Author: Ramin Zahed

Amazon Studios Greenlights Five Kids’ Show Pilots

Amazon Studios, the original movie and series production arm of Amazon.com, announced today that five children’s test pilots have been greenlit for production. This announcement follows the first pilot production commitment in December, which signed six comedy pilots. When completed, the 11 pilots will be posted on Amazon Instant Video, Prime Instant Video, LoveFilm UK and LoveFilm Germany for Amazon customers to watch for free. Viewer feedback will help determine which series Amazon Studios should produce.

“Production is already underway for the first set of comedy pilots we announced last month, and now we are excited to add even more pilots to the list—five amazing preschool children’s series,” says Roy Price, director of Amazon Studios. “Our children’s series come from industry luminaries with credits such as Blue’s Clues, Sid the Science Kid and Dino Dan. We think parents—and our very youngest customers—are going to love the magical combination of entertainment and learning that they’ll discover in these children’s series.”

“We are thrilled to be working with Amazon Studios on our pilot and can’t wait to soar into a creative arts curriculum with Creative Galaxy,” said Angela C. Santomero (Blue’s Clues), creator and executive producer of the debut series, which is one of five children’s series to receive a pilot order. “We know that art can have a powerfully positive effect on children, and through our proven signature approach to preschool television, we will actively help young viewers learn how to think creatively in their own lives.”

Children’s pilots include:

Creative Galaxy

Creative Galaxy is an animated interactive art adventure series, designed to inspire kids’ creative thinking through crafts, story, music and dance. The series was created by Angela Santomero, creator of Super Why!, the Emmy-nominated literacy series, Blue’s Clues and Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood.

Oz Adventures

In this innovative problem solving series, Dot, Dorothy’s daughter, goes off to Oz everyday with the children of the beloved characters from L. Frank Baum’s classic book, The Wizard of Oz. In each episode, the yellow brick road leads Dot to a new magical location where she solves problems alongside her Oz friends.

Teeny Tiny Dogs

Produced by The Jim Henson Company (Sid the Science Kid, Dinosaur Train) and created by Howard Baker (Rugrats), Teeny Tiny Dogs follows Butch, Butterfly, Dinky and Polly as they help one another navigate the big world despite their teeny, tiny, small size. This series promotes happiness through friendship, learning, growing and developing a strong sense of self as seen through the eyes of canine friends.

Tumbleaf

Tumbleaf was created by Drew Hodges and Bix Pix Studios, an award-winning stop motion studio. The series, aimed at preschoolers, is set in a whimsical land where a small blue fox named Fig plays each day and discovers adventure, friendship and love around every bend in the path. Children will be enriched by narratives that promote play through exploration and cognitive reasoning.

The Untitled J.J. Johnson Project

The Untitled J.J. Johnson Project revolves around Anne, a young scientist, who creates three robot helpers to assist her scientific experiments in the back of her dad’s junkyard. This science-based series from creator J.J. Johnson (Dino Dan, This is Emily Yeung) aims to introduce kids to science and technology in a fun, new way.

These five new pilots join the six comedy pilots already in production: Alpha House, Browsers, Dark Minions, The Onion Presents: The News, Supanatural and Those Who Can’t.

Amazon Studios continues to invite series creators to upload their proposals for comedy and children’s programming at studios.amazon.com/getting-started/series or submit them privately via Amazon Studios.

Amazon Studios

January 31, 2013
NewTek’s LightWave 11.5 Hits the Market
NewTek’s LightWave 3D Group has announced the release of LightWave 11.5, the latest version of its award-winning 3D modeling, animation and rendering software for artists and designers. A no-charge upgrade to LightWave 11.5 is available to all registered LightWave 11 customers via the LightWave 3D website.

LightWave 11.5 includes new features and functionality that enhance creativity and streamline productivity for everyone—from individual artists and designers to large animation or visual effects studios.

“Leveraging the rich collection of new tools in LightWave 11.5 allows us to continue to deliver movies on time and on budget,” said Scott Wheeler, vfx supervisor at Rogue State and LightWave beta team member. “No other software gives us the scalability to do small team projects while still being capable of handling major studio effects movies quite like LightWave. It’s a must have in our CG arsenal.”

