Animation Magazine

Tag: featured

  • Celebrate ‘Nickmas’ with 100+ Hours of Programming & 21 Premieres!

    Celebrate ‘Nickmas’ with 100+ Hours of Programming & 21 Premieres!

    It’s beginning to look a lot like “Nickmas”! Nickelodeon is welcoming in the holiday with over 100 hours of seasonal content, featuring 21 holly jolly premieres of its live-action, animation and preschool series beginning Thursday, Nov. 19. Viewers will be treated to a joyous lineup including the season two premiere of original festive competition series, Top Elf; the brand-new star-studded special The All-Star Nickmas Spectacular; and all-new episodes of the net’s hit series PAW Patrol, Santiago of the Seas, Blue’s Clues & You!, The Casagrandes, The Substitute, All That, Danger Force and more, plus classic fan-favorite holiday episodes of Rugrats, SpongeBob SquarePants and The Loud House.

    In the second season of Top Elf, premiering on Thursday, Nov. 19, at 7:30 p.m. (ET/PT), Santa (Tommy Snider) and Ms. Jingles (Samantha Turret) invite seven talented “Elf-testants” to the North Pole to compete in a series of holiday-themed challenges for the title of “Top Elf” and $25,000 to a charity on their Wish List. Each “Elf-testant” is paired with one of Santa’s elves who are excited to help bring their holiday vision to life. The season will feature even bigger and messier challenges, including building a life size countdown calendar, designing sweet treat carts for the North Pole street fair, reimagining Santa’s style for a high-tech makeover, creating a scenic 3D pop-up experience and producing and starring in their very own holiday-themed music video.

    Each episode of Top Elf features a celebrity guest judge; season two welcomes social media star Addison Rae, Nickelodeon’s Unfiltered host Jay Pharoah, singer-songwriter Tori Kelly, social media sensation Guava Juice and global superstar JoJo Siwa. Top Elf will air regularly Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. (ET/PT) through Dec. 17 on Nickelodeon.

    On Saturday, Nov. 28, Nickelodeon will celebrate the holidays with a brand-new star-studded special, The All-Star Nickmas Spectacular, premiering at 9 p.m. (ET/PT). Hosted by Nickelodeon’s Lex Lumpkin, the hour-long variety show will include musical performances by JoJo Siwa, That Girl Lay Lay and Ne-Yo, along with appearances by Gabriel Iglesias, Jay Pharoah, Tisha Campbell, Trevor Noah and Young Dylan. The special will also feature comedy sketches from the casts of All That, The Astronauts, Danger Force, Group Chat and Nickelodeon’s Unfiltered — including Darci Lynne with Petunia — as well as special messages from animated stars SpongeBob SquarePants, Lincoln and Lucy from The Loud House, and Ronnie Anne from The Casagrandes.

    Santiago of the Seas
    Santiago of the Seas

    Animation premieres of Nickmas 2020 include:

    Fri., Nov. 20

    12 p.m. PAW Patrol “Pups Save a Bah Humdinger!” (30 min. special) Mayor Humdinger is being very naughty on Christmas Eve, and it’s up to the PAW Patrol to help Santa and save Christmas.

    12:30 p.m. Santiago of the Seas “A Pirate Christmas” (30 min. special) Santiago and his crew must help Santa save Christmas. Guest star: Alfred Molina.

    Fri., Nov. 27

    8:30 p.m. (Nick Jr. Channel) The Adventures of Paddington “The Lost Letter” (30 min. special) Paddington has accidentally sent Jonathan’s Santa letter to Peru by mistake. When he sends Pigeonton to the North Pole with a new list, he goes missing.

    Fri., Dec. 4

    11 a.m. Blue’s Clues & You! “Blue’s Night Before Christmas” It’s the night before Christmas and Josh and Blue play Blue’s Clues to figure out what Blue wants for Christmas, decorate with Steve, help Joe wrap presents, and celebrate a night full of holiday traditions. Guest stars: Steve Burns and Donovan Patton.

    12 p.m. Bubble Guppies “The Guppies Save Christmas!” On Christmas Eve, Molly, Gil and Bubble Puppy discover Santa’s lost list in the snow. To return the list safely to the North Pole, they have to keep it out of the hands of the Christmas-hating Humbug.

    Sat., Dec. 5

    11:30 a.m. It’s Pony “Bramley Holiday” The Bramleys need to find a way to celebrate their traditions and be together for the holidays.

    7 p.m. The Casagrandes “A Very Casagrandes Christmas” Ronnie Anne is excited for the perfect Christmas, but visits from the neighbors put her dream Nochebuena on hold.

    7:30 p.m. The Loud House “Season’s Cheating/A Flipmas Carol” Lincoln tries to rig the family gift swap and ends up learning a valuable lesson. Then, a Scrooge-like Flip is visited by three ghosts in a special take on “A Christmas Carol.”

