Mattel has announced the upcoming launch of two all-new animated Barbie specials. Barbie & Chelsea The Lost Birthday, the first dedicated television movie featuring Barbie’s younger sister Chelsea in a starring role, will launch globally on broadcasters and streaming services this spring. The second special, which follows the success of last year’s Barbie Princess Adventure, will be a musical that follows Barbie and her friends to New York City.
Directed by Cassi Simonds (Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures), Barbie & Chelsea The Lost Birthday tells the story of Chelsea, Barbie’s precocious youngest sister, and the rest of the Roberts family as they set sail on an adventure cruise for her seventh birthday. When they cross the International Date Line, Chelsea discovers her actual birthday has been lost and she embarks on a fantastical journey through an enchanted jungle island in order to save it.
“Barbie’s brand message, about inspiring the limitless potential in every child, and her stories resonate deeply with both kids and parents all over the world,” said Adam Bonnett, Executive Producer, Mattel Television. “This year, we are expanding the Barbie content universe in a number of ways starting with a fantastical story centered around Barbie’s little sister, Chelsea, an incredibly popular character in the Barbie family. We have barely scratched the surface of the stories the brand can tell, and this is the first of many scripted and unscripted Barbie projects we have in production and development.”
The 60-minute special will be available on Netflix in the U.S. as well as on Cartoonito (Italy), Pop (U.K.); 9Go! (Australia), Neox Kids (Spain), SuperRTL (Germany), Carousel (Russia) and iQIYI (China), with additional broadcast and streaming partners to be announced.
Executive producers for Barbie & Chelsea The Lost Birthday include Bonnett, Fred Soulie (Senior Vice President and General Manager, Mattel Television) and Christopher Keenan (Senior Vice President, Content Development and Production, Mattel Television). Ann Austen will co-executive produce. Animation services are being provided by Mainframe Studios.
This year, Barbie was named the 2020 Top Global Toy Property of the Year, according to the NPD group. In addition to launching new content focused on Chelsea, the Barbie brand will also introduce complementary dolls, playsets and accessories based on the character this spring. These new products are part of a broader strategy to expand the franchise with new items focused on Barbie’s friends and family.
Gabrielle Lissot, with her folkloric concept Les Louves (The Wolves), has been elected by the SAR ProJury to receive the first-ever six-week Sustainability Animation Residency, commencing on May 22, 2021 in Saint Rémy de Provence, France.
The international ProJury includes: Jeanette Jeanenne (Los Angeles), Independent animation director/producer and co-founder of GLAS Animation Festival; Eleanor Coleman (Paris), an expert in acquisitions/development of independent animation film; Maria Finders (Arles), artistic director, Luma Days and co-founder, Atelier LUMA; Korina Gutsche (Berlin), an environmentalist helping film/TV productions to go ‘green’; Niki Mardas (Oxford), Executive Director of Global Canopy; and Richard Wu (Taipei), media entrepreneur and co-founder of indie game developer Seed Studio.
Lissot was selected from a shortlist of four “incredibly accomplished” film proposals, preselected by the SAR PreJury consisting of Joana Schliemann, founder, Schliemann Residency Provence; Luce Grosjean, founder, MIYU Distribution; Tony Guerrero, Benoit Berthes Siward and Mathieu Rey.
Les Louves
“We are thrilled about the high number of applicants for the first SAR residency and impressed by the exceptional ideas, thoughtfulness, creativity and technical expertise we have seen in the submitted film proposals from all over the world. It’s been a real challenge for the Juries to choose the winner from such a talented cohort. We hope the SAR initiative, with its combined passion for the environment and creative genius of animation, will have an impact on the public of some sort,” commented the Jury.
SAR was set up in cooperation between Schliemann Residency Provence and MIYU Distribution with the help of Do Not Disturb, to amplify the urgency of environmental action using the powerful tools of animation. Situated near Arles, SAR seeks to tap into the unique pool of a world-class animation industry based in and around Arles, and to support their talents in a global context.
Les Louves
Les Louves: The world as we know it no longer exists. Eva and her daughter Lou take refuge in the forest. This is where they meet Lili, an old woman who has lived in the woods forever. Together, the three women will learn to live differently, they will educate, help and love each other. To survive in this nurturing but cruel nature, they will have to become free and wild women — she-wolves.
Born in 1987 in Rouen, Gabrielle Lissot studied animation at Supinfocom Valenciennes. There, she directed her first one-minute short film, followed by Tous des Monstres, her graduation film. She then decided to embark on directing, first with the creation of an animated sequence in the documentary film Prisonniers de l’Himalaya (Louis Meunier, 2012), then with her short film Jukai (2015) and finally with the VR Édouard Manet experience Un Bar aux Folie Bergère (2018). She also works as an artistic director, and is currently contributing to a feature film in development.
Scribble Studios and Lil Critter Workshop announced that they are recipients of an Epic MegaGrant from Epic Games. The support provided by the MegaGrant has enabled a co-development between the two Malaysian studios, and will be used to fund the upcoming CGI sci-fi action-adventure series Billy Fei and the Cloud Trials.
Launched in 2019, Epic MegaGrants is a $100 million program to globally accelerate the work of talented teams and individuals working with Unreal Engine, 3D graphics tools, and open source software.
Aimed at viewers ages six and up, Billy Fei and the Cloud Trials (26 x 22′) follows Billy, Bambin and Thoren — three mismatched heroes who are unexpectedly thrown together to compete in the Great Tournament. The trio finds themselves in daring missions with exciting chase sequences, thrilling treasure hunts and peril-filled challenges that captivate the people of Euthenia every four years.
The high-energy series promises to be fun, funny and full of heart as its young heroes learn and grow as a team, becoming fast friends in the face of constant challenges. The producers aim to deliver “breathtaking character-driven visual storytelling” powered by Unreal Engine.
Lil Critter Workshop has engaged renowned comics writer and author Cavan Scott to assist with the scripting and story. Scott has previously worked extensively on popular franchises such as Doctor Who, Adventure Time and Penguins of Madagascar, among others. One of the key collaborators of Lucasfilm’s new multimedia storytelling initiative, Star Wars: The High Republic, he also authors comics for Marvel, DC Comics, IDW and Dark Horse.
“I’m thrilled that Epic Games sees the potential in Billy Fei and the Cloud Trials. The Epic MegaGrant will help our team to explore and realize all the potential verticals for the IP,” said Walid Omar, Executive Producer of Lil Critter Workshop. “Engaging Cavan Scott to assist with the world-building expansion and scripting has been a fantastic collaborative experience. Focusing on an audience ages six to 10, the use of Unreal Engine opens up multi-platform possibilities for Billy Fei and the Cloud Trials.”
The team has brought on distributor Bejuba! Entertainment to launch the property internationally. “When Walid of Lil Critter first showed me the series and the aspirations of it, I was impressed. With the grant, and Cavan on board as writer, the series has expanded into a universe kids will want to be a part of. We’re excited to take it to market,” said Tatiana Kober, President of Bejuba! Entertainment.
Lil Critter Workshop series Hogie The Globehopper and Buck and Buddy are currently airing across the globe, with several more series in development.
Toonz Media Group, one of the world’s leading entertainment companies specializing in animation content production, has launched a new OTT platform for kids and family entertainment called MyToonz. A first-of-its-kind exclusive kids OTT platform to be launched by an Indian entertainment company, MyToonz was inspired by the need to create a safe and engaging entertainment destination for kids and families in the digital landscape.
“MyToonz will be a space where the whole family can come together to enjoy world-class content. We have envisaged MyToonz as the go-to destination for kids to watch safe, fun and nutritious content, which will be available in multiple global languages. All MyToonz programming is compliant with international safety standards for child viewing. We have also given a conscious thrust to co-viewing, to encourage families to watch and enjoy together,” said Toonz Media Group CEO P. Jayakumar.
Toonz has tied up with multiple app stores, telcos, OTTs and connected TV companies around the world to make MyToonz available for consumers across platforms. The MyToonz app is now available on iOS, Android and Android TV, as well as the Roku VOD platform, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV. Toonz has also inked a deal with telecommunication giant Airtel in India to integrate MyToonz on their app store. Airtel subscribers in India will be able to access the MyToonz digital library using the Airtel Xstream app. Besides this, the animation major has tied up with mobile tech services company U2opia Mobile to integrate MyToonz on various telco platforms in Latin America, Africa and Asia.
