Animation Magazine

Author: Mercedes Milligan

  • Alix Wiseman Named 9 Story VP Business & Acquisitions

    9 Story Media Group has appointed international media professional Alix Wiseman to the newly created position of Vice President, Business Development & Acquisitions. Based out of the U.K. and reporting to Chief Strategy Officer Natalie Osborne, Wiseman will lead distribution and acquisitions efforts in EMEA with a focus on bringing in new European content as well as greenlighting projects with European broadcasters.

    Claudia Scott-Hansen, VP, Business Development, also reporting to Osborne, will continue to lead distribution efforts in the Americas and Asia, and oversee strategic content partnerships in the U.S.

    Bringing over 20 years of experience in the global media industry, Wiseman joins 9 Story having most recently served as executive producer and head of sales & acquisitions at Aardman Animations. She joined the Bristol studio in 2006 and set up its dedicated distribution division.

    Wiseman also worked with her Aardman team to secure TV and home entertainment partnerships for Shaun the Sheep in 170 countries and drive new brand extensions for Oscar-winning classics Wallace & Gromit and Creature Comforts. On the acquisitions side, Wiseman sourced third party content from independent studios, including Digby Dragon (Blue Zoo), Bing (Brown Bag) and Wussywat the Clumsy Cat (Baby Cow Animation).

    Wiseman started her career at Channel 4, selling over 3,000 hours of programming across genres. Passionate about animation, she joined the then newly-formed kids’ content company Entertainment Rights (later acquired by Classic Media and then DreamWorks), driving the global roll-outs of Postman Pat, Little Red Tractor, Barbie specials and Transformers. A U.K. and U.S. national, Wiseman was raised in Latin America and is fluent in French, Spanish, Portuguese and speaks basic Italian.

    9 Story Media Group
    9 Story Media Group
  • Flaunt Delivers First Feature Project ‘Welcome to Monster High’

    Flaunt Delivers First Feature Project ‘Welcome to Monster High’

    Glasgow-based animation studio Flaunt is celebrating its first feature-length project arriving in theaters as Welcome to Monster High has bowed in select cinemas around the world. Directed by Stephen Donnelly and Olly Reid, the 70-minute movie for Mattel’s Playground Pictures reboots the Monster High franchise and brings back fearsomely fabulous characters Draculaura, Frankie Stein, Clawdeen, Cleo and Lagoona, while introducing some new creepy coeds.

    Welcome to Monster High is an origin story for the school, telling how Draculaura and co.’s dream of monsters and humans living side by side became a reality. Flaunt worked with Mattel to create fresh interpretations of franchise, staying true to the iconic toys while updating them for animation. The dolls’ proportions and facial structure were modified to create characters suitable for dynamic action and subtle performances.

    “The love was poured not only into designing the characters but also extended to the look of their world too,” said Donnelly. “We designed rich, atmospheric sets and a plethora of bespoke props, balancing detail with clean silhouettes, adding true visual depth to the story of Draculaura and her Ghoulfriends.”

    To complement the new designs, Flaunt arrived at a dynamic animation style full of strong poses and defined character movement inspired by 2D animation principles. “We had a fantastic group animators and layout artists, plucked from around the globe. Together they created incredibly characterful and nuanced performances that captures the spirit of each character. Complemented by the heroic efforts of our brilliant lighting team. The final film is plush, fun, bold and charming,” Reid added.

    Originally slated for a direct-to-DVD release, Welcome to Monster High opened in theaters August 27, partnering with Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation to create an exclusive behind-the-scenes look and special “Dance the Fright Away” pre-show featuring YouTube superstar choreographer Matt Steffanina.

    DVD release dates for Welcome to Monster High are yet to be announced, but Flaunt is already in production on a second feature project for the franchise due out next spring.

    Welcome to Monster High
    Welcome to Monster High
  • Exclusive: ‘Get My Goat’ Is DreamWorksTV’s Newest Toon

    Exclusive: ‘Get My Goat’ Is DreamWorksTV’s Newest Toon

    Online video destination DreamWorksTV is officially launching brand-new animated comedy series Get My Goat on September 3, but you can check out the slapstick shenanigans here first!

