Shout! Factory Films is opening an exciting animated adventure in New York, Los Angeles and select U.S. cinemas this weekend as Long Way North arrives September 30. For a tantalizing taste of what’s to come, check out this exclusive clip premiere from the film, in which Sacha and her crew find an important clue.
Directed by Rémi Chayé — making his feature debut after serving as first AD and head of storyboard for The Secret of Kells and The Painting — and produced by Sacrebleu Productions, Maybe Movies and Norlum Studios, France 3 Cinéma and 2 Minutes, Long Way North won the coveted Audience Award at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival and the winner of the Grand Prize and the Governor of Tokyo Award at Tokyo Animation Festival 2016.
Set in 19th century Saint Petersburg, Long Way North centers on Sacha, a young girl born into the Russian aristocracy. She is fascinated by the life of her grandfather, Oloukine, a renowned scientist and explorer. She is also tormented but his disappearance. Bucking her arranged marriage, Sacha runs away and begins her own quest to the North in search of Oloukine and his hip.
The English-language voice cast features Chloé Dunn, Vivienne Vermes, Peter Hudson, Antony Hickling, Tom Perkins, Geoffrey Greenhill, Claire Harrison-Bullett, Bibi Jacob, Martin Lewis, Tom Morton, Leslie Clack, Kester Lovelace and Damian Corcoran. *French voice cast include Christa Théret, Feodor Atkine, Thomas Sagols, Rémi Caillebot, Audrey Sablé, Fabirn Briche, Gabriel Le Doze and Boris Rehlinger.
Visit longwaynorththemovie.com and read more about the film in the November issue of Animation Magazine.
The winners of the 2016 Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival have been announced, with 23 honors bestowed at the Awards Ceremony in Bristol, England. The Animated Grand Prix went to Latvia-born Swiss animator Anete Melece for her colorful, impressionistic film Analysis Paralysis.
Watershed’s DepicT! Award for 90-second films went to Petra Balkic’s bold animated piece Impacts. The Awards Ceremony at Encounters also bestowed two nominations, including a Cartoon d’Or nomination for David Dell’Edera for his suspenseful digital animation Balcony, which won a Jury Award at Annecy this year.
The Europe Film Association nomination went to Issa Touma, Thomas Vroege and Floor van der Meulen’s 9 Days from My Window in Aleppo. The live-action Grand Prix winner was Brady Hood for Sweet Maddie Stone. This year’s Encounters screened 231 films in competition over three days, and was attended by more than 150 nominated filmmakers.
2016 Encounters Animated Winners
(Full list of winners available here)
Animated Grand Prix Analysis Paralysisby Anete Melece
(Switzerland, 2016)
Special mentions: Here Thereby Alexander Stewart OS Loveby Luc Gut
Animated European Award Don’t Lose Your Headby Karolina Specht
(Poland, 2015)
YellowDog Best of British Animation Award Stemsby Ainslie Henderson
(UK, 2015)
Cartoon d’Or Nominee Balconyby David Dell’Edera
(Hungary, 2015)
DepicT! Award (and DepicT! Random Acts Special Mention) Impactsby Petra Balekic
(Croatia, 2016)
Encounters / Show Me the Animation Anijam Award Tiny Encountersby Dani Abram, Lauren Orme, Michael Ostrolenk, Christopher Wright
Cardiff Animation Nights
Framestore VFX studio has joined with Campus ADN for a new training initiative in Montreal, Launchpad: PRO. Aimed at helping students develop industry-standard skills, the first courses will address 2D techniques and begin in October. The course is free for selected students, fully funded by Framestore.
The three-month, hands-on Launchpad: PRO program is developed by Campus ADN, and will be lead by senior compositor Simon Pierre Puech, an appointed Framestore training supervisor.
The training initiative is designed to bolster the growth of Montreal’s VFX industry by ensuring a supply of job candidates with high-level and relevant training — both artistically and in terms of specific technical competencies.
To qualify for a place at Launchpad: PRO, applicants must have an awareness of the VFX industry and have a good basic knowledge of Nuke. Those passing the course will be offered an entry-level job contract with Framestore.
“I am very pleased to be partnering with Campus ADN, who are well known in Montreal for excellent, industry-specific training for the digital sector. Framestore has a proud history of nurturing junior talent and watching them grow within the wider VFX industry,” said Framestore Global Joint MD, Matt Fox.
“The BCTQ’s recently published workforce study on VFX and animation in Quebec highlights the ‘need to structure a continuing training offer aimed at developing the ability of companies to maintain world-class expertise’ and in our Montreal course initiative we are leading the way in doing just that.”
