VIDEO: The LEGO Batman Movie – Trailer #4
Holy LEGO hotpants, Batman! The Dark Knight has teamwork thrust upon him in this new spot, which is loaded with awesome LEGO-fied effects and perfect deadpan delivery from Will Arnett. Not to editorialize, but everything about this is amazing.
Disney Animation Unveils Newly Renovated Studio
AMPAS members and Toon Town types gathered to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Pixar acquisition with John Lasseter, Ed Catmull, Andrew Millstein and Disney filmmakers.
Artistic Director Marcel Jean has announced a few changes in the short film program for the 2017 Annecy International Animation Festival. Starting with next year’s June event, three of the out-of-competition programs will be replaced by two new competition sections: “Young Audience” and “Perspectives.”
The Young Audience competition will offer a new special prize, which will be presented at the Annecy Town Hall on June 16. The Young Audience Award winner will be decided by a Junior Jury.
“We felt that it was essential to give films for a young audience more space,” said Jean. “We think it’s important to select more films for this audience and show them in their own programme so as to offer the best overview of this type of production.”
Perspectives is focused on helping new creatives, emerging films and those produced in collaboration or offering a singular perspective on the world we live in and the state of animation. This program will also be inaugurated with its own prize, the City of Annecy Award, also to be bestowed at the June 16 ceremony. This award will be juried by three young art students who will provide a contemporary point of view on the two programs in this section.
“The term perspective, meanwhile, can be defined in many ways, but we are using it to denote notions of representation and looking at something, as well as possible changes. It’s a wide-ranging concept, which is moving forward and calls the future,” said Jean.
2017 is the 30th anniversary of the friendship agreement between Annecy and Sainte-Thérèse in Canada. In honor of this occasion, the three jurists of the City of Annecy Award for 2017 will be college students from Sainte-Thérèse. The City of Annecy is the proud partner of this initiative.
“All the short films shown at the Festival are worthy of being in the spotlight. It’s impossible to have nine or ten screening sessions, but by adding these new sections we are showing off the films and recognising them through awarding some of them prizes,” concluded Jean.
Fox has set a new TV land precedent by ordering 29th and 30th seasons of global pop-culture phenomenon and animation icon, The Simpsons. The renewal will bring the series’ episode total to 669, the largest number of episodes for any scripted TV ever, breaking the record previously set by Gunsmoke (635).
Family patriarch Homer Simpson said in a statement released by Fox on Friday: “Take that Gunsmoke! You lost a race you didn’t even know you were running!”
“This is yet another record-setting moment for what is truly a landmark series,” said Dana Walden and Gary Newman, Chairmen and CEOs, Fox Television Group. “The Simpsons has meant so much to the network, the studio and everyone at Fox, and its continued cultural impact around the globe is a testament to the combined brilliance of Matt, Jim and Al. Congratulations to everyone who works on this groundbreaking series – from the voice cast and producers to the writers and production team – you comprise one of the greatest collections of creative talent in the history of the medium. And to the millions of Simpsons fans around the world, thank you for watching all these years. We’re happy to tell you there’s lots more to come.”
The Simpsons recently ran its 600th episode — another in a long line of milestones for the series since its 1990 debut. Currently in production on its record-breaking 28th season, The Simpsons has won 32 Emmy Awards, 34 Annie Awards, a 2016 People’s Choice Award and a 2016 Environmental Media Award. It was the first animated series to win a Peabody Award and was nominated for an Academy Award in 2012 for the theatrical short “The Longest Daycare.”
Beyond TV, The Simpsons Movie was a hit feature film, the mega-attraction The Simpsons Ride at Universal Studios has received historic expansion updates with the addition of “Springfield” and the show was honored with a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2000. It has been named the “Best Show of the 20 th Century” by Time magazine, and called the “Best TV Show Ever” by Vulture in 2016.
