Animation Magazine

Author: Mercedes Milligan

  • Annecy Details Trio of VR Events

    Annecy Details Trio of VR Events

    The Annecy International Animation Festival is welcoming some next-gen gate crashers at this year’s edition, with three special virtual reality events schedule for the 2016 program. This includes a multi-day series of five 360-degree experiences, a MIFA studio focus on Google Spotlight Stories, and a Creation Conference with representatives from leading animation and VR studios. Annecy 2016 takes place June 13-18 (annecy.org).

    From Tuesday, June 14 to Thursday, June 16 in the “salle de creation” at Bonlieu, the festival in partnership with Google VR and Google Spotlight Stories will present a variety of 360 VR experiences. On Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., visitors can check out Pearl (HTC Vive) and Allumette (Penrose Studios). Wednesday’s offerings are Rain or Shine (Nexus, Google Spotlight Stories; with Felix Massie, Claire Cook and Mariano Melman) and Minotaur (NFB Canada, with Jelena Popovic and Munro Ferguson). And Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon you can check out a demo of Tilt Brush (Google VR; with Antonio Canobbio, Chris Prynoski, Drew Skillman and Patrick Hackett).

    On Monday June 13 at from 6-7:15 p.m. at Salle Pierre Lamy, the Google Spotlight Stories – Once Upon a Time in 360 panel discussion brings together some of the VIPs of the groundbreaking industry. GSS Executive Producer Karen Dufilho and Google Creative Director Jan Pinkava will host a group of directors, innovators and industry leaders for an in-depth look at creating animated stories in VR (and other emerging platforms). Felix Massie and Chris O’Reilly will give an exclusive first glimpse at their short Rain or Shine (Nexus Prod.), and there will be a behind-the-scenes look at Patrick Osborne’s Pearl. A conversation with Aardman Animations co-founder Peter Lord and the director of the studio’s GSS short Special Delivery, Tim Ruffle, will close out the session.

    And on Tuesday June 14 from 2:30-6:15 p.m at the Chambre de metiers, salle Mont-Blanc, Creation Conference: The Challenges of Virtual Reality will comprise four presentations designed to inform and offer solutions, as well as help potential producers determine how VR can provide long-term growth in the animation industry. Confirmed presenters are Michel Nicolas (Folimage), Chloe Jarry (Camera Lucida); Mark Davis and Felix Massie (Nexus Prod.); Michel Bams (Happy IP); Caterina Cuenca (author & screenwriter); Jason Fletcher-Bartholomew and Tim Ruffle (Aardman); Eric Darnell (Baobab Studios); and moderator Thierry Barbier (AXYZ).

    Annecy
    Annecy
  • Animation Goes MSU Presenting 13 Plein-Air Films

    Animation Goes MSU Presenting 13 Plein-Air Films

    Animafest Zagreb and the Croatian capital’s Museum of Contemporary Art (Muzej suvremene umjetnosti) are once again teaming up to present Animation Goes MSU as a central program of the annual animation festival. For the fifth time, MSU’s media facade will serve as a screen on the international arts scene for the public, presenting site-specific animations between May 24 and June 11.

    This year’s selection of 13 works was curated by Animafest artistic director Daniel Šuljić and MSU senior curator Vesna Meštrić. Much of the creatively diverse program consists of premieres, with pieces created by animators from Germany, China, Estonia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and the United States.

    More information is available at animafest.hr/en; the 2016 Animation Goes to MSU lineup is:

    Xeroxed Destinations by Po-Yeng Wang (Taiwan)
    Lunatic by Boris Hrgešić (Croatia)
    Watching TV in Paris by Maja Kalogera (Croatia)
    Stutter by Ranko Anđelić (Bosnia and Herzegovina/U.K.)
    From Here to There by Terje Henk (Estonia)
    Bay Bingo by Corrie Francis Parks (U.S.A.)
    The Rise of Fascism by Slobodan Tomić (Croatia)
    Dance Experiments by Melanie Beisswenger (Germany)
    Petris by Damir Grbanović and Lea Vučko (Slovenia)
    Mesh_5 by Ivan Renić (Croatia)
    Meteor Sonata by Ding Shiwei (China)
    E/G#9: loop by Exquisite Glitch (Croatia)
    Third Law by Goran Radošević (Croatia)
    Dots by Tracy Miller-Robbins (U.S.A.)

