JAM Media, a multiple award-winning production, distribution and licensing company based in Dublin, has scored a key deal with ABC KIDS in Australia for its brand-new preschool series Becca’s Bunch (52 x 11). ABC KIDS will also be home to JAM’s new hybrid series Little Roy (52 x 14), coming to broadcast this year.
The down-under deal follows the recent sale of the Becca’s Bunch to Nickelodeon, which picked up exclusive broadcast rights in the US and pay TV rights for the rest of the world.
Currently in production, Becca’s Bunch centers on Becca, a little bird who chirps to her own tune. Her can-do attitude allows her big ideas to take flight on the most fantastical adventures around Wagtail Woods. Becca and her Bunch — Pedro, Russell and Sylvia — boldly go where no bird, worm, squirrel and fox have gone before. The series merges live action, puppetry, 2D and CG animation to create a textured world that the audience will want to reach out and touch.
“ABC continues to show its commitment to our shows and we are thrilled that ABC KIDS and ABC KIDS iview will air both Becca’s Bunch and Little Roy next year,” said John Reynolds, Chief Commercial Officer at JAM Media. “ABC KIDS is the perfect home for our series in this territory and we’re hopeful preschoolers in Australia will become fast fans of both shows.”
Superights has secured a worldwide (excluding China and Spain) distribution deal with China’s Left Pocket Studio and Spain’s Tomavision SL for their preschool series Emmy & Gooroo (52 x 11). Now in production, the universally appealing show is due for delivery this fall.
Emmy & Gooroo follows Emmy, a creative and resourceful five-year-old girl, and her best friend Gooroo, a big, furry, huggable creature. The inseparable duo carry out daily adventures in a magic forest, where they encounter wondrous things — like animals and plants that can talk, dance… end even cook!
The series concept won first prize at the MIP Junior International Pitch in 2014, as well as the International Kidscreen East Pitch-It event.
Left Pocket Studio produces original animation and provides full service work from its Shanghai, China headquarters. The company enjoys a long-running partnership with kids content developer/producer Tomavision in Barcelona, and is a partner of online video platform Youku Tudou.
Amazon and Xilam Animation announce a multi-year content deal that makes Amazon Prime Video India the exclusive SVOD home of four existing and three upcoming seasons of the French studio’s popular toons Oggy & the Cockroaches and Zig & Sharko. Prime members in India now also have access to Xilam’s library of top-rated titles like Floopaloo Where Are You, A Kind of Magic, If I Were an Animal, Paprika and The Daltons.
“Amazon Prime Video India is delighted to partner with Xilam Animation, creators of the world‐famous animated series Oggy & the Cockroaches that continues to entertain kids for nearly 20 years,” said Nitesh Kripalani, Director and Country Head, Amazon Video India. “This is an important milestone in the journey to offering the best kids’ entertainment to our Prime members.”
“Xilam is proud of the growing success of its animated characters in India, with Oggy leading the pack for many years now,” added Marc du Pontavice of Xilam Animation. “As we prepare for the future, and the new ways content is used within the family, it is essential that we find the right partners to facilitate our expansion into the digital world. That’s why we are so thrilled to be entering into this agreement with Amazon Prime Video since we value so highly their expertise in subscription streaming. As a multi‐year deal this is a great step for Xilam as we look forward to watching the special bonds that our characters have developed in the hearts of millions of Indian kids, grow bigger and stronger.”
Oggy & the Cockroaches (1998) follows the prankish misadventures and confrontations between a chubby cat named Oggy and three pesky roaches: Joey, Dee Dee and Marky. The fifth season will explore the ongoing rivalry in a new way by tracking Oggy through the ages for historical hilarity. Seasons 6 and 7 will comprise a mix of brand new episodes along with full remakes of classic stories from Seasons 1 and 2.
Zig & Sharko is about a hyena named Zig who lives on a volcano island with his crab pal, Bernie, and plots against a beautiful mermaid, Marina, whom he wants to eat. Sharko is a shark with a lot of muscle who loves to sabotage the hyena’s every move.
South Korea’s CJ E&M has secured a raft of global broadcasting deals for its CG-animated preschool series Rainbow Ruby (52 x 11). New partners include Family Jr (Canada), TV3 (Ireland), Jim Jam (Benelux), YLE (Finland), Discovery’s Frisbee (Italy), Canal Panda and SIC (Portugal), Hop! (Israel), MiniMini+ (Poland) and Minika (Turkey).
Rainbow Ruby centers on a spunky, resourceful little girl who magically transports to Rainbow Village, a whimsical land inhabited by her toys, where she takes on any job needed to solve whatever problem comes her way.
This round of sales is a strong boost for CJ E&M’s plans to expand licensing programs for the brand in 2017. The colorful show has already bowed on ABS-CBN (Philippines), RTV (Indonesia), Thai PBS and Yoyo TV (Taiwan). Rainbow Ruby is also set to debut on national free TV channel EBS and pay TV channel Tooniverse in South Korea.
Rainbow Ruby is produced in association with DHX Media, which handles TV sales in the US, Canada and EMEA. China Entertainment handles TV and L&M rights to the show in China, and CPLG runs its global licensing program, excluding Asia and Latin America.
‘Justice League Dark’ LA & NY Premieres – Free Fan Tix Available!!!
RSVP ASAP to JLDarkLA or JLDarkNY at gmail.com for your chance to grab a free ticket to the DC Universe Original Movie’s debut in Los Angeles (1/23) or New York (2/2). Tickets are limited and will be distributed on a first-come basis.
