Rovio Entertainment’s fledgling feature The Angry Birds Movie is getting ready to leave the nest on May 20, 2016, and the first trailer is now out to show us just why these birds are so irate. The CG film is directed by Clay Kaytis and Fergal Reilly from a screenplay by Jon Vitti.
Synopsis:
The Angry Birds Movie takes us to an island populated entirely by happy, flightless birds – or almost entirely. In this paradise, Red (Jason Sudeikis, We’re the Millers, Horrible Bosses), a bird with a temper problem, speedy Chuck (Josh Gad in his first animated role since Frozen), and the volatile Bomb (Danny McBride, This is the End, Eastbound and Down) have always been outsiders. But when the island is visited by mysterious green piggies, it’s up to these unlikely outcasts to figure out what the pigs are up to.
Cottonwood Media has signed new development partnerships with Corus Entertainment’s Teletoon Canada and Toronto production house Shaftesbury for its microbial comedy toon Squish. Across the pond, French children’s network Gulli has reworked its existing development agreement into a pre-buy for all digital and broadcast rights in the country.
Squish (52 x 11, for kids 6-11) is based on the humorous graphic novel series from bestselling children’s author Jennifer Holm and creator Matthew Holm (Random House Children’s Books). The producers expect a 2017 delivery for the show, which centers on a plucky young amoeba just trying to get by in the cutthroat world of single-cell organisms.
Squish is being executive produced by Cottonwood Media founder David Michel (Get Blake, Totally Spies!), with John Derevlany (LEGO: Legends of Chima, Johnny Test) acting as showrunner.
The Fred Rogers Company has appointed Emmy Award-winning producer and writer Ellen Doherty as its executive in charge of production. Doherty will now oversee development of the company’s kids media properties like Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Peg + Cat and Odd Squad, working directly with broadcast and digital media VP Paul Siefken.
Doherty will also work with co-production partners, animation studios and public broadcasters to deliver broadcast and digital media properties. Her responsibilities will include supervising digital content producers creating online and mobile games and apps based on popular series. Doherty will provide content and strategic support for the company’s licensing and merchandising efforts, as well as help guide outreach and training efforts to promote children’s social, emotional, behavioral and academic health while supporting adults in their interactions with children.
Doherty joins Fred Rogers Co. after working at WNET for 13 years, most recently in the role of executive producer for math-themed animated series Cyberchase. Her credits include Reading Rainbow and The Puzzle Place for PBS Kids, and Countdown to Blast-Off and Blast-Off for Discovery International.
Cogswell College in San Jose, California, announces that students in its Digital Art & Animation program have released a second batch of 3D animatable rigs through the school’s in-house character program “Project Avatarah.” The two new rigs depict original “human” digital characters who now join their predecessor, “Cogswell the Dragon.”
Dubbed “Henry” and “Caroline” after Cogswell College founder Dr. Henry Cogswell and his wife, simplicity was a key factor in designing the bipedal rigs. Students struck out to create characters with a simple control scheme that allowed animators of all skill levels to use them effectively, while offering a certain level of detail and wide range of motion. Henry and Caroline are meant to be used in subtle animations, with extreme actions and locomotive cycles.
The characters include full facial rigs and detailed controls for clothing and secondary motion, while maintaining user friendliness. Henry and Caroline incorporate conventional features such as IK/FK switching for limbs and spine, the ability to change the parent of the controls mid-animation using space-switching, and rotation orders set up to reduce gimbal locks. Cogswell students in upper level courses use these characters for pantomime, dialog and short film projects.
Project Avatarah rigs can be downloaded here. Additional characters to come include “Toothy” the saber toothed tiger, “Snowy” the dog and “Thunder” the horse, “Chippy” the squirrel, “Chubby” the rabbit, “Flappy” the bird and more.
Nickelodeon Films and Paramount Pictures’ bid to bring fan-favorite ‘90s animation characters to the big screen is apparently one step closer to fruition, with sources telling Variety that the studios are bringing on offbeat comedy helmer Jared Hess to direct (and co-write with his wife, Jerusha Hess) the NickToons project.
