Berlin’s biggest short film festival, interfilm, is preparing for its 2016 edition which will run November 14-20 at multiple cinemas and venues (including the planetarium) across the city. Amid the 500 films and 60 programs which have been curated for the event, interfilm is showcasing animation in five dedicated programs — including two foreign focuses on Italian and Chinese animation.
On the animation menu for interfilm 2016:
Focus on China: Animate Matter
Nov. 18 at 3 p.m., Babylon 2 | Nov. 20 at 7 p.m., Roter Salon Animated film is such a beloved course of study in China that the universities are almost drowning in students, and the thematic diversity of new work is matched only by the diversity of aesthetic and technique.
Focus on China: Chinamation – A History of Chinese Animation
Nov. 18 at 8 p.m., Babylon 3 | Nov. 20 at 5 p.m., Babylon 2 A selection of extraordinary animated short films that throw light on China’s long tradition of animated film. Philosophical themes are paired with unique styles and innovative material, offering perspective on the Zeitgeist in which the films were created.
Focus on Italy: Animatalia
Nov. 17 at 9 p.m., Babylon 2 | Nov. 19 at 9 p.m., Gruner Salon Enchantingly creative and bursting with expressive force, new Italian animation embraces the tradition of past masters while enriching it with innovative ideas. See the latest work of Blu, Roberto Catani, Igor Imhoff and Simone Massi.
Focus on Italy: La Linea Animata – A Retrospective of Animated Shorts from Italy
Nov. 20 at 3:30 p.m., Babylon 1 From dark and gripping to exuberant and colorful, the masterpieces of this genre from the last 70 years bubble with ideas and creative richness. The styles are as diverse as the makers, among them Bruno Bozzetto, Manfredo Manfredi, or Simone Massi.
International Competition: Animated 1 – Crossing Worlds
Nov. 17 at 2:30 p.m., Babylon 1 | Nov. 19 at 3:30, Babylon 1 | Nov. 20 at 7:45 p.m., Eiszeit Positioned on the fringes of mainstream, the animated short presents variety and formal diversity that are hard to beat. Includes Ainslie Henderson’s Stems, Georges Schwizgebel’s Eriking, Alberto Vazquez’s Decorado.
International Competition: Animated 2 – Searching for Sense
Nov. 16 at 4:30 p.m., Babylon 1 | Nov. 18 at 10 p.m., Hackesche Hofe 2 | Nov. 20 at 7:30 p.m., Babylon 1 Animations that place their respective protagonists before a challenge and simultaneously test the viewer. Includes Jan Saska’s Happy End, Franck Dion’s The Head Vanishes, Isabel Herguera’s Amore d’inverno.
Disney Developing Live-Action Snow White
Walt’s groundbreaking fairytale feature is the latest Disney animation classic to be lined up for a musical “reimagining.” Erin Cressida Wilson (The Girl on the Train) is in negotiations to write.
VRDC Spotlight Interviews – October
Q&As with Google Daydream Product Manager Nathan Martz on “VR for everyone” and Intel’s GM of VR & Gaming, Frank Soqui.
A very inventive new preschool series, Rusty Rivets premieres on Nick Jr. next Tuesday, November 8 at 1 p.m. ET. Ahead of the premiere, Nick has shared with us an exclusive clip from the debut episode “Rusty’s Rex Rescue” to get your gears turning!
Created and produced by Spin Master Entertainment (PAW Patrol), Rusty Rivets (26 x half-hour) centers on a 21st century kid hero who always saves the day with his imagination and resourcefulness (and encourages young viewers to do the same). Ten-year-old Rusty, along with his best bud Ruby, invents his way out of every jam by repurposing spare parts and found objects into the wildest, coolest, most awesome contraptions ever.
In the series premiere, “Rusty’s Rex Rescue/Rusty’s Park N’ Fly,” Rusty’s friend Liam gets trapped on top of a tall stack of junk in Rusty’s Recycling Yard. To rescue Liam, Rusty and Ruby design a Jurassic robot who ultimately becomes their new trusty friend Botasaur. In the next adventure, Rusty and his friends must bring Mr. Higgins’ remote control plane down safely when it can’t land. Together, they must engineer a daredevil rescue to save the plane.
