L.A. audiences will have the chance to check out indie animator Christopher Sullivan’s widely acclaimed movie Consuming Spirits as the pic begins a week run at the Cinefamily theater this Friday (April 12). The highly original and very adult feature chronicles the lives of Gentian Violet, Victor Blue and Earl Gray, three complex characters who live in a rust belt town called Magguson and work at its local newspaper. An auto accident leads to the revelation of powerful events in their common history.
According to The Huffington Post, Sullivan’s animation for the 129-minute film took about 15 years of work.
“The characters were hand-drawn onto layers of glass which were then moved with needles and pins. The film seamlessly combines cutout animation, pencil drawing, collage, and stop-motion animation to create the haunting atmosphere of a self-contained world… (most of whose) characters walk shakily between self-medication and a bad trip… ugly characters (who) make up the most beautiful spectacle you’ve ever seen.”
The New York Times’ A.O. Scott raved about the feature and called it a “dark and painful fantasy for grown-ups and a work of obsessive discipline and unfettered artistic vision…This achingly sad, occasionally grotesque story of family secrets, sexual longings and small-town malaise, told through drawings, paper cutouts and miniature models, has more in common with intimate graphic novels like David Small’s Stitches or Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home than with any live-action indie melodrama I can think of. The wintry, northern, class-divided setting might resonate with readers of Joyce Carol Oates. But the blend of narrative quasi-realism and wild, somber visual invention is entirely original…This remarkable film…conducts its inquiry into the darkest zones of the human heart in a spirit at once anguished and playful…A wonder.”
Director, writer and producer Chris Sullivan will be present at the Friday (8 p.m.) and Saturday (7 p.m.) screenings. To buy tickets, visit:
Disney’s preschool channel Disney Junior has officially launched in the U.K. in high definition. The Mouse cabler already transmits HD versions of its core Disney Channel and Disney XD in high def in the country. The new service will be carried exclusively on DTH platform BSkyB. Disney and Sky recently renewed a longstanding programming and channels deal, which also features the launch of a new joint venture service Sky Movies Disney.
Boel Ferguson, VP and general manager, Disney Channels and Disney Online, U.K. & Ireland, said: “Disney Junior is the entry point to all things Disney and with the company’s continuous focus on quality, our audiences first experience of the brand should be in HD, the ultimate standard for broadcasting.”
Disney also reported that its new CG-animated preschool show Henry Hugglemonster delivered over 620,000 viewers through launch weekend and that its Princess animated series Sofia the First was its most popular launch ever. Henry Hugglemonster, which will premiere at 5 p.m. ET/PT on Monday, follows the adventures of the 5-year-old title character, who is the middle child in a happy, close-knit monster family. Based on the award-winning children’s book I’m a Happy Hugglewug by Niamh Sharkey, the musical, animated series will find Henry sharing everyday life lessons that are relatable to kids age 2-7.
Jay Ward’s classic animated series George of the Jungle will continue to swing into action thanks to a new season of the show commissioned by Teletoon Canada and produced by Singapore’s August Media Holdings and Ottawa-based Chocolate Moose Media. Based on Ward’s classic toon, which first debuted in 1967, the most recent series George of the Jungle (2007) aired on TELETOON and was broadcast with top ratings in more than 50 countries including Cartoon Network in the U.S. The second season will begin delivery in 2014, and will be distributed by DreamWorks Classics and August Rights. Produced for TELETOON Canada Inc. and licensed to international telecasters including Nickelodeon for Germany and Northern Europe and TVE Spain, the second series will be produced in Canada and Singapore.
The series follows the adventures of George, a clumsy yet lovable King of the Jungle, who despite his naïve nature and constant crash landings, always comes out on top. George’s jungle family includes his best buddy, an ape named Ape, friends Ursula and Magnolia, and his dog Shep (who is actually an elephant). With his boundless energy and endless enthusiasm, everyday is a new adventure for George, filled with missteps and mayhem where there’s always another tree to smash into.
“Since 1967 more than three generations have loved George of the Jungle on TV,” says founder and CEO of August Media Holdings Jyotirmoy Saha (Moy). “We are thrilled to bring the series back to the small screen and excited to be part of George’s future adventures.”
President of Bullwinkle Studios and daughter of Jay Ward, Tiffany Ward, adds, “With George being one of my all-time favorite characters, I’m absolutely delighted that the second season of George of the Jungle is in production. It’s amazing to think that the original television series created 46 years ago has led to new productions including a Disney feature film and now a second TV season. I am eternally grateful for the ongoing legacy of George created by my father.”
Canadian producer of Chocolate Moose Media, Firdaus Kharas says, “The new George of the Jungle has had a Canadian home since 2007 and I’m delighted to be a part of its success. We are pleased to be working with August Media in Singapore in what I believe will be the first of many TV productions to come.”
If you’re a fan of Butch Hartman’s long-running animated series The Fairly OddParents, then you’ll want to set the DVR this Sunday (April 14). The special marathon begins at 2 p.m. and includes a new episode of the series called “Dinklescouts” at 7 p.m. In the episode, Timmy wishes that his dad’s rival Mr. Dinkelberg replace him as Squirrely Scout leader, while in the second part of the show “I Dream of Cosmo,” Cosmo gets amnesia and thinks his dad is a genie.
