Switch VFX has grown a new production company, Switch Animation, to be headed by the former Yowza Digital’s co-founder Pete Denomme. Based in Toronto, the new united force of Switch VFX and Switch Animation will bring cutting-edge technological capabilities and a reputation for creative excellence to both animation and visual effects projects.
“Expertise in dual disciplines allow us to offer two creative services to our client partners with the ease of only one phone call” says the new entity’s CEO, Denomme. “We also provide great opportunities to new artists with a deep desire for varied learning and career development”
New work from Switch is set to launch on Teletoon in September, and the company has major studio projects lined-up through 2017. Learn more at switchent.com.
The Ottawa International Animation Festival — North America’s leading animation fest — has announced the Official Selection for its 2016 Animated Feature Competition. Taking place September 21-25 in the Canadian capital, this year’s OAIF marks the event’s 40th anniversary with another enchanting line-up of films from around the world.
“It’s one of the strongest years we’ve had in the feature competition,” says Chris Robinson, Artistic Director at OIAF. “We’ve got a record number of Canadian features and what really impresses me is how utterly diverse and unique each film is. I don’t relish the feature jury this year. Picking a Grand Prize winner will not be an easy task.”
OIAF’s 40th year breaks new ground with three Canadian productions in the feature film Grand Prize competition. Previous Grand Prize winner (1978, La Traversee de l’Atlantique a la rame) Jean-Francois Laguionie returns with Louise En Hiver, a hand-painted piece about an elderly woman stranded in a seaside town. Anne Marie Fleming’s Window Horses stars Sandra Oh as the voice of Rosie, a young Canadian poet of Chinese and Persian descent who travels to Iran and winds up on a journey of understanding. And indie hit La Guerre des Tuques (Snowtime!) from Jean-Francois Pouliot and Francois Brisson is a colorful new take on the coming-of-age film classic.
From the U.S. (or “Canada’s pants” as some would say) comes Penny Lane’s mixed-media documentary about goat testicle transplanting medical fraud John R. Brinkley, Nuts!; and Chris Prynoski’s vibrant, obscene adult comedy Nerdland, starring Paul Rudd and Patton Oswalt as two Hollywood failures who hatch a crazy plan to get famous by their 30th birthdays.
From Jan Bultheel, Cafard (a Belgium/France/Netherlands co-production) carves out the world of 1914 in the director’s distinctive motion-capture style, following a champion wrestler named Jean Mordant who enrolls in the first armored car military division and embarks on a dramatic odyssey to avenge his daughter. And from Spain, Pedro Rivero & Alberto Vazquez’s Psiconautas, the forgotten children brings the world of award-winning graphic novel Birdboy to life, centered on two teenagers living in the fallout of an ecological disaster who both long to escape in their own ways.
Zodiak Kids Studios has inked a co-production agreement with Discovery Kids Latin America for a new 52 x 11 CG-animated series, Lilybuds. Centered on a group of funny little magical beings with big personalities who tend their extraordinary garden home while caring for local animals, the show’s broadcast partners are France Televisions and Legardere (for Tiji).
Eryk Casemiro has developed Lilybuds for TV and is executive producing for Zodiak Kids Studios, with editorial input from Discovery Kids Latin America. Kate Boutilier (Rugrats, Poppy Cat) serves as head writer and co-executive producer. Zodiak is handling distribution and licensing, and Discovery Consumer Products holds L&M rights for Latin America.
Lilybuds will be produced in France with “a leading 3D studio” to be announced. The producers are also planning a strong digital presence, with a robust online world being created in conjunction with the TV series.
A new animated fantasy world — chock to the brim with daring adventurers, buxom barbarians, terrifying beasts and plenty of booze — is about to unfold on streaming service Seeso. A trailer has arrived for Rick and Morty co-creator Dan Harmon’s HarmonQuest, which launches July 14.
HarmonQuest is a Seeso original series that takes a live fantasy roleplaying game, performed in front of a live audience, and animates the off-the-cuff exploits of Harmon and his guests. It’s a natural evolution from Harmon’s D&D quests on his Harmontown podcast, enriched by 2D toon visuals and gags.
