DHX Brands (brand management and consumer products arm of DHX Media) has appointed six North American licensees for its Teletubbies consumer products program, building momentum ahead of the reinvigorated preschool series’ launch on Nick Jr. (US) and Family Jr. (Canada) in 2016.
Now on board are Spin Master (North American Master Toy), Accessory Innovations (bags, backpacks, hats), SG Company (footwear), Franco Manufacturing (juvenile bedding) and Betesh (toddler bedding). Additionally, VTech is extending its ELA deal into North America, building on its existing license for UK, France, Germany, Benelux, Iberia and Australia/New Zealand.
The deals were brokered by CPLG North America, who are in advanced negotiations for additional product categories in the territory.
Federation Entertainment has launched a dedicated Kids and Family distribution division, and announces the appointment of Monica Levy as Senior Vice President, Co-Productions and Sales. The expansion is key to the Paris-based company’s long-term goal of expanding its production house Cottonwood Media into a major distribution player.
Levy brings two decades of international TV distribution experience to her new role, which puts her in charge of global sales for all kids and family content produced by Cottonwood Media (a subsidiary of Federation) as well as third party distribution, collected under the new Federation Kids & Family brand. Levy reports Cottonwood founder and managing director David Michel, now also head of the Kids & Family division. The studio’s IP includes animated series The Ollie & Moon Show and Squish.
Levy began her career at Marathon Media in 1995 as a sales manager, moving into sales at Marathon Group and playing a key role in its growth. She helped launch many of Marathon Group’s iconic series, most notably the global hit Totally Spies. When Marathon merged into Zodiak Media, Levy was appointed Vice President of International Sales for Zodiak Rights. Fluent in three languages, Levy has managed TV markets worldwide, across all platforms and multiple genres.
Cartoon Network has teamed up with coding platform and online kids community Scratch in launching a series of free coding tutorials for kids featurings the characters, scenery and sounds from its popular animated series We Bare Bears. The launch coincides with the global Hour of Code learning initiative for Computer Science Education Week (Dec. 7-13).
CN collaborated with the Scratch team at the MIT Media as part of its commitment to encouraging science, technology, engineering, arts and math (or STEAM) learning. The We Bare Bears tutorials guide children in snapping together Scratch’s graphical programming blocks to make characters move, jump, dance, talk and interact with one another. The tutorials also encourage users to use critical thinking and problem solving skills.
Scratch, a project from the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab, is a free, simple programming language and online community for kids to create and share interactive projects. Through the site, kids can try out each other’s projects, give feedback and even remix and build on other users’ projects.
The We Bare Bears tutorials and sample projects can be accessed on any laptop or desktop at cartoonnetwork.com/scratch.
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment has announced that its groundbreaking classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs will be available for the first time on Digital HD and Disney Movie Anywhere on January 19, with a Blu-ray Combo Pack release set for February 2. This release will mark the launch of “The Walt Disney Signature Collection.”
The release will include new bonus material including :”In Walt’s Words: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Iconography,” “@DisneyAnimation: Designing Disney’s First Princess,” “The Fairest Faces of Them All: 7 Facts You May Not Know About Snow White,” “Snow White in Seventy Seconds,” “Alternate Sequence: The Prince Meets Snow White” and more.
Cartoon Network in Asia Pacific has picked up the fifth season of Xilam’s Oggy and the Cockroaches (78 x 7). The season is set to premiere in 2017 and will be available in Ultra HD. The show has proven a hit for CN in the region, with Cartoon Network co-producing with Xilam a fourth season which is currently airing exclusively on the network.
First aired in 1998, Oggy and the Cockroaches is a slapstick comedy tracking the prankish misadventures and confrontations between a chubby cat named Oggy and three pesky roaches: Joey, Dee Dee and Marky. The fifth season will explore the ongoing rivalry in a new way by tracking Oggy through the ages for historical hilarity.
Adult Swim has announced that a new action-packed season of Genndy Tartakovsky’s acclaimed toon epic Samurai Jack is underway at Cartoon Network Studios in L.A., set to premiere on Adult Swim’s Toonami block in 2016. Check out the teaser!
Samurai Jack follows a young samurai prince from Feudal Japan who is transported by the shape-shifting demon who destroyed his father’s realm to a dystopian future Earth ruled by said demon and his army of robots. There, “Jack” searches for a way back to his own time, encountering the alien immigrants peopling this new world and the insidious traps set by the demon to foil him.
