomee. “The BBC content has recently been made available on the app and is already proving extremely popular with our young audience – Charlie and Lola is currently the most watched show on Azoomee. We are looking forward to a long and prosperous relationship with the BBC.”
The 12-month agreements includes Tiger Aspect Prod.’s global hit toon Charlie and Lola (winner: BAFTA Children’s Awards, Annie Awards, Broadcast Awards, RTS Awards, Annecy), which invites children to learn all about healthy sibling relationships and explore values of patience, friendship and imagination.
The rest of the roster is comprised of live-action titles: gruesomely educational sketch show Horrible Histories; family-friendly drama Katie Morag; reality-style dance drama The Next Step; zoological adventure quest Deadly 60; science show Nina and the Neurons; and documentary Little Human Planet.
Azoomee’s video content is a mix of well-known brands and international indies, with a focus on shows that teach young viewers new skills and encourage them to get up and be active. Azoomee also produces its own own original content, such as the 18-part animated internet safety series Search It Up, recently nominated for a BAFTA. The services utilizes a dedicated team of in-house experts to curate content.
Wind Dancer Films, a Hollywood-based company behind many top TV sitcoms and box-office winners, is growing its kids’ entertainment footprint following the success of its first foray into the area, Ready Jet Go!, which launched last year on PBS KIDS. The company has unveiled a full slate of new animated and live-action TV and film projects for kids and families, teaming with top children’s media creatives to deliver fresh content.
“We’re thrilled that our first-ever children’s series, Ready Jet Go!, has been an out-of-this-world success,” said Dete Meserve, Executive Producer of the series and Principal of Wind Dancer Films. “Our priority continues to be creating quality entertainment offerings for kids and families and we’re very excited to be working on these smart and engaging new productions with the best-of-the best in the space.”
New projects in the works at Wind Dancer include:
Ready Jet Go! Season 2 (CGI Animation; Ages 3-8)
Season 2 of the popular series created by Craig Bartlett (Dinosaur Train, Hey Arnold) will debut in 2018, with 24 new episodes, an hour-long special and a range of new web games and mobile apps. Ready Jet Go! takes viewers on far-flung, fun and learning-rich adventures through astronomy, technology, scientific exploration, innovation, and invention. Since its premiere, the show has reached 34.3 million viewers, including 10.2 million kids on linear TV. Ready Jet Go! content has been streamed more than 146 million times since January 2016. In addition to airing on PBS stations, full-length segments from the series are available for streaming on pbskids.org and on the free PBS KIDS Video app. The series is also on Amazon Prime Video.
The World Wide Webbers (Animated Pilot; Ages 4-8)
An exciting new concept designed to spark children’s interest in both literacy and geography. Created by Kim Berglund, a 15-year veteran in the kids’ entertainment arena, the program follows the Webber kids and their family on a series of adventures around the world.
Not A Box
Winner of two Daytime Emmys, two Annie Awards and a Writers Guild Award, writer/showrunner Carin Greenberg (Tumble Leaf, Lalaloopsy, Octonauts) has joined the Wind Dancer team to pen the script for a pilot that adapts Antoinette Portis’ award-winning book property, Not A Box, for the small screen.
Hello, I Love You (Live Action; Tweens)
Wind Dancer has partnered with one of Canada’s largest film and television production companies, Muse Entertainment (Life of Pi, Being Human), on this new TV movie and series.
Good Sam
Based on the best-selling and award-winning novel by Wind Dancer Principal Dete Meserve, the company is producing the upcoming film for The Hallmark Channel in partnership with Muse Entertainment.
Additional (as-yet untitled) animated projects in the works include a music-centered series for kids 5+ with Craig Bartlett; feature film for family audiences with writer Robert Zappia (Christmas Is Here Again, Tom & Jerry); “maker”-influenced CG series for preschoolers with Kid Glove executive producer Brenda Wooding (SheZow, Space Racers); and The Wilde Family, a preschool science series created by Ready Jet Go! alums Rachel Lipman (Splash & Bubbles) and Joe Purdy (Dinosaur Train).
Wind Dancer is also planning two additional live-action series, a comedy about a secret club for solving tween problems with author/writer Elise Allen (Gabby Duran) and Corey Powell (Doc McStuffins, My Little Pony); and an informational series about the stories behind cars, with Tod Mesirow of Robot Body (Mythbusters, Top Gear).
Emmy award-winning entertainment content and technology company Bento Box Entertainment is expanding internationally with the opening of Sutikki UK. The company’s first office in Europe will be focused on growing its new kids and family business, Sutikki, which os co-founded by Andrew Kerr and Irene Weibel and launched last October
Industry veteran Stephen Gould has joined up to lead the Sutikki UK office in the new role of Territory Head – UK and EMEA. Prior to joining the company, Gould was most recently Managing Director for the UK & Eire at CPLG, where he worked on a properties portfolio that included Minions, The Secret Life of Pets, Care Bears, The Pink Panther, Jurassic World, Star Trek and Sesame Street. Over more than 28 years in the consumer products business, Gould has acquired experience in licensing, retail, product design and manufacturing, working with iconic brands like those mentioned as well as Bob the Builder, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Pokemon and Paddington Bear.
Gould has also held senior licensing and brand positions with Hit Entertainment, Zodiak Ent. and 4Kids Ent., and Directorships with Fox Kids Europe (Disney XD), Ragdoll Worldwide and DreamWorks before joining DHX Media as Commercial Director in 2013, then transitioning to wholly owned CPLG the following summer.
“In addition to being a fellow Ragdoll alumnus, Stephen has a raft of experience and an enviable pedigree within the licensing industry, and I am honored that he will be joining our growing team,” said Kerr. “Sutikki was founded to be an international venture, and the opening of our first European office formalizes our commitment to being a full-service, worldwide business less than six months from our launch.”
Gould’s initial focus will be on growing licensing opportunities for Moon and Me, the latest kids’ series from creator Andrew Davenport (Teletubbies, In the Night Garden) and his new production company Foundling Bird. The series is being produced in partnership with Sutikki. Moon and Me was recently given a 50-episode commission from CBeebies, which will premiere the show in early 2018. Hasbro is on board as global master toy licensee. Sutikki, which holds non-UK broadcast distribution rights and is primary global commercial product licensor, is actively seeking additional partners for the brand.
“I am thrilled to have joined Sutikki at the start of this exciting new enterprise. When I was approached by Andrew Kerr about taking this position, I had four primary interests: this market, working for a company with a compelling vision, capitalising on great capabilities and working with outstanding like-minded people,” said Gould. “To be able to engage the licensing marketplace with a top brand like Moon and Me from Andy Davenport, is both an honor and a privilege. The broad and very positive trade reaction to date has been simply phenomenal and I very much look forward to realising the ambitions of all of the partners and stakeholders not only with Moon and Me, but, also a growing portfolio of IP moving forward.”
