DreamWorks Animation’s first original preschool series Noddy Toyland Detective will premiere on NBCUniversal’s Sprout in the U.S. this fall. Co-produced by DWA and Gaumont Animation, the CG-animated series follows a young boy named Nodd and his friends as they go on mystery-solving adventures through the colorful world of Toyland.
“We couldn’t be happier that Sprout will be bringing DreamWorks’ Noddy Toyland Detective to U.S. audiences this fall,” said Eric Ellenbogen, Co-Head of International TV for DreamWorks Animation. “Sprout is a premiere destination for preschool programming, making it the ideal U.S. home for this exciting new series. The world of Noddy and Toyland, with its great literary legacy, offers so much to the imagination of kids.”
Synopsis:
Toyland is a fabulous world, filled with an imaginative cast of characters ranging from dinosaurs and trains to unicorns, robots and pirates. Its most famous resident, Noddy, is stepping into the new role of detective. If there’s something lost, missing or unusual happening in Toyland, Noddy and his best friends, Bumpy Dog and Revs the car, are the investigating dream team who find out what’s going on and how to make things right. With the help of his Who-What-Where tablet, Noddy takes preschoolers on interactive adventures as he asks questions and uncovers clues to solve the mysteries of Toyland and save the day. Each episode is filled with music, mystery, friendship and fun to keep kids entertained all while learning how to investigate their own world.
Noddy Toyland Detective is based on the classic character introduced by children’s author Enid Blyton in 1949’s Noddy Goes to Toyland. In addition to the new series, Noddy has inspired a vast library of TV programming, comprising over 250 episodes and reaching audiences in over 100 territories. More than 250 million Noddy books have sold worldwide.
Genius Brands International is taking advantage of new media avenues by launching its new music and fashion-driven animated property SpacePOP exclusively on YouTube. The first six episodes are available now on the SpacePOP YouTube Channel, with two new videos to be added each week and roll out across other digital platforms including Toon Goggles, PopJam, BatteryPOP and Kid Genius on Xfinity on Demand. Music will also be available on iTunes and Spotify thanks to Sony Music, and this fall a merchandise line launches at retail.
SpacePOP is comprised of over 100 serialized adventures featuring original music woven into a narrative that follows five teenage princesses who disguise themselves as musicians and form a band while they secretly plot to vanquish an evil Empress who is seeking to enslave the galaxy. SpacePop offers a colorful blend of music, fashion, beauty, friendship and intergalactic adventures resulting in an engaging lifestyle brand.
The series’ development and production team includes content writer Steve Banks (head writer and story editor, SpongeBob SquarePants) and character designer Han Lee (Pink Fizz, Bobby Jack). Multiple Grammy Award-winning producer and music veteran Ron Fair and singer songwriter spouse Stefanie Fair created the original theme music; and veteran music producer and composer John Loeffler writes original songs.
In addition to the video launch, the “Summer of SpacePOP” will also bring the property to the YouTube Kids’ Reading Program with music videos and kinetic text videos with excerpts from the upcoming book (July 26 from Macmillan’s Imprint). GBI has also lined up a number of digital marketing initiatives: Popular YouTube stars showcasing the brand on their channels; SpacePOP-themed posts and activities as well as webisodes on the PopJam app; and theme online writing challenges on the Storybird platform; SpacePOP duets on Musical.ly .The launch of a dedicated website, SpacePOPGirls.com, will serve as the definitive online resource for all brand initiatives and promotions.
GBI continues to expand upon the SpacePOP brand’s L&M program in collaboration with partners throughout North America, including Taste Beauty (beauty and bath products), Bare Tree Media (emoticons), Canal Toys (craft and activity kits), Yowie Group, Ltd. (confections), Jaya Apparel (apparel), H.E.R. Accessories (accessories), and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. SpacePOP products ranging from apparel and accessories, to beauty, cosmetics, candy, books and music will be available at select Claire’s and Kohl’s starting in October.
Nickelodeon is doubling down on its No. 1 position in the preschool demographic with new season pickups for three of its top-rated animated series for youngsters: Blaze and the Monster Machines (season 4), PAW Patrol (season 4) and Shimmer and Shine (season 3). The renewals are part of the network’s biggest preschool content pipeline ever, with over 10 shows in production and six new series debuting through 2018.