“Kids are emerging as the fastest growing audiences in the OTT ecosystem, it only becomes imperative that we have content that is highly engaging juxtaposed with safety and education on Airtel Xstream. Our partnership with MyToonz will help us in bringing more of such responsible content for our young audiences,” said Sudipta Banerjee, Chief Product & Technology Officer, Wynk (Airtel’s streaming app).
Sumesh Menon, Co-founder and Managing Director of U2opia Mobile, commented, “We are excited to partner with Toonz Media Group to take their unique genre of universal animation content, My Toonz, to our global telecom partners. At U2opia Mobile, we aim to drive great value to our customers through bundling and other creative distribution opportunities.”
Toonz Media Network, the digital division of the company, already has a formidable digital presence with 18 YouTube channels, totting up 15 million+ subscribers & 350 million+ viewership per month on this platform alone. The division is also live on multiple VOD platforms as well as various smart TVs and telcos.
With MyToonz, the company seeks to take its impressive catalogue of premium content, including international co-productions with the top studios and production houses around the world, to kids and families across the globe.
The MyToonz library will launch with over 1,500 half-hours of content, with new content being added every week. The library includes movies and episodic content across different genres. Besides English, there are dedicated playlists in Spanish, Russian and Hindi languages. The content has been categorized to be targeted at preschoolers, children and early teens, and carefully curated to provide quality entertainment to kids and families through fun, educational, safe, non-violent and environmentally sensitive content that celebrates diversity.
Check out the MyToonz library and access options at www.mytoonz.com.
Global streaming giant Netflix has emerged as one of the world’s largest producers of anime, aggressively seeking out partnerships with artists and studios in Japan and beyond to deliver compelling content to otaku around the world. However, as the anime homeland of Japan sees the number of working animators dwindle in comparison to demand — the industry has been called out for underpaying and overworking its artists in recent years — Netflix is taking steps to help reverse the talent shortage.
In a post penned by Taiki Sakurai, Chief Producer, Anime, the company announced it will be supporting the launch of WIT Animator Academy, a six-month animator training program from Japanese animation house WIT Studio (Attack on Titan, Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress, The Ancient Magus’ Bride) and animation school Sasayuri.
WIT Animator Academy
Starting this April, Netflix will be consulting on the curriculum developed by Sasyuri, and will financially support 10 or so successful student applicants by lifting tuition and living expenses for the duration of the program. The company says that this will allow students to focus on immersing themselves in the program, which will funnel graduates into the WIT Studio workforce where they will work on projects including original Netflix anime.
“It’s one thing to have a flourishing career as a talented animator. But we also think there’s opportunity for experienced animators to pass on their talent to younger generations through a structured program,” wrote Sakurai. “I am thrilled that Hitomi Tateno from Sasayuri will join as one of the main instructors. She brings almost 30 years of experience reviewing animation at the renowned Studio Ghibli overseeing films like My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away. The program will also invite veteran animators at WIT Studio to mentor budding animators. We hope this will create a meaningful cycle of connecting, and bolstering best-in-class talent who make the future of anime.”
ACM SIGGRAPH has selected Erik Brunvand, of the University of Utah, as chair of its 50th annual SIGGRAPH conference. Brunvand is a professor in the University of Utah’s School of Computing, where he has been on faculty since 1990.
Brunvand first attended the SIGGRAPH conference in 2006 and has since found a home among the community. As a contributor and creator, Brunvand has presented work in many storied programs, including the conference’s Courses, Talks, Labs (formerly Studio), Art Gallery and Educator’s Forum venues. As a volunteer, he has served on the SIGGRAPH 2017, 2018 and 2020 committees, and is currently the inaugural chair of ACM SIGGRAPH’s Distinguished Educator Award committee.
“Not only does Erik have a passion for the history of our industry, but his background also represents the breadth of subject matter that the conference covers. In his years in computer graphics, Erik has touched everything from research to art to education, which makes him a perfect fit to lead the celebration of 50 years of SIGGRAPH,” said SIGGRAPH Conference Advisory Group Chair Mikki Rose.
Fueled by a love of designing and building — whether physical machines or virtual simulations — Brunvand approaches teaching by encouraging his students to explore computer science and engineering from a wide variety of perspectives. His research has involved computer architectures optimized for application-specific tasks and, since the early 2000s, has centered on ray tracing and GPU efficiency. He holds a Ph.D. in computer science from Carnegie Mellon University.
Brunvand will follow SIGGRAPH 2022 Conference Chair Munkhtsetseg Nandigjav of Savannah College of Art and Design. The 2022 event is planned for Vancouver next summer.
“I’m a huge fan of computing history and how that informs research and industry practice going forward,” shared Brunvand. “I am thrilled to lead the planning of SIGGRAPH’s 50th anniversary year, and I am looking forward to finding new ways to bring the community’s rich and wonderful history to life.”
In addition to Brunvand’s appointment as 2023 chair, ACM SIGGRAPH is pleased to announce new dates for the SIGGRAPH 2021 virtual conference. Live events and “can’t miss” scheduled sessions will take place throughout the week of August 9-13; additionally, participants will have the opportunity to explore on-demand content at their convenience from August 2 through October 29. Submissions for many conference programs, including the Computer Animation Festival Electronic Theater, Real-Time Live! and Posters, are now open.
SIGGRAPH Asia has also announced that Sydney, Australia will be the host city for its 2023 conference and exhibition, bringing together the world’s most respected technical and creative minds, and further building New South Wales’ position as a leading global knowledge hub for creative industries. The 16th edition of SIGGRAPH Asia will be held December 12-15, 2023, and is expected to attract over 2,500 delegates and thousands of visitors to Sydney for the exhibition showcase, sharing expert knowledge on research, science, art, animation, gaming, interactivity, education and emerging technologies.
“New South Wales has the largest creative sector in Australia, and we expect the sector to be a key driver of the state’s economic growth, exports and innovation over the next decade,” said Stuart Ayres, Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney. “Sydney is one of the world’s most creative cities and it’s great to see this latest win for the business events sector, which continues to play a key role in restarting our city and state’s economy as global communities reopen.”
The event will also focus on sharing content with creative industries students across NSW, with June Kim appointed as the SIGGRAPH Asia 2023 Conference Chair. Kim is a lecturer at the University of NSW (UNSW), who has also served and participated in ACM SIGGRAPH for over a decade.
“Engaging the next generation is critical to the ongoing success for our community. Globally, there is a need to increase participation of youths, women, first peoples and people from diverse backgrounds, to study and develop skills in science, technology, engineering, arts and design,” said Kim. “Hosting SIGGRAPH Asia in Sydney will also provide the platform to launch new initiatives which help to scale and grow the local industry and spark interest amongst new audiences in this part of the world.”
In the interim, SIGGRAPH Asia is scheduled to take place in Tokyo, Japan (Dec. 13-17, 2021) and Daegu, South Korea (Nov. 7-11, 2022).
AMC announced today at the Television Critics’ Association (TCA) Press Tour the addition of William Hurt (Black Widow, Goliath), Maude Apatow (Euphoria, The King of Staten Island), Corey Stoll (Billions, Ant-Man) and Lara Pulver (The Angel of Darkness, Sherlock) to the cast of its first-ever animated primetime drama, Pantheon.
AMC Studios also announced that it has entered into an exclusive, multi-year overall deal with series creator and showrunner Craig Silverstein (Turn, Nikita, Terra Nova) to develop and produce new series for AMC Networks’ Entertainment Group, as well as other content companies.
Based on a collection of short stories from Ken Liu about Uploaded Intelligence, or, human consciousness uploaded to the ‘Cloud,’ Pantheon focuses on Maddie (Katie Chang), a bullied teen who receives mysterious help from someone online. The stranger is soon revealed to be her recently deceased father, David (Daniel Dae Kim), whose consciousness has been uploaded to the Cloud following an experimental destructive brain scan. David is the first of a new kind of being: an “Uploaded Intelligence” or “UI,” but he will not be the last, as a global conspiracy unfolds that threatens to trigger a new kind of world war.
Hurt will voice legendary genius billionaire Stephen Holstrom and Apatow will voice Maddie’s new friend, Justine. Stoll and Pulver will voice various roles throughout the series.
