Insiders say that Apple is looking to build on the success of its animated feature acquisition Wolfwalkers by snagging the first two movies out of Skydance Animation, Variety reports. Luck and Spellbound were setup with Paramount Pictures, with the studio setting releases for February 18, 2022 and November 11, 2022 respectively “back in July.
According to sources, Skydance can contractually shift the projects at will, and if moved to Apple the titles would anchor a larger agreement between the new animation player and the streaming platform. None of the studios involved have commented.
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.
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. The musical fantasy is written by Lauren Hynek & Elizabeth Martin (Mulan) and Linda Woolverton (Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King), with legendary composer Alan Menken and lyricist Glenn Slater working on the tunes under Grammy-winning executive music producer Chris Montan (The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Frozen.
Led by animation veterans John Lasseter and Holly Edwards, Skydance Animation features full production capabilities across two continents, with more than 350 creatives based in Los Angeles and Madrid. The studio’s slate also includes Pookoo (working title), an original feature written and directed by Nathan Greno (Tangled), and soon-to-be-announced high-end television series in various stages of development.
The BFI has today announced the latest projects awarded through the Young Audiences Content Fund (YACF), including animated projects Quentin Blake’s Clown and A Bear Named Wojtek. The announcement comes as many of the first projects supported by YACF, which launched in 2019, receive their broadcast premiere on free-to-air channels.
The DCMS-funded YACF has had a hugely positive impact in supporting a diverse community of independent production companies across the U.K. and exceeded targets for the proportion of projects involving new voices, regional representation and indigenous languages.
The Fund is designed to contribute up to 50% of the production costs for projects that have secured a broadcast commitment from a free-to-access, Ofcom regulated service with significant U.K.-wide audience reach. YACF has supported independent producers financially throughout this challenging year, allowing them to develop new ideas, and supporting cash-flow to broadcast commissioned productions.
To date YACF has awarded 29 productions at a total of £17.3m, which has leveraged an additional £40.1m of production spend. Totalling £2.64m, 107 development awards have been made. Projects span genres from current affairs and history to comedy and drama, while catering for audiences from tots to teens.
Figures for the first year of YACF show that 71% of projects receiving production awards were set in recognisable U.K. locations outside London and South East England, with the nations and regions well represented (Wales 29%; Scotland 12%; NI 6%; English regions 24%). Greenlit productions supported by YACF in Year 1 have created an estimated 72,792 days of employment for cast, crew and executives around the U.K.
Development awards to date have resulted in an estimated average of 110 days of employment against an average investment of £22,429 per project across a variety of creative roles from writers, musicians, actors, editors, educational advisors, researchers, designers, artists and animators.
A Bear Named Wojtak
Production awardees unveiled within this slate include: Quentin Blake’s Clown (Channel 4, Eagle Eye Drama), the eagerly anticipated animated adaptation of Blake’s novel Clown airing this Christmas; Jack Rooke’s university-set comedy Big Boys (Channel 4, Roughcut TV); First Dates: Teens (E4, Twenty Twenty), where a brave bunch of 16-19 year olds have decided to ditch their digital lives and experience a date in-real-life; Generation Genome (KMTV,KMTV Creative), a brand new factual series on genetics;A Bear Named Wojtek (BBC ALBA/Illuminated Films), which tells the fantastic journey of an orphaned Syrian brown bear brought to Edinburgh, having been previously adopted by Polish soldiers during WWII; and a recommission of educational explainers I Don’t Get It and a short form documentary series called Kidversation from the makers of the Sky Kids’ news show FYI, which recently won Best Children’s Programme Award from the Voice of the Listener and Viewer and was nominated for a Rose d’Or Award.
A number of YACF supported shows are now at the point of transmission, with ongoing and upcoming titles including: FYI Investigates (Sky News, First News, Sky Kids/Fresh Start Media), Don’t Unleash The Beast’ (CITV/Tiny House Productions), How (CITV/Terrific Television), Go Green with the Grimwades (Channel 5’s Milkshake!/Doc Hearts), The World According to Grandpa (Channel 5’s Milkshake!, S4C/Saffron Cherry Productions) and Sali Mali (S4C, Mount Stuart Media). Letters on Lockdown (E4/Afro-Mic Productions) aired earlier this summer.
Sol
The YACF have also initiated a ground-breaking public service broadcaster collaboration to jointly broadcast Sol (Paper Owl Films), a new indigenous language children’s animation about grief aiming to bring light and comfort at the end of this difficult year to families with young children on the darkest day, the Winter Solstice. BBC ALBA, S4C, TG4, CITV, ITV Hub, ALL 4, and My5 will all broadcast the short film on Monday 21st December. Sol also received funding from Northern Ireland Screen’s Irish Language Broadcast Fund and Screen Fund.
“Against the disconcerting backdrop of the pandemic, the Young Audiences Content Fund has proved to be a force for (television) good, providing support to businesses all over the U.K., from development funding to gap financing projects, helping them secure the greenlight from broadcasters and keeping shows in production,” said Jackie Edwards, Head of YACF at the BFI. “The resilience of the sector never fails to amaze, and the industry has made sure that the provision of high-quality television for and about this country’s young people has continued even in the most challenging of circumstances.”
Minister for Media and Data John Whittingdale said, “The Young Audiences Content Fund makes sure young people can see themselves represented, heard and entertained through original content across a wide variety of genres. Many of us have found solace and escapism through television and radio this year so I’m pleased that a new raft of productions will be brought to life through this round of awards.”
The Fund’s development pot continues to prove hugely valuable to the industry, not least as it allows for new voices and smaller, regional and underrepresented production companies to come up the ranks and further develop their shows. Due to talent upskilling, feedback details how development beneficiaries are improving the standard of broadcaster commission pitches the channels are receiving. An increased proportion of developed shows are going on to be commissioned and the producers are developing relationships with broadcasters they had not previously met.
Mitten and Shoe
Recent greenlit development awards include How to Be Autistic (Adapted Pictures), The No Friends Club (Kellan Productions), The Heartless (Ruby Rock Pictures), Bobbie’s Maker Den (Jist Studios), Children of Dance (SaGuarda Studios Ltd), Billy’s Band: Lights Camera Score (Three Stones Media), Albert’s Islands(Tristram Roper Miller Ltd) and Mitten and Shoe (Matinai).
New animated projects:
Albert’s Islands (Tristram Roper Miller Ltd) – Tristram Roper Miller is a new production company made up of writer/director Matilda Tristram (The Adventures of Abney and Teal), director/designer Sarah Roper (Peppa Pig) and new voice, producer Hannah Lee Miller. Albert’s Islands is a preschool animation with strong public service characteristics, reflective of a U.K. coastal town and a British sense of humor.