Nickelodeon currently owns three of the top five preschool shows on all TV, led by Blaze and the Monster Machines at number one, and ranks as the number-one network for preschoolers and kids 2-11 year to date. Most recently, the just-launched second season of Shimmer and Shine scored a series high, garnering nearly 2 million total viewers (1.8) and increasing ratings with kids 2-5 (5.3/600k) by 40% over last year.
Season 4 of Blaze and the Monster Machines (20 episodes) will send amazing monster truck Blaze and his 8-year-old driver AJ on even more thrilling adventures. Blaze will transform into a special vehicle designed to tackle the toughest terrains, and execute epic rescues to save his friends and Axle City. Blaze is the first pre-k series on TV to tackle all STEM areas in every episode.
In season 4 of PAW Patrol (26 episodes, produced by Spin Master Entertainment), pups Chase, Marshall, Rocky, Rubble, Zuma, Everest, Tracker and Skye will be called on to participate in Mission PAW rescues in the kingdom of Barkingburg, located an Air Patroller ride away from Adventure Bay, where a bad puppy named Sweetie is scheming to become the queen. The PAW Patrol will also take to the beach for lifeguard duty, diving into daring new aquatic adventures with their new Sea Patroller ship and mini-sub patroller. PAW Patrol features a curriculum that focuses on citizenship, social skills and problem solving.
Season 3 of Shimmer and Shine (20 episodes) will follow the twin genies-in-training, as they travel beyond the Rainbow Waterfalls in Zahramay Falls, where new worlds and fantastical experiences await. Aboard their magical boat, Shimmer, Shine and their best friend Leah will explore wondrous locales, meet adorable critters and learn new forms of genie magic. Shimmer and Shine features a social-emotional curriculum highlighting the importance of teamwork, resilience and overcoming obstacles.
+ Glasgow-based Axis CG studio — which provides animation for video game, film and TV projects like its VES Award-nominated Halo 5: Guardians cinematic — has appointed Jon Neill as Head of Lighting, Rendering & Compositing. Neill will oversee Axis’ LRC team at both department and project level. He has previously held senior positions at MPC and Cinesite, working on projects like Jungle Book, Skyfall and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
+ Framestore has appointed James Whitlam as Executive Producer – Film. Whitlam joins the VFX and animation studio with 25 years’ experience as a producer across a range of films, TV series and commercials. Most recently he was Iloura’s Senior VFX Producer for Deepwater Horizon after a nine-year tenure at Rising Sun Pictures, where he worked the Harry Potter franchise as VFX Producer for The Goblet of Fire and EP on Order of the Phoenix, Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows Pt. 1 & 2, and was instrumental to building up the studio’s scale of involvement and complexity on each film. His credits also include Max Max: Fury Road, LotR: Return of the King and Batman Begins. Whitlam was recently co-chair of the Australian section of the VES, and a member of AACTA’s visual effects branch.
+ Deluxe Entertainment Services Group has brought on former Digital Domain CEO Ed Ulbrich as President and General Manager of Deluxe Visual Effects, reporting to Deluxe CEO John Wallace. Ulbrich will lead Method Studios and Iloura and unify global VFX operations to extend the scale and capabilities of services for features and commercials. He will also drive and grow Deluxe VR, the virtual and mixed reality experiences unit. Ulbrich spent 20 years at Digital Domain in roles including EP, President of Commercials, EVP of Production, Chief Creative Officer and ultimately CEO. His credits include producer on Enders Game, VFX EP for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Titanic and What Dreams May Come as well as top music videos and over 500 commercials. Method’s recent work includes over 400 shots for Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War — the studio is now in production on Doctor Strange and Guardians of the Galaxy 2.
+ Eric Rollman, President & CEO of Rollman Entertainment, has joined the Board of L.A.-based Private Redemption Foundation. Rollman will be assuming an active leadership role as Chief Strategy Officer for the organization, which responds to the needs of “talented, motivated and capable individuals within the Jewish community — primarily women and children — that have experienced a life changing event bringing them to the brink of extreme financial and emotional vulnerability.” Rollman Ent.’s productions includes International Emmy-winning animated series The Jungle Bunch (Sprout).