Previously announced cast include Daniel Dae Kim, Katie Chang, Paul Dano, Rosemarie DeWitt, Aaron Eckhart, Taylor Schilling, Ron Livingston, Chris Diamantopoulos, Raza Jaffrey, Scoot McNairy, Anika Noni Rose, Grey Griffin, SungWon Cho, Kevin Durand, Samuel Roukin and Krystina Alabado.
In addition to Silverstein, Liu serves as consulting producer with Titmouse Inc. animation studio attached. Produced by AMC Studios, AMC has placed an initial order for two seasons of the speculative fiction series consisting of eight one-hour episodes each.
“Craig is simply an incredible talent and we’re thrilled to further our partnership with someone who has been an appreciated member of the AMC Networks family for some time,” shared Dan McDermott, President of Original Programming for AMC Networks. “His brilliant work and writing have introduced viewers to truly unique worlds, anchored by compelling characters and told with an original voice, and Pantheon is no exception. We’re excited to work with him across our first-ever animated series and, hopefully, more projects to come.”
“I couldn’t be happier to continue the creative partnership I have enjoyed with my AMC Networks and AMC Studios family,” said Silverstein. “It truly does feel like being part of a family, especially during this past year where we’ve been joining our homes together in virtual space. AMCN’s commitment to deliver bold, brave, and entertaining stories to a wide audience is evident in their support for Pantheon, which breaks new ground as one of television’s first adult animated hour-long dramas. I am excited to see what other new worlds we will create together.”
Silverstein was creator and showrunner of the Revolutionary War drama Turn: Washington’s Spies for AMC Networks. Prior to that, he was creator/showrunner of the CW spy thriller Nikita, as well as co-creator and executive producer on the Steven Spielberg–produced dinosaur drama Terra Nova. Silverstein created the FOX series Standoff, and served as writer-producer on other series including Bones, K-Ville, Drive, The Inside, as well as USA Network/SyFy series The Dead Zone and The Invisible Man. He is represented by WME and attorney Tom Hoberman.
Hurt is represented by ICM Partners; Apatow is represented by Mosaic and UTA; Stoll is represented by Suskin Management and UTA; and Pulver is represented by Special Artists Agency and ICM Partners.
Over five years in the making, Chinese animated feature The Legend of Hei is a heart-warming fantasy adventure, bolstered by beautiful animation and enchanting narrative. Having made a successful splash with audiences on the other side of the world, the Annecy and Japan Media Arts Festival selection will be coming to North American homes through Shout! Studios on Digital on April 20, and on DVD and Blu-ray combo pack on May 11.
Filmmaker Ping Zhang (a.k.a MTJJ) derived The Legend of Hei from the popular Flash web series he created in 2011. The series gained immense popularity when it debuted online in China, and Zhang then decided to develop it into a feature-length movie, which has enjoyed successful openings in China and Japan.
Synopsis: Cat spirit Luo-Xiao Hei embarks on a journey of self-discovery after his habitat gets deforested by humans. On his search for a new home, he runs into a group of other spirit creatures who take him under their wing with dreams of reconquering the land they say is rightfully theirs. However, the group runs into a human known as Wuxian, who separates Hei from the other spirits. The two go on a journey that teaches Hei to control his abilities as well as forming his own thoughts on whether or not he should ally with the spirits or humans.
The Legend of Hei North American release boasts an exceptional English voice cast featuring Chinese-American talent, including Emi Lo (Bofuri, Valentine), Aleks Le (Funan, Ne Zha), Howard Wang (Dragon Ball Z, Marvel Avengers Academy), Kaiji Tang (Justice League, Grantz-O), Caleb Yen (Black Clover, Scott & Crowley) and Suzie Yeung (Kemono Friends).
As Nickelodeon paves the way for the spring premiere of the brand-new animated series Baby Shark’s Big Show!, the net is debuting a block of original Baby Shark shorts and doubling down on its preschool slate with renewals of top hits from its powerhouse preschool portfolio. Nick has greenlit a second season of Santiago of the Seas, a fourth season of Blue’s Clues & You! and a ninth season of PAW Patrol, which was the number-one preschool series on all TV last year. For 2020, Nickelodeon was home to nine of the top 10 preschool shows on all TV, and the number-one cable network for Kids 2-5, Kids 2-11 and Kids 6-11.
In advance of the premiere of Baby Shark’s Big Show!, the brand-new animated preschool series (26 half-hour episodes, co-produced by SmartStudy) based on Pinkfong’s Baby Shark Dance, the world-famous pop culture phenomenon, Nickelodeon will air Baby Shark Shorts, a collection of five mini-adventures, on Friday, Feb. 26, at 12:30 p.m. (ET/PT). The shorts follow Baby Shark and his best bud William as they dive into dancing, games and snack-sized mysteries, giving preschoolers a peek at the “jaw-some” underwater escapades that await in the upcoming series.
Baby Shark Shorts
Building upon the successful debut of Santiago of the Seas, which premiered in October 2020 and garnered the biggest L+3 lift Nickelodeon has ever had for a preschool launch, the net has picked up the series for a second season. Season two (26 half-hour episodes) will follow kind-hearted pirate Santiago “Santi” and his courageous crew — his cousin Tomás, first mate Lorelai the mermaid and best friend Kiko the frog — as they continue to sail the high seas aboard the legendary ship El Bravo to keep the islands safe. The new season of this fantastical Latino-Caribbean inspired action-adventure series will feature spectacular treasure, pesky villains and wondrous new lands.
Santiago of the Seas
In the fourth season of Blue’s Clues & You! (26 half-hour episodes), Josh (Josh Dela Cruz) and Blue will adventure to new locations in their bustling neighborhood, from an epic quest as brave knights, to saving the day as firefighter helpers and more. The season will also feature new music and fun-filled holiday traditions with family and friends.
Season nine of PAW Patrol (26 half-hour episodes, produced by Spin Master Entertainment) will follow the paw-some pack of pups — Chase, Marshall, Rubble, Skye, Rocky, Zuma, Everest and Tracker — as they take on exciting new missions. Whether it’s on the outskirts of town or beneath the waters of Adventure Bay, new pup pals and action-packed rescues are on the way.
Netflix has announced a new animated musical feature, Sulwe, based off of Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o’s No. 1 New York Times bestselling picture book of the same title, illustrated by Vashti Harrison and published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. Nyong’o is producing the adaptation.
Synopsis: Sulwe has skin the color of midnight. She is darker than everyone she knows. All she wants is to be beautiful and bright. One night, Sulwe is visited by a shooting star sent by the Night, and embarks on a magical journey where she learns the eye-opening story of the sisters Night and Day. Sulwe is a story about colorism, self-esteem, and learning that true beauty comes from within.
“The story of Sulwe is one that is very close to my heart. Growing up, I was uncomfortable in my dark skin. I rarely saw anyone who looked like me in the aspirational pages of books and magazines, or even on TV. It was a long journey for me to arrive at self-love,”Nyong’o shared in the announcement. “Sulwe is a mirror for dark-skinned children to see themselves, a window for those who may not be familiar with colorism, to have understanding and empathy, and an invitation for all who feel different and unseen to recognize their innate beauty and value. I am thrilled that the book is being adapted into an animated musical that we hope inspires children all around the world to celebrate their uniqueness.”
Lupita Nyong’o as a child (Photo courtesy of Lupita Nyong’o)
Earlier this year, Lupita Nyong’o read Sulwe as part of Bookmarks –– a live action series that features prominent Black celebrities and artists reading children’s books from Black authors that highlight the Black experience. The episode is available for streaming now via Netflix and the Netflix Jr. Youtube channel.
Sulwe joins Netflix’s fast growing original slate of animated features which includes Academy Award nominated Klaus, Kris Pearn’s The Willoughbys, Oscar winner Glen Keane’s Over the Moon; as well as the Fall 2021 comedy Back to the Outback directed by Clare Knight and Harry Cripps, Richard Linklater’s Apollo 10 ½: A Space Age Adventure, Chris Williams’ The Sea Beast, Henry Selick’s Wendell & Wild, Nora Twomey’s My Father’s Dragon, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, Wendy Rogers’ The Magician’s Elephant, Minkyu Lee’s The Witch Boy, an Aardman sequel to Chicken Run and a Redwall film and event series.
Beloved British bear Paddington is returning for all-new heartwarming adventures filled with family and fun in the second season of Nickelodeon’s hit CG-animated series The Adventures of Paddington. The season premiere was announced just as Studiocanal confirmed to Variety that it is working on a third live-action/CG hybrid feature film with David Heyman’s Heyday Films. (Director Paul King will not be returning; further details of Paddington 3 are yet to be revealed.)