The next episode airs this Sunday, Nov. 6 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. In “There Will Be Buds,” Homer (Dan Castellaneta) gets roped into coaching the kids’ lacrosse team with Milhouse’s dad, Kirk (Hank Azaria), who is in desperate need of a friend. When Kirk gets too clingy, Homer vents about how much of a loser he is. Kirk overhears his rant and disappears, right when the team needs him most: the championship game.
From the American Film Market in Santa Monica, DDI CEO Jason Moring has announced that animated space adventure Spark has sold to several territories. DDI has inked deals with Kaleidoscope (UK), California Films (Latin America), Eagle Films (Middle East), Fox International (pan-Asia pay TV), Captive Entertainment (Philippines), MVP Films (Vietnam) and Sam Films (Iceland).
Open Road Films will be theatrically releasing Spark in the US on April 14, 2017.
Spark features the voices of Jessica Biel (Valentine’s Day, New Year’s Eve), Hilary Swank (Million Dollar Baby, P.S. I Love You), Patrick Stewart (Star Trek: The Next Generation, X-Men) and Susan Sarandon (Enchanted, Thelma & Louise).
A production of The Nut Job trio Redrover, ToonBox Entertainment Gulfstream Pictures, with Shanghai Hoongman Technology, Spark is written and directed by Aaron Woodley (The Entitled, Glenn Martin DDS). This international co-production spanning Asia and North America celebrates the Year of the Red Monkey with an epic that draws on Journey to the West, The Lion King and Star Wars.
Synopsis:
Thirteen years ago, the power-mad General Zhong seized control of Planet Bana, tearing it to pieces in the process. Enter Spark and his friends, Chunk and Vix, who learn of Zhong’s plan to take over the universe. If Zhong is able to harness the power of an ancient beast known as the Kraken, he’ll have history’s deadliest weapon at his fingertips. It’s left to Spark and his friends to stop him. An action-packed space-odyssey filled with humor and heart, Spark is the story of a boy who embarks on an epic adventure, and in the process discovers his rightful place in the universe.
Amazon Studios has marked down Friday, November 25 for its original kids’ holiday programming launch. Three brand-new specials will be debuting on Prime Video in the US and UK: animated specials If You Give a Mouse a Christmas Cookie and Ezra Jack Keats’ The Snowy Day, and live-action An American Girl Story – Maryellen 1955: Extraordinary Christmas.
Amazon’s original holiday fare also includes existing themed specials from Creative Galaxy and Tumble Leaf.
“We are so excited to bring our customers our first-ever holiday line-up of specials this season, with If You Give a Mouse a Christmas Cookie and The Snowy Day based on beloved children’s books that highlight strong bonds between friends and families. It’s what the holidays are all about,” said Tara Sorensen, Head of Kids Programming at Amazon Studios.
If You Give a Mouse a Christmas Cookie is an animated holiday special based on the classic book series written by Laura Numeroff and illustrated by Felicia Bond. In this special, it’s holiday time and in Mouse’s house that means Christmas cookies (including a special one for Santa, of course), caroling with friends…and one nearly-destroyed holiday pageant. It’s a wild ride as Mouse and his friends work together to solve a problem in a fun and creative way.
The Mouse special is written and produced by Ken Scarborough (Curious George, Martha Speaks, Arthur); stars Mason Mahay (voice of Oliver), Roger Craig Smith (Avengers Assemble,Wreck-It Ralph), Jessica DiCiccio (Over the Hedge), Jeff Bennett (Futurama), and Lara Jill Miller (The Loud House, Doc McStuffins). The special also features an original song “Christmas Cookie Song” by Lisa Loeb, available exclusively on Amazon Music Nov. 25. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie was part of Amazon’s 2015 fall pilot season rated 4.7 stars by customers with 82% 5-star reviews; season one will premiere on Amazon Prime Video next year.