NickToons is being produced by SpongeBob SquarePants: Sponge out of Water veterans Mary Parent and Cale Boyter through Parent’s Disruption Entertainment. The project is in very early stages but will be a kind of animated medley of classic characters from Nickelodeon shows like Rugrats, Ren & Stimpy, Doug and Aaahh!!! Real Monsters.
Jared Hess first came to Hollywood’s attention with his breakout indie hit Napoleon Dynamite, which was followed by the Jack Black luchador comedy Nacho Libre and Gentlemen Broncos. His next project, Masterminds, is currently tied up in Relativity Media’s bankruptcy troubles. Hess has also been tapped by Disney to direct Overnight at 42nd Street.
Jerusha Hess’ writing credits include Napoleon Dynamite (the film and short-lived animated series), Nacho Libre and Gentlemen Broncos. She also wrote and directed the 2013 literary rom-com Austenland.
Mattel and HIT Entertainment announce that the all-new series iteration of top preschool brand Bob the Builder has been acquired by European broadcasters France 5, Z@pplin (Netherlands), VRT (Belgium), Rai YoYo (Italy), MiniMini (Poland), Turner (UK) and RTE (Ireland), as well as E-TV in South Africa and Hop! in Israel.
The deals come in just over a month since Mattel confirmed future co-development and co-production of Bob the Builder through a partnership with DHX Media. The deal will see new episodic, short-form and long-form productions for TV and digital platforms, with DHX taking on all future global distribution for Bob the Builder.
The new CG series has already doubled average channel ratings on Channel 5’s Milkshake in the UK and seen a 101% ratings increase over the classic show on PBS Kids in the US. The new Bob is the same friendly guide to the world of construction and the values of teamwork and positivity, but with a brand new look, new characters and new, relatable locations.
Creative Media Partners, a full-service media company founded by former KidsCo chief and Walt Disney Co. senior exec Paul Robinson, has launched its first title: Sindbad & The 7 Galaxies (26 x 11). The HD CG comedy series for kids six to 11 was created by Raja Masilamani, creative director for both CMP and KidsCo. The series relates the intergalactic adventures of Sindbad, an extraterrestrial who lives on Earth disguised as a 14-year-old boy.
Sindbad has already picked up a few key broadcast partners. signing deals with free-to-air service MBC3 in the Middle East, Sun TV in India and Nigeria’s free-to-air Be.Television. Munich-based Your Family Entertainment handles worldwide distribution excluding Asia, which is covered by Hong Kong outfit Lightning International.
Sindbad & The 7 Galaxies follows Sindbad and his friends on action packed after school adventures as they travel the galaxy saving distant worlds from imminent disaster, having fun in the process. Their quests are aided by Sindbad’s special powers and the secret spaceship in his basement. Each story has an environmental theme and problems are solved without violence.
New Zealand’s Huhu Studios handles production, with animation delivered by studios in Taiwan and Beijing.
LAIKA and Focus Features have unveiled a new trailer and character posters for its upcoming stop-motion animated original feature Kubo and the Two Strings. The trailer showcases everything audiences have come to expect from the Oregon studio: Fresh, highly detailed character designs; fantastical sets; and a truly magical blend of hand-crafted artistry and seamless effects.
Coming to theaters August 19, Kubo and the Two Strings is the feature directorial debut for LAIKA animation supervisor Travis Knight with a script by Marc Haimes and Chris Butler (ParaNorman). The voice cast features Art Parkinson, Matthew McConaughey, Charlize Theron, Rooney Mara, Ralph Fiennes, George Takei, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa and Brenda Vaccaro.
Synopsis:
An epic action-adventure set in a fantastical Japan from acclaimed animation studio LAIKA. Clever, kindhearted Kubo (voiced by Art Parkinson of “Game of Thrones”) ekes out a humble living, telling stories to the people of his seaside town including Hosato (George Takei), Akihiro (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa), and Kameyo (Academy Award nominee Brenda Vaccaro). But his relatively quiet existence is shattered when he accidentally summons a spirit from his past which storms down from the heavens to enforce an age-old vendetta. Now on the run, Kubo joins forces with Monkey (Academy Award winner Charlize Theron) and Beetle (Academy Award winner Matthew McConaughey), and sets out on a thrilling quest to save his family and solve the mystery of his fallen father, the greatest samurai warrior the world has ever known. With the help of his shamisen – a magical musical instrument – Kubo must battle gods and monsters, including the vengeful Moon King (Academy Award nominee Ralph Fiennes) and the evil twin Sisters (Academy Award nominee Rooney Mara), to unlock the secret of his legacy, reunite his family, and fulfill his heroic destiny.
