Animation Magazine

Author: Ryan Ball

  • Nick, DreamWorks Making TV

    Nickelodeon and DreamWorks Animation have teamed to develop weekly animated series based on the 2005 DreamWorks release Madagascar and the upcoming CG feature Kung Fu Panda, according to Daily Variety. DreamWorks Animation previously ventured into CG-animated television with the expensive and short-lived series Father of the Pride, which was abruptly shelved in November of 2004. This time, Nickelodeon will reportedly handle most of the production duties.

    The Madagascar-based series will actually be a spin-off focused on the penguin characters, which were the stars of their own holiday-themed DreamWorks short film. Paul Rugg (Freakazoid!) is scripting the pilot. Meanwhile, Nickelodeon will apparently wait to see what happens with the May 2008 debut of Kung Fu Panda before it makes a series order. Tom Martin, who has written for The Simpsons, has been hired to write the pilot.

    Set in ancient China, Kung Fu Panda centers on Po the Panda (voiced by Jack Black), a lowly waiter in a noodle restaurant who gets a chance to take his martial arts fanaticism to a whole new level when a prophesy names him the “Chosen One” to protect his land from powerful enemies. Angelina Jolie will play Tigress, one of the martial arts masters who undertake the seemingly impossible task of transforming the slacker into a lethal weapon. The voice cast also includes Jackie Chan, Lucy Liu, Dustin Hoffman and Ian McShane. John Stevenson and Mark Osborne (Father of the Pride) are directing and Melissa Cobb is producing the feature.

    DreamWorks principal Jeffrey Katzenberg tells the trade that the team at Nick Studios has been working closely with the talent involved with the two films but will be given the freedom to make the properties their own for television.

  • Flushed Away Game Hits Stores

    A week before the release of DreamWorks Animation and Aardman Animations’ new CG-animated feature, D3Publisher of America Inc. has announced the retail debut of the Flushed Away video game. Like the movie, the interactive title explores an imaginative version of London’s sewer system as a spoiled, high-rise dwelling rat learns how the other half lives. Players encounter various enemies, waterfalls and traps as they work to thwart the evil plans of the villainous Toad.

    The game casts players as of one of three characters in the film ‘ Roddy (voiced by Hugh Jackman in the film), the beautiful, street-smart Rita (Kate Winslet) and the Jammy Dodger, Rita’s boat which has a unique personality of its own. Navigating more than 10 levels and a number of mini-games, gamers can utilize such weapons as a rat trap catapult, a cocktail sword, pudding mix and other items found in the sewer to defeat enemies and dodge floating debris.

    ‘We have worked closely with DreamWorks and Aardman to authentically bring the humor of the Flushed Away film and the personalities of its characters to life in our game,” says Careen Yapp, VP of licensing and business development for D3PA. “Flushed Away offers a gameplay experience that children as well as adults will enjoy.”

    Flushed Away was developed by Monkey Bar Games for PlayStation 2 and Nintendo GameCube, while Art Co. Ltd handled the title for Nintendo DS and Altron Corp. created the Game Boy Advance version. Featuring cartoon violence, the title is rated “E” for Everyone and is available for a suggested retail price of $29.95.

  • Simpsons ‘Treehouse’ Critiques Iraq War

    The annual ‘Treehouse of Horror’ Halloween episode of FOX’s The Simpsons will parody the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq, according to a report by ABCNews.com. What’s more, the special is scheduled to air the first week of November, just before the midterm congressional election.

    While the writers of The Simpsons have never shied away from politics, one segment of the upcoming broadcast will be particularly critical of the war in Iraq, judging by specific lines of dialogue cited by ABC News. Titled ‘The Day the Earth Was Stupid,’ the segment recalls the panic caused by Orson Welles’ 1938 radio broadcast of H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds, only this time aliens Kang and Kodos capitalize on the confusion by invading Springfield. At one point, Kang says, “Well, the Earthlings continue to resent our presence. You said we’d be greeted as liberators!” Kodos replies, “Don’t worry, we still have the people’s hearts and minds.” He then holds up a brain and a heart.

    The extra-terrestrials continue to debate the decision to launch ‘Operation Enduring Occupation’ and make references to ‘weapons of mass disintegration.” And if all that was too subtle, Kang, looking over the ruins of Springfield, delivers the final line: “This sure is a lot like Iraq will be.”

