Destiny calls … Disaster awaits. That’s right: Netflix is conjuring more of Matt Groening’s high fantasy hilarity next month as Disenchantment Part 3 premieres exclusively on the streamer on Friday, January 15. The newly unveiled trailer gives us a glimpse of an exciting new steampunk world waiting to be discovered, and some Daenerys Targaryen-worthy power wardrobe updates for our favorite bucktoothed princess.
The adult animated series follows the medieval misadventures of hard-drinking young Princess Bean (voiced by Abbi Jacobson), her feisty elf companion Elfo (Nat Faxon) and her personal demon Luci (Eric Andre). Along the way, the oddball trio encounter ogres, mermaids, walruses and lots of human fools all while uncovering the deeper mystery of Dreamland.
The excitement builds in Part 3 as Bean continues to grow into her power and own her destiny. As the fearless friends venture out to discover new worlds, they might just find there really is no place like home.
The voice cast also features the talents of John DiMaggio, Billy West, Maurice LaMarche, Tress MacNeille, David Herman, Matt Berry, Jeny Batten, Rich Fulcher, Noel Fielding and Lucy Montgomery.
GKIDS, the acclaimed distributor of multiple Academy Award-nominated animated features, has announced the voice cast of the upcoming English language dub for legendary animation house Studio Ghibli’s latest feature Earwig and the Witch. The film is directed by Goro Miyazaki (From Up on Poppy Hill, Tales from Earthsea) and produced by studio co-founder Toshio Suzuki, with planning on the feature from his father, Academy Award-winner Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro).
Based on the children’s novel Earwig and the Witch by Diana Wynne Jones (Howl’s Moving Castle), the film marks Studio Ghibli’s first entirely 3D CG animated feature. An official selection for the 2020 Cannes Film Festival, the film is slated to premiere on NHK in Japan December 30. GKIDS will release the film in North America in early 2021, and will qualify the film for awards consideration.
The upcoming English language dub film will feature the voices of Richard E. Grant (Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Gosford Park), Kacey Musgraves (Golden Hour, Same Trailer Different Park) and Dan Stevens (Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, FX’s Legion), as well as Taylor Paige Henderson as “Earwig”. In addition to her debut voice acting role as “Earwig’s Mother,” six-time Grammy Award winner Kacey Musgraves will also record the English language version of the film’s theme song, “Don’t Disturb Me.” The Japanese version is performed by Sherina Munaf.
English voice cast (in order of appearance:
Earwig’s Mother – Kacey Musgraves
Matron – Pandora Colin
Assistant Matron – Alex Cartañá
Earwig – Taylor Paige Henderson
Mr. Jenkins – JB Blanc
Custard – Logan Hannan
Phyllis – Summer Jenkins
Sally – Vivienne Rutherford
Cook – Tom Bromhead
Assistant Cook – Eva Kaminsky
Bella Yaga – Vanessa Marshall
The Mandrake – Richard E. Grant
Thomas – Dan Stevens
Additional voices by: JB Blanc, Tom Bromhead, Alex Cartañá, Pandora Colin, Summer Jenkins, Eva Kaminsky and Vivienne Rutherford.
Synopsis: Growing up in an orphanage in the British countryside, Earwig has no idea that her mother had magical powers. Her life changes dramatically when a strange couple takes her in, and she is forced to live with a selfish witch. As the headstrong young girl sets out to uncover the secrets of her new guardians, she discovers a world of spells and potions, and a mysterious song that may be the key to finding the family she has always wanted.
Bruce W. Smith and Ralph Farquhar have entered into a wide-ranging, multiyear overall deal with Disney that calls for them to produce animated and live-action series and movies for Disney Branded Television. They will work closely with Meredith Roberts, SVP/general manager, Television Animation, Disney Channels, and Ayo Davis, EVP, Creative Development and Strategy, Disney Branded Television, to bring their inspired storytelling to Disney audiences.
The agreement provides separate funding for Farquhar and Smith to find and develop emerging talent as well as leverage their combined experience to bring unique projects and voices to Disney.
The influential producers’ track record includes the groundbreaking animated series The Proud Family, which, 18 years after its Disney Channel premiere, is still beloved for its characters, stories, multilayered humor and messages about inclusion and cultural diversity in a smart, modern way. All episodes are currently available on Disney+, home to the upcoming revival series The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.
“With virtually every studio and platform reaching out to them, it speaks volumes that talented storytellers Ralph and Bruce have chosen Disney as the home for their boundless creativity and inspired social commentary, not to mention their commitment to identifying emerging talent. We are proud to have them as members of our family,” said Gary Marsh, President & CCO, Disney Branded Television.
In a joint statement, Smith and Farquhar said, “We are very happy to be continuing our relationship with Disney and look forward to creating even more truly authentic and diverse stories and characters for audiences worldwide. We are also excited to have the opportunity to bring along a new wave of talented voices that will deepen the connection to Disney storytelling for years to come.”
In addition to creating and executive producing The Proud Family, Smith served as one of three directors of the Academy Award-winning short Hair Love. A Walt Disney Animation Studios alumnus, Smith supervised animation on feature films including The Princess and the Frog, Winnie the Pooh, Tarzan and The Emperor’s New Groove, and worked on visual development for Frozen and Wreck-It-Ralph.
Renowned for creating and executive producing the popular sitcom Moesha, Farquhar also created and executive produced South Central and The Parkers, and executive produced Real Husbands of Hollywood. His work also includes writing the cult classic, hip-hop feature film Krush Groove, supervising producer on Married… with Children, and writing for the ABC series Happy Days.
Smith is represented by Nancy Newhouse of Newhouse Porter Hubbard. Farquhar is represented by James Kellem of JKA Talent Agency and Gordon M. Bobb of Del Shaw Moonves Tanaka Finkelstein & Lezcano.
PBS KIDS is growing its slate of digital offerings for inquisitive youngsters with the announcement of a new, interactive series: Team Hamster! Hailing from GBH Kids (formerly WGBH), the production is led by creator Melissa Carlson, Senior Producer, Digital Series for the studio; and Marcy Gunther, Senior Producer, Video.
Team Hamster! helps kids think creatively and use engineering skills to solve problems with everyday tools. This interactive digital series allows viewers to build, test, and redesign to save the day with hamsters Sadie, Mateo and Tasha – classroom pets by day, secret engineers by night. Users step into the hamsters’ world through animated stories integrated with games. The stories set up problems that kids help solve by playing games using simple machines, tools, and creative thinking. The pint-sized hamsters show kids that “big or small, they can solve it all!”
Team Hamster!
