Animation Magazine

Author: Ryan Ball

  • [adult swim] Paddles to Latin America

    Cartoon Network’s popular [adult swim] late-night programming block is set to debut on Cartoon Network Latin America on October 7, bringing shows such as Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law, Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Sealab 2021 to a whole new audience. The block will air Friday through Sunday from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m., with repeats continuing until 5 a.m.

    The [adult swim] rotating line up will premiere with shows created at Cartoon Network’s Williams Street studios in Atlanta. Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law centers on a third-rate superhero who is now a third-rate lawyer trying hard to get by in a fancy law firm. While everyone else gets real cases, Harvey is stuck with the cartoon litigation, allowing the show to exploit Turner Broadcasting’s Hanna-Barbara library and other classic properties.

    Aqua Teen Hunger Force follows the misadventures of Frylock, Meatwad and Master Shake, three human-sized food products who share a rental home in New Jersey and hatch all kinds of wacky schemes, much like the crew of Sealab 2021. In this underwater comedy series, the crew of the classic 1972 series, Sealab 2020, has been replaced by a gang of misfits unfit for public service.

    Also from Williams Street is The Brak Show, a Space Ghost Coast to Coast spin-off set somewhere in outer space on a planet that looks a lot like a typical American suburb, circa 1965. Here, Brak and his best pal Zorak, a menacing, ill-tempered six-foot-tall preying mantis, attend Learnmore High and get into a heap of trouble.

    The Williams Street productions are joined by the newly acquired series Clone High, Mission Hill, Bob & Margaret and Home Movies. Clone High tackles challenging teen issues from the perspective of clones of famous historical figures such as Abraham Lincoln, Joan of Arc, Gandhi, Cleopatra, John F. Kennedy and others. Mission Hill turns Andy French’s sexually deprived, 24-year-old life upside-down when his nerdy teenage brother moves inyp hos trendy loft, and Bob & Margaret expands on the Academy Award-winning short with the serial exploits of a dentist and his foot doctor wife. Meanwhile, Home Movies tells the story of Brendon Small, a socially awkward 8-year old who directs and acts in short films with neighborhood friends as a way of overcoming his shyness and dealing with the recent divorce of his parents.

    Cartoon Network Latin America launched in April of 1993 and is available in approximately 16.5 million households in Spanish, Portuguese and English. Latin American viewers can find programming information, games, show clips and other resources at AdultSwimLA.com, which will also launch on Oct. 7.

  • Cinderella Restored on Disc

    As Disney’s new monarch, CEO Bob Iger, settles into his throne, a classic Mouse House fairytale comes to disc for the very first time today. The fully restored Cinderella is available as a two-disc platinum edition and a deluxe collector’s gift set that includes a frame of actual film, six exclusive drawings by Ollie Johnston and Andreas Deja and a new Cinderella book, in addition to a ton of other special features.

    Based on a classic yarn by the Brothers Grimm, Disney’s Cinderella tells the story of a beautiful young girl who is forced to toil for her wicked stepmother and stepsisters until her fairy godmother transforms her into a vision fit to attend the royal ball and win the heart of the prince.

    The film and its original theatrical soundtrack have been given a complete digital restoration for enhanced picture and sound. On top of that, Disney has included a featurette titled From Rags to Riches: The Making of Cinderella, and other behind-the-scenes materials including The Cinderella That Almost Was, a documentary featuring newly discovered deleted scenes. Other bonuses include a 1922 Cinderella laugh-o-gram, reconstructed deleted songs "The Cinderella Work Song" and "Dancing on a Cloud," a tribute to Disney’s Nine Old Men, a look at the art of Mary Blair, a storyboard-to-film comparison of the opening sequence, still frame and slideshow galleries, an excerpt from The Mickey Mouse Club with Helene Stanley (1956), original release and reissue trailers, audio-only song selections including seven unused tunes, three radio programs, all-new music videos and inspiring true-life "Cinderella" sports stories from ESPN Classic. DVD ROM games and activities include House of Royalty and The Royal life, which show kids how to design their royal bedroom and look, live and act like royalty. There’s also a sneak peek at the upcoming direct-to-video sequel, Cinderella III.

    Disney has reportedly spent around $150 million on marketing this DVD debut. The studio could have made a new state-of-the-art CG feature for that money, so it’s good to see precious resources going to support the classic catalog and giving this cinematic masterpiece the home-video send-off it deserves.

    The Cinderella Disney Special Platinum Edition Collector’s Gift Set carries a suggested retail price of $49.99, while the Special Platinum Edition lists for $29.99.

  • Drawn Together a Reality on DVD

    The entire first season of Comedy Central’s animated reality series, Drawn Together, is available as a two-disc set from Paramount Home Entertainment. All seven episodes are included, along with a number of special features that offer a glimpse into the making of the hit cartoon, currently in its second season.