The CG animated adventures that highlight teamwork and creative problem solving will join the channel’s excellent lineup of programs for little ones — year-to-date, Nickelodeon ranks as the No. 1 network for preschools, owning all of Q3 2016’s top five: PAW Patrol, Blaze and the Monster Machines, Shimmer and Shine, Bubble Guppies and Team Umizoomi.
When an upcoming episode of hit live-action series Jane the Virgin called for an animated fantasy sequence, CBS and CW turned to Toronto-based Cuppa Coffee Studios to deliver. The season three episode, “Chapter Forty-Seven” premieres Monday, Oct. 31 at 9 p.m.
The animated sequence was designed and animated by Cuppa Coffee, which used Toon Boom Harmony and completed production in three weeks. Chris Morris served as director.
“The concept came from Jennie Snyder Urman, the show’s Exec. Producer, and required us to create both sensitive and fun animated caricatures of Gina Rodriguez and Brett Dier, the show’s two leads,” Morris explained. “From there we were able to design a world and color palette that tied in with the show but also exemplified the zany nature of the fantasy.”
The sequence design has a distinct, Miami-inspired flair, and see Rodriguez and Dier’s characters Jane and Michael taking a memorable world tour with the help of a space rocket.
“We wanted to give a ’60s vibe in the same way as Bewitched or I Dream of Jeannie had,” added Adam Shaheen, Cuppa Coffee Studios Executive Producer.
Studio 100 Media has cinched a new deal with Czech network Ceska Televize for FTA rights to roughly 200 half-hours of kids’ programming. Included in the package is the CG-animated Vic the Viking, which already airs in 100 countries worldwide, and library highlights like the classic Maya the Bee series.
“We are happy to expand our collaboration with Ceska televize with our well-known animation brands,” said Martin Krieger, Studio 100 Media’s Head of Global Distribution. “We believe that they will be just as popular on Czech Free TV as they have proved to be in other territories and that children will enjoy the opportunity to follow the wonderful adventures of Vic the Viking, Molly Monster, Big & Small, Maya the Bee and Knietzsche.”
The company has also recently sold its new CG-animated series Arthur and the Minimoys (26 x 26) to Finland’s Nelonen Media — a multichannel media company which is part of Sanoma Media Finland. Nelonen acquired exclusive TV rights for both free and pay channels. Arthur and the Minimoys, based on Luc Besson’s successful book and hybrid movie trilogy, ranked No. 6 out of the most-viewed titles at MIP Junior this year. The first episodes are slated for delivery by December 2017.
“We are delighted about this extended collaboration with Nelonen Media who is already on board with us for two of our latest productions, Nils Holgersson (52 x 13′) and The Wild Adventures of Blinky Bill (52 x 12′). We are confident that each of the three new CGI series will capture kids’ attention in Finland and further across international territories,” said Krieger.
Color Giants: Brooklyn Animation Expo 2016 – Nov. 6
Animation Nights New York, Cartuna and Brooklyn Horror Film Fest will present some amazing shorts blocks starting at 6 p.m., rounded out by Yeon Sang-ho’s feature length zombie flick Seoul Station.
Skylanders Academy Series Now Available on Netflix
The first 13-episode season of the videogame-inspired series from Activision Blizzard and top French studio TeamTO has launched on the streaming giant.
The 20th anniversary edition of the animago AWARD competition was celebrated Thursday with a festive event held for the first time in Munich’s Gasteig Centre, attended by 550 guests. The international honors for 3D animation and still image, visual effects, visualization and design selected Argentinean production Uncanny Valley as the 2016 Best Short Film.
A total of 1,076 projects from 58 countries were submitted to this year’s animago competition. An independent expert jury narrowed these down to 33 nominees in nine categories. The AWARDS ceremony formed the highlight of the two-day animago CONFERENCE, which brought in over 1,000 participants to explore the latest industry standards, trends and perspectives.