DHX Media has expanded its digital presence in the UK and Germany through a new deal with Amazon Prime Video, which will see more than three dozen DHX kids’ series made available to its SVOD subscribers.
“Following on our recently announced exclusive deal with Amazon Prime Video in the US, this newest Amazon agreement for the UK and Germany highlights the global appetite for our well-loved brands,” said Josh Scherba, SVP of Distribution at DHX Media. “With our deep library, we are seeing considerable demand for our kids’ content, and we are delighted that our growing relationship with Amazon will allow Prime members to enjoy so many terrific DHX Media shows.”
Shows licensed to Amazon Prime Video in the UK include the first season of the new Teletubbies, Messy Goes to Okido and Looped; seasons one and two of Hank Zipzer, season three of In the Night Garden; and seasons four and five of Caillou.
In Germany, Amazon Prime subscribers can now stream a variety of titles including a first-run exclusive of Messy Goes to Okido; season one of classic Teletubbies and Slugterra; seasons one and two of Hank Zipzer; and season five of Fireman Sam.
Taking place in the northern English city from November 15-17 this year, Manchester Animation Festival has revealed a lineup of special programs presented by leading European producers and an exciting international film competition lineup.
Can’t-miss highlights include a presentation by Lupus Films of their heartwarming Raymond Briggs adaptation Ethel and Ernest. Folimage will present their much-buzzed-about feature, Phantom Boy. And festival sponsor Blue Zoo will premiere its immersive virtual reality short, Hoodoo.
Ground-breaking UK director and producer Chris Shepherd (Who I Am and What I Want) will hold a masterclass and present a retrospective of his work. And Aardman Animations co-founders Peter Lord and David Sproxton will celebrate the studio’s 40th birthday by receiving the MAF fellowship award (and screening a selection of classic Aardman films).
Panels will cover a wide swathe of subjects, notably “In the Frame: Women in Animation,” “Harryhausen’s Lost Treasures” and “György Kovásznai: A Cold War Artist.”
A complete lineup of presentations, panels and screening blocks can be found here. For the complete list of films screening in and out of competition, click here.
Macy’s and DreamWorks Animation has teamed up to hype the upcoming animated Trolls movie through a slew of exclusive products, promotional activities and more. New goodies are available now.
“We can’t wait to kick off Macy’s hair-raising collaboration with DreamWorks Animation for the launch of the animated feature film Trolls,” says Tim Baxter, Chief Merchandising Officer, Macy’s. “This collaboration truly exemplifies our ability to create unique experiences for Macy’s shoppers as we incorporate Trolls exclusive product across apparel, accessories, cosmetics and home, and punctuate the product with in-store celebrations, visual merchandising, advertising and signature entertainment events. This fall, Macy’s stores will be the hub of Trolls fun and happiness.”
On the merchandising side, fans can shop for pajamas, T-shirts, sweaters, jackets, bags, shoes, hats, jewelry and more film-inspired items. There will also be an exclusive Betsey Johnson xox Trolls line including apparel, accessories, home goods, etc. which was officially premiered at New York Fashion Week.
Trolls will also liven up store windows and in-store displays at select locations throughout the US starting this month, including a visual presentation at Macy’s flagship store in New York City — the first collaboration of its kind for the retailer.
Further support will include a comprehensive ad campaign in the real and digital worlds, giant Trolls character balloon at the 90th Anniversary Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (Nov. 24).
LA-based multidisciplinary studio Golden is taking viewers on a vibrant journey through the evolution of audiovisual entertainment with “A Brief History of Hulu” — a lively promo directed by Justin Harder and animated in energetic 2D. Harder and his team delivered earlier this year an animated montage titled “The Story of Millennials” for the SVOD service.
“A Brief History of Hulu” was produced by illustrating each frame in the 90-plus second short. A black background helps colorful cel animated characters, objects and text pop with personality as they fluidly morph into each other, keeping the story moving.
“A Brief History of Hulu” is directed by Justin Harder, who designed the short with Stephen Kelleher. Matthew Marquis is the executive producer, with Kevin Gallagher as producer. Check out the promo video on Golden’s Vimeo page.
“A Brief History of Hulu”“A Brief History of Hulu”“A Brief History of Hulu”
CPLG Adds New Brands Director
Libby Grant joins as global business development director of brands, which include DHX’s Twirlywoos and Illumination’s Minions and Secret Life of Pets.
The 40th anniversary edition of the Ottawa International Animation Festival wrapped up this weekend, culminating in the 2016 awards ceremony held at Saint Brigid’s Centre for the Arts. The festival received a total of 2,311 entries from 86 different countries, whittled down to 80 shorts and seven feature films chosen for competition.