The show features Haron and fellow executive producer Spencer Crittenden, as well as Erin McGathy and Jeff Bryan Davis. Special guests lined up for HarmonQuest include Aubrey Plaza, Chelsea Peretti, Thomas Middleditch, Steve Agee, Paul F. Tompkins, Ron Funches, John Hodgman and Kumail Nanjiani.
Award-winning actor Jackie Chan has signed on to voice a fuzzy but fearsome Kung-Fu master mouse in The Nut Job 2. The film also features the voices of Will Arnett, Katherine Heigl and Maya Rudolph, and will arrive in theaters via Open Road Films on May 19, 2017.
A sequel to the highly successful family toon The Nut Job — which achieved the biggest ever box-office opening for an indie animated feature and surpassed $120 million worldwide — The Nut Job 2 follows Surly Squirrel and his ragtag grou of animal friends as they band together to save their home of Liberty Park from the evil mayor of Oakton and his bulldozer plans.
Chan will voice Mr. Feng, the highly territorial leader of a gang of city mice. Beneath his cute and friendly exterior beats the heart of a fierce and menacing Kung-Fu master, determined to protect his turf from all trespassers.
The Nut Job 2 is directed by Cal Brunker, and written by Scott Bindley, Bob Barlen & Cal Brunker. The film is a production of ToonBox Entertainment, Redrover, Shanghai Hoongman Technology and Gulfstream Pictures. Open Road Films will handle U.S. theatrical distribution, while The Weinstein Company holds sales rights worldwide, excluding China and Korea.
BAFTA-winning and Emmy-nominated children’s television producer Sixteen South has opened a brand new, four-story animation studio in the heart of Belfast to accommodate its growing business — and productions late. The 7,500 square-foot facility has room for 110 seats and the capacity to host four in-house productions, with a dedicated recording studio, dubbing suite, six edit rooms and a finishing suite.
“In 1884, this building was home to the Clarence Finishing Company, a leading exporter of the finest linen handkerchiefs,” said Sixteen South’s Founder and Creative Director, Colin Williams. “Today, we’re proud that it’s the home to one of the city’s new industries, where we make television for children in every country.”
The £1 million building was officially opened in a special ceremony by Northern Ireland’s First Minister, Arlene Foster, and deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness.
“The creative industries in Northern Ireland contribute over £329 million to the local economy and I, and my Executive colleagues are committed to support further growth in this sector,” said Foster. “The development of the Film & TV industry remains a crucial part of the creative economy in Northern Ireland and while other large-scale productions can sometimes be seen as taking the plaudits, it is appropriate to highlight that the animation sector here is extremely buoyant with our animated productions far reaching and screened globally.”
Sixteen South is currently in production on a second season of its hit mixed-media animated series Lily’s Driftwood Bay, which recently won the European Prix Jeunesse and now airs in over 100 countries. Season two will feature new voice talent with guests Dolly Parton — as the Singing Chicken — and Rob Brydon as a handsome silver fox.
The studio is also about to start production on a brand-new animated series, Claude (52 x 11) for Disney EMEA, Australia and New Zealand. Based on the best-selling books by Alex T. Smith, Claude follows the humorous adventures of a little beret-donning dog.
Sixteen South Office L to R First Minister Arlene Foster, Colin Williams Founder and Creative Director of Sixteen South and Martin McGuinness Deputy First Minister
BAFTA-winning and Oscar-nominated producer Chris Hees (The Bigger Picture) is teaming up with another award winner, director Bexie Bush (Mend and Make Do) for her next animated short film project: The Rumour Mill. The new film is a stop-frame animation that aims to ignite public interest in the debate around the future of energy.
“There is something magical about animation, it’s a lot more accessible than just words,” says Bush. “Animation can reveal the soul of an important subject.”
Bush conceived the project after attending a two-week residency in 2015 at the Open University as part of its Stories of Change initiative. The program brought together creatives and academics to discuss ways of working together to fuel public debate about important issues.
With an animation team based in John Smedley’s Factory on the Derwent Valley River, production of The Rumour MIll involves the production of 24 miniature sets which will be the foundation for a mix of pixilation, cut-out animation and object animation. The film is about “the beat of the Mill” and the sets are engineered to move and change to work interactively, like a puzzle, with the blended techniques taking audiences on a tactile journey as the John Smedley’s staff discusses the future of energy.