    Bay Bingo, Corrie Francis Parks
    Bay Bingo, Corrie Francis Parks
  • ‘Yu-Gi-Oh’ Racks Up Global Streaming Deals

    ‘Yu-Gi-Oh’ Racks Up Global Streaming Deals

    4K Media and Cinedigm have secured several new SVOD and VOD partners for animated action franchise Yu-Gi-Oh! across Europe and other international territories.

    “4K Media has been embracing digital media platforms as a viable method for distributing content for over a decade and will continue to do so as the numbers of fans accessing the vast Yu-Gi-Oh! library of episodes online and on mobile devices validates that decision,” said 4K’s SVP of Digital Operations Mark Kirk.

    The latest deals include an agreement for TIM in Italy for its TIMvision subscribers, giving them access to all 49 episodes of season 1 of the latest series Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V. In Germany, in cooperation with distribution partner KSM, 236 German-language episodes of Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters and 155 German-language episodes of Yu-Gi-Oh! GX have been picked up by RTL’s online portal ClipFish, as well as to ProSiebenSat.1 Media’s Maxdome and My Video.

    In addition, U.S.-based Crunchyroll has expanded its worldwide distribution (outside of Asia) arrangement with 4K. The streaming platform and online community has taken on the original, uncut Japanese-language versions of Duel Monsters and GX series with English subtitles. 4K has also partnered with the Tubi TV connected TV, mobile and web app, which has snagged 154 original, uncut episodes of Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s with English subs, plus 123 English-language episodes of the series.

    Existing Yu-Gi-Oh! streaming partners include Hulu (U.S.), Netflix (multi-territory), ClaroVideo (Latin America) and TV4 (Sweden).

    Yu-Gi-Oh!
    Yu-Gi-Oh!
  • Heritage Presents Chuck Jones Auction for Grinch’s 50th

    Heritage Presents Chuck Jones Auction for Grinch’s 50th

    This year marks the 50th anniversary of Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas, one of the most beloved animated TV holiday specials of all time. To help the mean green machine celebrate his Golden Anniversary, the family of animation legend Chuck Jones is releasing a treasure trove of original artworks from the special, to be auctioned by Heritage on June 11, 2016 in Dallas.

    “Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas has been on TV every holiday season since it was first released in 1966 and TV Guide ranked it #1 in its Top 10 list of holiday favorites,” said Jim Lentz, Director of Animation Art Auctions at Heritage Auctions. “This is an unprecedented offering and, more importantly than anything else, it comes directly from the Chuck Jones Personal Archives, chosen specifically by Jones’ daughter, Linda, and his grandson Craig Kausen.”

    On offer will be 27 original pieces related to the development and making of Grinch. The rarest gems are three Key Master Set-Ups from the landmark cartoon, original artwork by Chuck Jones and Maurice Noble used in the production process, and a goodly number of original Chuck Jones Grinch paintings. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Chuck Jones Center for Creativity in Orange County, California.

    An individual stand-out of the auction, says Lentz, is a hand-painted production cel of the Grinch looking into a hand mirror held by his dog Max as he completes his Santa costume. This cel is on Key Master hand-painted production background from the scene, of which there was only one made and used in production. This item is estimated at $25,000+.

    Other highlights are one of the earliest drawings of the Grinch by Jones to ever appear at auction, accompanied by one of the first hand-painted Grinch cels (est. $10k+); a very rare storyboard of Cindy Lou Who with early character design ($5k+); rare pan hand-painted Master Key background of the snowscape ($5k+) with two sequenced production cels of the Grinch on his sled; and a 12 field director’s layout drawing by Jones of the Grinch trying to save the sleigh ($5k+).

    Check out The Art of the Grinch Animation Art Auction on Heritage’s website.

    Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas
    Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas
  • Canada-China Film Fest Holds Prelaunch in Beijing

    Canada-China Film Fest Holds Prelaunch in Beijing

    The Canada China International Film Festival Committee held its first Chinese pre-launch event at the Beijing International Film Festival late last month, attended by over 200 representatives from related fields. The CCIFF has the goal of “integrating Canadian and Chinese resources and technology, building a viable showcase platform, and enabling the exchange and cooperation between Canadian and Chinese film industries.”

    The inaugural CCIFF will be held September 16-19 in Montreal, as part of the official activities for the 2015-2016 Year of People-to-People and Cultural Exchanges between Canada and China. The festival is hosted by Canada China Art-Tech and organized by mDreams Pictures.

    CCIFF 2016 will include many specialized events and programs. The main competition portion “Canada China Academy Film Award” will be flanked by opening and closing ceremonies, public film screenings, an entertainment technology summit and exhibition, a focus on women’s voices in film and television, and co-production project pitch session. To celebrate the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the countries, the CCIFF Committee, China Film Archive and National Film Board of Canada will present “Classic Movie Review.”

    The Entertainment Technology Summit will be a key section of the festival. Montreal is home to over 50 highly specialized studios, over 30 world recognized animation and special effects companies and 60 leading video game production companies. The tech summit and exhibition will give attendees the chance to learn about and interact with cutting edge solutions for the entertainment industry.

    Film submission guidelines and additional info will be announced on www.cciff.ca.

    Canada-China Film Fest Holds Prelaunch in Beijing
    Canada-China Film Fest Holds Prelaunch in Beijing
  • Daily News Bytes

    Daily News Bytes

    TVKids Special Report: Kids’ Comedies
    Top entertainment execs talk the surprisingly difficult task of making kids laugh and the benefits of animation.

    Disney Exec Joins WBCP as CCO
    Soo Koo will lead product design and development for Warner Bros. brands from DC Comics to Looney Tunes.

    Animation: SA Drawn into Picture
    Cape Town screenwriter Clea Mallinson is heading to Annecy’s MIFA to pitch South African toon project Fairy Wheels.

    YouTube to Launch VR App
    The Google-owned online video platform is promising “a YouTube experience like nothing you’ve seen before” by the end of 2016.

    Comcast CFO Outlines DreamWorks Animation’s Financial Upside Inside NBCU
    Michael Cavanagh anticipates in-house film distribution at end of Fox agreement, cost cuts and new revenue opportunities.

    YouTube VR app
    YouTube VR app
  • ‘Angry Birds’ Feathers Nest with No. 1 Opening

    ‘Angry Birds’ Feathers Nest with No. 1 Opening

    CG action-comedy The Angry Birds Movie from Rovio Animation and Columbia Pictures (with animation by Sony Pictures Imageworks in Vancouver) is off to a strong start at the worldwide box office, taking the No. 1 position for its North American opening weekend with $39 million across nearly 4,000 theaters and a $94 million worldwide total. The film began its global rollout May 11 and has so far taken in about $150 million total.

    The Angry Birds Movie is directed by Sony animation alum Fergal Reilly and Disney vet Clay Kaytis, from a script by Jon Vitti. Inspired by the smash-hit mobile game, the film explores what made the flock so angry in the first place! When their avian island is invaded by strange green pigs, it’s up to unlikely heroes Red (Jason Sudeikis), Chuck (Josh Gad) and Bomb (Danny McBride) to figure out what the swine are up to and rally their bird brethren.

    Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War dropped to second place this weekend, taking in $33.1 million domestically and $30.7 million internationally — the film has surpassed $1 billion worldwide. Disney’s The Jungle Book came in at fifth place with an added $11 million domestic and $7.4 million overseas for new totals of $327.5m and $530.2m for the Jon Favreau flick. Also in the top five were Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising ($21.8m domestic) and The Nice Guys ($11.3m).

    The Angry Birds Movie
    The Angry Birds Movie

  • Voice of Scrooge McDuck Alan Young Dies Age 96

    Actor and comedian Alan Young, best known for starring as Wilbur on the classic 1960s sitcom Mr. Ed and as the voice of Scrooge McDuck in Disney’s DuckTales and other television and videogame projects, died of natural causes on Thursday, May 19.