Debuting in the U.S. on Friday, Feb. 19, at 8:30 p.m. (ET/PT) on the Nick Jr. channel, season two (26 half-hour episodes) of The Adventures of Paddington will continue to follow the always curious and kind Paddington, as he explores different parts of London, meets new friends, discovers exciting inventions and learns important lessons. S2 will roll out on Nickelodeon’s international channels and branded blocks beginning in April.
In the S2 premiere, “Paddington’s Plant Problem/Paddington the Artist,” Mr. Curry goes on holiday and gives Paddington the job of watering a plant for him, but Paddington accidentally waters the wrong one. Then, Mrs. Brown wants everyone in Windsor Gardens to artistically express themselves by exhibiting a piece of art at her CommunARTy show. Paddington doesn’t know what art is, so he sets out to find what he’s good at.
The Adventures of Paddington centers on a younger Paddington as he writes letters to Aunt Lucy celebrating the new things he has discovered through the day’s exciting activities. Actor Ben Whishaw (Paddington 1 & 2) voices the role of the title character, alongside cast members Morwenna Banks, Bobby Beynon, Sheena Bhattessa, Darren Boyd, Noel Clarke, Cam’ron Joseph, Guz Khan, Phyllis Logan, Monica Lopera, Divi Mittal, David Schofield, Reece Shearsmith, Maya Sondhi, Samara Sutariya, Liz Sutherland-Lim and Angeli Wall.
The Adventures of Paddington is a Heyday Films and Studiocanal production in association with Copyrights. The series is directed by BlueZoo’s (Go Jetters, Digby Dragon, Miffy, Q Pootle 5) Chris Drew and Jez Hall, with Adam Shaw serving as creative director. The show is developed for television and written by Jon Foster and James Lamont (The Amazing World of Gumball, Cuckoo, Paddington 1 & 2), who also serve as executive producers.
The series is executive produced by multi-award-winning David Heyman (producer of all eight Harry Potter films, Paddington 1 & 2) and Rosie Alison (Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, Paddington 1 & 2), produced by Karen Davidsen (formerly with Disney and HIT Entertainment) and Simon Quinn (Isle of Dogs, Fantastic Mr. Fox), and co-executive produced by Rob Silva. Studiocanal is the worldwide rights holder for the series.
***This article originally appeared in the March ’21 issue of Animation Magazine (No. 308)***
Vancouver-based Big Bad Boo Studios founder Shabnam Rezaei remembers the first time she decided to get into the animation business.“It was shortly after 9/11, and at the time, I worked on Wall Street as a computer software engineer developing software for banks,” she recalls. “I used to live across the street from the Twin Towers. Not only did the event leave me in complete shock, but the subsequent rhetoric that demonized all Iranians as terrorists made me reevaluate my mission in life. I decided to do something that has a positive effect on future generations, to educate them in a meaningful way, to create world citizens who are cosmopolitan and compassionate.”
Soon after, Rezaei and her husband Aly Jetha founded the studio and went on to produce their first children’s animated show, Mixed Nutz, which aired on PBS stations in the U.S. Over the past decade, Big Bad Boo also launched successful toons such as 1001 Nights, 16 Hudson and The Bravest Knight, all of which were lauded for their multicultural themes and inclusive cast of characters. This month, the second season of 16 Hudson continues Rezaei and her team’s bold mission of delivering socially relevant content that represents a diverse society for its family audiences.
Shabnam Rezaei
“The second season of the show brings lots of new adventures and comedy with our main cast Lili, Sam, Amala, Luc and Eddie, and three new holiday specials highlighting Christmas, the celebration of an Eagle feather and the Moon Festival,” says Rezaei. “In addition, we introduce a new family, the Garmianys, with a six-episode arc. The Garmianys are a refugee family who arrive to 16 Hudson from Kurdistan. The 16 Hudson gang welcome Ray and Rona, get to know them and see the world through their eyes and understand what it’s like to be in a new place. There are of course good and bad things about a move, including all the challenges they face and in turn all the value they add to the 16 Hudson building with their skills.”
A Tale of Three Cities
The 39 x 7′ show is a huge collaborative effort between the teams in Toronto, Vancouver and New York City. “Our writing rooms start in Toronto, led by John May and Suzanne Bolch, and we hire anywhere between eight to 10 writers, who will reflect the backgrounds of our series mains such as Iran, China, India and the Philippines,” notes Rezaei. “This writing approval process takes in notes from broadcasters TVO Kids and SRC Radio-Canada and approvals from cultural and educational advisors, led by Sarah Fewson.”
16 Hudson
Once the scripts are completed, the Vancouver-based production team, led by VP of Production Paddy Gillen, takes over. That’s where the designs, model builds, auditions, casting, voice records as well as storyboarding, animation and post production take place. “The entire process is overseen by senior creatives in New York,” says Rezaei. “As with any animated series, it is a very involved process: Over 100 people work behind the scenes to bring 16 Hudson to life.”
The animation team uses a variety of software products to make the series. According to the producers, this includes Microsoft Office, Final Draft, a suite of Adobe products for sketching, designs and boards; Toon Boom occasionally for boards or effects; and mainly Adobe Animate for animation.
Of course, like all global animation projects, the production was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic last year. Rezaei says she was most concerned with the team’s health from the earliest days of the pandemic so she sent employees home even earlier than the lockdown. “It took us some time to get used to the work-from-home model and there are certainly inefficiencies in the model, but luckily animation is one of the few industries in media where we were able to continue work,” she explains. “We are mindful of people who have to handle multiple situations at home or who have had to deal with sickness or death in their families and for those reasons, we have slowed down. We have a fantastic team and great partners and we are very grateful for that.”
16 Hudson
When it comes to providing inclusive content, Rezaei says from the beginning, her goal was to create shows that better represent real life. “We started with our story (being Iranian) and that was labeled as ‘diverse,’ but for us, we were being authentic and telling our story,” she explains. “In producing these types of stories, our hope was and remains that these shows would not be labeled as ‘niche’ just because they didn’t feature a majority white cast or a white lead. We set out to make content without labels that could just be the norm — content that is telling so many stories that have not yet been told and content that is aware that the world is made up of more than just straight white males.”
Over the past decade, the studio has made a lot of strides in redefining what diversity really means in children’s entertainment and has also made a remarkable effort in giving back to the community and the world at large. First, creating inclusive content is done by forming gender-balanced writing teams and production crews and making sure that the stories we tell are being crafted by those who have firsthand knowledge of the experiences we depict onscreen,” notes Rezaei. “You can’t have a truly inclusive show if you are not willing to put in the work behind the scenes. Second, we have started workshops for young BIPOC talent to change the color of the industry from the inside out so we can amplify more voices and achieve better balance.”
16 Hudson
Giving Back, Reaching Out
In addition, Big Bad Boo has an international development branch that works with UNICEF, Save the Children, USAID and other organizations to provide education through entertainment to children in conflict settings around the world. This effort is championed by Jetha, Rezaei’s husband and studio co-founder who received the U.N. WISE Award for his efforts in 2018. “We have developed educational curricula that accompany our existing shows and are implemented in both formal and informal educational settings,” adds Rezaei. “These programs provide psycho-social support and teach important values like inclusion, empathy, gender equity and more. We view this work as yet another way we can entertain children while also educating them and giving them the tools they need in their own social-emotional development.”
Rezaei says it has been gratifying to see a significant increase in interest in diverse storytelling on behalf of western countries’ broadcasters. “That is exciting because the West will eventually influence the creative of the East,” says the producer. “Overall though, the animated TV landscape is much more colorful and inclusive than when we first started out. Now you see a greater push to highlight underrepresented cultures as well as an embrace of the LGBTQ+ community, but there’s still a long way to go. We need to keep being deliberate about the types of stories we tell and who we spotlight. We also need to put a greater emphasis on creating parity in the highest levels of the industry to ensure that this is not just a fad but a sustained movement to create richer television.”
The Bravest Knight
Rezaei says some of the best reactions she has received have been from LGBTQ+ parents watching shows like 16 Hudson or The Bravest Knight. “They thank us for creating shows with families that look like theirs,” she says. “It’s something a lot of people take for granted, but means the world to those who have been ignored by the media for years.”