    Simpsons exec producer Al Jean is quoted saying the line may end up being cut from the actual broadcast, but not because FOX and its ultra-conservative chairman, Rupert Murdoch, has beef with it. Some of the show’s writers reportedly want it taken out because the parallels between the storyline and the real war are obvious enough.

    Jean also denies that the episode is intended to influence votes in the midterm election, noting that episodes are often written a year in advance and that the majority of Americans already agree with the sentiments expressed in this latest visit to the Treehouse.

  • Monster, Creature Comforts Hit Home

    Just in time for Halloween, Warner Bros.’ CG-animated feature Monster House makes its home video debut today. Released in July, the $75 million spooky comedy took in just north of $73 million domestically and sacred up more than $133 million worldwide. Perhaps best suited for the fall frame, the flick should be a popular holiday viewing option for kids not quite old enough for the gory exploits of Michael Meyers or Jigsaw. Meanwhile, people of all ages can enjoy three individual releases of Aardman Animations’ popular British TV series Creature Comforts from Sony, which also gives us the classic British animated short The Snowman on disc.

    Created with Sony Pictures Imageworks’ Performance Capture technology, Monster House is the feature directorial debut of UCLA Spotlight Award winner Gil Kenan. The supernatural comedy-adventure centers on three kids who venture across the street to a mysterious house that they believe to be alive. The film is produced by Steven Spielberg and Robert Zemeckis, the film features the voices of Steve Buscemi, Nick Cannon, Matthew Fahey, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jon Heder, Kevin James, Jason Lee, Ryan Newman, Catherine O’Hara, Kathleen Turner and Fred Willard.

    DVD extras include the seven featurettes Imaginary Heroes, Beginner’s Luck, The Best of Friends, Lots of Dots, Black Box Theater, Making It Real and Did You Hear That? There is also a multi-angle exploration of the evolution of the ‘Eliza vs. Nebbercracker” scene, filmmaker commentary, a look at the art of the film, a photo gallery and DVD-ROM games, downloads and activities. The Sony release carries a suggested retail price of $28.95.

    All 12 episodes from the second season of Aardman’s BBC series Creature Comforts are available on two discs. For $24.96, fans also get a featurette titled Eyeballs and Fish-lips: The Making of Creature Comforts, as well as a look at the people behind the puppets and the bonus toon Animated Conversation’Countryside Code Short. Also released by Sony today are the mocumentary Creature Comforts: Merry Christmas, Everybody ($9.95) and Creature Comforts: Seasons 1 & 2, a three-disc set that also includes Merry Christmas, Everybody ($40.95).

    Speaking of Christmas, Sony wants to complement your holiday DVD collection with John Coates’ Academy Award-nominated, BAFTA-winning animated short The Snowman. Narrated by music icon David Bowie, this adaptation of the classic wordless children’s book by Raymond Briggs has been broadcast in more than 100 countries worldwide and has been shown every Christmas on Channel 4 since it’s debut in 1982. The release is priced to own at $9.99.

  • Warner Bros., SNL Superheroes on Disc

    There’s more Warner Bros. animated superhero action available on home video today as the company releases Batman Beyond: Season 2, Justice League Unlimited Season 1 and Krypto, the Superdog: Volume 2. Superheroes of an entirely different breed are featured in Saturday Night Live: The Best of Saturday TV Funhouse, a compilation of adult cartoons from Emmy-winning SNL writer Robert Smigel.

    In Batman Beyond, an aging Bruce Wayne hands the role of Batman down to troubled teen Terry McGinnis, whose father was murdered by the new head of Wayne Enterprises. This Batman is leaner and wears a high-tech suit that is all black save for a bright red bat on the chest. The four-disc DVD set contains all 26 episodes from the second season, as well as commentary and a panel discussion with some of the show’s creators. Fans can pick it up for the list price of $44.98.

    Batman is also featured in Justice League Unlimited Season 1, a four-disc set with 26 episodes for the 2001 show featuring a conglomerate of DC Comics favorites. Bonus materials include commentary by producer Bruce Timm and others on the episodes “This Little Piggy” and “The Return”; a featurette discussing the revamping of the show, new characters and a new direction; and an interactive featurette titled Themes of Justice. The set carries a suggested retail price of $44.98.

