M-Go, the digital content service joint venture of DreamWorks Animation and Technicolor has struck a content licensing deal with Starz Digital and launched in beta mode for users in the U.S. The latest arrangement will provide M-Go users access to such Starz content as Spartacus.
The latest content deal follows similar agreements with other big Hollywood players, including DWA, NBCUniversal’s film unit, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox, Warner Bros. Digital Distribution and Relativity Media.
M-Go was originally scheduled to launch by year’s end and allows consumers to easily rent or purchase new releases and catalog films on any device or platform. It promises “the people-friendliest” service and “day and date new release films, catch up television and back catalog film and TV shows.”
If M-go doesn’t have the content that a user is looking for, it will help people find it on other media stores, including Amazon.com, iTunes, Netflix and Vudu.
The good folks at Disney Junior have offered us a great behind-the-scenes preview of their upcoming new series Princess Sofia. Following its highly rated movie premiere, Disney’s newest animated star, Sofia the First will begin its series run on Friday, January 11 on Disney Channel at 9:30 a.m. and on Disney Junior at 5:30 p.m. Created for kids 2-7 and their parents/caregivers, Sofia the First tells the story of an ordinary girl who becomes a princess and, throughout her journey, learns that possessing the characteristics of a true princess – honesty, loyalty, compassion and grace – is what makes one truly royal.
It’s a new year, and time for more spanking-new hi-jinx on Cartoon Network’s Monday night mega-hits Adventure Time and Regular Show.
First up, on Monday, Jan. 7 at 7:30 p.m., Jake realizes that being a father and keeping his rainicorn pups from killing themselves or each other is a lot harder than he imagined! The fifth season of the show continues to bring light to the old and new colorful inhabitants of Ooo, including the return of the possibly redeemed Flame Princess, Jake and Lady Raincorn’s pups, and a second installment of the Fionna and Cake (derived from Finn and Jake) saga.
Then on the “TGI Tuesday” episode of Regular Show at 8 p.m., Mordecai, Rigby and Eileen try to celebrate Margaret’s new internship before she quits the coffee shop.
The next Adventure Time DVD Fionna and Cake 4 will debut on February 19. Regular Show Party Pack 3 is slated for March 5, 2013.
IFC will premiere a new animated series by former South Park director and producer Ryan Quincy on February 22. The show, which is called Out There, features the voices of Fred Armisen (Portlandia), Megan Mullally (Will and Grace) and Linda Cardinelli (Freaks and Geeks), as well as Quincy, who will voice the lead character, as mentioned in The Hollywood Reporter. The voice cast also includes Pamela Adlon (Louie, King of the Hill), John DiMaggio (Futurama), Kate Micucci (Raising Hope, Bored to Death) and Justin Roiland (Fish Hooks).
Out There centers on the residents of a small town of Holford and follows the lives of socially awkward Chad, younger brother Jay (Micucci) and best friend Chris (Roiland). DiMaggio and Mullally are Chad’s conservative parents and Armisen voices the “disastrous boyfriend” of Chris’ mom (Adlon). Cardinelli is Chad’s crush, Sharla.
“It was important to have these characters feel real,” said Quincy, who also writes and executive produces the show. “What I love so much about our cast is they are all amazing actors that can create funny, believable and endearing characters.”
The show is produced for IFC by 20th Century Fox TV and exec produced by King of the Hill‘s Tony Gama-Lobo and Rebecca May.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that nine scientific and technical achievements represented by 25 individual award recipients will be honored at its annual Scientific and Technical Awards Presentation at The Beverly Hills Hotel on Saturday, February 9, 2013.
Unlike other Academy Awards to be presented this year, achievements receiving Scientific and Technical Awards need not have been developed and introduced during 2012. Rather, the achievements must demonstrate a proven record of contributing significant value to the process of making motion pictures.
The Academy Awards for scientific and technical achievements are:
Technical Achievement Award (Academy Certificate)
To J.P. Lewis, Matt Cordner and Nickson Fong for the invention and publication of the Pose Space Deformation technique.
Pose Space Deformation (PSD) introduced the use of novel sparse data interpolation techniques to the task of shape interpolation. The controllability and ease of achieving artistic intent have led to PSD being a foundational technique in the creation of computer–generated characters.
To Lawrence Kesteloot, Drew Olbrich and Daniel Wexler for the creation of the Light system for computer graphics lighting at PDI/DreamWorks.
Virtually unchanged from its original incarnation over 15 years ago, Light is still in continuous use due to its emphasis on interactive responsiveness, final–quality interactive render preview, scalable architecture and powerful user–configurable spreadsheet interface.
To Steve LaVietes, Brian Hall and Jeremy Selan for the creation of the Katana computer graphics scene management and lighting software at Sony Pictures Imageworks.
Katana’s unique design, featuring a deferred evaluation procedural node–graph, provides a highly efficient lighting and rendering workflow. It allows artists to non–destructively edit scenes too complex to fit into computer memory, at scales ranging from a single object up to an entire detailed city.
To Theodore Kim, Nils Thuerey, Markus Gross and Doug James for the invention, publication and dissemination of Wavelet Turbulence software.
This technique allowed for fast, art–directable creation of highly detailed gas simulation, making it easier for the artist to control the appearance these effects in the final image.
To Richard Mall for the design and development of the Matthews Max Menace Arm.
Highly sophisticated and well–engineered, the Max Menace Arm is a safe and adjustable device that allows rapid, precise positioning of lighting fixtures, cameras or accessories. On–set or on location, this compact and highly portable structure is often used where access is limited due to restrictions on attaching equipment to existing surfaces.