2016 animago AWARDS Winners
Best Short Film: Uncanny Valley – 3DAR, Argentina
Jury’s Prize: Ma’agalim – Uri Lotan & Yoav Shtibelman, Israel
Best Visualization: A Guide to Happy – Panoply Creative, Great Britain
Best Young Production (€3,000 prize from Digital Production magazine): Garden Party – Théophile Dufresne, Florian Babikian, Gabriel Grapperon, Lucas Navarro, Vincent Bayoux & Victor Claire; MOPA, France
Best Advertising Production: Face the Darkness – Andreas Bruns, Philipp Walz, Carl Schröter, Francesco Faranna & Emanuel Fuchs; Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Best Character: Alike – Daniel Martínez Lara & Rafa Cano Méndez; La Fiesta Producciones Cinematograficas, Spain
Best Motion Design: Urban Surfaces – Sebastian Lange (Qu-int) & Peter Hankowiak (AV Medien), Germany
Best Visual Effects: Captain America: Civil War – Lagos Heist Sequence – RISE Visual Effects Studios, Germany
Best Game Cinematic: For Honor – Unit Image, Ubisoft, France
Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products has allied with fashion accessory brand Skinnydip London for the second of a two-part Simpsons collaboration: The Simpsons Undressed X Skinnydip capsule collection.
The collection plays up the humor of The Simpsons characters Mr. Burns, Moe Szyslak and the Bouvier Sisters in a fashionable fusion with Skinnydip’s fun, “girl power” aesthetic. The limited edition collection includes iPhone cases, clutch bags, cross-body bags, makeup bags and pins.
The Simpsons Undressed X Skinnydip line can be found at Skinnydip flagship stores on Neal Street and off Carnaby Street, Topshop concessions worldwide, Selfridges, ASOS, and skinnydiplondon.com (available now).
“We’re really excited to launch this new Skinnydip x Simpsons range. If our past collaboration is any indication, we have no doubt that every true Simpsons and Skinnydip fan is going to love this collection as much as we do,” said Skinnydip London co-founder Lewis Blitz.
“We are thrilled about our partnership with Skinnydip,” added Sandra Vauthier-Cellier, SVP Consumer Products EMEA for Fox. “This new collection is a reflection on their excellent creative flair and ability to capture the fun of The Simpsons; translating that into a playful collection of fashion accessories”
Portfolio Entertainment departs MIPCOM with a new grip of international deals for kids’ animated comedy series Freaktown in its pocket. Aimed at kids 6-11, the 26 x 30 toon is produced by Portfolio and commissioned by TELETOON Canada.
Freaktown has been picked up by Sony Pictures Television for its UK channel, Kix; Denmark’s DR for DR ULTRA Channel; and Disney for its channels in India.
“Freaktown’s mix of everything sweet and cuddly with the gleefully gross and slimy continues to hook kids everywhere who love seeing these two worlds and their characters collide at every turn,” said Jonathan Abraham, Director of International Sales and Acquisitions, Portfolio Entertainment. “We’re thrilled to ink these new deals and bring this highly-entertaining series to new homes in the U.K., Denmark and India.”
Synopsis:
Freaktown is the last place where it’s cool to be a ghoul. Mutants and misfits of all sorts are welcome to hang out and just be who they are: freaks. Best friends Ben Bones (a skeleton with soul) and Lenny (a mutant mantis) are living “la vida freaky” as they guard against a massive makeover of the cute and cuddly kind, courtesy of Princess Boo Boo, the spoiled brat ruler of Sweetlandia. Try as she might, Boo Boo and her right- hand bear, Lord Cuddles the Fluffy, simply can’t keep the lid on all Freaktown’s fun. You see, no one is going to sugar frost Freaktown on Ben Bones’ watch!
The series is a concept by Peter Ricq and Philippe Ivanusic who are also the creators of The League of Super Evil.
At MIPCOM 2016, Telegael (Ireland), Discreet Art (India) and Areavisual/La Mar Media (Colombia) inked an agreement to co-produce a new animated preschool series, Ana the Pirate (52 x 7). The partnership was facilitated by Kreiworks Australia, and marks the first collaboration between the three companies.
A short,Spanish-language pilot series titled Ana Pirata, created in Colombia, currently airs on Discovery Kids Latin America. This series was selected as a finalist at the 2016 Prix Jeunesse International, where it was also nominated for the Gender Equity prize.
The new full-length, CG animated show will be produced initially in English, Spanish and Irish, and distributed globally. Ana the Pirate / Ana Pirata is expected to debut on TV in 2018.
Ana the Pirate follows a young girl who becomes an intrepid pirate when her magic bathtub transforms into a pirate ship. On the open sea, Ana the Pirate and her loyal, comical rubber duck named Cua-Cua live out fantastic adventures.
Each episode demonstrates that everyone can be brave in the face of risk and danger. The series aims to challenge gender stereotypes, empower women and promote pro-social behavior including teamwork and conflict resolution.