Other new offerings on Nick this week include “Enemy of My Enemy” episode of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Friday at 7 p.m.) in which Karai realizes the seriousness of the alien threat and approaches the Turtles to propose an alliance. On Saturday at 11:30 a.m., there’s more cool adventures ahead on Monsters vs. Aliens. In the first segment “Danger Wears a Diaper,” Dr. C offers the president a birthday present that accidentally blasts him into infanthood. In “The Toy From Another World,” the Monsters snoop in Coverton’s quarters, where they find his “cuddle bear”.
Netflix and Hasbro announced an expanded agreement making two of the new Hasbro Studios shows, Littlest Pet Shop and Kaijudo: Rise of the Duel Masters, available to Netflix members in the U.S. Kaijudo is available now and Littlest Pet Shop will be available summer 2013.
Through this agreement, Netflix becomes the exclusive over the top streaming subscription destination in the U.S. for five of Hasbro Studios most popular shows – MyLittle Pony: Friendship is Magic, Transformers Prime, Transformers Rescue Bots, Kaijudo: Rise of the Duel Masters, and Littlest Pet Shop. New seasons of each of the shows will be available for members to watch instantly one month after their finale airs on The Hub Network.
Popular Hasbro titles are now available to Canadian members for the first time, including My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Transformers Prime, Pound Puppies and The Adventures of Chuck & Friends. Additional shows will become available in Canada throughout 2013 including Transformers Rescue Bots, Kaijudo: Rise of the Duel Masters and Littlest Pet Shop.
“The success of Hasbro Studios content on Netflix has been remarkable and we are proud to add more shows and extend our relationship throughout North America,” said Ted Sarandos, Netflix Chief Officer. “In a very competitive field, Hasbro Studios has risen to become a major content player with shows that kids watch and families trust.”
“Through our Littlest Pet Shop and Kaijudo expanded relationship with Netflix we look to bring even more Hasbro Studios shows to additional geographies reaching an expanded audience,” said Hasbro Studios President Stephen Davis. “We are making Hasbro Studios award-winning content, engaging storytelling and beloved characters available for viewers to enjoy anytime, anywhere and on all platforms.”
In 2012, Netflix members streamed more than 2 billion hours of kids content. The commercial-free content in the kids section of Netflix was curated in conjunction with ratings and reviews from Common Sense Media, a leading non-profit organization that provides independent, trustworthy ratings, reviews and information to help parents make good media choices.
Kick Buttowksi‘s dad is the new head of content and creative at Fandango. The movie site has hired Sandro Corsaro, the creator of Disney XD’s animated series Kick Buttowksi: Suburban Devil as its new VP of content and creative. As the company’s new chief creative executive, Corsaro will provide strategic and operational leadership for content development and creative executions across Fandango’s online and mobile platforms, and will oversee the visual design, editorial, content and original video teams. Corsaro will report to Fandango’s president, Paul Yanover.
“Sandro is one of the most talented content creators in the industry,” said Paul Yanover, President of Fandango. “I’m thrilled he’ll be bringing his creativity and experience to Fandango, to help enhance the consumer experience and engagement across our platforms, driving business objectives for both ticketing and advertising.”
A seasoned content creator, producer and animator, Corsaro most recently was the executive producer and creator of the Disney XD animated series, Kick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil, where he led all aspects of the Emmy Award-nominated show including writing, design, animation, and casting. Prior to that, Corsaro held the position of creative director at Disney Interactive where he supervised all online creative across design development, original content, ad sales, user experience and copywriting, as well as overseeing the company’s connected, cross-platform media experiences. During his tenure at Disney Interactive, Corsaro oversaw two major re-launches of www.disney.com, successfully helping increase traffic to record levels. Corsaro has also held creative positions at Crest Digital and MTV Networks, and animation positions at Revolution Studios and Warner Bros Animation.
Disney is in the process of laying off around 150 employees at Walt Disney Studios today (March 10). Variety reports that employees began receiving pink slips on Wednesday morning. The layoffs hit the home entertainment, production, distribution and marketing, and music and theater division in New York City, with only a small number of employees leaving their posts in animation.
“As part of an ongoing review to ensure that the studios’ operational structure and economics align with the demands of the current marketplace, we have made the difficult decision to reduce our staffing levels in several divisions of the studio,” a spokesman said early Wednesday.
Disney will rely more heavily on films that come from its Marvel, Pixar and Lucasfilm banners, as well as DreamWorks to fill its distribution pipeline. The top execs also recently wrapped a company-wide review process that tasked each division with ensuring that staff levels are in line with the company’s needs in a changing marketplace, particularly in divisions affected by shifts in new media and digital distribution platforms. The internal audit was ordered late last year by Disney chief executive Bob Iger and chief financial officer Jay Rasulo to identify areas of redundancy.
Ironically, Disney’s stock was up $0.69 to $59.83 on Wednesday as the layoffs were under way.
Zodiak Kids has sealed a series of VOD deals with providers around the world for a selection of its animated shows including Marathon Media’s Totally Spies (Series 1-5) and Martin Mystery (Series 1-3) and Tele Images animated series Street Football (Series1-3). Meanwhile, the ProSiebenSat.1 Group has licensed Famous Five (26 x 26’) and Rekkit Rabbit (52x 13’) for its video-on-demand portal maxdome in Germany. Egmont has picked up the U.K. preschool property Little Princess (Series 1, 30 x 11’) for its SVOD App “Minbio” in the Nordik region.