Scientific and Engineering Award (Academy Plaque)
To Simon Clutterbuck, James Jacobs and Dr. Richard Dorling for the development of the Tissue Physically–Based Character Simulation Framework.
This framework faithfully and robustly simulates the effects of anatomical structures underlying a character’s skin. The resulting dynamic and secondary motions provide a new level of realism to computer–generated creatures.
To Dr. Philip McLauchlan, Allan Jaenicke, John–Paul Smith and Ross Shain for the creation of the Mocha planar tracking and rotoscoping software at Imagineer Systems Ltd.
Mocha provides robust planar–tracking even when there are no clearly defined points in the image. Its effectiveness, ease of use, and ability to exchange rotoscoping data with other image processing tools have resulted in widespread adoption of the software in the visual effects industry.
To Joe Murtha, William Frederick and Jim Markland of Anton/Bauer, Inc. for the design and creation of the CINE VCLX Portable Power System.
The CINE VCLX provides extended run–times and flexibility, allowing users to power cameras and other supplementary equipment required for production. This high–capacity battery system is also matched to the high–demand, always–on digital cinema cameras.
Academy Award® of Merit (Oscar® Statuette)
To Cooke Optics Limited for their continuing innovation in the design, development and manufacture of advanced camera lenses that have helped define the look of motion pictures over the last century.
Since their first series of motion picture lenses, Cooke Optics has continued to create optical innovations decade after decade. Producing what is commonly referred to as the “Cooke Look,” these lenses have often been the lens of choice for creative cinematographers worldwide.
Portions of the Scientific and Technical Awards Presentation will be included in the Oscar telecast on Sunday, Feb. 24.
Global toy manufacturer Sun-Mate has added new partners for DQE’s new 3D, CGI animated TV series The Jungle Book. The org is expanding its network of worldwide partners with the announcement of a slate of toy distributor agreements in key global territories. Sun-Mate president Rami Ben-Moshe confirmed five new international distributor agreements with Hunter Leisure, Australia; Flash Toys in Latin America; Haka, New Zealand; Prima Toys in South Africa; and SMC Entertainment for Benelux.
“We are so excited to have these exceptional international partners who are as committed to The Jungle Book brand as we are,” said Ben-Moshe. “Sun-Mate is dedicated to building this property into a universal brand and as we head to the forthcoming 2013 Hong Kong Toy Fair, New York Toy Fair, and Nuremberg Toy Fair, we look forward, with great anticipation, to announcing additional agreements and meeting with new partners at each of these important events.”
Sun-Mate’s is also the North American master toy licensee for “The Jungle Book” brand. SMC Entertainment Group, Inc. holds the North American rights for home entertainment, licensing, merchandising and promotional rights. SMC also secured the master toy rights for The Jungle Book for Australia and New Zealand and all licensing and merchandising rights for South Africa. DQ Entertainment (DQE) is the producer and global rights owners of new animated TV series.
The Jungle Book is a new 3D, CGI animated series, which offers a new take on the Rudyard Kipling classic tale, The show is currently airing in 165 countries across the globe, and has over 100 licensees worldwide in key categories of publishing, gaming, digital, apparel, accessories, home furnishings, back-to-school, games, puzzles, HBA, confections, amusement, Halloween other seasonal products and more.
Disney Junior’s hugely popular animated series Doc McStuffins has managed to deliver the goods in the U.K. as well. The animated preschool series Doc McStuffins has launched with record ratings on Disney Junior in the U.K., making it the channel’s number one series. Produced by Ireland’s Brown Bag Films, the series has been watched by 3.5 million viewers since its launch in October, making it the number one series on the cable network. The show’s U.K. success follows on its strong performance in the U.S., where the series became the number one preschool launch in cable TV history among adults and the top cable series among kids. The Doc McStuffins tie-in product line has also become the Disney Store’s fastest selling property for 2012. Top sellers include the Doc McStuffins talking plush and the Lambie Mini Bean Bag.
“The success of Doc McStuffins both here and the U.S. is testament to the fantastic storytelling and sensitive approach taken to highlighting what can be a daunting experience for our younger viewers when they visit the doctor,” says Boel Ferguson, VP and general manager of Disney Channels in the U.K. and Ireland. “We hope that as parents and their children watch the show together, it opens up family dialogue about the importance of good health and compassion. Doc is an aspirational character and a unique female role model for our younger viewers.”
Created by talented children’s programming veteran, the Emmy- and Humanitas-winner Chris Nee, the CG-animated property follows the adventures of an African-American girl named Doc who can talk to toys and help make them better. The series will begin its second season in the U.S. in later 2013.
Los Angeles-based animation studio Smash5 has launched its new web series titled Hell Yeah! in which Satan tries to get his old job back in Heaven.
“Satan is a down and out guy who lost his place at Jesus & Co. and is forced to live with a bunch of a*** in hell,” notes stated writer/director Sam Yousefian. “He’s always trying to get back but things never really work out for him. The latest episode includes a visit from the Flying Spaghetti Monster and the outrageous Pastafarian space pirates.”
Smash5 has released the first four episodes of the series on YouTube with additional episodes of Hell Yeah! and the upcoming Chicken Strips slates for release throughout 2013.
Hell Yeah!’s characters are rigged with bone structures and animated and controlled much like 3D characters. The final result is a 2D character that can be animated by any animation artist, regardless of drawing skills. Smash5 is releasing tutorials and templates for anyone interested to download and learn from.