And what kind of advice does she offer content creators who want to take a step in the right direction? “Work with people who are dedicated to cultivating talent from diverse backgrounds,” Rezaei notes. “Participate in BIPOC industry workshops to form connections with people from different backgrounds and at different stages in their careers. You might find the right mentor or collaborator there. If you are in a position of power advocate for diverse and gender-balanced hires and keep this as a plus for the business. It takes time, effort and resources but it also leads to richer stories. More importantly, be authentic to who you are and what your mind and heart drives you to and don’t give up.”
The second season of 16 Hudson airs on TVO Kids and Knowledge Network. For more info, visit bigbadboo.com.
Montreal/Madrid-based international sales and distribution company Pink Parrot Media (PPM) has secured the acquisition of the new spin-off animated series based on Carpediem’s IP property and upcoming feature film Butterfly Tale. A prequel to the film, the CGI animated series Butterfly Academy (working title) is being co-produced by the film’s production team, Canada’s CarpeDiem (Snowtime!) and Germany’s Ulysses Filmproduktion (Ooops! Noah Is Gone).
Production of Butterfly Tale commenced in January, with first-time film director Sophie Roy, one of Canada’s up-and-coming female film talents.
“We are very excited to see our special butterflies take off on new journeys,” says Tania Pinto Da Cunha, Vice President/Partner and Head of International Sales & Acquisitions at Pink Parrot Media. “The beautiful animation and the wonderful storylines are going to translate into a wonderful animated series that is certain to capture young audiences everywhere.”
Produced by Marie-Claude Beauchamp at CarpeDiem and Ulysses’ Emely Christians, Société Radio-Canada is on board as a Canadian broadcaster.
Set against the backdrop of the Milkweed Academy, a high school for monarch butterflies, the series will include many of the feature film’s adorable characters, including the lovable one-winged disabled butterfly Patrick, who will be joined by friends Marty and Jennifer among many other as they navigate through the challenges of their high school life and learn about the big migration of the monarchs and all its challenges.
Author and writer Heidi Foss is on board as screenwriter. In addition to screenwriting, story editing and series development credits for shows on HBO, Fox, PBS, YTV, Nickelodeon and the BBC, Foss is a well-known Canadian stand-up comedian. She recently was story editor on the first season of Air Bud’s Pup Academy for Disney.
Lienne Sawatsky, nominee for the 2019 Canadian Screen Awards and WGC Awards for Best Writing on the animated TV series Wishfart, also joins the production team as screenwriter. Sawatsky is best known for her work on notable series for Disney Channel, Nick Jr. and Cartoon Network such as Sidekick and Hot Wheels: Battle Force 5.
PPM is currently shopping for co-production partners. The 52 x 11′ animated series is set to be completed by Q4 2023.
The Butterfly Tale feature film has already been pre-sold in France & Germany (Wild Bunch), Poland & Romania (Monolith), Former Yugoslavia (Blitz) and Middle East (Front Row) and will be released in theaters in Q4 2022.
Apple and Skydance Animation have marked the finalization of a multiyear deal with the unveiling of first-look art from the studio’s hotly anticipated debut feature films Luck and Spellbound — both set to premiere on Apple TV+ — and announced a new series project, The Search for WondLa. The partnership will roll out several additional features and series over the term of agreement.
The Search for WondLa, which is announced with a two-season order, is a new Apple Original animated series based on children’s sci-fi book trilogy by author/illustrator Tony DiTerlizzi. The novels follow a 12-year-old girl named Eva Nine who is forced to flee her underground sanctuary home when it is destroyed by a marauder. Raised by a robot called Muthr, Eva Nine sets out to find other humans like her, guided by a scrap of cardboard depicting a young girl, an adult, a robot, and the strange word “WondLa.”
The series will be written and executive produced by showrunner Lauren Montgomery (Voltron: Legendary Defender, supervising producer The Legend of Korra, director Justice League: Doom, Wonder Woman 2009). Executive producers are DiTerlizzi, Chad Quant and Gotham Group.
Luck (Apple/Skydance)
Luck, directed by Peggy Holmes (Secret of the Wings, The Pirate Fairy), features the unluckiest girl alive who stumbles upon the never-before-seen world of good and bad luck and must join with magical creatures to uncover a force more powerful than even luck itself. The film is written by Kiel Murray (Cars, Cars 3).
Spellbound, set in a world of magic where a young girl must break the spell that has split her kingdom in two, reunites director Vicky Jenson (Shrek, Shark Tale) with her Shrek producer David Lipman. Writers are Lauren Hynek & Elizabeth Martin (Mulan) and Linda Woolverton (Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King). Multi-Oscar winner Alan Menken is writing the original score and songs, with the help of lyricist Glenn Slater and executive music producer Chris Montan.
Luck and Spellbound were originally set up with Paramount Pictures; the studio had announced their release dates as February 18, 2022 and November 11, 2022 last summer.
David Steward II’s Lion Forge Animation studio (Academy Award-winning Hair Love) is expanding its global creative, executive and production teams, announcing the addition of seasoned executives in several key positions for the much-in-demand studio that champions diversity and authenticity.
Two-time Emmy-award winning animation director and creative visionary Saxton Moore has been tapped as Executive Creative Director for Lion Forge Animation. Moore has worked with notable animation and entertainment companies throughout his career, including Netflix, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Sesame Street, FUSEtv and A+E, and brings over 20 years of experience to the role.
Ariel Yamus will bring his passion and 10-plus years of experience working in design, illustration and animation to the company in the role of Senior Creative Director. He will focus on exploring new methods of creativity for all areas, from storytelling to character design to audio production.
On the international front, Lion Forge has tapped Patricio Yamus to head up Lion Forge Animation Argentina, where he will serve as Studio Head and Executive Producer. Patricio was the founder and CEO of BLU Animation Studio – where he led a diverse, global team to provide animation production services to international clients in advertising, private equity, brands, government, live-action production and animation production worldwide.
Additionally, the studio has brought in a quartet of experienced and talented Executive Producers to support production, creative and marketing efforts across the company: Jimmy Thomas, Lina Foti, Ray Brown and Deena Boykin will bring their wealth of diverse experience to the studio, providing creative direction and support to the team.
Jimmy Thomas is a senior level creative executive with more than 30 years of entertainment business experience. He has been providing consulting services to executives at major entertainment companies for the last 15 years. He has also written and produced for a number of independent artists, record companies, movies and commercials – earning him several multi-platinum and gold records over his career. He was part of the Oscar-winning team that produced Hair Love.
Lina Foti has extensive experience in global international marketing and business development. She has worked with artists, producers, publishers and broadcasters all around the world, developing original IP for international audiences as well as setting-up global co-productions and localizing animation and live-action shows across Latin America and English-speaking countries. Her production credits work for various entertainment companies including NBCU, NatGeo Kids, Northern Pictures and more.
Ray Brown has over 25 years of entertainment experience – producing content and working with entertainers and influencers including Nick Cannon, Alfonso Ribiero, Shemar Moore, Quincy Jones, Sommer Ray and others.
Deena Boykin is a 20-year expert in successfully launching products and executing promotions in all channels of distribution at retail, with experience working with several major studios and entertainment companies including Disney, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network and more.
“I am incredibly excited to welcome our new and talented team members into the fold. Each person brings something new and exciting to the table, and I can’t wait to integrate them into our projects to see how we can continue to tell authentic and unique stories,” said Lion Forge Animation President.
Lion Forge founder Steward added, “Since the launch of Lion Forge Animation, it’s been our goal to put together the best talent working in the industry to tell these unrepresented stories in a meaningful way. This group enhances our ability to do just that – and we can’t wait to see the amazing work they do.”
Launched last year, Lion Forge Animation was behind the 2019 Academy Award winning, culturally resonating short Hair Love, directed by Matthew A Cherry. The animation studio contributes to the growth of Lion Forge IP with TV series and feature film adaptations and is one of the only African-American owned animation studios in the world, but unmatched in size and scale (and the only African-American owned studio with an Oscar).
The additions to the LFA team come on the heels of a busy summer and fall for the studio that saw a stream of major deals including a Hair Love spinoff series (Young Love with HBO Max), an exclusive first-look partnership with Imagine Kids+Family, and a multi-year / multi-project joint venture partnership with Chinese studio Starlight Media.