    Sun., Dec. 6

    10 a.m. (Nick Jr. Channel) Abby Hatcher “A Very Fuzzly Christmas” Abby is determined to bring her holiday traditions to the neighborhood when a snowstorm closes the hotel on Christmas Eve.

    Fri., Dec. 11

    12 p.m. PAW Patrol “Pups Save the Marooned Mayors/Pups Save the Game Show” While ice fishing in the North Country, Mayor Goodway and Mayor Humdinger get stuck in an ice crevasse. Then, Cowgirl Beryl hosts a game show at the Wingnuts’ farm.

    12:30 p.m. Baby Shark’s Big Show! “Baby Shark’s Big Fishmas Special” (series premiere) With Fishmas just around the corner, the season’s hottest toy — Burpin’ Bubbz — is at the top of Baby’s and William’s wish lists and when Santa Jaws goes missing, it’s up to them to save the holiday.

    Sat., Dec. 19

    11 a.m. ALVINNN!!! and the Chipmunks “A Very Merry Chipmas” Theodore is mistaken for an elf and whisked off to the North Pole to help build toys in Santa’s workshop.

    11:30 a.m. LEGO City Adventures “Arrest Ye Merry Gentlemen” When Fendrich threatens to ruin Sinclair’s holiday gala, Duke intervenes to save both the party and the holidays.

    Nickmas animation classics:

    • PAW Patrol “Pups Save Christmas – Tues., Dec. 1 at 8 a.m. / Fri., Dec. 4 at 10 a.m.
    • The Loud House “11 Louds a Leapin’” – Sat., Dec. 5 at 6:30 p.m. / Sat., Dec. 12 at 10:30 a.m. / Tues., Dec. 22 at 1 p.m.
    • SpongeBob SquarePants “It’s a SpongeBob Christmas!” – Sat., Dec. 5 at 11 a.m. / Sat., Dec. 12 at 12 p.m. / Mon., Dec. 21 at 1 p.m.
    • SpongeBob SquarePants “Patchy the Pirate Presents the SpongeBob SquarePants Christmas Special” – Sun., Dec. 6 at 1 p.m. / Sat., Dec. 12 at 10 a.m. / Mon., Dec. 21 at 1:30 p.m.
    • Rugrats “Rugrats Chanukkah” – Thurs., Dec. 10 / Thurs., Dec. 17 at 10 p.m.
  • Trailer: ‘Bombay Rose’ Blooms on Netflix Dec. 4

    Trailer: ‘Bombay Rose’ Blooms on Netflix Dec. 4

    Gitanjali Rao’s award-winning feature directorial debut Bombay Rose is officially coming to Netflix on December 4. The animated romance which dances between life’s reality and the Bollywood screen has already won over audiences and critics at film festivals around the world, screening at Venice Critics’ Week, TIFF, Gijon, Chicago (winning the Silver Hugo in the New Directors Competition) and Mumbai Film Festival (Silver Gateway of India).

    Synopsis: Escaping from child marriage, a young club dancer living in the streets of Bombay, must choose between fending for her family and finding love with a boy orphaned by the militancy. Painted frame by frame and woven delicately through music, a red rose brings together three tales of impossible loves. Love between a Hindu girl and a Muslim boy. Love between two women. Love of an entire city for its Bollywood stars. Based on true events, the film explores the ruthlessness of a society where the love and life that reigns on the big screen can crush you in its mean streets.

    Rao wrote and directed the picture, which features the voices of Cyli Khare, Amit Deondi, Gargi Shitole and Makrand Deshpande. Producers are Soumitra Ranade, Rohit Khattar and Anand Mahindra; exec producers are Deborah Sathe and Tessa Inkelaar Animation; co-producers are Charlotte Uzu and Serge Lalou.

    Read more about this lovely movie in the upcoming January issue of Animation Magazine, available soon!

    www.netflix.com/BombayRose

    Bombay Rose
    Bombay Rose
    Bombay Rose
    Bombay Rose
  • Global TV & Streaming News

    Global TV & Streaming News

    French animation studio Millimages is marking the launch of MIP CANCUN Online next week by celebrating a flurry of deals for its popular animated series across the Latin American region.

    Molang
    Molang

    In Mexico, Molang Seasons 1 and 2 launched on TV Azteca in August 2020, to be followed by the launch of Season 3 in Q1 2021. A partnership with the Métro de México and ISA TV is bringing the series to Mexico City metro’s platform screens for Halloween (October 2020) and Christmas (December 2020) campaigns. The sweet bunny became an educational ambassador for COVID-19 in partnership with the Sistema de Transporte Colectivo, appearing in metro videos. In partnership with the Conseja de la Comunicación, Molang served as the face of their COVID-19 campaign aimed at educating citizens on how to wear a mask. Stationery licensee Dipak will create Molang 2021 calendars and agendas, to be released December 2020. New licensee Union Kids is creating a SS/2021 children’s apparel collection to be sold in retailers Walmart, Grupo Control and Soriana.