The show also offers interactive experience through personalized response videos that allow viewers to interact with show creators, characters and submit photos and questions for future videos. Smash5’s first response video featured Jesus and Satan speaking directly to specific viewers and thanking them for subscribing to the Smash5 Youtube channel.
Founded in 2007, Smash5 Studios is a Los Angeles based animation studio catering to entertainment and advertising projects. Smash5 is expanding to create original content exclusively for Internet distribution and will be releasing multiple projects throughout 2013.
Walt Disney Animation Studios’ hit animated feature Wreck-It Ralph gets an early release on HD Digital and HD Digital 3D on February 12, 2013, followed by the 4-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack, 2-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD, SD Digital and On-Demand release on March 5, 2013, the studio announced today.
Directed by Rich Moore, the Annie and PGA award nominated pic, follows the adventures of 8-bit bad guy Ralph (voice of John C. Reilly) who embarks on an action-packed adventure and sets out to prove to everyone that he is a true hero with a big heart, aided by feisty sidekick Vanellope von Schweetz (Sarah Silverman). Jack McBrayer and Jane Lynch also co-star.
Over an hour of all-new bonus material is featured on the Digital and Blu-ray Combo Pack, including deleted and alternate scenes, Disney’s acclaimed theatrical short Paperman, plus much more. The home entertainment debut of Wreck-It Ralph will be available in multiple ways, containing exciting all-new bonus features that extend the fun-filled movie experience.
DVD Bonus Materials include:
* Bit by Bit: Creating the Worlds of Wreck-It Ralph – Fans of the film will get a look at five new worlds created for Wreck-It Ralph. The short takes viewers into Game Central Station with the artists who brought Sugar Rush, Hero’s Duty and Fix It Felix Jr. to life.
* Alternate & Deleted Scenes – Four separate scenes are highlighted with an introduction and optional audio commentary from director Rich Moore.
* Video Game Commercials – Viewers can check out the commercials created for the video games featured in the film – Fix It Felix Jr., Sugar Rush, Hero’s Duty and Fix It Felix Hammer.
* Paperman – This animated short film played in theaters before “Wreck It Ralph.” It tells the story of a young man in an office who sees the girl of his dreams in a skyscraper window across the street. But how can he get her attention?
Blu-ray Exclusive Bonus Materials includes
* Disney Intermission: The Gamer’s Guide to “Wreck-It-Ralph” – When the film is paused, host Chris Hardwick appears on screen to guide viewers through a series of 10 video segments offering an inside look at the many video game references, Disney references and other hidden surprises featured in the film.
It’s only the second day of the new year, and we already have more award season news about our favorite animated features. Today, we got word that the five animated features nominated for Producers Guild Awards are (drum roll please):
Brave
Brave(Disney/Pixar)
Producer: Katherine Sarafian
Frankenweenie
Frankenweenie(Disney)
Producers: Allison Abbate, Tim Burton
Rise of the Guardians(Paramount Pictures/DreamWorks)
Producers: Nancy Bernstein, Christina Steinberg
Wreck-It Ralph
Wreck-It Ralph(Disney)
Producer: Clark Spencer
This is very similar to the Golden Globes list, except for the omission of Sony’s Hotel Transylvania, which is replaced with Focus/LAIKA’s ParaNorman on the PGS noms. The PGA’s are a fairly reliable predictor of the Academy Awards, although last year, Pixar’s Cars 2 and Paramount’s The Adventures of Tintin did receive PGA noms and were replaced by the GKIDS’ surprise underdog nominees A Cat in Paris and Chico and Rita on the Oscar ballot.
The live-action movies up for PGA nominees this year are Argo, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Django Unchained, Les Miserables, Life of Pi, Lincoln, Moonrise Kingdom, Silver Linings Playbook, Skyfall and Zero Dark Thirty.
On the TV side, Disney Channel.’s Phineas and Ferb was the only animated show that landed a Best Children’s Program nomination. The long-running toon will compete with Disney’s Good Luck Charlie,’ Nick’s iCarly, PBS’ Sesame Streetand HBO’s The Weight of the Nation for Kids: The Great Cafeteria Takeover.
The new year in animation kicked off in gear in grand style as Pixar unveiled concept art for its upcoming movies. The studio offered up new images The Good Dinosaur (May 30, 2014), Untitled Pixar Movie That Takes You Inside the Mind (June 19, 2015) and the Dia de los Muertos movie (2016).
The Good Dinosaur
The Good Dinosaur. Director: Bob Peterson. What if the cataclysmic asteroid that forever changed life on Earth actually missed the planet completely and giant dinosaurs never became extinct? (May 30, 2014)
Untitled Pixar Movie That Takes You Inside the Mind
Untitled Pixar Movie That Takes You Inside the Mind. Director: Pete Docter (Up, Monsters, Inc.), Producer: Jonas Rivera (Up). The inventive new film will take you to a place that everyone knows, but no one has ever seen: the world inside the human mind. (June 19, 2015)
Dia de los Muertos
Dia de los Muertos. Director: Lee Unkrich, Producer: Darla K. Anderson. From the filmmaking team behind the Academy Award-winning Toy Story 3, comes a wholly original Pixar Animation Studios film that delves into the vibrant holiday of Día de los Muertos.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars celebrates its 100th episodes with a new installment that uncovers an elite Republic clone commando who has gone “Missing in Action,” airing Saturday, January 5th at 9:30am ET/PT on Cartoon Network.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars often focuses on the valiant and tireless clone troopers tasked to defend the Republic from darkness. The vivid personalities of these soldiers often challenge many assumptions about the nature of clones, and has created a roster of individual heroes. This tradition continues in the 100th broadcast episode, “Missing in Action,” with the intriguing addition of Gregor, a Republic clone commando suffering from amnesia who has seemingly forgotten his true nature.
