Turner Asia Pacific is teaming up with Shanghai Tencent Pictures Culture Media Co., Ltd. to develop a feature adventure starring world-famous rabbit emoticon, Tuzki. The planned CG and live-action hybrid flick will kick off production in 2017 and will likely bow in Chinese theaters in 2018.
Owned by Turner, Tuzki was created by Momo Wang in 2006 and has appeared in animated shorts before, though he is best known as a sticker character on social media platforms and instant messaging apps. Tuzki has been quite busy of late, with a branded restaurant opening in Shanghai in April, a big to-do at Beijing Comic Con in June and “The World of Tuzki: Summer Sports Gala” exhibition recently opening at the Galaxy Macau.
Clément Schwebig, Turner’s SVP of Business Development, Licensing & China, said: “This announcement is a huge milestone as we look to grow the Tuzki franchise and reinforces Turner’s commitment to its growing business in China. Turner’s dedicated team in Shanghai is really pleased to be working with Tencent Pictures on this project, who themselves are leaders in developing digital IP.”
Tencent Pictures will lead the film’s production and distribution, while Turner supports the project through its 360-degree licensing efforts — including consumer products, live experiences and family entertainment centers.
Sydney-based SLR Productions announced the option and development of Felice Arena’s best-selling Andy Roid books, published by Penguin Books Australia. The popular tween franchise is being developed into a 26 x half-hour animated TV series with the support of ABC ME and the Australian Children’s Television Foundation.
Andy Roid centers on the son of top secret scientists working for the Global Intelligence Agency, specializing in bio robotics. After a life-threatening accident, they “rebuild” their Andy using the latest technology and untested research, giving him superhero powers. Now the bionic boy is the youngest ever GIA spy, living undercover as a normal lad with the help of his best friend and fellow undercover teen agent, Judd, and devoted schoolmate, Reggie.
“SLR Productions is passionate about adapting book properties and with its dynamic mix of technology, spy and bionic awesomeness Andy Roid makes for a one-of-a-kind TV series. Felice has created an amazing world in his successful book series with its extremely appealing lead hero character Andy Roid who is half robot, half boy. We very much look forward to developing the stories and the character of Andy into an incredible series for 8 to 12 year olds with the fantastic support of ABC ME and the Australian Children’s Television Foundation,” said CEO and Executive Producer of SLR Productions, Suzanne Ryan.
Author Felice Arena adds, “I’m over the moon at the prospect of my bionic-boy hero Andy Roid springing off the page and on to the small screen. The talented team at SLR Productions are the perfect superhero sidekicks to make this happen!”
Andy Roid marks SLR’s first development collaboration with ABC ME.
World Screen in partnership with MIPCOM is holding its second annual Kids’ Content Trendsetter Awards, honoring four individuals who have contributed significantly to the children’s television business. The honorees represent single market leaders as well as channels seen around the world.
The 2016 Kids’ Content Trendsetters are: Laurence Blaevoet, Director of Youth Unit, Canal+ Group; Tara Sorensen, Head of Kids’ Programming, Amazon Studios; Sarah Muller, Creative Director of Scripted, Animation and Co-Productions, CBBC Productions; and Marc Buhaj, Senior VP of Programming and General Manager, Disney XD.
The honored quartet will take part in the “What Do Channels and Platforms Want?” panel at MIPJunior on Saturday, October 15 (10:45 a.m.-11:30 a.m; Hotel Martinez Conference Room), which will be moderated by World Screen‘s group editorial director, Anna Carugati.
World Screen Names 2016 Kids’ Content Trendsetters
Mad Event Entertainment and Long Beach Comic Con have opened nominations for the 2017 Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity in Comics. This year welcomes a new director of the award, writer Will J. Watkins, and new Selection Committee Members including storyboard artist Mark D. Bright and writer-producer Kevin Rubio, repping the animation scene.
The Award was established in honor of three-time Eisner winner Dwayne McDuffie, who served as an editor at Marvel Comics (where he co-created Damage Control with Ernie Colón). Frustrated with a lack of diversity of both characters and creators in comics, McDuffie joined with Derek Dingle, Denys Cowan and Michael Davis to found Milestone Comics — the first ever African-American owned comic-book company, publishing Static, Icon, Hardware and Xombi. In addition to his celebrated work in comics, McDuffie served as an animation producer, story editor and writer on projects including Static Shock, Justice League, Justice League Unlimited, Ben 10 and Teen Titans, among others.