    In Brazil, Pirata & Capitano made its debut on TV Brasil this year. Molang S3 launched on Disney Junior Latin America on October 5. Pirata & Capitano will be available for streaming in LatAm on Viacom’s Pluto TV in November, followed by Molang S1 in January. Both series are also available for streaming on HITN’s Edye in the U.S. and LatAm.

    Koumi's Animated Picture Book
    Koumi’s Animated Picture Book

    Superights has announced a number of sales for hybrid edutainment program Koumi’s Animated Picture Book (52 x 5′) from French producer Le Regard Sonore. Blending 2D animation and live-action footage, the series follows Koumi as she observes the animals in her picture book and invites young viewers on interactive journeys across all continents to meet these fascinating creatures.

    Originally broadcast on Piwi+ and TV5Monde, the engaging series has already attracted the interest of various international channels and platforms such as: ABC Commercial Group in Australia, the public channels LTV in Latvia and RTVS in Slovenia, the pay channel HOP! in Israel, as well as the VOD Now TV platform in Hong Kong.

    Team S.T.E.A.M.
    Team S.T.E.A.M.

    Winsing Animation will be promoting its hit shows and new properties at MIP CANCUN Online+ from November 2-16 and ACE Fair from November 4-20 this year. Out of a varied and exciting selection of properties on show, Winsing will be highlighting established hit GG Bond and GOGOBUS, along with new title Team S.T.E.A.M.!

    Team S.T.E.A.M.! is an upbeat series filled with high adventure, humor and heart, which is made up of six amazing kids who overcome problems using STEAM curriculum such as Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, with Athletics and the Arts thrown in for good measure. Audiences all around the globe will enjoy seeing themselves reflected in the diverse group of characters, who come from countries such as China, Ireland, Columbia, Jamaica, Korea and India. Team S.T.E.A.M.! was pitched by France MIP Junior 2019, as one of the five pitched animation projects and the only one amid China projects. The first season premiered in China on October 26 and it is looking for international distributors.

    My Hero Academia
    My Hero Academia

    Funimation, the leading global anime content provider, is available to stream as an app on both the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, which launched Monday, November 10. The Funimation app will be available in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. Funimation previously confirmed its streaming app will be available on the PlayStation 5, launching November 12 in North America and November 19 in the U.K. and Ireland. Fan favorites from Funimation include My Hero Academia, Attack on Titan and Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba.

    RWBY
    RWBY

    WarnerMedia’s pioneering entertainment and media company Rooster Teeth has launched on Roku and Amazon Fire TV, and updated Xbox One and Apple TV apps. Fans can now experience all of Rooster Teeth’s gaming and animation videos from their living rooms. All four apps will include new features like RTTV, the home for Rooster Teeth’s daily live streams, and a “My Library” feature that lets users save a “watch later” list and playlists. The brand recently launched the highly anticipated latest installments of two popular animated programs:

    • In RWBY Volume 8, our heroes’ worst fears have finally been realized: Salem is here, and the timing couldn’t be worse for the divided Kingdom of Atlas. Fear has turned friends into enemies, while doubt threatens to splinter humanity’s remaining allies. With both Salem and Ironwood stacking the odds against them, and the fate of Remnant at stake, it’s up to team RWBY to make their play before it’s too late.
    • Red vs. Blue: Zero delivers a brand new take on our fan-favorite show. In Red vs. Blue: Zero, a mysterious syndicate leader known only as Zero seeks an Ultimate Power, and a ragtag team of heroes and misfits called the SHATTER SQUAD must work together to save the galaxy. Torrian Crawford, the animator behind the hit web series Death Battle! and gen: LOCK, steps into the role of showrunner and lead animator this season, and Achievement Hunter member Fiona Nova stars as the lead character, Agent One.
    The Fixies
    The Fixies

    Two animated features from Riki Group‘s The Fixies franchise, The Fixies: Top Secret and Fixies vs. Grabots, will soon be available to stream on AVOD Tubi TV, ViacomCBS’ Pluto TV and Roku TV, bolstering the projects’ footprint across the U.K. and U.S. The deal was secured through Riki’s partnership with Janson Media. Both features were previously picked up for TV release by Polsat (Poland) and Gloob (Brazil), and have been shown theatrically in Latin America, Spain, Germany, South Korea, Middle East, Turkey, Baltic States, Bulgaria and Serbia. International sales are handled by Central Partnership (part of Gazprom Media Holding).