    Young’s manager, Gene Yusem, shared the news, saying that the U.K. born performer died at his film and TV professionals’ retirement facility in Los Angeles. He was buried at sea. “He was an honest, decent man, a pleasure to work with and never a problem,” Yusem told Reuters.

    Young first voiced the iconic ultra-rich Uncle Scrooge in Mickey’s Christmas Carol in 1983, and reprised the role for DuckTales and other animated projects through the years. Other notable voice roles performed by Young include Farmer Smurf in The Smurfs in the ’80s and Haggis McHaggis in Nickelodeon’s The Ren & Stimpy Show in the mid-’90s.

    Born in the Northeast of England in 1919, Young was educated in Canada and eventually became a U.S. citizen. In the 1950s, he became a familiar face to American TV audiences with The Alan Young Show on CBS — a comedy and variety show that grew out of his radio program and earned two Emmy Awards. He reputedly was asked for by name when it came time to cast the bipedal lead of Mr. Ed, which ran from 1960-66.

    You can read a little more about Scrooge McDuck and Alan Young’s cartoon career over at Indiewire.

    Alan Young
    Alan Young
  • ‘Steven Universe: The Return’ Coming to DVD June 7

    ‘Steven Universe: The Return’ Coming to DVD June 7

    As Cartoon Network presents broadcast premieres of all-new Steven Universe episodes, fans can catch up on some of the young hero’s most gem-tacular adventures from seasons one and two as Steven Universe: The Return arrives on DVD on June 7, 2016. The release features 12 episodes hand-picked by series creator — and Emmy and Annie Award-nominated writer and storyboard artist — Rebecca Sugar.

    Steven Universe has been lauded by fans and critics for its deeply realized characters and expansive storytelling. The colorful 2D series tells the story of three magical defenders of the universe, the Crystal Gems, and their proverbial “little brother,” Steven. The show was named one of WIRED’s 15 Best Shows of 2015 and features a stellar voice cast, including Grammy winning artist Estelle and BTVA Award winner Zach Callison. Last year, Steven Universe ranked No. 1 in its timeslot for Kids 6-11, Kids 9-14, Boys 6-11 and Boys 9-14.

    The Return will arrives on disc as season three airs on Cartoon Network (with new episodes premiering through summer), with Steven Universe recently renewed for a fifth season. The DVD carries an SRP of $14.97 and contains a dozen 11-minute episodes: “Mirror Gem,” “Ocean Gem,” “Space Race,” “Lion 3: Straight to Video,” “Warp Tour,” “Alone Together,” “On the Run,” “Marble Madness,” “Rose’s Scabbard,” “The Message,” “The Return” and “Jailbreak.”

    Steven Universe: The Return
    Steven Universe: The Return
  • Mondo TV Spain Rebrands as Mondo TV Iberoamerica

    Mondo TV Spain Rebrands as Mondo TV Iberoamerica

    Mondo TV Spain is undergoing a rebrand, and has changed its name to Mondo TV Iberoamerica. The company has announced it will shift focus over to the development and co-production of scripted kids’ shows. The changes are part of a plan to distinguish the local arm from Italy’s Mondo TV, which produces animated series like DinoFroz, Angel’s Friends and The Drakers.

    Per the announcement, the rebrand “reflects the successful expansion plans that Mondo TV Spain has pursued over the last few years.” Mondo TV Iberoamerica’s first project will be the co-production Heidi, Welcome Home, a live action series in collaboration with Argentine writer Marcela Cittero and Javier Francia of Alianzas Producciones.

    Mondo TV Iberoamerica will continue to distribute Mondo TV’s catalog.

    DinoFroz
    DinoFroz
  • Daily News Bytes

    Daily News Bytes

    Pakistan’s Award-Winning Burka Avenger Animation Opens on London Screen
    The CG TV series featuring a Muslim warrior girl premiered at London’s Southbank Centre arts festival.

    A Dozen (Or So) Ways to Die in Space
    Thomas Lucas’ macabre comedy Death in Space is a charmingly naughty treat for twisted minds.

    For the Love of the Craft: A Look at the Northwest Animation Festival
    Festival founder Sven Bonnischen discusses this year’s NW Animation Fest, which brings the world’s best to Oregon.