This digital series explores a “game-first” production model, with characters inspired by a game in The Ruff Ruffman Show, story ideas originating from game concepts, and a design and animation pipeline tailored for gaming. Team Hamster! integrates video and gameplay, with video acting as a narrative driver for the games, setting up compelling, character-driven problems that kids can solve.
The storyworld includes three interactive games (via the PBS KIDS Games app) and five videos (PBS KIDS Video app) designed to teach players engineering and design skills in a way that is relatable to kids. Solutions to the problems presented throughout the digital series involve everyday materials, tools and simple machines kids can see in the world around them. Printable activities support the development of kids’ art skills while helping players connect with the digital series’ characters for continued “off screen” learning. Families will also be able to access printable activities through pbskids.org.
Team Hamster!
Games:
Power Painters: Players help the hamsters fix paintings that Janitor Ruff accidentally messed up. This STEAM-focused game teaches players about simple machines, using gears, ramps, springs, and pulleys to create different shapes. Players can help complete the existing artwork or create their own art in Free Play mode.
Roll to the Rescue: Players help the hamsters roll their way through a dozen mazes to find their favorite things before Janitor Ruff throws them away. Players use simple machines to help them reach high up places and get to the end of each maze. They can navigate through the hamsters’ mazes or create their own.
Splash Dash: Janitor Ruff left a bunch of leaky pipes all over the school, and players help the hamsters redirect the water, so the school doesn’t flood. Players use tools such as a funnel, stapler, and even a clock, to move the water in the library, cafeteria and hallway in creative ways.
Standalone videos:
Bubble Trouble: When Janitor Ruff turns on the dishwasher in the teacher’s lounge, he accidentally uses too much soap and the hamsters have to find a way to clean up the giant mess.
Solve it All: Tasha, Sadie, and Mateo sing about the design process while testing out different ways to retrieve a special art project Janitor Ruff accidentally knocked out of place.
Team Hamster!
PBS KIDS also announced a second season of GBH Kids’ Scribbles and Ink, the character-driven, original digital interactive series that allows kids to discover the utter joy of using art tools to propel their way through an adventure, based on the popular books and characters created by author-illustrator Ethan Long. The friendly duo’s artistic adventures have garnered 8.4 million plays since launch and made it into the top three most-played PBS KIDS games of the year.
In Season 2, kids draw, paint and collage their way through new fantastical animated adventures – in the clouds, into museum paintings, on a desert island, into the fun-house world of Snoogleandia – where art is made in unexpected ways, using new mediums including sand, bubbles, polka dots, scratchboards and more. New episodes not only provide new digital art tools that allow users to expand their artistic and creative horizons, but also new ways to interact and collaborate with Scribbles and Ink in the studio, including allowing users to draw during the story, even while the animation is playing.
Key Features:
Draw – The home screen is a “blank page” where players begin the Scribbles and Ink experience. In this space, players meet Scribbles and Ink, and then choose what to do next: (1) Draw and interact with Scribbles and Ink. (2) See the art that they have saved in the gallery. (3) Launch into one of the stories that blend interactive art-making and animated storytelling.
Video – Standalone videos feature Scribbles and Ink (1) finding out how many ways they can spin a giant ball of yarn into art,(2) figuring out how to patch things up after a disagreement (which rips their studio in half!) ,(3) going on a madcap dash through the magical realm of Snoogelandia.
Printable activities to promote offline art-marking with specific drawing prompts from Scribbles and Ink; now available in Spanish (pbskids.org).
Available through the PBS KIDS Games app, Scribbles and Ink is produced by Emmy and Peabody Award winner Marisa Wolsky, Executive Producer for Children’s Media at GBH, and Emmy winner Dave Peth.
Netflix announced today a new animated feature film currently in production, The Magician’s Elephant, based on two-time Newbery Award winner Kate DiCamillo’s novel of the same title. The CG animation is being provided by Australian studio Animal Logic (Happy Feet, The LEGO Movie).
When Peter (voiced by Ford v Ferrari‘s Noah Jupe), who is searching for his long-lost sister named Adel (Pixie Davies), crosses paths with a fortune teller in the market square, there is only one question on his mind: is his sister still alive? The answer, that he must find a mysterious elephant and the magician (Benedict Wong) who will conjure it, sets Peter off on a harrowing journey to complete three seemingly impossible tasks that will change the face of his town forever.
In addition to Jupe, Davies and Wong, the voice cast includes Sian Clifford, Natasia Demetriou, Dawn French, Brian Tyree Henry, Aasif Mandvi, Mandy Patinkin, Miranda Richardson, Cree Summer and Lorraine Toussaint.
The film marks the directorial debut of renowned visual effects veteran Wendy Rogers (Shrek, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, Puss in Boots, Flushed Away) and is produced by Julia Pistor (Jimmy Neutron, Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events).
“Peter’s story planted itself in my heart when I first read the book — I felt very connected to him, and was totally captivated by the world and the characters,” said Rogers. “The power of hope, the belief that anything is possible, and the ability to ask ‘what if?’ are all themes that are woven into the fabric of this film, and resonate now more than ever.”
Pistor commented, “When I first read Kate DiCamillo’s book, I knew that I had to make The Magician’s Elephant into a film. It’s as inspiring as it is entertaining, and has such a wonderful blend of adventure, heart, magic and off-center humor. The film has such a unique visual style that transports the audience away to another world, one that Wendy and I wanted to ensure reflects the world as it really is =- full of different cultures and beliefs.”
The adaptation is written by Martin Hynes (Toy Story 4), and the pedigreed creative team also includes production designer Max Boas (Abominable), art director Iuri Lioi (How to Train Your Dragon trilogy), editor Robert Fisher Jr. (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse), pre-vis lead Gary H. Lee (Kung Fu Panda), head of story Mark Sperber (Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2) and line producer Jennifer Teter (Sherlock Gnomes).
The Magician’s Elephant 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 and Aardman Animations’ sequel to Chicken Run.
Baobab Studios, the independent interactive animation production company, announced today its latest project: Namoo, a virtual reality experience written and directed by acclaimed Korean filmmaker Erick Oh. The now-completed film was created entirely in Facebook’s VR animation tool, Quill, with all of the props, characters, and environments hand-painted directly in VR. Baobab will release Namoo on Oculus platforms in 2021.
A narrative poem brought to life as an animated VR film, Namoo (meaning “tree” in Korean) is an ode to a grandfather’s passing and follows the journey of a budding artist — and his tree of life — from beginning to end.