    The Fixies is about tiny human-like creatures who keep our technological world running smoothly. The TV rights for the series have been sold to more than 80 countries. Tencent Video who had a great success with the brand in China previously now invests in the production of the fourth season of the series. The first 18 episodes of the new season will be produced by December 2020 and the full season should be delivered by June 2022, to be released simultaneously in Russia and China. In addition, Tencent commissioned Hebei TV to create a new TV sci-fi game show for kids: FixieLab.

    Sunny Bunnies
    Sunny Bunnies

    Media I.M. Incorporated has signed three U.K. broadcast deals for its global preschool phenomenon Sunny Bunnies. In line with a successful toy launch, further commitment to the feature plush merchandise created by toy manufacturer Posh Paws has been secured at major U.K. supermarket chains, department stores and online retailers through 2021 such as Argos, Tesco, Amazon and other independent toy retailers. This latest round of sales follows two landmark deals in late July, which launched Sunny Bunnies into several new Asian territories, as well as on to one of China’s biggest VOD platforms.

    • Ketchup TV, the U.K.’s leading AVOD children’s channel targeting preschoolers, has licensed Seasons 1 & 2 for the UK and Eire. The show will launch this year on the free on-demand channel, Ketchup app and its channel 211 on Freeview and YouView-connected TVs and set-tops.
    • Channel 5’s milkshake! has renewed its commitment with a pre-sale agreement for Season 5, which is set to roll out early next year. Season 4 is currently airing on milkshake! and its related platforms, brand extensions, and catch-up service my5 along with editorial in the milkshake! magazine and their YouTube channel.
    • Season 4 is now available to watch on-demand on Sky Kids and NOW TV in the U.K. and ROI as well as via smart devices on the Sky Kids App. Sky has also relicensed the third series of the show.
    Gormiti
    Gormiti

    Planeta Junior‘s Gormiti (78 x 11′) continues to expand across the globe. Coproduced by Giochi Preziosi, Planeta Junior and Kotoc animation studio, this animated series has already been translated into 16 languages and broadcast in over 25 countries.

    In December, the series will become available in Canada and the U.S. on Roku, America’s #1 TV streaming service, and in Southeast Asia on PowerKids TV, the second most viewed kids entertainment and animation channel in India with over 11.4 million subscribers and over 300 million monthly views. Planeta Junior chose these streaming platforms to expand Gormiti in the U.S. and Latin America in response to growing child consumption of digital content in America. Nielsen Streaming Media data shows this increased 23% following the pandemic.

    In September, the third season of Gormiti launched on Rai Yoyo and Rai Gulp in Italy, where it was warmly welcomed by transalpine audiences. This latest season was also acquired for Poland by TVP, and numerous other TV channels have expressed an interest in following suit.

    Brave Bunnies
    Brave Bunnies

    Brave Bunnies (52 x 7′), a 2D preschool series created by Olga Cherepanova, currently in production with family entertainment company Anima and distributed globally by Aardman, is celebrating positive reviews from the most influential international experts and being the second most-viewed program in the MIPJunior screenings library. Deals for the series have been secured with Nick Jr. (U.K.), Super RTL (Germany), ABC (Australia), YLE (Finland), HOP! (Israel), PlusPlus (Ukraine), Daekyo (South Korea) and Milkshake! (U.K.)

    Brave Bunnies follows a family of courageous and curious Bunnies as they seek adventure and exploration, travelling on the Bunny Bus. Every episode in the series, directed by Tim Fehrenbach, starts with a Bunny Bus-ride. On each stop, brother and sister Bunnies, Bop and Boo discover different animals, creating new games to help build new friendships. The series shows children the diversity of the world, encouraging viewers to accept differences, no matter how big or small. Brave Bunnies is due to launch in winter 2020.

    Camp Bonkers
    Camp Bonkers

    Camp Bonkers, the YouTube-based summer camp variety series developed by Wind Sun Sky (Angry Birds, Star Wars: Clone Wars, Super Dinosaur) is expanding its reach through a partnership with Toon-A-Vision, a TV broadcast network specifically for kids with services in over 4M homes across Canada. On the heels of unlocking 1 million YouTube views, Camp Bonkers will premiere on the network the first week in December 2020, airing Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

    Camp Bonkers is an activity-based show that encourages kids to hang out with friends, play games, go on adventures, sing songs, make fun food, conduct cool science experiments and so much more, all from the comfort of their own home! Content is led by the camp counselors, as well as a group of special guests including Sparkles and Beaver and Scribbles the Cat.