    ABC Commercial Inks Digital Deal with Hopster
    Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s distribution arm secures a two-year SVOD deal for a number of kids shows for local app users.

    Bonham’s Animation Auction set for June 13
    NYC auction house will host “TCM Presents … Drawn to Film,” featuring animation art including the collection of Ted and Dawn Hopkins.

    Burka Avenger
    Burka Avenger
  • Daily News Bytes

    Daily News Bytes

    ICT Ministry to Transform Jeju into Animation Hub of Asia
    The Ministry and Jejudo Island’s government are partnering for a new Korean animation incubator: the Asia CGI Animation Center.

    Re-Animation: Autism Oklahoma’s Animated Short Even in Death to Premiere at DeadCenter16
    Invisible Layers Productions teamed young adults with autism with local industry pros to produce an illustrative story of “love, loss and life.”

    A New Age of Animation
    U.S. series often rely on South Korean studios for hand-drawn animation; Kate Torgovnick May explores what the country’s transition to digital tools mean for American television.

    Oznoz Video Launches on Kurio Kids’ Tablets
    Multi-language kids entertainment platform will come preloaded on the pocket-sized device.

    First Georgian-Directed 3D Animation Film Set for Release
    The 12-minute film Geno from Georgian filmmaker Dato Kiknavelidze tackles environmental issues.

    ICT Ministry to Transform Jeju into Animation Hub of Asia
    ICT Ministry to Transform Jeju into Animation Hub of Asia
  • VR Vets Form New Indie Co SPACES

    VR Vets Form New Indie Co SPACES

    A new independent company founded by entertainment industry virtual reality veterans has launched with the goal of using the limitless potential of virtual and mixed reality to transform almost every aspect of everyday life. Based in Santa Monica, California, SPACES has raised $3 million in initial funding, led by Comcast Ventures.

    The shop is founded by CEO Shiraz Akmal and CTO Brad Herman, who played a key role in creating DreamWorks Animation’s VR experiences through 2015. They lead a team that has a wide-ranging background in filmmaking, video games and theme parks, including executive creative director Dean Orion, who has written for TV and created interactive, location-based attractions for DreamWorks Animation and Walt Disney Imagineering.

    SPACES is already working with companies like Microsoft, NBCUniversal, Big Blue Bubble and The Hetterna Group to develop and produce a range of VR and MxR projects across all platforms and technologies — including Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Microsoft HoloLens, Samsung Gear VR, PlayStation VR and Google Cardboard.

    The $3 million initial funding was lead by Comcast Ventures and also included Boost VC, Canyon Creek Capital, Colopl VR Fund, GREE Inc., Kai Huang, The Venture Reality Fund, the Sinovation Fund and Youku Global Media Fund and CRCM VC.

    SPACES has also assembled a global advisory board that includes Dan Offner, attorney, angel investor and former general counsel for Oculus; Keith Boesky, former  president of Eidos Interactive and the principal of Boesky & Company; and Indian film actor and entrepreneur Rana Daggubati, star of Baahubali: The Beginning, the highest-grossing film in India’s history.

    SPACES
    SPACES
  • ‘Wubby School’ Enrolls More Broadcasters

    ‘Wubby School’ Enrolls More Broadcasters

    Several key broadcast partners have been secured for Superprod and Muse Entertainment’s animated preschool series Wubby School (52 x 11). Currently in production for France Televisions, Tele-Quebec, TFO, Knowledge Network and BBC Kids, the make-believe schoolhouse adventure has been pre-bought by VRT (Belgium) and Discovery Kids (Latin America), with others showing strong interest.

    “Worldwide reaction to Wubby School has been extremely positive since the very early development stage,” says Margann Favennec, Deputy MD in charge of international sales & acquisitions for Superights. “We are eagerly looking forward to sharing the first episodes of this fun, cute and good values-oriented series next October [at Mip Junior].”

    Synopsis:

    By pushing the rainbow button, five-year-old Helen walks into the magic world of Wubby School where her dream to be a teacher comes true! But her class is not ordinary since Wubby School is the only school … for toys! All together, the little girl and her unruly students will discover how helping and listening to each other is the best way to learn, whether it is how to get a good school year group pho or how to bake a yummy birthday cake.