In Turkey, kid’s Pay-TV channel Smart Cocuk has bought the SVOD & TVOD rights to Tele Images The Ranch (26 x 26’) and Sally Bollywood (series 1 & 2, both 52 x 13’) and Zodiak Active’s The Q-Piz (53 x 3’) for their service D-Smart Blu. This deal also includes Turkish-speaking Northern Cyprus.
In March, Zodiak Kids announced that in the U.S., Hulu and Hulu Plus have picked up all three series of animated property Gormiti and that in Latin America Netflix have acquired the SVOD rights to all three series of CBeebies arts and crafts show Mister Maker. Previously, following Netflix’s announcement of their launch in the Nordic territory, Zodiak Kids announced they had acquired the SVOD rights to the first 30 x 11’ series of Little Princess.
In related news, Zodiak Kids has been named the new licensing and merchandising agent for France for 41 Entertainment’s CG-animated series Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures, the 26 x 22-minute show that is slated for a fall 2013 premiere in the English-speaking markets and spring 2014 worldwide.
There will be more ways play with Mordecai and Rigby and their buddies from Cartoon Network’s popular show Regular Show as D3Publisher and CN announced plans to launch videogames based on the toon. This is the first video game publishing deal for the Emmy-winning toon, continuing the strategic partnership between D3Publisher and Cartoon Network, which includes the global Ben 10 interactive franchise and last year’s acclaimed Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS release, Adventure Time: Hey Ice King! Why’d You Steal Our Garbage?
“We’re incredibly happy to continue our partnership with Cartoon Network to bring one of its most popular shows, Regular Show, to the digital world,” said Peter Andrew, vice president of product development, D3P. “With this collaboration with Cartoon Network, J.G. Quintel, and the creative team behind Regular Show, the prospect of producing a new game that captures all of the humor and charm of this superb cartoon series is definitely quite exciting.”
Regular Show chronicles the life and times of best friends Mordecai and Rigby and their adventures as groundskeepers of the local park. Along with their friends like Pops, Margaret, and Muscle Man, these two BFFs prove that a day in the life of Regular Show is anything but. Regular Show is created by J.G. Quintel and produced by Cartoon Network Studios. New episodes from the fourth season of the series debut Mondays at 8pm ET/PT on Cartoon Network, with replays throughout the week.
The third cinematic outing of DreamWorks’ blockbuster Kung Fu Panda announced three new voice cast members yesterday (April 9): Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad), Mads Mikkelsen (Hannibal) and Rebel Wilson (Bridesmaids) will voice new characters in the third chapter of the animated pic, which will again be directed by Jennifer Yu Nelson and comes out on December 23, 2015. Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, David Cross and other original cast members are already on board the project, which is the first planned co-pro with China-based Oriental DreamWorks.
Continuing on his now legendary adventures of awesomeness, Po must face two hugely epic, but very different threats: one supernatural and the other a little closer to home. Yu Nelson is the highest grossing female director for a film at the worldwide box office. The film is produced by Melissa Cobb, exec produced by Guillermo del Toro and co-produced by Jeffrey Hermann along with Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger, who wrote and co- produced the original films and continue in these roles.
“Having the wonderful Jennifer Yuh Nelson return as director is incredibly exciting for the studio. Under her guidance I have no doubt that our returning cast and our outstanding new voice talent will take the franchise’s story to the next level,” said DreamWorks Animation chief creative officer Bill Damaschke.
The first two chapters of DreamWorks Animation’s well-received Kung Fu Panda franchise opened in 2008 and 2011 and both received Oscar noms for Best Animated Pic. The two pics have generated approximately $1.3 billion at the worldwide box office.
Platinum Films’ CG-animated series Matt Hatter Chronicles will be one of the children’s entertainment choices on board the British Airways and United Emirates beginning this spring. The inventive boys-targeting series was also recently picked up by KidsCo for its Syfy Kids block.
Working with in-flight entertainment specialist Spafax, Platinum sold Emirates a Matt Hatter branded block that will be available on-board starting next month. B.A., will offer Matt Hatter in its upcoming July Kids TV offering.
Spafax, will extend the global in-flight footprint of the Matt Hatter brand in the coming months.
Matt Hatter has already sold to RTVE’s Clan TV (Spain), Canal Panda (Portugal and Spain), TELETOON Canada, Nickelodeon (Australia and New Zealand) and Network Ten (Australia), and it has also spawned a growing licensing program. Produced by Platinum Films and Toronto’s Dream Mill, and animated by Arc Productions, the show follows the adventures of a 13-year-old schoolboy whose life is changed forever when he discovers that his family defends a gateway to a different dimension called the Multiverse.
Canada’s Corus Entertainment will relaunch www.TreehouseTV.com, the online destination for the country’s number one preschool channel featuring a refreshed design, more games and videos for kids and the introduction of a new parenting portal, called Treehouse Parents. With more than 1 million visits a month, www.TreehouseTV.com is Canada’s top entertainment broadcast website for kids and parents starring favourite Treehouse characters Dora,Franklin, Backyardigans, Bubble Guppies, Mike the Knight, Peppa Pig, Max & Ruby, Octonauts and Toopy and Binoo.
Led by Jes Watson, the new site will offer a slew of activities and info, including blogs by high profile moms and on air personalities including CMT’s Kortney Wilson (Meet The Wilsons) and Pay Chen (Breakfast Television, 4 Square), a Scaredy Squirrel blog in the voice of Scaredy himself, for moms and their preschoolers to enjoy together, based on the popular book and television series, and new newsletters and social media for moms.