Since its debut in 2008, Star Wars: The Clone Wars has pushed the boundaries of the epic Star Wars saga with high adventure, explosive action, and incredibly detailed animation usually reserved for the big screen. Created and executive produced by George Lucas, the series has continued the story of classic characters like Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, while adding new heroes, villains, rogues and sidekicks to the Star Wars mythos.
“Thanks to our partnership with Cartoon Network, we have been able to bring The Clone Wars into millions of homes not only in the United States, but around the world,” said Tom Quinn, Lucasfilm’s Head of Worldwide Distribution. “We appreciate the support they have given the series and their enthusiasm for the brand.”
Over the course of five seasons, Star Wars: The Clone Wars has featured elaborate and thrilling action sequences across exotic alien worlds, added to the lore of the Jedi and Sith while plumbing the deepest mysteries of the Force, revealed new surprises about classic movie icons like Obi-Wan, Boba Fett, Darth Maul and Chewbacca, and introduced new characters like Ahsoka Tano, Savage Opress, Cad Bane, and Clone Captain Rex that have grown into fan favorites. It has welcomed guest stars like Liam Neeson, Jon Favreau, Simon Pegg, Seth Green, Clancy Brown and David Tennant, while also making its core cast of talented actors fan-cherished additions to the Star Wars saga’s huge galaxy of stars.
Here are some quotes about the landmark series from the creative team who deliver the show week after week:
“From the start, the idea was to show that there were many more Star Wars stories left to tell after the six movies. We all love the Star Wars universe, and we wanted to keep it alive on-screen in a way that had never been done before. We looked at everything that had been created before us, going back to the original film in 1977, and we mined concept art, behind-the-scenes footage, comics, games, novels and brought it together with George’s guidance to make a series that jumps to every corner of his galaxy. I’m very proud of my crew, and all of Lucasfilm for being part of this series. I’m looking forward to what comes next. Seven years after Revenge of the Sith was in theaters, it’s never been a better time to be a Star Wars fan, as the best is yet to come!
— Dave Filoni, Supervising Director, Star Wars: The Clone Wars
“To produce 100 episodes of an animated series is a major milestone. But to produce them at the high level of quality of Star Wars: The Clone Wars is an incredible achievement. And it’s a testament to our amazing crew. They are some of the most talented, dedicated, hard-working and passionate people I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with and know. Being a part of making Star Wars and working closely with George Lucas has been an incredible experience and blessing. I truly feel this work will live on forever. Here’s to another 100 episodes!
— Cary Silver, Producer, Star Wars: The Clone Wars
“Star Wars – the movie I saw twelve times as a 17-year-old. The movie that began a cultural and creative universe that now spans generations. For me to be a part of this in The Clone Wars is a dream come true.”
— Clancy Brown, Highlander, The Shawshank Redemption and voice of Savage Opress in Star Wars: The Clone Wars
“The Clone Wars looks amazing and has incredibly dramatic performances from all of the characters. It’s really incredible to have this seamless expansion of the Star Wars universe.”
— Seth Green, Actor/Creator/Executive Producer
“It is an honor being a part of the phenomenon that is The Star Wars universe. A series that has changed so many people’s lives all across the globe. The Clone Wars has brought me great joy, playing female roles with great strength and creativity. I am so proud knowing that every week families have an action packed and inspiring show to enjoy together. May the Force be with us, always.”
— Jaime King, Sin City, Heart of Dixie and voice of Aurra Sing in The Clone Wars
“It’s a high honor to be a part of the Star Wars universe and such a long running show. Our talented writers, animators and cast of voice actors have made The Clone Wars truly unique. And of course we wouldn’t have hit 100 episodes had it not been for our incredibly dedicated fans that make this possible!”
— Matt Lanter, 90210 and the voice of Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: The Clone Wars
“Having grown up with Star Wars, I cannot describe the thrill of working with Dave and George in pushing this beloved modern myth into challenging and often risky areas. It’s an opportunity I wanted, but surely never thought I’d have. And more than that? Everyone is doing such great work! A barn full of wildly talented maniacs!”
— Sam Witwer, Being Human, Battlestar Galactica and the voice of Darth Maul in Star Wars: The Clone Wars
“The Clone Wars is Star Wars for a whole new generation. To be a part of it, let alone to be Obi-Wan Kenobi, is beyond awesome.”
— James Arnold Taylor, Johnny Test and voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars: The Clone Wars
“The milestone of 100 episodes is a reflection of the amazing work and dedication of the entire Clone Wars cast and crew. Being a part of this production has been an honor and privilege that has changed my life forever.”
— Ashley Eckstein, Founder of Her Universe and voice of Ahsoka Tano in Star Wars: The Clone Wars
“Star Wars: The Clone Wars is like nothing else on television. It makes me remember how much I loved Star Wars as a boy, and inspires me to love Star Wars all the more for the thrill, the fun, the heart and sheer inventive awesomeness. The Clone Wars is Star Wars, better than ever.”