UK Japanese animation distributor Manga Entertainment has teamed up with 4K Media to distribute the latest card-battling feature Yu-Gi-Oh! The Dark Side of Dimensions to over 120 cinemas across the United Kingdom and Ireland. The limited-time theatrical engagement kicks off February 1, 2017.
“Yu-Gi-Oh! The Dark Side of Dimensions is the film fans have been waiting 10 years for, and we are absolutely delighted to be bringing this to audiences in the UK and Ireland. This is an amazing opportunity for us to work closely with 4K Media to showcase this fantastic film to original fans as well as introduce the brand to a whole new generation,” said Andrew Hewson, Marketing Manager of Manga Entertainment. “For a limited time only you can catch your favorite Yu-Gi-Oh! characters up on the big screen in their latest action-packed adventure!”
Synopsis:
In Yu-Gi-Oh! The Dark Side of Dimensions, the stakes have never been higher; the rivalries never as fierce; the risks never so great. One wrong move—one card short—and it’s game over for good. A decade in the making, Yu-Gi-Oh! The Dark Side of Dimensions features new designs and an all-new story from the original creator of the global phenomenon, Kazuki Takahashi. His masterful tale features anime’s most beloved characters in their long-awaited return: Yugi Muto, Seto Kaiba and their faithful friends Joey Wheeler, Tristan Taylor, Téa Gardner and Bakura. It’s the most highly anticipated re-YU-nion ever!
In further Yu-Gi-News, 4K has expanded the brand’s international presence with new licensing partnerships:
P. & R. Permissions & Rights Ltd./Prava i prevodi will introduce stickers and promotional sticker albums in the fourth quarter of 2016, based on artwork developed from the Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, Yu-Gi-Oh!5D’s and Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL series. (Available in Eastern Europe, including Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Slovenia, and Macedonia.)
And Sakami Merchandise will release plush toys based on the characters appearing in Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters and Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V series and be available in Q1 2017. Focusing on specialty retailers and hobby shops that sell manga, the Yu-Gi-Oh! plush toys will be designed to appeal to both younger boys and avid collector/gamers in many European countries.
The 17th international VIEW Conference was held in Torino, Italy this week, bringing together animation artists, professionals and technology innovators from around the world. One of the highlights of the annual event is the VIEW Award competition, the winners of which have just been announced.
Taking the first prize 2016 VIEW Award is Vieil Ours(Old Bear), directed by Chen Chen and produced by Pierre Dron. The jury cited Chen’s “ability to create an expressive story without dialog, a story with layers of meaning, and an animation style that is perfect for the design. Chen will receive the first prize purse of 2,000 euros.
Completed in 2016, the 11’32” film centers on an old bear who is losing his mind. He shares an apartment with a young (human) woman, who cares for him despite his issues. But the old bear longs to return to nature. Vieil Ours is produced by Citron Bien and distributed by Yummy Films.
An Honorable Mention went to À La Dérive (Drifting Away), an emotional, hand-drawn short directed by Cyprien Clément-Delmas. Jurors noted its “unique style, the painterly environments, and the interesting use of transparency to show the impact of a father’s depression on his small family.” The film is produced by Fabian Driehorst (Fabien&Fred GmbH) and distributed by APEmanStudio.
Additional honors were bestowed on Beer by Charles Bukowksi from NERDO Creative Studios (Best Design); Fox and Whale by Robin Joseph (Best Environments); and Green Light by Seongmin Kim, from DF Lab and producer Haejung Suk (Best Character, “Robot”).
The 2016 VIEW Awards jury included Conrad Vernon (director, Sausage Party), David Feiss (director, Open Season: Scared Silly), Byron Howard (director, Zootopia), John Halstead (TD, Pixar), Adam Volker (Creative Director, Moonbot Studios), Prof. Deborah Fowler (SCAD), Lucia Modesto (VFX supervisor, TV Globo), VFX supervisor Steve Emerson, Chris Perry (Founder, Bit Films), Daniele Volpe (Gnomon Workshop), Elisa Cantamessa (University of Turin), Agata Soccini (University of Turin), Prof. Maria Elena Gutierrez (President of the Jury, Director VIEW Conference & VIEWFest) and journalist Barbara Robertson, Chair of the Jury.
Q&A with Disney’s ‘Moana’ Animation Supervisor Reveals Creative Process<?