“We are excited about launching the new Treehouse website. Our objective was to enhance the existing platform where parents go with their kids to watch videos and play games, while also giving moms and dads relevant content that’s tailored for them on Treehouse Parents,” said Chorus Entertainment’s VP of digital content and entertainment Christina Litz.
The spring TV season is officially in full swing when the annual MIP-TV content market returns to the Palais des Festivals in Cannes. You can get a good feel for what animation producers have in store for broadcasters and viewers around the world by checking out the goods at the market.
Here are 13 new offerings that show lots of promise:
LoliRock
LoliRock Produced by: Marathon Media (a Zodiak Kids company) Created by: Vincent Chalvon Demersay, David Michel and Jean Louis Vandestock Format: 52 half-hours Target Audience: Kids 6-12 Type of Animation: 2D and CG Synopsis: The show follows the magical journey of Iris, an ordinary teenage girl whose life is turned upside down when she is picked to lead the band LoliRock. Selling Points: “The show has a very sensitive, interior young girl voice that you don’t often get in the other commercial girl-targeting shows,” says exec producer and co-creator David Michel. “Think of it as My So-Called Life meets the magical girl genre. The head writer is Madellaine Paxson (Lilo & Stitch: The Series, Kim Possible) and she has a very quirky, unique voice. There’s a musical aspect to the show, as well, but like many of the young people out there, our character isn’t into music to get famous—she’s all about making music herself, producing her music video and putting it all out on YouTube. She’s part of the whole D.I.Y. scene.” And yes, the toon will have a massive social media and real-life band/music video components in each territory. Broadcasters: France Television and Disney France
Heidi
Heidi Produced by: Studio100 Animation SAS and Flying Bark Productions Created by: Johanna Spyri Format: 39 x 24 Target Audience: Kids 5-8 Type of Animation: CGI/3D Animation Synopsis: Based on the timeless children’s classic, this new reboot centers on the adventures of the charming orphan who lives in the idyllic Swiss Alps with her grandfather. Along with her best friends Peter and Clara, Heidi tries to instill good in others with an optimistic spirit and can-do attitude. Selling Points: “Heidi’s enormous popularity extends across the globe and has been capturing the hearts of television viewers young and old alike for generations,” says Patrick Elmendorff, managing director of Studio100 Media. “The new and revived 3-D/CGI animation TV series is vibrant, charming and visually rich. It’s filled with everything that is truly wonderful about childhood and draws children into stories that have strong ties with real life situations and experiences. It has strong storylines and well-defined characters, which with its high-quality programming will appeal to and captivate audiences.” Status: In production
Digimon Fusion
Digimon Fusion Produced by: Saban Brands, Toei Created by: Based on the original Digimon franchise by Akiyoshi Hongo Synopsis: Known as Digimon Xros Wars in Japan, this is the sixth anime series based on the Digimon franchise. The show follows the adventures of a boy named Taiki Kudo who uses the powers of the Digimon forces to save the digital world. The series was first broadcast on TV Asahi between July 2010 and March 2012. Format: 30 x 22 Type of Animation: Traditional Cel 2D Target Audience: Kids 6 -11 Selling Points: “The all-new Digimon Fusion animated series, which is slated to air on Nickelodeon later this year, will be the sixth installment to the wildly successful franchise,” says Elie Dekel, president of Saban Brands. “Digimon has had a strong fan base for more than a decade, and we’re confident that this brand-new season will be popular with the tech-savvy kids who can now, for the first time ever, really connect with the adventure-packed digital world within Digimon Fusion.”
The Deep
The Deep Produced by: Technicolor Digital Productions and Robert Chandler Created by: Tom Taylor, (Star Wars: Blood Ties, Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight) and illustrator James Brouwer (Justice League Beyond) Package: 26 x 30 Target Audience: Kids 8-13 Type of Animation: CG Synopsis: Based on the international hit graphic novel series, The Deep follows the Nekkon family of adventurers, who explore unchartered areas of Earth’s oceans, seeking to unravel the mysteries of the deep sea. Every episode is filled with action, adventure, incredible sea monsters, fantastic vehicles, unbelievable bravery, and the odd family squabble, of course! Selling Points: “The Deep is one of the most unique children’s programming concepts that I have come across in a long time,” says Steven Wendland, VP of Technicolor. “We anticipate the series appealing to all ages and genders with edge-of-your-seat action and adventure, relatable family dynamics, humor and stunning CGI animation. We are truly creating a global series that will resonate with viewers across the board, and we are also developing an innovative second screen component that will provide an even richer and more immersive experience.” Website:www.technicolor.com.
Matt Hatter Chronicles
Matt Hatter Chronicles Produced by: Platinum Films (U.K.) and Dream Mills Inc. (Canada) Created by: Nigel Stone Package: 26 x 22 Target Audience: Boys 5-10 Type of Animation: HD CG Synopsis: The adventure-comedy series follows the boy hero Matt Hatter as he becomes the defender of a secret dimension called the Multiverse—which is plagued by infamous villains transported from the movie screens of the Coronet Movie Theatre by the evil Lord Tenoroc. It’s up to Matt, the new Hatter Hero, and his best friends Roxie and Gomez to capture the villains, free his Grandpa and banish Lord Tenoroc for good. Selling Points: “Matt Hatter Chronicles’ USP is Matt’s ability to see the ‘hidden dimension’ through his Multivision glasses. Platinum invested in state of the art animation technology to create an immersive and innovative 3-D viewing experience without the need to wear 3-D glasses, which we called ‘Multivision,’” says creator and Platinum Films CEO Nigel Stone. “We are now working closely with our broadcast and commercial partners to create smart digital extensions that celebrate the show’s unique DNA, embrace new technologies and ensure the stand-out appeal of this exciting property.” Broadcast Partners: ITV and Nickelodeon, U.K.; Teletoon Canada, SABC South Africa, Nickelodeon Australia/New Zealand, RTE Ireland. Coming this spring to Network Ten (Australia), TVNZ (New Zealand), Canal Panda (Portugal/Spain) and JCC Children’s Channel (Middle East), and this fall to RTVE (Spain). Website:www.matthatter.com.