  • ‘Arlo the Alligator Boy’ Makes Animated Debut in Netflix Movie & Series

    ‘Arlo the Alligator Boy’ Makes Animated Debut in Netflix Movie & Series

    Netflix announces a new 2D animated movie musical Arlo the Alligator Boy and series I ❤️️Arlo from creator Ryan Crego (Home: Adventures with Tip & Oh, Puss in Boots, Shrek Forever After). The animated movie musical, followed by a 20 x 11 min. series, will premiere globally in 2021. The animation is being handled by Titmouse (Big Mouth, The Midnight Gospel).

    Upon learning that he is from New York City, a wide-eyed boy, who is half human and half alligator, decides to leave his sheltered life in the swamp and search for his long lost father. The movie, Arlo the Alligator Boy, will launch Arlo’s journey as he meets a group of misfits who quickly become his new family. Once Arlo’s adventure lands him in New York City, the series, I ❤️️Arlo, will kick off as he and his newfound crew set up shop in an abandoned seaside neighborhood and help bring it back to life.

    The voice cast for both movie and series includes: singer and American Idol contestant Michael J. Woodard, Grammy-nominated musician Mary Lambert (singer/songwriter, “Same Love”), Michael “Flea” Balzary of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Annie Potts (Toy Story), Tony Hale (Veep), Brett Gelman (Stranger Things), Jonathan Van Ness (Queer Eye), Haley Tju (Trinkets), Jennifer Coolidge (2 Broke Girls) and Vincent Rodriguez III (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend).

    Ryan Crego will serve as the executive producer and director of the movie and executive producer and showrunner of the series. Blake Lemons (Home: Adventures with Tip & Oh, Sanjay and Craig) will serve as the supervising producer on the movie and co-executive producer on the series. Original music for the film and series created by Alex Geringas (Trolls, Home) with original songs by Crego & Geringas.

    “The story of Arlo and his friends has been with me for nearly a decade, and I am beyond thrilled to finally have a chance to share his musical journey with the world,” said Crego. “Arlo is a character who is so full of hope and overflowing with positivity, even when the odds are stacked against him. That optimism and joy is reflected in every song of the movie and the series, and we can’t wait for audiences around the world to sing along with him.”

    Ryan Crego
    Ryan Crego
  • Story Play Launches Character Contest for Groundbreaking ‘Caddy Club’

    Story Play Launches Character Contest for Groundbreaking ‘Caddy Club’

    Production company Story Play Media Ltd. is inviting character artists worldwide to win prizes and an opportunity to work on the first animated feature film emerging from Trinidad and Tobago through The Caddy Club 2D Character Design Competition.

    The Caddy Club is a micro-budget movie about a group of young troublemakers who become crime-fighting superheroes when they discover a magical portal at a youth golf program. The Character Design Competition challenges artists to bring two of The Caddy Club’s lead characters to life through original concept art, and is made possible with contributions from Nestle Trinidad and Tobago Ltd., the Trinidad and Tobago Film Company (FilmTT), the Jamaica Animation Nation Network (JANN) and the Trinidad and Tobago Animation Network (TTAN).

    “[The Caddy Club] will generate jobs, increase experience and talent in the sector and create a cultural work that can act as an expansion to the awareness of the local industry and local creativity, since an original animated feature has yet to be achieved,” said TTAN President Jessica Yawching.

    The competition’s host, Story Play Media, is the company behind Big Man Dan, a cartoon short licensed by U.S. on-demand entertainment companies Studio Anansi and Toon Goggles Inc.’s SQAD, in addition to being distributed by Jamaica’s Caribflix, multi-regional GT Network and Story Play Media’s proprietary VOD site, storyplay.tv. Big Man Dan character concept artist and animator Shane Young Sing went on to work for multiple Emmy Award-winning Atlanta animation studio Floyd County Productions after wrapping up his contract with Story Play Media.

    Artists who enter the competition are invited to take inspiration from The Caddy Club cast and story to create character concept art spotlighting the movie’s cultural themes and its themes of presenting girls in positions of leadership. Prizes include cash, a month’s worth of Nestle products and a chance to earn a paid gig working on The Caddy Club movie. The competition’s entry deadline is November 30, 2020. Register at storyplaymedia.com to enter.

    The Caddy Club synopsis: When 12-year-olds Keisha, Ryan, Akil and nine-year-old Jamal find themselves in trouble with a policeman, they’re sent to an after school golf program for at-risk kids. Determined not to miss out on the fun, six-year-old Tameka (voiced by Leisha Imani) stealthily sneaks onto the bus that takes her older friends to a golf course. While learning to play golf, Keisha (Selena St. Vincent) hits a ball into the roughs, and she and Ryan (Jarlon George) discover a secret hole with an invisible portal to an ancestral realm.