“Erick Oh is an exciting, emerging director in animation, and from the moment he first shared his vision of Namoo with us, we knew we wanted to work with him. His wondrous artistic sensibilities are a natural fit for what we do at Baobab in that he crafts deeply personal films which connect with viewers both emotionally and universally,” said Maureen Fan, Co-Founder and CEO of Baobab Studios. “We are very proud of Namoo and look forward to sharing it with audiences very soon.”
“Baobab Studios is a great place to make films because they are willing to push boundaries in the name of art. I think that is why their films resonate so well with audiences and critics alike. Making Namoo was a joy because they were true collaborators who listened and gave me creative freedom to achieve my vision for the film,” said Oh.
Based in California, the celebrated filmmaker/artist has debuted his work at prestigious film festivals such as Annecy, Zagreb, SIGGRAPH and Anima Mundi, and earned awards and nominations from the Oscars, Annies and more. With his background in fine art from Seoul National University and film from UCLA, Oh was an animator at Pixar Animation Studios from 2010 to 2016, working on films such as Inside Out, The Dam Keeper and Brave. He then joined Tonko House with his fellow former Pixar artists and directed PIG : The Dam Keeper Poems, which won the Annecy Cristal in 2018. Oh is currently working on a variety of projects with his partners in film and animation, the VR/AR industry, and the contemporary art scene in the U.S. and South Korea.
Founded by Fan, Eric Darnell and Larry Cutler in 2015, six-time Emmy Award-winning Baobab Studios is the world’s leading independent interactive animation studio. With a mission to inspire you to dream and bring out your sense of wonder by making you matter, Baobab Studios has released five projects to date: Invasion!, Asteroids!, Jack, Crow: The Legend and Bonfire, all to critical acclaim and commercial success. Baobab’s most recent project, Baba Yaga —starring Kate Winslet, Daisy Ridley, Jennifer Hudson and Glenn Close — made its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival and will debut exclusively on Oculus Quest in early 2021.
Anima, the Brussels International Animation Film Festival, set to take place February 12-21, 2021, will be kicking off its 40th edition with Wolfwalkers, the latest feature from Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart.
Irish studio Cartoon Saloon’s fourth feature outing is full of legends and magic and completes Moore’s trilogy of Irish fables, following on from The Secret of Kells and Song of the Sea, both nominated for the Oscar for Best Animated Feature in 2009 and 2015. Anima presented both of these previous features in past editions.
This latest adventure follows what happens when Robyn, the hunter’s daughter, encounters Mebh, a strange little girl with tousled hair who turns into a wolf during the night. Their meeting will take the two into a magical and fascinating world as they wander the forest in search of other wolves in this film for all the family that celebrates friendship and nature through its fantastic story and dazzling visual world.
“The Anima Festival has been following Moore’s exceptional work from the beginning. We immediately believed in his talent and it’s a great honour to open this 40th Festival with him,” said Anima’s co-director Dominique Seutin.
Bregt Van Wijnendaele, Head of film at JEF, which is co-distributing the film in Belgium with Le Parc Distribution, added, “We are firm believers in the big screen experience and even more with an instant classic like Wolfwalkers. This is why we are very proud to show the film on the big screen with Anima at such a special time.”
Wolfwalkers will be released on February 17, 2021 by JEF in Dutch-speaking Belgium, and by Le Parc Distribution in French-speaking Belgium in April 2021 (exact date TBC).
Details of the whole Anima program will be announced on January 19 at www.animafestival.be
Trioscope Studios – the groundbreaking new studio dedicated to next-generation enhanced hybrid animation – has partnered with leading Polish visual effects & sound studio Juice to launch joint venture Trioscope Europe. The two companies have a long and successful history together having produced the global sensation World War II animated drama series The Liberator for Netflix, which reached Top 3 worldwide for the platform.
Michał Misiński, Director and partner at Juice, will serve as CEO of Trioscope Europe.
Cementing an animation foothold in Europe, the studio will be dedicated to producing original content, partnering with top tier talent and filmmakers as well as adapting third party IP using its proprietary Trioscope animation technology that marries human performance with specially-designed animated environments. Trioscope continues to be the only medium that brings full emotional fidelity to human faces, character movement and action while allowing filmmakers to tackle powerful dramatic stories with sweeping scale in animation – all on a cost-effective budget.
Additionally, Trioscope Europe is rolling out a new third-party studio partnership program. Designed to provide international creators, studios and distributors a cost-effective, end-to-end solution for unlocking drama projects that may be struggling to solve budget or scope challenges, all by reimaging them as emotionally-rich hybrid animation using Trioscope’s proprietary technology platform.
“Juice has been a powerhouse of passionate artists and producers, and a leader in visual effects worldwide,” said L.C. Crowley, CEO of Trioscope Studios. “The extraordinary Polish team was integral to our success with The Liberator, and as we continue to prioritize European and international production and co-production, Trioscope Europe is a key component in our strategic mission to rapidly expand the reach of our animated drama platform around the globe.”
Misiński added, “A key component of our mission is to leverage the amazing amount of talent hidden in eastern Europe and give them an opportunity to contribute to the creation of world-class content and provide an outlet for their creativity and innovative spirit. Creating Trioscope Europe is a dedicated gateway to ensure that goal is reached.”
Juice is a Poland-based post-production company focused on delivering high-end CGI. With a goal to make quality, high-profile projects that resonate with the audience domestically and abroad, the company has a strong reputation for creating immersive experiences, detailed storytelling, and visually compelling images. Juice works with global and influential brands and talent, including BMW, Mercedes, Coca-Cola, Nike, Virgin Mobile, Sony Entertainment, 20th Century Fox and BBC as well as the BAFTA-winning project BBC Winter Olympics: Nature, Ridley Scott’s The Martian, ARES: Our Greatest Adventure and Gaijin Entertainment’s War Thunder, among many more. The company also has offices in Tokyo and London.
The news follows a very busy year for Trioscope. In addition to launching The Liberator on Netflix, the company is currently adapting Greg Nichols’ Truly*Adventurous article The Havana Job, and has also partnered with Dark Horse Comics, Oni Press, Netflix and Unique Features for unannounced projects.
You’ve been warned: Lionsgate is opening the portal to the Monster Zone! Coming to Digital, On Demand and DVD (SRP $14.98) on February 9, the new title from Anima Estudios features the voice talents of Jamie Bell (Rocketman, Snowpiercer) and Ruby Rose (Orange Is the New Black, Batwoman), and has earned the Dove Seal of Approval for All Ages.
Synopsis: Imagine Harry Potter as a science nerd, and you’ve got Danny Dawkins! At a private boarding school for geniuses, Danny teams up with classmate Liz to fix the school’s broken nuclear reactor. But when they fix it, they open a portal to another dimension, unleashing a horde of slimy monsters that terrorize the campus. Now, he and Liz must invent a way to send those nasty critters back home!