Among his accolades, McDuffie was posthumously presented with the WGA’s 2011 Animation Writing Award (another first in African-American history). This month, he will be commemorated with inclusion in the new Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture at its grand opening on September 24.
Nominations can be submitted online by the December 31 deadline, with the third annual Dwayne McDuffie Award reception slated for February 18, 2017 during the Long Beach Comic Expo.
“We are tremendously proud that in just its third year, both the comic book and animation industries are already beginning to see some evidence of the DMAD’s powerful mission statement demonstrably influencing reality by helping a more diverse range of outstanding creative voices finally find some inclusion in the media, with the careers of our first two winners and finalists starting to take off at major entertainment companies.” said Dwayne’s widow, Charlotte (Fullerton) McDuffie.
“To paraphrase Dwayne: Everyone deserves to see themselves represented in the media. And everyone deserves to participate in telling their own story.”
This year’s selection committee is Mark D. Bright (artist, Iron Man, Green Lantern; co-creator, Quantum and Woody), Neo Edmund (author, The Red Riding Alpha Huntress), Joan Hilty (Comics Editor, Nickelodeon; editor-in-chief, Pageturner), Joseph Illidge (Senior Editor, Lion Forge Comics; co-writer Solarman), Heidi MacDonald (editor-in-chief, Comicsbeat.com), Don McGregor (writer, Jungle Action, Black Panther, Killraven), Kevin Rubio (writer/producer, Justice League Action, Avengers Assemble, Thunderbirds Are Go!), Cassandra Pelham (senior editor, Graphix and Scholastic Press), Gail Simone (writer, Birds of Prey, Secret Six, Clean Room), Matt Wayne (writer, Niko and the Sword of Light, Transformers: Robots in Disguise, Hellboy: Storm of Swords), Len Wein (co-creator, Swamp Thing, Wolverine).
FuseFX has added to its Los Angeles production staff roster with the hiring of three veteran visual effects producer. They include two-time Emmy nominee Sean Tompkins, who was previously Associate Head of Production at Zoic Studios.
Tompkins received his Emmy nominations for Falling Skies and Hemlock Grove, and has also produced visual effects for shows such as Homeland, True Blood, Mad Men and Fringe. He began his career with the iconic CBS series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation before joining Zoic in 2007. At FuseFX, Tompkins is producing effects for the CBS series Sleepy Hollow, Rush Hour and Limitless, among other projects.
Also joining are VFX Producers Danielle Bemis and Miles DeLong. Bemis brings 10 years of experience in 3D animation, VFX and post production. She has led large teams on complex projects for such clients as HBO, ABC, Yahoo and Universal Pictures. A graduate of Emerson College, Bemis began her career with DreamWorks Animation where her projects included The Croods and Kung Fu Panda 2. Bemis also worked as a freelance VFX producer on White Collar, Once Upon a Time, Resurrection and Other Space.
DeLong began his VFX career with DreamWorks Animation on Shark Tale and Bee Movie. He spent six years at Modern VideoFilm, where he was VFX Producer on a number of hit series, including Modern Family, Sons of Anarchy and Pretty Little Liars. He also produced and supervised the visual effects for the Blu-ray edition of Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 4. His background includes a post with Flash FilmWorks, where he worked on the HBO miniseries The Pacific, and a year at Entity FX where he was the VFX Producer on The Vampire Diaries. At FuseFX, he is working on shows such as Mercy Street, American Crime Story and The Outsiders.
9 Story Media Group has announced several new deals in China for its animated nature-adventure series Wild Kratts.
National broadcaster China Central Television has picked up broadcast rights, airing the series on its CCTV-14 kids’ channel Monday through Friday at noon. In partnership with Beijing-based Pacific Media Group, a host of digital sales have also been secured, including an exclusive agreement with Youku and Alibaba for seasons 1 to 3. Further content placement for season 4 has been secured with many of China’s leading digital platforms, including CNTV, iqiyi, LeTV, PPTV, and SMG.