Among the product’s new features and enhancements are:
- Soft Body Bullet Dynamics: Includes soft body dynamics for effects such as cloth, rubber, jelly or other deforming properties. Bullet meshes are now also reactive to bone deformations and wind forces can be added for rippling effects.
- After Effects and ZBrush Interchange Tools: Offers a new LWtoAE button that allows you to select elements in a scene and see them in Adobe After Effects, including animation, lights and camera settings. The After Effects Camera can also be exported to LightWave to take advantage of the Camera Tracker in After Effects and to provide pixel-perfect matching between the two programs. GoZ technology for Pixologic’s ZBrush allows you to send models to and from LightWave with automatic node flows for textures and normal maps. ZBrush styling tools can also be imported into LightWave and attached to objects for interactive creativity.
- New Interactive Modeling Tools: Provides new functionality and architectural advancements in Modeler for faster interactivity, performance, and tool development. LightWave 11.5 introduces many new tools like UV Unwrap, Edit Edges, Place Mesh, Slice, Thicken, and Heat Shrink which emphasize the system’s power and lay the groundwork for future third-party modeling tool development.
- Fiber FX: Respects soft bodies, offers improved Z-buffer support, and adds bundling around guide chains to create advanced fiber braiding and twisting effects. FiberFX now also supports curve poly types, the sketching of curves in Modeler, and rendering directly in FiberFX without using the Strand Maker conversion.
- Genoma Character Rigging System: Introduces a new modular instant-rigging system that can be used to quickly rig a simple biped or quadruped for animation in Modeler without the need for specialized rigging tools. It offers modular rig presets that consist of skeletal parts such as spines, wings, arms, legs, hands, and feet. Complete rigs for biped and quadrupeds can easily be customized using Genoma.
LightWave 11.5 also expands its suite of Virtual Studio Tools for virtual production and adds support in the Viewport Preview Renderer (VPR) for depth-of-field (DOF) motion blur, node-edge rendering, and stereoscopic 3D. Additionally, it provides new functionality for Flocking and Instancing and offers many new workflow enhancements throughout the software.

LightWave 11.5 is now available and priced at $1495. LightWave 11 customers can upgrade to LightWave 11.5 free of charge; upgrade pricing from LightWave 10 or earlier versions is $695. Educational pricing is also available. Visit www.lightwave3d.com/buy to purchase or locate an authorized LightWave reseller. You can also download a free 60-day full-feature trial of LightWave 11.5 at www.lightwave3d.com/try.

LightWave 11.5
January 31, 2013
9 Story Sells over 50 hours of Toons to Super RTL

Toronto’s toon powerhouse 9 Story Entertainment announced the sale of its animated children’s series Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood (40 x 22’), Camp Lakebottom (26 x 22’) and Wild Kratts (24 x 40) to Germany’s Super RTL. The network also airs all three seasons of 9 Story’s Almost Naked Animals (52 x 22’).

Super RTL, first launched back in April 1995, is one of the top TV channels among kids in Germany. 9 Story has produced over 800 half hours of quality children’s and family programming, seen on some of the top children’s channels around the world across multiple platforms. The company’s distribution arm 9 Story Enterprises represents a growing catalogue which includes several popular brands such as Arthur, Wibbly Pig, Harriet the Spy: Blog Wars and Wild Kratts in addition to popular new series such as Almost Naked Animals, Camp Lakebottom, Cache Craze and Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood. For more info, visit www.9story.com.

Camp Lakebottom

January 31, 2013
ABC Australia Commissions ‘Vic the Viking’ Series

ABC TV in Australia has commissioned the new animated series Vic the Viking, a 78 x 11-minute Australian/French co-pro between ASE Studios and Studio 100 Animation in association with Flying Bark Productions. The show was originally titled Vicky the Viking, but the title was changed for English-speaking audiences since the main character is a boy.

Vicky has inspired several TV and feature adaptions. Fuji TV/Mushi Productions and Zuiyo Eizo produced an anime version that ran 1974-1975, while in 2009, a live-action hit feature directed by Michael Herbig was released in Germany.

Both ABC TV and Network Ten are on board, with Network Ten premiering the series this year and a follow up broadcast scheduled for ABC TV.

Aimed at 5-11 year olds, the action comedy series is currently in production and follows Vic, an ingenious little Viking, who has excellent problem-solving skills. The CG-animated toon is based on popular book series by Runer Jonsson.

“The series will strongly resonate with local audiences through its combination of comedy and action-adventure mixed with vivid animation detail,” says Flying Bark Productions’ managing director Jim Ballantine. “The books are extremely popular with the demographic and I am sure children will love our interpretation of Vic The Viking as much as they enjoy Runer Jonsson’s tales.”

Vic the Viking

January 31, 2013
CBeebies Launches New Math-Based Show

A new math-themed animated series is slated to debut on U.K’s children channel CBeebies and the BBC Worldwide Channels later this year. The show, which is called Numtum Adventures, is animated by A Productions and is a spinoff of a series of five-minute shorts which currently air on CBeebies in the U.K and in various global territories.

Created by Barry Quinn, the show centers on ten small cuddly creatures with numbers on their stomachs. They love to dance and sing, play, dress up and fly—and most of all, they love to count. The series uses catchy sing-along counting songs and comical skits to help older preschool kids recognize the shapes of numbers and remember what order they should be in.

The interactive shorts first debuted on the BBC’s kids channel in February of last year. The preschool toon is one of several new ventures by CBeebies targeting young audiences—a dynamic slate that includes Andy’s Wild Adventures, Mr. Bloom’s Nursery and Baby Jake.

Here’s a little taste!

The Numtums

January 30, 2013
Marvel Toons to Stream on Amazon’s LoveFilm U.K.

Amazon.com-owned streaming video service LoveFilm has signed a deal with Disney in the U.K. and Ireland to air animated shows featuring Marvel characters. U.K. and Irish subscribers of amazon.com’s LoveFilm, which has nearly 3 million users across Europe, will be able to stream hundreds of shows featuring the likes of Iron Man, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four and the Incredible Hulk from the past 50 years.