    Drawn Together is presented as if it were a real primetime reality series complete with hot tub high jinks and confessional breakdowns as eight completely different cartoon characters from various genres and styles are thrown together in one house to have their lives taped for the viewing public. The housemates include Captain Hero, a not-so-moral do-gooder reminiscent of the Saturday-morning TV superheroes of the ’70s; Clara, a 20-year-old sweet and naïve fairy-tale princess; Toot, a pudgy, black-and-white heartthrob from the ’20s; Foxxy Love, a sexy mystery-solving musician; Spanky Ham, a foul-mouthed Internet-download pig; Ling-Ling, an adorable Asian trading-card creature; Wooldoor-Sockbat, a SpongeBob SquarePants type; and Xandir, a young, gay adventurer inspired by the great video game warriors.

    Animated by Rough Draft, the series is created and written by Matt Silverstein and Dave Jeser, who serve as exec producers. Silverstein and Jeser previously wrote for Comedy Central’s The Man Show and Fox’s Action and Andy Richter Controls the Universe. Zoe Friedman is the executive in charge of production for Comedy Central.

    DVD extras include audio commentary by the show’s cast and creators, uncensored and extended episodes, never-before-seen original content, deleted scenes a game with censored and uncensored versions and a karaoke sing-along. Fans can pick it up for around $26.99

    Another TV favorite hitting retail this week is Count Duckula, a 1980s cartoon series animated by Cosgrove Hall and distributed by Koch Vision Ent. Count Duckula: The Complete First Season features all 26 episodes in a three-disc set that includes an interview with Brian Cosgrove and the show’s other creators. Additional bonus materials include a photo gallery and a tutorial on how to draw Count Duckula. Released by Capital Entertainment, the DVD set lists for $39.98.

  • Gnomes in Vanguard Garden

    Vanguard Films, the production company behind Disney’s computer-animated feature, Valiant, is turning from pigeons to other garden denizens with its latest story pick-up. The company has pre-emptively acquired the feature comedy Gnomes! from filmmakers Micah Herman and Kyle Newman.

    Herman and Newman are attached to direct Gnomes! which centers on a boy who discovers that the little garden statues in his backyard are actually alive. When the boy starts to suspect that his mom’s new suitor is a gnome-eating Troll, he enlists the help of his new friends and comic mayhem ensues.

    Vanguard will use the script to raise production financing and arrange for major distribution. The film will be produced by Vanguard CEO, John H. Williams, whose credits include Shrek and Valiant. Eric M. Bennett and Margaret French Isaac will serve as exec producers.

    “This is a slam-dunk franchise film under any scenario," Williams comments. "We love their script, and we’ve already begun extensive visual development.”

    Featured in such hit movies as The Full Monty and Amélie, as well as the Travelocity commercials, garden gnomes have gone from tacky lawn ornamentation to pop culture phenomenon in recent years. Disney has also latched onto the gnome zeitgeist and is developing Gnomeo & Juliet, an animated feature about forbidden love between indoor and outdoor garden gnomes. Sir Elton John is producing the film and composing original songs for the musical comedy.

    Gnomes! helmers Newman and Herman are recent Alums of NYU’s film program. Newman received the inaugural Coca Cola Refreshing Filmmakers Award for his short film Bitten by Love, while Herman’s anti-war drama, Empty, has garnered more than 20 film fest prizes including a Student Emmy Award. Herman recently finished adapting John Darton’s sci-fi thriller Mind Catcher for Chris Columbus and his 1492 Pictures. In addition, he has signed on to direct Chapel Hill for Mandalay Pictures and producer Dan Halsted. Newman directed last year’s The Hollow, which aired on ABC Family, and is slated to lens a road trip comedy titled Fanboys this January with Coalition Film and Kevin Spacey producing.

  • Autodesk Buys Alias

    Autodesk, the technology company behind 3ds max and other computer modeling and animation products announced today that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire competitor Alias, maker of such popular 3D animation and graphics packages as Maya, MotionBuilder and FBX. Autodesk will pay $182 million in cash in the transaction, which is expected to close in the next four to six months. Until then, each entity will continue to operate independently.

    Charles Bellfield, senior director of corporate communications for Autodesk made the announcement Tuesday afternoon during a conference call. He was joined by Doug Walker, president and CEO of Alias, Buzz Cross, VP of Autodesk’s manufacturing business and Martin Van, VP of Autodesk’s media and entertainment business.

    Walker commented, “[Alias] customers will benefit from, among other things, the nearly $300 million that Autodesk spends in R&D every year, which serves as a foundation of one of the most innovative companies in software. Customers will also gain combined product lines that will deliver them a single, streamlined workflow, along with internationalized solutions and best-of-class distribution.”

    In addition to expanding Autodesk’s media and entertainment portfolio with Alias’ Maya, MotionBuilder, and FBX software, the acquisition will give Autodesk a critical foothold in the automotive and consumer products markets, according to Van. Alias Studio Tools is widely used by industrial designers and virtually every major automotive manufacturer in the world. “Bringing this technology to Autodesk will strengthen the manufacturing business by integrating conceptual design as a front end to Autodesk Inventor, our leading 3D manufacturing design application,” he said.