The supernatural quest series originally ran on Cartoon Network from 2001 to 2004, earning widespread critical acclaim and a loyal fan base. It received Annie Awards for Music (2002), Production Design (2002, 2003, 2004), Storyboarding (2002) and Character Design (2003); Primetime Emmy Awards for Individual Achievement in Animation (2003, 2005) and Outstanding Animated Program (2004); and the Ottawa prize for Best Television Series (2002).
The Nine Old Men: Lessons, Techniques, and Inspiration from Disney’s Great Animators
By Andreas Deja
[Focal Press, $44.95]
Andreas Deja could be said to be living an animator’s fairytale. A lifelong Disney Studios admirer, he grew up to become an accomplished artist known for animating some of the Mouse House’s most iconic characters, implementing skills he learned as part of the last generation to study at the feet of Walt Disney’s “Nine Old Men.” In this volume, Deja guides readers through the minds (and sketch pads) of these greats: Les Clark, Marc Davis, Ollie Johnston, Milt Kahl, Ward Kimball, Eric Larson, John Lounsbery, Wolfgang Reitherman and Frank Thomas.
In these pages, you will find instruction and analysis on the works of each of the Nine, alongside first-hand insight into the foundation of classic characters and scenes from Disney features and shorts. Deja thoughtfully unpacks each animator’s techniques in order to give readers valuable perspective on figure drawing, acting, story and execution. And much of this is illustrated with original drawings, including rare sequentials from the archives and some never-before-seen work. An index of people, films, characters, et al discussed in the book makes this a handy source of reference and inspiration.
Cracking Animation: The Aardman Book of 3-D Animation
By Peter Lord and Brian Sibley
[Thames & Hudson, $40, Fourth Edition]
All animation must be built on similar solid artistic foundations, but each medium requires its own special skills as well. If you are interested stop-motion filmmaking, look no further than this in-demand guide from the Bristol-based geniuses behind Wallace & Gromit. Producer, director and Aardman Animations co-founder Peter Lord and prolific entertainment writer Brian Sibley here provide a practical, fully illustrated, step-by-step look at creating strong characters, storyboards, sets — and eventually, an entire film.
This fourth edition incorporates a brand new chapter offering a look at Aardman’s more recent work. This includes exclusive interviews with the producer and director of the studio’s most recent hit feature, Shaun the Sheep Movie; a dedicated section packed with behind-the-scenes insight on the making of The Pirates! Band of Misfits; and a revised chapter on CGI technology touching on the latest developments.
Japanese Animation: From Painted Scrolls to Pokemon
By Brigette Koyama-Richard
[Flammarion, $19.98, Reissue]
Another familiar title on our list this month is this fascinating, in-demand look at the history and development of Japanese animation. While anime’s distinctive aesthetic seems like a relatively recent wave in cartoons to Western audiences, its cultural phenom status in Japan took root in the 1970s. But as this bit of scholarship shows, the very modern medium actually draws on centuries-old artistic traditions.
A professor of comparative literature and art history at the University of Tokyo (and author of the equally well researched 1000 Years of Manga), Brigette Koyama-Richard traces the evolution of anime from painted scrolls and woodblock prints through to the early black-and-white days and up to the present. Legendary figures like Osamu Tezuka and Hayao Miyazaki are highlighted, and the book features over 500 images, many rarely seen outside Asia.
My Little Pony: The Art of Equestria
By Mary Jane Begin
[Harry N. Abrams, $29.95]
Add a little magic to your coffee table with this enchanting exploration of Equestria and its famous be-hoofed denizens. This is the first in-depth look at the art and illustrations that go into Hasbro Studio’s Friendship Is Magic — a show which is both awe-inspiring and sometimes terrifying in the scope of its popularity. Readers are taken behind the scenes to see how their favorite characters and their colorful homeworld were developed through a plush selection of concept art, episode storyboards and stills from memorable scenes. And, the equine encyclopedia addresses the powerful fan culture around the show. Even if you’re not a raving Pony-phile, the colorful, too-cute illustrations are like Prozac for your eyeballs.
Analysts at Future Market Insights (FMI) have projected that the rising popularity of video on-demand and the growth of online platforms internationally will mean that the VOD market will reach a value of $263 billion by 2016 (up from $207 billion in 2014). Pay TV services are expected to maintain strong demand during the forecast period of 2014-2020.