A Bear Named Wojtek (Illuminated Films), the true story of Edinburgh Zoo’s famous resident, Wojtek. A Bear Named Wojtek tells the fantastic journey of an orphaned Syrian brown bear brought to Edinburgh, having been previously adopted by Polish soldiers during WWII. He becomes a beacon of hope and an emblem of their fate. The film crosses subject matters such as friendship, war, immigration, being an outsider, relationships and acceptance. (BBC Alba)
Mitten and Shoe (Matinai), an animated children’s series for 2- to 4-year olds, following the adventures of a brave little Mitten, a little less brave sports shoe and their playground friends. Quirky, funny and quintessentially British, Mitten and Shoe is an original idea by director Naomi Morris and the project is being created by Matinai, a south west based animation studio.
Quentin Blake’s Clown (Eagle Eye Drama), the eagerly anticipated adaptation of Clown airing this December, written and illustrated by Sir Quentin Blake and narrated by Helena Bonham Carter. (Channel 4)
DreamWorks Animation today announced that the studio is extending its relationship with Joel Crawford, director of The Croods: A New Age, the animated sequel that was recently released in theaters and will be premiering on PVOD on Friday. A longtime DreamWorks talent, Crawford will have a first-look development and directing deal with the animation studio. The announcement was made by Margie Cohn, President, DreamWorks Animation.
“I am so happy that Joel will continue to be a creative contributor to the future of DreamWorks. Joel’s relentless positivity shows up in every frame of his work, and in the way he collaborates with his crew,” said Cohn. “Whatever his next movie will be, it will certainly be beautifully crafted, brilliantly funny and envelop the audience in warmth because that’s what Joel does.”
“DreamWorks has been my home for many years and every day I am inspired by all the amazing artists that I have the great fortune to call my colleagues,” said Crawford. “I am sincerely looking forward to jumping into my next film in such a creative and collaborative environment!”
In addition to The Croods: A New Age, Crawford directed the Trolls Holiday Special, which aired on NBC in 2017. He joined DreamWorks Animation in 2006 and quickly became an integral Story Artist, working on Trolls, Shrek Ever After, Rise of The Guardians, Kung Fu Panda 1, 2 & 3, and Bee Movie. He also served as a Story Artist on The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out of Water and Alvin & The Chipmunks: Chipwrecked. Crawford is an alumnus of the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts).
Crawford is represented by Sandy Weinberg at Summit Talent and Literary Agency.
Sidney Clifton is joining The Jim Henson Company as Senior Vice President, Animation and Mixed Media, overseeing the development and production of the Company’s animated and live-action television content, including hybrid projects and formats that use the Company’s proprietary Henson Digital Puppetry Studio. Clifton will step into the role in January 2021. The announcement was made by Halle Stanford, President of Television, to whom Clifton will directly report.
Clifton is a widely respected and accomplished animation producer whose credits include Me, Eloise (Starz), Black Panther (BET) and Stan Lee Presents (Cartoon Network). She is currently working with The Jim Henson Company as a producer on its upcoming Apple TV+ animated series Harriet the Spy, and leading the development of Lena!, an animated series based on author Karen Katz’s acclaimed picture book The Colors of Us.
“The Jim Henson Company has greatly expanded its animation catalogue over the last decade, and Sidney is the ideal executive to further grow our slate from concept through delivery,” said Stanford. “Sidney’s fresh, unique approach to storytelling coupled with her stellar vision and deep understanding of craft will be valuable assets as we continue telling diverse and inspiring stories that have global appeal and reflect the lives and experiences of today’s audiences.”
Clifton received an Emmy nomination as producer for Cartoon Network’s Hellboy. She has held positions at Deluxe Animation Studios, Bento Box Entertainment and Film Roman. She currently serves as a senior consultant for Black Women Animate and as President of The Clifton House, a new Baltimore-based creative space committed to education, validation and inspiration for underrepresented writers and artists.
Start the New Year off with a bang as Cartoon Network celebrates the monumental 300th episode of Teen Titans Go! with the premiere of “Justice League’s Next Top Talent Idol Star: Dance Crew Edition” Friday, Jan. 8 at 6 p.m. ET/PT.
It’s time for another Justice League talent competition! This time, the top dance crews from across the DC universe will battle on stage with their super-powered moves. Left without a crew, Robin uses Raven’s spellbook to conjure up a dance crew powerful enough to help him take out the competition. Featuring a special appearance from world-famous dance crew, The Jabbawockeez, the stage is set for one of the Titans’ most epic showdowns.
Leading up to the premiere, catch up on Teen Titans Go! all week beginning Monday, Jan. 4 through Thursday, Jan. 7 from 6-8 p.m. ET/PT.
Be sure to stay tuned-in as Craig of the Creek returns from the holiday break with a half-hour special premiering Monday, Jan. 18 at 10 a.m. ET/PT. Join Craig as he heads back to the creek only to discover that he is about to embark on his biggest adventure yet while going head to head with something dangerous lurking in the snow.
Plus, stick around for all-new episodes of Total Dramaramaand more.
Bakugan
Cartoon Network January premieres also include:
Sunday, Jan. 3
6:30 a.m. ET/PTBakugan “Who’s the Fake?!/Trouble Busters! 2” – With the reveal that Haavik is a shapeshifting Alien, the ABs start to get super-paranoid, realizing that ANYONE could be Haavik in disguise. The suspicion quickly turns inward, and the ABs are left wondering if they have an imposter among them! / A kid brawler named Oliver has lost his Bakugan! This seems like a job for the Trouble Busters. The Awesome Brawlers help him chase down and try to catch the elusive Bakugan, who leads them on a wild goose chase through Los Volmos.
Sunday, Jan. 10
6:30 a.m. ET/PTBakugan “Bakugan Battle Circus/Ebony Manor” – Shun and Dan head to the Bakugan circus for a little fun, but the fun is interrupted when the star Bakugan are too exhausted to perform. Shun and Dan know the show must go on, and step in to lend a hand. Things go as planned until the evil Ringleader attempts to bring down the big top performance. / Lightning reunites with an old frenemy – Ebony. This time the kitty queen of the streets has a new home and is living a life of luxury with her new master.
Sunday, Jan. 17
6:30 a.m. ET/PTBakugan “Everett’s Trap/Kazami vs. Mc Q” – Shun and Masato head to Tokyo’s Battle Island to discuss plans for hosting public Bakugan battles. Upon landing, they quickly learn it’s a set up! The two are now stranded and faced with heaps of brawlers, who are all looking to bring them down! / Shun and Masato manage to fend off a horde of brawlers on Battle Island, but they quickly learn that was only a diversion- One of Kazami’s research centers is under siege. The two must find a way off the island and head off to defend the research center.