“It builds on the already extensive and unique collection of animated content available to stream, including titles from other market leaders, such as Aardman, eOne and DHX Media,” the company’s managing director Jim Buckle told The Hollywood Reporter.“It is an exciting development, as many of our members will have grown up watching Marvel classics and can now catch up whenever they choose.”

LoveFilm has also made arrangements with NBCUniversal TV, Channel 4, BBC, Mirama and Fox. Currently, the company’s chief rival Netflix offers a $9.40 (£5.99) per-month service. LoveFilm’s monthly rate is $7.85 (£4.99).

Iron Man: Armored Adventures

January 30, 2013
‘Doc McStuffins’ Celebrates Black History Month

Disney Junior’s hit animated series Doc McStuffins will play a big part in the cabler’s Black History Month celebration this month. The young African-American girl who talks to her toys and knows how to make them feel better will be starring in interstitials along with three real-life physicians who share stories about their jobs and heroes.

The inspiring shorts will debut on Disney Channel and Disney Junior on Friday, February 1 (10:25 a.m. ET/PT and 4:25 p.m. ET/PT, respectively) following a new Doc McStuffins Valentine’s Day themed episode. More interstitials featuring the three doctors will begin rolling out in the spring and will air regularly on both platforms.

The preschool toon inspired a group of female African-American physicians to begin a “movement” they coined, “We Are Doc McStuffins.” Seeing a reflection of themselves in the Doc character and the opportunity to inspire young girls, the group grew to form the Artemis Medical Society, an organization of over 2500 female African-American physicians and medical students from around the world.

The interstitials feature three of the founding members of the “We Are Doc McStuffins” movement—Dr. Myiesha Taylor, an emergency doctor based in Dallas; Dr. Aletha Maybank, a pediatrician in New York City; and Dr. Naeemah Ghafur, a family doctor in Los Angeles who provides specialized care for the underserved, including the elderly and patients with high-risk illnesses.

Dr. Taylor said, “Doc McStuffins is a wonderful inspiration and we’re pleased to be part of extending Disney Channel’s role model message so girls and most especially African-American girls can be inspired to pursue a career in medicine.”

Doc McStuffins ranked as 2012’s #1 cable TV series in Kids 2-5 and the #1 preschool cable TV series in Total Viewers and Women 18-49. Created and executive-produced by Humanitas Prize and Emmy Award-winning Chris Nee (writer on Little Bill and producer of Deadliest Catch: Crab Fishing in Alaska) and directed by Emmy-winning Norton Virgien (Rugrats), Doc McStuffins is a production of Dublin, Ireland’s Brown Bag Films in association with Disney Channel.

“We Are Doc McStuffins”

January 30, 2013
Aardman Animates The Staves’ Music Video

Bristol based animation powerhouse Aardman teamed up with Atlantic Records and British folk rock trio The Staves to deliver a visually stunning music promo to accompany the single ‘Winter Trees’ from their debut album ‘Dead & Born & Grow’.

Aardman directors Karni and Saul, wanted to create a beautifully emotive film that represented both the song and the band. Their vision for the video was thoroughly original, and provided Aardman with the opportunity to create something completely different to anything previously produced by the studio.

Every element was tackled from a fresh point of view, from the design of the characters, to the animation style and the atmospheric lighting. Executive Producer Heather Wright commented:

“Even though it’s quite surreal, it’s very beguiling and draws you into a complete fantasy world.”

The visual treatment was inspired by 3D laser-cut wood puzzles, created using a combination of Flash and CG animation.

The pair were delighted to be approached by Atlantic Records to direct the video, adding:

“We are really pleased with the end result and the label and girls are too. it seems to have struck a chord with people, it’s getting quite a bit of attention, maybe because it’s something a little fresh visually that’s still delicate and has an emotional story….”

You can catch the animated music video here:

Aardman Animates The Staves’ Music Video

January 29, 2013
‘Hotel Transylvania’ Opens for DVD/Blu-ray Business

Genndy Tartakovsky’s blockbuster comedy Hotel Transylvania arrives on DVD and Blu-ray today, after making over $324 million worldwide. The Sony Animation feature, which began its theatrical run on Sept. 28 of last year, centers on Dracula, the owner of Hotel T and how he tries to protect his daughter from falling for a regular 21-year-old human traveler. Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez, Kevin James, Fran Drescher, Steve Buscemi, Molly Shannon, David Spade and Cee Lo Green voice the colorful hotel residents and visitors. The film received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Animated Feature as well as seven Annie Award noms.

Hotel Transylvania

The special 2-disc Blu-ray/DVD/Ultraviolet Digital copy is priced at $40.99 (22.99 on amazon.com) and includes commentary by director Tartakovsky, producer Michelle Murdocca and vfx supervisor Daniel Kramer, the Annie-nominated short Goodnight Mr. Foot, the “Making of” documentary, progression reels, The Monster Mix music video, and other special features. The title is also available as a 3-D Blu-ray/DVD release ($55.99) and a one-disc DVD version ($30.99 or $17.99 on amazon).

