Stockholm-based Goodbye Kansas Entertainment group announces the launch of its new UK studio which will serve as a strategic base to deliver their Scandinavian smorgasbord of services to filmmakers, marketing firms and game developers across the nation and worldwide. The UK studio will have direct links to the Stockholm facility, and utilize the company’s refined pipeline, infrastructure, and pool of creative talent.
Headquartered in London, Goodbye Kansas UK will be lead by Executive Producer James Prosser (formerly of MPC and Zoo) and Executive Director Martin Hobbs (MPC, Prime Focus), alongside VFX Supervisors Matt Kasmir (Nvizible, Cinesite) and Jesper Kjölsrud (Image Engine, Double Negative) and Art Director Rafael Morant (Bluebolt). The newly-formed UK team has been hired on to the upcoming black comedy, Suburbicon (2017), directed by George Clooney and written by the Coen Brothers.
“The London opening is a significant step forward for the company and we’re delighted to welcome them to the Goodbye Kansas family,” said CEO and Co-Founder Peter Levin. “The highly-skilled team have a proven track record of creating ground-breaking VFX work and this combined with Goodbye Kansas’ talent pool and infrastructure means we can continue to push the boundaries and provide a service that’s second to none.”
Goodbye Kansas Entertainment is made up of VFX and animation studio Fido (The Walking Dead, Kung Fury), game cinematics/trailers producer Black Studios (Mass Effect: Andromeda, Conan, Unravel) and mo-cap, 3D and pre-viz house Imagination Studios (Dragon Age, God of War, Battlefield).
Exec Producer James Prosser and Exec Director Martin Hobbs of Goodbye Kansas UK
Pixar’s Coco Is a “Love Letter to Mexico” in the Age of Trump Vanity Fair‘s Joanna Robinson dishes the latest updates on the Lee Unkrich Día de Muertos-inspired project, which features the studio’s most realistic human protagonist yet and just signed Gael Garcia Bernal to the cast.
Studio Ghibli’s iconic Princess Mononoke from writer/director Hayao Miyazaki is returning to movie theaters for two nights only in celebration of the film’s 20th anniversary, and Miyazaki’s birthday. Lauded by Roger Ebert in 1997 as “a great achievement and a wonderful experience, and one of the best films of the year,” Princess Mononoke: 20th Anniversary will run subtitled on Thursday, January 5, 2017 at 7 p.m. and English-dubbed on Monday, January 9, at 7 p.m., presented by GKIDS, in partnership with Studio Ghibli and Fathom Events.
This will be the second collaboration between GKIDS and Fathom Events.
The first, a 15th anniversary screening of Spirited Away, grossed $800,000 its first night (a third screening on Dec. 8 has been added!).
“Twenty years after its release, Princess Mononoke remains an undisputed animated triumph and one of the most thrilling adventures ever produced,” said GKIDS’ President Eric Beckman. “Following the great success of Spirited Away returning to theaters, we are excited to present ‘Princess Mononoke’ in a theatrical setting to fans both old and new. It’s also a fitting way to celebrate Miyazaki’s birthday as we remind ourselves of the cinematic gifts he has given audiences over the years.”
In addition to the film, moviegoers will be the first in North America to see the 1995 Miyazaki-directed music video for Japanese rock duo Chage & Aska’s “On Your Mark.” Tickets are available through FathomEvents.com.
Princess Mononoke unfolds as Ashitaka, a young warrior inflicted with a deadly curse, heads into the forest in search of a cure. There, he meets the enigmatic Princess Mononoke, a young girl raised by wolves, who will stop at nothing to prevent the humans from destroying her home, and the forest spirits and animal gods who live there.
The English dub cast features Billy Crudup as Ashitaka and Claire Danes as San, the Princess Mononoke, with Gillian Anderson, Billy Bob Thornton, Minnie Driver, Jada Pinkett Smith, John DiMaggio, John DeMita and Keith David.
Netflix is prepping for the global premiere of its animated original series DreamWorks Trollhunters on December 23, releasing select season one episode screeners for review. We can’t spoil any plot points for you, but we can say that the project has shaped up to be everything we could have hoped for in a kid-friendly fantasy from Guillermo del Toro.