Organizers of the 43rd Annual Annie Awards have revealed the roster of presenters who will take the stage at the Saturday, February 6 to celebrate the year’s best in animation.
Returning for a second year are comedy-folk duo Garfunkel and Oates — also known as the acting and songwriting geniuses Riki Lindhome and Kate Mucucci. And joining them will be actor, producer & director Edward James Olmos with actress Rita Moreno; actor & writer Tom Kenny (SpongeBob SquarePants) with actress Laraine Newman (Dawn of the Croods); actors Alexander Garfin and Hadley Belle Miller (Linus and Lucy from The Peanuts Movie); actresses Kristen Schaal (Bob’s Burgers) and Phyllis Smith (Sadness from Inside Out); and actor Kevin Michael Richardson and composer Christophe Beck.
“Last year, we thought outside the box a little bit and tried a new ceremony format, with no specific host. Instead, our presenters acted as “mini hosts,” each introducing a block of awards. Happily this proved to be a big success. The ceremony was fun, fast and fantastic, so we are going to do it again!” remarked ASIFA-Hollywood Executive Director, Frank Gladstone. “And, as we have seen over the last several years, our audience, nominees and range of films continues to grow. Exemplified by our new Best Feature-Independent award, the Annies are reaching out to a world-wide and increasingly influential filmmaking community.”
This year’s ceremony, once again taking place at UCLA’s Royce Hall, will bestow the Winsor McCay award on director Isao Takahata, former Pixar head of story Joe Ranft (posthumously) and on animator, director and producer Phil Roman. The June Foray award for significant and benevolent impact on the art and industry of animation will be presented to producer Don Hahn.
Disney Channel will debut the first television special for original tween property Star Darlings this Friday, January 29 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. The programming event will expand on the stories made popular in the Star Darlings book series from Disney Publishing Worldwide which have also inspired a “multiplatform lifestyle experience” comprising video content, music and diverse L&M lines.
The half-hour animated special, Becoming Star Darlings, introduces viewers to the 12 “Star-Charmed” girls and introduces their home, Starland. Their adventures begin when a major crisis strikes Starland and the girls are chosen to be the first student Starlings to journey to our planet, which they call “Wishworld.” Determined to succeed, the girls show courage, ingenuity and a lot of humor as they guide other on Earth to discover happiness and fulfillment by going after their dreams.
A second special, Star Darlings Friendships, is scheduled to air on Disney Channel on March 25.
As music is such a prominent aspect of the property, the TV expansion will feature a remixed version of the Star Darlings theme song from teen singer-songwriter Skylar Stecker and a new live-action music video.
Star Darlings books, dolls and apparel are now available at mass retailer nationwide. The doll line, created with master toy partner JAKKS Pacific, features dolls from both “Starland” and “Wishworld.” A range of new fashion, accessory, beauty and other products aimed at tweens will arrive in the fall.
Zodiak Kids has sold AVOD right for two of its animated series — LoliRock season one and Get Blake! — to online ad-supported platform batteryPOP. The deal makes the toons available to watch instantly on the site for one year.
batteryPOP is a free, online platform that features a range of child-friendly videos, blogs, games and cartoons, now bolstered by the 75-plus episodes of the Zodiak Kids Studios titles covered by the new deal. LoliRock is a music-infused property aimed at kids 6-12 that follows a spirited teenage girl named Iris whose life is changed when she joins an all-girl band. Get Blake! is a comedy series about 13-year-old Blake Myers who is constantly under attack from three surly squirrels, often with his best buddy Mitch caught in the crossfire.
Zodiak Kids hold all worldwide distribution and licensing rights to both shows.