In addition to its support from The Open University, the filmmakers have launched an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign with a target of £10,000 — about half of which has been pledged so far.
The 9th Fest Anča International Animation Festival wrapped up on Sunday in Žilina, Slovakia, with Spanish directors Maria Álvarez and Elisa Morals taking the main Anča Award (and the 800 euro prize purse) for their film Three Fitted Flies (Tres moscas a medida).
The international jury stated:
“The winning film creates and recreates its own narrative and visual space with inventiveness and constant surprises. Beguilingly simple in its visual design, it engages the viewers with its quirky atmosphere, but also the very personal feelings of the main character, hidden under a fly’s wings.”
The film depicts a small village in a plain and arid region of central Spain, where an old woman tries to bring her late husband back by means of twisted rituals.
Special mentions were also awarded to Celine Devaux’s Sunday Lunch (for its “very personal story that metamorphoses into the most interesting Sunday evening, with the protagonist being devoured by his family, the cosy monochromatic backgrounds, and the menacing sound design”) and Samuel Yal’s Noevus — a fascinating dialog between the art forms of sculpture, dance and animation.
The Anča Student Award went to Frederic Siegel’s Ruben Leaves, with the jury awarding a special mention to Martina Scarpelli’s Cosmoetico. Esteban Azuela’s State of Amnesia clip for punk group Los Viejos took the Music Video Award; a special mention went to Dave Merson Hess for Now It’s Over. And in the Kisd’ Award section, Yulia Aronova’s One, Two, Three was selected by a special children’s committee. All three prize winners received 400 euros.
For the local competition, the Anča Slovak Award along with 600 euros in prize money — supported by the Slovak Literary Fund — was awarded to Marta Prokopova’s Mila Fog. “The film brings a subtle associative story that gives us a space for interpretation and creative participation. The combination of different visual styles and their transformation comes very naturally and fluently. The magnetic visuals, together with a bold and fascinating sound design, bring an essential experience to the audience. The high confidence of the director’s decisions about all of the film’s elements and the timing of it led to a wholesome piece of art.”
The jury awarded a special mention to Zuzana Žiaková’s Brother Deer “for her mastery of classical stop-motion puppet animation in the film, which presents a traditional tale combined with surreal elements.”
Japan Cuts — North America’s largest festival of new Japanese film — will be holding its 10th anniversary edition July 14-24 at Japan Society in New York. In addition to an expansive, eclectic slate of innovative live-action titles, Japan Cuts 2016 will present a dozen works produced in its Animation Film Workshop ahead of its Experimental Spotlight: Anime Vanguard program of shorts.
This year’s festival will also welcome over 20 special guests for post-screening Q&As and panels (like “Japanese Film Culture In & Out of Japan” on July 20 at 4 p.m.)
With Experimental Spotlight: Anime Vanguard, the festival continues its commitment to independent artistic visions in cinema by offering a program of vibrant short-form animations. Award-winning filmmaker Onohana will present a number of her playfully poetic works alongside other short pieces by Mirai Mizue, Masanobu Hiraoka, Sawako Kabuki, Atsushi Wada, Yoko Yuki and Ryo Hirano. Preceded by completed works made by participants from the Mono no Aware Hand-Drawn Animation Film Workshop (held at Japan Society on June 18).
Experimental Spotlight: Anime Vanguard
Sunday, July 17 at 9:30 p.m. (Introduction with Onohana)
Ages 18+ only.
Mono No Aware Hand-Drawn Animation Workshop Films 2016, Approx. 8 min. Digital. Various works from the participants of Mono No Aware’s Hand-Drawn Animation Workshop held at Japan Society on June 18. World Premiere.
AGE OF OBSCURE, Mirai Mizue and Onohana. 2015. 4 min. Digital. A grand collision of Mizue’s signature visual music forms and Onohana’s mesmerizing impressionistic illustrations, featuring music by Twoth. North American Premiere.
Ouch, Chou Chou, Onohana. 2016. 12 min. Digital. Onohana’s expansive imagination and visual style here recounts the touching saga of a cabbage and pea’s friendship across bullying and interdimensional travel. North American Premiere.