The very first moments of the series introduce the show’s soft-edged-scary creature design, which harkens to del Toro’s monster aesthetic while also broadcasting toy aisle appeal. The initial minutes also launch viewers straight into the epic battle of good vs. evil that the human protagonist is just a few ticks away from being plunged in the midst of.
Otherworldly creatures, neon-lit troll lairs, mystical armor, and high school drama? Sounds like a recipe for a trans-generational success.
You can get a taste for yourself with this gallery of images from season one.
Trollhunters
Official synopsis:
From the limitless imagination of acclaimed filmmaker Guillermo del Toro comes a tale of two worlds set to collide in the epic saga DreamWorks Trollhunters. When ordinary teenager Jim Lake Jr. stumbles upon a mystical amulet on his way to school one morning, he inadvertently discovers an extraordinary secret civilization of mighty trolls beneath his small town of Arcadia. Strong-willed and seeking adventure but wholly unprepared for the responsibilities thrust upon him, Jim is forced to take on the exalted mantle of Trollhunter, sworn to protect the good trolls from powerful enemies bent on revenge. The first human ever to hold the honor, Jim abruptly goes from fighting his way through the daily mayhem of high school to joining a war that has raged for centuries, a conflict that now threatens all of mankind and troll-kind alike. Accompanied by his closest human friends and a few key troll allies, the courageous 15-year-old must plunge headlong into a fantastical world of astonishing creatures, glorious cities, and fierce enemies desperate to destroy him. Suddenly destined to play a crucial role in an ancient battle of good and evil with stakes that couldn’t be higher, Jim is determined to save the world — right after gym class. DreamWorks Trollhunters is a heroic tale that uncoils with ambitious, complex storytelling and stunning visuals that raise the bar for television animation, creating an event series that will thrill the entire family.
A high-profile new animated preschool series from Chinese kids entertainment company Magic Mall, set for broadcast in China, is being produced in Cardiff by the award-winning Cloth Cat Animation Studio (Ethel and Ernest, Toot the Tiny Tugboat, Boj), with support from the Welsh government. The series is centered on Luo Bao Bei, a cartoon spokesperson for public matters created by Magic Mall in 2008.
Cloth Cat’s collaboration with Magic Mall (part of DaYe Transmedia Group) will support up to 40 jobs locally during the 15-month production period, and the entire £3.2 million (about $4 million USD) budget will be spent in Wales thanks to £225,000 in funding support from the Welsh Government and UK Animation tax credits. The project is Cloth Cat’s first with a Chinese collaborator, and Magic Mall’s first production outside of China.
“Magic Mall’s decision to select Cloth Cat to produce this new series for the Chinese market speaks volumes about their expertise, while the worldwide distribution of the series will be a superb promotion for Wales as a location of excellence in the highly competitive animation sector,” said Economy Secretary Ken Skates. “China is the fastest growing media market in the world and this collaboration provides Cloth Cat with a great opportunity to enter the very lucrative Chinese and Asian markets.”
Announced this summer, the project is already underway at Cloth Cat’s facility in GloWorks — the Welsh Government’s creative industries and media center in Cardiff Bay. Animation will begin this month on the 52-episode series, slated to debut in China in June 2017 ahead of a worldwide broadcast and digital roll-out.
“We were delighted to be chosen by Magic Mall to bring Luo Bao Bei to new audiences,” said Cloth Cat’s MD, Jon Rennie. “With the support of Welsh Government, we have been able to secure a project that will not only enrich the skill base in the Welsh animation industry but also allow Cloth Cat to build a relationship with an exciting Chinese company.”
Rennie will produce the series with Magic Mall’s GM, Grace Tian (creator of the Luo Bao Bei character), with Alex Chien as executive producer. Much sought-after scribe David Ingham (Clangers, The Octonauts, Timmy Time) has also joined the production as Head Writer.
DISCOP Abidjan and DISCOP Johannesburg stand as the premiere content markets in Francophone and Anglophone Africa, respectively, generating an estimated $1 billion worth of broadcasting business at the 2016 editions. With this in mind, this year’s Johannesburg event featured its first-ever animation-centric pavilion, The Animation Lounge, which proved a success and will be expanded in 2017.