Monster Zone is an animated adventure for the whole family full of goofy monsters and crazy science experiments from an accomplished team of storytellers, including Cal Brunker (Escape from Planet Earth, The Nut Job 2: Nutty By Nature).
John Rooney, Executive Director of TAAFI (Toronto Animation Arts Festival International) and a respected figure of the Canadian animation industry, died Thursday, December 10, at age 50. The news was shared by colleagues, who reported that Rooney had suffered a stroke two weeks before the annual TAAFI conference and had been hospitalized since that time. Rooney’s partner, mother and brother were with him at the end of his life.
“His dedication to both our mission and our community was unparalleled and we can’t imagine the film festival being what it is without him. We are dedicated to serving in the memory of John and are working hard to make him proud at our upcoming festival, of which John always referred to as ‘his baby.’” TAAFI wrote in a Facebook post announcing Rooney’s passing. “John was a strong advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion, and a champion of LGBTQ+ representation in media. His passion for animation was contagious and we will always remember his insight, forward thinking and his huge, huge heart.”
After studying Audio Visual Communications at Seneca College, Rooney began his kids’ television career in the late ‘90s, joining Corus Entertainment’s YTV as a Program Coordinator. Rising through the ranks, he became Director of Programming and was instrumental in shaping the Corus Kids & Family brands. Rooney transitioned over to TELETOON in 2011 and became their Director of Programming responsible for content strategy for all their brands, launching Cartoon Network and Adult Swim in Canada. Since 2014, Rooney had worked as a consultant, advising clients including Mattel, Epic Story Media, WildBrain and Zodiak Media on content strategy, programming, development, research and trends.
He began working with TAAFI in December 2017, joined the board in 2018 to help organize the TAAFICASO Job Fair and took on the duties of Program Director for the TAAFI 2019 Festival. Rooney was also a member of Canada’s Youth Media Alliance (YMA) Awards advisory committee for several years, and served as head of the English-language Awards of Excellence jury last year.
Rooney forged many strong bonds across both the Canadian and global animation scene over the years, and was fondly remembered over social media in wake of the sad news:
“What a tragic loss of a kind soul. John was passionate about animation. He’s the guy who programmed your youth on Teletoon. The animation community will miss him,” said Frank Falcone, President & Creative Director, Guru Studio.
Shabnam Rezaei, Co-Founder & President of Big Bad Boo Studios, said, “John was an incredible soul, full of life, and energy, and he deeply cared about so many issues. He was a delight to be around and a pleasure to work with. The animation industry’s light is dim tonight to mourn this great loss.”
“This is a really sad day for the animation community. John Rooney was a wonderful friend to me — and to so many folks in the business,” said producer Cort Lane, former SVP of Animation for Marvel. “He worked tirelessly to make the Toronto Animation Arts Festival [International] an organization that created exposure and opportunities for new and diverse talent. Countless young animators found jobs because of TAAFI. There isn’t anyone in animation with a more generous spirit. So many of us are better for knowing you, John. You will be sorely missed. Rest In Peace.”
Jamaica will host the fourth edition of KingstOOn Animation Festival from April 21-25, 2021 — completely free and 100% Virtual! Organized by the Government of Jamaica in collaboration with the World Bank, this unique event is aimed at positioning Jamaica as the “Animation Hub of the Caribbean” and showing the global animation community the strides made by Jamaica’s animation industry and the untapped potential of Caribbean creatives.
Animation Magazine caught up with Robert Reid (Animation Specialist, Youth Employment in the Digital and Animation Industries Project, Office of the Prime Minister) to learn more about what the island event has in store for virtual attendees.
Animag: Can you tell us a little bit about your plans for the 2021 edition of the festival?
Robert Reid: We have an incredible lineup of activities, including globally -renowned keynote speakers, masterclasses on hot topics such as financing and co-productions, pitching and global industry trends, thought leadership panel discussions, business matchmaking and networking, virtual in-booth expo/meetings and a film festival featuring diversity-centric animated content.
Animation Competitions are already open, and will be until February 22, 2021. We have already received over 650 entries in the eight categories. Categories include Storyboard, Character Design, Concept, Caribbean Short Films, International Student Film, International Special Effects Film, International Short Film and International Feature Film. (If you are working on animated content, we invite you to submit entries to kingstoonfest.com/general-rules.)
Five teams will be selected from the Concept Category will participate in the Pitch Boot Camp and Pitch Competition Finals. Finalists will be mentored and will refine both pitch bibles and pitching skills under the guidance of world class “Pitch Doctors.” The Pitch Competition comes to #FeverPitch as teams present their concepts in front of a live audience at the Pitch Competition Finals. A panel of executives from leading studios will select the winner(s) which will be announced at the Awards Ceremony.
KingstOOn 2021 will culminate in an Awards Ceremony on April 25, 2021, where the winners of all competitions will be announced and presented with awards and prizes by sponsors and organizers. This will be followed by a virtual ‘Jamaican Cocktail Reception.’
First Place winners of the Pitch Competition celebrating at KingstOOn 2019
What do you think makes this animation festival different from others around the world?
Strides are being made in the global film and animation industry towards increasing diversity and inclusivity. Major studios and networks are putting a lot of effort into showcasing stories that are more diverse and inclusive. Since around 2019, there has been an increased number of box office hits that focus on these themes. For example, the multibillion-dollar successes of The Black Panther, which had significant African influence, and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse featuring an Afro-descendant superhero. These are but two examples of the growing appetite for diverse and inclusive stories and content.
There is great scope for increased representation of groups that have largely been under-represented in film and TV, including the stories, values and culture of Afro-descendant people. KingstOOn seeks to be the niche conference, marketplace, and film festival for this … and what better place than Jamaica.
At the end of a hard day’s work, it’s time for fun at the networking cocktails at KingstOOn.
What is the major focus or theme for this year’s programs?
Margery Newland, YEDAI Project Manager, Office of the Prime Minister: Under the banner ‘Celebrating Diversity in Animation,’ the event is poised to make its most significant impact to date by telling the stories that have gone untold for far too long. We anticipate participation of people of diverse cultures, from all over the world, in KingstOOn 2021.
How is the government supporting this event and the animation industry as a whole?
Jamaica is still in the early stages of developing it’s animation industry, and KingstOOn forms part of a larger framework being built out by the Government of Jamaica, with support from the World Bank, which aimed at accelerating the pace of growth.Through the Youth Employment in the Digital and Animation Industries Project, affectionately called YEDAI, there is government support for to training in animation, business development, market attendance and the development of a comprehensive strategic plan and policy framework for the sustainable development on the industry.