Craig of the Creek
Monday, Jan. 18
10 a.m. ET/PT Craig of the Creek “Winter Break” – Craig returns to the Creek after the long Winter Break only to find an empty wasteland and danger lurking in the snow.
6 p.m. ET/PT Justice League
Saturday, Jan. 23
9 a.m. ET/PT Teen Titans Go! “Lucky Stars” – Raven explains astrology to the Titans and tells their horoscopes, but Cyborg does not believe.
“Various Modes of Transportation” – With the other Titans away, Cyborg is forced to take a road trip with Robin.
9:30 a.m. ET/PT Total Dramarama “Snack to the Future” – Owen wants his favorite treat, ‘Jiggle Giggle’, so bad that he’s willing to use a time machine to get to snacktime quicker. But when he ends up stuck in the past, Owen must decide between getting home and getting fed.
“The Gold and the Stickerful” – Courtney becomes infatuated with a new gold sticker incentive program that Chef introduces to the class.
Sunday, Jan. 24
6:30 a.m. ET/PTBakugan “The Awesome Burger Brawl/Master and Apprentice” – The Burger Joint is hosting a hamburger eating contest to promote their new Bakugan themed burger! The contest gets underway without a hitch, that is until Sophie and the Bakugan Preservation Society crash the event with a bakugan brawl! / A wealthy man, Mr. Gold, has duped Storm and Ajit, and trapped them in his personal prison. But no prison can hold the cunning phantom thief Storm and his former apprentice, Ajit for long.
Total Dramarama
Saturday, Jan. 30
9 a.m. ET/PT Teen Titans Go! “Cool Uncles” – The Titans take a trip to Wackadoodles, but Trigon makes Raven babysit her little brothers.
9:30 a.m. ET/PT Total Dramarama “Bad Seed” – Chef introduces the kids to agriculture by teaching them how to grow plants from seeds. But when Izzy shows her seed too much love, it turns into a monster that terrorizes the class.
Sunday, Jan. 31
6:30 a.m. ET/PTBakugan “Bakugan Uproar/The Fusion Bakugan Sabrus” – While the Awesome Brawler’s Bakugan squabble about what to watch on TV at Studio D, Haavik unleashes his newly created five-faction fusion Bakugan: Sabrus on the city of Los Volmos. / The Awesome Brawler’s are in pursuit of Haavik and his new Bakugan, Sabrus but all they can find is the trail of destruction that Sabrus has left behind. They need to figure out where Haavik and his Bakugan will strike next and put an end to his rampage.
Season three of Disney Junior’s Emmy Award-nominated series Muppet Babies will debut Monday, January 4 (5 p.m. EST) on Disney Junior and in DisneyNOW, and will introduce a new Muppet named Rozzie, the newly adopted sister of Fozzie Bear.
The reimagined, CG-animated Muppet Babies, which chronicles the hilarious playroom antics of a young Kermit the Frog, Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, Animal and Summer Penguin, is Disney Channel’s #1 series with kids 2-5 and has garnered a total of 255 million views on Disney Junior YouTube since its March 2018 premiere.
In the season three premiere, Fozzie shares the news that his family is adopting a little sister, and he’s worried that he doesn’t have what it takes to be a big brother. Fozzie’s Muppet Babies friends use their imaginations to enroll him into “Rizzo’s Big Bruddah School.”
Muppet Babies
Based on the original Emmy Award-winning series, Muppet Babies is executive produced by Tom Warburton (Codename: Kids Next Door). Matt Danner (Gravity Falls) serves as co-executive producer and supervising director for season three. This year, Danner won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in a Preschool Animated Program for voicing Kermit, Rowlf, Mr. Waldorf, Beaker and Chef. Chris Moreno (Xiaolin Chronicles) is co-producer and art director, and Robyn Brown (WellieWishers) is co-producer and story editor.
In addition to Danner, the series voice cast includes Jenny Slate (Zootopia) as Miss Nanny, Melanie Harrison (Fish Hooks) as Piggy, Dee Bradley Baker (Milo Murphy’s Law) as Animal, Eric Bauza (The Adventures of Puss in Boots) as Fozzie, Jessica DiCicco (Puppy Dog Pals) as Summer and 2019 Emmy Award winner for Outstanding Performer in a Preschool Animated Program, Ben Diskin (The Spectacular Spider-Man), as Gonzo. Rozzie is voiced by Charlie Townsend (T.O.T.S.).
The series is a production of OddBot Inc. in association with Disney Junior and The Muppets Studio.
Based on Leigh Bardugo’s worldwide bestselling “Grishaverse” novels, Shadow and Bone finds us in a war-torn world where lowly soldier and orphan Alina Starkov has just unleashed an extraordinary power that could be the key to setting her country free. With the monstrous threat of the Shadow Fold looming, Alina is torn from everything she knows to train as part of an elite army of magical soldiers known as Grisha. But as she struggles to hone her power, she finds that allies and enemies can be one and the same and that nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. There are dangerous forces at play, including a crew of charismatic criminals, and it will take more than magic to survive.
The eight-part, hour-long series will debut in April 2021 on Netflix.
Shadow and Bone is a Netflix production from 21 Laps Entertainment, starring Jessie Mei Li (Alina Starkov), Archie Renaux (Malyen Oretsev), Freddy Carter (Kaz Brekker), Amita Suman (Inej), Kit Young (Jesper Fahey), Ben Barnes (General Kirigan), Sujaya Dasgupta (Zoya Nazyalensky), Danielle Galligan (Nina Zenik), Daisy Head (Genya Safin), Simon Sears (Ivan), Calahan Skogman (Matthias Helvar), Zoë Wanamaker (Baghra), Kevin Eldon (The Apparat), Julian Kostov (Fedyor), Luke Pasqualino (David), Jasmine Blackborow (Marie) and Gabrielle Brooks (Nadia).
Oscar nominee Eric Heisserer (Arrival, Bird Box) serves as showrunner, writer and executive producer. Author Bardugo is also executive producing, as well as series director Lee Toland Krieger (You, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina); 21 Laps’ Shawn Levy, Dan Levine, Dan Cohen and Josh Barry; and New Leaf Literary & Media’s Pouya Shahbazian.