Mr. Trance
Mr. Trance Produced by: El Recreo Studios (Spain) Distributed by: awol Created by: Valerio Veneras Package: 26 x 5 Target Audience: Teens & Young Adults Type of Animation: Digital 2D Synopsis: Based on popular Spanish radio show Trance Hour (which also inspired an illustrated storybook), the show pokes fun at the mundane trials of modern life, as the stylish, one-of-a-kind Mr. Trance guides the audience through his humorous non-adventures. Selling Points: “Mr. Trance first caught our attention at Cartoon Forum 2011, where the outstanding presentation by creator Valerio Veneras—who’s also a specialist in vintage neckties!—had everybody talking,” says awol founder and CEO Julie Fox. “That, and Mr. Trance’s cool suit! His inimitable sense of style and elegance in the face of contemporary existential crises such as dealing with Facebook overload, finding the right gym subscription and making it through airport security impressed us. He’s the only one out there right now with answers to our questions!” Delivery Date: 26 episodes by November 2013
Wish Come True
Wish Come True Produced by: Guru Studio, Home Plate Entertainment, TVO Created by: FriendsWithYou Format: 52 x 11 Target Audience: Preschool (3-6) Type of Animation: CG Synopsis: Something’s going awry in the Rainbow Kingdom that needs True’s special talents for setting things right. Once the mission is clear, True and the Rainbow King decide on which three special Wishes she will take with her on the mission. Each Wish will give True a special power: from shrinking small, to being able to fly, to walking under water. Once the wishes are chosen, True heads off with her cat Bartleby to save the day. Selling Points: “Wish Come True has all the elements Guru likes to work with: a strong, character-driven concept with a distinctive visual style, framed by an extremely well developed curriculum,” says Frank Falcone, Guru’s president and creative director. “Also, its origin as an art concept created by internationally loved art collective FriendsWithYou has given it a visually vibrant property that genuinely stands apart in the market.” Delivery Date: 2014
Filly
Filly Produced by: Dracco, Screen 21, Black Dragon Distributed by: BRB Internacional Created by: Dracco Format: 26 x 30 Target Audience: Kids & Family Type of Animation: 3D HD Synopsis: Filly brings to life the charming adventures of Rose and her friends as they attend the Magic Royal Academy of Funtasia. Despite the wacky attempts of the Wizard of the Dark Mirror, and his comical minion Battiwigs, to steal all the magic in the kingdom, the Fillys enjoy everyday school life, studying and discovering their unique, and magical, crystal powers. Selling Points: The Fillys have already got their hooves in the door with kids around the world thanks to the toy line from Simba Dickie Group. Delivery Date: T.C.
Peg + Cat
Peg + Cat Produced by: 9 Story Entertainment, Fred Rogers Company Created by: Jennifer Oxley and Billy Aronson Format: 80 x 11 Target Audience: Preschool Type of Animation: Digital 2D Synopsis: Young viewers will join an adorable, spirited little girl named Peg and her sidekick Cat as they encounter unexpected problems that require creative solutions. In order to solve the problems, Peg and Cat must add, subtract and apply basic arithmetic. Their adventures take them to historical faraway lands, art centers in bustling metropolises and the colorful cosmos, all the while demonstrating that it’s never too early to start learning the magic of numbers. Selling Points: According to Natalie Osborne, 9 Story’s SVP of business development, the show has all the elements required of a preschool market hit. “Peg + Cat‘s unique and beautiful designs, fun storytelling and quirky humor create a fascinating world of adventure and music that make it irresistible,” Osborne explains. Delivery Date: Premieres on PBS Fall 2013
Calimero
Calimero Produced by: Gaumont Animation, Gaumont Television, Studio Campedelli Created by: Nino Pagot, Toni Pagot and Ignazio Colnaghi Format: 104 x 11 Target Audience: Older Preschool Type of Animation: CG Synopsis: With his big heart, three eager companions and an old mill teeming with incredible inventions, Calimero sets off on wild adventures to put right all those things in life that are just not fair. Between school and secret meetings in their workshop, the four friends have a whale of a time! They invite children of all ages to join them on their explosive adventures and take a fresh look at the world around them with an open heart. Selling Points: “Calimero is an iconic character who has traveled the world thanks to the original animated series that has aired for half a century,” says producer Justine Huynh. “In addition to his signature eggshell that never leaves his head, he is known for his catch phrase: ‘It’s just not fair!’ His new adventures will of course keep the character’s original DNA while the storytelling will evolve from the previous series to appeal to children of today. The 104 episodes will combine adventure, humor and poetry. We have also given careful attention to image processing (CGI with 2D treatment) as we want it warm and playful to restore Calimero’s original universe.” Delivery Date: Sept. 2013-Nov. 2014
Doki