Following the first KingstOOn Festival in 2013, top Jamaican colleges and universities have rolled out several training programs aimed at building the skilled labor force required for the industry. Since then, approximately 1,300 Jamaicans students have been trained at various levels in animation. Among these, The University of Technology Jamaica (www.utech.edu.jm) offers a four-year Bachelor’s Degree in Animation Production and Development; The University of the West Indies (www.mona.uwi.edu) offers a three-year Bachelor of Fine Arts in Animation; and the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts (https://emc.edu.jm) offers a four-year Bachelor of Fine Arts in Animation.
While these institutions provide broad-based training, the YEDAI Project has over the past six years offered more intense training in specialized areas of 2D and 3D animation. Over 50 high schools in Jamaica (and across the Caribbean) introduce students to the subject at an earlier age through the Caribbean Examination Council’s ‘Animation and Game Design’ curriculum, which was officially launched at KingstOOn 2016 (www.cxc.org/subject/animation-game-design).
In collaboration with the Jamaica Promotions Agency (https://dobusinessjamaica.com), the YEDAI Project provided support to local animation studios and creative entrepreneurs. The initiative comprised masterclasses on the business aspects of running an animation studio as well as preparation for and attendance at key markets such as MIPCOM and Kidscreen. At the markets, Jamaican studios benefited significantly from the learning and networking opportunities. Several animation studios are ready for business, including Listen Mi Animation Studio (www.listenmi.com), Liquid Light Digital (www.liquidlightdigital.com) and Night Vision (http://nightvisionmedia.com).
The Jamaica Animation Nation Network (https://animationjamaica.com) is an active community of freelancers that has regular networking sessions, competitions, training and job opportunities. Here are portfolios of some of Jamaica’s finest illustrators and animators who were also winners of past KingstOOn competitions:
The Jamaican Animation Industry Working Group comprises technical experts who contribute to the development of the industry and provides advice to the government as needed, in developing activities and initiatives that are aligned with industry needs. Despite the strides made by the local industry, key issues remain to be addressed that will positively affect the growth of the industry, including tax incentives for local animation studios and productions, as well as a comprehensive roadmap for sustainable growth.
Finally, tell us why you encourage animation students and professionals to tune in to KingstOOn in 2021?
We invite you to enter the competitions and tune in to the conference in 2021. Given the increase in demand by major broadcasting companies for more diverse and inclusive content, the opportunity exists now more than ever to ride that wave. Entries are currently being accepted for the competitions, and interested persons should keep the theme ‘Celebrating Diversity in Animation’ in mind. We want the entries that we will receive this year to reflect these ‘untold stories’ from under-represented groups, and so we want to see characters reflecting the Caribbean people, and Afro-descendant people in general, because, if we don’t tell our stories, somebody else will, and they might not tell it accurately properly, and so it is our duty to give a true representation of our people, our stories, our values, our culture.
Registration for the KingstOOn Animation Festival (April 21-25, 2021) opens February 2021 at www.kingstoonfest.com.
The National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) is excited to announce the latest installment in its ongoing collaboration with Cartoon Network. On Monday, December 14, Cartoon Network released a comic strip highlighting the power and importance of respecting gender identity through the use of gender pronouns.
The comic was designed by members of the NBJC Youth and Young Adult Action Council (YYAAC) with artist Steven Lowe (@steeeeevn), a team of talented creators from Cartoon Network Studios, and leadership from NBJC’s director of education programs and research, Dr. Kia Darling-Hammond. This collaboration grew out of Cartoon Network’s commitment to meaningfully engage with organizations serving the LGBTQ+/SGL community and is a part of the network’s continued support for NBJC.
On December 1, Gallery Nucleus launched an online art show benefiting NBJC that features art centered around community. Created by Cartoon Network Studios and Warner Bros. Animation artists, the artwork can be purchased through December 31.
Roughly 150,000 teenagers identify as transgender in the United States, and an as-yet-uncounted number of children as young as three years old are transgender or gender nonconforming, as well. In fact, each year the number of self-identifying transgender people grows, suggesting that the more accepting society becomes, the easier it is for people to be their whole selves unapologetically. In light of this trend, this new comic strip is timely and important in its ability to increase awareness about pronouns and how to use them.
“At the heart of our work at NBJC is affirmation of the dignity and beauty of our Black transgender, gender nonconforming, nonbinary and other gender-expansive siblings,” said Darling-Hammond, NBJC’s director of education programs & research. “This comic strip advances our goals by showing what it looks like to treat people with respect, while finding a sense of common humanity. Our hope is that this strip’s audience, of all ages and backgrounds, will feel inspired to begin volunteering their own gender pronouns, respect those of others, and normalize awareness of the existence of people across the gender universe. We believe that recognizing and celebrating gender expansiveness will move us closer to a world where we can all be healthy, happy and whole.”
Sage Grace Dolan-Sandrino, one of three of NBJC’s YYAAC members who worked on the project, says, “Visibility and representation on a wide scale is exactly what we need to ensure the safety and appreciation of our queer youth. For many of us, seeing ourselves reflected in fictional worlds allows us to envision a place for ourselves in the real world. Cartoon Network’s partnership with NBJC will play an integral role in saving and improving the lives of young queer kids across not only the nation, but the world.”
NBJC’s YYAAC member Tyler Miles adds, “Part of the excitement of this project is that we are engaging a topic that young people almost always have experience with, but don’t often have the space to discuss. Whether these youth identify as transgender, gender nonconforming, cis or the multitude of identities therein, this comic is a radical act of trust and care to reach all youth who are beginning to, or have already, thought critically about gender. They are heard, they are seen, they are accepted and they are loved.”
“This comic was created to embrace and acknowledge the role of selfhood and inclusion,” says NBJC’s YYAAC member Justin Calhoun. “This partnership between NBJC and Cartoon Network is an act of visibility that centers the needs of queer youth to ensure that they are not only accepted, but also thriving!”
NBJC is proud of what we have accomplished together, with Cartoon Network and other creatives, and are excited for young people to see themselves reflected in this work. Join feature characters Craig (from Craig of the Creek), Chloe (We Bare Bears) and Stevonnie (Steven Universe) as they meet new friends Kam and Alex while learning about gender, respect and belonging.
The National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) is America’s leading civil rights organization dedicated to the empowerment of Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and same gender loving (LGBTQ/SGL) people, including people living with HIV. Learn more at nbjc.org .
National Black Justice Coalition & Cartoon Network Gender Identity Comic
Moonbug Entertainment Ltd., one of the largest digital media companies in the world, today celebrated several record-breaking milestones for the CoComelon brand following an unprecedented year of growth.