    Created by Emmy-nominated filmmaker Mike Blum and Pipsqueak Films, Get My Goat is a digital 2D cartoon in the mien of classic ’60s physical comedies like The Road Runner Show. The show features a clever herding dog named Dutch as he defends his oblivious billy goat from a scheming but dimwitted wolf named Gold Fang.

    Blum had previously helped launch DreamWorksTV with his popular animated series Fifi: Cat Therapist, which received two nominations from the International Academy of Web Television Awards last year. His webtoon credentials also include Shut Up! Cartoons Samurai Daycare and Comedy Central’s The Adventures of Baxter & McGuire.

    Get My Goat
    Get My Goat
  • ‘Ready Jet Go!’ Blasts Off Worldwide

    ‘Ready Jet Go!’ Blasts Off Worldwide

    Wind Dancer Films’ hit animated space-themed series Ready Jet Go! is setting coordinates for more international markets thanks to a number of new broadcaster deals inked by distributor CAKE. These sales follow a recent commission by PBS KIDS for a second 24-episode season of the show, plus an hour-long special and a collection of web games and mobile apps, rolling out in the U.S. in late 2017.

    New broadcasters ready to take off with Ready Jet Go! include ABC (Australia), BBC Kids (Canada), Knowledge Network (Canada), YLE (Finland), NRK (Norway), SIC Television (Portugal), PBS (Thailand) and MBC (Middle East)

    “Ready Jet Go! has quickly taken off with U.S. audiences, and we’re thrilled about the warm reception that CAKE has received for the series from the international broadcast community,” said Dete Meserve, Executive Producer of the series and Principal of Wind Dancer Films. “Our mission with Ready Jet Go! is to encourage young viewers to engage in science in ways that spark their natural curiosity, broaden their horizons and deepen their connection to the universe. These new deals will extend all the rich learning opportunities of the series, along with its music-filled, action-packed fun, to young viewers all around the world.”

    Since its February premiere on PBS KIDS, Ready Jet Go! has reached 22 million viewers, including 7.6 million kids on linear TV, and its content has been streamed more than 93 million times since January. A consumer products program including licensed toys, publishing and apparel is also on the horizon.

    Aimed at 3-8 year olds, Ready Jet Go! follows Jet Propulsion, the new kid in town who is an alien from outer space, along with his Earth friends, Sean and Sydney. Together, the trio sets out on astronomical adventures exploring the solar system and how it affects Earth, while learning about friendship and teamwork along the way.

    Created by Craig Bartlett (Hey Arnold!, Dinosaur Train), the series is produced by Wind Dancer Films with the company’s Dete Meserve and founders Matt Williams and David McFadzean as Executive Producers. Major funding for the series is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). International distribution excluding U.S. and Canada (but including broadcast rights for the latter) is handled by CAKE.

    Ready Jet Go!
    Ready Jet Go!
  • ‘Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs’ Set Sail for POP

    ‘Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs’ Set Sail for POP

    Animated comedy / high seas adventure Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs is charting a course for U.K. kids’ channel POP, where it will debut on September 5 and air daily at 8:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. The sale was arranged by partner ZDF Enterprises, which has also arranged for Captain Flinn to dock at JY Animation (China), Vietnam Content, Mediacorp (Singapore), RTP (Portugal), SVT (Sweden) and CSC Media Group (Africa).

    Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs is the work of SLR Productions, Telegael, Super RTL, Network Nine, Top Draw Animation and ZDF Enterprises. Based on the award-winning picture books by author-illustrator duo Giles Andreae and Russell Ayto, the show follows kids Flinn, Pearl, Tom and violet as they set sail on a pirate ship to keep the pirate dinosaurs from creating cretaceous havoc across the Seven-and-a-half Seas.

    “I am excited for the U.K. premiere of Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs on POP,” said Suzanne Ryan, executive producer and CEO of SLR Productions. “The popular kids’ channel is the perfect home for this piro-dino comedic adventure series as it brings to life the fantastic award-winning picture books by Giles Andreae and Russell Ayto. Having launched in Australia on Nine’s GO!, the series will soon premiere in other popular territories, confirming the global appeal of pirates, dinosaurs and good old-fashioned fun.”

    Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs
    Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs
  • ‘Alpha and Omega: The Big FUReeze’ Arrives Nov. 8

    ‘Alpha and Omega: The Big FUReeze’ Arrives Nov. 8

    An all-new installment of canine capers will arrive just in time for the holidays as Lionsgate releases Alpha and Omega: The Big Fureeze on DVD, Digital HD and On Demand on November 8. Fans can catch up with the pack as wolf pups Stinky, Claudette and Runt embark on another unfurgettable adventure, and sink their teeth into two deleted scenes.

    (What’s that? “Stop making wolf puns?” Umm, no fangs … Well, OK, maybe a brief paws.)

    From Lionsgate and Splash Entertainment, Alpha and Omega: The Big Fureeze DVD + Digital copy set has an MSRP of $14.98 and includes the 45-minute feature and deleted scenes “Failure to Launch” and “Flying Blind” — also included in the Digital HD release.

    Synopsis:

    Join everyone’s favorite alpha and omega wolves for a heartwarming holiday adventure! When Kate and Humphrey get lost in the woods and fail to appear for the holidays, their wolf pups—Stinky, Claudette, and Runt—take matters into their own paws and venture out into a blizzard to rescue them. Joined by Brent the sleepy bear cub and Agnes the feisty porcupine, the pups prove that neither blinding snow, nor rival wolves, nor hungry bears, will keep them from spending the holidays together as a family.

    Alpha and Omega: The Big Fureeze
    Alpha and Omega: The Big Fureeze
  • Daily News Bytes

    Daily News Bytes

    Makoto Shinkai’s Your Name Tops Box Office with 1.28 Billion Yen in 3 Days
    The latest anime feature from the creator of The Place Promised in Our Early Days and She and Her Cat ranked No. 1 in Japan over the weekend. Ghibli veteran Masashi Ando served as animation director on the “story of miracles and love”.

    GLAS Animation Presenting an Evening with Henry Selick
    Plan on being in downtown Los Angeles October 1 for a screening of Selick’s shorts and a Q&A with the Coraline and Nightmare Before Christmas director.

    Sony to Add Rental Option to Its 4K Movie Service
    SPHE’s Ultra will introduce two-day rentals and extend streaming service to supported PCs early next year — although pricing will remain high for the 4K content.

    Online Game Star Stable Gallops into Licensing
    Will the addictive horse-training game be the next franchise phenom to come out of Scandinavia? The Swedish creators and New York’s Big Tent Entertainment are saddling up to see.

    Can You Like Bad Animation?
    Rotoscopers‘ Rachel Wagner waxes on the love-hate relationship inspired by the ugly (or just poorly rendered) ducklings of animation.

    Your Name
    Your Name
  • 2016 Student Academy Award Winners Announced

    2016 Student Academy Award Winners Announced

    The Academy has voted 17 students winners of the 43rd Student Academy Awards competition, selected from a record number of entries (1,749 films from 286 domestic and 95 international schools).

    Joining the ranks of former winners like Pixar legend Pete Docter are this year’s at-home and international animation winners:

    Student Academy Award: Animation

    Die Flucht by Carter Boyce (DePaul University)

    Once upon a Line by Alicja Jasina (USC)

    The Wishgranter by Echo Wu (Ringling College of Art and Design)

    Foreign Animation

    Ayny by Ahmad Saleh (Academy of Media Arts Cologne, Germany)

    These winners are all now eligible to compete for the Animated Short Film Oscar. Carter Boyce’s win marks the first time a Student Academy Award has gone to a pupil of DePaul University. Further, this is the first year that the Foreign Film category has been expanded to offer separate awards for narrative, animation and documentary — the latter two category winners will receive gold medals.

    The animation awardees and their counterparts in live-action, documentary and alternative film will now head to Los Angeles for a week of industry activities, culminating in an awards ceremony on September 22 at 7:30 p.m. at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, where the gold, silver and bronze medal placements will be revealed.