The week’s other hot animated releases are:

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 2

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 2 (Warner Bros., $24.98)

Madly Madagascar

Madly Madagascar (Fox Home Ent., $9.98)

Tales of the Night

Tales of the Night (New Video, $29.98)

January 29, 2013
9 Story Picks Up Slap Happy’s ‘Nerds and Monsters’

9 Story Enterprises is expanding to include acquired programming in its catalog, beginning with the international distribution rights to Slap Happy Cartoon’s new animated series Nerds and Monsters (40×11’). The series was recently greenlit by Corus Entertainment’s kids and family network YTV in Canada for a January 2014 premiere.

“This is a natural next step as we grow to becoming one of the industry’s largest distributors of children’s and family content,” said Vince Commisso, president and CEO of 9 Story Entertainment.

“We will be strategically acquiring content with both the production quality and entertainment value to fit the 9 Story brand and are delighted that Slap Happy’s Nerds and Monsters is our first acquisition,” said Natalie Osborne, exec VP of business development.

Nerds and Monsters is a comedy aimed at 6-11 year olds that tosses a group of nerdy kids on a fantastic uncharted island. The tween castaways must use nothing but their smarts to survive the relentless attacks by the island’s inhabitants—a tribe of dim-witted monsters that are mistakenly threatened by their human invaders.

Founded by Kathy Rocchio, Greg Sullivan, Josh Mepham and Vito Viscomi, with offices in L.A. and Vancouver, Slap Happy Cartoons works with a global base of clients, which include development partners Comedy Central, Kids WB!, DHX Media, Canucks Sports and Entertainment, and Disney XD. For more info, visit www.slaphappycartoons.com and www.9story.com.

Nerds and Monsters

January 29, 2013
‘South Park’ Shrinks Upcoming Fall Season

Trey Parker and Matt Stone are reducing the number of South Park episodes from the usual 14 episodes split into two mini-seasons of 7 to one complete season of 10 episodes, beginning on September 25. The Hollywood Reporter says the new format will allow the busy duo to work on new projects, including a possible feature adaptation of their musical Book of Mormon. A few weeks ago, they announced the launch of their own production company, Important Studios, which is reportedly a $300 million venture.

“Why did we do seven and seven to begin with? We just sort of made that up,” Stone told the New York Times. “And we are switching to 10 for the same reason. It just sounded like a good number, and we won’t break up the year so we can more easily do other stuff.”

“There is no appointment viewing anymore,” Stone added. “In our first season, you had to show up on Wednesday nights at 10 p.m. on the Comedy channel to catch the show. Now, I don’t even know where or how people watch our show. We sort of don’t really care about ratings. It’s more important to come up with work that will add to the library in a way that we’re proud of and will make people want to catch the show wherever they want to. We want to keep South Park going for a long time to come, and given what is going on in television, I don’t think it matters as much how many episodes you have.”

South Park

January 28, 2013
Cartoon Network Unveils Busy 2013-2014 Season
Opting for road-show presentations to key clients and partners instead of the traditional upfront presentation, Cartoon Network has announced a dozen new productions and many returning shows slated for the 2013 and early 2014 season.

“As viewers continue to interact with the Cartoon Network brand and content across a variety of screens, our advertising partners look to us for more innovative and engaging opportunities that provide greater reach for their messages,” said Donna Speciale, president of Turner Entertainment and Young Adults Ad Sales. “This year, we are breaking away from a traditional upfront presentation to engage with advertisers in a series of conversations that will focus on the development of ideas that leverage our brand strength to meet the goals of our partners. As our success and momentum continue to grow across all screens, we believe it’s an ideal time for advertisers to reassess their investments and strategically increase their media budgets with Cartoon Network.”

Cartoon Network announced the premiere of Incredible Crew, a half-hour live-action sketch comedy show from entertainer Nick Cannon. Additionally, Cartoon Network Studios will produce three new original animated comedy series—Steven Universe, Uncle Grandpa and Clarence—each developed from its vibrant and prolific shorts program. Also from Cartoon Network Studios, two new original animated specials based on the #1 network series hits Adventure Time and Regular Show, plus a brand new, redesigned and re-imagined CG-animated special starring three of Cartoon Network’s earliest stars, The Powerpuff Girls—which also includes an original song performed by Beatles legend Ringo Starr—will premiere later this year.

Cartoon Network will introduce two new action-adventure half-hour series based on popular heroes from DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation, Teen Titans Go! and Beware The Batman; a new animated series from LEGO, Legends of Chima; a new animated musical-comedy series, Grojband, from FremantleMedia Ltd.; an all-new series iteration of the world’s most famous cat-and-mouse duo, The Tom and Jerry Show, produced by Warner Bros. Animation; a new season of the hit animated Total Drama “reality” series from CAKE Distribution, Total Drama All Stars; and also from LEGO, three quarterly installment specials of The Yoda Chronicles, a new CG-animated foray into the “Original Saga” world of Star Wars.

Among the network’s returning series, the Monday night line-up (7-9 p.m.) of original animated comedies that has ranked #1 on all television throughout 2012 among boys will return this year with all-new seasons, including Adventure Time, Regular Show, and additional new episodes of the Web-originated Annoying Orange. Also returning with new seasons/episodes are The Amazing World of Gumball, The Looney Tunes Show, MAD, Scooby-Doo! Mystery Inc. and Johnny Test.