Sony and THU just announced the three finalists of Sony Talent League by THU, a challenge made to discover the next generation of creative minds in the digital entertainment industry, in conjunction with Sony Creators Gate. This year, the word “distance” assumed a whole new meaning for people all over the globe, and participants were challenged to create something unique that could combine different forms of digital art, creating value for the future.
The finalists are:
Tabitha Karaba and Lydia Mugure from Kenya, for their project Kawia’s Adventure. This fantasy role-playing game will take us on a time-traveling safari across the African savannah to discover an ancient magical land lost to time.
Kawia’s Adventure
Dilruba Tayfun from the Netherlands, for her project Togather, a digital platform that will bridge the dichotomy of digital and physical creativity by archiving, rendering digitally, and transplanting hand-picked tools such as twigs, fallen flowers or anything that can make an organic imprint.
Togather
Stephan Rumping (Netherlands), Alexandra Van Caloen (Switzerland) and Christoph Graf (Germany). Their project, named Icebreakers, will take the core elements of comic-book storytelling & styling, and blend it with the dynamic 3D perspective of VR, creating a unique experience through the remnants of an old civilization.
Icebreakers
Finalists were announced today, December 17, during a special edition of Kanpai! Live, a show hosted by Shuzo John Shiota, President & CEO of Polygon Pictures. This is the fifth edition of the show, which was created by THU to provide a moment of fun where the creative community can unite, reconnect and bond from the comfort of their houses. The special guest of the show was Phil Lord, Talent League mentor, producer, writer & director behind some of today’s most successful films and television series, including the Academy Award-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
These three finalists will get mentorships with renowned creators and industry legends and funding of up to €12,500 per submission. Mentorships start on January 4 and, over the following 10 weeks, mentors will be advising creators on their project, helping them fulfill their ideas — namely Shuzo Shiota; Alistair Thompson; Scot Stafford; Sally Slade; Tetsuya Mizuguchi; Peter Ramsey; David OReilly; Kim Jung Gi; Saraswathi Balgam; Phil Lord & Chris Miller; Tyree Dillihay; Craig Berry; Kris Pearn; and Sharon Bridgeman.
To make sure more creators benefit from this experience, THU will create a series of educational content following the three finalist projects and sharing their key learnings, as well as the mentors’ perspectives. This content will be available on THU’s website (www.trojan-unicorn.com), with a section for each project.
After the mentorships end in March, the next step is to find the winner among the three finalists. To select it, the public will vote on the best idea and, in addition to the finalist’s prize, the winner gets tickets for THU Main Event 2021 and €10,000 of prize money (per submission).
“The Talent League is setting a new approach for remote creative work that puts collaboration first, and that we hope others feel inspired to follow,” says André Luis, THU’s founder. “COVID-19 affected the lives of creators all over the world, and we are thrilled to see their ideas and be a part of their creative journey, proving that despite all the obstacles, there are still valuable opportunities and chances to succeed out there.”
Illuminating streaming platform MasterClass, which makes it possible for members to learn from the world’s best, is adding Emmy Award-winning voice actor Nancy Cartwright to its stable of over 100 expert instructors covering a broad range of topics.
“Nancy has mastered the art of taking words off a page and using only her voice to bring hundreds of original animated characters to life on screen,” said David Rogier, Founder & CEO of MasterClass. “It’s only fitting that our first animated class features Nancy teaching members how to harness their voices to give life to unique characters and tap into their imagination.”
The talented performer who has brought to life beloved characters like Chuckie Finster (Rugrats), Rufus (Kim Possible) and Bart Simpson (The Simpsons), will be teaching voice acting in MasterClass’s first-ever video course to include animation.
Nancy Cartwright – Animated! [Courtesy of MasterClass]
Designed for beginning and intermediate voice actors and nonactors alike, Cartwright’s MasterClass will unpack her holistic creative process for recording animated characters step-by-step, including voicing brand-new characters with original sketches to showcase her range of techniques. Cartwright will open up about every part of her experience, from performance tips to insights on how to succeed in voice acting. She will break down the important role of a mentor, the differences between an agent and a manager and how to find representation and handle auditions, while using rejection to one’s benefit.
Members will walk away from her class not only with skills for voice acting, but also with inspiring life lessons that can be applied to any career. The MasterClass promises to not only be a useful tool for aspiring voice actors, but also an entertaining journey through Cartwright’s career and many memorable characters.
“If you’re going to start a career in voice acting, there are a few things you need to know. Number one, the most important thing is that you have to be yourself. You have your own voice — literally,” Cartwright said. “In my MasterClass, I’ll share advice on how to hone that voice and use it to not only build a career, but to uplift, to make change and to bring joy to others.”
An Ohio native, Cartwright has made her mark in the entertainment industry as one of the most beloved and recognized voices on television for nearly 40 years. She is best known as the voice behind Bart from The Simpsons, but has also voiced Chuckie in Rugrats, Mindy in Animaniacs / Pinky and The Brain, Rufus in Kim Possible and dozens of others. Cartwright won the first-ever Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance in 1992, the Annie Award for voicing Bart Simpson in 1995 and a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for voicing Rufus, the naked mole rat in the Disney Channel series Kim Possible in 2004.
In addition to her voice work, Cartwright co-founded the production company, Spotted Cow Entertainment, as well as the television development and production company CRE84U Entertainment, a recently launched global joint-venture focused on the acquisition and development of Latinx intellectual properties.
Takashi Yamazaki’s groundbreaking Lupin III: The First — the franchise’s first-ever 3D CG feature — has arrived on digital download-to-own today through Shout! Factory and GKIDS. To celebrate the debut (and upcoming SteelBook, Blu-ray & DVD release on January 12), check out our wily hero’s creative escape from police custody in the newly released car chase clip below.
Read all about the film in Ramin Zahed’s feature story for the January ’21 issue of Animation Magazinehere, and find more details on the physical home video release over here.
Synopsis: The iconic “gentleman thief” Lupin III returns in an action-packed, continent-spanning adventure, as Lupin III and his colorful underworld companions race to uncover the secrets of the mysterious Bresson Diary, before it falls into the hands of a dark cabal that will stop at nothing to resurrect the Third Reich. The gang undertakes trap-filled tombs, aerial escapades and daring prison escapes with the trademark wit and visual finesse that have made Lupin the 3rd one of the most storied animation franchises in the world, in a thrilling new caper that is sure to delight fans old and new.
Written and directed by Yamazaki, the English-dub version of Lupin III: The First features the voices of returning cast Tony Oliver as Lupin III, Doug Erholtz as Inspector Zenigata, Michelle Ruff as Fujiko Mine, Richard Epcar as Daisuke Jigen, and Lex Lang as Goemon Ishikawa; joined by Laurie C. Hymes as Laetitia, J. David Brimmer as Lambert, and Paul Guyet as Gerard.