“Our partnership with Animation South Africa to create The Animation Lounge at DISCOP Johannesburg 2016 was one of the highlights of the event,” said DISCOP’s Patrick Zuchowicki. “The increase in attendance [200% over 2015] speaks for itself and the feedback that we received from participants and partners of The Animation Lounge was excellent. It thus gives me great pleasure in announcing that we will continue our partnership with Nick Wilson to coordinate The Animation Lounge for DISCOP Abidjan and Johannesburg in 2017. One of the aims of this endeavour will be to bridge the gap between the Francophone and Anglophone African animation industries in 2017 with more African and global players in attendance.”
Nick Wilson, Chair of the Export Missions Committee of Animation South Africa and coordinator of The Animation Lounge, added:
“We are excited to build on the success of The Animation Lounge at DISCOP Johannesburg 2016. With DISCOP’s support, and in dialogue with animation professionals and national associations across the continent, we have the opportunity to create a confluence of African animation. If you are an animation professional or represent a national association, please get involved. We want to ensure that The Animation Lounges at DISCOP Abidjan & Johannesburg in 2017 are a representation of the diversity of the African animation community, an open network to rapidly grow the industry.”
Partners in The Animation Lounge 2016 included Turner Kids, the Annecy International Animation Film Festival (MIFA), Animation Magazine, The Animation School and Digital Lab Africa.
Dates for the next DISCOP Africa events have been announced: DISCOP Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire, May 30-June 1, 2017, and DISCOP Johannesburg in South Africa, October 25-26, 2017.
The shortlisted finalists for the 2017 Kidscreen Awards, honoring the best in children’s television and digital media, have been announced. Contenders in the Programming, Broadcasting and Digital categories — currently lead by Nickelodeon and Sprout with 10 and 8 nods, respectively — will continue through a final round of judging, with the winners to be announced at an awards presentation to be held February 14, during Kidscreen Summit 2017 in Miami.
This year’s professional judges panels are:
Programming: Andy Yeatman (Netflix), Sarah Muller (Channel 5), Amy Friedman (Sprout), Lucy Murphy (Sky), Grainne Rowe (Disney Channels EMEA), Jackie Edwards (BBC Children’s), Andrew Thomas (Hulu), Nina Hahn (Nickelodeon International) and Deirdre Brennan (Corus Kids).
Digital: Angela Lin (YouTube), Azadeh Jamalian (Tiggly), Bill Shribman (WGBH), Jens Peter de Pedro (Monkimun), David Kleeman (Dubit), Eric Huang (Made in Me), Daniel Bays (Lightning Sprite Media) and Brenda Bisner (Baby Toes Media).
Programming nominees
PRESCHOOL
Best New Series: Dot. (Industrial Brothers/The Jim Henson Company/CBC/Sprout) Jamillah and Aladdin (Kindle Entertainment/Mediabiz International/Toonz Entertainment) Nina’s World (Sprout)
Best Animated Series: Clangers (Coolabi Productions/Factory/CBBC) Doc McStuffins (Disney Junior/Brown Bag Films) Sarah and Duck (Karrot Entertainment/CBeebies/BBC Worldwide)
Best Non-Animated or Mixed Series: The Adventures of Napkin Man (Breakthrough Entertainment in association with Little Airplane and CBC Kids) Floogals (Jellyfish/Nevision/Zodiak Kids Studios/Sprout) Sesame Street (Sesame Workshop)
Best One-Off, Special or TV Movie: Katie Morag (Move On Up/CBeebies/BBC Scotland) Peg + Cat (The Fred Rogers Company/9 Story Media Group) Peppa Pig Pumpkin Party (Astley Baker Davies/Entertainment One)
KIDS
Best New Series: Bottersnikes & Gumbles (Cheeky Little Media/Mighty Nice/CAKE Entertainment) The Deep (DHX Media/A Stark Production) Home: Adventures With Tip & Oh (DreamWorks Animation Television/Netflix)