Doki Produced by: Portfolio, Discovery Kids, JBMW Created by: Portfolio Entertainment Package: 26 x 30 or 52 x 11 Target Audience: Kids 4-7 Type of Animation: CG Synopsis: The series centers on lovable, inquisitive Doki who has a lot of questions, and he will go anywhere and do anything to get the answers! Team Doki—Doki, Oto, Mundi, Fico, Anabella and Gabi—are born explorers: They travel the globe in search of answers to their questions about science, nature and the world we live in. Selling Points: “It isn’t every day that you find a character that is so loved by kids but does not yet have its very own television show,” says Joy Rosen, co-president and founder of Portfolio Entertainment. “Doki is one such character and we are delighted to be introducing him to children all over the world, starring in his own animated series.” Delivery Date: 2013
Fun Farm
Fun Farm Produced by: Comet Entertainment Inc. and Ladybird Entertainment Inc. Format: 52 x 7 Target Audience: Kids 6-11 Type of Animation: CG Synopsis: When you have funny and weird animals running a farm, all kinds of wild misadventures are commonplace. Inspired by the classic Looney Tunes comedies, this charming dialogue-free series centers on the hilarious escapades of a group of farm animals as they deal with the day-to-day conflicts of life. Selling Points: “We are able to keep the viewers glued to the screen with great stories, hilarious situations, good animation and cool sound effects,” say Comet Entertainment COO and exec producer Carmen Llanos. “We look at the show as Looney Tunes for a new generation of animation lovers. Of course, who says we can’t mix the craziness with cuteness?” Delivery Date: May 2014
Zack & Deuce
Zack & Deuce Produced by: Nelvana Limited (Canada) and Moshi Studio (Australia), in association with Scholastic Entertainment Inc. Commissioning broadcasters include Teletoon (Canada) and Channel 9 (Australia). Created by: Based on the book series The Day My Butt Went Psycho by Andy Griffiths (Scholastic) Format: 52 x 11 Target Audience: Kids 6-11 Type of Animation: 2D Synopsis: This comedy series from Corus Ent.’s Nelvana Studio is the incredible tale of a boy named Zack and his best friend Deuce, which just happens to be his newly detached butt. The two have a blast navigating a world where humans and their butts live side by side, sharing the same movie theatres, squabbling over the same parking spots and swooning over celebrities and cele-butt-ies. But some butts are up to no good—it’s up to Zack and Deuce to keep the world safe. Selling Points: “Zack and Deuce provides a unique setting with humans and butts living side by side. We know that kids will love the butt characters as well as seeing Zack reach his goal of becoming the greatest butt fighter ever! We’ve got it all …butt comedy and butt kicking fun!” says Irene Weibel, VP and head of Nelvana Studio. Delivery Date: Fall 2013/Spring 2014 launch dates in Canada and Australia
Maxon and Adobe unveil a revolutionary new workflow system between After Effects and Cinema 4D at NAB.
There’s always an exciting buzz in the air when two big software companies join forces to provide CG artists with new and improved digital tools for their work.
At this year’s NAB Show confab (April 6-11) in Las Vegas, the spotlight will certainly be on Adobe and Maxon, which have just launched a new partnership that will result in a smooth new workflow between After Effects and Cinema 4D.
As Harald Egel, co-founder and CEO of Maxon Computer GmbH, explains, artists can experience a seamless integration between the two applications, through a 3D pipeline called Cineware.
“With Cineware, you now have Cinema 4D’s Advanced Rendering engine directly available in After Effects,” he notes. “Also, a limited version of our product called Cinema 4D Lite will be included with After Effects.”
Cinema 4D
Users who purchase the upcoming version of Adobe After Effects will be able to simply drop a Cinema 4D scene in After Effects, composite it and render it. This will put an end to pre-rendering of passes. Artists can update files in Cinema 4D and it automatically updates in After Effects. Cinema 4D Lite is also offered in an impressive selection of exchange file formats, such as Alembic, OJB, FBX and C4D functionality itself.
“If they’re in need of even more possibilities in 3D creation, artists can easily upgrade to a more advanced version of Cinema 4D such as Broadcast or Studio and simply replace the Lite version,” adds Egel. “This offers them the full power of this integration. Depending on your needs, it’s very easy to step up.”
Adobe and Maxon have had a development relationship for several years. Both companies have conducted extensive surveys to better meet the needs of their clients.
“Our biggest users in After Effects are motion graphics artists and they’ve clearly told us that they use Cinema 4D in conjunction with After Effects in almost everything that they do,” says Steve Forde, Adobe Systems’ senior product manager. “When our customers came out and said that this integration really works for them, it re-sparked the creative juices at both companies, and we decided to go back and see if we could take it to another level.”
Cinema 4D
It was an important goal for the development teams to cut down the back-and-forth steps between After Effects and Cinema 4D so that artists didn’t have to render everything in Cinema 4D. Thanks to the new pipeline, artists only need to render at final output, and that translates to a dramatic savings in time and increases their ability to spend time creatively on a project.
Seeing the End Results
Maxon U.S.A. CEO and president Paul Babb points out that artists can actually see their render results in the new After Effects interface.
“There are different visibility levels, so you can easily do a quick shading or a quick render to get a general idea of what it will look like,” he explains. “Or, you can adjust your view to see exactly what your render is going to look like, including the 3D parts with whichever effects are going to be applied inside After Effects.”