+ Gaumont‘s Paris-based President of Animation, Pierre Belaisch, is exiting the company. Earlier this year under Gaumont’s plans to expand its U.S. division it was announced that Belaisch would be reporting to L.A.-based animation president Nicolas Atlan while focusing on European TV projects. Belaisch previously served as MD of Gaumont Animation (formerly Alphanim), which has a catalog including Calimero, Belle and Sebastian and Welcome to Bric-a-Broc.
Cartoon Network Enterprises will be bringing an expanded brand portfolio to this week’s Licensing Expo in Las Vegas (booth #D170). This includes the re-imagined Powerpuff Girls, the relaunch of Ben 10 (Europe & Asia Fall 2016, Americas Spring 2017) and new licensing partners for popular animated properties including Adventure Time, Steven Universe and Rick and Morty.
Anchoring the portfolio is The Powerpuff Girls, one of Cartoon Network’s most popular and enduring brands since its debut in 1998. Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup are taking the world by storm this year with a new animated series from Cartoon Network Studios that premiered globally in April 2016 — and a full worldwide licensing program with a roster of more than 30 licensing partners in the U.S. alone.
In addition to the previously announced global master toy partner, Spin Master, Powerpuff Girls partners include Funko (collectible vinyl figures including POP!, Pocket Pop! Keychains; salt & pepper shakers, string lights, utensils; 2016/2017); Accessory Innovations (backpacks, lunch bags, messenger bags); Jewelbots (programmable, interactive friendship bracelets; late 2016); Sakar International (smart phones, tablet cases, headphones, digital cameras, selfie sticks in early 2017; flashlights, walkie talkies, text messengers); Bulls I (trading cards, stickers, slapbands, puzzle erasers; early 2017); and Galerie (seasonal candy; late 2017).
A fresh take on the beloved Ben 10 animated series will be re-introduced with international premieres this fall in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region, and will continue into 2017 with the U.S. and Latin America. The series will feature many new and fan-favorite aliens and center around a healthy serving of action, excitement, and all-around fun. Playmates Toys is the global master toy partner for Ben 10 and will introduce figures, playsets, role play items and more in fall 2017.
A hit since its debut in 2010, Adventure Time is currently in its seventh season and has been greenlit for an eighth season. In addition to a massive and highly-engaged social media following, the show has received significant critical acclaim and awards. Adventure Time has more than 100 licensees globally, with products in all categories and all channels of distribution. New partners include DC Shoes (adult and children’s footwear, outerwear and snowboards; back-to-school/winter); Astro Gaming (headphone speaker tags; late 2016); and Insight Editions (four-title library collection and cookbook; October 2016).
On the heels of being named one of WIRED‘s 15 Best Shows of 2015, Cartoon Network Studios’ original series Steven Universe was recently greenlit for a fifth season. Created by Emmy and Annie Award-nominated writer and storyboard artist Rebecca Sugar (Adventure Time) and featuring a voice cast including Grammy-Award winner Estelle and BTVA Voice Acting Award-winner Zach Callison, Steven Universe tells the story of three magical defenders of the planet and Steven, the proverbial “little brother” to the Crystal Gems. New partners include Abrams (books and calendars launching at Comic-Con 2017); and Astro Gaming (headphone speaker tags; late 2016).
An Adult Swim brand, the popular Rick and Morty animated comedy series follows a sociopathic genius scientist who drags his inherently timid grandson on insanely dangerous adventures across the universe. The series has been picked up for a third season following its immensely successful season two premiere in July 2015 in which it ranked #1 in its time period among all key adult demographics. New partners include Dark Horse (“Art of” book available during 2017 Comic-Con International) and Astro Gaming (headphone speaker tags; holiday 2016).
Archer Renewed for Three More Seasons at FX
The irreverent action-comedy has been re-upped for seasons 8, 9 and 10, taking audiences through to 2019 with more boozing, workplace sexual harassment and wanton violence — you know you love it.
Call for Entries: MIA Animation Festival
Florida event is seeking submissions for the Student and Young Directors competitions — deadline September 15, 2016. The MIA Animation Conference & Festival is set for Oct. 21 & 22.