Best Animated Series: Miles From Tomorrowland (Disney Junior/Wild Canary Animation) Scream Street (Coolabi Productions/Factory/CBBC) We Bare Bears (Cartoon Network Studios)
Best Non-Animated or Mixed Series: Horrible Histories (Lion Television) Matilda and the Ramsay Bunch (One Potato Two Potato) Odd Squad (The Fred Rogers Company/Sinking Ship Entertainment)
Best One-Off, Special or TV Movie: Bruno & Boots: Go Jump in the Pool (Aircraft Pictures) Shaun the Sheep: The Farmer’s Llamas (Aardman Animations) Stick Man (Magic Light Pictures)
TWEENS/TEENS
Best New Series: Bear Grylls Survival School (Potato/BGV) Lost and Found Music Studios (Radical Sheep Productions/Boat Rocker Studios) Raising Expectations (Aircraft Pictures in association with Dolphin Entertainment)
Best Animated Series: Bob’s Burgers (Bento Box Entertainment/20th Century FOX Television) Dragons: Race to the Edge (DreamWorks Animation Television /Netflix) Voltron Legendary Defender (DreamWorks Animation Television/Netflix)
Best Non-Animated or Mixed Series Degrassi: Next Class (DHX Media/Netflix) Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street (Amazon Studios/Pictures in a Row) The Next Step (Radical Sheep Productions/Boat Rocker Studios)
Best One-Off, Special or TV Movie: The Curse of Clara: A Holiday Tale (Smiley Guy Studios) L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables (Breakthrough Entertainment) Nowhere Boys: The Book of Shadows (Matchbox Pictures)
Broadcasting nominees
Channel of the Year: Netflix PBS KIDS Sprout
Best Channel Design: DreamWorks Gulli Sprout
Best Programming Block: CBS Dream Team, It’s Epic! (Litton Entertainment) Sunny Side Up (Sprout) WILD Kids (National Geographic)
Best Channel Website: Nick Jr. PBS KIDS Sprout
Best On-Air Host or Hosting Team: Jonas Lihaug Fredriksen, Henrik Hildre—FlippKlipp Studio (NRK Super) Charlie Engelman, Kirby Engelman, Patrick Rahill—Nature Boom Time (National Geographic) Carly Ciarrocchi, Tim Kubart, Kaitlin Becker, Emily Borromeo—Sunny Side Up (Sprout)
Digital nominees
PRESCHOOL
Best Learning App—Tablet: Hopster (Hopster) Nick Jr. App (Nickelodeon Digital) Pocoyo Playset: Let’s Move (Early Learning Collaborative/ HITN/Zinkia Entertainment)
Best Learning App—Smartphone: Curious World (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) HooplaKidz Nursery Rhyme Activities (YoBoHo) Ready Jet Go! Space Explorer App (Wind Dancer Films/Two Moos)
Best Game App—Tablet: CBeebies Playtime Island (BBC) Curious George Train Adventures (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) PBS KIDS Games (PBS KIDS)
Best Game App—Smartphone: Curious George Train Adventures (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) Curious World (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
Best Streaming Video Platform: BBC iPlayer Kids (BBC) Hopster (Hopster) NOGGIN (Nickelodeon Digital)
Best Web/App Series: Disney Whisker Haven Tales with the Palace Pets (Disney Publishing Worldwide) Elmo at the Zoo (Sesame Workshop) Sesame Street Happy Birthday Songs (Sesame Workshop)
Best Website: Dinosaur Train (The Jim Henson Company/Sparky Entertainment) NickJr.com (Nickelodeon Digital) Ready Jet Go! (Wind Dancer Films/Two Moos)
Best Learning App—Tablet: La Francomobile (TV5 Québec Canada/Manito Média/Tobo) Little Lunch (Australian Children’s Television Foundation) Nancy Drew: Codes & Clues (HeR Interactive/Brandissimo!/Picture Fish Studios)
Best Learning App—Smartphone: Monkey Spot Scavenger Hunts (Monkey Bar Collective) Nature Cat’s Great Outdoors (Spiffy/PBS/REDspace) Nickelodeon: Code a Character (Nickelodeon Digital)
Best Game App—Tablet: Animal Jam—Play Wild! (WildWorks) Flipped Out—The Powerpuff Girls (Cartoon Network Games/Grumpyface Studios) Toca Blocks (Toca Boca)
Best Game App—Smartphone: Cut the Rope: Magic (Zeptolab) Teeny Titans—Teen Titans Go! (Cartoon Network Games/Grumpyface Studios) Total Drama Presents: ‘Donculous Dash (Secret Location/Cartoon Network Canada/Fresh TV/Bell Fund/Teletoon)