Pacific Media Group has been appointed as the licensing agent for the territory, tasked with bringing in new local licensees and securing distribution for existing global merchandise, including the toy line from master toy partner Wicked Cool Toys.
Now in its fifth season, Wild Kratts premiered on PBS KIDS in the U.S. in 2011 and on TVO, Knowledge Network and Télé-Quebec in Canada. A co-production between Kratt Brothers Company and 9 Story Media Group, Wild Kratts is distributed in the U.S. and Canada by Kratt Brothers Company and internationally by 9 Story Media Group.
Created and developed by real life brothers and zoologists, Martin and Chris Kratt (who star in the show as animated versions of themselves), Wild Kratts airs in over 180 countries across 18 different languages.
Game of Thrones Shatters Emmy Record with Most Wins Ever
The HBO show’s triumph at the 2016 awards (including winning the Outstanding Drama Series category for a second time) brings its total to 38 wins — the most of any scripted series in Emmy history.
Avatar Traveling Interactive Exhibit to Debut in Taipei
Lightstorm Ent., Fox Consumer Products and GES will launch the 12,000 sq. ft. “Discover Pandora” experience in Taiwan Dec. 7, with other markets to follow in a tour.
Tricon Kids & Family’s award-winning, original animated comedy Counterfeit Cat (52 x 11, plus 11 x 2) is sinking its claws into the global broadcast scene. The 2D series is coming to Disney XD and Disney Channel in multiple territories — including France, Southeast Asia, Japan, Australia/New Zealand and Latin America — following its world premiere on Disney XD UK this May and Disney XD US premiere in June.
The show has also launched on Disney XD platforms including the app and video-on-demand, and will be pouncing on unsuspecting Canadians this year through Teletoon.
Counterfeit Cat is the story of an unconventional friendship between a lazy, selfish house cat and an excitable, naive alien with a mysterious destiny and a homemade purple cat suit. Gark is a small blue alien in a purple cat costume. Max is a real cat: fat, fluffy, yellow and constantly pampered by his doting owner Betty. When Gark crashes his spaceship into Betty’s laundry room, he finds a new home and forms an unconventional friendship with Max, who quickly learns how to take advantage of Gark’s mysterious alien powers and his sweet, trusting nature.
A UK-Canada co-production between Tricon and Wildseed Kids, the series was originally commissioned by Disney XD EMEA and Canada’s Teletoon. Tricon International handles global distribution and property rights management.
Adult Swim animator and voice actor C. Martin Croker, best known for playing disgruntled pseudo-villains Zorak and Moltar on animated talk show spoof Space Ghost Coast to Coast, has died age 54. The news was broken online by colleagues including parody rapper MC Chris and Adult Swim creative director Jason DeMarco. Adult Swim tweeted his photo with an RIP message on Sunday.
Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Croker began working for Turner Broadcasting in the early 1990s, animating promos for the “TNT Toons” Hanna-Barbera block, going on to design and animate bumpers for Cartoon Network during its 1998 rebranding. While a key member of the animation crew on Space Ghost Coast to Coast — directing 92 episodes — he began voicing characters, contributing on multiple fronts to the dawn of the Adult Swim block.
In addition to Zorak and Moltar — roles he continued to reprise on spin-off series Cartoon Planet and The Brak Show and other related project through 2014 — Croker provided the voice of Dr. Weird and Steve the assistant on Aqua Teen Hunger Force and its feature film outing in 2007. Other voice credits include Cartoon Network’s Sunday Pants and Perfect Hair Forever, and as an animator he worked on Comedy Central’s Ugly Americans.
Video: The Art of the Iron Giant Preview
Insight Editions gives Cartoon Brew a look at the upcoming making-of book for Brad Bird’s masterful movie, penned by former Animag editor Ramin Zahed.
Japan Choosing 88 Animation Travel Spots to Boost Tourism
Fans around the world can vote online for their favorite train stations, school campuses, rural shrines, etc. decorated with popular characters. (Hopefully they’re all kid-friendly…)
Turner Asia Pacific has finalized a deal with Trans Media Corpora that will bring a dedicated Cartoon Network programming block to viewers in Indonesia through leading national free-to-air station Trans TV — currently reaching over 200 million viewers.