‘Bravest Warriors’ Season 3 Arrives on VRV
Frederator has posted the first two episodes of the new season, written by Breehn Burns and directed by Tom King, available ad-free to Cartoon Hangover Select subscribers. Episode 1 is also available right now (with ads) to anyone who downloads the app!
David Clementi Appointed as Next BBC Chairman
Former Bank of England deputy governor has been selected following an open recruitment process — he will take over pending approval by the Culture, Media and Sport select committee.
Hopster Launches on Roku
The educational kids’ SVOD app is now available to users in the US, Canada, France, UK and Ireland.
The Visual Effects Society has announced the nominees for its 15th Annual VES Awards, with the winners to be revealed at a ceremony Tuesday, February 7, 2017 at the Beverly Hilton. This year’s VES Awards heralds the organization’s milestone 20th anniversary.
Leading the pack in the feature categories is Rogue One: A Star Wars Story with seven nominations, followed by Doctor Strange and The Jungle Book with six each. Kubo and the Two Strings is the most nominated animated feature with six nods. And Game of Thrones is king of the TV categories and of the entire awards with 11 nominations.
“The artistry, ingenuity and passion of visual effects practitioners around the world have come together to create truly remarkable imagery in a variety of media,” said Mike Chambers, VES Chair. “We are seeing best in field work that elevates the art of storytelling and engages the audience in new and innovative ways. The VES Awards is the only venue that showcases and honors these outstanding artists across a wide range of disciplines, and we are extremely proud of all our nominees!”
Nominations in 24 categories were selected by VES members at events hosted by its 10 international sections. As previously announced, the Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to multiple Oscar winner and VFX pioneer, Ken Ralston. And acclaimed producer and Marvel Studios EVP of Physical Production Victoria Alonso will receive the Visionary Award.
This year’s VES Student Award is again presented by Autodesk.
“We’re proud to be a sponsor of the award again this year,” said Chris Bradshaw, Autodesk’s SVP, Media & Entertainment, Education Experiences, and Impact. “The nominees’ submissions are outstanding, and we look forward to collaborating with this fantastic organization to recognize and celebrate this next generation of filmmakers.”
2017 VES Awards nominees:
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature: Doctor Strange | Stephane Ceretti, Susan Pickett, Richard Bluff, Vincent Cirelli, Paul Corbould Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them | Christian Manz, Olly Young, Tim Burke, Pablo Grillo, David Watkins Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children | Frazer Churchill, Hal Couzens, Andrew Lockley, Jelmer Boskma, Hayley Williams Rogue One: A Star Wars Story | John Knoll, Erin Dusseault, Hal Hickel, Nigel Sumner, Neil Corbould The Jungle Book | Robert Legato, Joyce Cox, Andrew R. Jones, Adam Valdez, JD Schwalm
Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature: Allied | Kevin Baillie, Sandra Scott, Brennan Doyle, Viktor Muller, Richard Van Den Bergh Deepwater Horizon | Craig Hammack, Petra Holtorf-Stratton, Jason Snell, John Galloway, Burt Dalton Jason Bourne | Charlie Noble, Dan Barrow, Julian Gnass, Huw Evans, Steve Warner Silence | Pablo Helman, Brian Barlettani, Ivan Busquets, Juan Garcia, R. Bruce Steinheimer Sully | Michael Owens, Tyler Kehl, Mark Curtis, Bryan Litson, Steven Riley
Outstanding Visual Effects in an Animated Feature: Finding Dory | Angus MacLane, Lindsey Collins – p.g.a., John Halstead, Chris J. Chapman Kubo and the Two Strings | Travis Knight, Arianne Sutner, Steve Emerson, Brad Schiff Moana | Kyle Odermatt, Nicole P. Hearon, Hank Driskill, Ian Gooding The Little Prince | Mark Osborne, Jinko Gotoh, Pascal Bertrand, Jamie Caliri Zootopia | Scott Kersavage, Bradford S. Simonsen, David Goetz, Ernest J. Petti
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode: Black Mirror “Playtest” | Justin Hutchinson-Chatburn, Russell McLean, Grant Walker, Christopher Gray Game of Thrones “Battle of the Bastards” | Joe Bauer, Steve Kullback, Glenn Melenhorst, Matthew Rouleau, Sam Conway Stranger Things “Demogorgon” | Marc Kolbe, Aaron Sims, Olcun Tan The Expanse “Salvage” | Robert Munroe, Clint Green, Kyle Menzies, Tom Turnbull Westworld “The Bicameral Mind” | Jay Worth, Elizabeth Castro, Bobo Skipper, Gustav Ahrén
Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode: Black Sails “XX” | Erik Henry, Terron Pratt, Aladino Debert, Yafei Wu, Paul Stephenson Penny Dreadful “The Day Tennyson Died” | James Cooper, Bill Halliday, Sarah McMurdo, Mai-Ling Lee Roots “Night One” | Simon Hansen, Paul Kalil, Theo le Roux Preist, Wicus Labuschagne, Max Poolman The Man in the High Castle “Volkshalle” | Lawson Deming, Cory Jamieson, Casi Blume, Nick Chamberlain Vikings “The Last Ship” | Dominic Remane, Mike Borrett, Ovidiu Cinazan, Paul Wishart, Paul Byrne