Best Streaming Video Platform: Flipp Klipp Studio (NRK Super) Nick.com (Nickelodeon Digital) Toca TV (Toca Boca)
Best Web/App Series: Don’t Mix Us Up (Toca Boca/FableVision) Secret Life of Boys (Zodiak Kids Studios for CBBC and ABC Australia) Tsum Tsum Kingdom (Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media)
Best Website: Animal Jam (WildWorks) National Geographic Kids (National Geographic Partners) Nick.com (Nickelodeon Digital)
Best Tablet: LeapFrog Epic (LeapFrog) La Tablette Motion 2 by Gulli (KD Interactive/Taldec/Gulli)
Best eBook: Little Lunch: A Teachers’ Guide (Australian Children’s Television Foundation) The Restricted Adventures of Raja (RedRover/Sticky Brain Studios) Stand Together! Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (Nickelodeon)
The Writers Guild of America, West and Writers Guild of America, East have revealed the nominations for the 2017 Writers Guild Awards, recognizing outstanding writing for TV, new media, news, radio and promos. Of special interest to our readers, the Animation contenders this year represent The Simpsons, which last took the award in 2015; Elena of Avalor, Star Wars Rebels and double nominee BoJack Horseman.
FOX’s brand new hybrid series Son of Zorn is also nominated in the Episodic Comedy category, while Sesame Street is the closest thing to animation to be found in the Children’s Script races. And Elisa Solinas’ “The Real History of Cinco de Mayo” for Gawker is the lone entry in the TV Graphic Art & Animation category.
The 2017 Writers Guild Awards will be held Sunday, February 19, with concurrent ceremonies in Los Angeles and New York City. A partial list of category nominees follows; visit awards.wga.org for a complete list.
ANIMATION
“Barthood” (The Simpsons), written by Dan Greaney; Fox “First Day of Rule” (Elena of Avalor), written by Craig Gerber; Disney Channel “Fish Out of Water” (BoJack Horseman), Written by Elijah Aron & Jordan Young; Netflix “A Princess on Lothal” (Star Wars Rebels), Written by Steven Melching; Disney XD “Stop the Presses” (BoJack Horseman), Written by Joe Lawson; Netflix
CHILDREN’S SCRIPT – Episodic & Specials
“Girl Meets Commonism” (Girl Meets World), Written by Joshua Jacobs & Michael Jacobs; Disney Channel “Just Add Mom” (Just Add Magic), Written by John-Paul Nickel; Amazon Studios “Mel vs. The Night Mare of Normal Street” (Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street), Written by Laurie Parres; Amazon Studios “Mucko Polo, Grouch Explorer” (Sesame Street), Written by Belinda Ward; HBO
CHILDREN’S SCRIPT – Long Form or Special
Dance Camp, Teleplay by Nick Turner & Rex New and Cameron Fay, Story by Nick Turner & Rex New; youtube.com Once Upon a Sesame Street Christmas, Written by Geri Cole & Ken Scarborough; HBO R.L. Stine’s Monsterville: Cabinet Of Souls, Written by Billy Brown & Dan Angel; Freeform
EPISODIC COMEDY
“Kimmy Finds Her Mom!” (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), Written by Tina Fey & Sam Means; Netflix “Kimmy Goes on a Playdate!” (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), Written by Robert Carlock; Netflix “Pilot” (One Mississippi), Written by Diablo Cody & Tig Notaro; Amazon Studios “R-A-Y-C-Ray-Cation” (Speechless), Written by Carrie Rosen & Seth Kurland; ABC “Streets on Lock” (Atlanta), Written by Stephen Glover; FX “A Taste of Zephyria” (Son of Zorn), Written by Dan Mintz; Fox
TELEVISION GRAPHIC ART AND ANIMATION
“The Real History of Cinco de Mayo” (Gawker Media Group), Graphic Animation by Elisa Solinas; youtube.com
Universal Pictures brought a new take on a familiar toon to Sao Paulo’s Comic Con Experience over the weekend, revealing a teaser trailer for its hybrid feature Pica-Pau — a.k.a. Walter Lantz’s Woody Woodpecker. The character which debuted in 1940 is still quite popular in Brazil, where the film will be released next year.