The branded block launches September 17 and will air every Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. All shows will be available dubbed in Bahasa Indonesia, with highlights including Adventure Time, We Bare Bears, The Amazing World of Gumball and Ben 10, with the reimagined Powerpuff Girls also slated.
“Trans TV is one of the largest free-to-air networks and is part of a leading multi-platform media group in Indonesia,” said Phil Nelson, Managing Director of Turner in Southeast Asia. “We are sure that this deal will help to increase Cartoon Network’s brand resonance locally. Dubbed in local language, this block will allow us to reach new audiences and grow the popularity of our original titles.”
The German Producers Alliance took to Cartoon Forum in Toulouse to promote international co-productions on Tuesday, September 13. This year’s focus was on partnering with counterparts in Great Britain and Ireland, welcoming 100 representatives from the respective countries.
Oliver Hyatt (Co‐Founder and Creative Director of Blue‐Zoo Animation, Chairman of Animation UK) and Andrew Fitzpatrick (Chairman of Ireland’s Monster! Entertainment) presented the strong development of their local industries in the last 10 years. The foundation for this growth was achieved by a strong political engagement through tax break programs, structural measures to incentivize start‐ups and investments in education for the creative industry.
Eibhlín Ní Mhunghaile (Creative Europe Desk Ireland – MEDIA Office Galway) presented the updated film funding possibilities and conditions of the Creative Europe Desks.
The event echoed a call for tender sponsored by the Animation Production Day, which will be held in Stuttgart in 2017. A co‐production project between Germany and UK/Ireland will be supported. This is the most important co‐producing and co‐financing platform in terms of animation in Germany, and collaborative animation projects between Germany and its partner countries are permitted to apply.
Coinciding with the event, the German Producers Alliance updated its information brochure on “Animation Made in Germany,” which can be accessed here.
3D Wire is gearing up for is 2016 edition to be held October 6-9 in Segovia, Spain, having selected 148 projects to showcase the best in local animation and games. These include 22 short films, 14 feature films, 22 series, 67 games, nine apps and 14 virtual reality projects — an attestation of the health and vitality of the Spanish industry.
The selections include work by well-known names such as Goya winner Manuel Sicilia (Justin and the Knights of Valour), who will present his latest project, Little Bastards. The event is also pleased to present documentary-inspired feature Buñuel en el laberinto de las tortugas by Salvado Simó, produced by Manuel Cristobal (Wrinkles); and two-time Annie winner Sergio Pablos’ Klaus, which is seeking funding.
In the TV section, some projects that bear watching include Super Épico, from Anima Studios and Nikotxan. The series is the latest from Niko (Calico Electronico), who will also reveal details of Mad Dinner and a sneak peek at Las Crónicas Trol. Promising transmedia concept Mutant Busters (Planeta Junior, Famosa, Kotoc) by Freddy Córdoba Schwaneberg and Roger Córdoba, Acción! by Paul Peñalver (Altcontent, Uniko) and Spending Days with Mr Cthulhu by Salba Combé (Mr. Klaus Studio) are also must-see.
On top of showcasing a variety of projects, 3D Wire will award the most outstanding works. New this year is the Movistar+ Short Film Project Award, with the winner being picked up by the channel and receiving 9,000 EU. Awards for the best game project and app are sponsored by RTVE.
The complete list of 2016 projects is available here.
Mutant BustersLittle Bastards8th International Animation, Video Games, and New Media Market
GKIDS will be presenting a one-day-only screening of two wild and crazy stop-motion specials as A Town Called Panic: Double Fun arrives in select theaters on September 24, in honor of Art House Theater Day.
The double feature comprises new wild adventures from Oscar-nominated directors Stéphane Aubier and Vincent Patar (Ernest & Celestine), Christmas Panic and Back to School Panic.
The A Town Called Panic capers feature inventive visuals and slapstick plasticine antics — as usual, Cowboy and Indian are up to some harebrained scheme, with Horse left to clean up the mess.