On the action-adventure front, dramatic new seasons of key hit series have been slated, including the action-comedy series DreamWorks Dragons: Riders of Berk, based on the critically-acclaimed feature film, How to Train Your Dragon; and Ben 10 Omniverse, from the global franchise powerhouse Ben 10.

Cartoon Network also announced that its successful and innovative shorts program will continue at Cartoon Network Studios, producing a new slate of original shorts in 2013 via its dedicated production unit. “Our unique approach to animation development has paid off in the form of many successful returning series, each with a giant fan base behind them,” said Rob Sorcher, chief content officer for Cartoon Network. “These new animated series forge diverse, new ground, and stem from our Cartoon Network Studios pipeline, which continues to cultivate the most talented minds working in TV animation today.”

Here are the complete details per CN’s press release:

New series:
- Incredible Crew: Incredible Crew, is a live-action, half-hour, sketch comedy series from producer and entertainer Nick Cannon. Every episode of this high-energy, fast-paced show delivers hilarious comedy bits, outrageous hidden camera pranks, original music videos and commercial parodies all with a distinct attitude—a contemporary blend of internet sensibility mixed with kid imagination. Nick Cannon serves as executive producer of Incredible Crew along with Michael Goldman and Scott Tomlinson. The series is produced by Cartoon Network Studios in association with NCredible Entertainment.
- Steven Universe: Slated to debut in 2013, Steven Universe is a coming-of-age story told from the perspective of Steven, the youngest member of a team of magical Guardians of the Universe. The animated series was conceived as part of the shorts development initiative at Cartoon Network Studios, and is created by Emmy and Annie Award-nominated writer and storyboard artist Rebecca Sugar (Adventure Time). Sugar is Cartoon Network’s first solo female show creator.
- Uncle Grandpa: Also slated for 2013, Uncle Grandpa is based upon the Emmy-nominated short of the same name and follows the exploits of Uncle Grandpa—everyone in the world’s “magical” uncle and grandpa. Created and executive produced by Pete Browngardt (creator of Cartoon Network’s Emmy, Annie and Annecy Cristal Award-winning Secret Mountain Fort Awesome), Uncle Grandpa was conceived as part of the shorts development program at Cartoon Network Studios.
- Clarence: From creator Skyler Page, Clarence is a new original animated series about an optimistic boy who wants to do everything. Because everything is amazing! Clarence was conceived as part of the shorts development program at Cartoon Network Studios.
- Teen Titans Go!: Featuring the return of Robin, Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy and Cyborg in all-new, comedic adventures, Teen Titans Go! will premiere in April 2013. Character-driven comedy is the order of the day as this new take on the superhero series focuses on the funny business that happens between saving the world and living together as teenagers without adult supervision. The series stars the principal voice cast from the original Teen Titans, and is produced by Warner Bros. Animation.
- Beware the Batman: A cool, new take on the classic Dark Knight franchise, Beware the Batman incorporates Batman’s core characters with a rogue gallery of new villains not previously seen in animated form. Along with backup from ex-secret agent Alfred and lethal swordstress Katana, the Dark Knight faces the twisted machinations of Gotham City’s criminal underworld led by the likes of Anarky, Professor Pyg, Mister Toad and Magpie. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, this action-packed detective thriller deftly redefines what we have come to know as a “Batman show.” Featuring cutting-edge CGI visuals, Beware the Batman, based on characters from DC Comics, is coming to Cartoon Network’s DC Nation block in Summer 2013.
- Legends of Chima: In the mystical land of CHIMA, Laval the Lion and Cragger the Crocodile are the best of friends. An innocent escapade results in Cragger getting his first experience with the CHI, a powerful and sacred resource important to the delicate balance of CHIMA. The CHI gives awesome power to the user but needs to be managed carefully and certainly not by young adventurous animals. From LEGO, creator of Cartoon Network’s powerhouse action-adventure series Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, Legends of Chima will premiere in Summer 2013.
- Grojband: 12-year-old Corey is the front man for a rockin’ garage band. There’s just one problem: Corey’s lyrics stink. He just can’t think of anything cool to write about, until…he finds his sister’s diary that’s full of “teen angst and junk” and decides to use each diary entry as inspiration for crowd pleasing, heart stopping, foot stomping hit songs. Grojband is distributed by FremantleMedia Ltd. and produced by Fresh TV, creator of the hit animated reality franchise Total Drama Island.
- The Tom and Jerry Show: The iconic cat and mouse rivals are back in The Tom and Jerry Show, a fresh take on the classic series. Preserving the look, characters and sensibility of the original, the all-new series shines a brightly colored, high-definition lens on the madcap slapstick and never-ending battle that has made Tom and Jerry two of the most beloved characters of all time. The Tom and Jerry Show is produced by Warner Bros. Animation.
- Total Drama All Stars: Total Drama is back, but this time the team at Fresh TV have assembled the best loved and most hated contestants from seasons past to compete – Heroes vs. Villains style! Total Drama Island is produced by Fresh TV and distributed by CAKE Distribution.
Specials & Movies:
- Adventure Time Special: Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother) and Donald Glover (Community) will be featured in a special episode of Cartoon Network’s hit animated series Adventure Time. The episode, “Bad Little Boy,” is slated to premiere February 18 as part of the series’ fifth and current season. Reprising his role as Prince Gumball from season three’s much-loved gender switch episode “Adventure Time with Fionna and Cake,” Neil Patrick Harris will join Donald Glover, as Marshall Lee, the musical male counterpart to fan favorite Marceline the Vampire Queen in this second installment of the Fionna and Cake (derived from Finn and Jake) saga. In this special episode, the princesses are sick and tired of Ice King’s crazy Fionna and Cake stories, so Marceline stops by the Ice Kingdom to show him how it’s done.
- Regular Show Special: The toon is slated for a 30-minute Thanksgiving special, Regular Show style. Mordecai and Rigby accidentally ruin Thanksgiving and must find a way to save it before their families arrive for dinner. The gang pulls together to help make it the best Thanksgiving ever! Regular Show, currently in its fourth season, has become an instant hit continually ranking #1 in its time period among all key boy demos.
- The Powerpuff Girls Special: “Sugar, Spice and Everything Nice…plus a dash of mysterious Chemical X” were the essential ingredients that created Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup—also known as The Powerpuff Girls. This groundbreaking and Emmy-winning series, created by Craig McCracken, ran on Cartoon Network from 1998-2005 and will soar again as a brand-new, redesigned and re-imagined CG special coming in 2013 where the trio of pint-sized super heroines will be called upon to the world! Featuring an original song “I Wish I Was A Powerpuff Girl” performed by Beatles legend Ringo Starr, who also portrays Townsville’s most famous flamboyant mathematician, “Fibonacci Sequins,” this all-new original special comes from a powerhouse creative team featuring animation talent from around the globe including acclaimed director Dave Smith and award-winning art director Kevin Dart and is produced by Cartoon Network Studios in association with UK’s Passion Pictures. The special also features the original voice cast reprising their roles and will premiere later this year.
- The Yoda Chronicles: LEGO Star Wars returns in epic style with a thrilling, funny and action-packed new LEGO Star Wars story told in three animated TV specials! Set in the “Prequel” Star Wars timeline, The Yoda Chronicles stars the one and only Jedi Master who has seen it all, done it all, and taught generations of Jedi Knights—in an all-new adventure. With the help of a fresh class of Padawans, Yoda leads the Jedi in a desperate fight to stop Darth Sidious and his minions from creating a new super-weapon that could crush the Republic and win the war for the forces of Evil.
RETURNING SERIES/SPECIALS
- Adventure Time
- Regular Show
- Annoying Orange
- MAD
- The Amazing World of Gumball
- The Looney Tunes Show
- Ben 10 Omniverse
- Dreamworks Dragons: Riders of Berk
- Scooby-Doo! Mystery Inc.
- Johnny Test
- Pokémon Black & White: Adventures in Unova
- Beyblade Metal Fury
- Almost Naked Animals
- Scaredy Squirrel
Cartoon Network
January 28, 2013
VFX House Framestore Launches Montreal Studio