    Superman’s canine pal takes center stage in Krypto, the Superdog: Volume 2. The disc contains five episodes of the Cartoon Network comedy series for younger kids. In this cartoon throwback, Kal-El’s pooch jettisons to Earth after orbiting countless years in space as a test-pilot aboard a malfunctioning rocketship built by Jor-El. Having landed, the super pup finds companionship in a young boy named Kevin Whitney and together they combat threats to the safety and well-being of the people and animals of Metropolis. The release includes an extra feature titled Power Up!, a rundown of Krypto’s Special Powers, and lists for $14.98.

    Saturday Night Live: The Best of Saturday TV Funhouse features classic installments of The Ambiguously Gay Duo, The X-Presidents, Saddam and Osama and Fun with Real Audio, as well as animated appearances by Michael Jackson and Oprah. The irreverent toons were initially animated by JJ Sedelmaier Prods. and later picked up by Wachtenheim & Marianetti.

    On the DVD, Smigel provides commentaries along with members of the animation teams including David Wachtenheim, Robert Marianetti and JJ Sedelmaier. Also commenting are Gay Duo voicers Steve Carell and Stephen Colbert, and many celebrities who’ve been parodied on Funhouse including Mr. T, Al Franken, Bryant Gumbel, Ladysmith Black Mambazo and James Carville. Other bonus features include original art, storyboards and more than an hour of additional, un-cut cartoons, some of which have never aired on TV. The Universal Studios Home Entertainment release lists for $19.98

  • Gunbuster to Make DVD Debut

    North American home entertainment company Image Ent. has teamed with leading Japanese animation company Bandai Visual USA to release the 1988 anime series Gunbuster on DVD for the first time. The show is being re-mastered in HD with newly translated English subtitles under the supervision of the original producers for its Feb. 20 debut.

    Gunbuster marks the directorial debut of acclaimed anime creator Hideaki Anno (Neon Genesis Evangelion, Nadia: Secret of Blue Water, Cutie Honey, His and Her Circumstances). Animated by toon studio Gainx, the epic series follows a young girl’s struggle to pilot the ultimate weapon during an interstellar naval war.

    The Gunbuster DVD set will contain all six episodes on 3 discs. Fans will also get a 24-page color booklet and 30 minutes of bonus clips, as well as deluxe art box imported from Japan. It will carry a suggested retail price of $64.99. More information is available at www.bandaivisual.us/gunbuster.

  • Zoic Snags Vfx Supervisor Lima

    Award-winning Visual effects house Zoic Studios has welcomed among its ranks visual effects supervisor Jim Lima. And award winner himself, Lima has worked with Stephen Spielberg on a number of projects, including the Emmy-winning SCI-FI Channel miniseries Taken. He first worked with Zoic on the pilot episode of the hit FOX medical mystery series House, which was directed by Bryan Singer.

    Lima began his film career as the visual effects art director on the Arnold Schwarzenegger blockbuster Total Recall, and got his first supervising gig on Spielberg’s NBC series Seaquest DSV, one of the first TV series to use computer graphics exclusively for visual effects. He also designed and supervised the effects on James Cameron’s Strange Days and Ivan Reitman and Joe Pytka’s Space Jam. He returned to television for Spielberg on the critically acclaimed NBC series The Others, simultaneously tackling the roles of production designer, visual effects supervisor and 2nd unit director.

    “From Spielberg I learned to be bold,” says Lima, “while Cameron taught me to start with design and use the rules and logic of the basic concept to explore new approaches. I apply these ideals to all projects, whether features, episodic television or commercials.”

    ‘Perhaps the most important job a visual effects supervisor does is to help writers and directors realize their vision in art,’ says Zoic co-founder/ creative director Loni Peristere. ‘Jim is that perfect artisan who not only can talk our creative partners through the process, but uses all mediums to conceptualize an idea from the page to the screen.”

    Zoic Studio has worked on such feature films as the Joss Whedon-directed Serenity, Judd Apatow’s Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby and the upcoming Marcus Nispel Viking epic Pathfinder. The company’s television credits include episodes CSI: Miami, 24 Blade and Eureka, as well commercials for Mini Cooper, HP, VW, Slim Jim, Xbox and Playstation2. More information can be found at www.zoicstudios.com.