In line with the Yogi Bear and Scooby-Doo theatrical features of recent years, the 2D cartoon icon gets a CGI makeover for this film to more realistically interact with his live-action co-stars: Brazilian actress Thalia Ayala plays Brittany, whose con-artist boyfriend Lance (Psych‘s Timothy Omundson) is hell bent on getting rid of Pica-Pau/Woody (voiced by Eric Bauza) and his habitat in order to build his dream house.
Pica-Pau is directed by Alex Zamm (Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2, Inspector Gadget 2). It’s unknown whether Universal will bring the film to US theaters.
VIDEO: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Creature Featurette
Check out this extremely cool peek behind the scenes with Creature FX Supervisor Neal Scanlan and team, plus reactions from stars Alan Tudyk, Felicity Jones and director Gareth Edwards. Also: the new “Worth It” TV spot. Rogue One arrives Dec. 16.
Q&A: Turner’s Mark Eyers
TV Asia catches up with the Kids Networks SVP for the company’s Asia-Pacific ops about how Cartoon Network, Boomerang and Toonami stay on top in a highly competitive market.
Brands Underperform with Animation
Warc reports London-based producer Gorilla Gorilla!’s research shows only 33% of the UK’s biggest brands use animated content on their digital channels — and less than a third of those are doing it well.
Disney and Marvel Studios revealed the new teaser trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 at Comic Con Experience 2016 in Sao Paulo, Brazil on Sunday before rolling it out online for everyone’s enjoyments. The spot is full of (inter)stellar humor (good job, Li’l Groot!) and sci-fi action, and also gives us a first look at Pom Klementieff playing alien empath Mantis.
Directed once again by James Gunn, Vol. 2 continues the team’s adventures as they traverse the outer reaches of the cosmos. The Guardians must fight to keep their newfound family together as they unravel the mysteries of Peter Quill’s true parentage. Old foes become new allies and fan-favorite characters from the classic comics will come to our heroes’ aid as the Marvel cinematic universe continues to expand.
Chris Pratt (Peter Quill/Star-Lord), Zoe Saldana (Gamora), Dave Bautista (Drax), Vin Diesel (voice of Groot) and Bradley Cooper (voice of Rocket Raccoon) return for the second ride with Michael Rooker (Yondu), Karen Gillan (Nebula), Sean Gunn (Kraglin) and Glenn Close (Nova Prime). Joining the cast are Klementieff (Mantis), Elizabeth Debicki (Ayesha), Chris Sullivan (Taserface) and Kurt Russell (Ego).
Richard Goldsmith, Executive Vice President of Global Distribution at The Jim Henson Company, has announced he will be vacating the post he has held since 2011 later this month. For the past several years, Goldsmith has lead worldwide distribution for Henson properties across all platforms, including broadcast, home entertainment and digital media.
During his tenure, Goldsmith has helped guide preschool series like Dinosaur Train, Doozers, Dot. and the brand-news PBS KIDS series Splash and Bubbles to become international hits. He has also tackled sales, marketing and technical operations with media partners worldwide. In 2014, Henson’s international consumer products business was added to his purview.
In an email announcement, Goldsmith stated he would be stepping down December 16 to “pursue another opportunity” to be announced at some time after New Year. He also requested future business matters be put to Amanda Quigley, manager of sales for the global distribution division.
TBS has greenlit a new sci-fi animated comedy series as part of its push for more prime-time toon content, Deadline reports. Final Space is created by indie filmmaker, actor and comedian Olan Rogers and produced by Conan O’Brien’s Conaco and New Form in association with Turner’s Studio T. The series is set to debut in 2018.