    “We do not anticipate any changes with respect to planned product releases for both companies,” Van notes. Addressing the question of how both companies’ product lines will eventually be handled under Autodesk, he asserted, “In general, our direction is to maintain the products, both Maya and 3ds max, and focus on the functional integration between the two applications so that our customers can develop better pipelines and collaboration capabilities, ensuring that their content can be made as cost-effectively as possible.”

    When asked about what’s going to happen with Alias’ current personnel, Walker replied, “What we’re going to need to do between now and the time of close, and then post-close, is build the strategy that will bring the two companies together. It’s only once we build that strategy that we’ll make decisions around what is the most appropriate organizational plan to really drive the value our customers are looking for.” Walker added that his tenure with Alias is limited. “With respect to me, personally, I will be in a transition role. I’ll be supporting this process for a long period of time post-close, after which time I’m expected to move on and leave the Alias organization.”

    Cross said Autodesk intends to maintain the Alias facilities, headquartered in Toronto, noting “One of the really valuable people things you want to do is add a really strong developement and sales team, so we’re keeping people where they are, and they will be slotted into the logical divisions as we move forward.”

    The acquisition is subject to a number of closing conditions, including regulatory approval. The conference call will be available online at 7:30 p.m. ET at http://www.autodesk.com/investors.

  • Superman Returns for EA, Warner Bros.

    As audiences look forward to another big-screen adventure with the Man of Steel, Electronic Arts, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Comics announced today that Superman Returns: The Videogame is scheduled to launch in conjunction with the June 30, 2006 release of the new feature film from Warner Bros. Pictures.

    Featuring storylines from both the upcoming movie and more than 60 years of comic book content, the game is being developed by Electronic Arts-Tiburon in Orlando, Fla., the award-winning studio behind the hugely successful Madden NFL sports franchise.

    “We are creating a game that allows players to experience a real sense of flying, and master Superman’s unrivaled superhero powers in order to save Metropolis," says Steven Chiang, VP and studio general manager of EA Tiburon. "Only Superman can meet challenges of this scale.”

    The feature film is directed by Bryan Singer (X-Men, X2: X-Men United, The Usual Suspects) and stars newcomer Brandon Routh as the mild-mannered Clark Kent and his caped, crime-fighting alter-ego. Unlike Warner Bros.’ Batman Begins, which revisits the superhero genesis story, Superman Returns will have the Man of Steel returning to Metropolis after an absence of several years. Superman Returns: The Videogame will be available for Xbox 360, as well as current generation platforms.

  • Serenity Doesn’t Take Flight

    The weekend box-office showdown turned into a bit of a dogfight as the crew of the space vessel Serenity took on Jodi Foster and her suspense thriller set aboard a commercial airliner. And though Joss Whedon’s Serenity has been getting better reviews, it couldn’t quite muster enough firepower to knock Flightplan out of the top spot during a decidedly lackluster frame.

    Flightplan, which features vfx work by Lola Visual Effects and Peerless Camera Co. Ltd., earned an estimated $15 million in its second weekend, bringing its grand total to some $46 million. By no means impressive, the film’s sophomore performance was enough to keep its closest competitor at bay.

    Serenity docked at No. 2 with an estimated $10.1 million, a respectable take for a film that many, perhaps even Universal Studios, had written off as a cult offering. And while the Browncoats (fans of Whedon’s short-lived FOX sci-fi series, Firefly) came out in force to catch this big-screen leap, it appears to have captured an audience larger than its built-in fan base. According to Box Office Mojo, Serenity actually logged a higher per-theater average than Flightplan, suggesting that Universal may have had a No. 1 hit on its hands if it had released it a bit wider.

    Though best known for his TV creations Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, Whedon, is an accomplished screenwriter with credits that include Toy Story, Alien Resurrection and Titan A.E. Loaded with effects by Zoic Studios, Rhythm & Hues and Illusion Arts, Serenity marks his feature directorial debut and serves as a taste of things to come as he brings comic-book heroine Wonder Woman to big-screen for Warner Bros. in 2007.

    Close on Serenity’s tale was Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride, which earned an estimated $9.7 million in its second week. The gothic animated feature has earned close to $33 million for Warner Bros., and should stay buoyant as Halloween approaches, provided DreamWorks’ Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit doesn’t steal too much of its stop-motion thunder when it opens this weekend.

    Newline Cinema’s A History of Violence enjoyed an impressive debut considering it only rolled out in 1,340 theaters. Based on a graphic novel by John Wagner and Vince Locke, the Viggo Mortensen vehicle took in around $8.2 million to claim fourth place ahead of Sony’s more widely released Maritime thriller, Into the Blue, which plundered approximately $7 million in box-office booty.

    Jim Henson Co.’s MirrorMask, a fantasy hybrid of live action and CG animation took in around $127,000 from 18 venues. Respected fantasy writer Neil Gaiman (Coraline) scripted this tale of a bored young girl who is transported to a surreal universe populated by strange creatures. The film has been receiving critical praise for its unique digital visuals, despite being produced on a shoestring budget.