The Nelvana Grand Prize for Independent Short went to Diane Obomsawin’s home-grown J’Aime les Filles (“I Like Girls”), while the Grand Prize for Features went to Louise en Hiver by Jean-François Laguionie — the director previously took a Grand Prize at Ottawa in 1982 for La traversée de l’Atlantique à la rame.
The Competition Short Jury included animator Ann Marie Fleming, Brooke Keesling; Director of Animation Talent Development at Disney Television Animation; and animator Sarina Nihei, winner of the OIAF 2015 Grand Prize for Short Animation. The Competition Feature Jury included animation historian Giannalberto Bendazzi, former Grand Prize winner and animator Peter Millard, and animation director and optical effects specialist Elise Simard. A jury of Ottawa-area children aged 8-12 judged the Shorts and Series for Young Audiences Competition.
OIAF 2016 Award Winners
Nelvana Grand Prize for Independent Short Animation J’Aime les Fillesby Diane Obomsawin
(Canada, 2016)
Grand Prize for Best Animated Feature Louise en Hiverby Jean-François Laguionie
(France/Canada, 2016)
Honorable Mention Cafardby Jan Bultheel (Belgium/France/Netherlands)
Cartoon Network Award for Best Narrative Short Animation Blind Vayshaby Theodore Ushev
(Canada, 2016)
Best Experimental or Abstract Animation Suijun-Genten(Datum Point) by Ryo Orikasa
(Japan, 2015)
Best Undergraduate Animation Cialo Obce(Foreign Body) by Marta Magnuska
(Poland, 2016)
Walt Disney Animation Award for Best Graduation Animation Frankfurter Str. 99by Evgenia Gostrer
(Germany, 2016)
Best Commissioned Animation Honda “Paper” by PES
(USA, 2015)
Best Short Film Made for Young Audiences Three Little Ninjas Delivery Serviceby Karim Rhellam & Kim Claeys
(Belgium, 2016)
Honorable Mentions: Accidents, Blunders, Calamitiesby James Cunningham (New Zealand) Novembreby Marjolaine Perreten (France)
Best Animated Series Made for Young Audiences Shaun the Sheep: The Farmer’s Llamasby Jay Grace
(UK, 2015)
Honorable Mentions: Summer Camp Islandby Julia Pott (USA) Hey Duggee“The Omelette Badge” by Grant Orchard (UK)
Best Script: Fired on Marsby Nick Vokey & Nate Sherman (USA, 2016)
Best Design: The Absence of Eddy Tableby Rune Spaans (Norway, 2016)
Best Animation Technique: Velodroolby Sander Joon (Estonia, 2015)
Best Sound: Squameby Nicolas Brault (Canada, 2015)
DHX Public Prize: Fired on Marsby Nick Vokey & Nate Sherman (USA, 2016)
Canadian Film Institute Award for Best Canadian Animation: Blind Vayshaby Theodore Ushev
Honorable Mentions: 4 min 15 sec au Revelateurby Moia Jobin-Paré Begone Dull Careby Paul Johnson
VIA Rail Award for Best Canadian Student Animation: Nihilby Khoebe Magsaysay (Sheridan College, 2016)
Honorable Mentions: Der Tod Ist ein Dandyby Daniela Vargas (Vancouver Film School) The Clitorisby Lori Malepart-Traversy (Concordia) De Racines et de Chainesby Francis Lacelle & Robert M. Lepage (INIS) Bouncing Blundersby William Martin (Sheridan College)
Rob Moore Out at Paramount Pictures
The vice chairman is resigning from his post after eight years — Moore had been a major proponent of former Viacom chairman Philippe Dauman’s plans to sell a stake to Dalian Wanda.
Disney Networks Launch New Health and Fitness Programming
Disney channels introduces shorts meant to inspire and inform kids about food choices and physical activity, showcasing animation talent like James Curran and David Calcano and featuring popular characters.
Jam City to Develop ‘Peanuts’ Mobile Game
Developer (formerly known as SGN) has picked up rights to develop a free, casual puzzle game featuring the beloved Charles Schulz characters.
The third action-packed season of Star Wars Rebels will blast off Saturday, September 24 with a special one-hour, two-part premiere episode: “Steps into the Shadow,” kicking off at 8:30 p.m. ET on Disney XD.
On top of the recently released Bendu and Grand Admiral Thrawn character-centric clips, Disney XD has released a new premiere episode clip and interview with the voice cast — check ‘em out below!