Written by Rogers and Emmy winner David Sacks (The Simpsons, Regular Show, Pig Goat Banana Cricket), Final Space centers on an astronaut named Gary and his adorable but terribly destructive alien sidekick, Mooncake. The show follows their spacefaring saga as they embark on a quest to unlock the mystery of “Final Space” — the point at which the universe ends.
Rogers and Sacks will executive produce with O’Brien, David Kissinger, Larry Sullivan and Jeff Ross of Conaco; and Kathleen Grace, Melissa Schneider and Matt Hoklotubbe of New Form. Sacks will also serve as showrunner.
Final Space joins a growing TBS toon slate being built around Seth MacFarlane’s American Dad!, now in its 12th season. Next year will see the launch of animated dark comedy Tarantula. Check out the Final Space pilot, funded by New Form for Incubator 3 Series and released earlier this year, below.
This year’s edition of the Ventana Sur film market in Buenos Aires featured its first-ever dedicated pitch sessions for animated TV series and film projects. Branded “Animation!”, the initiative invited creatives from across Latin America to present their cartoon concepts to a panel of international experts and industry professionals, who selected a top entry in each category.
Chakay, the Master of the Two Worlds directed by Daniel Jácome Muñoz of Ecuador won out in the Best TV Series competition. Special mention honors also went to Iogius (Florencia Kohan & Sabrina Pace, Argentina) and Mandinga (Becho Lo Bianco, Argentina). The Best Feature Film Project winner was Len and the Whales’ Song from Joan Manuel Millán and Manuel Victoria of Argentina and Colombia, with a special mention going to The Metamorph (Diego Ayala & Freddy Guerra, Chile).
The Animation! winners will be participating in the MIFA Pitches program at the 2017 Annecy event next summer.
The first edition of Animation! at Ventana Sur also featured special presentations, panels and roundtable discussions with professionals from the US, Europe and Latin America, providing both regional and internationally perspectives on the business and some of the hottest topics facing the industry, including VFX, children’s television and digital platforms.
Chakay, the Master of the Two Worlds (26 x 13) is an educational 2D action-adventure for kids 9-12 centered on a tech-savvy 12-year old named Raul whose life takes an interdimensional turn when his cell phone gets charged with Incan mystic energy, launching him into new worlds and facing him off against an evil force threatening his home reality. The project is being developed by Alicia Studio under producer Daniela Fuentes Moncada.
Len and the Whales’ Song is a feature length 2D animated family adventure flick directed by Victoria and Millán, who also wrote the screenplay. The story follows a girl named Len, who dreams of singing with whales as their shaman — but her asthma keeps her from the underwater rituals. With a mountain as her guide, she transforms into a hummingbird to save her tribe from invaders and unearth the secret of her origins. The project is being produced by Julián Londoño Navarro and based at Zunzu Estudio. The Colombia-Argentina co-production is seeking additional European production partners.
How Moana’s Animators Brought a Tattoo to Life
Dwayne Johnson’s CG demigod has to compete for audience favor with his small 2D alter-ego. (You can also read more about Maui and “Mini Maui” in the January ’17 issue of Animation Magazine!)
SEGA Partners with Sanrio
The companies have joined forces for a Sonic the Hedgehog X Sanrio product collection, launching with too-cute 10-inch “mash-up” plush characters.
WIA’s “50/50 by 2025”Marge Dean and Kristy Scanlon
There’s a digitally-crafted silver lining to the financial uproar caused by the United Kingdom’s EU referendum vote — commonly known as Brexit. With the pound at a 31-year low against the US dollar, studios are inviting international clients to take advantage. Publishers, developers and creative agencies seeking asset production in the UK can stretch their budgets nearly 17% further, according to northern England studio RealtimeUK.
On top of the drop in the pound’s value, the UK has strongly invested in its VFX and animation talent development and business growth, and studios like RealTimeUK have years of experience turning out high-quality cinematics, trailers, VFX and CG production assets for the videogame industry. Which means overseas clients can expect world-leading work as well as a bit of a bargain.