    Die Flucht
    Die Flucht
  • ASIFA Selects AEF Scholarship Recipients

    ASIFA Selects AEF Scholarship Recipients

    ASIFA-Hollywood and the Animation Educators Forum has selected eight animation students to receive a total of $30,000 in scholarships for academic year 2016-17. The merit-based awards are designed to support students in continuing their education in animation.

    This year, applications arrived from all over the world, including Australia, Singapore, Canada and the U.S. Applications included the students’ proposals, letters of recommendation from faculty, and demo reel/still art submissions, which were taken into consideration by the AEF judges.

    The 2016-17 AEF Scholarship recipients receiving $5,000 are Rebecca Redhead (Victorian College of the Arts; Melbourne, Australia), Anna Maria Mouradian (Concordia University; Montreal, Canada), Devon Manney (USC; Los Angeles, CA) and Ana Perez Lopez (California Institute of the Arts; Valencia, CA). Receiving $2,500 are Helen See (Nanyang Tech University; Singapore), Janice Chun (Rhode Island School of Design; Providence, RI), Maaike Scherff (San Jose State University; San Jose, CA) and Oslavi Linares (Concordia University; Montreal, Canada).

    All awardees also get a one-year Associate Membership to ASIFA-Hollywood.

    This year’s AEF Scholarship Committee was Mark Farquhar, Patrick Despres, Lee Crowe, Tom Sito, Jo Meuris, Kati Anguelov, Chuck Grieb, Harvey Deneroff, Adriana Jaroszewicz, Karen Sullivan, Ellen Besen, Dori Littell-Herrick and Aubry Mintz.

    Animation Educators Forum
    Animation Educators Forum

  • Gaumont Partners with Kristen Bell for ‘Do, Re & Mi’

    The first new series from Gaumont under the leadership of President of Animation, Nicolas Atlan, has been announced as Do, Re & Mi (52 x 11), a whimsical musical adventure produced in partnership with performer Jackie Tohn, artist Michael Scharf (The Moon and the Son: An Imagined Conversation), producer Ivan Askwith (Veronica Mars movie) and the multi-talented Kristen Bell.

    The animated series which “starts as an adventure and ends in a song” will include original songs performed by Bell (who voiced Anna in Frozen) and Tohn (American Idol finalist; also playing Gilda Radner in Netflix’s A Futile and Stupid Gesture), as well as a number of special guests.

    “Music has been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember. I hope this show will inspire a new generation of Kids and expose them to the benefits of music, which can be incredibly inspirational, encouraging and fun all at the same time,” said Bell.

    Do, Re & Mi is about Mi, a walking, talking musical eighth note who begins every day with one mission:to find his song. His song isn’t a sheet of music misplaced somewhere, but his inspiration and reason for being. With best friends Do (a nerdy electronic tablet with access to a world of knowledge) and Re (a keyboard who is like a loving but bossy big sister), he finds a different inspiration and a new song in every episode.

    The series is created by Tohn and Scharf, and executive produced by Bell and Askwith, whose digital savvy will be applied to extending Do, Re & Mi across multiple screens. Askwith also brings his experience on Reading Rainbow, crowdfunded success Veronica Mars (the movie) and Super Troopers 2.

    Gaumont
    Gaumont
  • Nelvana Inks Multi-Territory Disney Deal for ‘ZhuZhu Pets’

    Nelvana Inks Multi-Territory Disney Deal for ‘ZhuZhu Pets’

    Corus Entertainment’s animation producer-distributor Nelvana has sold multi-territory broadcast and on-demand rights for upcoming kids series Polly and the ZhuZhu Pets to Disney Channels Worldwide. Inspired by the popular toy line created in 2009, the 26 x 22 ZhuZhu Pets series will debut on Disney Channel in the U.S. on September 12 before rolling out in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa.