Oscar-winning visual effects and multiplatform content company, Framestore has opened a new office in Montreal. The Canadian studio is the fourth link in Framestore’s global chain, complementing existing offices in London, New York and LA. The office is located in de Gaspé which is at the heart of the Mile End creative community. The Montreal studio will accommodate a significant proportion of Framestore’s growing slate of confirmed film VFX work for 2013, including RoboCop (dir José Padilha), All You Need Is Kill (dir Doug Liman) and Paddington Bear (dir Paul King).

Framestore’s decision to establish an operation in Montréal is based on the city’s significant software, creative and technological talent base and a track record of attracting quality vfx work from major US film studios. This combined with the fiscal advantages offered by Quebec’s Film Tax Credit (QPSTC) mean both Framestore and its clients will benefit from improved cost efficiencies. In addition, Montreal’s EST time zone means the studio can crossover in the working day with Framestore’s three other locations. All studios will operate coherently with parity of creative skills, systems, pipeline and workflow, so that crew and clients can benefit from seamless integration.

The new studio will be led by local talent along with key staff from Framestore’s London HQ who will be instrumental in local planning, logistics and management. Framestore will make the most of Montréal’s thriving creative culture by sourcing additional recruits from the local market.

Framestore’s co-founder and CEO, Sir William Sargent, said: “Montreal is a perfect fit for Framestore, it is a fascinating city with a flourishing arts and music scene. Its artistic community is highly regarded by the film, games, software and technology industries. Montreal is a city that has great talent, training and recruitment potential alongside financial benefits such as a supportive tax regime and a competitive cost base. These combined factors make Montréal an ideal place to see Framestore grow.”

To apply for new openings at the Montreal office, you can contact montreal@framestore.com.