Sony Pictures Animation has laid out its project release slate through 2018, signalling an expansion of its production output with a lineup that includes five theatrical features, three TV series and one direct-to-video movie. Include in the diverse slate of original stories and popular franchises are Emojimovie, Hotel Transylvania 3, faith-based film The Star, animated Spider-Man and a new Ghostbusters series.
“We are meaningfully stepping up our level of production, while creating an environment that fosters the best talent,” says SPA President Kristine Belson. “Our goal is to enlarge our presence in the animation landscape with a uniquely diverse slate, and our strategy to get there is to let artists drive the movies creatively.”
Senior Vice Presidents of Development Michael Lachance (Emojimovie: Express Yourself, Ghostbusters: Ecto Force), Jenny Marchick (The Star, Hotel Transylvania 3) and Mike Moon (untitled animated Spider-Man) are in charge of creatively spearheading the Sony Pictures Animation slate.
Features:
SMURFS: THE LOST VILLAGE April 7, 2017
A fully-animated comedy that delivers a fresh new take on the famous blue creatures and marks a return to the tone and style of the beloved comic book creations of Peyo. The feature is directed by Kelly Asbury (Shrek 2, Gnomeo & Juliet), produced by Jordan Kerner (The Smurfs 1& 2, Charlotte’s Web), co-produced by Mary Ellen Bauder Andrews (Hotel Transylvania ) and written by Stacey Harman and Pamela Ribon, based on the characters and works of Peyo. The voice cast includes Demi Lovato as Smurfette, Jack McBrayer as Clumsy, Joe Manganiello as Hefty, Danny Pudi as Brainy, and Rainn Wilson as Gargamel, with Mandy Patinkin as Papa.
EMOJIMOVIE: EXPRESS YOURSELF August 2017
A surprising and comic take on the secret world of our phones and the beloved characters that have become daily necessities in global interpersonal communication. Directed by Anthony Leondis, produced by Michelle Raimo Kouyate, and written by Anthony Leondis & Eric Siegel.
THE STAR (working title) December 8, 2017
The computer-animated feature is directed by Oscar nominee Timothy Reckart (Head over Heels); executive produced by DeVon Franklin, Lisa Henson, and Brian Henson; co-produced by Jenni Magee Cook; and written by Carlos Kotkin and Simon Moore. In The Star, a small but brave donkey and his animal friends become the unsung heroes of the greatest story ever told, the first Christmas. Sony Pictures Animation produces in association with The Jim Henson Company.
HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 3 September 21, 2018
The follow-up to Sony Pictures Animation’s highest grossing film in the U.S. and the biggest opening ever for a domestic September release —is on its way. Director Genndy Tartakovsky (Dexter’s Laboratory, Star Wars: The Clone Wars), who returns to helm this brand new adventure, says, “I thought I was done exploring the world of Hotel Transylvania after the first two films, but while I was away from the franchise finishing my TV show Samurai Jack, an idea sparked that I got really excited about and made it irresistible to return and helm myself this third adventure.” Michelle Murdocca is back producing, with Adam Sandler executive producing, and Michael McCullers (Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Boss Baby) writing the screenplay. Adam Sandler, Selena Gomez and Andy Samberg will be returning as the voices of Dracula, his vampire daughter Mavis, and her human husband Johnny.
SPIDER-MAN (untitled) December 21, 2018
From Phil Lord & Christopher Miller, the geniuses behind The LEGO Movie, comes an animated Spider-Man feature. The film is being written by Phil Lord. Avi Arad, Amy Pascal, Phil Lord & Christopher Miller are producing; Craig Sost is co-producing. Bob Persichetti (head of story on Puss in Boots and The Little Prince) is directing.
Series:
GHOSTBUSTERS: ECTO FORCE Early 2018
The series will further expand the Ghostbusters cinematic universe and focus on a new generation of Ghostbusters in the year 2050 who capture ghosts around the world with help from local teams—and some very cool gear! The younger-skewing Sony Pictures Animation project is being creatively spearheaded by Ivan Reitman and his production company Ghost Corps.
HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA: THE TELEVISION SERIES 2017
The animated television series, produced in partnership with Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana, will focus on the teenage years of Mavis, Dracula’s daughter, and her friends. It will be airing on the Disney Channel worldwide.
CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2017
The 2D animated small-screen series, produced in partnership with DHX Media and commissioned by TELETOON in Canada, will expand on the adventures of the computer-animated feature films and will air on Cartoon Network in the U.S. and Turner channels across EMEA, APAC and Latin American markets.
Direct-to-Video:
SURF’S UP 2: WAVEMANIA Spring 2017
Directed by Henry Yu and produced by Michelle Wong, the follow-up to the 2007 Oscar nominee will hit the shores in time for the 10-year anniversary of the franchise. The project is in partnership with WWE Studios and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The voice cast includes WWE Superstars John Cena, The Undertaker, Triple H, Diva Paige and Mr. McMahon as an infamous big wave riding crew of penguins known as The Hang 5 which Cody Maverick convinces to let him join on their journey to a mysterious surf spot where legend has it they’ll find the biggest waves in the world.
Hold on to your scaly bits — an all new third season of DreamWorks Animation’s Dragons: Race to the Edge is set to premiere exclusively on Netflix this Friday, June 24, and we have a special sneak peek at what’s in store! In this new footage, Hiccup and his fellow Dragon Riders awaken in a compromising position, bound and captured by a troop of masked figures with unclear motives and a commanding Queen. Who are they? What do they want? And what are they feeding those dragons?!
Synopsis:
Hiccup and Toothless are back along with your favorite Dragon Riders in an all-new action-packed Season 3 of DreamWorks Dragons: Race to the Edge. The high-stakes continue as the Riders advance in their hunt for Viggo, Ryker and their expanded Dragon Hunter army. Tune in as the Riders encounter new dragons, a seemingly reformed Dagur, an underground Dragon Fighting arena, and learn along the way that Viggo has a Dragon Eye and dragon fortress!
A second official trailer for Warner Animation Group’s high-flying fall release has arrived, offering us an expanded look at the world of Storks. The new spot reveals that audiences will encounter many different creatures in this CG comedy in addition to Junior the Stork and his orphan human sidekick, Tulip (oh, and that “happy accident” who starts their whole crazy adventure off) — like a not-so-vicious wolf pack voiced by actor-comedians Keegan Michael Key and Jordan Peele.
Arriving in theaters September 23, Storks is directed by Nicholas Stoller and Doug Sweetland, and features the voices of Andy Samberg (Junior), Jennifer Aniston, Ty Burrell, Kelsey Grammer, Katie Crown (Tulip), Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele, Anton Starkman, Danny Trejo and Stephen Kramer Glickman.
Synopsis:
Storks deliver babies…or at least they used to. Now they deliver packages for global internet giant Cornerstore.com. Junior, the company’s top delivery stork, is about to be promoted when he accidentally activates the Baby Making Machine, producing an adorable and wholly unauthorized baby girl. Desperate to deliver this bundle of trouble before the boss gets wise, Junior and his friend Tulip, the only human on Stork Mountain, race to make their first-ever baby drop – in a wild and revealing journey that could make more than one family whole and restore the storks’ true mission in the world.
UniFrance unveiled the winner of its second annual Export Prize during the Annecy festival last week, with the honor going to Brittany-based Vivement Lundi! The award is sponsored by TitraFilm, reelport, the AFCA and UniFrance and recognizes the efforts of short film producers to promote French films abroad. Autour de Minuit took the Prize last year.
In the past year, Vivement Lundi! has racked up over 100 film sales in some 15 territories, over 100 festival selections and roughly 30 awards from around the world. Recent successes for the studio include animated triumphs Storm Hits Jacket by Paul Cabon, Under Your Fingers by Marie-Christine Courtes and Dimitri in Ubuyu by Agnes Lecreux & Fabien Drouet. These films have joined an impressive roster that also includes Jean-Claude Rozec’s Specky Four-Eyes and Bruno Collet’s Bruce Lee tribute, The Little Dragon.
Currently, French animations account for half of the total volume of short film sales for the region, despite representing less than 20 percent of the shorts produced there.