The research highlights North America and Western Europe as the largest markets worldwide, with the NorAm VOD market expected to overtake the $100 billion mark by the end of this year. However, the Asia Pacific region — which currently accounts for 13% of the market — is expected to represent nearly a quarter of global VOD business by 2020. FMI also projects Asia Pacific will by then have taken Western Europe’s place as the second-largest market, reaching $80.5 billion.
Following a successful debut in the U.S., the YouTube Kids app has arrived in the U.K. and Ireland. Since launching Stateside in February, YouTube Kids has been downloaded more than 10 million times, and now a local version is available for users across the pond to download for free through Google Play and the App Store.
YouTube Kids connects young users with age-appropriate video content with browsable channels and playlists covering four categories: shows, music, learning and explore. Content suppliers include top brands like HIT, Sesame Workshop, Jim Henson, DreamWorks and National Geographic Kids. YouTube Kids can also be viewed on smart TVs and through Chromecast, Apple TV and game consoles.
Visual effects and creative studio Zero VFX has opened a new West Coast post in Venice Beach, California. The new 5,000 square foot office expands on Zero’s Boston headquarters and scales up the company’s bi-coastal operations for both feature film and commercial work. The move, combined with a staffing ramp up in Boston, doubles Zero’s size to over 80 employees.
Lead by co-founders Brian Drewes (head of production) and Sean Devereaux (creative director), Zero specializes in photoreal effects for feature film, television and commercial projects. The studio recently worked on three Netflix Original series in less than a year while delivering on major film projects including The Equalizer, Southpaw and Black Mass.
Zero’s commercial credentials include work for top brands like Toyota, Jack Daniel’s, New Balance and more. The Venice Beach location was partially chosen due to its strategic advantage in acquiring further high-end commercial work. The company last year sold its cutting-edge cloud rendering solution ZYNC Render to Google — the solution was developed to render effects in films like Star Trek Into Darkness and Looper.
Seth MacFarlane, creator of Family Guy, American Dad! and The Cleveland Show, has been honored with the 2015 lifetime achievement award from the Writers Guild of America West’s Animation Writers Caucus. The award was presented Thursday night at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly HIlls, with Patrick Stewart presenting.
“It’s great that the WGAW’s Animation Writers Caucus has voted to give Seth this award that values his contribution to the field,” sai WGA West Vice President David A. Goodman, who hosted the awards. “His unique talent has completely changed the form and raised the profile of the animation writer. From a union perspective, we need to applaud the fact that he ensures all his shows are WGA-covered — he himself employs more animation writers working under a WGA contract than any other showrunner, now or ever.”
MacFarlane became the youngest television showrunner ever when Family Guy arrived on FOX in 1999. The highly animated jack of all trades has since earned Emmy Awards for voice-over performance and music and lyrics. In addition to his animation production work, he was executive producer of the reboot of Cosmos: A Space Time Odyssey and comedy series Blunt Talk starring Patrick Stewart, which was recently greenlit by Starz for a second season. His first feature film, Ted in 2012, became the highest-grossing original R-rated film of all time, according to Variety. He has also directed A Million Ways to Die in the West and Ted 2.
DreamWorks Animation has tapped Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Scott Pilgrim vs the World) to direct an original animated feature centered on the concept of shadows. Wright is also co-writing the screenplay with comedian and author David Walliams (Little Britain). While this is Wright’s directorial debut in the animation sphere, he did co-write the Golden Globe winning The Adventures of Tintin.
“Edgar will spearhead a new approach to this fascinating concept and we’re ecstatic to have him onboard as director along with David as co-writer,” said DreamWorks’ co-presidents of feature animation Bonnie Arnold and Mireille Soria in a joint statement. “We’ve always been intrigued by a film concept involving shadows, and now with Edgar’s signature comedic style and abilities as a natural storyteller, audiences will be treated to a truly captivating and energetic tale.”
“My first endeavors in film-making as a teenager were in animation, so it was hugely intriguing to get a call from DreamWorks Animation about potentially directing,” said Wright. “When the Shadows concept was suggested to me, I could see the poster, the title sequence and pretty much the whole movie. It’s a blast writing this and to have one of my oldest friends in comedy, David Walliams, along for the adventure is a thrill.”
The yet to be dated release is not a reboot of the languishing Me and My Shadow project, but an original concept. DreamWorks Animation’s Head of Development Gregg Taylor and development executive Damon Ross are overseeing the project for the studio.
A healthy 23 animation concepts have been selected to be showcased at the 2015 Asian Animation Summit, taking place in Jeju, South Korea from December 7-9. Works representing the best of TV animation development across the Asia-Pacific region will be presented live to an audience of broadcasters, co-producers, distributors and investors from Asia and around the world.