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Real-Time Project: Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare | Brian Horton, Keith Pope, David Johnson, Tobias Stromvall Dishonored 2 – Crack in the Slab | Sebastien Mitton, Guillaume Curt, Damien Laurent, Jean-Luc Monnet Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Virtual Reality | Andy Rowans-Robinson, Karen Czukerberg, John Montefusco, Corrina Wilson, Resh Sidhu Gears of War 4 | Kirk Gibbons, Zoe Curnoe, Aryan Hanbeck, Colin Penty Quantum Break | Janne Pulkkinen, Elmeri Raitanen, Matti Hamalainen, Ville Assinen Uncharted 4 | Bruce Straley, Eben Cook, Iki Ikram
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Commercial: Coke Mini “A Mini Marvel” | Vincent Cirelli, Michael Perdew, Brendan Seals, Jared Simeth “For Honor” | Maxime Luere, Leon Berelle, Dominique Boidin, Remi Kozyra John Lewis “Buster the Boxer” | Diarmid Harrison-Murray, Hannah Ruddleston, Fabian Frank, William Laban Titanfall 2 “Become One” | Dan Akers, Tiffany Webber, Chris Bedrosian Waitrose “Coming Home” | Jonathan Westley (Wes), Alex Fitzgerald, Jorge Montiel, Adam Droy
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Special Venue Project: Dream of Anhui | Chris Morley, Lee Hahn, Alex Hessler, Kent Matheson Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure | Bill George, Amy Jupiter, Hayden Landis, David Lester Soarin’ Over the Horizon | Marianne McLean, Bill George, Hayden Landis, Dorne Huebler, Thomas Tait Skull Island: Reign of Kong | John Gibson, Arish Fyzee, Sachin Shrestha, Anshul Mathuria Voyage of Time: The IMAX Experience| Dan Glass, Brett Harding, Tom Debenham, Brian Delmonico, Matt Pulliam
Outstanding Animated Performance in a Photoreal Feature: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them – Niffler | Laurent Laban, Gabriel Beauvais-Tremblay, Luc Girard, Romain Rico Rogue One: A Star Wars Story – Grand Moff Tarkin | Sven Jensen, Jee Young Park, Steve Walton, Cyrus Jam The Jungle Book – King Louie | Paul Story, Dennis Yoo, Jack Tema, Andrei Coval The Jungle Book – Shere Khan | Benjamin Jones, Julio Del Rio Hernandez, Jake Harrell, James Hood Warcraft – Durotan | Sunny Wei, Brian Cantwell, Brian Paik, Jee Young Park
Outstanding Animated Performance in an Animated Feature: Finding Dory – Hank | Jonathan Hoffman, Steven Clay Hunter, Mark Piretti, Audrey Wong Kubo and the Two Strings – Kubo | Jeff Riley, Ian Whitlock, Adam Lawthers, Jeremy Spake Kubo and the Two Strings – Monkey | Andy Bailey, Dobrin Yanev, Kim Slate, Jessica Lynn Moana – The Mighty Maui | Mack Kablan, Nikki Mull, Matthew Schiller, Marc Thyng
Outstanding Animated Performance in an Episode or Real-Time Project: Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare – Omar | Bernardo Antoniazzi ,Aaron Beck, Jason Greenberg, Chris Barnes Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them | John Montefusco, Michael Cable, Shayne Ryan, Andy Rowan-Robinson Game of Thrones “Battle of the Bastards” – Drogon | James Kinnings, Michael Holzl, Matt Derksen, Joeseph Hoback Game of Thrones “Home” – Emaciated Dragon | Sebastian Lauer, Jonathan Symmonds, Thomas Kutschera, Anthony Sieben
Outstanding Animated Performance in a Commercial: John Lewis “Buster the Boxer” | Tim van Hussen, David Bryan, Chloe Dawe, Maximillian Mallman Opel Motorsport “Racing Faces” – Lion | Jorge Montiel, Jacob Gonzales, Sauce Vilas, Alberto Lara SSE “Neon House” – Baby Pixel | Jorge Montiel, Daniel Kmet, Sauce Vilas, Peter Agg Waitrose “Coming Home” | Jorge Montiel, Nick Smalley, Andreas Graichen, Alberto Lara
Outstanding Created Environment in a Photoreal Feature: Deadpool – Freeway Assault | Seth Hill, Jedediah Smith, Laurent Taillefer, Marc-Antoine Paquin Doctor Strange – London | Brendan Seals, Raphael A. Pimentel, Andrew Zink, Gregory Ng Doctor Strange – New York City | Adam Watkins, Martijn van Herk, Tim Belsher, Jon Mitchell Rogue One: A Star Wars Story – Scarif Complex | Enrico Damm, Kevin George, Olivier Vernay-Kim, Yanick Dusseault
Outstanding Created Environment in an Animated Feature: Finding Dory – Open Ocean Exhibit | Stephen Gustafson, Jack Hattori, Jesse Hollander, Michael Rutter Kubo and the Two Strings – Hanzo’s Fortress | Phil Brotherton, Nick Mariana, Emily Greene, Joe Strasser Kubo and the Two Strings – Waves | David Horsley, Eric Wachtman, Daniel Leatherdale, Takashi Kuboto Moana – Motonui Island | Rob Dressel, Andy Harkness, Brien Hindman, Larry Wu
Outstanding Created Environment in an Episode, Commercial, or Real-Time Project: Black Sails “XXVIII” – Maroon Island | Thomas Montminy-Brodeur, Deak Ferrand, Pierre Rousseau, Mathieu Lapierre Dishonored 2 – Clockwork Mansion | Sebastien Mitton, Guillaume Curt, Damien Laurent, Jean-Luc Monnet Game of Thrones “Battle of the Bastards” – Meereen City | Deak Ferrand, Dominic Daigle, François Croteau, Alexandru Banuta Game of Thrones “The Winds of Winter” – Citadel | Edmond Engelbrecht, Tomoka Matsumura, Edwin Holdsworth, Cheri Fojtik The Man in the High Castle – Volkshalle | Casi Blume, David Andrade, Nick Chamberlain, Lawson Deming