The worldwide children’s phenomenon has surpassed 100 million subscribers on YouTube and has garnered nearly 100 billion views on the platform. According to Forbes, CoComelon has also broken records on Netflix; the kids’ program debuted on June 1, 2020 and, as of December 5, made 100 consecutive appearances on the Top 10 in the U.S., surpassing all content categories for both kids’ and adult programming.
“The brand ethos of CoComelon is simple: make kids happy and smart through fun and relatable content. That’s been our brand’s mission since creation, which is why CoComelon has not only remained a family favorite but has seen such exponential growth,” said Patrick Reese, general manager at Moonbug, CoComelon. “Our content speaks to children through relatability and the age-appropriate nature of the show keeps them entertained and parents relieved.”
In addition to on-screen popularity, the CoComelon toy line with consumer products leader Jazwares has been flying off the shelves. Moonbug and Jazwares have been working with retailers including Amazon, Target and Walmart to replenish stock so parents can access the products. The line features characters and items inspired by the show and includes a wide array of categories, such as plush, vehicles, figurines and role play.
“JJ, his friends and family have been a bright light for children since the brand’s inception,” added René Rechtman, co-founder and CEO, Moonbug. “As kids across the globe look to CoComelon for relatable content, we’re continuing to grow the show. This is just the beginning of the brand’s global growth as we work to expand the franchise both on and off the screen.”
CoComelon teaches children how to take on everyday activities and role models positive behavior with a sense of enthusiasm. Kids can easily relate to the universal themes and everyday narratives such as eating your vegetables, learning to tie your shoes and getting ready for bed. With its bright and bold colors and cheerful nursery rhymes and phrases, CoComelon attracts children aged one to four to sing and dance along with Baby JJ and his siblings as they learn letters, numbers, animal sounds, colors and more.
CoComelon is available on all major platforms including Amazon, Spotify, Apple Music, Roku and Netflix.
So, you think you have the next great animated feature film idea and want to play in the big leagues?
To get your idea produced by a major studio, you’ll need to come up with your own recipe that includes at least two of the following ingredients: 1. Lots of connections, 2. Lots of money and 3. Lots of luck!
Truth be told, no major studio wants to make your movie for you.
That may feel like a punch in the gut, but it’s the cold, hard truth. Major studios and distributors have not accepted unsolicited scripts, ideas or pitches for many decades, and probably never will. In other words, they don’t want to hear from you and are not interested in spending multi-millions of dollars of their money to produce your idea, distribute the movie and market merchandise on your behalf.
However, they may, in some cases, be open to hearing from an agent or an experienced producer (see ingredient No. 1), for a pitch session.
As can be expected, agents and experienced producers are not free. In fact, they can be downright expensive (see ingredient No. 2). While most things in life are negotiable, if you are an unknown asking an agent to represent you and your idea in an attempt to get an opportunity to pitch to a studio, chances are you’re going to have to pay up front, pay along the way and pay well — with no guarantee of success of any kind. Additionally, you’ll need a pretty big break just to get an agent’s attention in the first place (see ingredient No. 3).
Why are experienced agents and producers so expensive and often hard to acquire on your behalf? Because they have connections (see ingredient No. 1), and could potentially be a stepping stone solution between you and a major studio. Without representation, you’ll need to refer to the original recipe listed above.
Exclusive Clubs Are Always Members Only
If you’ve been in the entertainment industry long enough, these things are probably already apparent to you. I recall seeing a bumper sticker while in California decades ago which is very applicable to the topic at hand, “If you don’t surf, don’t start.” Which is to say, this is cultural. You have to be born into it or invited by a current member. You can’t just show up at the beach with a surfboard and sunscreen and call yourself a surfer.
The Silver Lining to This Cloud
Question: Does dealing with all of this sound like fun? Why on Earth would you want to endure untold amounts of frustration while trying to overcome such insurmountable odds in the first place? If your answer is, “Because I am determined to see my movie made,” then you’re on the right track. And since you’re already on the right track, why not stay there? Why not forge your own path and do it the indie way? It’s a whole lot more fun, you don’t have to deal with the standard red tape of the entertainment industry, and you get to be in control. Isn’t that, after all, what this is all about?
Make a trailer. Produce a look book. Do your demographic research. Create your business plan with generous ROI. Raise funding through your own work efforts and by making gratuitous ownership offers to your friends, family and colleagues. Once your movie is complete, market and promote it through social media and online resources. With pay-per-click ads, you can essentially drive as many viewers to your movie site as you like — or at least as many as your budget allows. From there, you can have your movie available for rent or purchase along with a host of accompanying merchandise.
After all is said and done, if your investors receive even a small amount of profit from their investment in your movie, their only question at that point will be, “When are you making another one?”
Mission: accomplished!
Martin Grebing is the president of Funnybone Animation Studios. He can be reached at www.funnyboneanimation.com
As virtual reality and experiential cinematography become more and more ubiquitous, the hardware to capture these images is following suit. Insta360 has already established a toehold in the industry with consumer (ONE and Nano lines) and prosumer/professional (Pro/Pro 2) cameras, each one coming with support software to aid in stitching and stabilization. But it’s the Insta360 Titan that leads the crowd in quality, size and price.
Twenty-two centimeters across with a healthy weight of 12 lbs, the Titan looks like the droid who’s about to torture the location of the rebel base out of Princess Leia. But you need that heft to carry the eight micro four-thirds sensors and 200° lenses, the 10,000 mAh battery, and the four mics to support ambisonic spatial audio. So, you are going to want to mount this to a camera head with a lot of support. And you probably won’t be capturing footage as you longboard down a 20 degree grade (that’s what the ONE or the ONE X2 is designed for). No, this is for some grandiose imagery with the highest quality for the most discerning filmmakers.
The camera can output up to 11K video in a post-stitching situation — meaning, taking the files from the nine SD cards and running them through Insta360’s stitcher or a third party stitcher of your choice. This 11K is at a lower color bit, but for the 10-bit color you can still output 8K. And this can be either mono or stereo. You can also take 11K mono or stereo stills, which can stitch in real time or post. And if that weren’t enough, the Insta360 Titan can stream real-time stitches in 4K (both 2D and 3D), or even in 8K with an additional license and a workstation to assist.
A live stitch can be broadcast over wifi, but it’s recommended to use the Insta360 Farsight method, which has a dedicated transmitter and receiver; the latter is designed to hold a small phone or tablet so you can monitor what the camera is seeing. The Farsight transmitter has a range of 300 meters ground-to-ground, and 1,000 meters ground-to-air — which frankly is a disconcerting idea, this 12lb camera flying on a drone a kilometer away.