LFA’s deal with Imagine Kids + Family is centered around the animation company’s existing IP of both licensed and original ideas, starting with Chippy Hood, Puerto Rico Strong and Black Comic Anthology, among others. Content development includes short-form, TV series and digital, and is a part of a strategic global franchise and consumer products plan. With China’s Starlight Media, Lion Forge Animation is co-financing and co-producing a slate of original animated films as well as projects based on popular Lion Forge IP and broader cultural IP.
Lion Forge Animation sits within Steward’s holding company Polarity, which houses media businesses including the Lion Forge comics publishing unit. Steward II has been putting resources behind his vision of expanding the market for comics and comic-related pop culture to new age groups and demographics since the early 2010s, building a portfolio of titles and imprints that feature characters and creators from a wide variety of backgrounds. He’s extended that vision and ethic to the larger media landscape with an organization that can orchestrate content development, production and distribution across different channels.
With LFA, Steward is widening the diversity of creative voices available in the animated space. The company’s goal remains in line with what Steward and his team accomplished in publishing: to showcase a variety of authentic voices and experiences through their work, whether created internally or through partnership with top talent.
Netflix announced the upcoming release of DOTA: Dragon’s Blood, an all-new anime series based on the popular DOTA 2 videogame franchise by Valve. The eight-episode series is set to join the streamer’s ever-growing anime lineup with a global launch on March 25.
The upcoming fantasy series tells the story of Davion, a renowned Dragon Knight devoted to wiping the scourge from the face of the world. Following encounters with a powerful, ancient eldwurm as well as the noble Princess Mirana on a secret mission of her own, Davion becomes embroiled in events much larger than he could have ever imagined.
“Fans will love how we’ve imagined the DOTA 2 universe and woven together an epic, emotional, and adult-oriented story about some of their favorite characters,” said showrunner and executive producer Ashley Edward Miller (X-Men: First Class, Thor, Black Sails). “The cinematic animation, acting and music are simply next level and I’m grateful to Valve for supporting our creative ambitions.”
DOTA: Dragon’s Blood is being brought to life by renowned animation house Studio MIR (The Legend of Korra, Voltron: Legendary Defender and upcoming The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf), with Ryu Ki Hyun as co-executive producer.
DOTA 2 is one of the leading online games in the world, hosting millions of players daily and holding multiple records for top esports tournament prize earnings. Launched in 2011 by Valve, the annual International DOTA 2 Championship has paid over $150 million to its winning teams.
WarnerMedia Kids & Family unveiled today an expansive content commitment that aims to appeal to the complete spectrum of kids and families including preschoolers, all kids ages 6-11, and family co-viewing, creating more than 300 hours of original series, specials and acquisitions that will debut on its global Cartoon Network channels and HBO Max beginning later this year. These new originals add to the over 3,000 hours of premium library content also coming to all of WarnerMedia’s platforms.
“After 100 years of creating some of the world’s most beloved IP, today we’re at the beginning of our new story, with the history, corporate unity and modern approach to be the industry leader our heritage deserves,” said Tom Ascheim, President of Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics.
Leveraging the historic and rich legacy within the WarnerMedia portfolio and a newly united Kids & Family business group within the enterprise, Cartoon Network was unveiled today as the central Kids & Family brand for WarnerMedia. Additionally, Cartoon Network has reenergized its brand promise through its new tagline, ‘Redraw Your World,’ which aims to empower kids to feel comfortable with who they are, embrace their uniqueness and believe in their own ability to impact change. To help bring this new brand position to life, Cartoon Network inked its first-ever kid musician-in-residence deal with 10-year-old viral music sensation Nandi Bushell to create a spectrum of multiplatform content.
“The world can be a pretty challenging place at times but rather than wallowing in the world we’re given, let’s draw the world we want. At Cartoon Network, we create wildly original and diverse worlds every day and that just may be the inspiration kids need to redraw their own world,” said Tricia Melton, Chief Marketing Officer of Warner Bros. Kids, Young Adults and Classics.
Affirming its promise to appeal to kids of all ages, Cartoon Network announced today its preschool programming block Cartoonito launching this fall and is making a significant commitment to creating more animation and live-action content that appeals to girls and family co-viewing.
“The characters, artists and storytellers that make up Cartoon Network Studios and Warner Bros. Animation are some of the strongest in the industry,” said Sam Register, President of Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios. “While each studio continues in the footsteps of their own proud legacy, they unite with a shared passion to create programming that will draw in audiences of all ages and be the engine that drives WarnerMedia to the top of the kids and family space.”
Ben 10
New series & renewal greenlights include:
Ben 10 specials – Produced by Man of Action (Big Hero 6, Generator Rex), three 44-minute specials based on the hit Cartoon Network series Ben 10 are set to premiere in April 2021. The first, Ben 10010, takes place in the future when a disillusioned Ben 10000 is called out of retirement to recruit his 10-year-old version from the past to work together to save a future under siege. The second special, Ben Gen 10, follows Ben as he meets a young Generator Rex on the run from a hostile Providence working through a series of misunderstandings in order to save the world from being infected with alien DNA. In the final installment, Alien X-Tinction, the Tennysons are attacked by a villainous, dimension-hopping Omni-alien, and soon meet a parallel universe version of Max who opens the door to hosting multiple Bens and Gwens, forming an alien hero army to combat this threat.
Craig of the Creek– Created by Steven Universe writers Matt Burnett and Ben Levin, season four of the Emmy-, GLAAD- and NAACP Image Award-nominated series is back and filled with new adventures as Craig and his friends embark on an exciting quest to find one of the Creek’s greatest treasures — meeting new friends and exploring new places along the way.
Gremlins S2 – A season two greenlight of this animated prequel to the beloved film franchise doubles down on the yet-to-be-aired series from Warner Bros. Animation and Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Television. The first season, Gremlins: The Secrets of the Mogwai, is currently in production and features a star-studded voice cast including Izaac Wang, Ming-Na Wen, BD Wong, James Hong, A.J. LoCascio, Gabrielle Green, and Matthew Rhys.
Infinity Train: Book Four – Two old friends must explore the inner puzzles of the Infinity Train – and their relationship – in order to return home, together. Infinity Train: Book Four is created by Owen Dennis and produced by Cartoon Network Studios.
Jade Armor
Jade Armor – In production with TeamTO and featuring a talented all-female creative team, Jade Amor centers on the martial arts-loving Lan Jun, an unlikely teenage heroine who must learn the ancient secrets of her family and uncover the unexpected, all while navigating life as a teen.
Total Drama Island – The world’s most hilarious reality show is back and better than ever with two new seasons. With no parents, no phones, and no mercy, the new animated series will introduce an updated cast of quirky, iconic teen contestants as they face hardcore competition, brutal eliminations, and more drama than ever before. Total Drama Island is produced by Fresh TV for Cartoon Network and HBO Max, and distributed internationally by CAKE.
Victor and Valentino – In the third season, there’s something sinister unfolding in Monte Macabre, and Victor and Valentino plan to sniff it out before it’s too late. Along the way, the boys will return to the Underworld for Dia de Muertos, hang out with the Reynas of Los Angeles for a Mariachi musical, and mark Halloween with a harrowing two-part spooktacular special. The series is created by Diego Molano and produced by Cartoon Network Studios.
Gross Girls
New projects in development include:
The Amazing World of Gumball Movie(working title) – Produced out of EMEA, the upcoming TV movie is based on the hit Cartoon Network series The Amazing World of Gumball, which follows the hilarious misadventures of Gumball Watterson and his goldfish best friend, Darwin.
Family Mash-Up (working title) – A modern day The Brady Bunch meets Pitch Perfect when a single mom and three sons and a single dad with three daughters fall in love and get married despite their kids being in two fiercely competing acapella groups. The music-filled live-action comedy is created by Michael Poryes (Hannah Montana, That’s So Raven).
Gross Girls – From Cartoon Network Studios with producers Adam Scott (Parks and Recreation) and Naomi Scott (Other People) alongside creators Daniela Hamilton and Scott Yacyshyn, Gross Girls is a smart, sophisticated animated comedy about Chuck and Zoey, two best friends trying to survive middle school without losing any of their trademark stinky, hairy, mad science-y grossness. In spite of jerky brothers, judgey classmates and “common decency,” these two girls boost each other up and encourage each other to be 100% themselves. Because with the right best friend, everything is an adventure … even puberty.