“People think the computer gives you a lot to work with, but usually the computer is trying to rip apart everything you want out of the animation or the character.” Malcon Pierce speaks to The Shorthorn ahead of UTA stop for #MoanaArtistTour.
At the Silicon Valley launch event for Microsoft’s Surface Studio, Smith Micro Software showcased updates to its award-winning 2D animation tool Moho 12 (formerly Anime Studio). Topping the new features list is optimization for use with Microsoft’s new Surface Dial, making it faster and easier than ever to create complex animations.
“Moho 12 is already the most complete drawing and animation solution on the market. Now with the power of the new Microsoft Surface Studio, and the ease and creativity afforded by the new Surface Dial, Moho turns the tedious work of traditional animation into a faster, more streamlined digital experience,” said Fahim Niaz, Director of Product Management at Smith Micro Software.
“We are excited to see how the Moho animation software comes alive on the Surface Studio and takes advantage of Surface Dial to allow people to more quickly and easily create complex animations,” added John Richards, General Manager of Surface at Microsoft. “The Smith Micro experience on Surface Studio is a fantastic example of how Surface Dial can deliver real value and open new possibilities and efficiencies to creative professionals.”
The enabled Moho features for Surface Studio and Surface Dial include:
New Overlay Timeline: When the Surface Dial is on the screen, a new overlay timeline appears following its position, hiding other windows and allowing the artist to intuitively navigate in time, and animate using the entire screen.
Rigged Characters: The Surface Dial allows artists to easily select frames within the timeline where new animation can be added to rigged characters using Moho’s SmartBones feature. As movements are added via pen or cursor, the animator can use the Surface Dial to scroll back and forth through the new animation sequence to easily see if the movement is correct.
Rotating Canvas: After selecting Rotation Mode in the Surface Dial, artists can easily rotate the canvas by turning the dial left or right, making free-hand drawing easier by changing the canvas orientation up to 360 degrees.
Frame-by-Frame Animation: Using the Surface Dial to quickly add new frames with a double-click, artists can draw on a sequence of still frames, and then rotate the dial left or right to simulate flip-book animation.
Disney-Pixar’s Finding Dory is available now on Digital HD and Disney Movies Anywhere, and to mark the occasion the studio has shared a fun and informative behind-the-scenes look at what went on in the voice recording booth during production. Plus, a Q&A with Ty Burrell (voice of Bailey) and Kaitlin Olson (Destiny).
Check both out below, and follow @Disney on Twitter to check out more never-before-seen clips and content as it arrives. Dive in with a digital copy of Finding Dory or pre-order your Blu-ray combo pack (out Nov. 15) before you forget!
Q&A: Ty Burrell and Kaitlin Olson
(courtesy Disney-Pixar)
Finding Dory is an amazing underwater adventure. How much do you love the ocean?
Ty Burrell: I am a big fan of the ocean. I didn’t grow up near the beach – but every summer, we would go to the beach and I would swim in the sea for a couple of weeks at a time. I grew very attached to the ocean. Being underwater is something I did for almost all of my growing up. I try to bring my kids to the water as much as possible, so that they grow up around it, too.
What about you, Kaitlin? Are you a fan of the sea?
Kaitlin Olson: Well, I’m not a big fan of boats. I am the person in the car who will always get car sick, so I do not care for being on a boat – but I like swimming in the ocean. And I love fish. I haven’t been to an aquarium for a long time, but we went to Fiji on our honeymoon and we spent a lot of time in the ocean there. We snorkeled and looked at the coral reef, which was really special. I’m not a big fan of cold water, but I’ll swim all day long in warm water. To me, that’s bliss.
What do you love the most about your quirky underwater characters in Finding Dory?
Olson: I love the fact that Destiny is sweet and lovable because she’s insecure about not being able to swim very well. I love her little brother/sister relationship with Bailey, too. For me, it was really nice to play a really sweet character.
Burrell: I don’t play a pessimist in my day job on Modern Family. Phil Dunphy is an indefatigable optimist, so it’s fun to play a character who is as neurotic as Bailey in Finding Dory. Bailey is a nice, well-intended whale who is very flawed and full of doubt. He’s probably much closer to me than Phil.
How much fun did you have in the recording booth for Finding Dory?
Olson: It was a lot of fun in the recording booth. Working with [Finding Dory director] Andrew Stanton was great. He’s a real actor’s director, so it was a wonderful experience.
What was the funniest thing to happen to you in the recording booth?