— Dee Bradley Baker, American Dad and voice of the clones in Star Wars: The Clone Wars
“Back in 2005, when David Acord and I met Dave Filoni, he showed us a hand drawn video storyboard sequence of Anakin and his new apprentice leapfrogging battle droids and scaling a cliff with an AT-TE walker. Even from that humble sequence we could tell that this show was special. In between our geeking out over our love of Star Wars that day, Filoni asked, ‘I wonder if you guys wouldn’t mind adding some sound effects.’ Well, 100 episodes later we still share that bond, and we have all been able to put that love back into the show. We proudly hold this series in our hearts like we do the film saga.”
— Matthew Wood, Supervising Sound Editor and voice of General Grievous in Star Wars: The Clone Wars
“From the beginning, I think we all felt there was something truly special about The Clone Wars. I will be forever proud and grateful to have had the chance to be a part of this show. It has been an obscene amount of fun, I have met the most amazing fans and made friends for life in my Clone Wars family. Congratulations to the whole Clone Wars team on 100 beautiful episodes!”
— Catherine Taber, Star Wars: The Old Republic andvoice of Padmé Amidala in Star Wars: The Clone Wars
“I was a Star Wars fan long before I was a Star Wars actor, and to now be part of something that has completely re-energized the franchise, and to be entrusted to voice a character as beloved as Yoda… well, the word ‘humbled’ doesn’t do what I feel justice. Thank you to George, Dave, our stellar cast, everyone at Lucasfilm and the fans, for making this show matter.”
— Tom Kane, Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroesvoice of Yoda in Star Wars: The Clone Wars
TV fans were treated to a fun new spot promoting Pixar’s summer pic Monsters University during Tuesday’s Rose Bowl telecast (January 1st). The entertaining ad is a spin on the relentlessly positive spots created by colleges to promote their institutions. Disney/Pixar’s ad, which goes hand in hand with the immersive website for the fictitious college, promotes the school for non-humans. Directed by Dan Scanlon (Tracy, Mater and the Ghostlight), the movie features the voices of Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Julia Sweeney, Dave Foley and Peter Sohn, and will open on June 21.
If you think 2012 was a good year for animated movies, wait until you find out what the new year has in store for us. Of course, the accuracy of our little list of animated pics waiting in the wings is at the mercy of the studio gods, who love to play around with release dates. So we encourage you to check our updated features list on our website regularly for more news, pictures and up-to-the-minute trailers!
The Croods
The Croods. The first of DreamWorks’ 2013 triple hitter, Chris Sanders (How to Train Your Dragon, Lilo & Stitch) and Kirk DeMicco’s (Space Chimps) comedy/adventure centers on a prehistoric family who leave the comforts of their home for an awesome adventure. Showcases the voice talent of Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Nicolas Cage, Catherine Keener and the unstoppable Cloris Leachman. March 22
Epic
Epic. Based on the popular book by the multi-talented and Oscar-winning author/illustrator William Joyce (The Leaf Men), this great-looking adventure follows a young girl who finds herself transported to a deep forest where a battle between the forces of good and the forces of evil is taking place. Director Chris Wedge (Ice Age) and his ace team at Blue Sky Studios and a top-notch voice cast (Amanda Seyfried, Colin Farrell, Josh Hutcherson, Aziz Ansari, Christoph Waltz, Beyonce and Steven Tyler) add to the must-see quotient of this late spring release. May 24
Monsters University
Monsters University. Director Dan Scanlon and the A-list team at Pixar take us back to the college days of Mike (Billy Crystal) and Sulley (John Goodman) where they meet for the first time and dislike each other immediately. Steve Buscemi, Julia Sweeney, Dave Foley and Jennifer Tilly provide the voices of the rest of the colorful characters. June 21
Despicable Me 2
Despicable Me 2. The not-so-evil mastermind Gru (Steve Carell) is ready for his second big-screen adventure in this much-anticipated sequel, which also features the voices of Al Pacino, Russell Brand, Kristen Wiig, Miranda Cosgrove and Steve Coogan. Original directors Chris Renault and Pierre Coffin and scribes Ken Daurio and Cinco Paul are all back for Illumination’s summer escapade. July 3
Turbo
Turbo. A garden snail (Ryan Reynolds) pursues his dream of becoming a super speedy racer in this lively CG-animated features, directed by David Soren (Merry Madgascar). Samuel L. Jackson, Michelle Rodriguez, Paul Giamatti, Snoop Dog and Maya Rudolph round out the voice cast list. July 19
The Smurfs 2
The Smurfs 2. Director Raja Gosnell revisits the enchanted world of Peyo’s little blue creatures in this fun summer adventure from Sony Animation, which finds Gargamel casting a new spell which turns the real Smurfs into evil creatures called the Naughties. Most of the first film’s original cast returns and are joined by Christina Ricci, Anton Yelchin and J.B. Smoove. July 31
Justin and the Knights of Valour
Justin and the Knights of Valour. Spanish director Manuel Sicilia (The Missing Lynx) tells the story of a young boy who sets his sights on becoming a heroic knight. With the voices of Antonio Banderas, Saoirse Roanan, Freddie Highmore, Rupert Everett, Olivia Williams, Alfred Molina and Julie Walters. Animation by Banderas’ toon house Kandor Graphics. August 9 [U.K.]