If you are serious about 360 cinematography, then this is probably the rig you should be looking at. At a $15K price tag, it’s, without a doubt, a healthy investment. But price it out against a couple of RED Monstros and correlating Entaniya HAL 220 fisheyes and it’s a bargain. #context
After you’ve captured the 360 video using your camera configuration of choice (perhaps six GoPros in an Omni or RIZE setup, a Nokia Ozo, a couple of back-to-back REDs or the Insta360 Pro, or even the Titan), you need to take that footage and stitch it all together into an image that can be viewed in a VR headset. You can also project it in something like the Holodome, or to be viewed in YouTube VR. Mistika VR by SGO is geared for just this purpose.
For well-shot footage, I found that Mistika VR gets a pretty darn good stitch right out of the box. With a slew of camera rig presets, you can dial everything in immediately to get a rough stitch to make sure things are feeling right, or to get a client to sign off on things before you really start digging into the fine stitch.
Mistika VR utilizes its own optical flow algorithms to analyze patterns between the different camera angles and will warp and adjust the imagery to resolve doubling up and misalignments along the stitch lines. But on top of that, you have tons of parameters to work with to refine even further: Dials for tweaking the yaw, roll and tilt of each camera or even the resulting stitch give you control for fixing wavy horizon lines, or recomposing so your main actor is in the right viewing space.
But the tool that kind of blew my mind is the edge controls. As each lens has distortion as the image approaches the edges, if something of interest (like an actor) is on the stitch line between lenses, it can get mushy and muddy. And no one wants that. So, Mistika VR gives you tools to add points along the stitchline, kind of like a rotospline. With this, you can shape the stitchline around the talent to utilize more of one particular lens that may have more fidelity. The actor, and you, don’t have to worry about artifacts occurring across their face.
The software, which is accelerated by Nvidia GPUs, is fast and supports tons of 360 rigs, and recently added the Blackmagic codec to its supported file formats. The only quibble would be that the UX needs a bit of love. It’s a little clunky to get around and feels like a Quantel Domino (if anyone remembers that). But outside of that, the math underneath the hood is solid and wholly impressive.
You can get a personal or professional license through a monthly or yearly subscription. Or you can buy it for 30 days or a year without renewal. The pro version gives you keyframing (absolutely critical), stabilization (pretty darn critical), stereo 3D workflow and render farm support. There may be other solutions, but in my time working with it — the time I spent stitching versus the time I spent troubleshooting — Mistika VR is well worth the investment for your 360 project.
Prices: Varies, from $58 per month to $831 per year
Todd Sheridan Perry is an award-winning VFX supervisor and digital artist whose credits include Black Panther, Avengers: Age of Ultron and The Christmas Chronicles. You can reach him at todd@teaspoonvfx.com
Grammy-winning global superstar Kelly Clarkson and acclaimed country singer-songwriter Brett Eldredge have brought their holiday duet “Under The Mistletoe” to life with a festive hand-drawn animated music video directed by Jay Martin with animation by Ingenuity Studios.
“The goal was to create a nostalgic, old-fashioned-style, animated cartoon. It felt like a natural fit for the song because it also gives a nod to a ’60s holiday music vibe,” said Martin. “The story of the video came from Kelly, and she was very influential in how it was told. All of the people in this hectic holiday house are trying to find connection, and there are laughs along the way.”
The video was created with hand-drawn animation using Toon Boom Harmony — Ingenuity Studios’ first fully 2D project — and was supported by Unreal Engine, used for the foundation of the house, and After Effects to achieve just the right look and feel by adding glows, sparkles and an ethereal quality to scenes. Puppetry was used to show realistic human movement and perspectives, with hand-drawn details woven in to bring warmth and energy to the characters.
The 4’14” video took six weeks from storyboard to delivery, accomplished by a team of seven animators.
“I love working with Ingenuity Studios because I know they’ll deliver what I need, and I know it’s going to be great. These kinds of projects have challenges and hurdles — yet the Ingenuity Studios team always perseveres. Dave Lebensfeld is super hands on, and his team takes his lead,” the director continued. “We had a really tight schedule, and had to create the animatic with the storyboards, then hand everything off to animators. So, the animators had a lot of freedom but not a lot of time for revisions. That actually made it fun because it had to happen so fast. Ingenuity’s animation supervisor, Vinod Krishnan, and his squad were so great. They nailed all the little beats.”
Martin and Ingenuity Studios have previously collaborated on videos for Tiësto and Dzeko with Preme and Post Malone, as well as for Shawn Mendes and others.
“Since we work across film, TV, advertising and music videos, we know what tools work best for a given project. We did that for ‘Under The Mistletoe’ by using 3D software Unreal Engine to give the house perspective from all angles quickly. Our background artists then added life and personality to it. So, Unreal eliminated the need for background artists to have to figure out all of the perspectives. They had the freedom to just draw which is really fun for an artist,” Ingenuity Studios Owner, Exec Producer & VFX Supervisor Lebensfeld added. “Our team fired on all cylinders with this project, and we had a great time working on it. I have to add, we could not have executed this without Vinod Krishnan, our talented animation supervisor. He brought a lot of heart to this project while he kept the animators on track.”
Available now via Atlantic Records, the future Christmas classic co-written by Clarkson and produced by longtime collaborator Jesse Shatkin (Sia, Jennifer Lopez), depicts a budding holiday romance with a throwback melody sure to bring people together this holiday season. Since release, the track has generated over 22 million global streams and climbed into the Top 10 on both the Hot AC and Holiday radio charts.
Clarkson and Eldredge make their debut live performance of “Under The Mistletoe” on NBC’s Christmas In Rockefeller Center special, followed by a performance on the season finale of The Voice and Friday’s episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon; audiences can catch another performance and Wednesday, Dec. 16 on The Kelly Clarkson Show. In addition to “Under The Mistletoe,” Clarkson also released a stunning cover of the Vince Vance & The Valiants’ classic “All I Want for Christmas Is You” this holiday season.
“I love writing new Christmas songs that have a classic, throwback vibe. Brett is such an amazing singer and I was so impressed by his classic sound on his Christmas record so it was a perfect match for picking a duet partner for ‘Under The Mistletoe,’” said Clarkson.
Eldredge said, “When Kelly sent me this song I was blown away by the soul and joy that it brought into my life the moment I heard it. I couldn’t wait to go in and sing it, and once I heard our voices together I knew we landed something very special. I think we are going to be singing this song for a very long time and I’m glad I get to do that with one of the best vocalists on this Earth.”