Ezra Jack Keats’ The Snowy Day is based on one of the first picture books to feature an African-American protagonist, which has won many awards — including the Caldecott medal — and was included in the Library of Congress’ list of “Books that Shaped America.” The special follows Peter, a young boy in a red snowsuit, as his mother sends him on an adventure to Nana’s house to retrieve their traditional Christmas mac and cheese dinner. Enjoying the snowy day along the way, Peter encounters friends from the neighborhood, including storekeepers and bakers to the older boys he admires—and a group of acapella singers (voiced by Boyz II Men). After arriving at Nana’s and retrieving the mac and cheese—and his most coveted gift, a brand-new red sled—Nana helps Peter team up with the older boys for an epic snowball fight, resulting in the destruction of the special holiday dinner and his sled. When the neighborhood comes together to celebrate new traditions with Peter and his family, Peter realizes that the true meaning of the holiday is who you spend it with.
Snowy Day is narrated by Laurence Fishburne (Black-ish, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice) and featuring the voices of Regina King (American Crime, The Leftovers), Jamie-Lynn Sigler (The Sopranos), and Angela Bassett (American Horror Story, BoJack Horseman), plus the original song “Snowy Day” by Boyz II Men, available exclusively on Amazon Music Nov. 25. Executive produced by Laurence Fishburne and Helen Sugland (Akeelah and the Bee) as well as Ann Austen, Irene Sherman, and Deborah Pope (Ezra Jack Keats Foundation).
An American Girl Story—Maryellen 1955: Extraordinary Christmas is the second collaboration between American Girl and Amazon and is based on American Girl’s previously launched BeForever character Maryellen Larkin. Executive produced by Jane Startz (Ella Enchanted), An American Girl Story—Maryellen 1955: Extraordinary Christmas features an original song “Christmas and Everyday” by Best Coast, available exclusively on Amazon Music to download and stream Nov. 25.
The first standalone Virtual Reality Developers Conference (VRDC) has wrapped up a sold-out show in San Francisco. The two-day event welcomed more than 750 virtual reality and augmented reality professionals from nearly 30 countries, who came to take in immersive sessions on the latest trends and topics in the new visual media frontier.
“After a successful launch alongside GDC, we knew a solo event for the VR community would meet the needs and interests of our dedicated audience – VRDC did not disappoint,” said Meggan Scavio, General Manager, GDC and VRDC. “Our conference hosted an incredible group of professionals spanning different countries, industries, and key companies truly passionate about this booming industry. We could not be more pleased with the outcome of VRDC and are thrilled to grow the events in 2017 on the heels of such successful launches.”
An 11-person Advisory Board of VR gurus was tasked with reviewing and selecting the content for VRDC 2016: Noah Falstein (Google), Robert Stevenson (Oculus), Chet Faliszek (Valve), Richard Marks (Sony Interactive Entertainment), Graeme Devine (Magic Leap), Alex Schwartz (creator of Job Simulator, Owlchemy Labs), Colin Northway (Fantastic Contraption), Jazmin Cano (High Fidelity), Timoni West (Unity Labs), Tracey John (Minds + Assembly) and Christina Heller (VR Playhouse).
The result was a packed program with sessions covering a range of VR and AR technology applications, including government, healthcare, retail, entertainment and more through talks by NASA, The White House, Google and IBM, among others. The VRDC Partner Lounge was also a popular destination, presenting the latest innovations from the likes of Google VR, Microsoft, FOVE, Intel, Morph3D, HTC VIVE, Viveport, et al.
The next VRDC event is scheduled for February 27-28, 2017 alongside GDC (Feb. 27-March 3) in San Francisco. A second annual standalone VRDC will take place next fall.
Stuttgart-based LUXX Film GmbH — the development and production partner to animation and VFX house LUXX Studios (Independence Day: Resurgence) — has released the first official teaser for its original CG animated feature Manou the Swift.
The film follows a young bird named Manou, who tries hard to be like his seagull parents. Unfortunately, he is not very gifted at swimming, fishing and flying like the other seagulls. When he finds out why it comes as a shock: Manou is adopted, and he is actually one of the much-hated swifts! When both bird clans get into trouble, it’s up to Manou to use his swift ingenuity and seagull courage to save the day.