    Joined by Jamal (Sloan de Leon) and Akil (Osei Blake), they cross over to the magical realm where they meet with ancestors who bestow upon them gifts of love, courage, cunning, wisdom and speed to fight crime lords who want to recruit young children to join their street gangs. But their new gifts come with one important condition — they must keep their crime fighting a secret. Determined to save their friends from a life of crime, the five kids take up the challenge to covertly defeat the neighborhood gang leader, and the Caddy Club is born.

  • Aardman Academy Announces 3-Month Online Course

    Aardman Academy Announces 3-Month Online Course

    Aardman, the multi-award-winning independent animation studio, has announced that its training facility the Aardman Academy has launched a curriculum of teaching excellence in animation for up to 35 individuals looking for a career in the animation industry.

    The Aardman Academy, Industry Training: Stop Motion 1 is a 12-week virtual course developed and taught by the award-winning professionals at Aardman. It’s the first in the series of industry-led courses from the studio; committed to building sustainable careers within animation.

    The course, due to launch in February 2021, promises to offer intensive tuition spanning the three month period via virtual lessons and weekly one-on-one mentor tutorials with an individually assigned Aardman professional who will act as guidance, offering advice throughout. Course leader, former Aardman director and filmmaker Mark Simon Hewis (8 Minutes Idle, The Life Size Zoetrope) will deliver weekly live, interactive lectures online, setting tasks and enabling course participants to meet, share ideas and engage in the Aardman Academy community.

    One of the U.K.’s top animation academics, Stuart Messinger (The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists!, Quantum of Solace, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix) has been brought in as Academic Lead, formulating the curriculum with Aardman’s Head of Animation, Loyd Price (Early Man, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, The Nightmare Before Christmas). Tutors Mark Simon Hewis and Stuart Messinger will be on-hand through the duration of the course, contactable by participants for support and direction.

    Aardman has committed to fully funding two bursary places on the course, working in partnership with U.K. based Creative Access, a social enterprise that facilitates access to the creative industries for those from under-represented communities. The collaboration is targeted at building a more diverse and inclusive workforce within the animation industry, nurturing talent from the ground up, inherent to the development and production of world class entertainment for a diverse and intergenerational global audience.

    “It’s incredibly exciting to offer the chance for aspiring filmmakers around the world to develop their careers in animation with us at Aardman,” said Hewis. “It’s been our ambition to create a course that offers the very best tutoring available. We truly believe this is something unique and special, offering access to support, guidance, teaching and mentorship on a course run by experienced animation professionals with a track record for excellence in their chosen field.”

    A welcome pack will be delivered directly to each successful applicant, with specialist equipment needed to participate in the course. Professional animation software Dragonframe and its accompanying controller will be provided by Aardman, and Animation Toolkit will ensure each participant has a cinematic quality armature to start the course with professional tools.

    Each of the 12 weeks will cover a different topic, all vital in building the right foundations and developing the practical skills needed for a career in animation. Video workshops, lectures and tutorials will provide grounding for regular assignments, which will be individually assessed and reviewed via weekly feedback sessions with the participants’ mentor. Progress is reviewed after every four-week period, culminating in the final submission of work to be assessed by mentors and course leaders. Final cut show reels will be live streamed for all participants in a virtual wrap party.

    Established in 2013, the Aardman Academy was designed to nurture talent and strengthen ties between the animation industry and education providing development for animation professionals as well as outreach training and talent progression opportunities.

    Peter Lord, Aardman Co-founder and Creative Director, commented, “I’m a huge advocate of animation as an expressive art, but I find that in this country we’re great at encouraging filmmaking and much less good at teaching the foundation skills of animation and performance. The Aardman Academy believes in redressing that unbalance. It’s important to us at Aardman to nurture great talent, and make sure future filmmakers develop the skills and the confidence to prepare them for the industry.”

    Storyboard Artist Sam Horton (The Epic Adventures of Morph), Senior Model Maker Nancy Jones (The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists!), Model Maker George Watson (Early Man) and Senior Model Maker Jim Parkyn (Creature Comforts, Chicken Run) head up a wealth of masterclasses including a one day ‘perfecting your portfolio’ course, a two-day storyboarding session and a five-day-long sketch to screen model making course.

    Always evolving, the Aardman Academy recently adapted all of its courses to be delivered online, seeing students participate globally from Australia, Qatar, Mexico, India, Saudi Arabia, Belgium, France, Cyprus, Germany, Italy and U.S.A.

    The Aardman Academy, Industry Training: Stop Motion 1 is now open for applications. Prospective course participants will be asked to submit a portfolio for assessment by course leaders. Course fees start at £2,220 (~$2,930, ~€2,490) for early bird applications from November 17 – December 17, 2020.

    academy.aardman.com

    Aardman Academy
    Aardman Academy
  • Crunchyroll Sets Stellar Fall Dubs Slate, ‘Jujutsu Kaisen’ Debuts Nov. 20

    Crunchyroll Sets Stellar Fall Dubs Slate, ‘Jujutsu Kaisen’ Debuts Nov. 20

    Crunchyroll has announced today a full lineup of dub titles heading to the platform soon including the smash hit Shonen Jump series Jujutsu Kaisen, the highly-anticipated I’m Standing on a Million Lives and three Crunchyroll Original series: TONIKAWA: Over the Moon For You, Noblesse and Onyx Equinox.