Vivement Lundi!’s latest animated productions — Of Shadows and Wings by Elice Meng & Eleonora Marinoni and Joint-Tenants by Delphine Priet-Maheo — are in the official selections for SICAF in Seoul and the Hiroshima Animation Festival. Producers Jean-Francois Le Corre and Mathieu Courtois are also involved with the hybrid series Science of Botheration (France Televisions), TV special The Horn Quartet (Canal+, France 3 Bretagne, VRT) and a new season of stop-motion series Dimitri.
The studio also has two new shorts in development: The Head in Stinging Nettles by Paul Cabon and Unforgettable by Bruno Collet. Both projects are funded by France’s Centre National du Cinema.
French CG studio TeamTO has been confirmed it will be back in the production saddle for the second seasons of two high-profile animated series: Activision’s Skylanders Academy, recently greenlit by Netflix and eOne’s preschool hit PJ Masks, produced by eOne and Frog Box in collaboration with Disney Junior and France 5.
TeamTO is headed by veteran creative executives Guillaume Hellouin and Corinne Kouper, who between them boast 30 years of experience and a slew of industry awards — including four Emmys. Prior to TeamTO, they established their reputations at SPARX, producing the groundbreaking series Rolie Polie Olie for Disney Channel, the first ever CG animated preschool show.
Ten years since its founding, TeamTO comprises two state-of-the-art studios in France and field offices in L.A. and Beijing. Employing a staff of 250, TeamTO keeps its entire production pipeline within France, implementing a cinematic-level pipeline developed during the production of its feature film Yellowbird. In addition to the first seasons of PJ Masks and Skylanders Academy, the studio has delivered original series Angelo Rules, My Knight and Me and Oscar’s Oasis, as well as Disney’s Sofia the First, Ubisoft’s Rabbids Invasion, Nelvana’s Babar and the Adventures of Badou, 41 Entertainment’s Pac-Man and Gaumont’s Calimero.
Sydney-based SLR Productions has begun development on an animated adaptation of best-selling and award-winning Australian children’s book series, Alice-Miranda, from author Jacqueline Harvey and published by Penguin Random House.
With partner ZDF Enterprises, SLR will develop Alice-Miranda into a 26 x half-hour drama-comedy aimed at kids 6-9. Australia’s NINE Network is onboard as local broadcast partner. Alice-Miranda follows 10-year-old Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones, an extraordinary girl who finds her way into early entry at boarding school along with her cheeky pony, Bonaparte. With her best friends Millie and Jacinta, whip-smart Alice-Miranda enjoys all that the charming Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy for Proper Young Ladies has to offer.
“We are absolutely thrilled to be developing this extraordinary book property into a 26 x half hour animation series with our partner ZDF Enterprises and for the local broadcaster to be the NINE Network. This is the first time SLR has optioned a book property under the banner of the newly formed Penguin Random House and it is an honour to be working with the very talented Australian Author, Jacqueline Harvey and the publishing team. The Alice Miranda TV series will focus on friendship, fun, mystery and intrigue – all the elements 6 to 9 year olds love,” said SLR Productions’ CEO and Executive Producer, Suzanne Ryan.
Jacqueline Harvey’s Alice-Miranda series stands at 14 titles (and counting) which have been a great success in Australia, selling 650,000 copies. The series has also achieved international acclaim with the books published in over 80 territories including the U.K., North America, Indonesia, Turkey and Brazil.
Kratt Brothers Company and 9 Story Media Group are now underway on production of season five of the hit animated series Wild Kratts for PBS KIDS in the U.S. and TVO and Knowledge Network in Canada. The fifth season of 20 episodes will bring the total series up to 138 animal-centric adventures and is set to premiere on PBS KIDS in 2017.
With one of the largest kids TV audiences in the U.S., Wild Kratts continues to grow in popularity both domestically and around the world. 9 Story also announces a new raft of international sales for the show, with various seasons picked up by RTBF (Belgium), VRT (Belgium), E Junior (U.A.E. and Israel), Noga (Israel), RTE (Ireland), SIC (Portugal) and TVC (Spain).
The series is also under license to Discovery Kids (Latin America, India and Asia), Pop (U.K.), Super RTL (Germany), Minimax (Eastern Europe), DR (Denmark), TV3 (Spain), Canal Panda (Spain), MediaCorp (Singapore), TVB (Hong Kong), Familia Play (Colombia), Canal Futura (Brazil), Minika (Turkey), Al Jazeera Children’s Channel (Middle East), and Go! (Australia). Wild Kratts airs in over 180 countries translated into 18 different languages.