Outstanding Virtual Cinematography in a Photoreal Project: Doctor Strange – New York Mirror Dimension | Landis Fields, Mathew Cowie, Frederic Medioni, Faraz Hameed Game of Thrones – Battle of the Bastards | Patrick Tiberius Gehlen, Michelle Blok, Christopher Baird, Drew Wood-Davies Rogue One: A Star Wars Story – Space Battle | John Levin, Euisung Lee, Steve Ellis, Barry Howell The Jungle Book | Bill Pope, Robert Legato, Gary Roberts, John Brennan
Outstanding Model in a Photoreal or Animated Project: Deepwater Horizon – Deepwater Horizon Rig | Kelvin Lau, Jean Bolte, Kevin Sprout, Kim Vongbunyong Rogue One: A Star Wars Story – Princess Leia | Paul Giacoppo, Gareth Jensen, Todd Vaziri, James Tooley Rogue One: A Star Wars Story – Star Destroyer | Jay Machado, Marko Chulev, Akira Orikasa, Steven Knipping Star Trek Beyond – Enterprise | Daniel Nicholson, Rhys Salcombe, Chris Elmer, Andreas Maaninka
Outstanding Effects Simulations in a Photoreal Feature: Alice Through the Looking Glass – Rust | Klaus Seitschek, Joseph Pepper, Jacob Clark, Cosku Turhan Doctor Strange – Hong Kong Reverse Destruction | Florian Witzel, Georges Nakhle, Azhul Mohamed, David Kirchner Rogue One: A Star Wars Story – Jedha Destruction | Miguel Perez Senent, Matt Puchala, Ciaran Moloney, Luca Mignardi The Jungle Book – Nature Effects | Oliver Winwood, Fabian Nowak, David Schneider, Ludovic Ramisandraina
Outstanding Effects Simulations in an Animated Feature: Finding Dory | Stephen Gustafson, Allen Hemberger, Joshua Jenny, Matthew Kiyoshi Wong Kubo and the Two Strings – Water | David Horsley, Peter Stuart, Timur Khodzhaev, Terrance Tornberg Moana | Marc Henry Bryant, David Hutchins, John M. Kosnik, Dale Mayeda Zootopia | Nicholas Burkard, Moe El-Ali, Claudia Chung Sanii, Thom Wickes
Outstanding Effects Simulations in an Episode, Commercial, or Real-Time Project: Game of Thrones “Battle of the Bastards” | Kevin Blom, Sasmit Ranadive, Wanghua Huang, Ben Andersen Game of Thrones “Battle of the Bastards” – Meereen City | Thomas Hullin, Dominik Kirouac, James Dong, Xavier Fourmond John Lewis “Buster the Boxer” | Diarmid Harrison-Murray, Tushar Kewlani, Radu Ciubotariu, Ben Thomas Sky “Q” | Michael Hunault, Gareth Bell, Paul Donnellan, Joshua Curtis
Outstanding Compositing in a Photoreal Feature: Doctor Strange – New York City | Matthew Lane, Jose Fernandez, Ziad Shureih, Amy Shepard Independence Day: Resurgence – Under The Mothership | Mathew Giampa, Adrian Sutherland, Daniel Lee, Ed Wilkie The Jungle Book | Christoph Salzmann, Masaki Mitchell, Matthew Adams, Max Stummer X-Men: Apocalypse – Quicksilver Rescue | Jess Burnheim, Alana Newell, Andy Peel, Matthew Shaw
Outstanding Compositing in a Photoreal Episode: Black Sails “XX” – Sailing Ships | Michael Melchiorre, Kevin Bouchez, Heather Hoyland, John Brennick Game of Thrones “Battle of the Bastards” – Meereen City | Thomas Montminy-Brodeur, Patrick David, Michael Crane, Joe Salazar Game of Thrones “Battle of the Bastards” – Retaking Winterfell | Dominic Hellier, Morgan Jones, Thijs Noij, Caleb Thompson Game of Thrones “The Door” – Land of Always Winter | Eduardo Díaz, Aníbal Del Busto, Angel Rico, Sonsoles López-Aranguren
Outstanding Compositing in a Photoreal Commercial: Canal “Kitchen” | Dominique Boidin, Leon Berelle, Maxime Luere, Remi Kozyra John Lewis “Buster the Boxer” | Tom Harding, Alex Snookes, David Filipe, Andreas Feix Kenzo “Kenzo World” | Evan Langley, Benjamin Nowak, Rob Fitzsimmons, Phylicia Feldman LG “World of Play” | Jay Bandlish, Udesh Chetty, Carl Norton Waitrose “Coming Home” | Jonathan Westley (Wes), Gary Driver, Milo Paterson, Nina Mosand
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Student Project: Breaking Point | Johannes Franz, Nicole Rothermel, Thomas Sali, Alexander Richter Elemental | Adrian Meyer, Lena-Carolin Lohfink. Denis Krez, David Bellenbaum Garden Party | Victor Caire, Gabriel Grapperon, Théophile Dufresne, Lucas Navarro Shine | Mareike Keller, Dennis Mueller, Meike Mueller
Out of last November’s Destination D event, presented by D23, we got word that 1940 animated classic Pinocchio would be the next title to get the Walt Disney Signature Collection treatment. You can read up on details of the release — which arrives on Disney Movies Anywhere and Digital HD on January 10 and then on Blu-ray and DVD on January 31 — here.
But first, let your conscience be your guide and pause a few moments to check out an exclusive clip provided by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment. The snippet, “Encouraging Talents,” is pulled from the Signature Collection bonus content and features archival 1956 recordings of Uncle Walt discussing how he cultivated specialized talent and managed the film’s production using some unorthodox stratagems.