Manou is supported by MFG Baden-Wuerttemberg, having been selected for the European co-production market at CineKid 2012 and nominated for Best German Scriptwriting for Animation at ITFS in 2011. The film also won the Prime 4 Kids Award for screenwriting at CineKid 2011 (Producer & co-writer Andrea Block of LUXX Film and screenwriter Axel Melzener). The project is underway at LUXX Studios and slated for release in 2017.
Sola Media GmbH is representing Manou the Swift at AFM (Loews 629). Visit luxx-films.com for more information.
At AFM in Santa Monica, Studio 100 Media (German) and Red Kite Animation (UK) announced a new feature collaboration, Princess Emmy – The Movie. Red Kite is a co-producer with Studio 100 Media and its parent company, Studio 100 NV (Belgium). Munch-based Studio 100 Film is international sales agency.
Princess Emmy – The Movie will be directed by Piet de Rycker (Laura’s Star, Little Polar Bear). The story centers on a young princess who is severely put to the test, and risks everything to win her right to possess a truly remarkable gift. Set for delivery in 2018, the film has already sold in 98 countries worldwide.
“We are very pleased to be working on such a wonderful, delightfully charming property, with one of Europe’s most successful children’s and family media businesses and with talent such as Piet de Rycker,” says Ken Anderson, CEO of Red Kite Animation.
“Red Kite Animation is an award-winning production company that specializes in the development and production of children’s animated content. We are delighted to team up with such a renowned company for our Emmy. We have enjoyed working together in the development and are, of course, looking forward to the production,” comments Patrick Elmendorff, Producer and CEO of Studio 100 Media.
VIDEO: Insight: Brad Bird on Animation
A new video essay edited by Kees van Dikhuizen Jr. masterfully strings together the director’s insights from DVD commentary and behind-the-scenes documentaries.
Allegorithmic Launches Substance Source
The 3D texturing tech leader has opened a new online content library offering 3D artists a massive amount of high-quality, customizable, physically based materials.
Call for Applications: ANIDOX:LAB 2017
The Animation Workshop in Viborg, Denmark and the Danish Film Inst. are seeking documentarians and animators to create creative, informative and impactful new projects through the ANIDOX:LAB training project.
ACMI Announces Screen It 2016 Winners
The stand-out finalists in the film, animation and games categories have been selected in Australia’s largest moving image competition for school kids. Congrats to all!
Organizers of the Edge of Frame Weekend will present an eye-opening lineup of screenings and discussions focused on experimental animation next month as part of the London International Animation Festival. The event runs December 9-11 at Whitechapel Gallery and Close-Up Cinema.
Visitors can expect a bold blend of contemporary British and international films, classic works and rarely seen pieces of experimental animation history in two programs curated by Edge of Frame’s Edwin Rostron. The festival also includes a guest-curated set from Chicago’s Eyeworks Festival of Experimental Animation co-directors Lilli Carré and Alexander Stewart.
Rostron and Stewart will introduce screenings, and a number of filmmakers will be present to discuss their work.
Edge of Frame Weekend will kick off Friday, Dec. 9 with an Animation Seminar at Whitechapel Gallery from 2 to 5 p.m., with artists, curators and writers addressing the current position of experimental animation. Tickets available here.
Using the material of film itself as a canvas, these visceral, vibrant films feature camera-less techniques such as scratching, painting and printing onto the filmstrip, subjecting film to decay and decomposition, and affixing materials such as letraset or insects to its surface. The remarkable visions created through these diverse approaches fill the frame with dynamic textures and color, many presented on 16mm and 35mm prints.