    Crunchyroll has also announced a contest where fans can submit their real-life love stories for a chance to win a wedding ring set inspired by the married life comedy TONIKAWA: Over the Moon for You. Each couple competing can submit a three-minute video in which they share their story and how anime has brought them closer together, two photos together and two photos showing off their inner otakus! Submissions will be judged on creativity and quality, and the winning couple will receive two white gold rings with a diamond, similar to the TONIKAWA characters’ set.

    More info on how to submit to the Tie the Knot with TONIKAWA contest here.

    Jujutsu Kaisen
    Jujutsu Kaisen

    The dub for the popular horror series Jujutsu Kaisen will premiere on Friday, November 20, with new episodes streaming exclusively on Crunchyroll every week. The dubbed episodes will be available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French and German. (Show page.)

    The English dub cast includes:

    • Yuuji Itadori will be played by Adam McArthur (Marco Diaz in Star vs. the Forces of Evil)
    • Megumi Fushiguro will be played by Robbie Daymond (Jin Mori in The God of High School, Prompto in Final Fantasy XV)
    • Nobara Kugisaki will be played by Anne Yatco (Hamamoto in Penguin Highway)
    • Satoru Gojou will be played by Kaiji Tang (Taek Jegal in The God of High School, Joe in Megalo Box)
    • Ryoumen Sukuna will be played by Ray Chase (Bruno Bucciarati in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind, Noctis in Final Fantasy XV)
    I'm Standing on a Million Lives
    I’m Standing on a Million Lives

    The dub for I’m Standing on a Million Lives will premiere on Friday, November 13, with new episodes airing every Friday. The dubbed episodes will be available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French and German. (Show page.)

    The English dub cast will include:

    • Yuusuke Yotsuya will be played by Zeno Robinson (Ogun Montomery in Fire Force, Garfiel Tinsel in Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-)
    • Iu Shindou will be played by Jeannie Tirado (Female Byleth in Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Android 21 in Dragon Ball FighterZ)
    • Kusue Hakozaki will be played by Valeria Rodriguez (Sucrose in Genshin Impact)
    Tonikawa
    Tonikawa

    The Crunchyroll Original series TONIKAWA: Over the Moon For You will premiere on Friday, November 20, with new dubs airing every Friday. The dubbed episodes will be available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French and German. (Show page.)

    The English dub cast will include:

    • Nasa Yuzaki will be played by Zach Aguilar (Tanjiro Kamado in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Male Byleth in Fire Emblem: Three Houses)
    • Tsukasa Tsukuyomi (Tsukasa Yuzaki) will be played by Lauren Landa (Sailor Neptune in Sailor Moon, Juno in Beastars)
    Noblesse
    Noblesse

    Noblesse, a Crunchyroll and WEBTOON Production, will premiere dubs beginning Wednesday, November 18, with dubs airing every week. The dubbed episodes will be available in English, Portuguese, French and German on November 18, with the Spanish dub to follow on November 25. (Show page.)

    The English dub cast includes:

    • Cadis Etrama Di Raizel will be played by Ray Chase (Bruno Bucciarati in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind, Noctis in Final Fantasy XV)
    • Frankenstein will be played by Sean Chiplock (Subaru in Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World, Han Daewi in The God of High School)
    Onyx Equinox
    Onyx Equinox

    The upcoming Crunchyroll Original series Onyx Equinox, which follows a young Aztec boy on a journey across Mesoamerica, will premiere at 1 p.m. PT on Saturday, November 21. The series will appear in English, with dubs launching in Spanish, Portuguese, French and German at launch.

    The cast is lead by Olivia Brown as Izel, Alejandro Vargas-Lugo as Yaotl, Carolina Ravassa as Zyanya, Patrick Pedraza as Yun, Juan Arturo Maldonado as K’in, Kimberly Woods as Xanastaku, and series creator Sofia Alexander as Nelli, K’i’ik and Meque.

  • Using A Variety of Animation Techniques to Underscore Different Storylines

    Using A Variety of Animation Techniques to Underscore Different Storylines

    In recent years, animation technology is growing towards breaking the barrier between reality and the virtual world. However, what is the purpose? How can all these new and traditional animation techniques benefit the storytelling of the film?

    Let’s take traditional 2D animation, classic 3D animation and performance capture (as seen in films like Robert Zemeckis’ Beowulf and A Christmas Carol). The key is the visual contrast of these techniques.