    Polly and the ZhuZhu Pets features the beloved critter characters Pipsqueak, Num Nums, Chunk and Mr. Squiggles (as well as some adorable new faces). This curious bunch of fun-seeking adventurers lives with Polly and the Pamplemousse family in Anytown. With their distinctive birthmarks, undeniable charm, and fur-raising escapades, the ZhuZhus certainly prove they are no ordinary pets.

    Corus will be announcing a home-turf premiere on Canadian TV at a later date. The show is produced in Nelvana’s Toronto studio. Polly and the ZhuZhu Pets is executive produced by Scott Dyer, Colin Bohm and Irene Weibel for Nelvana and Russell Hornsby from Cepia LLC.

    Polly and the ZhuZhu Pets
    Polly and the ZhuZhu Pets
  • Hari’s ‘Grizzy and the Lemmings’ Gets MIPJunior Premiere

    Hari’s ‘Grizzy and the Lemmings’ Gets MIPJunior Premiere

    Hari International, the recently launched distribution branch of Studio Hari, announces that its first original property Grizzy and the Lemmings will have a MIPJunior World Premiere TV Screening at the annual kids’ content market in Cannes. The series will have its broadcast debut on Boomerang worldwide this falls, then arrive on France Televisions.

    “After having secured the worldwide pay TV exposure, our aim is now to bring together the largest number of national terrestrial partners to establish the brand,” says Head of Sales Adeline Tormo. “As a new entrant in the international distribution market, it was essential to differentiate ourselves from the competition in our first participation in a major professional event. What’s better for the promotion of the show than letting Grizzy and the Lemmings come to life before the eyes of all the children’s programs buyers at the same time?”

    The screening is scheduled for Sunday, October 16 at 5:30 p.m. at the Grand Hyatt Hotel Martinez.

    According to Studio Hari co-founder Josselin Charier, the show follows a bear named Grizzy, who makes the most of the Forest Ranger’s comfy house and modern conveniences whenever the owner is away. When the mischievous Lemmings move in and turn the house into an amusement park, the slapstick shenanigans begin in earnest.

    “Since it is a non-verbal series targeting a large audience, Grizzy and the Lemmings has the potential to become a new classic. Otherwise, we have made significant investments to reach a feature- quality CGI animation. We are thrilled to unveil three episodes of this show in Cannes,” adds Charier.

    Grizzy and the Lemmings
    Grizzy and the Lemmings
  • Toei and Gust Tease Original Collaboration

    Toei and Gust Tease Original Collaboration

    Megalithic Japanese studio Toei Animation and Gust — the KOEI Tecmo Games-owned brand behind the Atelier and Nights of Azure game series — have launched a website to teasingly announce their first-ever collaboration on an all-new, original project.

    The coproducers will present a special preview event on September 16, where KOEI Tecmo’s Akira Tsuchiya and his key team will reveal details of the project. The free event at the Shinjuku Wald 9 theater in Tokyo is open to a limited number of attendees to be chosen by lottery.

    So far, all that has been revealed is a silhouette image from the website which appears to show five female characters wielding oversized weapons — including one that seems to be wearing a floppy witch’s hat. (Cyber Shoujo Battle Coven, maybe?) But Toei’s involvement near guarantees that the project will cover both game and animated series, feature and/or online content.

    Toei and Gust Tease Original Collaboration
    Toei and Gust Tease Original Collaboration
  • ‘Eddie Is a Yeti’ Gets CozyPhones Treatment

    ‘Eddie Is a Yeti’ Gets CozyPhones Treatment

    On-demand kids entertainment portal Toon Goggles has signed an agreement with CozyPhones that will see the animated star of its cutely cryptozoological series Eddie Is a Yeti appearing on the company’s super comfortable headphones, available this holiday season.

    “At Toon Goggles, we feel Eddie Is A Yeti is literally a perfect fit with CozyPhones,” said Stephen L. Hodge, CEO of Toon Goggles Inc. “It’s L&M perfection when a lovable character like Eddie comes together with an adorable product like CozyPhones.”

    A Toon Goggles original, Eddie Is a Yeti is currently available to view on toongoggles.com. Co-produced with Mondo TV, a second season will enter production in Q4 of 2016.