Films: Linear Dreams (Richard Reeves, Canada, 2012), Queen’s Quay (Stephen Broomer, Canada, 2012), Landfill 16 (Jennifer Reeves, USA, 2011), Something Between Us (Jodie Mack, U.S., 2015), Mothlight (Stan Brakhage, U.S., 1963), Dresden Dynamo (Lis Rhodes, U.K., 1971-1972), Primal (Vicky Smith, U.K., 2016), Sunset Strip (Kayla Parker, U.K., 1996), Deep Red (Esther Urlus, Netherlands, 2012), Get Set (Ian Helliwell, U.K., 2005), Colour Poems (Margaret Tait, U.K., 1974), Little Boy (Jordan Baseman, U.K., 2016)
From bold personal visions to intricate and visually stunning formal experiments, mixing contemporary animation by British and international artists with classic and rarely seen historical works, the program reveals connections and threads running through the many forms of experimental animation.
Films include: Soft Crash (Alan Warburton, U.K., 2016), Mind Frame (Jake Fried, U.S., 2016), Nightclub (Jonathan Hodgson, U.K., 1983), More Dangerous Than a Thousand Rioters (Kelly Gallagher, U.S., 2016), Easyout (Pat O’Neill, U.S., 1971) and Futon (Yoriko Mizushiri, Japan, 2012).
Acclaimed artists, filmmakers, designers, animators and curators, Carré and Stewarthave each created unique and substantial bodies of work, utilizing a diverse range of techniques including drawn, digital, photocopied and computer generated animation. This final program is an opportunity to see a selection of their extraordinary moving image works, produced individually and collaboratively.
The Edge of Frame Weekend is curated by Edge of Frame and Animate Projects. It is supported by Jerwood Charitable Foundation, Royal College of Art, and public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.
More Dangerous Than a Thousand Rioters by Kelly Gallagher
Houston-based Anime Network, a leading independent Japanese anime and pop culture entertainment programmer, has launched its premium SVOD service on Xfinity On Demand, available now to Comcast customers across Xfinity TV platforms.
Anime Network On Demand subscribers will have 24-hour access to a curated selection of anime television series and movies, which can also be accessed on the Xfinity TV app and online portal. Continuous updates will make 19 to 38 hours of new content available each month — three to five new series (36-65 episodes) and one to three new movies.
The $6.99 per month subscription service launches on Xfinity On Demand with fan-favorite, critically acclaimed titles including Appleseed, Grave of the Fireflies, Beautiful Bones: Sakurako’s Investigation, Food Wars!, High School of the Dead, Parasyte -the maxim- and Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto.
“Teaming up with Comcast enables us to deliver the best anime series and movies to a tremendous, passionate audience,” said John Ledford, Founder and returning CEO of Anime Network. “With more than 22 million video subscribers, this partnership with Comcast brings Anime Network to fans more than ever before.”
Ledford founded Anime Network in 2002 as North America’s first, and now No. 1-ranked, anime TV network. The network reaches more than 45 million homes via cable and satellite TV.
From the American Film Market on Thursday, DDI President Jason Moring announced that critically acclaimed comedian and Emmy nominee Samantha Bee (Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, The Daily Show) and award-winning actor Martin Short (Saturday Night Live, Frankenweenie) will be voicing characters in the animated feature film Elliot: The Littlest Reindeer.
Produced by Dan Krech and Lucas Lynette-Krech under their Awesometown Entertainment banner, Elliot: The Littlest Reindeer is based on a multi-award winning screenplay, named the best Canadian screenplay in all categories by Prexis and winner of the Angel Award for Best Children’s Screenplay at the Monaco Int’l Film Festival.
Elliot: The Littlest Reindeer relates what happens when, after Blitzen announces his retirement on December 21st, a miniature horse has three days to fulfill his lifelong dream of earning a spot on Santa’s sleigh team during the North Pole Try-Outs.
“We’ve added two extremely talented comedians, Samantha and Martin, who will surely bring some cheer to this fun-loving holiday movie,” said Moring.
DDI is selling Elliot at AFM (Loews #711), where its lineup also includes animated adventure Spark and live-action projects Triple Word Score, You, Me and Him, Super Troopers 2 and Think Like a Dog.
Turner’s global brand Boomerang, a companion kids’ channel to Cartoon Network, is now available in Taiwan for the first time. The territory expansion brings an additional 1.6 million subscribers across Kbro and Taiwan Mobile platforms, increasing Boomerang’s distribution in Asia Pacific to 32 million households since its relaunch in late 2014.