The 2017 Consumer Electronics Show has come to a close in Las Vegas, having unleashed a flurry of innovations that could prove the next major shakeup of modern life. Some of the key trends ushering in new opportunities for animation producers and licensors include:
VR Developments:
+ Cirque Du Soleil gets its third VR experience produced by Felix & Paul studio: Dreams of O, which takes viewers on an immersive, 12-minute journey into a fantastical underwater world, populated by acrobatic performers and strange characters. Dreams of O is available now for Samsung’s Gear VR with further releases planned.
+ Fox Innovation Lab showed off a first look at its upcoming Planet of the Apes VR Experience produced with Imaginati Studios at the show. Inspired by the film franchise rather than just the upcoming War of the Planet of the Apes, the brief Oculus Rift demo had users playing as a simian character who must band together with non-human allies. FIL previously announced its Alien: Covenant experience being EP’d by Ridley Scott.
+ HTC announced a new tracking module, Vive Tracker, which will allow developers to transform a broad range of physical objects into VR experience controllers. GM Daniel O’Brien said HTC will be giving away thousands of the devices to developers in the coming months. At CES, the company showed footage of a camera accessory designed using the Tracker (coming in Q2) which allows users to snap pics inside their VR experience.
+ IMAX is opening its first VR center in Los Angeles, located across from the Grove shopping center on Fairfax Blvd. This experimental location will present a mix of games and other experiences on HTC Vive and StarVR headsets, with a focus on immersive and interactive content rather than 360-degree video. IMAX is planning to open half a dozen such facilities.
+ Lenovo announced it will be launching its own as-yet-unnamed VR device, based on Microsoft’s Windows Holographic VR/AR platform, later this year. The Lenovo device will therefore have to operate plugged into a PC running Windows 10, but it will have mixed-reality capability through external cameras performing inside-out tracking.
+ uSens demonstrated its hand-tracking module Fingo, which can be used with a variety of VR headsets to sense a user’s hand movements down to the individual finger, opening up the ability to interact with virtual objects without a physical accessory or controller. uSens is also bringing the tech into the AR realm, announcing compatibility with Epson’s Moverio BT-300 AR glasses.
Techy Toys:
+ Fisher-Price sparked a heated debate amongst parents and child development experts with the introduction of its Think & Learn Smart Cycle. The stationary tyke bike ($150, available in June) connects with a tablet or TV and encourages preschoolers to pedal forwards and backwards and steer their way through educational apps. The bike comes with Smart Cycle Mission to Tech City, with each additional app costing $5.
+ Honda DreamDrive Virtual Reality Demo is the car company’s collaboration with DreamWorks Animation to rev up the kids’ VR market. The in-vehicle entertainment system and accompanying headset sync to the real-time movements of a car, generating virtual journeys through other real or imaginary locales while they’re being carted between Mandarin class and softball practice, with interactive options built in. The demo features a voiceover tie-in with DWA’s Trolls.
+ LEGO Boost is the latest coding toy for kids, with buildable robots that let youngsters program with a hands-on plaything. The Boost blocks and motors work alone or with existing LEGO sets, bringing motorization, motion-sensing and voice effects capabilities to the world famous building toy, through an Android/iOS programming app.
+ TILT technology has helped bring a cozy new AR entry into the mix, with the SpinTales Jungle Rug and SpinTales Enchanted Duvet. The high-tech home decor interacts with a smartphone or tablet app that brings the soft surfaces to life with animated animals and characters playing out stories and songs — a clear opportunity for animation brand licensing.
+ Xiaomi took the prize for the most adorable new product with its kid-friendly Mi Bunny ($29). The little white bunny clad in a fetching blue and pink outfit can act as a storyteller, capable of reading from a catalog of 10,000 books; send and receive WeChat messages; and connects with Xiaomi’s smart assistant tech.
Entertainment Access:
+ Amazon has partnered with Seiki, Westinghouse and Element Electronics (all subsidiaries of China’s Tongfang) to launch a number of new 4K TVsets powered by its Fire TV platform. Each brand will introduce their own set later this year, with each TV (43″ to 65″) equipped with 4K resolution, 3GB of RAM, 16GB internal memory for apps, and a remote with integrated microphone that works with the Amazon’s Alexa digital assistant.
+ Dish Networks revealed plans for delivering local TV channels to its Sling TV OTT service. AirTV Player — Dish’s Android-based streaming device with Ultra HD 4K video support, lets Sling customers add free, live, local stations to their guide using an external antenna.
+ Disney Kids TV debuted at the show. The $99 device developed by Snakebyte will stream TV shows, movies and music, come preloaded with content and be connected to the Google Play store so users can add other streaming services, games, etc. to the box. The device will be available in three styles — Frozen, Marvel’s Avengers, Disney Kids — with branded gaming controller launching simultaneously later this year. Disney plans to release more accessories, like a mic for karaoke and a motion-sensor wand.
+ Hulu CEO Mike Hopkins announced that the streamer’s upcoming live TV service will be priced at under $40, which will include existing subscription VOD services and cloud DVR. CBS recently announced it has reached a deal to add its cable channels to the Hulu OTT bundle, coming in Q1 of this year.
+ Samsung unveiled its new line of QLED TVs, with the watchword being “simplification.” The wall-mounted units are easy to install, boast a two-wire system (optical cable and power cord) to minimize cable clutter, and debut alongside the company’s updated Smart View app which introduces the Chromecast-like ability to open playback of content from a variety of third-party services from a mobile device. Picture quality has also been upgraded with “metal quantum dots” tech that gets luminescence up to 200 nits and 100% color volume — all in 4K HDR, available in flat and curved screen models.