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 is a co-production between Kratt Brothers Company and 9 Story Media Group. Kratt Brothers Company distributes the series and manages licensing for the brand within North America, while 9 Story handles all international distribution and licensing rights.
SXSW Winner Tower Gets October Release
Kino Lorber picks up U.S. rights for Keith Maitland’s animated documentary about the 1966 University of Texas massacre.
Comcast Leads $6.8MN VR Funding Round
Comcast Ventures throws some financial weight behind Montreal cinematic virtual reality company Felix & Paul Studios.
The illustrious Annecy Festival wrapped up this weekend, and this year proved a triumph for the auteur artistry of local French production with both the audience and Cristal awards for best animated feature going to Claude Barras’ My Life as a Courgette. Sebastien Laudenbach’s much buzzed-about fairy tale adaptation The Girl Without Hands took the jury prize in the feature competition.
A France-Switzerland co-production, My Life as a Courgette is a stop-motion project centered on Courgette — a 10 year old boy with an intriguing nickname. After his mother’s sudden death, he is sent into foster care, where he meets other orphans and struggles to adapt to his new life, eventually finding love and a new family. Claude Barras directs from a screenplay by Celine Sciamma. The film is produced by Blue Spirit Prod., Amelle Glorennec, Rita Prod., Max Karli, Gebeka Films, Marc Bonny and Michel Merkt.
Recently picked up for North American distribution by GKIDS, The Girl without Hands is adapted from a Brothers Grimm fairytale by the entirely dedicated Sebastien Laudenbach. The story begins when a hard-pressed miller sells his daughter to the Devil — but the girl’s purity protects her, and the beast takes his revenge by depriving her of her hands. The 2D film is produced by Les Films Sauvages, Jean-Christophe Soulageon and Pelleas Films.
Cristal – Feature Film My Life as a Courgette by Claude Barras (France/Switzerland)
Jury Distinction – Feature Film The Girl without Hands by Sebastien Laudenbach (France)
Audience Award – Feature Film My Life as a Courgette by Claude Barras (France/Switzerland)
Cristal – Short Film The Head Vanishes by Franck Dion (Canada/France)
Jury Award – Short Film Blind Vaysha by Theodore Ushev (Canada)
Jean-Luc Xiberras Award for a First Film An Ordinary Blue Monday by Naomi van Niekerk (South Africa)
Jury Distinction – Short Film Moms on Fire by Joanna Rytel (Sweden)
Audience Award – Short Film Peripheria by David Coquard-Dassault (France)
Off-Limits Award 4 min 15 in the Developer by Moia Jobin-Pare (Canada)
Jury Distinction – Short Film The Reflection of Power by Mihai Grecu (France/Romania)
Cristal – TV Production Stick Man by Jeroen Jaspaert & Daniel Snaddon (U.K.)
Jury Award – TV Special La Rentree des Classes by Stephane Aubier & Vincent Patar (Belgium/France)
Jury Award – TV Series Lili “Lili Loves Food” by Siri Melchior (Denmark/U.K.)
Cristal – Commissioned Film The New York Times “Modern Love – A Kiss, Deferred” by Moth Collective (U.K.)
Jury Award – TV & Commissioned Film Awesome Beetle Colors by Indra Sproge (Latvia)
Cristal – Graduation Film Depart at 22 by Wiep Teeuwisse (HKU, Netherlands)
Jury Award – Graduation Film Balkon by David Dell’Edera (Budapest Metropolitan Univ., Hungary)
Jury Distinction – Graduation Film Frankfurter Str. 99a by Evgenia Gostrer (Hochschule fur Kunst und Gestaltung, Germany)
Andre-Martin Award for a 2015 French Feature Film Adama by Simon Rouby (France)
FIPRESCI Award How Long, Not Long by Michelle Kranot & Uri Kranot (Denmark)
Junior Jury Award for a Short Film Blind Vaysha by Theodore Ushev (Canada)
Festival Connexion Jury Distinction – Region Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes
(in partnership with Lumieres Numeriques & Pilon Cinema) Moms on Fire by Joanna Rytel (Sweden)
Andre-Martin Award for a French Short Film Peripheria by David Coquard-Dassault (France)
Junior Jury Award for a Graduation Film The Alan Dimension by Jac Clinch (U.K.)