  • X-Men Book Signing in L.A.

    Frequent Animation Magazine contributor Michael Mallory will be at Barnes & Noble at the Grove in Los Angeles on Saturday, No. 4, signing his new book X-Men: The Characters and Their Universe. The signing will begin at 4 p.m.

    Mallory’s previous books on animation include Hanna-Barbera Cartoons and Marvel: The Characters and Their Universe. A follow-up to the Marvel book, X-Men: The Characters and Their Universe applies the same approach of examining how the classic comic-book superhero characters have fared in their translation to film, television and animation.

    Barnes & Noble at the Grove is located at 189 The Grove Drive in Los Angeles, near the Farmer’s Market. For more information on Michael Mallory and his work, go to www.michaelmallory.com.

  • Comedy Central Makes Friends with Test Pilot

    Comedy Central has named Wade Randolph’s animated series Awesome Friends the first winner of its user-generated content contest dubbed ‘Test Pilots.’ The quirky toon about a sneaker-wearing dog-and-cat odd couple earned Randolph a production deal that will see six-episodes created for the network’s MotherLoad broadband channel. The series will reportedly debut sometime next year.

    Awesome Friends won out over approximately 2,500 submissions. Sponsored by Amp’d Mobile, Test Pilots has Comedy Central staff members pick their favorite submissions, which were then subject to online voting. Awesome Friends was voted through to the finals and chosen by network execs.

    With its crude animation, absurd dialogue and stoner tone, Awesome Friends bares an uncanny resemblance to Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim offering, 12oz. Mouse, which may hurt its chances of graduating to Comedy Central’s TV lineup. In addition to generating content for its broadband activities, the Test Pilots contest is a way for Comedy Central to discover new talent for possible broadcast deals. The network, which recently added Freak Show from David Cross and H. Jon Benjamin to its lineup, is particularly keen on animation since South Park remains its highest-rated show and Drawn Together continues to pull solid ratings.

  • Nightmare Does Scary Biz in 3D

    Disney’s stereoscopic 3D version of Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas scared up an impressive $3.28 million in just 168 theaters over the weekend, averaging nearly $20,000 per screen. The film debuted at No. 12 but would have surely made the top 10 had it opened wider. Though its berth is limited by the number of theaters equipped for 3D projection, it could stand to add some engagements this weekend to fully take advantage of the Halloween holiday.

    Converted to 3D by leading vfx house Industrial Light & Magic, The Nightmare Before Christmas is back in cinemas for the first time since its 1993 debut. Its performance in limited release shows that the film has potential as a theatrical tradition that could have legs throughout the holiday season since the storyline interweaves Halloween and Christmas.

    Nightmare‘s biggest weekend competition was Sony’s Open Season, which is hanging tight at No. 4 in its fourth week of release. The CG family flick earned an estimated $8 million to bring its grand total to nearly $70 million. By the end of its theatrical run, the movie should recover most, if not all, of its $85 million production budget and turn a tidy profit on home video in a few months.

    The top-grossing movie in North America was Buena Vista’s period thriller The Prestige, which stars Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale as rival magicians who become engaged in a deadly game of one-upsmanship. The film earned an estimated $14.8 million, edging Warner Bros.’ The Departed out of the No. 1 spot. The Martin Scorsese crime pic slipped to No. 2 in its second week with approximately $13.6 million and a cumulative take of just over $77 million.

    Clint Eastwood’s Flags of Our Fathers offered a disappointing third-place start for DreamWorks and Paramount. The $90 examination of WWII heroism brought in an estimated $10.2 million in its debut outing but may get extended mileage come Oscar time. Rounding out the top five is 20th Century Fox’s modestly budgeted live-action family film Flicka, which rode off with approximately $7.7 million.

  • Co-Promo for Robot Chicken, PlayStation 3

    Cartoon Network’s late-night animation block, Adult Swim, and Sony are kicking off a co-branded promotion that will hype the hit animated series Robot Chicken along with the highly anticipated Nov. 17 release of the PlayStation 3 net-generation video-game console. In addition to spots on the network, the initiative will extend to the Adult Swim Fix broadband channel, Adult Swim Video-on-Demand, adultswim.com. A national consumer contest will even have one lucky winner make an animated cameo in a third-season episode of Robot Chicken.