DreamWorks Animation has released the full season two trailer for Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous, returning to Netflix for a second season on January 22. Now stranded on an abandoned Isla Nublar, the campers struggle to survive among the wreckage of Jurassic World. As the T. Rex takes over Main Street, forcing the kids deeper into the jungle, the discovery that they may not be alone not only threatens their rescue but may uncover something more sinister.
Inspired by the Jurassic World franchise, Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous follows six teenagers chosen for a once-in-a-lifetime experience at Camp Cretaceous, a new adventure camp on the opposite side of Isla Nublar, must work together to survive when dinosaurs wreak havoc across the island.
Season 2 comprises eight 22-minute episodes, produced by DreamWorks Animation, Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment for Netflix.
The series voice cast features Paul-Mike’l Williams as Darius, Jenna Ortega as Brooklynn, Ryan Potter as Kenji, Raini Rodriguez as Sammy, Sean Giambrone as Ben and Kausar Mohammed as Yaz. Exec producers/showrunners are Scott Kreamer and Aaron Hammersley. Steven Spielberg, Colin Trevorrow and Frank Marshall are exec producers. Camp Cretaceous was developed by consulting producer Zack Stentz.
Shout! Studios has secured all North American rights to box office-topping Chinese animated feature The Legend of Hei, a prequel to the online Flash cartoon series by director MTJJ (Zhang Ping), and will bring the fantasy adventure to U.S. and Canadian theaters in partnership with Play Big.
The Legend of Hei follows a little cat demon whose forest home is destroyed by humans. Forced to wander, he is joined by other sympathetic supernatural beings — and even an earnest human. Blending ecological themes, heartwarming moments and magical touches as well as action-packed battles, the movie is produced by MTJJ Animation, Beijing Hanmu Chunhua Animation, Beijing Jiyin Yinghua, Dream Castle and Heyi Capital.
Selected for the 2020 Annecy animation festival (among others), The Legend of Hei opened in China in September 2019 to a warm box office reception, opening at No. 1 over Hobbes and Shaw and animated blockbuster Ne Zha and totting up $48 million.
The nonprofit Sundance Institute announced today the showcase of new independent work selected across the Feature Film, Short Film, Indie Series and New Frontier categories for the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. The Festival will take place digitally via a feature-rich, Sundance-built online platform and in person on Satellite Screens across the country (public health permitting) from January 28-February 3, 2021. Additionally, Festival attendees can gather in virtual waiting rooms, participate in live Q&As, and congregate in new, inspired online environments to interact in a range of ways both new and familiar.
The Institute shared details of how the Festival will meet audiences on the online platform and Satellite Screens earlier this month.
“This Festival is a singular response to a singular year — both in design and curation — and we are excited about the new dimensions of possibility it will reveal. But at its core is something that speaks to our most enduring values,” said Tabitha Jackson, Director of the Sundance Film Festival. “For thousands of years humans have gathered to tell stories and make meaning. In this pandemic year, we gather to celebrate a constellation of artists with unique perspectives that express this current moment and who together are saying, ‘We exist. This is who we are. And this is what we see.’”
The Fire Next Time
Fifty short films from 27 countries have been chosen out of 9.933 submissions, including 10 films in the Animation track. Overall, 48% (24) of the shorts announced today chose to indicate they were directed by one or more women; 2% (1) were directed by one or more nonbinary individuals; 64% (32) were directed by one or more artists of color; 20% (10) by one or more people who identify as LGBTQ+.
“In a year unlike any other, short films are still going strong with art and craft unique to the form. We are thrilled to share a lineup with a wild range of characters, styles, ideas and emotions to our audience, wherever you may be,” said Mike Plante, Senior Programmer, Short Film.
Festival-goers can also discover the next wave of animated storytelling in the New Frontier section for emerging media works, including Fortune!, a series of documentary shorts exploring society’s relationship with money; the just-announcedNamoo, from Baobab Studios and Erick Oh; and “virtual erotic poem” Nightsss from Polish artists Weronika Lewandowska and Sandra Frydrysiak.
Nightsss VR
The 2021 Sundance Film Festival Animation program includes:
The Fire Next Time / United Kingdom (Director: Renaldho Pelle, Screenwriter: Kerry Jade Kolbe) — Rioting spreads as social inequality causes tempers in a struggling community to flare, but the oppressive environment takes on a life of its own as the shadows of the housing estate close in.
Forever / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Mitch McGlocklin) — A life insurance company uses an AI algorithm to determine the risk of a new applicant. The subsequent denial sparks a period of introspection for the individual in question.
The Fourfold / Canada (Director and Screenwriter: Alisi Telengut) — An exploration of the indigenous worldview and wisdom based on ancient shamanistic traditions and animistic beliefs in Siberia and Mongolia. With hand-crafted animation, a testament of reclaiming animism for environmental ethics and non-human materialities.
The Fourfold
Ghost Dogs / U.S.A. (Director: Joe Cappa, Screenwriters: Joe Cappa, J.W. Hallford) — A family’s new rescue pup is terrorized by deceased pets in this mind-bending horror.
GNT / Australia (Directors and Screenwriters: Sara Hirner, Rosemary Vasquez-Brown) — Glenn is a woman on an unwholesome mission, but just how far will she go to conquer the clique – and social media at large?
KKUM / South Korea, U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Kang-min Kim) — My mother’s dreams have always been strong premonitions for important moments in my life. I rely on her dreams more than any religion.
Little Miss Fate / Switzerland (Director and Screenwriter: Joder von Rotz) — When the opportunity arises, Little Miss Fate slips into the role of the world leader. Unintentionally she creates a monster, which greedily wants to suck up all the love of the world. Overwhelmed by the rapid development, she loses control.
Misery Loves Company / U.S.A., South Korea (Director: Sasha Lee, Screenwriters: Sasha Lee, Yejin Choi) — As Seolgi is lying on a grass field with friends, a shooting star falls, and dark, intrusive thoughts hit her. Her melancholy blooms into bright and colorful “flower people,” dancing and wishing for a meteorite to end the world.
Misery Loves Company
Souvenir Souvenir / France (Director and Screenwriter: Bastien Dubois) — For 10 years, I’ve pretended to make a movie out of my grandfather’s Algerian war souvenirs. Today, I’m not sure I want to hear what he has to say.
Trepanation / U.S.A. (Director: Nick Flaherty) — What was once familiar is now unrecognizable. All previous desires are overshadowed by the need to disappear completely.
Additional screenings, premieres and special programs will be announced in January as the Festival approaches. More information at festival.sundance.org.