    Before screenings of Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit, DreamWorks will treat moviegoers to the new CG short film A Christmas Caper, starring the crafty penguins from Madagascar. The birds will also be back in their own direct-to-video feature in 2009.

  • Editor’s Note: Gromit Glee and Reaver Madness

    Autumn is supposed to be the time when big entertainment gives way to smaller, character-driven dramas with an eye on Oscar. So why, then, have we been given three films in the last three weeks that are vastly more entertaining than just about anything that came out over the summer? I’m referring to Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride, Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit and Serenity.

    With so much magic hitting the big screen lately, I’m compelled to use this forum more to abandon objectivity and gush about stuff I like. And right now the thing at the top of that list is DreamWorks Animation’s and Aardman Animations’ Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit. For anyone who’s a fan of director Nick Park’s Academy Award-winning, clay-animated shorts, going to see this feature-length adventure is like catching up with old friends. However, the movie stands so well on its own that newcomers can easily jump on board and delight in the world of cheese-loving British inventor Wallace and his bemused beagle buddy, Gromit.

    It’s not hyperbole to say that Wallace and Gromit are a classic comic duo on par with the likes of Laurel and Hardy, Abbot and Costello and Martin and Lewis. They’ve certainly earned that distinction with this latest outing, which features amazing animation, loveable characters, clever writing and a great story to boot.

    In Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit, we find the title pair the proprietors of Anti-Pesto, a humane pest control company currently employed in ridding gardens of hungry bunnies as the town’s annual vegetable growing contest nears. During a service call, Wallace falls for Lady Tottington (Helena Bonham Carter) and makes an enemy of Victor Quartermain (Ralph Fiennes) a huntsman and social climber who’s after a chunk of the Tottington fortune. More trouble arises when the town is terrorized by a mysterious beast that is gobbling up every bit of produce, even those cleverly guarded by Anti-Pesto devices.

    One of the best things about the film (directed by Nick Park and Steve Box) is that the humor comes from the characters and not from a barrage of pop-culture references that are already worn out. Even the sight gags and prat falls are fresh enough to ensure laughs over multiple viewings, and you will want to see this one more than once. There are big laughs for adults all the way through, and kids are sure to stay riveted to their seats by the brisk pace, vibrant colors and breathtaking action sequences. This is everything you could want from an animated comedy romp.

    Speaking of romps, I would be remiss to not mention Serenity, Joss Whedon’s big-screen treatment of his erstwhile sic-fi series, Firefly. I can’t lay claim to being a Browncoat, a member of the show’s loyal legion of fans, but I can see why Whedon and his characters have generated such a following.

    Nathan Fillion is great as Mal Reynolds, captain of a flying rust bucket dubbed Serenity. The title spaceship is home to a riff-raff crew that has taken to pulling heists after fighting a losing war against the Universal Alliance, an interplanetary governing body that employs horrific means to ensure peace throughout the universe. One of the Alliance’s experiments is a young telepath named River, who is busted out by her brother and harbored aboard Serenity for a fee. With the Alliance hot on their trail, Mal and his team also have to deal with the Reavers, a particularly nasty horde of cannibals that make the Klingons look like Teletubbies.

    Serenity is equal parts space opera and classic Western, and Mal nicely fills the spot left vacant by Han Solo. He’s the kind of cowboy absolutely would shoot first in a cantina, and is never at a loss for a clever quip. Whedon’s writing is sharp and fresh, even if his plotline involving the brother-and-sister team is less engaging than the relationships between the Serenity crew members.

    Don’t expect Revenge of the Sith-sized effects from Serenity. Zoic Studios and Rhythm & Hues do a fantastic job of bringing the alien worlds and space battles to life, but the modest budget works in the film’s favor. The producers don’t use digital technology to throw everything and the kitchen sink at the screen, so we’re left with a more stripped-down sci-fi vision that relies more on its script and actors to engage the audience. Serenity isn’t a perfect film, but it’s a great start to what I hope will be a franchise. Now if only the Jim Henson Co. can get its cancelled SCI FI Channel series Farscape resurrected on the big screen…

  • Xilam Saddles Lucky Luke for the Big Screen

    Daily Variety reports that French animation studio Xilam has teamed with Dargaud-Marina and Lucky Comics to co-produce a feature film based on the popular comic-book adventures of cowboy Lucky Luke. Scheduled to hit French theaters in the fall of 2007, Tous a l’ouest will also serve as an extension of the animated TV series that has built a loyal following on France 3.

    The Lucky Luke comic-book series was created by Rene Goscinny and Maurice de Bevere. The film’s script is reportedly loosely based on the comic installment The Caravan, which has our hero and his equine sidekick, Jolly Jumper, taking on the villainous Dalton brothers. Directing duties are being handled by Olivier Jean-Marie (Xilam’s Oggy and the Cockroaches TV series), who co-wrote the screenplay with Jean-Francois Henry (Rahan).

    Budgeted at around $14.4 million, Tous a l’ouest is relying heavily on foreign pre-sales, and has lassoed commitments in Germany, Benelux, Eastern Europe, Portugal and Greece. To further extend its reach, an English-language version is in the works a well.