Cartoon Network announces that Pacific Licensing Studio will represent the company’s consumer products division in Southeast Asia. The partnership is effective immediately, and will kick off by driving regional licensing for global brands such as The Powerpuff Girls, Ben 10, We Bare Bears and Adventure Time.
The deal stretches across Southeast Asia, encompassing major markets such as Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.
The new partnership comes to fruition just as Cartoon Network is preparing reimagined re-launches of two of its fan favorite properties: Man of Action’s Ben 10 and Craig McCracken’s The Powerpuff Girls. Both reboots will be accompanied by all-new consumer products programs.
The Powerpuff Girls licensing program is one of Cartoon Network’s top-grossing franchises ever, with more than US$2.5 billion in retail sales generated since its debut, and it continues to inspire as a global fashion brand with numerous apparel partners and fashion collections around the world. Consistently a top rated series among boys, Ben 10 is a powerful global franchise for Cartoon Network with proven sales success led by top-selling toy, interactive and home entertainment franchises generating more than US$4.5 billion in global retail sales to date.
London-based Media I.M. has taken on representation for Belarusian producer Digital Light Studio’s Sunny Bunnies (26 x 3’5″) and appointed Julia Oginska to head up its sales push into CEE markets. The non-dialogue CG comedy is aimed at kids 4-7.
The Sunny Bunnies are five “beaming balls” that can appear from any source of light, like sunshine or moonbeams. In each episode, the creatures take their mischievous sense of fun to a different location — a circus, a carousel, a park — spreading joy and laughter. Each episode also ends with a “blooper reel” of the day’s adventures.
Sunny Bunnies premiered in December on Disney Channel in Russia and CIS. Under the deal, Media I.M. has exclusive worldwide rights to the series outside of Russia, CIS, and China, including TV sales and digital / VOD rights.
Julia Oginska joins the Media I.M. team to oversee all sales in Poland and other key CEE territories, and brings with her seven years of experience in the Polish media industry. In addition to to setting up sales agency FILMAR in the region last year, Oginska has worked managing CEEMEA sales at Discovery and TVP S.A. as well as heading up programming and acquisitions at documentary channel Fokus TV.
Tech and electronics giant Samsung, creators of the Gear VR virtual-reality headset, announced at Sundance that it will be opening a studio in New York to produce immersive VR entertainment experiences. The technology has come out as an emerging trend at the film festival this year.
Samsung USA’s chief marketing officer Marc Mathieu, who was onsite for the announcement at the company’s pop-up showcase at the festival, did not reveal any details of potential projects, but did say that the studio will be located in an existing marketing office.
The company also announced that it has agreed to a year-long partnership with the Sundance Institute with the aim of propping up aspiring filmmakers and creative talent.
Kung Fu Panda 3 is projected to become a global hit for DreamWorks Animation. Above, actress Kate Hudson and characters Po and Mei Mei promote the film in China last week. (ChinaFotoPress via Getty Images)
The 10th Animation Production Day is now open for project submissions for the 2016 event, taking place April 28-29 in Stuttgart. Animation Production Day is Germany’s most prominent co-production and financing market exclusively for animated projects, bringing together national and international players for intimate meetings capped with high-profile speaking sessions.
Producers are invited to submit for consideration newly developed animated projects for film, television, games/apps and transmedia/cross-platform. Selected projects will have the chance to pitch one-on-one with German and international broadcasters, distributors, funding partners, investors and co-production partners during APD.
Submissions are open until February 22, 2016. An Early Bird Submission discounted by 100 euros is open until January 29.
Last year, the APD attracted about 120 participants from 12 different countries to discuss 37 selected projects, creating funding opportunities worth roughly 130 million euros. The event also welcomes those interested in shopping for co-production opportunities with a special one-day “producers for co-production” program.
Kids and family-targeted streaming service Shomi has made a deal with Corus Entertainment — the exclusive brand partner for Nickelodeon in Canada — that will bring over 700 episodes of 21 of the network’s series.
Six of these shows fall under an exclusive streaming agreement with Shomi: animated series Penguins of Madagascar, Rabbids Invasion, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Avatar: The Last Airbender and Bubble Guppies, and live-action sitcom Ricky, Dicky & Dawn.