GKIDS and Shout! Factory have announced the March 9, 2021 release of On-Gaku: Our Sound on Blu-ray + DVD and digital platforms. An expansive collection of bonus features includes four short films from director Kenji Iwaisawa, in addition to a feature-length “Making of” documentary, a live performance, storyboards and more.
Animated almost entirely by Iwaisawa, and featuring a lead performance by Japanese alt-rock legend Shintaro Sakamato, On-Gaku: Our Sound presents a highly original take on the beloved slacker comedy: a lo-fi buddy film with a blaring musical finale that will leave you wanting an immediate encore!
Synopsis: When you’re a bored teenager looking for thrills, sometimes the only thing you can turn to is rock ‘n’ roll. Having no skill, money or even a full set of drums, a feared trio of high school delinquents nevertheless decide they are destined for musical glory in a quest to impress their only friend, avoid a rival gang and — most importantly — jam out.
On-Gaku: Our Sound was an official selection at the 2020 Annecy Film Festival, and winner of the Nelvana Grand Prize at the 2019 Ottawa International Animation Festival. GKIDS presents the film in U.S. theaters starting December 11.
Blu-ray + DVD Bonus Features:
The Making of On-Gaku: Our Sound (BD exclusive)
Our Movie: Behind the Scenes
Live Musical Performance
On-Gaku (Demo)
Rock Festival Pencil Test
Short Films by Kenji Iwaisawa: Mountain, Mourning Ice Pop, Nicky,Taro Wanted to be Water
Academy Award-nominated French animation studio Xilam Animation has been awarded a coveted Diamond Play Button for its hugely successful Zig & Sharko YouTube channel, which has now hit the 10 million subscriber milestone. Zig & Sharko is only the fourth YouTube channel in France to reach this benchmark.
“The slapstick comedy, engaging characters and non-dialogue style gives Zig & Sharko broad international appeal and, as a result, the brand’s YouTube popularity continues to accelerate as fans all around the world seek out even more content to enjoy,” said Charles Courcier, Head of Digital Production at Xilam Animation. “We are honored Zig & Sharko has reached this remarkable milestone in its digital journey and to have this achievement recognized by YouTube.”
Following its launch in May 2015, Xilam’s Zig & Sharko YouTube channel has garnered 6 billion views to date, with the most popular video receiving 125 million views. The brand’s wider ecosystem on YouTube has also now accumulated 15 million subscribers and 8 billion views across both the global and localized channels, which include Hindi, Russian, Brazilian Portuguese and German versions.
Xilam brings fans new YouTube content every week including exclusive and themed videos, making-of videos, behind the scenes content and more. A selection of episodes from the latest third season of Zig & Sharko is also available on the channel.
Zig & Sharko follows Zig, a hungry hyena who whether on the high seasons, beach or an ocean liner, has one thing in mind: dining on Marina, the carefree mermaid. With help from Bernie, a genius hermit-crab, he comes up with the zaniest plans to capture her … but that’s forgetting Sharko, the shark with rippling muscles who will do anything to protect his mermaid honey!
Charlie Mackesy’s illustrated book The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse captured the hearts of readers young and old with its message of kindness, hope and courage. Now, Mackesy has teamed up with producer Cara Speller to form a production company, NoneMore Productions, to extend the world of Mackesy’s book into new media. NoneMore will work with the author and additional partners to develop his stories for film, television and other formats.
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse is a commercial and critical hit, spending 53 weeks in the Sunday Times Top 10 Bestseller list and 47 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller list, with 21 of those at Number 1. The book, which was also the first to be awarded both Waterstones Book of the Year and Barnes & Noble Book of the Year, tells the tale of a young boy who encounters a mole, a fox and a horse on a walk in the countryside, sharing with each of them profound conversations about love, life and companionship.
NoneMore’s first project will be an animated short film adaptation of Mackesy’s book being co-produced with J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions. Abrams and Bad Robot’s President of Motion Pictures Hannah Minghella will serve as producers on the project alongside Speller and NoneMore’s Matthew Freud.
“I’m continually surprised by everything, and I’m excited by this film. It’s a new adventure for me, and it’s another way for people to experience the journey of the four unlikely friends,” said Mackesy.
“Charlie has created an instant classic. From the beauty of his illustrations to the deeply moving and profound questions these characters contemplate, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse is a balm for the soul,” said Minghella. “As we continue our own journey into animation at Bad Robot, JJ and I are thrilled to be partnering with Charlie, Cara and Matthew to bring these beloved characters to life.”
The 30-minute short will feature hand-drawn animation capturing the look and spirit of the book and will see a team of artists work alongside Mackesy to bring the project to the big screen.
“From the first moment of seeing Charlie’s soulful characters, I wanted to know more about them and how they interact with each other beyond the moments in the book. The opportunity to bring them even further to life with the magic that animation promises, and to introduce them to an even wider audience, is an incredibly exciting prospect that we can’t wait to explore,” said Speller.
Charlie Mackesy
The animated film reunites Speller and Minghella, who have a decade-long relationship, having first met when Speller was working with Gorillaz and Minghella was head of Sony Pictures Animation. Speller and Minghella most recently teamed to develop a family movie The Toymaker’s Secret at TriStar Pictures, written by Alex Garland and to be directed by Paloma Baeza.
Speller is an Oscar-nominated and BAFTA-winning producer best known for the Academy Award-nominated film Pear Cider and Cigarettes, and the Emmy-nominated short series Marvel’s Rocket & Groot, alongside her work with virtual band Gorillaz on their ground-breaking music videos and live shows. Speller recently produced Robert Valley’s short film Zima Blue as part of the critically acclaimed Tim Miller and David Fincher’s Netflix anthology Love, Death + Robots, as well as executive producing 101 Dalmatian Street for Disney+.
NoneMore Productions, headed by Cara Speller and development executive Delphi Lythgoe, will be headquartered in the U.K.
Bad Robot’s initial foray into feature animation will be the production of Dr. Seuss’s iconic children’s book, Oh, The Places You’ll Go!set up at Warner Bros. Additionally, the company has a wide slate of projects in development under its Warner Media deal, including priority projects with Warner Bros., DC Entertainment, HBO Max, and Warner Animation Group. Bad Robot also has the thriller Lou starring Allison Janney set up at Netflix, as well as multiple projects at Paramount, including a live-action remake of the beloved anime film Your Name.
As Disney and Pixar’s Soul nears its debut on Disney+ on December 25, a new sneak peek of the critically acclaimed feature film is now available. In the movie, Joe Gardner (voiced by Jamie Foxx) is a middle-school band teacher who dreams of playing in the best jazz club in town. Filmmakers found they could relate to the character’s passion for music.