    The last Lucky Luke cartoon was produced 25 years ago, but the character appeared in a live-action feature titled The Daltons, which had a disappointing theatrical debut in Europe last year.

  • Happy Feet Dances to IMAX 3D

    With penguins at the height of their cinematic popularity following the success of the documentary March of the Penguins, IMAX Corp. and Warner Bros. Pictures have announced that the CG comedy Happy Feet will be released as an IMAX 3D offering at the same time it hits conventional theaters on Nov. 17, 2006.

    Directed by George Miller, whose credits include the Babe and Mad Max films, Happy Feet is an animated musical comedy about a tap-dancing Emperor Penguin and his adventures in the Antarctic. The film’s all-star ensemble voice cast boast such silver-screen luminaries as Nicole Kidman, Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, Hugh Jackman and Brittany Murphy.

    Happy Feet will be digitally converted into IMAX 3D and will utilize proprietary IMAX DMR (Digital Re-mastering) technology. Warner Bros. Pictures, the movie’s worldwide distributor, will exclusively handle its rollout to the growing worldwide IMAX theatre network. Following the IMAX 3D success of last year’s Polar Express, Warner Bros. has three releases slated to get the giant-screen, stereoscopic treatment next year.

    Elijah Wood voices the main character In Happy Feet, a penguin named Mumble, who is the worst singer in a culture that relies on singing to attract mates. But Mumble has his own special talent that just may help him dance his way into the heart of a special girl. Jackman will voice the young Mumble’s father, Memphis, and Kidman will play his mother, Norma Jean.

    In addition to directing and producing, Miller scripted the film with John Collee, Judy Morris and Warren Coleman. Miller’s co-producers on the Village Roadshow Pictures/Kennedy-Miller production are Doug Mitchell and Bill Miller. Executive Producers are Graham Burke and Bruce Berman.

    Happy Feet is one of two CG penguin features on the horizon. Sony Pictures Animation is hard at work on Surf’s Up, a comedy that finds one of the flightless birds in a big surfing competition. Slated for release in the summer of 2007, that entry will feature the voices of Shia LaBeouf, Jeff Bridges, Zooey Deschanel and James Woods.

  • ka-chew! Animates Breakfast for Nick

    Klasky Csupo’s commercials division, ka-chew!, has completed a new Nickelodeon PSA that emphasizes the importance of eating a healthy breakfast. The second in a series, the spot features animated plates and utensils that rap about foods which provide needed sources of energy as kids start their days.

    The PSA campaign was created in response Nickelodoen’s “Kids, Food and Eating Behaviors Study,” which found that only 50% of kids surveyed ate breakfast every day. The survey also showed that there s a disconnect between kids and parents when it comes to eating behaviors, so the spots aim to promote healthy choices to kids who have greater freedom over what they eat.

    The first PSA, titled “The Day the Earth Skipped Breakfast,” focuses on how missing the most important meal of the day can lead to bad temperaments and sluggish behavior. In the latest installment, “It’s Breakfast Time,” the 2D-animated rapping place settings run through a number of recommended morning munching choices. The music was performed by DJ Mighty Mi, Albert S and Balinda.

    The ka-chew! production team includes exec producer Sam Schoemann, director Chris Prynoski, producer Kristina Schoentag, Smoke editor Jesse Morrowand offline editor/post supervisor Rob Reed. The studio’s senior VP/GM is Richard Marlis. Samantha Berger served as director of creative and performer for Nickelodeon.

    Ka-chew! has produced award-winning projects including on-air design and promotions for such clients as ABC, A&E, Discovery, Paramount Domestic Television, ESPN, FOX, E! Entertainment, MTV and Nickelodeon. Other credits include commercial spots for Nicktoons, Kodak, Kraft, Mattel, Lands End and Earthlink. More information on the company can be found at

    www.kachew.com

  • FUNimation Channel Launches

    Brand management and independent home video company FUNimation Ent., a wholly owned subsidiary of Navarre Corp., is launching a 24-hour digital network devoted to anime. Distributed by OlympuSAT, the FUNimation Channel is intended to drive awareness of FUNimation properties in the U.S. and help increase home video sales.

    “The FUNimation Channel is the first step in getting more of our top-rated anime shows broadcast and grabbing a larger share of the growing U.S. anime market.” explains Gen Fukunaga, president and CEO of FUNimation Ent.

    OlympuSAT is the exclusive distributor and the FUNimation Channel, which is now available to video service providers throughout the nation.

    FUNimation manages a full spectrum of rights for many of its brands including broadcasting, licensing, production, internet and home video sales and distribution. Within the next few weeks, the company plans to launch the FUNimation Channel website ( www.funimationchannel.com), where viewers can find programming information and more.

  • Sedelmaier Back in SNL’s Funhouse

    White Plains, New York-based animation house J. J. Sedelmaier Prods. has tamed again with writer/producer Robert Smigel (Latenite with Conan O’Brien) to produce a new cartoon scheduled to run during this weekend’s season premiere of Saturday Night Live.