VFX House Framestore Launches Montreal Studio

January 28, 2013
‘Dude, That’s My Ghost’ Arrives on Disney XD

French animation studio Alphanim has finalized deals with Disney XD Latin America and Disney Southeast Asia for its clever new animated series Dude, That’s My Ghost! (52 x 11’). A co-production with Disney XD EMEA, Dude, That’s My Ghost! will premiere on Disney XD U.K. on Saturday, February 2nd at 8:00am.

Dude, That’s My Ghost! follows the adventures of 14-year-old Spencer when he moves to Hollywood with his family and has to adjust to life with his new buddy, the ghost of uber-famous pop star, Billy Joe Cobra.

“The show is a character-driven comedy with unique storytelling and a strong character identity,” commented Alphanim’s managing director Pierre Belaïsch. “It has true international appeal and we are delighted at the opportunity to further our on-going relationship with the Disney Channels through these Latin American and Southeast Asian sales.”

Founded in 1997, Alphanim (Gaumont Group) has produced and distributes a catalogue of over 30 kids’ television series and 800 half-hours of animation broadcast in over 130 countries, including the US and Japan. Flagship titles are Galactik Football (Disney XD, 78×26’), Robotboy (Cartoon Network, 104×13’) and Santa’s Apprentice (52×13’ & Feature film). Alphanim is currently in production of 104×11’ new episodes of 50-year old character Calimero. For more info, visit www.alphanim.com.

Dude, That’s My Ghost!

January 28, 2013
‘Wreck-It Ralph’ Wins Producers Guild Award

Ralph is finally a winner. Disney’s popular animated feature Wreck-It Ralph, about an 8-bit videogame baddie who wants to change his life, was the winner of the Best Animated Feature at this past weekend’s 24th Annual Producers Guild Awards. The film’s producer Clark Spencer took home the coveted prize. The category’s other nominees were Disney/Pixar’s Brave, Disney’s Frankenweenie, Laika’s ParaNorman and DreamWorks’ Rise of the Guardians. Wreck-It Ralph was also the winner of the Critics Choice Award for Best Animated Feature, so this latest win increases its odds of taking home the Oscar as well!

PBS’ Sesame Street was the recipient of the Award for Outstanding Chidlren’s Program, beating other nominees Good Luck Charlie (Disney Channel), iCarly (Nickelodeon), Phineas and Ferb (Disney Channel) and The Weight of the Nation for Kids (HBO).

The best picture PGA went to Ben Affleck, George Clooney and Grant Heslov for Argo.

For a complete list of winners, visit www.producersguildawards.com.

Wreck-It Ralph

Clark Spencer

January 27, 2013
It’s Official: Abrams to Direct ‘Star Wars’ Pic

While the news was leaked on Thursday, Lucasfilm and Disney both confirmed that J.J. Abrams (Lost, Star Trek) will direct the next episode of the beloved sci-fi franchise Star Wars: Episode VII. Star Wars creator George Lucas, who is retiring and passing the franchise on, released a statement endorsing the choice:

“I’ve consistently been impressed with J.J. as a filmmaker and storyteller. He’s an ideal choice to direct the new Star Wars film and the legacy couldn’t be in better hands.”

Slated for a 2015 release, the movie is being written by Oscar-winner Michael Arndt (Little Miss Sunshine, Toy Story 3). Lawrence Kasdan (The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Return of the Jedi) and Simon Kinberg (Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Sherlock Holmes) will also serve as consultants.

“It’s very exciting to have J.J. aboard leading the charge as we set off to make a new Star Wars movie,” Lucasfilm chief Kathleen Kennedy announced tonight. “J.J. is the perfect director to helm this. Beyond having such great instincts as a filmmaker, he has an intuitive understanding of this franchise. He understands the essence of the Star Wars experience, and will bring that talent to create an unforgettable motion picture.”

“To be a part of the next chapter of the Star Wars saga, to collaborate with Kathy Kennedy and this remarkable group of people, is an absolute honor,” J.J. Abrams said. “I may be even more grateful to George Lucas now than I was as a kid.”

Visual effects supervisor Dennis Muren, who worked with Abrams on Super 8:

“He puts everything he has into his work. He totally immerses himself. He’s got such a visual eye, which is so important to the Star Wars films. It seems that a lot of the same things that were in George when he made the first Star Wars films are also in J.J. I think he’s going to fit into the other movies perfectly, with the energy that J.J. has. We’re kick-starting Star Wars again with dynamite. It will knock people out, including the people who get to work on it. I think it’s a great choice.”

Sound designer Ben Burtt, who worked with Abrams as sound designer and sound editor on Star Trek and Super 8:

“J.J. represents the next generation of filmmakers from those that were making Star Wars when I started. When he was a teen, he was a fan of Star Wars, and a great deal of his love for movies came out of his reaction of that first Star Wars film. You feel that he’s already invested so many years in it, and he’s going to propel it forward in a new way. In other words, you’re having a fan who has grown up and developed tremendous directorial skills finding himself at the steering wheel to take the franchise into the next stage. I feel like I’m there watching history turn over from one era to another.”