+ Nuvyyo debuted the Tablo Live stick ($99), which will allow users to play free broadcast TV on nearly every available device — including Android phones, iPhone, Roku, Fire TV, Xbox One and Apple TV. The device plugs directly into your TV set. But, has no recording functionality at launch. The company also introduced a DVR app for the Nvidia Shield game console, and previewed a cloud DVR solution for broadcast TV.
Dreams of O vr experienceMi Bunny (photo credit: Janko Roettgers for Variety)Disney Kids TV device
NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment’s 24-hour preschool network Sprout has named three industry veterans to key executive roles. Chanon Cook, Dea Connick Perez and Shane Lindley now join the team as Vice Presidents of diverse departments. The appointments were announced by Frances Berwick, President, Lifestyle Networks for NBCUniversal.
“It is a dynamic time at Sprout, as we continue to grow both in viewership and content, and now more than ever, it’s critical that we provide our youngest viewers with seamless multiplatform experiences,” said Berwick. “As we looked across the business, we made the decision to bolster our senior management across two vital functions. These new roles will help us continue our growth trajectory and launch each new show in the best possible way, while ensuring our insights team has smart, seasoned leadership to continue to inform network strategy.”
Chanon Cook has been named Vice President, Insights and Strategy, tasked with leading and managing Sprout’s research team, generating actionable insights and recommendations from qualitative and quantitative research data. Cook will advise the programming and marketing teams in support of ratings, brand and business growth goals, and will initiate and lead all primary research studies. Most recently, Cook was VP, Research and Analytics for IFC. Prior, she spent 10 years as SVP, Strategic Insights and Research at Comedy Central, and has also held research roles at Lifetime and USA Network. Cook will report to Berwick.
Dea Connick Perez takes on the newly created role of Vice President, Program Strategy and Acquisitions to lead programming and scheduling strategy for Sprout to maximize cross-platform viewership. Working closely with research and marketing, she will create high impact tentpole events for both linear and digital platforms, and will work to capitalize on market trends and emerging platform opportunities. Perez was formerly Principal of Dea Connick Perez Media Consultancy, overseeing acquisitions and programming strategy for Qubo Channel and Ion Life. Prior, she was at Discovery Kids Media as Acting GM and VP of Programming. She also served as VP of Programming and Acquisitions at Cartoon Network, and was Director of Acquisitions for Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite and TV Land for 11 years. Perez will report to Amy Friedman, SVP of Programming.
And Shane Lindley has been named to the new role of Vice President, Digital, to oversee Sprout’s growing digital business and create experiences for the preschool audience across all digital platforms. He will also set strategic direction for growing Sprout’s digital business, including expanding and enhancing content plans, analytics, product and technology. Lindley comes from Epix, where he was Senior Director of Digital Programming and Product. His extensive experience in children’s digital media includes senior positions at DreamWorks, where he led the digital publishing business, and various digital roles at The Walt Disney Company and BBC Children’s Interactive. Lindley reports to Jennifer Giddens, SVP, Marketing and Digital.
Lionsgate and Funimation Films are teaming up to bring Mamoru Oshii’s groundbreaking 1995 anime feature Ghost in the Shell back to US theaters for two-day limited engagement, February 7-8, 2017. The iconic film will run in 110 theaters across the country, which will first offer the original Japanese version with English subtitles, followed the next evening by the English dub.
Tickets are available for pre-purchase now through funimationfilms.com/ghostintheshell.
Ghost in the Shell, adapted from the manga by Masamune Shirow and produced by Production I.G, is set in the year 2029 and centers on a female cybernetic government agent, Major Motoko Kusanagi, as she and the Internal Bureau of Investigations pursue a mysterious computer virus capable of infecting human hosts known as “The Puppet Master.”
This re-release of one of the most influential animated movies of all time — and the first anime feature to rank No. 1 on Billboard‘s video chart, selling more than 1.5 million copies across the franchise — comes just ahead of the release of the new live-action adaptation starring Scarlett Johansson, due out at the end of March. Further, Anchor Bay Ent. (a Lionsgate company) is issuing the anime as a steelbook Blu-ray release and on Digital HD on March 7.
“We’re excited to be partnering with Lionsgate to bring the original Ghost in the Shell movie back to US theaters,” said Gen Fukunaga, CEO and founder of Funimation. “Ghost in the Shell is truly a seminal work in anime cinema and it helped firmly establish a market for the genre with U.S. movie audiences.”
“Ghost in the Shell is an iconic property and it is great that fans will be able to watch it on the big screen for the first time in 20 years,” added Kevin Carney, VP Marketing Lionsgate. “Many fans will be seeing the movie in a theater for the first time and Funimation has been a terrific partner to help make this possible.”
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has released a little taste of what is in store for the world’s greatest superheroes in the latest DC Universe Original Movie Justice League Dark. The R-rated animated adventure will be available on Blu-ray Deluxe Giftset, Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD on February 7, 2017, preceded by a Digital HD release on January 24.
In the clip “Assessing the Situation,” Wonder Woman (voiced by Rosario Dawson) and Superman (Jerry O’Connell) present grim footage of inexplicable acts of violence being committed by seemingly ordinary citizens, which they suspect could be the work of supernatural forces. One particular masked member is less than convinced (guess who).
The clip also features the first appearance of John Stewart/Green Lantern (played by Roger Cross, who also voices Swamp Thing in the movie) as a member of the Justice League in a DCU animated flick.