    The latest installment of SNL’s toon interlude known as TV Funhouse will be a politically-based installment of Fun with Real Audio, a series of animated shorts that uses actual broadcast audio of television programs and events and spoofs it with animation.

    Sedelmaier’s studio is also re-creating and reformatting the animated TV Funhouse intro and outro, which it originally produced nine years ago. Additional animation will be created and adjustments will be made to accommodate SNL’s eventual transition to HDTV.

    In addition to Fun with Real Audio, J. J. Sedelmaier Prods. has created such TV Funhouse favorites as The X-Presidents and The Ambiguously Gay Duo.

    The studio’s most most recent contribution to the show SNL was a short titled The Passion of the Dumpty, a parody that aired in March of 2004.

    In 2000, animation work on TV Funhouse was taken over by Wachtenheim/Marianetti, a studio formed by J. J. Sedelmaier Prods. alumnus Robert Marianetti and David Wachtenheim.

    Sedelmaier served as director and one of the designers on the new cartoon, working with head animators Dave Lovelace and Dan Madia. He says the new Fun with Real Audio cartoon may lead to more work for SNL. "We’ve been asked to consider contributing some of the cartoons again," he comments. "We’re intrigued by the offer and are considering it. It’s a great stage to play on, and it’s very gratifying that the studio still hears from fans of our original work for the show." The studio can be found on the web at www.jjsedelmaier.com.

  • Serenity, MirrorMask Dock in Theaters

    Devotees of Joss Whedon’s short-lived FOX sci-fi series, Firefly, will no doubt be flocking to cinemas this weekend to catch Serenity, the feature-length, big-screen extension of the show. Meanwhile, fans of fantasy writer Neil Gaiman will have to seek out MirrorMask, a CG-intensive Jim Henson Co. production opening in limited release.

    Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Adam Baldwin, Jewel Staite and the rest of the main cast form Firefly are back in this all-new adventure that marks the feature directorial debut of Whedon, creator of TV’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. Serenity has Captain Malcolm Reynolds (Fillion) and his rag-tag crew getting into hot water when they pick up a brother and sister who happen to be fugitives from a powerful coalition. The Universal Alliance will stop at nothing to reclaim the girl, a dangerous telepath who may pose more of a threat to the crew of the Serenity than the invincible military force or the cannibalistic Reavers simultaneously hunting them down. A video game based on the film is also in development and will be released by Vivendi Universal Games.

    Featuring a heaping helping of visual effects by Zoic Studios, Illusion Arts and Rhythm & Hues, Serenity opens in 2,188 theaters, which means it will have some difficulty competing with more widely distributed holdovers such as Warner Bros.’ Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride and Buena Vista’s Flightplan, not to mention fellow newcomer Into the Blue, a modern-day pirate thriller from Sony Pictures.

    MirrorMask opens today in just 18 theaters courtesy of Destination and Samuel Goldwyn Films. Scripted by Gaiman and directed by his long-time collaborator, Dave McKean, the film was completed on a shoestring budget with a crew of 15 British animators right out of art school. MirrorMask reflects Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland as it tells the story of a bored young girl who is transported to a surreal universe populated by strange creatures. Gaiman was commissioned to write the tale by Jin Henson Co. co-CEOs Lisa and Brian Henson, who wanted something that was equal parts The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth.

    Also opening today is Buena Vista’s period golf pic, The Greatest Game Ever Played, and the limited releases The Prizewinner of Defiance, Ohio from DreamWorks’ Go Fish, and the Truman Capote biopic, Capote, from Sony Classics.

    Read more about MirrorMask in the October issue of Animation Magazine, and look for our story on Zoic’s Serenity effects in the November issue, coming soon.

  • Eisner Exits, Iger Ascends at Disney

    Incoming Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Iger officially takes the reins on Saturday, Oct. 1 as long-time chief Mouseketeer Michael Eisner ends his 21-year tenure at the company he helped grow from a $1.5 billion entity to a $31 billion empire.

    Despite all the controversy surrounding his governance of the company in recent years, Eisner is going out on a bit of high note as the once troubled Disney-owned ABC Television Network is on top with the smash hit primetime series Desperate Housewives and Lost. The network’s success and increased theme park/resort saw Mouse House earnings go up 41% per share in the third quarter while Pixar and DreamWorks both took a hit due to disappointing DVD sales.

    However, bad blood between Eisner and Pixar topper Steve Jobs led to an end of that lucrative partnership, and Miramax founders Bob and Harvey Weinstein also split from the studio under his watch. High on Iger’s to-do list is patching up relations with Pixar, which appears more likely to happen now that Eisner is out of the picture. His departure has also brought one-time Disney dissident Roy Disney back into the fold, ending his "Save Disney" campaign to rally shareholders.