    ‘This custom PlayStation promotion was designed to reach consumers on every level of interaction with Adult Swim’s brand,’ comments Phyllis Ehrlich, senior VP of Adult Swim and Cartoon Network Promotions Marketing. ‘We are also encouraging interaction between the brands by driving viewers to the ‘What Would You Do to be on Robot Chicken and Win a PlayStation3? Contest,’ the ultimate viewer opportunity.’

    ‘One of the biggest assets of our show is the guest appearances,’ adds Robot Chicken co-creator, writer, director and co-exec producer Seth Green. ‘It’s great that we are going to be able to give a fan the complete Robot Chicken treatment.’

    Today, Oct. 23, saw the launch of adultswim.com’s PlayStation 3 micro site, which features streaming video, PlayStation 3 product information, branded links and a place to enter the What Would You Do to be on Robot Chicken and Win a PlayStation3? Contest. Fans are asked to submit a comedic home video of what they would do to win a role on Robot Chicken and a PlayStation 3 system. Secondary prize winners will each receive one of the new gaming consoles.

    Contest submissions will be received until Dec. 31, at which time adultswim.com will update the micro site to feature the winning entries and a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the winner’s action-figure and Robot Chicken sketches.

    Since February of 2005, Robot Chicken has been using stop-motion animation and action figures to parody, films, television, celebrities and all things associated with pop-culture. The 15-minute series is currently in its second season and all 20 episodes of the first season are available DVD.

  • School in Session for Casper

    The all-new, CG-animated Halloween special Casper’s Scare School premieres on Cartoon Newtork tonight, Oct. 20, at 7 p.m. Eastern. Produced by Classic Media and animated by Crest Animation in India, the movie featuring new songs from Captain and Tennile, and a voice cast that includes Bob Saget, Jim Belushi, Phyllis Diller and Dan Castellaneta (the voice of Homer Simpson). An encore presentation will air on Monday, Oct. 23 at 7 p.m.

    In Casper’s Scare School, our transparent little hero must learn to start scaring the ‘fleshies’ or suffer the consequences. To get in touch with his spooky side, he enrolls in a special school but soon learns that the two-headed headmaster (Saget and Belushi) has plans to take over the world. Armed with the power of friendliness, Casper must foil the evil plot with some help from Ra, a mummy with unraveling issues, and Martha, a zombie who can’t keep her limbs on. Diller, who lent her voice to the Rankin & Bass classic Mad Monster Party, plays Aunt Spitzy here, while Castellaneta voices the role of Casper’s Uncle Stinky.

    The fim is produced by Classic Media’s Evan Baily and Bob Mittenthal, Ralph Guggenheim of Alligator Planet and Sandra Walters of Kapow Pictures. The director is award-winning filmmaker Mark Gravas, creator and director of Nickelodeon’s animated TV series Yakkity Yak (and Walters’ partner in Kapow Pictures). The screenplay was written by Andrew Nicholls and Darrell Vickers from a story by Kirk DeMicco and Mittenthal. Classic Media chairman and CEO Eric Ellenbogen is exec producer.

    It was recently announced that Classic Media has teamed with Moonscoop and India’s DQ Ent. to produce a new 52×11 Casper series, which is set to commence production in February 2007. The animated show will continue the adventures of the classic comic-book and cartoon character created by Seymour Reit and Joe Oriolo in 1945.

  • School in Session for Casper

    The all-new, CG-animated Halloween special Casper’s Scare School premieres on Cartoon Newtork tonight, Oct. 20, at 7 p.m. Eastern. Produced by Classic Media and animated by Crest Animation in India, the movie features new songs from The Captain and Tennille, and a voice cast that includes Bob Saget, Jim Belushi, Phyllis Diller and Dan Castellaneta (the voice of Homer Simpson). An encore presentation will air on Monday, Oct. 23 at 7 p.m.

    In Casper’s Scare School, our transparent little hero must learn to start scaring the ‘fleshies’ or suffer the consequences. To get in touch with his spooky side, he enrolls in a special school but soon learns that the two-headed headmaster (Saget and Belushi) has plans to take over the world. Armed with the power of friendliness, Casper must foil the evil plot with some help from Ra, a mummy with unraveling issues, and Martha, a zombie who can’t keep her limbs on. Diller, who lent her voice to the Rankin & Bass classic Mad Monster Party, plays Aunt Spitzy here, while Castellaneta voices the role of Casper’s Uncle Stinky.