“What we were hearing from our user base loud and clear was that more digital artists were using full-fledged 3D,” says Forde. “On the Adobe side, we notice that users are exploring 3D, maybe they start by applying simple material before going into full models. By having Cinema 4D Lite in that After Effects box, they have a 3D tool at their fingertips. They can start with the basic stuff and as they progress, they can understand where they can take their creative ideas through the Maxon workflow.”
Cinema 4D
“Adobe and Maxon have similar philosophies and visions for where we would like to take our users,” says Babb. “I’ve had my eyes on the motion graphics market for the past 10 years, and I see this market growing exponentially in the next few years. We’ve seen TV stations incorporate 3D into their pipelines and electronic books incorporating animation. Then you have websites become like TV stations, and you see the number increase from having thousands of TV stations to millions. That’s why I believe this is the best time in history for artists, because there’s going to be so much work for motion graphic artists out there. Yes, the tools are complex and it takes time for people to be trained and up to speed, but I definitely see this as a market that’s going to grow for quite a long time.”
Both Forde and Babb mention that one doesn’t generally see this kind of a deep collaboration between two companies that have clearly established brands in the market.
“The interesting thing is that when we came out and said OK, here’s the integration and here’s Cinema 4D Lite, the beta users wanted to take it to the next level really quickly,” recalls Forde. “This means that we’ve hit the mark in terms of the first release.”
Babb says for years software companies have wanted to be the be-all, end-all package.
Maxon
“They want you to do all your work in their package,” he notes. “But there’s a recognition on both our sides that we are just another paintbrush in the toolset of artists and it’s our job to make it as easy as possible for them to get their job done with our paintbrush and other paintbrushes. So whatever we can do to make that workflow smooth is going to be a win-win situation for all of us.”
Italian distributor and producer Mondo TV has become the exclusive agent and rep for TV rights of a slate of shows by Home Plate Entertainment across Africa and the Middle East. The company will hold the non-exclusive rights for on-demand. Among the various titles up for grabs is Wild Grinders, the recent animated comedy from MTV personality and professional skateboarder Rob Dyrdek.
Mondo TV’s CEO Orlando Corradi said, “Mondo TV is thrilled that we are further expanding our company’s distribution activities in the Middle East TV market by representing Home Plate Entertainment, the animation studio recently founded by four-time Emmy Award-winning producer, Bill Schultz, who has produced many hit programs, from The Simpsons, Garfield & Friends to Scholastic’s Clifford the Big Red Dog, He-Man Masters of the Universe and Cartoon Network’s Hero 108.”
“We are pleased to be working with Mondo TV on the distribution of our programming across the Middle East and North African region,” said Murray Schultz, Home Plate’s senior VP. “We hope that this new relationship will give even more children the opportunity to enjoy our shows, just as they have in other countries including the U.S. market.”
Micheline Azoury, who will oversee the sales and licensing activities on behalf of Mondo, added, “I am very happy to be working with such talented and professional producers/distributors who are committed to producing such high quality commercial programming for worldwide consumption and I know that this will only enhance Mondo TV’s overall growth and success.”
Australian director Isabel Peppard has taken home the top Animated Prize at this year’s Cinequest Intl. Film Festival in San Jose. The win makes the short eligible for a Best Animated Short Oscar nomination.
Butterflies had its world premiere at the Melbourne International Film Festival on August 11, 2012 before being invited to Sitges International Film Festival in Spain, one of the worlds top horror and fantasy film festivals. Sitges programmers described the film as “A short destined to become an instant stop motion classic.”
The stop-motion short tells the tale of a young artist (voiced by Rachel Griffiths) who struggles to make a living by selling drawings to passersby. A businessman (voiced by Nicholas Hope) recognizes her talents and offers her a paying job. The prospect seems inviting but the reality threatens to kill her imagination. The short interweaves Claire’s childhood memories with her contemporary life and nightmares, emerging as a gothic fairytale presented in Peppard’s bleak but beautifully ornate handcrafted world.
A special screening and 25th Anniversary Reunion of the cast and crew of Robert Zemeckis’ seminal feature Who Framed Roger Rabbit packed the house at the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences theater in Beverly Hills on Thursday night (April 4). Beautifully moderated by Wreck-It Ralph director Richard Moore, the evening featured helmer Robert Zemeckis, producer Don Hahn, actor Charles Fleischer, actress Joanna Cassidy, supervising animator Andreas Deja, associate producer Steve Starkey and screenwriters Jeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman sharing memorable anecdotes and behind-the-scenes tidbits about the making of the movie.
Moore opened the movie by reading a quote by film critic Roger Ebert about the classic film: “What you feel when you see a movie like this is more than appreciation. It’s gratitude,” Ebert wrote.
After viewing the new digital restoration of his movie with the audience at the Goldwyn Theater, Zemeckis said, “This is just a thrill for all of us to be here tonight. This was truly a labor of love. No sane person would do this. We did it for the love of the art form. As Francis Ford Coppola once said, making a movie is like running in front of a locomotive and we did that for years.”
(from left to right): Moderator Rich Moore, and Associate Producer Don Hahn.
Zemeckis then went on to talk about how he had read the first draft of the script in the early 1980s. He gave credit to the Michael Eisner and Jeffrey Katzenberg regime at Disney that helped greenlight the movie and to Steven Spielberg who helped the ball rolling and was instrumental in having classic animated characters from the other studios such as Betty Boop and Bugs Bunny join familiar Disney toons such as Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse.