Teen Titans Go! The Night Begins to Shine – In this spin-off series of the Cartoon Network smash hit Teen Titans Go!, Robin, Raven, Cyborg, Beast Boy and Starfire journey back to the world of Night Begins to Shine when the musical land falls victim to a sinister new threat. Together, the Titans must protect the only key to the world’s salvation: a magical mixtape. Teen Titans Go! Night Begins to Shine is produced by Warner Bros. Animation.
Tweety Mysteries (working title) – A hybrid live-action/animated adventure from Warner Bros. Animation and Warner Bros. Television that follows a curious tween investigative journalist and podcaster named Sydney and her sidekick Tweety bird. Working together the pair must solve various local mysteries in their small, quirky Washington state town.
Tweety Mysteries
Today’s programming announcements join the previously announced two-season greenlight of Tiny Toons Looniversity from Warner Bros. Animation, Amblin Television and returning executive producer Steven Spielberg, as well as the inclusive family co-viewing slate that includes Genndy Tartakovsky’s supernatural family series Unicorn: Warriors Eternal. Cartoon Network will also launch weekend family movie nights with blockbuster features including Gremlins, Happy Feet, The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part, Shazam!, Back to the Future and more.
WarnerMedia Kids & Family released today plans to launch Cartoonito, a new preschool programming block built to support each child’s unique potential, set to debut on Cartoon Network and HBO Max this fall. In addition to today’s greenlight of Bugs Bunny Builders (WT), it was announced today that titles including Mush-Mush & the Mushables and Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go are among 20 new series that will be available at launch. WarnerMedia has pledged to grow this offering to nearly 50 new shows within its first two years. In addition to originals, Cartoonito will deliver thousands of hours of content from WarnerMedia’s legacy library and global acquisitions.
“Cartoonito is our biggest commitment to preschool programming in 100 years. Our educational philosophy coupled with the incredible caliber of innovative, educational content that will comprise this offering is second to none,” said Tom Ascheim, President of Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics. “Reimagining some of our legendary franchises with preschool-appropriate spinoffs like Batwheels, Bugs Bunny Builders and Tom and Jerry Junior will keep new generations laughing and learning for years to come.”
All Cartoonito preschool content will align with Cartoon Network’s newly announced tagline, ‘Redraw Your World,’ which aims to empower kids to feel comfortable with who they are, embrace their uniqueness and believe anything is possible.
Based on the proprietary preschool educational framework of Humancentric Learning, Cartoonito aims to support every child’s humanness by celebrating their unique selves and encouraging them to interact with others with empathy, respect, and fairness. This modern educational framework is inspired by Positive Psychology and 21st Century Learning, championing curiosity and independence and intertwines learning with play. In partnership with Educational Psychologist Dr. Laura Brown, Humancentric Learning was developed around the principles of identifying and developing one’s strengths, as well as feeling empathy for others so that every child can be the best version of themselves. Building on the learning’s four pillar strengths: Curiosity, Courage, Humanity and Creativity, Cartoonito’s diverse storytelling aims to be authentic, relevant and relatable.
“Cartoonito is designed to be a thoroughly modern preschool brand, both by leaning into our iconic content and by inviting fresh new voices in. We’ll make high-quality, authentic stories that kids and parents can enjoy together,” said Amy Friedman, Head of Kids & Family Programming, Warner Bros. “Grounding everything we do in Humancentric Learning will ensure that kids embrace and celebrate their differences and everyone else’s.”
HBO Max continues its content partnership with Sesame Workshop – the nonprofit behind Sesame Street and more than five decades of award-winning children’s programming – today announcing a new animated preschool comedy series Bea’s Block. This joins an already abundant portfolio of Sesame Workshop series on the platform, including its flagship show Sesame Street and spinoffs The Not-Too- Late Show with Elmo and forthcoming CGI-animated Mecha Builders, as well as Esme & Roy.
Bea’s Block
New series greenlights:
Bea’s Block – Debuting on HBO Max, Sesame Workshop’s newest animated preschool comedy series draws on the ubiquity of block toys to bring the vibrant, diverse neighborhood of Blocktown to life. The show centers on bold and curious five-year-old Bea as she and her friends spread kindness and build empathy through playful adventures in their community.
Bugs Bunny Builders (working title) – Produced by Warner Bros. Animation and built on the solid comedic foundation of the iconic Looney Tunes, Bugs Bunny Builders brings the wackiness, humor and slapstick we’ve grown to love to a new preschool audience. At ACME Construction Company Bugs Bunny and Lola Bunny manage a crew of builders that, quite frankly, should not be anywhere near a construction site. However, by working together as a team, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Tweety and others use their tools and wild vehicles to pull off some of the looniest construction jobs ever.
Jessica’s Big Little World
New series in development:
Jessica’s Big Little World (working title) – From Cartoon Network Studios, this spin-off of the Emmy-, GLAAD- and NAACP Image Award-nominated Cartoon Network original Craig of the Creek follows Craig’s bright, independent, spirited little sister Jessica as the Creek’s favorite first-grader embarks on adventures of her own. The series is created by Craig of the Creek executive producers and creators Matt Burnett and Ben Levin, and Craig of the Creek supervising director Tiffany Ford.
Tom and Jerry Junior (working title) – Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, Tom and Jerry Junior is a series of animated musical shorts introducing the beloved cat and mouse duo to preschoolers with an educational twist. Classic Tom and Jerry hijinks – chasing, pranking, outsmarting each other – set an entertaining and hilarious backdrop while a core learning curriculum, based in education and essential readiness research, turns the world created by the biggest rivalry in all of animation into a fun and playful cartoon classroom.
Mush Mush and the Mushables
New acquisitions & co-productions:
Ladybird Lu – Produced by 9 Story’s award-winning studio Brown Bag Films, Ladybird Lu explores everyday dramas in the world of a three-year old with a brand-new social life. The new series is created and directed by Nicky Phelan (Vampirina, Octonauts) and inspired by his mother’s experience running a preschool.
Mush-Mush & the Mushables – Produced by France’s La Cabane and Belgium’s Thuristar in co-production with CAKE, the series follows the endearing Mushable community as they embark on a journey to put the fun back into fun-gi! Teeming with activity, it’s always an adventure in Mushworld as each Mushable gets to know their talents, and their limits. As pocket-size guardians of the forest, growing up isn’t always easy, but together each day shines just as bright as the one before. Mush-Mush & the Mushables is a fun journey full of discovery, exciting outdoor adventure, and mush mush more! Produced by Perrine Gauthier, Mush-Mush & the Mushables is created by Elfriede de Rooster and directed by Joeri Christiaen.
Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go – From Mattel Television, Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go invites preschoolers all aboard and follows the world’s Number One Tank Engine and his friends on their silliest and most musical adventures yet. Produced in vibrant 2D animation in partnership with Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana Studio, the show features a core cast of five young engines: Thomas, his best friend Percy, rival Diesel, the adventurous world traveler Nia and an all-new electric high-speed rail train, Kana.
Mecha Builders
Previously announced preschool greenlights that will join Cartoonito’s programming line-up include: Sesame Street’s first CGI-animated spinoff Mecha Builders on HBO Max; Batwheels, an action-adventure comedy series from Warner Bros. Animation that will feature the most heroic and iconic vehicles from the DC universe; Little Ellen, a 2D animated series from Ellen Digital Ventures and Warner Bros. Animation exploring the world through the eyes of a seven-year-old Ellen DeGeneres; Lucas the Spider, a CGI-animated show from Fresh TV in association with WexWorks Media with CAKE handling international distribution and based on a viral YouTube hit that follows the adventures of an endearing young spider as he and his friends try to navigate the big world around them; and a collection of projects with bestselling children’s book author Mo Willems.
Disney Television Animation’s critically acclaimed DuckTaleswill solve some mysteries and rewrite history with an epic 90-minute series finale special Monday, March 15 (7 p.m. EDT/PDT), on Disney XD and ungated in DisneyNOW.
Executive produced by Matt Youngberg and co-executive produced by Francisco Angones, the Emmy Award-nominated DuckTales team wrapped production after 75 episodes and more than 15 shorts. The series continues to be available on Disney Channels and Disney+ around the world. In the U.S., the series is the #1 ratings driver on Disney XD and has reached over 234 million views on social media and YouTube since its launch in 2017.