“We’re parents and we hear firsthand from our own kids just how important it is to have their favorite TV shows and beloved characters on shomi,” says Marni Shulman, the head of content and programming at shomi. “Offering some of the number one kids’ shows out there, including favorites you can’t stream anywhere else, makes shomi the obvious and easy go-to when it’s TV time.”
Non-exclusive Nick titles heading to Shomi include Dora & Friends, Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness, Monsters vs. Aliens, Ren & Stimpy and Sanjay and Craig. Shows that have been re-upped by the streaming service include Dora the Explorer, The Fairly OddParents, Fanboy & ChumChum, Team UmiZoomi, SpongeBob SquarePants and Go, Diego, Go!
Next week, the latest installment in the ongoing animated adventures of Littlefoot the Apatosaurus and his four dino pals will be available on Digital HD and exclusively on DVD at Walmart stores and walmart.com, starting February 2. The Land Before Time: Journey of the Brave is produced by Universal 1440 Entertainment — the production arm of Universal Pictures Home Entertainment — and features an all-new original song from country legend Reba McEntire, “Look for the Light.”
Inspired by the 1988 classic, the new feature length Journey of the Brave follows Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie and Spike on an exciting adventure to rescue Littlefoot’s father. As they travel across strange landscapes and meet new friends Etta (voiced by Reba McEntire) and Wild Arms (voiced by Damon Wayans Jr.), Littlefoot and friends discover that by pulling together they can overcome any challenge.
The Land Before Time: Journey of the Brave is directed by Davis Doi from a screenplay by Cliff Ruby & Elana Lesser. In addition to newcomers McEntire and Wayans, the voice cast features Barry Bostwick, Tony Amendola, Felix Avitia, Jeff Bennett, Jim Cummings, Anndi McAfee, Aria Noelle Cuzon and Rob Paulsen. Lisa Melbye and Deidre Brenner are producers.
The DVD and Digital releases for Journey of the Brave also include a special Sing-A-Long bonus feature, which includes the tunes “Today’s the Day,” “Look for the Light,” “Hot and Stinky” and “Better off Alone.” In addition to the new movie, Universal will be releasing a The Land Before Time compilation album featuring some of the best-loved songs from all of the previous films in the franchise, available digitally on Back Lot Music on January 29.
Splash Entertainment’s CG animated feature Norm of the North will see a theatrical release in China in April thanks to deals with Shanghai-based investor Yang Yang Pictures Corporation and distributor Chinawood Media Corp. The film opened in the U.S. this month through Lionsgate.
“To date, Norm of the North has been sold to more than 70 countries around the world,” commented Mike Young, co-CEO of Splash Entertainment. “Now with Chinawood as a partner, along with Yang Yang Pictures as a major investor, we are confident that Norm of the North will continue to climb the box office with record numbers in China.”
Norm of the North will hit screen throughout China, including in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. The film is directed by Trevor Wall and centers on a polar bear named Norm (voiced by Rob Schneider) and his three lemming pals who head to New York when real estate developers invade their Arctic home. In the Big Apple, Norm hatches a plan to bring the developers down from the inside by posing as their corporate mascot.
The deal was negotiated by Silvio Starita of Silhouette Media Group.
Komixx Media Group announces that its successful stop-motion animated show Toby’s Travelling Circus (52 x 10) has been picked up by Italian kids and family broadcaster Rai Yoyo. The deal is announced as licensing agency Metrostar is presenting the preschool brand to global licensees and retailers at the 2016 London Toy Fair.
Aimed at kids 3-7, Toby’s Travelling Circus has so far sold to over 30 territories. In the U.K., the show currently airs on Channel 5’s Milkshake, Tiny Pop, Hopster and Netflix, with 2015 figures showing the program reached 60% of the total UK population of girls 4-6 and 49.8% of UK boys aged 4-6.
Toby’s Travelling Circus follows Toby, a seven-year-old boy who is the Ringmaster of a travelling circus and fairground. With his mischievous toy monkey Momo, Toby makes sure that he and his friends put on a spectacular show everywhere they go. The series is produced in the UK by Komixx Media Group and developed with stop-motion animation by MacKinnon & Saunders.