Director Pete Docter grew up in a musical family and plays the double bass. “My folks are both teachers and both musicians,” he shares. “There are three kids and we all became musicians. I think my mom enjoyed having the Von Trapp family; when people would come over, we’d have to perform. My two sisters stuck with it — one is a cellist with the Metropolitan Opera, and the other one is violist and a teacher.”
Co-director Kemp Powers, who used to be a music writer, played the alto saxophone in a jazz band during high school. His affinity for jazz plays a big role in his personal life. “My son’s name is Mingus,” says Powers. “He’s named after Charles Mingus. A lot of us Gen Xers, particularly Black Gen Xers, fell in love with the bebop-era jazz artists — John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, Miles Davis, of course Herbie Hancock. These guys were musical icons that — specifically in New York City — inform so much of the other big musical genre in the city, which is hip hop. The background tunes of my life are jazz and hip hop.”
“Life has so much to offer,” says Joe in the sneak peek. “We only have a short time on this planet. Don’t miss out on the joys of life. Remember to enjoy every minute of it.”
Disney and Pixar’s Soul” also features the voices of Tina Fey, Phylicia Rashad, Donnell Rawlings, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Angela Bassett and Daveed Diggs. The film is directed by Docter, co-directed by Powers and produced by Dana Murray. Jazz compositions & arrangements are by globally renowned musician and Grammy nominee Jon Batiste, while Oscar winners Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (The Social Network) composed an original score.
Read all about Soul in Ramin Zahed’s feature article for the December issue of Animation Magazinehere.
Adobe, the worldwide leader in creative tools, is harmonizing with Oscar-winning Pixar Animation Studios to present a new artists’ challenge tied to the eagerly awaited animated feature Soul (available on Disney+ on December 25). For the Art and Soul contest, fans around the world are invited to share their creative spark by designing an album cover celebrating their true selves — inspired by the awakening journey of music teacher Joe in the movie.
An album cover is an outward artistic expression of what’s inside, both literally and figuratively, making it a perfect format to play with themes from the film: Soul is all finding out what makes you, YOU – whether that’s a feeling, a passion, a calling or a place.
“We’re excited to collaborate with Adobe around the release of Soul to inspire and engage their broad creative community around this milestone release,” said Jonathan Garson, SVP Marketing, Pixar. “Our work together is the manifestation of our shared goal to inspire creativity and champion artists all over the world, and we look forward to creating greater opportunities together so that everyone can tell their amazing stories.”
One Grand Prize winner will receive an exclusive mentorship session with Soul director Kemp Powers, $10,000 USD cash prize, a signed Soul poster, special vinyl release of the film soundtrack, one-year Creative Cloud membership.
To enter, fans can take advantage of a 30-day free trial of Creative Cloud and artwork from the new Disney-Pixar flick to create an album cover design that shines a spotlight on who they are, using CC apps like Illustrator and Photoshop. Entries can be shared via public accounts on Instagram (with @adobecreativecloud, #AdobeArtandSoul and #Contest) or Twitter (with @creativecloud, $AdobeArtandSoul and #Contest).
The contest is now live and will close January 10, 2021. Find the complete rules, runner-up prize info, resources and inspiration at adobeartandsoul.com.
Charles Schulz, Winsor McCay, Mary Blair and Ub Iwerks quite famously drew comic-strip and cartoon characters, amusements aimed at children of all ages. But in 2020 their achievements are as revered and treasured as fine art, as evidenced by the fact their original works brought chartbusting sums in Heritage Auctions’ record-setting Animation Art event held Dec. 11-13.
The auction realized more than $4.27 million – significantly more than any previous auction of animation art. The sale included renderings and storyboards, production cels and master backgrounds from myriad beloved titles shown on screens big and small. More than 4,700 bidders worldwide took part in the landmark sale that saw an almost unheard-of sell-through rate of more than 99% and resulted in the highest price ever paid for an original Peanuts work created by Schulz.
“Not so long ago, animation art sales were routinely in the million-dollar range,” says Heritage Auctions’ Director of Animation Art Jim Lentz. “In June we set a new record at $3.7 million, only to break that a mere six months later. This is a serious number for any art auction, but for animation art, it’s absolutely historic.”
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea painting by Peter Ellenshaw
The auction featured the largest-ever sale of artwork made for the Fleischer Brothers’ groundbreaking Superman cartoons of the early 1940s, a day full of Disney and the first epic sale of Warner Bros. Animation archives since the company stores closed almost 20 years ago. There was something for everyone, from rough drafts of history sketched and painted by storyboard artists Peter and Harrison Ellenshaw, whose auction debut was topped by a 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea painting that realized $26,400, to cels from the Super Friends to Heavy Metal moments.
The Animation Art auction got off to a momentous start on the first day, when the drawings Schultz made for “The Peanuts Album”sold for $288,000. That bested a previous high-water mark for original Schulz art set only last month, when a Nov. 17, 1950 Peanuts daily strip realized $192,000 during Heritage’s Comics & Comic Art event. These charming portraits of eight beloved characters, among them Charlie Brown and Snoopy and Lucy, were made for a newspaper giveaway in 1953; until this sale, these early iterations of the classic characters had never been seen in public or available at auction.
“The Peanuts Album” illustrations by Charles Schulz
Good Ol’ Charlie Brown and Snoopy starred in another of the auction’s most loved lots: a 12-cel sequence of the frolicking twosome taken from CBS’s 1980s Saturday-morning The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show. Estimated at $5,000, the playful piece, as fun and familiar as any Peanuts image, sold for $30,000.
Another extraordinary rarity set a record during the sale’s second session, when Iwerks’ drawings of Minnie and Mickey Mouse realized $43,200 – the highest price ever paid at auction for original Disney drawings. The amount should not surprise, as these pieces were made for 1928’s landmark Steamboat Willie, which marked the official debuts of both beloved characters and was among the first fully synchronized sound cartoons. And, like the Schulz piece, these drawings had never before been to auction.
Steamboat Willie Mickey & Minnie drawings by Ub Iwerks
A drawing from another pioneering cartoon, 1914’s Gertie the Dinosaur, realized $33,600 – the most anyone has ever paid to own a piece of the cartoon named one of the greatest-ever in a 1994 survey of animators. Winsor McCay has long been an esteemed figure among animation historians; now, it would seem, the rest of the world is catching up to the significance of the man also responsible for the revered comic strip Little Nemo.