The on-air offerings will be complemented in the region with videos and games available through the kid-safe tablet app Boomerang Watch and Play.
“To see Boomerang’s country count and regional distribution maintain this kind of momentum is fantastic,” said Phil Nelson, Turner’s Managing Director for North and Southeast Asia Pacific. “Cartoon Network is already the No. 1 international Kids channel in Taiwan and Boomerang will complement it perfectly – providing viewers with the ultimate family-friendly destination for iconic cartoon franchises.”
Starting November 14, the all-animation network will have both Mandarin audio and traditional Chinese subtitles for its impressive line-up of classic characters, new series and movies aimed at kids 4-9 and their families and caregivers.
In addition to popular Warner Bros. Animation favorites Tom and Jerry, Scooby-Doo and Looney Tunes, Boomerang Taiwan will offer new shows including Bunnicula, as well as Talking Tom from Outfit7, and the madcap comedy Grizzy and the Lemmings, Studio Hari’s much-buzzed-about MIPJunior hit.
Further international acquisitions on Boomerang include The Garfield Show, Pink Panther and Pals, Strawberry Shortcake, Mr. Bean: The Animated Series and Inspector Gadget. November will also see new episodes of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, Barbie and Tom and Jerry.
Russian animation powerhouse Wizart is attending the American Film Market this week (Loews #721) with a number of feature films on offer. These include completed projects The Snow Queen, The Snow Queen 2, Sheep and Wolves and The Snow Queen 3: Fire and Ice, for which the studio has released a brand-new poster and stills which you can check out below.
Directed by Alexey Tsitsilin, the third movie in Wizart Animation’s break-out franchise offers even more CG magic. Don’t miss Tom McLean’s interview with executive producer Vladimir Nikolaev in the December issue of Animation Magazine, available at AFM.
The Snow Queen 3 synopsis:
The rare gift of getting into all kinds of trouble is their family trait. What else can you expect from the ones raised among trolls in snowy lands? But now Kai and Gerda have grown up and entered a new stage – this time they are going to cause a global disaster…
YouTube has announced that November 16 will see the launch of its first original animated series Paranormal Action Squad exclusively on YouTube Red. The not-for-kids cartoon from gaming and animation creators Vanoss, SeaNanners and Mr_Sark is directed by Michael Rowe — Emmy-winning writer for Futurama and Family Guy — and produced by 3BlackDot.
Paranormal Action Squad is an eight-episode comedy that follows paranormal enthusiasts Paul (voiced by SeaNanners) and Eddie (voiced by Mr_Sark) who, along with their squad mates and enthusiastic neighbor Vanoss (voiced by Vanoss), have made it their mission to uncover the mysteris of the ghostly universe. Each episode follows these ill-equipped paranormal investigators as they fight supernatural forces for desperate clients — and try not to make things worse.
Check out Mr_Sark’s potentially NSFW first-look behind-the-scenes and teaser video below.
YouTube Red is a paid membership offering an enhanced, uninterrupted experience across YouTube, YouTube Music and YouTube Gaming. Members also get exclusive access to new original series and movies from top YT creators. Available in US, Australia, New Zealand and Mexico.
For next year’s edition, that can’t miss European feature animation co-production forum Cartoon Movie is pulling up stakes from Lyon and moving to Bordeaux, the ancient heart of France’s prosperous wine region. Event organizers anticipate 750 participants from 40 countries to converge on the port city to preview the latest projects from March 8-10, 2017.
Bordeaux was chosen for the vitality of its rapidly growing digital economy — a 21st century contrast to its distinction as the city with the most preserved historic buildings in France outside Paris. Another key factor is the bright, modern and easily accessible Bordeaux Congress Centre. Bordeaux is also a mere hour’s train ride from Angoulême where Pôle Image Magelis has gathered a unique cluster of 30 animation studios — internationally acclaimed films Kirikou and Ernest & Celestine were produced in Angoulême.