In Christmas Panic, their out-of-control antics lead Horse to call Santa and cancel the presents. But the boys figure they can still save Christmas… if they break into their neighbor’s house to steal his yule log! In Back to School Panic, a class assignment yields a special prize, but only Pig knows the answer. Cowboy and Indian use a special shrinking potion to sneak into Pig’s brain, where they discover a sodium-packed world of pig cops riding in bacon cars and sausage cycles.
The screening will also feature an entertaining intermission of two classic Panic shorts: Lisa & Jan and Cow-Hulk.
The Walt Disney Family Museum will hold its second annual fundraising gala on November 1 at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, with actor Neil Patrick Harris set to perform as Master of Ceremonies. As part of the festivities, Disney Legend and Imagineering Ambassador Marty Sklar will be honored with the Diane Disney Miller Lifetime Achievement Award.
Harris stated as part of the announcement, “As a massive Disney fan, I am honored to be able to carry on the renowned legacy of the man who made it all possible – Walt Disney himself – and support The Walt Disney Family Museum for its second annual gala to help foster the next generation of creative talent while honoring Disney Legend, Marty Sklar for his outstanding achievements.”
In addition to working directly with Walt Disney, Marty Sklar has been a leading creative force bringing a magical experience to visitors at each of the company’s eleven theme parks located around the globe. His Lifetime Achievement accolade is bestowed on individuals who have made an outstanding impact on art, education, community involvement and/or technological advancements.
The fundraising gala, presented by the Board of The Walt Disney Family Museum and its President, Ron Miller, will benefit the museum, which is a nonprofit located in San Francisco. Guests will be treated to an after-hours private viewing of the exhibition “World of Color – Celebrate!” in the Disney California Adventure Park.
Adult Swim’s Stars Look Back at 15 Years of Insane, Genre-Bending Comedy
Vice reflects with live-action and animated series creatives, including Dan Harmon (Rick and Morty), Seth Green (Robot Chicken), David Willis (Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Squidbillies) and Matt Harrigan (Space Ghost Coast to Coast).
Chaos Group Releases Phoenix FD 3.0 for Autodesk 3ds Max
The all-in-one fluid dynamics plugin for fire, smoke, liquid, splash, foam, waves and more essential sims has been used in acclaimed shows like Game of Thrones and The Flash.
Video: ‘A Hologram for the King’ Animated Opening Sequence
Tom Tykwer’s film of the Dave Eggers novel about a failed American salesman who relocates to Saudi Arabia is out on home video, but the best bit is this animated Tom Hanks dance routine from Neuer Österreichischer Trickfilm.
Despite General Box Office Slump, Animation Sizzles in China
Forbes reports it’s been a bumpy ride for local theaters this year, but animated features have made over 60% gains year-over-year, thanks to imports like Zootopia, co-pro Kung Fu Panda 3 and home-grown Big Fish & Begonia.
’Plim Plim’ Travels to Discovery in MEA
Smilehood Media’s popular animated clown-magician will make new friends in Middle East and African territories at the start of the new year.
Fox Animation has picked up rights to award-winning author Ben Hatke’s Zita the Spacegirl graphic novel trilogy, to be produced by Chernin Entertainment (Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children). The first book arrived in 2011, with the series published in the US by Macmillan’s First Second imprint.
The Zita tales will be adapted for a feature film by screenwriting team Morgan Jurgenson and Alex Ankeles, who penned Marza Animation Planet’s Robodog, Hyperdrive (Paramount), Subdivision (Universal) and Dead Run (Lionsgate) — Jurgenson also wrote the cult-hit horror-comedy Tucker & Dale vs. Evil.
The Zita movie will be overseen by Darlene Caamano Loquet for Fox Animation.
The books follow a girl named Zita whose life gets complicated on a cosmic level when her best friend gets abducted by an alien cult. Finding herself on a strange planet inhabited by humanoid chickens and neurotic robots, she assumes the role of an intergalactic hero in order to find her way back to Earth, and kick some butt on the way.
France-based ON Entertainment has announced it is opening a North American production facility in Montréal, Canada. The new subsidiary — ON Animation Studio, Montréal — plans to hire 300 animation artists and crew over the next three years.