This Animation Art event was populated throughout by illustrators, animators and fine artists and authors who elevated cartoons to new artistic heights, from Disney’s legendary story artists to director Tim Burton to The Simpsons’ creator Matt Groening.
Lady and the Tramp “Bella Notte” production cel
A production cel for one of the most famous and certainly beloved sequences in Disney history – the “Bella Notte” scene from 1955’s Lady and the Tramp – was among the event’s biggest hits, realizing $37,200. This cel, from The Joe Rinaldi Collection, is a moment familiar to anyone who’s ever watched a cartoon; it’s one of the most imitated and adored moments ever committed to celluloid, as Tony and his cook serenade the dogs while they share their spaghetti dinner behind the Italian restaurant.
Mary Blair, one of Disney’s “queens of animation” and Walt’s favorite artist, was represented in this auction by some four dozen pieces ranging from her earliest work on Dumbo to her late-career renaissance as Disney’s handpicked design for his “It’s a Small World” attraction. It should not surprise that of the top 20 lots in the auction, 12 were touched by Blair.
Her most popular piece in the Animation Art event featured no iconic characters, however. It was, instead, a conceptual rendering of the mermaids made for Peter Pan, which realized $48,000. Not far behind was her 1940s painting of dancing flowers for a film never made, Fiesta of the Flowers, which sold for $40,800.
Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas “Christmas Feast” production cel signed by Chuck Jones
This being the Christmas season, of course, no animation event would have been complete without offerings from CBS’s 1966 adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, which seems to be on the remake treadmill of late. A production cel setup and key master background from the Christmas feast sequence – signed by its director, the legendary Chuck Jones – made one winner’s heart grow three sizes the day it sold for $20,400.
Says Lentz of the final results, “It is so satisfying in these difficult times to see Animation Art – the artwork of smiles – grow to record heights in 2020. It was just the right time.”
See all the results from the Dec. 11-13 Animation Art auction here.
SIGGRAPH Asia 2020 Virtual has officially announced the three award-winning films from its Computer Animation Festival. Selected from a pool of 577 CG animated projects, 11 pre-selection jurors whittled the group down to 139; from there, an international jury of top professionals reviewed each project, choosing three award winners for the CAF Winners Screening, 22 top works for the Electronic Theater screening as well as another 22 for the Animation Theater program.
“Our CAF winners, Electronic Theater and Animation Theater screenings highlight the work of an incredibly diverse and talented group of artists from around the world,” said SIGGRAPH Asia 2020 Computer Animation Festival Chair, Dan Sarto. “Our jury helped assemble an extraordinary collection of animated projects, including 47 animated shorts, VFX reels, commercials, scientific visualizations and other works, presented online during the festival. Congratulations to all the winners and to everyone who took time to share their work with us.”
CAF screenings and filmmaker talks will be available December 4-13.
The SIGGRAPH the 2020 award winners are:
BEST IN SHOW: Shoom’s Odyssey | Director: Julien Bisaro; Producer: Claire Paoletti | Picolo Pictures (France) The 26-minute film, which won the Cristal for Best TV Production at Annecy 2020, tells the story of Shooom, a baby owl, that hatches just as a storm turns the bayou surrounding her tree upside down. No sooner has she fallen from her nest, then the little fledgling totters off into the mangrove, pushing a second egg from the brood along with her. Come hell or high water, she’s determined to find a mother… even if that mom turns out to be an alligator or a raccoon!
BEST STUDENT PROJECT: Migrants| Directors: Hugo Caby, Antoine Dupriez, Aubin Kubiak, Lucas Lermytte and Zoé Devise; Producer: Carlos De Carvalho | Pôle 3D / Je Regarde (France) Two polar bears are driven into exile due to global warming. They will encounter brown bears along their journey, with whom they will try to cohabitate.
JURY SPECIAL: Box Assassin | Jeremy Schaefer | Ringling College of Art & Design (U.S.A.) Craig, a pizza delivery boy, recalls the night he was making a delivery to a cold-blooded gang boss and his goons. Unknowingly, Craig delivers not pizza, but the legendary Box Assassin. The assassin shows up and wreaks havoc among the gangsters. Craig attempts to escape but is taken hostage by the gang boss. At the mercy of a cold-blooded gangster, Craig fears this might be the end.
Electronic Theatre selections: Aura | Timm Völkner Déjeuner sur l’herbe | Jocelyn Charles, Jules Bourgès, Nathan Harbonn-Viaud & Pierre Rougemont Dogs | Benjamin Berrebi, Jakub Bednarz, Diego Cristófano, Mohammad Babakoohi, Théo Lenoble, Karlo Pavicic-Ravlic & Marthinus Van Rooyen Eos | Benoît Filippin, Paul Gautier, Laureline Massias & Mathieu Milaret Fú | Shaofu Zhang & Andrew Chesworth Hamsa | Daniela Dwek, Maya Mendonca & Chrisy Baek
HBO Asia’s Dream Raider TV Show Opening Sequence | Aslan Malik In Event of Moon Disaster | Francesca Panetta & Halsey Burgund Instinct | Arthur Allender, Mathieu Antoine, Léna Belmonte, Cyrielle Guillermin, Victor Kirsch & Elliot Thomasson Kapaemahu | Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer & Joe Wilson
Lenny Makes Some-Thing – “Turn Me On (feat.ARCX)” MV | Junha Kim Love Fifty Megatons (VFX) | Krez Denis Pangu | Shaofu Zhang Ragnarök | Christophe Sarraco, Pauline Lavelle, Hadrien Augier, Théo Blanchard & Hugo Fredoueil Soap versus COVID-19 | John McGhee Sous la glace | Milan Baulard, Ismaïl Berrahma, Flore Dupont, Laurie Estampes, Quentin Nory & Hugo Potin The Beauty | Pascal Schelbli The Heretic | Veselin Efremov The Journey of Mankind is the Sea of Stars | Bohong Deng Too Late | Roy Stein Windbreak | Ágnes Győrfi Windup | Yibing Jiang
Migrants
CAF selections jurors:
BoKyung Park – Seoul Business Agency
Ed Hooks – Acting for Animators
Erick Oh – Tonko House
Jae-huun Ahn – Meditation with a Pencil
Jeff Gipson – Walt Disney Animation Studios
Juck Somsaman – The Monk Studios
June Kim – UNSW Sydney
Paul Hellard – VFXScience
Steve Emerson – LAIKA
Sungho Hong – Locus Corporation
Vani Saraswathi – Dancing Atoms
![Nancy Cartwright - Animated! [Courtesy of MasterClass]](https://www.dev.animationmagazine.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/Nancy-Cartwright-animated.jpg)