Tying in to Bordeaux Metropole’s very active digital imaging industry, the city will hold a digital economy gathering, “La Grande Jonction,” as a prelude to Cartoon Movie on March 8. That afternoon, another event will be held with the aim of establishing new partnerships between the European animation film sector and videogame/transmedia companies: “Cartoon Games & Apps.”
Cartoon Movie, begun in 1999, brings together filmmakers, distributors, studios, agents and broadcasters from across Europe to pitch and consider new feature animation projects, and has so far enabled 259 European animated films to be funded and distributed worldwide. Among the most popular Cartoon Movie alumni are The Triplets of Belleville, Minuscule, Shaun the Sheep, Asterix and the Vikings, Sammy’s Adventures, Pirates!, Niko & the Way to the Stars, Maya the Bee, Zarafa and Song of the Sea.
The event has been key in quintupling local animated feature production over 15 years (with cinema attendance for animation increasing from 20 million to 220 million). Animation is also the most widely exported audiovisual category worldwide, with 25% of features distributed in 20 or more countries (French animated films have generated almost 85M theater admissions worldwide, 50% overseas).
Disney XD’s upcoming 2D series adaptation of its smash-hit, Oscar-winning Marvel Comics movie Big Hero 6 will see many of the original cast members return when it debuts in 2017, joined by a couple fresh voices.
Reprising their roles are Maya Rudolph as Aunt Cass; Jamie Chung as no-nonsense, speed genius, Go Go; Scott Adsit as huggable robot, Baymax; Alan Tudyk as tech guru, Alistair Krei; Ryan Potter as tech genius, Hiro; Genesis Rodriguez as quirky scientist, Honey Lemon; David Shaughnessy as the butler, Heathcliff; and Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee as Fred’s dad.
Also joining the main voice cast are Khary Payton (The Lion Guard) as control freak Wasabi and Brooks Wheelan (Saturday Night Live) as fanboy Fred.
The show is executive produced by Emmy winners Mark McCorkle, Bob Schooley and Nick Filippi — the team behind Kim Possible. Filippi also serves as supervising director on the Disney Television Animation production.
Big Hero 6 the series picks up immediately after the events of the film, continuing the adventures and friendship of 14-year-old tech genius Hiro and his compassionate, cutting-edge robot, Baymax. With their friends Wasabi, Honey Lemon, Go Go and Fred, they form the high-tech superhero team Big Hero 6 to protect their city from an array of scientifically enhanced villains. And that’s on top of Hiro’s everyday academic challenges and social trials as the new prodigy at San Fransokyo Institute of Technology.
Additional guest cast includes: Jenifer Lewis (black-ish) as strict Professor Granville; Andrew Scott (Sherlock) as villain Obake; comedian Andy Richter as Globby; Diedrich Bader (American Housewife) as Bluff Dunder; Susan Sullivan (Castle) as Fred’s mother; Sean Giambrone (The Goldbergs) as Richardson Mole; John Ross Bowie (Speechless) as Mel; and Haley Tju (Bella and the Bulldogs) as classmate Karmi.
On Tuesday, November 1, Animation Magazine was delighted to honor a few of the brightest stars in the animation and visual effects universe with the 5th Annual World Animation and VFX Summit Hall of Fame Awards. The 2016 honorees — Betty Cohen, Butch Hartman, Michael Hirsh, Travis Knight, Ellen Poon and Pierre Sissmann — were feted at an evening Awards Gala held in the Hotel Casa del Mar in Santa Monica, California.
Betty Cohen, a renowned TV network and digital media executive who was founding President of Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and Boomerang, received her award from celebrated film producer Gale Anne Hurd.
Butch Hartman, the multiple Emmy- and Annie-nominated and BAFTA-winning creator of Nickelodeon series The Fairly OddParents, Danny Phantom and T.U.F.F. Puppy, received his award from animation producer and founder of Frederator!, Fred Seibert.