“When I look back, it was truly astounding that they made this movie,” he said. “The only explanation I had was that everyone must have sense our true passion for this project. I am so grateful that they had the courage to do this movie. They took a real chance.”
Various panelists praised the film’s acclaimed animation director Richard Williams, who just celebrated his 80th birthday in the U.K. and couldn’t attend the union. Zemeckis said working with him was a wonderful and memorable experience.
(from left to right): Voice Actor Charles Fleischer and Oscar® winning Director Robert Zemeckis.
“I’d tell Richard what we were going to do…and he wouldn’t believe me. I’d say we’re going to put 1940s Bugs and Daffy in the movie and he would say, ‘Oh, they’ll never let you do that.’ He was so gun-shy about what had happened in animation over the years and how his art had been marginalized and homogenized, but I kept telling he are really going to go for it this time, and he slowly realized that we were going to pull this off…Richard really inspired the team of all these animators to do the best.”
Oscar-winning producer Don Hahn talked about how the Rogers team were re-inventing rules of mixing live-action with animation every day.
“The camera were not locked down,” he said. “There were previous rules associated with Mary Poppins and Pete’s Dragon, but I learned on that movie that you just say yes, when people ask you to do something. They say they want to move the camera? I’d say yes. You want to have glitter on Jessica’s dress? I’d say yes. There was not tracking software, everything was by hands, pencil and paint. The most amazing technology we got was a fax machine which arrived when we were halfway through the movie!”
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
When asked about his process for voicing Roger Rabbit, Fleischer said, “I went skydiving … in my house.” He then explained how he had to come up with a special speech impediment for the character that hadn’t been done before. “You don’t want to impeded on someone else’s impediment,” he joked.
Among the many nail-biting, last-minute creative breakthroughs that the film’s artistic team went through was the development of Roger Rabbit himself. Zemeckis said for some reason, they had been doing storyboards and preproduction for six months, and he still couldn’t get Richard Williams to design Roger.
“We were way down the line in preproduction,” he recalled. “We were doing screen tests with actors and were dong all these characters… and we still had no Roger. Then one day in my office on a piece of yellow legal pad with five felt tip markers, he just drew him That was it. We didn’t make a single adjustment. He had the whole thing down…He had to be shaped like an inverted cone, like a dunce cap—he called it the international symbol of an idiot, with huge trousers, primary colors and a yellow tuft of hair.”
And just like that… a Toon Town legend was born!
Who Framed Roger Rabbit: 25th Anniversary Edition
The new digitally restored 25th Anniversary version of Who Framed Roger Rabbit DVD/Blu-ray package (Disney, $26.50) is available in stores and on amazon.com ($23.98)
Santa Barbara-based Foothill Entertainment’s upcoming animated series G.U.N.K. Aliens has landed on Network 10 Australia. The irreverent, 26 x half-hour toon, which is a co-pro between Moody Street Kids and Gallus Entertainment, is based on the best-selling book series by Jonny Moon (HarperCollins), with visuals designs by Donnie Anderson and scripts by Dale Schott. The show’s animation is slated to be delivered by Malaysia’s Vision Animation.
The animated series centers on Jack, his robotic dog Snivel and his pals, Oscar and Ruby, working for a top secret alien-fighting organization called C.L.E.A.N. They are the only thing standing between the world and the G.U.N.K. ALIENS: a disgusting band of extra-terrestrials committed to an all-out toxic invasion of Earth. Wacky and outrageous character-based humor with hilarious gross-out accents as the forces of C.L.E.A.N. battle to save Earth from the G.U.N.K. ALIENS! Foothill expects to announce additional major pre-sales shortly.
“We are so excited to bring this great book series to life,” says Foothill’s president, Jo Kavanagh-Payne. “With the fabulous character designs and wacky sense of humor, this series is going to be a lot of fun to work on.”
“No matter how horrible things get for Dave, there’s always room for them to get worse!” That’s how artist/creator Ed Foster describes the hero of his new animated series, The Rubbish World of Dave Spud. The 26 x 11-minute series is produced by the U.K.’s The Illuminated Film Company (The Little Princess, Christmas Carol: The Movie, T.R.A.N.S.I.T.) and has just been acquired by the CBBC in that country.
As Foster explains on his website, Dave is an 11-year-old boy who is not gifted in any obvious way, but he has the knack to attract the bizarre and unwittingly unleash the surreal. The Illuminated Film Company is seeking pre-sales, distribution deals and financing for the toon. Previously, Foster directed episodes of the studio’s popular animated preschool show The Little Princess as well as the short Anna Spud.
The Rubbish World of Dave SpudThe Rubbish World of Dave Spud
According to the Hollywood trades, Disney will be laying off employees in the next two weeks. The layoffs will come primarily from marketing and home video at the studio, with a smaller number coming from animation, says Reuters. The movie was the result of an internal audit ordered by company CEO Bob Iger, who is looking to save money to boost profits.
On Wednesday, Disney shut down LucasArts and laid off 150 people, noting that the video-game developer will move to a licensing model as a result of Disney’s acquisition of LucasFilm.
Last month, Iger told the press that Disney had a record year in 2012 and that the company had a prosperous start in fiscal 2013.
“Our ongoing success is driven by our long-term strategy, the strength of our brands and businesses, and our high quality family entertainment,” he noted.
Last month at Disney’s meeting for shareholders, Iger pointed out that Disney stock was closing at an all-time high. In fiscal 2012, Iger was paid $40 million in total compensation, up 20 percent over the year prior.