    To Eisner’s credit, his tenure saw a second golden age of Disney animation, marked by such stellar box office performers and critical darlings as The Lion King, The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast. The successes kept coming as Pixar revolutionized the industry with Toy Story and subsequent releases A Bug’s Life, Monsters, Inc. Toy Story 2, Finding Nemo and The Incredibles. Under current conditions, Disney will release one more Pixar feature, Cars, in the summer of 2006.

    Without Pixar, Iger will have his work cut out for him in keeping Walt Disney Feature Animation competitive as more and more companies enter the CG feature arena. Disney’s first computer-animated release outside of Pixar, Vanguard Animation’s Valiant, failed to attract a significant audience, but the company is more hopeful for Chicken Little, its first in-house 3D effort. If Disney has trouble establishing its own toon franchises, it can exercise its rights to established brands. The studio has plans to produce sequels to Toy Story and Monsters, Inc., with or without Pixar’s involvement.

  • Wahl Named LAIKA CEO

    Dale Wahl has been appointed CEO of LAIKA, Phil Knight’s animation company formerly known as Vinton Studios. Effective Oct. 3, Wahl will take over for interim CEO Robert Harold, a longtime Nike financial exec who came out of retirement to oversee the company in March. Harold will assist in the transition and retains his seat on LAIKA’s board of directors.

    Wahl comes to LAIKA with more than 30 years experience in global brands and financial management. He most recently served as CFO for OH! Shoes, where he has been since January of this year following a four year tenure as CFO for Metro One Telecommunications. From 1982 to 1998, he held several key executive positions at Nike Inc., both in the U.S. and in Asia.

    ‘Now we begin an exciting new phase in the evolution of LAIKA into a major force in the worlds of entertainment, media, and advertising,’ says Knight, LAIKA’s owner and chairman of the board of directors. ‘Dale is an extremely talented business leader who brings decades of experience in guiding new companies, building global brands, empowering talented creatives and growing collaborative teams.’

    LAIKA was peripherally involved in the recently released Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride, and the company’s flagship CG-animated project, director Henry Selick’s Moongirl, won the Short Film Special Jury Prize at the Ottawa International Animation Festival. In the pipeline are the animated feature films Coraline and Jack & Ben’s Animated Adventure.

    Based on the Hugo Award-winning best-selling children’s book by Neil Gaiman, Coraline will employ both stop-motion and CG animation to tell the story of a young girl who discovers an alternative version of her own life while investigating her new home. Writing and directing duties are being handled by Selick, (The Nightmare Before Christmas, James and the Giant Peach) who joined the company as supervising director in 2004. LAIKA is producing the film in association with former Fox Filmed Entertainment chairman and CEO Bill Mechanic and his Pandemonium films.

    Jack & Ben’s Animated Adventure is an original idea from LAIKA Ent.’s director of story Jorgen Klubien, a veteran writer, director, storyboard artist and designer who joined the company earlier this year. The CG family film is described as a tale of survival, brotherly love and grand adventure set in the animal kingdom. The film will be written and directed by Klubien, who lists among his credits The Lion King, Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc., A Bug’s Life and Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.

  • Wahl Named LAIKA CEO

    Dale Wahl has been appointed CEO of LAIKA, Phil Knight’s animation company formerly known as Vinton Studios. Effective Oct. 3, Wahl will take over for interim CEO Robert Harold, a longtime Nike financial exec who came out of retirement to oversee the company in March. Harold will assist in the transition and retains his seat on LAIKA’s board of directors.

    Wahl comes to LAIKA with more than 30 years experience in global brands and financial management. He most recently served as CFO for OH! Shoes, where he has been since January of this year following a four year tenure as CFO for Metro One Telecommunications. From 1982 to 1998, he held several key executive positions at Nike Inc., both in the U.S. and in Asia.

    ‘Now we begin an exciting new phase in the evolution of LAIKA into a major force in the worlds of entertainment, media, and advertising,’ says Knight, LAIKA’s owner and chairman of the board of directors. ‘Dale is an extremely talented business leader who brings decades of experience in guiding new companies, building global brands, empowering talented creatives and growing collaborative teams.’

    LAIKA was peripherally involved in the recently released Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride, and the company’s flagship CG-animated project, director Henry Selick’s Moongirl, won the Short Film Special Jury Prize at the Ottawa International Animation Festival. In the pipeline are the animated feature films Coraline and Jack & Ben’s Animated Adventure.

    Based on the Hugo Award-winning best-selling children’s book by Neil Gaiman, Coraline will employ both stop-motion and CG animation to tell the story of a young girl who discovers an alternative version of her own life while investigating her new home. Writing and directing duties are being handled by Selick, (The Nightmare Before Christmas, James and the Giant Peach) who joined the company as supervising director in 2004. LAIKA is producing the film in association with former Fox Filmed Entertainment chairman and CEO Bill Mechanic and his Pandemonium films.

    Jack & Ben’s Animated Adventure is an original idea from LAIKA Ent.’s director of story Jorgen Klubien, a veteran writer, director, storyboard artist and designer who joined the company earlier this year. The CG family film is described as a tale of survival, brotherly love and grand adventure set in the animal kingdom. The film will be written and directed by Klubien, who lists among his credits The Lion King, Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc., A Bug’s Life and Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.