Animon Race, Lunchbox Studio (Thailand)
Bloody Bunny, 2Spot Communications (Thailand)
Buck and Buddy, Lil Critter Workshop (Malaysia)
Cliol The Story Teller, ATAPY (Thailand)
Ditto with Dinosaur Friends, Mansi_Beijing Audio Visual Creative Company (China)
Fridgies, Giggle Garage (Malaysia)
FrienZoo, Grafizix (Korea)
GOGO DINO, Studio Moggozi (Korea)
J for Adventure, August Media/Transmedia For Change (Singapore/Australia)
Katuri, FunnyFlux Entertainment (Korea)
Maya & the Marinauts, The R&D Studio (Malaysia)
Modoo Modoo Show, PNI System (Malaysia)
Mondo Yan, Toonz Animation (India)
Naughty Nuts, MOSTAPES (Korea)
Rocky Dollies, Rocky Dolly Studio (Thailand)
Shasha & Noah Go to SuSu Land, YG Films (Malaysia)
Space Drone, Pictionary Art Factory (Korea)
Spongo & Fuzz, Cheeky Little Media (Australia)
Takraw Super Kick, Moon House Studio (Thailand)
The Time-Travel Adventures of Annie & Ben, YoBoHo (India)
Tobix, BIG PUMPKIN (Korea)
Tony Jetskate, Blindspot Studios (Malaysia)
Toteboom, Playtune (Malaysia)
The three-day event will also feature morning conference sessions each day: “The Rules of Engagement” with Bosma Thijs, CEO of app maker Dr Panda; “Shifting Your Pitch” with Guru Studio’s president Frank Falcone; and “Superwings Case Study: An East Meets West Success Story.”
Naughty NutsBloody BunnyFridgiesJ for AdventureKaturiMoodoo Moodoo Show
DHX Media has signed seven new international distribution deals with broadcast and VOD partners for animated comedy Endangered Species (52 x 11). The show was originally commissioned by Corus Entertainment’s TELETOON in Canada.
Now on board are CBBC (U.K.), Turner Broadcasting System’s Cartoon Network and Boomerang (Latin America), Gulli Russia’s Universkids channel, Plus Plus Channel (Ukraine), Zoom (Israel), Daekyo Kids TV (South Korea) and iflix (South East Asia).
Endangered Species follows Pickle the bunny, Merl the squirrel and Gull the seagull who, while they don’t seem like they’d top the lists of protected species, are constantly on the verge of extinction due to their comical misadventures. DHX picked up the show in its acquisition of Nerd Corps last year.
On-demand kids’ entertainment service Toon Goggles has hired on industry veteran Lee Adams as its new Chief Creative Officer. In this new position, Adams will be charged with expanding Toon Goggle’s IPs into licensing and merchandising, while securing ad and promotional partnerships to build awareness of these properties. He is also tasked with ensuring the design and functionality of the online, mobile and audio Toon Goggle experiences meet customer preferences and carry global appeal.
Adams brings years of experience in marketing, having led teams at Fox Family, Fox Kids, Fox Worldwide and Kids’ WB! Adams has been honored with over 40 PROMAX Awards for his work in promotion, online, advertising and integrated third party marketing.
Most recently, Adams developed and orchestrated campaigns for SeaWorld that included the reinvention of their iconic characters, as well as the highly successful European McDonalds Happy Meal program.
CBBC — in partnership with BBC Worldwide — is launching its first ever animated series pilot initiative, ANIM8. The pubcaster is seeking pitches for character-driven toon comedies from U.K. creators for possible development.
ANIM8 is now open for submissions aimed at older kids with rapid-fire humor, unpredictable original stories and a unique world view. Any looks and techniques are welcome, including mixed media, to be submitted by animators with at least two broadcast, published or digital commissioned titles in their credits by January 22, 2016.
Complete details and the submission form are available at bbc.co.uk/ANIM8. Finalists selected for the pilot production stage will be announced in April.
If you think your relatives are royal pains, be sure to tune in to Cartoon Network Studios’ new original miniseries Long Live the Royals, which arrives just in time for the holidays on Monday, November 30 at 7:45 p.m. ET/PT. The four-night programming event is created by Sean Szeles (supervising producer, Regular Show) and based on his Emmy-winning short.