Culminating in a memorable, dramatic reading of the show’s iconic main title song, the cast met one final time via Zoom during the recent holiday season — David Tennant (“Scrooge McDuck”), Danny Pudi (“Huey”), Ben Schwartz (“Dewey”), Bobby Moynihan (“Louie”), Kate Micucci (“Webby Vanderquack”), Beck Bennett (“Launchpad McQuack”), Toks Olagundoye (“Mrs. Beakley”) and Paget Brewster (“Della Duck”). Watch the video at the end of this post!
In a joint statement, Youngberg and Angones said, “It has been an absolute honor to adventure along with the Duck Family for three seasons of derring-do bad and good luck tales. Ever since Carl Barks took a silly squawking duck from a funny animal cartoon and sent him looking for pirate gold, these characters have been part of a constantly evolving legacy of invention and reinvention. We set out to honor all those things that we’ve loved about DuckTales since we were kids and introduce new parts of that legacy for families around the globe. Along the way, our stellar crew, unbelievable cast and endlessly supportive fans have become a bit of a family ourselves. And it has been a great joy to solve mysteries and rewrite history alongside them.”
The DuckTales series finale special will encore non-stop for 24 hours following its premiere. Leading up to the finale, Disney XD will debut new episodes every Monday beginning February 22 (7 p.m. EST/PST) and will present a week-long DuckTales marathon of every aired episode beginning Monday, March 8 (7:30 p.m. EST/PST).
In addition, three new “Chibi Tiny Tales” shorts, featuring Chibi-style versions of favorite DuckTales characters, will roll out beginning Friday, Feb. 26 on Disney XD, DisneyNOW and Disney Channel YouTube.
Based on the Emmy Award-winning series treasured by a generation of viewers, DuckTales chronicles the high-flying adventures of Duckburg’s most famous trillionaire Scrooge McDuck; his mischief-making triplet grandnephews, Huey, Dewey and Louie; temperamental nephew, Donald Duck (voiced by Disney Legend Tony Anselmo); and the trusted McDuck Manor team: big-hearted, fearless chauffeur/pilot Launchpad McQuack, no-nonsense housekeeper Mrs. Beakley and Mrs. Beakley’s granddaughter, Webby Vanderquack, resident adventurer and the triplet’s fierce friend.
In the finale titled “The Last Adventure!,” the future of adventuring hangs in the balance as the Duck family uncovers earth-shattering secrets in a final standoff with the Fiendish Organization for World Larceny (F.O.W.L.). Returning guest voices include Lin-Manuel Miranda, Giancarlo Esposito, Julie Bowen, Jaime Camil, Jameela Jamil, Catherine Tate, Stephanie Beatriz, Paul F. Tompkins, Jim Rash, Margo Martindale, Jason Mantzoukas, John Hodgman, Retta, Kimiko Glenn, Libe Barer, Jaleel White and Amy Sedaris. Noël Wells and Riki Lindhome guest star as sisters, June and May, respectively.
Movies about space travel have always provided visual effects artists with opportunities to push the medium in exciting new directions. The new Netflix feature The Midnight Sky, which is directed by and stars George Clooney, continues this time-honored tradition.
The sci-fi drama is based on the book Good Morning, Midnight by Lily Brooks-Dalton, which centers on a scientist and a young girl who embark on a journey across the Arctic to communicate to a returning space expedition that Earth has been destroyed by an ecological disaster. Emmy Award-nominated visual effects supervisor Matt Kasmir (Catch-22) and Oscar winner Chris Lawrence (Christopher Robin) helped bring Clooney’s project to realistic life.
Matt Kasmir and Chris Lawrence
The emotional void felt by the terminally ill protagonist Augustine (Clooney) echoes the fate of the planet. As Kasmir points out, “We only ended up doing approximately 700 shots for the movie. It’s quite an intelligent drama that is emotionally captivating: It’s the opposite of our usual visual effects spectrum, which is a lot of things crashing around the place and aliens trying to eat everyone!”
The team at VFX house Framestore looked after the film’s signature spacewalk, the bloodletting, face replacements, and collaborated with production designer Jim Bissell (The Rocketeer) on conceptualizing and executing the spacecraft Aether.
“I’d previously worked with Framestore and Chris Lawrence, who has done such great work on Gravity and The Martian,” Kasmir notes. “It was a natural fit. Framestore London did the spacewalk, which was the single biggest effects sequence, and Framestore Montreal did the Arctic environment and a few additional space shots including the ‘Sick Earth.’” ILM was responsible for Augustine and Iris (Caoilinn Springall) attempting to escape from a sinking pod, and One of Us handled the various holograms and the proposed new planetary home for humanity, K23.
The Midnight Sky spacewalk (before)The Midnight Sky spacewalk (after)
A Weightless World
One of key challenges for the team was how to realistically depict the weightless moments in outer space, especially since actress Felicity Jones’ pregnancy during the shoot limited her usage of wirework.
“Shooting in zero-G is always difficult because it’s impossible to achieve it here on Earth without going into orbit,” says Lawrence. “There are various well-known tricks that we use, like wirework and digital doubles. You have to plan for digital doubles early because they take a long time to do.”
Critical to the process was the Anyma facial capture system which allowed the actors to perform in and out of costume: These sessions were directed by Clooney with cast members reading their lines with one another. “Our initial data, which did arrive before we started shooting, was encouraging,” says Lawrence. “We went in with a previz and a plan to include long swinging wires and rails. As we got closer to it, we realized how many challenges that we were presenting to physical production. We were able to say, ‘We’re comfortable about the faces in this shot. We can probably get away with a digital double.’”
“Felicity is incredible on wires; to be fairly heavily pregnant and to be able to do that is one of nature’s miracles as far as I’m concerned,” remarks Lawrence. “But we did have this contingency that we could do a digital face replacement.”
To that end, complimentary data was provided by Clear Angle Studios utilizing the company’s latest scan technology while the team at Framestore hand tracked the eyes. Everything had to be precise down to the millimeter to ensure that proper emotion was translated and believably conveyed.
“Hopefully, Netflix will let us put out the CG render versus the captured plate,” says Lawrence. “You will have to stare at them to figure out which one is which. It’s like an inverted way of filmmaking to an editor where you’re looking at something out of the context of the lighting. You’re previously looking at your select in flat lighting as a square picture in picture, and you’re now seeing it from a different angle with the dramatic shot lighting. It takes on a different cinematic meaning. To his credit, Stephen Mirrione [The Revenant] tried to tune into what he originally liked about the shot. That was a great collaboration. It was him pushing us to not let any of the visual effects get in the way of the storytelling, which was a big part of the overall brief.”
Another important collaborator in the visual arena was cinematographer Martin Ruhe (Control), who allowed the visual effects team to adjust the StageCraft lighting to better integrate the live-action footage with the plate photography being projected on the LED walls. “I collaborated with Martin and Julian White, our chief lighting technician, on this Rosco system which is a gel that diffuses light,” explains Kasmir. “Behind it we had hundreds of SkyPanels that could be controlled as a low pixel ratio monitor. We could control intensity and it got us out of so many holes. One of them was creating the heat and light of re-entry.”
The team worked closely to emulate the visual language devised by Ruhe in the CG shots. “Normally, we are used to the hyper contrast blown-out super dark of space whereas this is quite muted,” he adds. “It was a beautiful and simple aesthetic. Martin used a lot of detuned lenses which meant that the edges were often soft. Even on fully digital shots in space we would just doff our hats toward these lenses and rendered in a lot of grammatic aberrations to try to keep the language of our film going.”
After the spacewalk, an injured Maya (Tiffany Boone) returns to the Aether only to find herself and crewmates surrounded by floating blood. “Even though one of our characters is dying she is actually hypnotized by the beauty of her blood in zero-G around her,” remarks Kasmir. “Everyone stops for a beat. It’s very graceful.”
Each blob of blood was art directed as if they were characters in their own right. “George talked about it being a ballet moment,” states Lawrence. “It’s quite apt. We’ve seen those references of water and other substances floating on the space station but we’ve never seen blood in that way.”
The International Space Station served as the design foundation for the Aether. “When Jim started coming forward for the design of this ship, it was reassuring because he was on the same page as the people at SpaceX, NASA and JPL [Jet Propulsion Lab] who are doing this for real. What Jim was talking about was using present-day technology for the core of the ship and a more futuristic 3D printed design language for the habitation quarters. It is the best kind of science fiction where the truth is extrapolated to tell us where we might be going.”