Burrell: Bailey is a Beluga whale and when I researched the animal online, it looked like Belugas are heavily congested. Just look at their heads and you’ll see what I mean. I came into the recording booth with the idea that Bailey would have a really congested voice, like he had a bad cold. When I finished my first scene, there was a long stretch of silence. They were super, super nice about it – but they said, “Well, now let’s try a different voice. Why don’t we try your voice for the whole film?” That worked out much better.
Olson: For me, the craziest thing was when they decided that my character doesn’t swim very well, so they wanted me to sound like I was swimming off-balance. I think they assumed it would be hard to do, so they brought in this weird balancing board that I was supposed to try and stand on whilst saying my lines. It was so weird! I was like, “Let’s just get rid of this board and let me act it out instead.”
Did you try the balancing board?
Olson: I tried it for two hours, but I wasn’t really off balance. Apparently, my balance is impeccable because I was doing fine, so I had to pretend to be off-balance and that was even worse. We ended up getting rid of it quite quickly, although I had some amazing ab strength the next day. It was definitely great for that.
Have your thoughts on underwater life changed since working on Finding Dory?
Olson: Definitely. The movie’s made me think a lot about rescue and rehabilitation for ocean animals, as well as ocean conservation. We’ve got to make sure our planet is still here for our children, so that’s very important to me. I’m very focused on making sure that we keep our oceans clean and that we take care of everything down there. We need all of those species. They all serve a purpose.
Burrell: I agree. I love the way that Pixar creates a whole universe that audiences haven’t really experienced before. We’ve never really spent that much time underwater, but we have now with Finding Dory. Today, I see the ocean a little differently. In a weird way, I see it more as a little community down there – but it’s a community that we have to make sure survives.
Why does the world love Dory so much?
Olson: The world loves Dory because she is fallible. She’s a really sweet character who is funny because she’s masking an insecurity. I think a lot of people can relate to being a little imperfect, just like her.
Burrell: For me, I don’t know if Ellen DeGeneres gets enough credit for her acting skills in the movie. Ellen is a really talented voice actor and Dory is lovable because Ellen makes her lovable. She’s great.
What would you like to ask Dory if you met her in the ocean?
Burrell: Boy, that’s a good question! I’d ask her, “How do you stay so positive? How do you keep that much optimism in your life?”
Olson: Yes, how does she maintain that optimism? That’s a real skill. Dory doesn’t let anything get her down and that’s impressive. She “just keeps swimming.” I think we can all learn from Dory in that respect.
Pixar animators love to hide Easter eggs and secret movie references inside their films. Do you ever pause and try to find them?
Olson: This is all very new to me, but I heard how they like to hide things in Toy Story and its sequels. I can’t wait to try and find them in Finding Dory. I haven’t spotted the Pizza Planet truck yet, but I will soon. My son will help me. He’s a good spotter.
Burrell: You know what? I think I know one of the Easter eggs. You can correct me if I’m wrong, but my friend was saying that she thought she saw a character from Inside Out looking through the glass in the Marine Life Institute. That might be one! I can’t wait to try and find more…
Digital entertainment studio Frima and Groupe Média TFO, the leading French-language educational content producer in North America, will launch a brand-new animated kids’ series during the Pixel Animation/Cartoon Connection gathering in Canada. The project, MaXi, is the first Canadian animation project formatted and designed primarily for smartphone and tablet experiences.
The series is a subtly educational title that raises awareness about human impact on the environment. Boys and girls alike will get caught up in the incredible adventures of Mara and Xilo (MaXi), “part-time” conjoined teens, as they explore the fantasy world of Vakarma. MaXi features a generous and assertive young heroine, strong musical elements and highlights diversity.
MaXi (26 x 11) will be available for iOS and Android, as well as linear TV, by Spring 2017. Aimed at kids ages 9-12, the MaXi mobile experience will be richly immersive, allowing users to explore the property’s wacky universe, unlock new content when watching and create interactive cartoons to share with friends.
MaXi is a 100% French-language production from Groupe Média TFO and Frima. Financed by the Canada Media Fund and the Bell Fund, the series also has an original Franco-Ontarian and Québecois cast, including Sarah-Jeanne Labrosse, Nicolas Charbonneaux, Mathieu Pichette, Martin Watier and Annie Girard.