Michael Hirsh, a highly accomplished entrepreneur and executive and founder of Nelvana and TeleTOON Canada, was reunited with a familiar face as respected children’s and family entertainment executive Toper Taylor, fellow co-founder of Cookie Jar, presented his award.
Travis Knight, President & CEO of renowned animation studio LAIKA and the director/producer of Kubo and the Two Strings — as well as producer and lead animator on The Boxtrolls and ParaNorman; and lead animator for Coraline — was chivalrously awarded by Sir Ben Kingsley, who won a voice acting Annie for his role in The Boxtrolls to complement his Oscar and Golden Globe statuettes.
Ellen Poon, an acclaimed VFX supervisor and producer whose many credits include Disney’s Frozen, Zootopia, and this year’s much-anticipated feature Moana, received her award from VFX guru, director and producer Mark Dippé.
Pierre Sissmann, Chairman, CEO and Founder of leading French animation company, Cyber Group Studios, had the distinction of receiving the most 21st century introduction, with The Tornante Company founder and former Disney CEO Michael Eisner presenting via video.
The Hall of Fame Awards Gala was the festive endcap to the 2016 World Animation & VFX Summit, finishing this year’s edition the way Animation Magazine Publisher and Summit founder Jean Thoren aims to tackle every milepost on the animation highway: as a celebration. We hope to see you at the 2017 edition!
World Animation & VFX Summit 2016 Hall of Fame Awardees: (L-R) Michael Hirsh, Pierre Sissmann, Betty Cohen, Ellen Poon, Butch Hartman, Travis Knight. Photo by Will Thoren.
How Titmouse Animates the Bejeezes out of ‘Son of Zorn’
Chris Prynoski and his team dish on making their ‘80s action toon hero interact with the real world for the Fox hybrid sitcom. Pouring coffee has never been so complicated.
Call for Entries: Chilemonos Festival of Animation 2017
Submit your animated features, shorts, student shorts, music videos and Latin American series by January 6 for the 6th annual fest in Santiago, Chile (May 9-14, 2017)!
Two New Episodes of ‘Fantastic Friends’ Now Online
Check out the latest adventures of Fart Laser Dude, Pumpkin the Pink Puppy, Speed, Ramjet, William Burroughs and Abe Lincoln in their timeless battle for justice!
A new trailer for Illumination Entertainment’s Sing has dropped, and your jaw just might drop along with it. The spot is packed with an assortment of animal characters that put Noah and his Ark to shame, and shines a light on the kind of high-stakes, chance-of-a-lifetime emotional weight they carry (all set to a powerful track list, of course).
Sing is written and directed by Garth Jennings (Son of Rambow, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy) and produced by Chris Meledandri and Janet Healy, Sing stars Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon, with Seth MacFarlane, Scarlett Johansson, John C. Reilly, Taron Egerton and Tori Kelly, and features more than 65 hit songs.
Synopsis:
Set in a world like ours but entirely inhabited by animals, Sing stars Buster Moon (McConaughey), a dapper koala who presides over a once-grand theater that has fallen on hard times. Buster is an eternal-some might even say delusional-optimist who loves his theater above all and will do anything to preserve it. Now faced with the crumbling of his life’s ambition, he has one final chance to restore his fading jewel to its former glory by producing the world’s greatest singing competition.
Five lead contestants emerge: Mike (MacFarlane), a mouse who croons as smoothly as he cons; Meena (Kelly), a timid teenage elephant with an enormous case of stage fright; Rosita (Witherspoon), an overtaxed mother run ragged tending a litter of 25 piglets; Johnny (Egerton), a young gangster gorilla looking to break free of his family’s felonies; and Ash (Johansson), a punk-rock porcupine struggling to shed her arrogant boyfriend and go solo.
Each arrives under Buster’s marquee believing that this is their shot to change the course of their life. And as Buster coaches each of his contestants closer and closer to the grand finale, he starts to learn that maybe the theater isn’t the only thing that is in need of saving.