    The fim is produced by Classic Media’s Evan Baily and Bob Mittenthal, Ralph Guggenheim of Alligator Planet and Sandra Walters of Kapow Pictures. The director is award-winning filmmaker Mark Gravas, creator and director of Nickelodeon’s animated TV series Yakkity Yak (and Walters’ partner in Kapow Pictures). The screenplay was written by Andrew Nicholls and Darrell Vickers from a story by Kirk DeMicco and Mittenthal. Classic Media chairman and CEO Eric Ellenbogen is exec producer.

    The project marks the feature-film debut of visual effects studio Guava (www.guavanyc.com). Vfx supervisor Alex Catchpoole completed 20 shots for the movie, adding smoke to several shots, digitally re-lighting several scenes and adding lens distortion and digital broken glass to a telescope shot. The computer-animated film was finished in HD.

    It was recently announced that Classic Media has teamed with Moonscoop and India’s DQ Ent. to produce a new 52×11 Casper series, which is set to commence production in February 2007. The animated show will continue the adventures of the classic comic-book and cartoon character created by Seymour Reit and Joe Oriolo in 1945.

  • Nightmare Pops Off the Screen

    Thirteen years after it first debuted in theaters Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas is back with a vengeance. And by vengeance we mean a stereoscopic 3D version crafted by those trickers and treaters at Industrial Light & Magic and produced by Disney veterran Don Hahn (The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast). The perennial stop-motion holiday favorite leaps off of 168 screens across North America today.

    Produced by Tim Burton and directed by Henry Selick (James and the Giant Peach, Monkeybone), The Nightmare Before Christmas tells the tale of Jack Skellington, a hero in Halloween Town who decides one year that he would like to play Santa Claus for a change. When the plan goes horribly wrong, Jack and love interest Sally must save Christmas by rescuing the real Santa from the clutches of the evil Oogie Boogie.

    Both Burton and Selick were peripherally involved with the process of re-mastering the film in 3D. With computer-generated features such as Diney’s Chicken Little, what they do is move the virtual camera over about an inch to provide the right-eye perspective and give the film depth of field. And while Nightmare employed 3D animation models, it was shot on standard 35mm film. To create the 3D effect, ILM had to build blank CG models of every character in the film. When the original film was projected onto those models, it wrapped around them like a texture map and allowed to artists to do a virtual camera shift.

    Selick tells us he has always wished they had shot Nightmare in 3D in the first place because 2D never quite captured the feeling of being on those magnificent sets with those beautiful puppets. He’s currently in pre-production on his next feature, LAIKA’s stop-motion adaptation of the Neil Gaiman book Coraline. Selick plans to shoot it in 3D and is experimenting with a motion-control rig that automatically shifts the camera slightly to the right every other frame to capture the right-eye perspective.

    Nightmare earned around $50 million domestically with its initial release but has grown in popularity over the years. Disney would not comment on how expensive the 3D conversion process was, but it was certainly not cheap. The fact that the studio invested so much into the revival suggests that it’s hoping the film will be something it can bring out every year like Warner Bros.’ IMAX 3-D version of The Polar Express, which has grossed more than $60 million at IMAX venues alone and will return to screens again this holiday season.

  • Henson Making Fraggle Feature

    The Jim Henson Co. has confirmed that it is in development on a feature-length movie featuring the Fraggles from the 1980s children’s puppet series Fraggle Rock. The treatment for the as yet untitled pic is being written by Ahmet Zappa, author of The Monstrous Memoirs of a Mighty McFearless and son of late alternative rock icon Frank Zappa. The junior Zappa will also exec produce the film with Brian Henson and Jason Lust while Lisa Henson handles producer duties.

    Like Henson’s upcoming Dark Crystal sequel, the movie will likely be made with a mx of puppetry and CG animation. The storyline takes Gobo, Wembley, Mokey, Boober and Red on their first adventure outside of Fraggle Rock, where they interact with the strange alien beings known as humans.