Ernest & Celestine
Ernest & Celestine. This beautifully hand-drawn animated feature centers on the improbable friendship between a bear and a mouse, who learn how to realize their dreams and stand up to bigotry. Directed by Benjamin Renner (A Mouse’s Tale), Stéphane Aubier and Vincent Patar (A Town Called Panic), based on a best-selling series by French novelist Daniel Pennac. Fall 2013
Mr. Peabody and Sherman
Mr. Peabody and Sherman. Another classic TV toon becomes a big-screen CG extravaganza thanks to the team at DreamWorks Animation, led by director Rob Minkoff (The Lion King, Stuart Little). Showcases the voice talents of Ty Burrell (Modern Family) as genius dog Mr. Peabody and Max Charles as his young friend and fellow time traveler. Ariel Winter, Allison Janney and Stephen Colbert also lend their voices to this very promising project. Nov. 1
Frozen
Frozen. Hans Christian Andersen’s haunting fairy tale The Snow Queen gets the Disney feature treatment, thanks to veteran animator/director Chris Buck (Tarzan, Pocahontas) and screenwriter Shane Morris. Kristen Bell stars as the heroine of the tale, while Idina Menzel (Wicked) voices the Snow Queen. Peter Del Vecho (Winnie the Pooh, The Princess and the Frog) is producing the CG-animated pic, which was originally planned as a 2D project. Nov. 27
Dorothy of Oz
Dorothy of Oz. Originally slated for a 2012 release, this musical adaptation of Roger S. Baum’s sequel to the beloved classic is directed by Will Finn and Dan St. Pierre. With top-notch voice work by the amazing Patrick Stewart, Hugh Dancy, Megan Hilty, Bernadette Peters, Dan Aykroyd, Tom Kenny, Martin Short, and Lea Michelle in the titular role. Produced by Prana Studios and Summertime Entertainment. TBA
A Letter to Momo
A Letter to Momo. Written and directed by Hiroyuki Okiura (Cowboy Bebop: The Movie), this offbeat 2D feature follows a young girl who discovers mysterious creatures and events after she moves with her mother from Tokyo to the remote Japanese island of Shio. GKIDS is releasing the Production I.G pic in the U.S. TBA
Pinocchio
Pinocchio. Noted Italian animation helmer Enzo D’Alo offers a faithful 2D adaptation of the classic tale by Carlo Collodi about the wooden toy’s adventures, with animation produced by 2d3D, Cometa Film, Walking the Dog and Iris Productions. TBA
The Rabbi’s Cat
The Rabbi’s Cat. This award-winning French pic is set in Algiers during the 1920s and follows the whimsical tale of a clever cat who wants to convert to Judaism after he swallowing a parrot and begins to speak human! Directed by Joann Sfar and Antoine Delesvaux, from the acclaimed graphic novel by Sfar. GKIDS will release the pic in theaters after its Oscar-qualifying run in late 2012. TBA
Japan’s Asahi Productions will launch a new animated series titled Heroes: Legend of the Battle Disks in partnership with Spain’s Magic Box Toys at the Hong Kong Toys and Games Fair on January 7th.
Targeting 5 to 12-year-old boys, the 26 x half-hour series will make its TV debut on the Japanese series Anime On on January 22, 2013. The projected premiere date for the series is winter of 2013. Previous Asahi productions include Blue Drop (2007), Super Robot Wars Original Generation (2010) and Alice in the County of Hearts (2011).
The Walt Disney Company has re-upped its distribution agreement with Charter Communications, delivering customers content across TVs, computers, smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles and other Internet-enabled devices.
As part of the multi-year deal, Charter customers gain access to a range of services, including WATCH Disney Channel, WATCH Disney XD and WATCH Disney Junior, as well as the soon-to-launch WATCH ABC and WATCH ABC Family offerings. WatchESPN, which spans ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNU, ESPN Goal Line and ESPN Buzzer Beater, is also part of the pact. These authenticated services deliver customers access to live and VOD content, both in home and out of home. Disney-branded on-demand offerings—including Disney Channel On Demand, Disney Junior On Demand and Disney XD On Demand—are part of the agreement as well.
“This agreement enables us to offer our customers additional value, choice and convenience,” said Allan Singer, Charter’s senior VP of programming. “More and more content is being enjoyed on tablets and other Internet-connected devices, and today’s viewers are sharing their TV experiences in new ways. Our agreement with Disney enables more robust ways to enjoy and socialize TV.”
David Preschlack, the executive VP of affiliate sales and marketing at Disney & ESPN Networks Group, added, “Our agreement with Charter represents the sixth top ten distributor renewal encompassing Disney’s full suite of products and services. With this deal, Charter’s video customers will derive even greater benefit from the value of their multichannel subscription model, including 24/7 live access to our content via the WATCH Disney services and WatchESPN across more platforms than ever before, as well as other new and advanced services.”
Former Disney and Warner Bros. animator Leland “Lee” Hartman passed away at a nursing facility in Glen Hazel, PA on Dec. 24. He was diagnosed with dementia six years ago, shortly after losing his wife of 50 years, Elizabeth Hartman.
A former Navy veteran, Hartman worked at Disney Studios after studying at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. At Disney, he worked on the The Mickey Mouse Club TV series, Les Clark’s 1958 short Paul Bunyan, and the 1959 feature Sleeping Beauty. Upon his return to Pittsburgh, he also taught animation at the city’s Ivy School of Professional Art. He also directed numerous local animated commercials from the 1960s all the way to the 1990s, according to Joe Wos, executive director of Pittsburgh’s ToonSeum.
“A special source of pride to his family was a film he wrote, animated, produced and later sold called, The Story of the Christmas Toys, a labor of love ten years,” says Wos.
In the early 1990s, Hartman worked as a character layout artist on the Warner Bros. series Tiny Toon Adventures. Hartman also played a reporter/ghoul in the 1958 horror classic Night of the Living Dead.