FremantleMedia Kids & Family has secured a deal for two of its hit animated preschool properties, Kate & Mim-Mim (season 1) and Tree Fu Tom (seasons 1 & 2) with China’s state-owned CCTV Children’s Channel (CCTV-14). Both series will launch on the channel this year, with Kate & Mim-Mim debuting this month. The agreement marks FMK’s first-ever partnership with the broadcaster, which is accessible to over 1 billion viewers.
The CCTV deal is complemented by a raft of digital deals for both series, with platforms YoukuTudou, iQIYI, Tencent, Mango, Sohu and LETV all picking up Kate and Tom for streaming in the country. Further, FMK has teamed up with internationally acclaimed Chinese actress Zhou Xun (Cloud Atlas), who has recorded 32 Kate & Mim-Mim tales for SINA Corp.’s newly launched storytelling machine, “Habbie.”
These latest deals and developments were brokered by Henry Or, FMK’s Hong Kong-based SVP for Asia.
“CCTV is the #1 broadcaster in China, and the combination of the exposure on the channel as well as the support of China’s leading digital platforms will give us a far-reaching footprint in the country and unprecedented brand support,” said Rick Glankler, President and General Manager FMK. “Both Tree Fu Tom and Kate & Mim-Mim have proved hugely successful with preschoolers round the world, and we are excited to introduce them to the Chinese pre-school audience. In addition, our on-the-ground team enables us to maximize local support and help drive deeper brand engagement creating a strong platform for ancillary licensing in the months to come.”
Sébastien Laudenbach’s critically applauded, hand-animated feature The Girl without Hands stepped into the international spotlight when it won a Jury Distinction prize at this year’s Annecy animation festival. Laudenbach can now add two more distinguished honors to his shelf: the Best Film Award from Bucharest’s Anim’Est International Animation Film Festival and the Grand Prize at the Bucheon International Animation Festival in South Korea.
The Girl without Hands has garnered a lot of attention for what Libération calls “a vibrant aesthetic for a feminist and sensual tale … which recall Matisse, Paul Sérusier, Nabis and Fauvism.” The dark Brothers Grimm adaptation is the story of a miller who, in hard times, sells his daughter to the Devil. Protected by her purity, the girl escapes, but is deprived of her hands. Leaving her family behind, she embarks on a long journey, encountering the goddess of water, a gentle gardener and even a prince.
GKIDS picked up North American distribution for the film back in May. Sales agency Pyramide International has also secured deals in France, former Yugoslavia, Turkey and China.
Aardman Animations and production/distribution partner StudioCanal are officially going ahead with a second Shaun the Sheep Movie. The stop-motion feature is now in development, with production set to begin in January 2017.
Directed by Mark Burton and Richard Starzak, Shaun the Sheep Movie exceeded performance expectations when it debuted in 2015. The Wallace & Gromit spinoff proved one of StudioCanal’s most successful releases of the year, making over $100 million at the global box office after opening in 70 countries.
“Shaun’s move to the big screen proved such a success with audiences around the world that he and the flock are very excited to be embarking on another big screen adventure,” said David Sproxton, co-founder and executive chairman at Aardman. “Aardman is partnering with StudioCanal once again to produce another rip-roaring comedy, featuring Shaun and the rest of the gang in a story that takes them to even greater height of lunacy.”
Disney has reportedly changed up its release schedule, swapping dates for two hotly anticipated Pixar Animation Studios sequels. The Incredibles 2 will now land in theaters June 15, 2018, while Toy Story 4 will come out to play June 21, 2019.
Director Brad Bird (The Iron Giant, Ratatouille) is returning to the helm for The Incredibles 2. The original 2004 film, which was also written by Bird, scored the Best Animated Feature Oscar, multiple Annie Awards (including Best Feature, Directing and Writing) and the BAFTA Children’s Award for Best Feature. The superhero story was also a box office hit, grossing over $630 million worldwide ($260M+ domestically) and boasting the second-biggest animated opening ever at the time of its release.
Toy Story 4 is being directed by franchise originator John Lasseter and co-directed by Josh Cooley (Riley’s First Date? short), with a story conceived by the first film’s original writing team of Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter and Lee Unkrich. The last installment, Toy Story 3, debuted in 2010 and raked in a record-breaking $1.067 billion worldwide — making it the first animated movie to pass the milestone.
(Disney’s Frozen and Zootopia, Pixar’s Finding Dory, and Illumination’s Minions have also passed the billion-dollar mark since then.)