    ‘Fraggle Rock has remained a favorite project at our company and has certainly continued to be loved by its many devoted fans, so we are thrilled to begin work on this project,’ comments Lisa Henson, who serves as co-CEO of The Jim Henson Co. with brother Brian. ‘With its message of celebrating diversity and its ambitious goal of promoting world peace, now is the perfect time to embark on a new Fraggle adventure.”

    Created by the late Jim Henson, Fraggle Rock debuted on HBO in 1983 and lasted five seasons, garnering multiple awards and a global following. The show reinforced the concepts of mutual respect and peace by showing cooperation and conflict resolution among the different inhabitants of the Rock’the Fraggles, the Doozers and the Gorgs. The first two seasons of the show has been selling well on DVD, proving that there is still a strong fan base for the franchise.

    Directed by Samurai Jackcreator Genndy Tartakovsly, Power of the Dark Crystal is currently being produced by Lisa Henson and Orphanage Animation Studios Chairman Scott Stewart. Brian Henson will serve as exec producer, along with Ralph Kamp and Louise Goodsill of Odyssey Ent., which is representing worldwide sales and distribution of the sequel to the 1982 cult favoirte.

  • Henson Making Fraggle Feature

    The Jim Henson Co. has confirmed that it is in development on a feature-length movie featuring the Fraggles from the 1980s children’s puppet series Fraggle Rock. The treatment for the as yet untitled pic is being written by Ahmet Zappa, author of The Monstrous Memoirs of a Mighty McFearless and son of late alternative rock icon Frank Zappa. The junior Zappa will also exec produce the film with Brian Henson and Jason Lust while Lisa Henson handles producer duties.

    Like Henson’s upcoming Dark Crystal sequel, the Fraggle movie will likely be made with a mx of puppetry and CG animation. The storyline takes Gobo, Wembley, Mokey, Boober and Red on their first adventure outside of Fraggle Rock, where they interact with the strange alien beings known as humans.

    ‘Fraggle Rock has remained a favorite project at our company and has certainly continued to be loved by its many devoted fans, so we are thrilled to begin work on this project,’ comments Lisa Henson, who serves as co-CEO of The Jim Henson Co. with brother Brian. ‘With its message of celebrating diversity and its ambitious goal of promoting world peace, now is the perfect time to embark on a new Fraggle adventure.”

    Created by the late Jim Henson, Fraggle Rock debuted on HBO in 1983 and lasted five seasons, garnering multiple awards and a global following. The show reinforced the concepts of mutual respect and peace by showing cooperation and conflict resolution among the different inhabitants of the Rock’the Fraggles, the Doozers and the Gorgs. The first two seasons of the show has been selling well on DVD, proving that there is still a strong fan base for the franchise.

    Directed by Samurai Jack creator Genndy Tartakovsky, Power of the Dark Crystal is currently being produced by Lisa Henson and Orphanage Animation Studios Chairman Scott Stewart. Brian Henson will serve as exec producer, along with Ralph Kamp and Louise Goodsill of Odyssey Ent., which is representing worldwide sales and distribution of the sequel to the 1982 cult favorite.

  • JibJab, Landis Experiment with Sketch

    JibJab, the digital comedy network behind such popular viral web toons as the political satires This Land and Good to be in DC! has teamed with Verizon Wireless and accomplished film director John Landis to launch a comedy contest. The Great Sketch Experiment features some of the best up-and-coming sketch comedians competing for laughs in six comedy videos, which are available today for free at JibJab.com and on Verizon Wireless’ V CAST service in the V CAST Showcase channel.

    The Great Sketch Experiment initially brought together 50 comedy troupes from across the country to compete for the six slots to have their short films directed by Landis, whose credits include the legendary comedies Animal House and The Blues Brothers.

    The six finalists in the contest come from across the country, representing the comedy scenes in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle. The winning team will receive a $10,000 development deal with JibJab and have their performance featured on Verizon Wireless’ V CAST service. Viewers can vote for their favorite video online at www.jibjab.com through November 16.

    “The Internet has given new talent a way to reach directly to the public,” says Landis. “It is an exciting and ever-evolving new medium and I am happy to have been given the chance by JibJab to meet and work with fresh young talent.”

    “Working with a master director like John Landis has been a dream come true,” comment Gregg and Evan Spiridellis, co-founders of JibJab. “The Great Sketch Experiment is just the beginning of what is on the horizon. We plan on making JibJab a platform for discovering the world’s best up-and-coming comedy talent.”