Night of the Living Dead
“Lee often had strangers knock on his door to get his autograph because of the film’s huge cult following, and he always happily accommodated,” recalls Wos. “Lee was also known for other unusual creative pursuits, such as designing and building boats from scratch in his backyard – first a paddle boat, then a working replica of the Columbus ship, La Pinta.”
Hartman also published a collection of short stories titled The Darkendown Tales in 1997.
Part of Hartman’s art collection was donated to The Heinz History Center to be added to its archives. Most of the collection will be archived at the ToonSeum of Pittsburgh. A memorial service is also being planned at the ToonSeum for a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the Toonseum and/or the Heinz History Center to help preserve his legacy. (www.toonseum.org).
Toei Animation’s hit feature One Piece Film Z has earned 3.1 billion yen (about $36 million) during its first 10 days at the Japan box office since it opened on December 15. The 2D animated pic has sold selling a total of 2.6 million tickets, according to Nikkan Sports. During the recent three-day holiday weekend, the popular franchise made about $11.9 million at the box office and was the number one movie of the country for the second week in a row. New Year’s Eve ticket sales are poised expected to put the total over 7 billion yen ($82 million). The film’s box office total is now 136.9% more than 2009’s One Piece Film Strong World. One Piece Film Z is also the fastest domestic film to sell a million tickets this year.
The 11th film of the long-running hit anime series opened on 300 screens in Japan. Directed by Tatsuya Nagamine and exec produced by original show creator Eiichiro Oda, the 107-minute feature finds Luffy and the rest of the Straw Hat Crew fighting the evil forces of a legendary ex-Navy admiral called Zetoo, who wants to wipe out all pirates after stealing a powerful weapon known as Dynarock.
The One Piece manga was first introduced in Weekly Shonen Jump in August of 1997. It centers on the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy, young boy who develops supernatural abilities by eating a magical fruit, and his ragtag crew of heroic pirates, who set out to uncover a fantastic treasure. The first video based on the property was introduced in 1998 and the Toei series began its run in Japan in 1999. The series used to be part of Cartoon Network’s Toonami block, but now it airs on the anime PlayStation 3 streaming service Neon Alley (www.neonalley.com).
During a recent interview, Katsuhiro Ŏtomo said that he wished he had a time machine so that he could travel to different periods in history. With his new 12-minute, animated short Combustible, the widely revered director of films such as Akira (1988) and Steamboy (2004), allows his audience to travel back 300 years to the Edo era (1603-1868) of Japan.
“I’ve always wanted to create a story about Edo,” he tells Animag. “The theme of this work is based around classic tales from the Edo era such as Yaoya Oshichi and the comic Kaji Musuko, which are commonly used for Kabuki or Joruri programs. I wanted to take that old theme that we used to have in Japan 300 years ago, and describe with recent technologies, in anime form.”
The beautifully crafted shorts visits different stages in the lives of two characters who grew up as childhood friends, fall for each other as teens, become separated as adults, and are reunited under difficult circumstances. Combustible is one of ten shorts that have made the Oscar shortlist this year, and was recently screened at the Platform Animation Festival in Los Angeles, where Ŏtomo received a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Ŏtomo says he developed the project as a short because it was difficult to get a greenlight for a feature film set in the Edo period.
Combustible
“In Japan, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to develop a project based on an original screenplay,” he says. “Of course, I don’t believe this is only limited to just Japan.”
It took his team of 11 about a year to develop the short—six devoted their time to drawing while the other five were tasked with the other visual aspects. The animation—which is a mix of CG and hand-drawn was completed at studio located in the Ogikubo neighborhood of Tokyo.
“We relied on CG in order to complete the project within the development period,” says Ŏtomo. “The mob scenes, special effects and some of the other more detailed tasks would take a long time to animate had we chosen to do all of it with hand-drawn animation.”
Authentic Details
Looking back t the short, Ŏtomo says he is quite pleased with how they were able to recreate the atmosphere of the Edo period through the clothing, hairstyles, architecture and other details. He adds, however, that the most challenging aspect of the job was handling the CG animation.
Combustible
He explains, “We didn’t have any experience CG animators on our staff, so we had to do a lot of retakes to complete the job.”
Although he says he sometimes finds inspiration in real-life events and political situations, the 58-year-old artist admits that he prefers working on fantasies.
“Not everything in current events makes for a good story—for example, we had a big earthquake two years ago in Japan,” he told Anime News Network recently. “I was very shocked, but despite everything that happened, I’m not convinced anyone will be able to make a good work of fiction out of it. Some artists have already started drawing, but they’ve stuck mostly to accounts of what actually happened in Japan.”
When asked about the lasting impact of Akira, his cyberpunk classic on the next generation of filmmakers, Ŏtomo says he’s happy that audiences continue to appreciate his early work.
Katsuhiro Ŏtomo
“As for the live-action version of the film, I’m not involved with it at all. I drew the original manga, directed the anime, and I believe I did everything I could do for it. However, it’s important to move on.”
A fan of classic movies such as Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey and Nicholas Ray’s Rebel Without a Cause, believes it’s become harder and harder to direct features in Japan.
“Maybe some of the difficulties in the business world are the result of the earthquake, and everything else that is happening over there,” he says. “But it’s not easy to get sponsors from the corporate world to produce animation today.”
So how does he think aspiring filmmakers and animators should prepare for their careers?
“Watch lots of the masterpieces that have been made in the past,” says the wise artist.