    Wubby School
    Wubby School
  • Daily News Bytes

    Daily News Bytes

    Belga Raises €5m for Animation ‘The Son of Bigfoot’
    Belgian tax credit company will release Ben Stassen’s latest feature in Benelux in Summer 2017.

    Kavaleer & WDRmg Working on ‘Dougie Noir’ Animated Series
    Created by Andrew Kavanagh, the new 52 x 11 animated action-comedy for kids 6-11 will enter pre-production next summer.

    Why One Vancouver Animation Company Is Considering ‘Angry Birds’ a Major Canadian Success
    Producer Catherine Winder helped transform the project, pushing for production at SPI Vancouver.

    J-POP Summit Presents Artist Kaori Wakamatsu as a Guest of Honor
    The acclaimed pop artist will make her first-ever U.S. appearance for exclusive autograph sessions at the SF event.

    Introducing ExploreVR from The Foundry
    Get to know the software developer’s constantly evolving hub for industry insight, tips and trends.

    Son of Bigfoot
    Son of Bigfoot
  • ‘Danger Mouse’ Given Extended Mission

    ‘Danger Mouse’ Given Extended Mission

    FemantleMedia Kids & Family and CBBC have announced that the “World’s Greatest Secret Agent” Danger Mouse will return in a second season of his reinvigorated animated adventures. Commissioned by Controller of CBBC, Cheryl Taylor, the series season is part of FMK’s unique five-year co-production partnership with BBC Children’s, and has sold to over 100 territories to date.

    The new Danger Mouse debuted on air in September 2015 and was an instant ratings success. The series brings back the classic characters — lead by Danger Mouse and his hapless hamster sidekick, Penfold — in all new gadget-packed, gag-laden missions as they meet friends and foes both familiar and fresh-faced.

    “It’s a funny old world. You get no series of Danger Mouse for 23 years and then two come along at once,” said Kevin Eldon, the voice of Penfold. “All right, there’s been 18 months between them but who’s counting? I’m really looking forward to getting back into squeak mode as Danger Mouse’s trusty if somewhat trembly sidekick Penfold. I’m sure we can expect lots of fabulous adventures featuring even more dastardly dastardliness and even more heroic heroicness. Is that a word? I’m not sure but I know one word that is definitely a word and that is: crumbs!”

    Eldon co-stars with the voice of Danger Mouse, Alexander Armstrong, who are joined by many British stars including Dave Lamb, Stephen Fry, Morwenna Banks and Shauna Macdonald.

    Danger Mouse is co-produced by CBBC and FMK, which owns global TV and licensing rights, and is animated by Boulder Media, wit Robert Cullen (The Amazing World of Gumball) directing and Peter Lewis producing. The writing team is lead by Ben Ward (Horrible Histories). The executive producers are Sarah Muller for CBBC, and Bob Higgins and Chapman Maddox for FMK.

    You can watch season one of Danger Mouse on Netflix in North America, Latin America, Benelux, Nordics, Poland, Italy and Japan.

    Danger Mouse
    Danger Mouse
  • New ‘Sausage Party’ Trailer Might Ruin Your Appetite

    New ‘Sausage Party’ Trailer Might Ruin Your Appetite

    A poppin’ fresh new trailer for R-rated CG comedy Sausage Party has dropped, and it might make you want to drop your snack and take a good, hard look at yourself. The film, coming to U.S. theaters August 12 through Columbia, centers about a sausage who leads a group of supermarket products on a quest to discover the truth about their existence, and what really happens to the “chosen” who leave the shelves.

    Trailer disc: Sausage Party is an R-rated comedy headed to theaters August 12 © Columbia Pictures

    Directed by Conrad Vernon (Madagascar 3, Monsters vs. Aliens) and Greg Tiernan, Sausage Party was conceived by Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg and Jonah Hill, with a screenplay by Rogen, Goldberg, Kyle Hunter and Ariel Shaffir. Rogen and Hill once again share the screen, lending their voices along with Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Michael Cera, James Franco, Danny McBride, Craig Robinson, Paul Rudd, Nick Kroll, David Krumholtz, Edward Norton and Salma Hayek.