    The Spiridellis brothers started JibJab in their Brooklyn garage and obtained worldwide fame when their animated 2004 election parody, This Land, was downloaded more than 80 million times. The duo have debuted several other animated shorts on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and were proclaimed ‘People of the Year’ by late news anchor Peter Jennings. For more information on the compay, go to http://www.JibJab.com.

  • Halo and Goodbye for Universal, Fox

    Universal Pictures and 20th Century Fox have backed out of their deals to co-finance Microsoft’s big-screen adaptation of the Halo video-game franchise, according to Daily Variety. The film’s producer, Lord of the Rings helmer Peter Jackson, recently hired South African filmmaker Neill Blomkamp to direct the pic, which is now an uncertain project.

    The trade reports that Universal and Fox both petitioned for a reduction in the amount of profits earmarked for the filmmakers and Microsoft. When the request was denied by Jackson and producing partner Fran Walsh, the studios apparently refused to pay Microsoft the $5 million upfront fee that was supposed to have been paid on Oct. 15.

    Further complicating the matter are reports of a budget that is swelling well beyond the initial $135 million estimate. Rumors have the film costing nearly $200 million, though the filmmakers are insisting the budget stands at $128 million with the 12.5% rebate that comes with shooting in New Zealand.

    A spokesperson for Jackson and Walsh says Microsoft plans to move forward with the film and is in talks with other distribution partners. Pre-production is well underway in New Zealand at Jackson’s Oscar-winning vfx studios, Weta Digital and Weta Workshop.

    Developed by Bungie Studios, The first Halo video game was released in 2001 and spawned a hugely successful sequel, Halo 2, in 2004. Together, the titles have sold more than 13.8 million copies worldwide and grossed more than $600 million. Halo 2 alone earned $125 million in first-day sales. The movie was supposed to be released by 20th Century Fox sometime in 2008.

  • Ringling Hosts Faculty Exhibit

    Ringling School of Art and Design in Sarasota, Fla., home to one of the leading computer animation programs in the country, will present part two of its annual faculty exhibition Oct. 20 through Nov. 4. Featuring work by instructors in the Fine Arts, Computer Animation and Interior Design departments and the CORE Program, the event will kick off with opening reception in the Exhibition Hall in the New Student Center on Friday, Oct. 20 at 5 p.m.

    The exhibit will be presented in the Selby Gallery, located on the Ringling School of Art and Design campus, one-half block east of 2700 N. Tamiami Trail on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Way in Sarasota. All Selby Gallery exhibitions and lectures are free and open to the public. The gallery is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays. For more information, go to www.ringling.edu/selbygallery.

  • Corpse Bride Makes TV Debut

    The Oscar-nominated animated feature Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride is having its television premiere just as the Halloween festivities begin to ramp up. The comically macabre stop-motion musical airs tonight, Oct. 19, at 8 p.m. on cable outlet ABC Family. Tonight’s broadcast should be the first of many October airings as the film takes its rightful place as a Halloween staple alongside long-time favorites It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas and Rankin & Bass’s Mad Monster Party.

    Corpse Bride stars Johnny Depp as the voice of Victor, a young man who is whisked away to the underworld and wed to the mysterious title character, voiced by Helena Bonham Carter. While the Land of the Dead proves more lively than his Victorian England, Victor must find a way to get back above ground to his fianc’e, Victoria (Emily Watson). Burton’s co-director on the film was Mike Johnson, who recently signed on to replace Triplets of Belleville helmer Sylvain Chomet as director of Universal Pictures’ upcoming animated feature The Tale of Despereaux.

    Released in September of 2005, Corpse Bride earned just $53 million in North America and took in nearly $117 million worldwide before arriving on home video in January. The film lost the Best Animated Feature Oscar to Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit from DreamWorks Animation/Aardman Animations, but together the two productions helped generate a renewed interest in stop-motion. There are several stop-mo holiday specials in the works and on the big-screen we can look forward to LAIKA’s adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline, which director Henry Selick tells us will be shot in stereoscopic 3D. In addition, Disney has shelled out some big bucks to have Industrial Light & Magic create a 3D version of Burton’s 1994 stop-motion opus The Nightmare Before Christmas, which will be in theaters this Friday, Oct. 20.