Land, Masanobu Hiraoka. 2013. 4 min. Digital. Shape shifting animal and geometric forms stun in this piece with music and sound by Aimar Molero. New York Premiere.
MASTER BLASTER, Sawako Kabuki. 2014. 4 min. Digital. Coital psychedelia featuring the music of Shinsuke Sugahara, a wild imaginary of physical intimacy. New York Premiere.
The Great Rabbit, Atsushi Wada. 2012. 7 min. Digital. “If you believe in the Rabbit, it means that you’ll believe anything. If you don’t believe in the Rabbit, it means that you wouldn’t believe anything.” New York Premiere.
lost summer vacation, Yoko Yuki. 2015. 3 min. Digital. The mystical happenings of a tropical island are pictured in an animated scroll. North American Premiere.
Don’t Tell Mom, Sawako Kabuki. 2015. 4 min. Digital. A naughty musical sex-ed film for siblings. New York Premiere.
HOLIDAY, Ryo Hirano. 2011. 14 min. Digital. Delirious, deeply romantic tale of love and loss featuring a girl, golden nude, and akahara imori newt in a gondola resort. New York Premiere.
TENSAI BANPAKU, Mirai Mizue. 2015. 4 min. Digital. The mutating forms of Tensai Banpaku, or “Genius Expo” create a stunning abstract orchestra. New York Premiere.
ZDRAVSTVUITE!, Yoko Yuki. 2015. 6 min. Digital. “On a summer day a strange man who teaches Russian at the beach took me to a town.” East Coast Premiere.
such a good place to die, Onohana. 2015. 3 min. Digital. Forms shift like a landscape of memory in this enchanting work featuring music by Tatsuki Tsushima. North American Premiere.
VIZ Media detailed a raft of manga publishing acquisitions over the weekend at its official panel held as part of the 2016 Anime Expo in Los Angeles. New series include the continuation of Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball in the new Dragon Ball Super; landmark shojo series Revolutionary Girl Utena (returning in a deluxe complete box set); The Water Dragon’s Bride and mecha-action manga Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt. VIZ also announced Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V and the release of new three-in-one omnibus editions of Rurouni Kenshin.
New Shonen Jump Acquisitions:
DRAGON BALL SUPER – Available Spring 2017. Story by Akira Toriyama, Story & Art by Toyotaro.
Goku’s adventure from the bestselling classic manga Dragon Ball continues in this new series! Ever since Goku became Earth’s greatest hero and gathered the seven Dragon Balls to defeat the evil Boo, his life on Earth has grown a little dull. But new threats loom overhead, and Goku and his friends will have to defend the planet once again!
RUROUNI KENSHIN3-in-1 – Available Winter 2017. By Nobuhiro Watsuki.
Experience the beloved samurai action series in bargain 3-in-1 omnibus editions! Action, romance, and historical intrigue help make Nobuhiro Watsuki’s Rurouni Kenshin, the tale of a wandering swordsman set against the backdrop of the Meiji Restoration, one of the most popular Shonen Jump titles of all time.
YU-GI- OH! ARC V – Available Spring 2017. Original Concept by Kazuki Takahashi, Production Support by Studio Dice, Story by Shin Yoshida, Art by Naohito Miyoshi, Duel Composition by Masahiro Hikokubo.
The latest series based on the hit collectible card game! Action Duels have become a global sensation, but what is the dark secret behind them that threatens to destroy the world? Exclusive rare card inside (limited to first printing).
New Shojo Beat Acquisitions:
REVOLUTIONARY GIRL UTENADeluxe Box Set – Available Spring 2017. Story and Art by Chiho Saito, Created by Be-Papas.
The entire series of Revolutionary Girl Utena plus The Adolescence of Utena are collected into two hardcover omnibus volumes with color pages of the original covers and poster in this long-awaited collector’s set. Utena strives to be strong and noble like the childhood prince she yearns to meet again. But when she finds herself seduced into the twisted duels of Ohtori Academy, can she become the prince she’s been waiting for?
THE WATER DRAGON’S BRIDE – Available Spring 2017. By Rei Toma.