Sound editor Matthew Wood, who worked on Super 8 as well as the Star Wars prequels:

“Working with him, it was so obvious to me that J.J. and I have the same nostalgic love of that era. Now we have someone from that generation who is going to be at the helm of the Star Wars franchise that I’ve known and worked on, so it’s a great circle. Just seeing what he did with Super 8 and capturing those moments, and knowing what was so special about that era, it’s going to speak to a new generation of audience as well.”

It’s Official: Abrams to Direct Star Wars Pic

January 27, 2013
Five Projects Nominated For French Cesars

France’s Academy of Technical Arts and Sciences nominated five well-received animated titles for this year’s Cesars, the country’s equivalent of the Oscars. Unlike the Academy Awards, the animation category covers both animated features and shorts:

The five nominees for this year’s animated Cesars are:

Edmond Was a Donkey

Edmond Was a Donkey. Directed by Franck Dion.

Ernest and Celestine

Ernest and Celestine. Directed by Benjamin Renner, Vincent Patar and Stephane Aubier.

Kirikou and the Men and the Women

Kirikou and the Men and Women. Directed by Michel Ocelot.

Oh Willy…

Oh Willy… Directed by Emma de Swaef, Marc Roels.

Zarafa

Zarafa. Directed by Remi Bezancon and Jean-Christophe Lie.

Indie distributor GKIDS will release both Zarafa and Ernest and Celestine in select U.S. theaters later this year.

The live-action nominees are Farewell, My Queen, Amour, Camille Redouble, In The House, Rust & Bone, Holy Motors and What’s In A Name.

January 27, 2013
Leonard Maltin to Host 3D Society Awards

Author, critic and film historian Leonard Maltin will host the 4th Annual 3D Creative Arts Awards on February 6th at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Hosted by the International 3D Society, the event will honor Panasonic Corp. for broadcasting the 2012 Summer Olympics in 3D, DreamWorks Animation and director Ang Lee for his trailblazing 3D feature Life of Pi. Awards will also be presented in international categories from entries received from China, Korea, Japan, the U.K., Poland, Italy, Russia, Germany, Canada and elsewhere. In addition, the ceremony will also present the winner of the Autodesk world 3D short film competition.

A pre-show red carpet cocktail reception will honor 3D technical excellence for 2012 3D Technology Award winners, including: Samsung, 3ality Technica, 21st Century 3D, TDVision, and InfiniteZ.

The mission of the International 3D Society & 3D@Home Consortium is to better serve the growing global theatrical, television, video game, and mobile 3D marketplace and professional community.

International 3D Society

January 27, 2013
Bruno Bozzetto Serves Up New Animated Short

Oscar-nominated Italian animator Bruno Bozzetto (Allegro non Troppo, Grasshoppers) is back in a big way this year with a new animated short titled Rapsodeus and a new merchandise line inspired by his most popular characters.

Rapsodeus, which has already debuted at several festivals including Annecy and Hiroshima, is now viewable on Bruno Bozzetto’s YouTube official Channel: www.youtube.com/user/BrunoBozzettoChannel.

Made by combining 3D digital graphics and 2D animation, the short is set to the arranged composition of Franz Liszt’s second Hungarian Rhapsody. The short was produced by Alienatio Studio under the direction of Bozzetto. Regarded by some critics as a virtual sequel of Allegro non Troppo (1976), the film points the finger at mankind and human’ senseless spread of war, destruction and misery throughout the centuries.

Bozzetto’s previous animated characters such as Mr. Rossi, Vip my Brother Superman have also inspired a line of t-shirts and USB Flash drives which can all be purchased at shop.bozzetto.com. There’s nothing wrong with mixing a little bit of commerce with Italian art, si?

Rapsodeus

January 25, 2013
Baboon Animation to Work on ‘Heroes of the City’

Popular CG-animated preschool series Heroes of the City has tapped Baboon Animation to work on the new season of the show.

“We’re so charmed by the Heroes characters and their whimsical world,” says Mike de Seve, CEO of Baboon Animation. “We’re thrilled to assemble a team of some of the very best writers in preschool TV today to help the show be all it can be for its exciting second season.”

Based in New York City, Baboon Animation has provided Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated writing, directing and design to some of the top animation studios around the world. Baboon’s team of top-notch writers and designers have worked on a diverse slate of TV shows such as Daria, Pocoyo, Arthur, The Backyardigans and features such as Ice Age, Shrek The Third, Madagascar, Monsters vs. Aliens, Arthur Christmas and Over the Hedge.

Heroes of the City is produced by Swedish children’s entertainment production company Ruta Ett DVD AB and distributed by German TV distribution partner, Your Family Entertainment. The show has sold to more than 180 countries and production has already begun for the second season.

“The fact that Heroes of the City now is sold to more than 180 countries, shows that we are on the right track, and that we have made a TV series that is loved by children in preschool age regardless of which part of the world they live in,” says Pelle Ferner, CEO of Ruta Ett DVD AB.

The preschool toon centers on the adventures of Paulie Police Car, Fiona Fire Engine and their group of rescue vehicle pals in a small town where everyone gets to be a hero. The show delivers the positive message that everyone plays an important part and that working together can solve even the most difficult problems.

For more info, visit www.rutaett.com and www.baboonanimation.com.

Heroes of the City

January 25, 2013