The second original miniseries to come out of Cartoon Network Studios’ Artists Program, Long Live the Royals is a ridiculously regal sitcom about a modern royal family living in an old-fashioned world. Typical family dynamics occur side by side with critical matters of State, and cutting edge technology must be balanced with medieval traditions. All this while they endure the week-long Yule Hare Festival — an annual celebration of delicious food, exciting frights, singing forest men and plenty of laughter.
The voice cast features some of the most celebrated names in comedy: Jon Daly as blowhard King Rufus, Wendi McLendon-Covey as image-focused Queen Eleanor, Gillian Jacobs as punk rock Princess Rosalind, Kieran Culkin as shy Prince Peter and Nicki Rapp as pain-in-the-throne brat Prince Alex. Additional voices are provided by Peter Serafinawicz, Horatio Sanz, Fred Armisen, Alfred Molina, Ellie Kemper, Ken Marino and more.
Hasbro and Lionsgate have announced that My Little Pony: The Movie will be hoofing it into theaters on November 3, 2017.
Jayson Thiessen, who served as director and executive producer on the Friendship Is Magic series and helmed the Equestria Girls spin-offs, is directing the feature-length rodeo from a script by Meghan McCarthy, another MLP veteran and head of storytelling for Hasbro’s girls’ brands. Stephen Davis and Brian Goldner are producing for Hasbro’s Allspark Pictures.
My Little Pony The Movie will feature the voices of Kristin Chenoweth and the series stars Tara Strong (Twilight Sparkle), Ashleigh Ball (Applejack & Rainbow Dash), Andrea Libman (Fluttershy & Pinkie Pie), Tabitha St. Germain (Rarity) and Cathy Weseluck (Spike). The movie will follow the “mane six” ponies on an epic adventure to save their magical home.
The revamped Friendship Is Magic series and brand have been a major hit for Hasbro since launching in 2010, with toys and merch raking in about $650 million a year. The last time the brand was in theaters was the 1986 My Little Pony: The Movie, which pit the ponies and strange beings called grundles (lead by Danny DeVito) against an ominous talking blob known as The Smooze. (A 30th Anniversary DVD came out in January.)
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has named the 10 animated short films advancing to the next consideration stage for the 88th Academy Awards, taking place February 28, 2016. Originally, 60 shorts had qualified. The remaining 10 listed in alphabetical order below will now be voted on by Short Films and Feature Animation Branch members, and the five nominees will be announced January 14.
“Bear Story (Historia De Un Oso),” Gabriel Osorio, director, and Pato Escala, producer (Punkrobot Animation Studio)
“Carface (Autos Portraits),” Claude Cloutier, director (National Film Board of Canada)
“If I Was God…,” Cordell Barker, director (National Film Board of Canada)
“Love in the Time of March Madness,” Melissa Johnson and Robertino Zambrano, directors (High Hip Productions and KAPWA Studioworks)
“My Home,” Phuong Mai Nguyen, director (Papy3D Productions)
“An Object at Rest,” Seth Boyden, director (California Institute of the Arts)
“Prologue,” Richard Williams, director, and Imogen Sutton, producer (Animation Masterclass)
“Sanjay’s Super Team,” Sanjay Patel, director, and Nicole Grindle, producer (Pixar Animation Studios)
“We Can’t Live without Cosmos,” Konstantin Bronzit, director (Melnitsa Animation Studio)
“World of Tomorrow,” Don Hertzfeldt, director (Bitter Films)
Ringling College of Art and Design held its 21st annual Trustee Scholar Awards last weekend, honoring 13 students representing each major plus the Office of Student Life. This year’s theme was “Transformations,” intended to recognize the creative development of these young artists and the transformative power of their work.
The Trustee Scholarship is the highest honor awarded by Ringling’s Board of Trustees, and bestows a $5,000 scholarship on each winner. Two third-year students from each major and Student Life are nominated each year to be reviewed by the Board, based on “Exceptional talent and distinction of mind,” “Contribution to the department, College and/or community” and “Leadership, citizenship and mentorship.”
Ringling’s 2015-16 Trustee Scholars include Luiza Alaniz (Computer Animation), Jasmine Fernandez (Motion Design), Justine Hamer (Game Art) and Kevin Whitmeyer (Game Art). Also recognized this year were Sara Bicknell (Student Life), Ben Bryant (Graphic Design), Irene Garibay (Fine Arts), Lauren Gayle (Interior Design), Nikelle Mackey (Business of Art and Design), Tebello Mosenene (Advertising Design), Kade O’Casey (Illustration), Robert Payne (Film) and Rebecca Sabowski (Photography and Imaging).