Synopsis:
As Kanan deals with the aftermath of his encounter with Maul, Ezra is tasked with leading rebel missions seeking ships, supplies and new recruits eager to join the cause. With the pursuing forces of the Empire now under the direction of the cunning Grand Admiral Thrawn, the rebels must take greater risks, forge unlikely alliances and face foes from past in their efforts to support the growing rebellion. Let by a more powerful Ezra, the rebels break an old friend out of prison to help acquire ships for the fleet, but Kanan discovers that Ezra’s new skills come from a dark place when Star Wars Rebels returns.
Streaming service Amazon Prime Video has added Super Wings to its kids’ content offerings in the U.S. this month, thanks to a partnership between New York-based Janson Media and leading Korean content producer CJ E&M. The preschool-targeted, CG animated series is available now.
Super Wings promotes cultural diversity and creative problem-solving through the animated adventures of Jett, a self-assured young jet plane who travels the world with his flying friends to deliver special packages to children.
The show launched on EBS in Korea in 2014 and has since expanded worldwide, with a presence over 25 countries, including US, Canada, LATAM, France, Italy, Spain and Sweden. Super Wings has already shown success on linear TV in the U.S., proving a hit for NBCUniversal’s Sprout network.
Independent Italian entertainment company European Television Service will launch its first animated project at next month’s MIPJunior event: Glammys School of Fashion Vlog will make its official debut having wrapped production in April.
Aimed at kids ages 6-9, the 13 x 2 comedy series is styled after a video blog, with different characters presenting themselves to the audience and relating stories about the boys and girls attending a famous fashion school and dreaming of becoming a successful designer, makeup artist, show organizer, etc.
Glammys is animated in digital 2D, using Toon Boom’s Harmony, by Maga Animation. The studio has animated many projects for global broadcasters like Nickelodeon and Disney, and most recently delivered Extreme Football.
The series is already attracting interest from publishers and toy companies as it prepares to entice buyers at MIP.
BES Animation (Monster Beach) has made a deal with Jetpack Distribution to distribute its new animated series, Kitty Is Not a Cat, internationally with the exception of Asia Pacific territories. In addition to the 52 x 12 TV series, BES is also producing exclusive online content available to broadcasters, including eight 90-second music videos, 15 two-minute live-action dance classes and 52 one-minute interstitials.
Kitty Is Not a Cat centers on a co-op of stray cats living together in a dilapidated mansion, left to them by an eccentric baroness. The cats’ life of constant partying is abruptly interrupted when they answer a knock at the door to find “Kitty” — a cute little girl in an orange catsuit who followed one of them home. Determined to behave like a feline and not help the cats find her proper human home, Kitty becomes a part of the “family” with hilarious results.`
“We have long admired the work that BES have produced and we see Kitty Is Not a Cat as a stand out show, unlike anything in the marketplace right now. We love the retro style, and are confident that our broadcaster clients around the world will embrace its offbeat feel,” said Dominic Gardiner, CEO of Jetpack Distribution. “Kitty is the cutest, most adorable kid-cat ever created and combined with the coolest of cool cats and funky music this series produces a dynamic and singular appeal. We are incredibly enthusiastic about presenting the show at MIPJunior and MIPCOM.”
Kitty Is Not a Cat is co-created by executive producer Bruce Kane and director Maurice Argiro, with Laura DiMaio and Judy Whittle as producers. The series was conceived and developed at BES and will be produced at the Melbourne studio, with all elements of production from script to post to be done in Australia. Kitty Is Not a Cat is slated for delivery in 2017.
Syracuse University Los Angeles will be hosting a conversation with Pixar and DisneyToon studio executives (and Syracuse alumni) for the benefit of current students and aspiring storytellers. The panel will follow a special screening of Oscar-winning Pixar film Inside Out.
The event at the Harmony Gold Theatre in Los Angeles is scheduled for Wednesday, September 28, beginning with a reception at 5:30 p.m. with screening at 6:30 and discussion after. The guest speakers are Pixar Animation Studios President Jim Morris (‘77, G’78), screenwriter Meg LeFauve (‘87) and DisneyToon Studios SVP & General Manager Meredith Roberts (‘88).
Jim Morris oversees production of Pixar’s features, shorts, DVD content and theme park activities. He produced Oscar winning film Wall-E, for which he also received Producer of the Year in Animated Theatrical Motion Picture from the Producer’s Guild of America. Prior to joining Pixar in 2005, Morris was President of Lucas Digital for more than 10 years, managing ILM and Skywalker Sound.
Oscar nominee Meg LeFauve, one of this year’s Variety’s Screenwriters to Watch, was screenwriter on Inside Out, for which she won an Annie Award for best screenplay. She also wrote The Good Dinosaur. She is currently working on several projects, including Marvel Studios’ Captain Marvel (with Nicole Pearlman). She is also writing and producing My Father’s Dragon with Cartoon Saloon.