    Based in the U.S., CozyPhones was founded in 2015 by husband and wife team Paul and Jessica Miller. Their signature headphones feature soft fleece bands with thin speakers embedded within to rest comfortably outside the ear.

    Eddie Is a Yeti
    Eddie Is a Yeti
  • VFX Prods Cortvriendt and Marshall Join FuseFX

    VFX Prods Cortvriendt and Marshall Join FuseFX

    FuseFX continues to bulk up its talent roster for its Vancouver facility: joining up are VFX Producers Chad Cortvriendt and Graeme Marshall, who both bring extensive experience in the Canadian visual effects industry across film, TV, advertising and more. The new arrivals will work with the VFX teams attached to Legion, Dark Matter and Zoo.

    “Chad and Graeme stand out for their drive and deep ties to the Vancouver production community,” said FuseFX President David Altenau. “They are knowledgeable and committed, qualities we look for in all of our staff. We look for both to be strong contributors to our growth.”

    Cortvriendt arrives after nine years in Vancouver, primarily as a Senior Stereo Producer for feature projects. His credits include Suicide Squad, Ghostbusters, Batman v Superman: Civil War, Jungle Book and The Amazing Spider-Man 2.

    Marshall has served for the past three years as a VFX Producer for TV shows including Arrow, Banshee, Hemlock Grove and Clan of the Cave Bear. In 2014, he received an Emmy nomination as part of the visual effects team for The 100. He began his career as a production assistant at New Zealand production company Flying Start and segued into visual effects through another New Zealand company, PRS Spartacus LTD.

    Chad Cortvriendt / Graeme Marshall
    Chad Cortvriendt / Graeme Marshall
  • Daily News Bytes

    Daily News Bytes

    Here’s New Beauty and the Beast Live-Action Photos to Get You Excited
    Catch a glimpse of Dan Stevens’ princely performance, Le Fou (Josh Gad) and Gaston (Luke Evans) plus the CG baroque Lumiere and Cogsworth, voiced by Ewan McGregor and Ian McKellen.

    Quick on the Draw: Vancouver’s Animation Film Industry Takes Off
    The Sun examines the historic stepping stones that took the Canadian city from indie outpost to animation’s “Hollywood North.”

    Pokemon Eevee Coming to Build-a-Bear Workshops
    Starting September 1, you can pick up an Eevee plush and even outfit it with a cute evolution-options hoodie.

    Front Line Village in Georgia to Host International Animation Film Festival
    Nikozi will host its sixth annual international animation festival at its historic monastery, featuring both local and international artists.

    Animation Purists Will Dig WL’s Dreamy Feeling Down Video
    Portland “kraut pop” band’s latest video inspired by its upcoming album Light Years is a handcrafted trip from director Zach Erickson, with drawings by Souther Salazar.

    Beauty and the Beast
    Beauty and the Beast

  • Jeffrey Katzenberg Net Worth Estimated at $880M

    Following the official closure of Comcast’s $3.8 billion purchase of DreamWorks Animation — which puts the studio’s film, television and digital operations under the NBCUniversal umbrella — Forbes reports that departing CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg is nearly a billionaire (again), thanks to a reputed payout of $391 million as part of the deal. The acquisition price tag came included $41 per share for DWA shareholders.

    As previously reported, Katzenberg is vacating the CEO post to serve as a consultant to NBCU, and become chairman of DreamWorks New Media.

    Katzenberg has long been familiar with Scrooge McDuck-level piles of cash. Before founding DreamWorks with Hollywood royal Steven Spielberg and music mogul David Geffen, Katzenberg was studio chief at Disney — and sued the studio over an unpaid bonus after leaving in 1994, finally winning a $250 million settlement a few years later.

    DreamWorks Animation went public in 2004, with Katzenberg at its head. Over the years the studio has had its ups and downs as the entertainment industry changed dramatically. A $300-plus million revenue loss in 2014 prompted a massive restructuring the next year — including layoffs of some 500 employees. However, the plan paid off, with DWA improving numbers enough to attract the NBCU bid earlier this year.