Canal+ Creative Aid Award for a Short Film ¾ oz by Pierre Grillere & Romain Peyronnet (France)
Best Original Music Award for a Short Film
(sponsored by the SACEM) Beast! by Pieter Coudyzer (Belgium)
Festivals Connexion Award – Region Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes
(in partnership with Lumieres Numeriques & Pilon Cinema) Decorado by Alberto Vazquez (Spain/France)
Gan Foundation Award for Distribution White Fang by Alexandre Espigares (France/Luxembourg)
On the strength of its ratings performance around the globe, Zag Heroes title Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir has been greenlit for second and third seasons. Produced by ZAG and Method Animation, the CG-animated action series currently airs on top broadcasters including Nickelodeon (U.S.), Disney Channel (Europe, LatAm, Korea), TF1 (France), EBS (Korea), Gloob (Brazil) and ABC (Australia). Season one will also expand to SUPER in Italy and POP in the U.K. next February/March.
Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir (26 x 22, episodes 27-65) season two — produced by ZAG/Zagtoon and Method in collaboration with Disney Channel (Europe) and TF1 — will premiere in early summer 2017. The story will continue to feature the magically transforming Ladybug and her partner Cat Noir, as they encounter new “akumatized” villains in each episode and stay tuned for new super hero friends. Broadcasters that have already committed to this second season include TF1, Disney EMEA, Gloob, SUPER and Tele-Quebec.
Bandai continues as the global master toy partner for Miraculous, with action figure and role-play product hitting shelves in August and September 2016 in the U.S., France, Spain and U.K. The brand currently boasts over 60 licensees globally. ZAG will be showcasing the property at Licensing Expo in Las Vegas at Booth #A185.
Google Spotlight Stories has released a trailer for their newest, most interactive short yet: Rain or Shine, directed by Felix Massie and produced with Nexus Animation Studio. As with other Spotlight Stories, the viewer can look around and uncover subplots and other surprises.
Synopsis:
The sun is shining, the birds are singing, there’s a spring in everybody’s step.
Everyone in London is enjoying a perfect summer’s day…
Until Ella steps outside.
Everywhere she goes it rains – is she going to ruin everyone’s day forever?
GSS presented a sneak preview of Rain or Shine at the Annecy festival.
The National Film Board of Canada has entered a new international co-production agreement with Germany’s Studio Film Bilder for a project titled Altötting, directed by renowned filmmaker Andreas Hykade. This is the first collaboration between NFB and Studio Film Bilder, and only the Canadian organization’s second co-pro agreement with Germany.
Expected to be completed by February 2018, Altötting (named after Hykade’s Bavarian hometown) follows a young boy who each week rides his bike many kilometres to a neighboring village, drawn by the numerous paintings depicting the Passion of the Christ in its chapel. But the boy’s own passions are altogether different. The producers are Thomas Meyer Hermann for Studio Film Bilder and Marc Bertrand for NFB.
In addition to Hykade’s project, NFB also announces a deal with France to celebrate the talent of notable Canadian and French graphic novelists with a series of four short films, Les chroniques du 9e art. The series will be produced by NFB and Sacrebleu Productions and directed by Guy Delisle, Zviane, Lewis Trondheim and Aude Picault.
Les chroniques (late summer 2017) will consist of three- to four-minute shorts in which graphic novelists-turned-directors playfully explore the creativity and simplicity of everyday life. Working with experienced animators, the directors will present highly original tales either drawn from their existing work or newly conceived. Marc Bertrand and Sacrebleu’s Ron Dyens are producing. Canal+ in France and ICI ARTV in Canada are broadcast partners.
Finally, NFB also announces it is in development on Harvey with France’s Folimage. Nicola Lemay and Janice Nadeau (No Fish Where to Go) are directing the project, which is based on the graphic novel of the same name written by Herve Bouchard and illustrated by Nadeau. The story explores the grief of a young child who suddenly loses his father. Harvey is slated for completion by Winter 2019.