The newest fantasy adventure romance by the bestselling author of Dawn of the Arcana (also published by VIZ Media)! In the blink of an eye, a modern-day girl named Asahi is whisked away from her warm and happy home and stranded in a strange and mysterious world where she is sacrificed to a water dragon god! What plans are in store for her, and what will happen when she comes face to face with this god?
Organizers of the 2016 Gamescom Congress in Cologne, Germany are preparing a program that tackles everything from on-board entertainment to virtual reality for the event, taking place August 18. Over 80 international speakers will discuss everything from in-car gaming, to game-based medical applications, to eSports in the classroom and more. The Congress will open with a speech by Franz-Josef Lersch-Mense, Minister for Federal Affairs, Europe and Media and Head of the State Chancellery of North Rhine-Westphalia.
“Computer games are much more than a digital pastime for the media hub of Cologne,” said Henriette Reker, Lord Mayor of Cologne. “They drive innovation for our economy and are a core element of youth culture. The Gamescom Congress showcases what games have to offer and is likewise a core element of Gamescom.”
Theme “The Future Plays,” the 2016 Gamescom Congress sheds light on the potential of computer and video games, providing a forum for representatives from the spheres of culture, education, politics and science to discuss new applications for these innovative media. Spread over five key topics, over 30 talks and panel discussions will address these possibilities.
Program highlights include the opening panel, “The Car of the Future as a Place to Play”; “Pimp My Ride: Rollercoasters & Virtual Reality”; “Everything Remains Different: The Future of Youth Media Protection”; “The Experiment: eSports As a School Subject”; “Cultural Criticism and Critical Culture: Games in Media”; and a discussion of the dementia research game Sea Hero Quest with Wolfgang Kampbartold of Deutsche Telekom.
How to Create Animation in VR
Google’s Daydream Lab releases demo videos of two animation-based apps — Puppeteer and Animator — that utilize VR for simple 3D creation.
Claude Joli-Coeur, Government Film Commissioner and Chairperson of the National Film Board of Canada, announced the appointment of René Bourdages as the NFB’s Director General, Creation and Innovation — assuming this role September 1, 2016.
Bourdages’ chief mandate will be to ensure that the NFB remains at the forefront of creativity on an international scale. He will oversee the interactive studios in Vancouver and Montreal, and both English Program and French Program (animation and documentary) projects, in line with the specific objectives of each.
“I’m delighted with the idea of contributing to the NFB’s leadership by heading up the creativity and innovation of one of the greatest A/V content labs in the world,” said Bourdages. “The NFB must continue to be an exceptional showcase for our vitality and cultural diversity. Our organization must find new ways to amaze, move and touch people from every walk of life. Our teams must shine a light on stories that deserve to be told, on subjects that resonate with people both here in Canada and around the world. It’s a huge challenge that I plan to take up with great pride and humility, with the help of the artists and artisans of our 11 studios across the country and our many current and future partners.”
Bourdages’ career has seen him occupy highly strategic roles in major private and public media groups, including TVA/Quebecor (as EVP, Broadcasting and Operations), Astral Media (EVP of Programming, Sales and Marketing) and CBC/Radio-Canada (President, Merchandising Division). He is the founder of consulting firm ELEVADO Media, the author of Investing in Films: The 12.5 Secrets Elite Investors Keep for Themselves and executive producer the documentary Fukushima: A Nuclear Story.
He has also been a speaker and moderator at key industry events such as the World Animation & VFX Summit, Digital Hollywood and the New York Media Summit. His key areas of interest are innovation and new trends in the audiovisual industry. In February 2016, he completed a study for the Bureau du cinéma et de la télévision du Québec on the potential for setting up a centre of excellence for augmented and virtual reality. Bourdages holds a Business and Management of Entertainment Certificate from UCLA and a certificate in corporate governance from Université Laval in Quebec City. He has been named to Canada’s Top 40 under 40 list.
One Animation has appointed Bettina Koeckler as EVP Global Consumer Products and Licensing to lead the business as it begins an ambitious new push. The role has been created in response to the studio’s worldwide success with properties like animated comedy Oddbods.
Koeckler is charged with executing a fast-paced roll-out across all key global markets in 2016 and beyond, as well as creating new business opportunities and strategic partnerships to further drive brand value and commercial revenue opportunities.