    Katzenberg has previously been named to the Forbes’ World’s Billionaires List (in 2005 with a net worth of $1 billion) as well as The Forbes 400 Richest Americans (2004, at $800 million).

    Jeffrey Katzenberg
    Jeffrey Katzenberg
  • ‘SuperMansion: Season 1’ Soars to Shelves Oct. 11

    ‘SuperMansion: Season 1’ Soars to Shelves Oct. 11

    Sony Pictures Home Entertainment will be unleashing superpowered shenanigans this fall with the release of SuperMansion: Season 1 on digital (October 10) and DVD (October 11), with all 13 of the inaugural run’s episodes. From Stoopid Buddy Stoodios of Robot Chicken fame, the stop-motion series runs on Sony’s ad-supported streaming service, Crackle, with season two coming next year.

    Created by Matthew Senreich and Zeb Wells, SuperMansion is an adult-targeted series about a group of dysfunctional superheroes known as the League of Freedom, whose greatest battle is staying relevant in a changing world. Lead by aging ubermensch Titanium Rex (voiced by Bryan Cranston) the crimefighters/mansion-mates are a jaded bunch of millennials learning to harness their powers and fight for justice, or whatever.

    Co-starring with Cranston are Zeb Wells (as Jewbot), Keegan-Michael Key (American Ranger), Tucker Gilmore (Black Saturn), Tom Root (Brad), Heidi Gardner (Cooch), Jillian Bell (Lex Lightning) and Clark Duke (Groaner), with guest stars including Seth Green, Chris Pine, Nick Kroll, Ron Perlman and Matthew Senreich. SuperMansion is directed by Wells, who also serves as writer and executive producer with Senreich.

    SuperMansion: Season 1
    SuperMansion: Season 1
  • Daily News Bytes

    Daily News Bytes

    Sumner Redstone Agrees to Meet with Granddaughter in Court Settlement
    The roiling chaos at Viacom seems to be cooling to a simmer, with corporate patriarch agreeing to a face-to-face with Keryn, who had sided with former CEO Philippe Dauman and director George Abrams in the legal battle shaking up the Nickelodeon parent company.

    HBO, AT&T Strike Unprecedented Carriage Deal Across Pay TV, OTT
    Good news, Game of Thrones fans! Soon you can catch HBO shows on TV, online and authenticated streaming through this “historic” deal.

    100 Days of Animation: A Crash Course in Creativity
    Ohio-based Zwelley Co. takes up a 100 Day challenge to create a raft of original hand-drawn animations.

    Animation Helps Me Turn My Imagination into Reality: Ahmed Roshdy
    At just 27 years old, the filmmaker behind Layl (Night) is one of the few Egyptian animators to capture attention on the international stage.

    Create Interesting 2D Animations with OpenToonz
    The Windows Club recommends a user-friendly open source solution for 2D from developer team Dwango rich in features.

    HBO
    HBO
  • Daily News Bytes

    Daily News Bytes

    Video: Lindalee & Jeremy Zag Talk ‘Miraculous’
    Pint-sized reporter Lindalee Rose interviews Zagtoons founder Jeremy Zag about what’s in store for his breakout superhero stars Ladybug and Cat Noir.

    He Came to D.C. from Nigeria – and Created His Own African Comic-Book Universe
    Roye Okupe discusses the journey he took to follow his dream and create E.X.O., the African superhero star of his newly minted indie label YouNeek Studios.

    Making Stop Motion Animation Looks Really Hard
    Well, duh. But still, it’s always mind bending to see behind-the-scenes footage from LAIKA!

    Pokemon Inspires Professionals to Produce Animated Movie on Saudi Heritage Sites
    The insanely popular AR game has inspired the MiSK Festival’s animation team to create a comedy adventure that introduces viewers to important sites stumbled upon while hunting Pokemon.

    Christoph Waltz May Join James Cameron’s Alita: Battle Angel
    Quentin Tarantino’s favorite Austrian may play the cybersurgeon in director Robert Rodriguez’s adaptation of the sci-fi manga — Rosa Salazar (Maze Runner) will play Alita.

    Miraculous
    Miraculous