Ingenuity Studios Director of Design + Animation, Alex Popkin, added, “When this project arrived, we were working on one of the holiday music videos we’re doing for Dolly Parton. We are happy to be helping to spread so much holiday cheer this year! We were able to achieve the result that we wanted for ‘Under The Mistletoe,’ with its steep schedule, by leveraging our studio’s strengths, hiring terrific additions to the team like Animation Supervisor Vinod Krishnan, and by blending technology often used in 3D productions along with 2D software. The Ingenuity Studios team always drives for the smartest path to get to the best final result.”
A sweet tale of intergenerational friendship and inspiration will be available to stream Thursday, December 17, when DreamWorks Animation short To: Gerard arrives on NBCUniversal’s Peacock platform. Written and directed by Taylor Meacham, the film was created as part of the studio’s Shorts Program, produced by Jeff Hermann with music by Layla Minoui, production design by Raymond Zibach and editing by James Ryan. The film’s head of character animation was Pierre Perifel, and Nico Marlet handled character design.
Synopsis: Toward the doldrum end of his shift, Gerard, a spritely mailman, nimbly sorts envelopes and packages with the flick of a wrist. Despite working in a post office all his life, Gerard has dreamed of one day finding his audience as a famous magician like his childhood hero. With effortless dexterity that accompanies mastery, this delightfully overgrown kid practices magic every day with a special coin … a gift from The Great Vivonti.
When an inquisitive young girl named Jules wanders upon his practiced routine, she’s dazzled by his talents. With the help of his cherished coin, Gerard charms his first-ever audience member with an impromptu magic show. In this moment, two artists — separated by decades — unknowingly set off a chain reaction that will change both of their lives forever.
“To: Gerard comes from the place of just how much my father means to me,” says Meacham. “My dad’s my best friend and close to that age where he should be retiring. It’s hard to see someone you care about so much about at that point in life who should be just relaxing and take vacations. That’s what I want for him, but he’s not that guy. Dad’s attitude is: ‘As long as I can save five dollars to give to my kids to go follow their dreams, nothing else matters.’ This film is a love letter to him, thanking him for everything he’s given to us.”
Read more about the film in Ramin Zahed’s story for the June ’20 issue of Animation Magazinehere.
Starting this Monday on RTÉ2 and RTÉjr, Irish audiences may look out for Da Humbug — a two-minute holiday tale about a grumpy old man finding the true meaning of Christmas. The stop-motion short was created by Flickerpix, the animation arm of leading independent television production company Waddell Media, based in Holywood, Co. Down.
“2020 has been such a difficult year for so many, especially the elderly, many of whom have been shielding, making isolation and loneliness even more prevalent than before,” said the short’s writer & director Johnny Schumann, Creative Director of Flickerpix. “The main character is loosely based on a very kind elderly man who lives alone whom I’ve got to know a little more during lockdown. I hope Bob and the little girl in Da Humbug, who I’ve called Ella, touch viewers’ hearts this Christmas.”
Johnny Schumann, Creative Director of Flickerpix, with his 3D model of Bob for Da Humbug.
Jannine Waddell, Managing Director, Waddell Media, said, “I’m really proud of all the team at Flickerpix who have created something very special this Christmas with Da Humbug, highlighting the loneliness many people can feel at this time of the year in such a touching and tender way.”
Da Humbug is one of the 10 ‘Shorts Yule Love’ animations which will be shown on RTÉ platforms over the festive season, available from this Monday (December 14) on the RTÉ Player. See the full lineup here.
The first season of Angry Birds Bubble Trouble, a 3D short series starring the Angry Birds flock, has nested on the characters’ YouTube channel. The first episode is already live, with a new installment rolling out worldwide for free every week. The series sees the beloved animals getting into all kinds of trouble in a garden full of surprises, inspired by the video game Angry Birds Dream Blast.
Angry Birds Bubble Trouble was produced in partnership between the game’s studio Rovio Entertainment and Los Amigos, a joint venture between Hype Animation (Brazil), PunkRobot (Chile) and Red Animation Studios (Peru), responsible for all the creative aspects and animation.
Angry Birds Bubble Trouble [Rovio Entertainment]
The 20 x 1-minute series explores the childhood of the well-known characters Red, Bomb, Chuck, Stella and Silver and their games, imagination and rivalries — all with the good humor that marks the franchise. Bubble Trouble is created and written by Jordan Nugem, executive produced by Gabriel Garcia, Milton Guerreiro and Pato Escala and directed by Fabiano Pandolfi.
“The Angry Birds are part of our pop culture,” said Nugem. “All of these characters already exist; however, creative freedom was given to us to shape these characters and their world. It is very beautiful to see how much affection the whole team has put into this project. It is certainly a proof of the quality and commitment of animation professionals in Latin America.”
Founded at the beginning of the year, Los Amigos — the largest collective animation studio in Latin America — combines the companies Hype Animation (Taina and the Amazon’s Guardians), PunkRobot (from the Academy Award winning short Bear Story) and Red Animation Studios (A Mouse Tale). Integrated production allows everything to be done in real time between the three countries. Angry Birds Bubble Trouble is the studio’s first released work.
Shane Black, the award-winning director and writer behind action hits like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Iron Man 3 and The Nice Guys, is moving from big screen punch-ups to small screen animation. Fox has tapped the Hollywood veteran to develop Crag Banyon P.I., a new animated series based on the off-kilter mystery books by James Mullaney. Fox Entertainment is the studio.
The show will follow alcoholic ex-cop turned private investigator Crag Banyon as he undertakes the unravelling of supernatural mysteries in a noirish alternate reality. The book series has seen Banyon crack cases involving everything from gods to leprechauns to Santa’s elves.
Black and Mullaney, who previously collaborated on an adaptation of the latter’s The Destroyer, will write and executive produce. Also exec producing are Stampede Ventures’ David Silverman, Greg Silverman and Paul Shapiro, Greenlit’s David Greenblatt and Vinson Films’ Tripp Vinson. David Silverman (The Simpsons Movie) is tapped to direct should the project get a presentation order; the concept has a script commitment.
Crag Banyon P.I. joins an ever-growing lineup of primetime animation projects in development or greenlight by the network, including the recently announced Greater Good, hybrid single cam comedy Demi-God, a new project with Superior Donuts star Jermaine Fowler and semi-autobiographical comedy Ocean Village. Also announced this year have been The X-Files: Albuquerque, Temporary Humans, Housebroken and a new Dan Harmon project.
![Angry Birds Bubble Trouble [Rovio Entertainment]](https://www.dev.animationmagazine.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/Angry-Birds-Bubble-Trouble2.jpg)