Koeckler brings over 20 years of experience to the role, including serving as SVP EMEA for Fox Consumer Products and six years as VP for Licensing at Sony Pictures Consumer Products. She has created and led consumer products campaigns to create revenue growth as well as geographical and commercial expansion for brands such as The Simpsons, Ice Age, Spider-Man, Mr Men and Little Miss, Beatrix Potter and Winx Club.
“Our consumer strategy to capitalize on the success of our shows is a core part of our business plan. To make this happen we’ve created this new role to oversee all of our marketing, licensing and product development teams, as well as strategic partnerships and overall management of retail, agent and agency relationships,” says One Animation CEO Sashim Parmanand. “Bettina’s industry experience and knowledge are exactly what we need to lead our efforts to grow and diversify the business globally.”
Lionsgate Swoops for Starz in $4.4 Billion Deal
LG will make a massive addition to its portfolio (the combined total will surpass 16,000 film and TV titles) with the acquisition, pending the approval of shareholders and regulators.
SIGGRAPH 2016 has revealed the Games program lineup for this year’s “Render the Possibilities” festivities. A fascinating range of talks, course, Real-Time Live! demos and production sessions will spotlight pioneers and visionaries of some of the most iconic and critically acclaimed games new to the market during the conference and expo, taking place July 24-28 at the Anaheim Convention Center.
Complete details can be found on the SIGGRAPH website. Some Games track highlights include:
TALKS
Building Character
Session Chair: Akshay Agarwal, Google Inc.
Features four talks, including: “Character Workflow of Final Fantasy XV”
Led by Kazutaka Kurosaka and Eitaro Iwabuchi of SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD, this talk presents how to create character assets with superior quality and performance for display on a game console. It also summarizes construction of a workflow to efficiently produce these sorts of character assets on a large scale.
The Technical Art of Uncharted 4
Speakers: Waylon Brinck, Andrew Maximov, and Yibing Jiang, Naughty Dog, Inc.
This talk presents a handful of rendering and shader features created by the technical artists at Naughty Dog. Some of these features are novel, and some are an evolution of common concepts, but all are critical to achieving the look and scope of Uncharted 4.
COURSES
Open Problems in Real-Time Rendering [Intermediate]
This course will discuss the top unsolved problems in real-time rendering, why current solutions don’t work in practice, the desired ideal solution, and the problems that need to be solved to work toward that ideal.
Physically-Based Shading in Theory and Practice [Intermediate]
Instructors: Stephen McAuley and Stephen Hill, Ubisoft Entertainment S.A.
The course will begin with a brief introduction to the physics and mathematics of shading before delving into exciting new research in the field. Speakers from film and game studios will also share examples of how physically based shading models have been used in production and other practical applications of shading.
REAL-TIME LIVE!
From Previs to Final in Five Minutes: A Breakthrough in Live Performance Capture
Presenters: Tameem Antoniades, Ninja Theory Ltd.; Kim Libreri, Epic Games, Inc.; Steve Caulkin, Cubic Motion Ltd; and, Vladmir Mastilovic, 3Lateral Studio
Epic Games teamed up with Ninja Theory, Cubic Motion, and 3Lateral to create the world’s first believable human driven live by an actress within an Unreal Engine game world. In this demonstration, body, face, and voice are all captured live in real time and recorded to create a real-time scene.
Real-Time Technologies of Final Fantasy XV Battles
Presenters: Isamu Hasegawa, Remi Driancourt, Hiromitsu Sasaki, and Wan Hazmer, SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD.
This presentation showcases several real-time technologies implemented for Final Fantasy XV’s epic battle between heroes and monsters: AI systems that control companions and monsters, dynamic weather systems and lighting, and visual effects for magic that affect the environment.
PRODUCTION SESSIONS
Star Wars: Battlefront – Game Development in the Star Wars Universe!
Panelists: Kenneth Brown, Jonas Andersson, Pontus Ryman, Anders Egleus, and Oscar Carlén, Electronic Arts Digital Illusions Creative Entertainment AB
The DICE team reveals some of the work that went into Star Wars: Battlefront, their award-winning, visually stunning game.