Synopsis:
When innocent civilians begin committing unthinkable crimes across Metropolis, Gotham City and beyond, Batman must call upon mystical counterparts to eradicate this demonic threat to the planet. Enter Justice League Dark, reluctantly led by the Hellblazer himself, John Constantine. Like Batman, Constantine is a cunning, often cynical loner who is the best at his chosen profession – but quickly realizes the sinister forces plaguing the planet will require help from other supernatural alliances. Forming a new “league” with sorceress Zatanna, otherworldly Deadman, and Jason Blood and his powerful alter ego Etrigan the Demon, this team of Dark Arts specialists must unravel the mystery of Earth’s supernatural plague and contend with the rising, powerful villainous forces behind the siege – before it’s too late for all of mankind.
More information on JLD and the home entertainment release options in our previous coverage.
The universe’s greatest protector will rise again when season two of fan-favorite animated reboot DreamWorks Voltron Legendary Defender launches for streaming January 20 on Netflix. To get you in the mood for more giant space robot razzle-dazzle, DreamWorks Animation Television and Netflix have released a new interest-piquing clip: “Wormhole Catastrophe,” in which Allura and Coran find themselves in a situation that’s pretty weird even for a space-time rift.
Voltron season two synopsis:
Following the season one cliffhanger, Team Voltron has been scattered throughout the universe in the aftermath of a perilous battle with Zarkon, Haggar and the evil Galra Empire. Working to bring the lions back together to form Voltron again, the Paladins’ plan to defeat the Galra once and for all takes them across the universe in search of new worlds and unexpected allies.
Hop! Media Group (Hop!, Luli, Hop! Israeli Childhood) is growing its curated channels catalog and reaching out to graduates of its preschool offerings with a new edutainment channel for children ages 6-11, WIZ. The latest offering launched January 1 on the YES satellite platform.
WIZ’s content selection will be an enriching, upbeat blend of genres, formats and topics aimed at engaging inquisitive young minds. A combination of top animated and live-action fiction as well as nonfiction programming from prominent producers and broadcasters around the world will tackle a range of topics, from hard sciences to art, history and more.
“We are happy to provide a safe haven for children that grew up on our channels and are now pre-teens. WIZ stemmed from our vision of creating quality media experiences that are both enjoyable and educating, with content that appeals to both children and parents,” said Hop! Media Group Founder and Co-CEO Alona Abt.
Sharon Moverman, Director of Acquisitions for Hop! Media Group, added:
“We are in search for cutting-edge content, including short form content, on top of classic traditional half-hour formats. Our wish list includes content that can introduce children to the glory of nature, the variety of cultures, and the mysteries and achievements in science and art.”
Hop! Media Group is a market leader in preschool TV, from its owned and operated children’s channels to the creation and curation of media content for a wide digital distribution through apps and YouTube channels in numerous languages — including Hebrew, English, Turkish, Spanish, Arabic, Romanian and Polish. Hop! also engages in educational outreach programs, off-screen family experiences and L&M activities.
VIDEO: ‘Star Wars Rebels’ episode “Warhead” Premieres Jan. 14 on Disney XD
Tune in this Saturday at 8:30 p.m. to watch Zeb and Chopper bring a damaged droid from the Atollon wilderness back to base, only to discover it’s a new Imperial probe programmed for espionage — and destruction! And check out the new Rebels Recon recap of last week’s episode.
2017 Independent Games Festival Announces Main Competition Finalists
Variable State’s Virginia stands out with four nominations, followed by three time nominees Hyper Light Drifter (Heart Machine), Inside (Playdead) and Event[0] (Ocelot Society). Winners will be announced at a ceremony March 1, during GDC.
VIDEO: New TV Spot for ‘Beauty and the Beast’
Emma Watson sings Belle’s iconic “I Want” song and we get another look at Beast and his enchanted CG housewares in the latest teaser for Disney’s live-action remake.
The 74th annual Golden Globes award ceremony wrapped up Sunday night, with Disney’s Zootopia taking the Best Motion Picture – Animated honor. This was the first Golden Globe nomination and win for directors Byron Howard, Rich Moore and co-director Jared Bush. Zootopia is the second Walt Disney Animation Studios feature to take the Golden Globe in this category, preceded by Frozen.
Zootopia won out in a tough competition, facing off against LAIKA’s Kubo and the Two Strings (the studio has been nominated before for The Boxtrolls and Coraline), Claude Barras’ My Life as a Zucchini, Illumination Ent.’s Sing (studio previously nominated for Despicable Me and its sequel) and its in-house rival, Moana.
You can watch the Zootopia helmers’ acceptance speech here.
The Golden Globes is a fairly strong predictor for the Academy Awards results — since the category’s inception, seven out of 10 animated feature Globe winners have gone on to take the Oscar (Pixar’s Ratatouille, WALL-E, UP, Toy Story 3, Brave, Inside Out and Disney’s Frozen).
In other news, 2017 seems to be the year that old fashioned Hollywood swept back into style with La La Land taking numerous awards — including the Musical or Comedy prizes for Best Motion Picture, best actor for Ryan Gosling, best actress for Emma Stone, Best Director for Damien Chazelle and Best Screenplay.
La La Land also won out over animated competitors to take Best Original Song (“City of Stars,” up against “Can’t Stop the Feeling” from Trolls, “Faith” from Sing, “How Far I’ll Go” from Moana and “Gold” from Gold) and Best Original Score for Justin Hurwitz.
A triumphant win went to Barry Jenkins’ powerful coming of age story Moonlight (Best Motion Picture – Drama). French revenge thriller Elle received both Best Motion Picture – Foreign Language and Best Actress – Drama (for Isabelle Huppert). On the TV side, The Crown beat out VFX showpieces Game of Thrones, Stranger Things and Westworld (as well as This Is Us) for Best Drama, Atlanta took Best Musical or Comedy, and The People v. O.J. Simpson won the Limited Series race.