Meredith Roberts oversees all creative, business and production aspects for the DisneyToon theatrical animation studio, a division of the Walt Disney Company. She is responsible for producing one franchise film per year for Disney, and as GM contributes to marketing and multi-platform strategy, domestic and international theatrical distribution, social media, games, online, park extensions and brand management as quality control of DTS franchises.
The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences held its 43rd Student Academy Awards ceremony Thursday night at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. The previously announced winners in five of the seven categories found out whether they were taking home the Gold, Silver or Bronze Medal as actors Joel Edgerton, Lucy Liu, Daisy Ridley and Parker Sawyers presented the awards.
The winners for the Student Academy Awards in Animation are:
Gold – Once upon a Line by Alicja Jasina, USC
Silver – The Wishgranter by Echo Wu, Ringling College of Art and Design
Bronze – Die Flucht by Carter Boyce, DePaul University
As a single-winner category, the Foreign Animation Gold Medal went to Ayny – My Second Eye by Ahmad Saleh, Academy of Media Arts Cologne (Germany).
The winners are qualified for consideration in the Best Animated Short Film category for the 89th Academy Awards.
Bucheon Animation Festival Eyes Asia’s Top Spot
Launched in 1999, the Korean event will celebrate its biggest year ever in 2016, with eyes on catching up with Ottawa, Zagreb, Annecy and Hiroshima.
Four finalists have been announced for Brand Licensing Europe’s annual License This! competition. Now in its seventh year, the contest offers new, unlicensed creative concepts the chance to break into the global licensing industry. The final round will take place at BLE on October 13, with the four contenders presenting their pitches to a live audience and panel of judges, chaired by LIMA UK’s managing director Kelvyn Gardner.
The finalists include two animated series projects: Super Geek Heroes by David Lawrence Jones, and Chihuahua Hiyaa by Ryan Winchcombe and Chris Berntsen.
The winner will receive a grand prize valued at over 6,000 euro: A fully furnished nine square metre stand at BLE 2017 to bring the property to market; along with LIMA membership for one year and one ticket to the LIMA Licensing Essentials Course & Spring Fling Networking Party in May 2017.
The finalists are:
May The Thoughts Be With You, presented by Charlotte Reed – a book of Charlotte’s own thoughts illustrated with cheerful, fun cartoon characters.
I Like Birds, presented by Stuart Cox – beautiful bird-based greeting cards and designs.
Super Geek Heroes, presented by David Lawrence Jones – animation based on a unique group of nursery school kids with friendly ‘super-powers’ derived from specific development areas of the ‘Early Years Foundation Stage’ (EYFS).
Chihuahua Hiyaa, presented by Ryan Winchcombe and Chris Berntsen – a TV show concept set in the fictional world of West Valley, California following the adventures of five young Chihuahuas.
Kids entertainment company CAKE has inked a deal with Discovery in Italy for multi-award-winning CG animated series Oscar’s Oasis, which will debut on free-to-air channel K2 in November. The show is produced by TeamTO (France), Tuba Entertainment (Korea) and CAKE, and commissioned by TF1.
The deal was finalized by CAKE’s Senior Sales Manager Bianca Rodriguez.
Oscar’s Oasis (78 x 7) is a non-verbal, CG animated series aimed at kids ages 6-11, chock full of action-packed adventures starring Oscar — a lonely lizard fighting his way through the unforgiving desert, where he crosses paths with a seemingly endless horde of enemies. Poor Oscar just can’t catch a break as he does his best to survive, find water and avoid dying of boredom.
The show won the best animated series prize at the 20th Anima Mundi festival, the Prix du Public award for best series at the Voix d’Etoiles festival, and was selected for Annecy and Cartoons on the Bay. Oscar’s Oasis airs around the world on key broadcasters including Netflix (US), Cartoon Network (LatAm), Disney (Asia, Australia, Benelux), Canal Once (Mexico), MBC (Middle East), SVT (Sweden) and MTV3 (Finland).
Localized versions of We Bare Bears and the relaunched The Powerpuff Girls — two of Cartoon Network’s most popular, highest-rating series — will arrive in the Philippines on free-to-air channel TV5 next month.
Starting October 15, We Bare Bears will air every Saturday at 8 a.m., followed by The Powerpuff Girls at 8:30 a.m., giving Filipino kids and their families nationwide the chance to enjoy the comedic bear-stack antics and villain-busting girl power for a full hour in their own language.
TV5 already hosts a daily Boomerang branded block, which features classic toon titles like Scooby-Doo, Looney Tunes, Mr. Bean and Tom and Jerry.