Developing Mass Effect: New Earth – A 4D Holographic Adventure
Panelists: Robert deMontarnal, Christian Dieckmann, and Howard Newstate, Media Networks Cedar Fair Entertainment Company; Clint Reagan, Halon Entertainment LLC; and, Nathan Huber, 3D Live
This session focuses on development of Mass Effect: New Earth, a first-of-its kind theme-park attraction at California’s Great America in Santa Clara.
Switzerland’s Fantoche International Animation Film Festival has received a total of 1,394 film submissions from 79 different countries — 81 of which are local productions. Some of the more far-flung entrants were submitted by filmmakers in Lebanon, Iran, Costa Rica, Ghana, Cuba, Madagascar, Mauritius and Burkina Faso.
“The world of animation is bursting with new ideas, and the number of submissions is increasing all the time,” says festival director Annette Schindler. “The selection for the competitions is becoming more difficult with each passing year. We are looking forward to showing an even broader array of current films this year, right here in Baden.”
Now in its 21st year, the 14th edition of Fantoche will be held in Baden, September 6-11, 2016. The selection committee has curated a comprehensive program from the many submissions. In addition to “International Competition,” “Swiss Competition” and “Kids Film Competition” tracks, attendees will be treated to 14 feature film premieres.
The committee is also putting together four “Hors Concours” programs of films which “have a charming story, show insights into unknown cultures, make political statements or lead to an unexpected ending.” These have yet to be announced, but you can view the competition selections list here.
Last year’s competition featured many of the most buzzed-about films on the festival circuit. 2015 prize winners included Don Hertzfeldt’s World of Tomorrow (Best Film), Mehdi Alibeygi’s Changeover (Audience Award Int’l Competition), and Carlos Lascano’s Lila (Best Kids Film).
Amazon and PBS Distribution have entered into a multi-year agreement that makes Amazon Prime Video the exclusive premium SVOD home for a broad collection of PBS KIDS series. Prime members in the U.S. can watch these episodes via the Amazon Video app for TVs, connected devices, mobile and online, or download for offline viewing on iOS, Android and Fire phones and tablets at no additional cost.
“We are excited to announce this new deal with PBS, which will make Prime Video the exclusive premium subscription home for the great PBS KIDS series that our customers and their kids love,” said Brad Beale, Vice President of Worldwide Television Acquisition for Amazon. “From our award-winning Amazon Original Series to amazing licensed content from industry leaders like PBS KIDS, we’re committed to making Prime Video the best destination for kids and family programming that will both educate and entertain.”
Prime members can explore a variety of PBS KIDS content, including series that support social-emotional development and literacy skills, as well as science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills. The benefits of PBS KIDS series include: Developing early social-emotional skills with Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood and Arthur; opening new natural history and science worlds with Dinosaur Train, Wild Kratts, Nature Cat and Ready Jet Go!; inspiring curiosity in mathematics with Odd Squad and Peg + Cat; and enriching vocabulary and developing early literacy skills with Martha Speaks and WordGirl.
BBC World Service has teamed up with the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) to animate select audio clips from the service. Students at UWE were presented with 10 one-minute narrations, and have delivered 10 unique shorts to illustrate these important personal stories. The series will launch on bbc.com/news, BBC World News and across social media on July 5.
Among the shorts can be found everything from a corrosive Soviet town, to a wine-loving bear, to the harrowing tale of a child soldier in Sudan — mainly personal experiences told in the protagonists’ own words. In addition to audio from programs like Outlook, Witness and The Conversation, another notable series highlight is an incredible Chinese tongue-twister poem, in which every syllable sounds like “shi.” The UWE animations bring a new dimension to these rich and complex narratives.
“Working with the BBC World Service on this exciting project has been a real highlight for the postgraduate animation students. The opportunity to work on such a wide variety of topics was a chance to explore and expand their practice and, given the deadline, a genuine creative challenge,” says Chris Webster, program leader for BA and MA Animation at the Bristol School of Animation.
“The stories drawn from around the world, not dissimilar to the students that created the films, were charming, funny and at times even harrowing. They resulted in a range of highly original and creative responses – exciting, funny, very dynamic and never quite what one would expect. I hope that this will lead to many more such collaborations.”
You can listen to the audio clips ahead of the series debut here.
UWE Students Bring Personal Stories to Life for BBC. Image Credit: BBC