  • Code Lyoko Jacks Into Nintendo DS

    The Game Factory has signed a worldwide licensing deal to develop and publish a Nintendo DS video game based on Code Lyoko, an action cartoon series from European TV animation distributor MoonScoop. The title will feature elements of both the RPG and adventure genres, and is scheduled to hit retail by fall of 2006.

    The deal was signed through Kidz Ent., which is the Code Lyoko licensing agent for Scandinavia. Kidz will work with MoonScoop, Game Factory and U.S. licensing agent FUNimation to manage development of the game and provide marketing support. Kidz is in discussions with a number of other potential licensees in the Scandinavian region.

    The popular, 3D-animated series follows the adventures of a group of students who uncover a parallel universe inside a super-computer, which is threatened by a virus that could destroy the universe. Four ordinary students, Jeremy, Odd, Ulrich and Yumi, must help a virtual humanoid creature named Aelita stop rogue computer XANA’s latest attack on their real world.

    Code Lyoko has been one of the top-rated shows on Cartoon Network and has found similar success on France 3 and Canal J. It has been picked up by Cartoon Network’s Toonami in the U.K., Cartoon Network Spain, Jetix Latin America, TVN in Chile, Canada’s YTV, Radio Canada, Disney Channel Italy, NRK in Norway, Morocco’s 2M, Noga in Israel and CFI in Africa. A number of deals have also been signed with distributors across India and the Middle East.

  • VES Awards Accepting Submissions

    The Visual Effects Society is accepting submissions for the 4th Annual VES Awards, taking place on Feb. 15 at the Hollywood Palladium. Dec. 2 is the deadline for submissions in 21 categories, including feature film, television, commercials, music videos, video games and special venue projects. Two new categories for games have been added this year, including Outstanding Real Time Visuals in a Video Game and Outstanding Pre-Rendered Visuals in a Video Game.

    A panel of nominating judges will view and vote on submissions on Jan. 7, and nominations will be announced on Jan. 9. Nominees will then be invited to give an in-person presentation of their materials during The Big Reveal bake-off on Jan. 21. VES members will be able to vote online from Jan. 25 through Feb. 10.

    Last year, Warner Bros.’ Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban earned a Outstanding Visual Effects in a Visual Effects-Driven Motion Picture win for Roger Guyette, Tim Burke, Theresa Carrao and Emma Norton. Meanwhile, the tidal wave scene (overseen by Karen Goulekas, Mike Chambers, Chris Horvath and Matthew Butler) from 20th Century Fox’s The Day After Tomorrow was named the Best Single Visual Effect of the Year. Last year’s gala ceremony also say Tom Hanks presenting the lifetime achievement award to producer Robert Zemeckis (Polar Express, Forest Gump).

    Headed by exec director Eric Roth, the Visual Effects Society is a professional, honorary society dedicated to advancing the arts, sciences, and applications of visual effects, while improving the welfare of its members. Comprised of a diverse group of approximately 1,250 global members, the VES strives to enrich and educate its own members and members of the entertainment community at large through domestic and international events.

    For more information on submitting work for the 2006 VES Awards, go to www.vesawards.com.

  • Henson, Muppets Honored with Statue, Stamps

    Muppets creator Jim Henson was posthumously honored Thursday by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences with a Hall of Fame wall sculpture. The ceremony also featured the unveiling of the new commemorative ‘Jim Henson: The Man Behind the Muppets’ postal stamp series.

    A three-time Emmy winner, Henson was inducted into the Television Academy’s Hall of Fame in 1987, but now his legacy is represented in the Hall of Fame Plaza by a bronze wall sculpture that stands more than seven feet high and weighs 1200 pounds. The centerpiece of the Plaza is 27-foot, 1,750 pound replica of the Emmy Award statue, which rests on a triple tiered water fountain.

    In addition to giving us Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo and the rest of the Muppets gang, Henson created The Fraggles and many of the residents of Sesame Street. His world-famous creature shop has also created memorable characters and creatures for such films as The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth and Babe, as well as the SCI FI Channel series Farscape, which was produced by the Jim Henson Co. The Muppets property was sold the the Walt Disney Co. in April of 2004.

    Today’s sculpture dedication ceremony was attended by Television Academy chairman Dick Askin, Hall of Fame sculptor Dick Stiles, Sculpture Committee chair Phil Wayne and Henson’s daughter, Lisa Henson, who serves as co-CEO of the Jim Henson Co. with brother Brian Henson.

    The Henson siblings then joined U.S.Postal Service chief marketing officer and exec VP Anita Bizzotto in dedicating the stamp series in the Leonard H. Goldenson Theater. Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy were also on hand to see the unveiling of the 11-stamp sheet, which features the likenesses of themselves, Sam the Eagle, Statler and Waldorf, Animal, Rowlf the Dog, Fozzie Bear, The Swedish Chef, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Beaker, the Great Gonzo and Camilla the Chicken. The stamps will be available nationwide tomorrow.