Over the past 20 years, RealtimeUK has collaborated with the publishers of major properties like World of Tanks, War Thunder and SMITE to raise brand awareness. And in an era where mobile video consumption is rising by 100% each year, it’s increasingly important to have cinematic trailers and other eye-catching marketing assets to drive consumer interest in game titles. Learn more and check out their work and behind-the-scenes videos at www.realtimeuk.com.
DHX Media’s DHX Television channels Family Jr. and Family Channel will be bringing a sleigh-load of holiday programming into Canadian homes this month, including brand new themed episodes of animated series and hilarious holiday movies.
Starting next week on Family Jr., young kiddos and their families can catch winter-themed episodes of preschool hits YaYa & Zouk, Messy Goes to OKIDO, Bob the Builder and Yo Gabba Gabba! The channel will also run a special Thomas & Friends programming event with an online Watch and Win contest (familyjr.ca) from Dec. 14-25. Audiences can also catch the “Kate in Oz”Kate & Mim-Mim special in December, and a full day of seasonal programming on Christmas Day.
Over on Family Channel, the lineup for older kids kicks off Friday Dec. 2 with the network premiere of British comedy flick Get Santa, followed by the classic Home Alone 3. The CG reindeer adventure The Flight Before Christmas takes off Dec. 9, followed by Gaumont’s Santa’s Apprentice Dec. 10. Other highlights include live-action specials Scoot and Kassie’s Christmas Adventure on Dec. 16 and Hank Zipzer and the Christmas Catastrophe on Dec. 17.
Family Channel will be running seasonal programming every Saturday and Sunday this month beginning at 10 a.m. ET/PT, and festive movies on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. From December 19 to 25, the network is decking the halls with Christmas movies from 1 – 7 p.m. ET/PT daily, such as: Elf, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, Home Alone 3 and Bob’s Broken Sleigh.
The superheroic action of the Marvel Entertainment universe is united with the cute, comical, super-deformed characters of Funko’s POP! vinyl toy line in a new animated webseries collaboration between the two companies. The Marvel Funko shorts are the work of A Large Evil Corporation (story and animation) and EPs Brian Mariotti, Dan Buckley, Cort Lane, Joe Quesada and Alan Fine.
“Telling Marvel stories in the Funko POP! aesthetic is a special kind of magic unlike anything we’ve ever done. These shorts are both hilarious and action-packed – and irresistibly adorable too. Really, I think all audiences will love them,” said Cort Lane, Marvel’s SVP of Animation and Family Entertainment.
The debut 90-second short, “Spellbound,” sees Funko Iron Man and Funk Spider-Man facing off against Funko Loki — that trickster pain-in-the-Asgard — and is mind-control scepter. (Check it out below!) And two more episodes will be rolling out this month: “Bait N Switch” on Dec. 7, in which Rocket Raccoon breaks into The Collector’s museum to free Groot; and “Chimichangas” on Dec. 14, which sees Deadpool face off against Venom.
Only one burning question remains… when can we see a LEGO-DC vs. Funko-Marvel smack-down?!
Things continue to heat up in the races for our favorite Academy Award categories. Having announced a record-setting number of qualifying animated features and announced the 10 short-listed animated short films, AMPAS has announced that 20 films are in the running for the Best Visual Effects prize at the 89th Oscars.
In alphabetical order, the films are:
Alice through the Looking Glass Arrival The BFG Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Captain America: Civil War Deadpool Deepwater Horizon Doctor Strange Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Independence Day: Resurgence The Jungle Book Kubo and the Two Strings Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children Passengers Rogue One Star Trek Beyond Suicide Squad Sully Warcraft X-Men: Apocalypse
The Visual Effects Branch Executive Committee determined the preliminary shortlist. Later this month, the committee will select the 10 films that will advance to nominations voting. Nominations for the 89th Oscars will be announced on January 24, 2017. The 89th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 26, 2017.
Jon Favreau to Use VR Tech for Live-Action ‘Lion King’
Director hopes to scale all new filmmaking heights after his innovative triumph The Jungle Book by utilizing VR for shot design and game engines for real-time visualization.
’Star Wars’ Release Dates
The saga continues through to 2020, when Boba Fett will finally get the screen time he deserves. In the meantime, we’ll make do with Rogue One, Han Solo and the eighth and ninth episodes.