As we approach the final moments of 2012, we’d like to take this opportunity to remember and honor all the talented men and women of the animation and vfx community who passed away during this year. Animation Guild, ASIFA and Women in Animaton will host the annual afternoon of remembrance on March 3rd this year, at the Hollywood Heritage Museum (Lasky-DeMille Barn, 2100 N. Highland Ave, Across from the Hollywood Bowl).
Gerry Anderson, 83, creator of Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet, UFO
Frank Andrina, 83, TV animation director
Iris Beckerman, animator, ASIFA east board member, wife of Harold Beckerman
Jan Berenstain, 88, co-creator of The Berenstain Bears
Lucille Bliss, 96, actress, voice of Smurfette, Crusader Rabbit
Ernest Borgnine, 95, actor, voice of Mermaidman on SpongeBob SquarePants
Dave Borthwick, director, Secret Adventures of Tom Thumb, Doogal
Jack Bosson, artist, animator instructor at Woodbury and Gnomon
Ray Bradbury, 91, renowned fantasy author, Farenheit 451, Something Wicked This Way Comes.
Dave Brubeck, 91, composer, This Is America, Charlie Brown
Richard “Kip” Carpenter, 82, screenwriter, The Borrowers, Famous Five
Ernie Chan, 71, artist, The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest
Kristin “Casey” Clayton, special effects painter and final checker for Disney, Filmation and Hanna-Barbera
John Coates, 84, animation producer, The Snowman, When the Wind Blows
Franco Cristofani, animation director, The Chipmunks, Fat Albert
Tissa David, 91 animator, teacher, Raggedy Ann & Andy, Abel’s Island
Patricia Disney, 77, former wife of Roy Disney
Jim Duffy, TV animation producer, Rugrats, G.I. Joe, Jem, Captain Planet
Jake Eberts, 71, producer, Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, The Dark Knight,
Ethel Falkenberg, ink and paint supervisor, The Beatles, Tubby the Tuba
Jean “Moebius” Giraud, 73, comic artist, Blueberry, Arzach
Edd Gould, artist and animator, 24, Eddsworld
Karen Greslie, 68, animation color stylist, PowerPuff Girls, Samurai Jack
Jim Hiltz, 85, TV director/storyboard artist, Rocky and His Friends, George of the Jungle,
Daphne Huntington, 87, artist, Goober and the Ghost Chasers
Fyodor Khitruk, 95, director and animator, Winnie the Pooh, The Lion and the Bull
Thomas Kinkade, 54, artist, Fire and Ice
Peter Kranjcevich, 36, technical director, Tinker Bell, Kim Possible, Titan A.E.
Joe Kubert, 85, comic-book artist, Sgt. Rock
Bob Lambert, 55, Disney digital pioneer,
Ken Landau, 86, layout artist, Smurfs, The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo, Pac-Man, Super Friends,
Don Markstein, 65, author and creator of Toonpedia
Rusty Mills, 49, TV producer/director/storyboard artist, Pinky and the Brain, Animaniacs, Tiny Toon Adventures
Sheldon Moldoff, 92, DC comic-book artist, Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Batman
Eileen Moran, 60, visual effects produce, Avatar, The Lord of the Rings trilogy
Connie Morgan, artist, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Heavy Traffic, Popeye TV series
Keiji Nakazawa, 73, manga artist/writer, Barefoot Gen, Hadashi no Gen
Mark Nelson, 59, writer, The Real Ghostbusters, Smurfs, G.I. Joe
Margaret Nichols, 82, film and TV animator/director, The Transformers, Smurfs, The Black Cauldron, The Muppet Babies, Rescuers Down Under, The Little Mermaid
Rod Parkes, 70, animator, Charlotte’s Web, Archie’s Fun House, Hong Kong Phooey, Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt Hour
Bretislav Pojar, 89, stop-motion director, The Lion and the Song, The Bear
Buzz Potamkin, 66, TV animation producer, Johnny Bravo, Dexter’s Laboratory, Cow and Chicken
Al Rio, 49, comic-book artist, Gen and DV8, animation director, Disney’s Aladdin TV series
Geri Rochon, 62, animation supervisor, The Angry Beavers, Starchaser: The Legend of Orin
Ken Sansom, 85, voice of Rabbit, Winnie the Pooh movies and TV series, 1988-2007
Maurice Sendak, 83, author/producer, Where the Wild Things Are, Little Bear, George and Martha, Seven Little Monsters, Really Rosie
Mel Shaw, 97, Disney animator, visual development artist, Fantasia, Bambi, The Wind in the Willows, The Rescuers, The Great Mouse Detective
Robert B. Sherman, 87, songwriter, Mary Poppins, The Aristocats, The Jungle Book
Jose Silverio, storyboard revisionist/animation checker Dora the Explorer, The Ren & Stimpy Show,
Marcia Sinclair, 89, inker/painter, The Prince and the Pauper, Animation Guild board member
Dan Thompson, animation director/producer, G.I. Joe, Rugrats, Jem, Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Tiny Toon Adventures, As Told By Ginger
Ken Walker, 91, animator, The Prince and The Pauper, Cool World, The Great Grape Ape Show
Manon Washburn, 89, ink & paint artist, A Boy Named Charlie Brown, Bravestarr: The Legend, The Secret of NIMH, Snoopy Come Home, Wizards
Run Wrake, 49, animator/director, Rabbit, Stop for a Minute
(Thanks to Tom Sito and Jerry Beck for helping us with this list.)