VIDEO: Realtime UK ‘War Robots’
Realtime UK has unveiled its first trailer of the year, and it’s explosive! Check out this work for mobile developer Pixonic’s new game and learn more here.
Submissions Open for Kaleidoscope Showcase Vol. 2
Calling all VR content creators: the second annual Kaleidoscope community-driven gathering is accepting entries for the Showcase through February 1!
Nokia has announced that China’s leading digital entertainment platform Youku has chosen the Nokia OZO VR tech ecosystem to bring high-quality, immersive virtual reality content to its online video platform audience — more than 500 million monthly active users totting up more than 1.1 billion daily views. Youku will be the first Chinese producer-distributor to fully integrate the OZO system.
“China is one of the most progressive VR markets in the world with an appetite for high-quality virtual reality experiences that is enormous and growing,” said Paul Melin, VP of Digital Media at Nokia Technologies. “Our collaboration with Youku enables millions more people to enjoy incredibly immersive video and audio VR content through a well-known and trusted platform.”
Youku will utilize the entire OZO VR solution, which includes the OZO Camera, OZO Software Suite, OZO Live and OZO Player SDK to create and distribute a range of content, from films and series to news and documentaries, as well as professional user-generated content featuring top Youku talent.
“Virtual reality has become a creative and compelling medium for art, cinema, education, gaming, travel and a growing number of experiences,” said Jerry Li, GM of Alibaba Home Entertainment Business “Youku continually strives to deliver the best content available anywhere, and our collaboration with Nokia allows us to make professional-quality VR available to our audiences.”
Notably, Youku will integrate the OZO Player SDK and OZO Audio solutions into all its platforms, mobile apps and consumer offerings, enabling its audience to experience 3D 360-degree VR. The OZO Player SDK allows VR professionals to create impressive VR app experiences on most major platforms with a single, unified development interface. Full-featured reference players are also included in the SDK for all supported platforms — including Oculus Desktop, Oculus Mobile/GearVR, HTC Vive and Google VR for Android and iOS.
Koko Rose Media and Empire Multimedia are launching arts & lifestyle brand Deer Little Forest and preschool property Flora of the Forest at the Hong Kong Licensing Fair, presenting them to potential partners in China, South Korea and Southeast Asia. Both brands are created by illustrator and Koko Rose creative director Jo Rose.
“Deer Little Forest and Flora of the Forest are whimsical brands that are a natural for merchandise and promotional licensing in SEA and Greater China,” said Hubert Co, President of Empire Multimedia. “The great artwork together with the timely back-to-nature and go-green themes will give products an added edge for 2017 and beyond. We know the best is yet to come!”
With offices across Asia and over 30 years of experience, Empire Multimedia is one of the largest and most respected licensing agencies in the region, representing TV shows, videogames, features, corporate brands and personalities. On top of traditional licensing, Empire has a reputation for dynamic brand building through promotions, online marketing, competitions, QSRs and special events.
“We are thrilled that Deer Little Forest and Flora are being presented by such a renowned agency at this essential licensing show,” said Lisa Hryniewicz, MD of Koko Rose Media. “We believe that Jo’s unique and distinct designs will have tremendous appeal in Asia, and are utterly confident that Empire is the company to make them a lasting success.”
Sterling Archer and the incompetents formerly known as ISIS will be moving headquarters from FX to its sister network FXX when season eight of Adam Reed’s Emmy-winning prime time toon Archer premieres this spring. The show, which has been renewed through to a 10th season, was previously set to relocate for season seven last year.
FXX has been growing its toon slate since announcing its intention to push for more animation on the comedy-centric network back in August, roping viewers in with Simpsons marathons and upping development veep Kate Lambert to SVP of Development and Animation for FX Networks in October.
Archer season eight will be a noir-inspired hardboiled detective dramedy centered on Sterling Archer, a private eye on a mission to find his partner’s killer in 1947 Los Angeles. His quest is quickly derailed when Archer gets mixed up in the middle of a power struggle between LA’s biggest crime bosses. Voice stars H. Jon Benjamin, Jessica Walter, Aisha Tyler, Judy Greer, Chris Parnell, Amber Nash, Adam Reed and Lucky Yates reprise their roles.
The show is created by Adam Reed and Floyd County Productions, executive produced by Reed and Matt Thompson, and produced by FX Productions.
For the first time ever, a comprehensive collection of Mike Judge’s groundbreakingly moronic animated slacker comedy is coming to DVD with the 12-disc Beavis and Butt-Head: The Complete Collection DVD set, available February 14 from Paramount Home Media Distribution (MSRP $46.99).
Heh heh… cool.
The cult hit series first bowed on MTV in 1993, introducing a generation of viewers to the titular heroes dismissed by critics as brainless couch potatoes who did nothing but watch TV and make lewd jokes. But the mouth-breathing teens who originated in Judge’s short film Frog Baseball were clearly ahead of the curve, amassing a dedicated following over four years on the air and returning to TV in 2011.
Beavis and Butt-Head: The Complete Collection includes all four volumes of the series, including the 21st century revival, as well as the Special Collector’s Edition of the 1996 feature film Beavis and Butt-Head Do America. The set also features a bounty of bonus material, including “Taint of Greatness: The Journey of Beavis and Butt-Head” parts 1-3, VMA appearances, a Thanksgiving Special with Kurt Loder, the 1994-1996 Butt-Bowls, MTV 20th Anniversary Special, original un-cut Frog Baseball, 2011 Comic-Con panel featuring Judge and moderated by Johnny Knoxville, promos, montages and more.