“Our new Montréal studio gives us a foothold in North America and provides us with the resources we need to ramp up production and extend our reach with films intended for international release,” said Thierry Pasquet, Co-founder of ON Ent. “Montréal is a magnet for global talent and has a rich pool of creative minds.”
The company intends to invest in innovative, cutting-edge technology to build up its production pipeline with the aim of completing one animated feature every two years.
ON Ent.’s recent feature film adaptation of Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s The Little Prince was produced in Montréal in partnership with a local studio. In addition to receiving funds for the project from the governments of Québec and Canada (close to $5 million CAD), ON also benefited from the support and expertise of Montréal International, Greater Montréal’s investment promotion agency.
Greater Montréal currently boasts nearly 40 studios, providing 3,000 jobs in the local animation and visual effects industry — currently ranked fourth in the world.
German brand management and media company m4e AG is partnering with leading Chinese animation distributor WeKids Asia to introduce preschool series Wissper and Tip the Mouse to the local market. WeKids has picked up rights to distribute the show across TV and VOD, and handle licensing and merchandising throughout Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau.
“We are excited to be granted the opportunity to bring these delightful and whimsical properties to the children and families of Greater China,” said WeKids founder and CEO Sean Chu. “Both Wissper and Tip the Mouse have all the characteristics that Chinese audiences love: adorable characters, high‐quality animation, simple but engaging stories, and most important to Chinese parents, positive social and emotional messaging that is developmentally appropriate to preschoolers.”
Wissper (52 x 7) is a CG animated series that follows a little girl with the special ability to communicate with animals, helping her understand and solve their problems. The show is co-produced by London-based Absolutely Cuckoo and m4e, Telegael (Ireland), Discreet Art Productions (India) and BASTEI Media GmbH; commissioned by Channel 5’s Milkshake! Worldwide distribution is managed by m4e.
Tip the Mouse (52 episodes) is based on the internationally popular children’s books by Italian author Andrea Dami. The series is produced by m4e, Studio Bozzetto & Co., Giunti Editore, Studio Campadelli and Rai Fiction. Worldwide rights are managed by m4e, excluding Italian-speaking Europe, Spain, Andorra and Portugal.
Two leading purveyors of adult-targeted digital and TV animation have joined forces, with Mondo Media (Happy Tree Friends, Deep Space 69, Dick Figures) and Six Point Harness (Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, Drawn Together the Movie, Dick Figures: The Movie) announcing their merger has been finalized. Plans for the unification began late last year.
The newly formed company will keep the Mondo Media name, going by simply “Mondo” for its consumer-facing activities such as digital and broadcast series distribution. The Six Point Harness brand will be used for its studio and production services. The company will be based in L.A., where it recently opened a 16,000 sq. ft. studio in Echo Park. Mondo will also retain its San Francisco office.
Mondo Media founder John Evershed will serve as CEO, and Six Point Harness founder Brendan Burch will assume the dual roles of Mondo Media’s Chief Creative Officer and President of Six Point Harness, and will join Mondo Media’s board of directors. As part of the merger, Third Wave Digital – investors in AwesomenessTV, MiTu, Tastemade, Stylehaul and Vessel – has invested in Mondo Media, and its managing partner, Allen DeBevoise, will continue to serve on the company’s board.
“Adult animation is a large, wide-open global video category, and our merger gives us the capacity to firmly establish the Mondo brand across multiple platforms,” said Evershed. “‘Superfan’ content like animation is in high demand on the digital platforms, and our large online audience and high quality make our shows attractive to traditional buyers.”
“The 6PH team brings 13 years of experience developing and producing hundreds of hours of TV and feature-length animation; the access to emerging and seasoned writing and animation talent; and relationships with the networks and studios. We believe you really have to have a foot in both traditional and digital to succeed in the emerging entertainment ecosystem,” added Burch.
Mondo Media produces original animated content for digital (online, mobile and VOD platforms), TV and film, and holds a distribution library of 40-plus hours. The company also operates the most-viewed animation channel on YouTube (over 3 billion views). Its current development slate includes a new cable TV series, an R-rated feature-length animated comedy for a major studio, and resuming active production on several of its most popular YouTube series.
The merger of Mondo Media and Six Point Harness as an all-stock merger, which officially closed in late 2015. Both companies are privately held, and financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