    Sausage Party is a production of Nitrogen Studios, Annapurna Pictures and Point Grey Pictures.

    Sausage Party
    Sausage Party
  • Darren Walsh to Helm ‘Danny Diamondback’

    Darren Walsh to Helm ‘Danny Diamondback’

    Kaleidoscope Film Distribution has taken on worldwide sales for Siege Train Studios’ animated feature film Danny Diamondback, which is to be directed by Aardman Animations alumnus and multi-award-winning director Darren Walsh (Angry Kid, Shaun the Sheep TV series).

    Danny Diamondback centers on a young rattlesnake with an oversized talent in his tail. When his parents are captured, Danny befriends a fun-loving cockroach named Tito, who soon discovers that Danny’s rattle is just the beat he has been missing. The unlikely duo form a band, and the sounds of Danny’s rattle shaking travels to his parents, who set out on a journey to be reunited with their son.

    The film is based on the children’s novella of the same name written by illustrator and award-winning production designer Barry Jackson (Horton Hears A Who!, How the Grinch Stole Christmas), first published by HarperCollins. Jackson has written the script and will head the film’s production design.

    Siege Train’s Curtis Augspurger (Valiant, Space Chimps, The Polar Bears), Matthew Hampton and Cora Palfrey will produce alongside Jackson. Bibo Bergeron (Shark Tale, A Monster in Paris) will serve as Executive Producer. Kaleidoscope is kicking off sales at the Cannes Film Festival.

    Darren Walsh has won over 50 international awards, including Best Animation at Cannes for the Sony Bravia “Play Doh” spot and Best TV Special at Annecy. In addition to his TV directing work at Aardman, Walsh’s credits include work on Martin Scorsese’ Hugo and box office hit Paddington.

    Kaleidoscope Film Distribution
    Kaleidoscope Film Distribution
  • ‘Sonic Boom’ Launches on Hulu with 52 Episodes

    ‘Sonic Boom’ Launches on Hulu with 52 Episodes

    SEGA and Technicolor Animation Productions (formerly OuiDO! Productions) have launched top-rated animated series Sonic Boom for streaming in the U.S. exclusively on Hulu. All 52 episodes of the premiere season are now available in English and Spanish across set-top boxes, gaming consoles, mobile, desktop and tablet through Hulu’s apps.

    The action-comedy show — the first-ever CG animated TV series based on the iconic SEGA games franchise — follows Sonic the Hedgehog and his friends Tails, Knuckles, Amy and Sticks on their adventures as they battle their arch-nemesis, Dr. Eggman.

    Sonic the Hedgehog was this year inducted into the Video Game Hall of Fame, having first appeared as a videogame character in June of 1991. Known for his super-fast speed and cool attitude, the spiny blue hero has enjoyed worldwide success beyond gaming in many areas, including licensed goods, comics, film and animation.

    sonic-boom-640

    Sonic Boom
    Sonic Boom
  • FILM.UA Secures Poland Release for ‘Stolen Princess’

    FILM.UA Secures Poland Release for ‘Stolen Princess’

    Ukrainian media group FILM.UA closed a deal for the distribution of its animated feature The Stolen Princess with Poland’s Polsat during the Marche du Film in Cannes. The production had previously been picked up by ProFilms (Bulgaria), Cinema 24 (Iran) and KLB (France).

    “We are impressed by the high quality of video footage, and the story itself is very captivating,” said Polsat’s Licensing Department Director, Magdalena Janaczek. “The film will be widely released in cinemas in Poland. As a media group, we are empowered to provide the most effective promotional support for The Stolen Princess.”

    The Stolen Princess is an animated 3D feature currently in production at FILM.UA Group’s Animagrad studio. The story is loosely based on a classic poem by Aleksandr Pushkin and love and magic, and has been adapted for the international market and a wide family audience. Delivery is set for the end of 2017.

    FILM.UA Group is exhibiting at the Marche du Film at stand 24.07.

    The Stolen Princess
    The Stolen Princess