    L'Incroyable Histoire de Jésus (2018)
    L’Incroyable Histoire de Jésus (2018)

    For all great movies made in the past using 2D animation, the viewer naturally associated these techniques concerning historical or mythological stories. It can be a great addition to your film to switch to 2D traditional animation.

    Suppose you have a historical or cultural reference in your storytelling. In that case, the action switches to a time in the past or another cultural environment different from your main storyline. Like in the movie Kill Bill by Quentin Tarantino, the story of the childhood of O-Ren Ishii was done in 2D animation techniques used in famous Japanese animated films. I am using a similar approach in our film The Master and Margarita to showcase the movie’s Biblical storyline.

    3D, CG technology was used to bring the classic Hanna-Barbara characters to life in the recent Warner Bros.’ feature Scoob!
    3D, CG technology was used to bring the classic Hanna-Barbara characters to life in the recent Warner Bros.’ feature Scoob!

    Traditionally, 3D animation is usually associated with a satiric environment and charismatic characters and can be used significantly to showcase comic episodes or comic storylines in contrast to the reality of the film’s other storyline. It can be a great transition, the story switching into a past or future or different cultural settings — like how we are using 3D animated characters in our film for the story’s satiric episodes happening in Moscow City.

    Contrary to these techniques, performance capture can showcase the culmination of something very epic or more realistic episodes or storylines to showcase more significantly-close interaction between the characters, or give the film that gentle touch of virtual reality that the audience is craving.

    Andy Serkis in mo-cap suit as Gollum in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
    Andy Serkis in mo-cap suit as Gollum in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

    Also, transformation between 2D or 3D or performance capture characters can be used. The character is transitioning to something greater or switching to another storyline. It can achieve a significant effect and a unique visual element of the movie. So in the sum, for the instance of our film, we will be using 2D traditional animation to show the Biblical part of the story, 3D classic characters and animation to showcase the satirical Moscow story and performance capture to display the virtual reality segments like “Margarita’s Flight,” “Satan’s Ball” and “Epilogue” of the film.

    However, the vivid storylines of The Master and Margarita exceptionally fit and complement this approach. Such explosive use of different animation techniques should go very close to the original author or scriptwriter’s plot and should not bring dissonance to the movie’s overall visual impression. Overall, I see great potential for utilizing these changing animation styles for both animated and live-action films, and look forward to producers, directors and animators collaborating and using this technique for future films.

    Alexander Golberg Jero is President and Chief Creative Officer for Los Angeles-based MediaInVision Films. Learn more at www.mediainvision.com.

    Alexander Golberg Jero
    Alexander Golberg Jero
  • Trailer: Disney+ Offers First Look at Docuseries ‘Inside Pixar’

    Trailer: Disney+ Offers First Look at Docuseries ‘Inside Pixar’

    Disney+ shared the trailer for its new original docuseries Inside Pixar, premiering on November 13. The series consists of four collections with five short stories in each collection, centered around a central theme. The first collection releasing on Friday is “Inspired,” exploring what sparks inspiration and the journey from idea to execution.

    The premiere collection features 9- to 11-minute segments spotlighting incredible creatives, including Soul co-director Kemp Powers and Onward helmer Dan Scanlon (more info below).

    Produced by Pixar Animation Studios, Inside Pixar is directed by Erica Milsom and Tony Kaplan, the series offers insights into the personal and cinematic stories that provide an inside look into the people, artistry and culture of Pixar Animation Studios — the creative hub that has brought globally beloved, award-winning movies like Toy Story, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Up, WALL-E, Coco and Monsters, Inc. to screens.

    Soul, Pixar’s 23rd feature, will debut on Disney+ on December 25.

    Inside Pixar Collection 1 “Inspired” includes:

    • Kemp Powers, Writing Something Real – Authenticity is essential to creating a film that is believable and relatable. Co-director Kemp Powers discusses the real-life experiences that led him to propose a simple, yet pivotal scene in Soul.
    • Deanna Marsigliese, The Art of the Pivot – Inspiration isn’t instant. Coming up with unique and creative characters takes time and effort. Character designer Deanna Marsigliese takes us through the process of character creation and the artistic detours that often come with it.
    • Steven Hunter, For That Kid – Growing up in a small town in Canada, Steven Hunter never felt like he saw himself represented in cartoons and comic books. After getting the opportunity to direct a Pixar SparkShort, Steven was inspired by his own life to create Out, a unique and vulnerable story he wished he saw in his youth.
    • Jessica Heidt, Who Gets All the Lines? – Script supervisor Jessica Heidt manages endless lines of dialogue. Through her script access, she detected a disparity in male to female roles, motivating her to create a program to improve gender balance throughout Pixar’s films and the greater film industry.
    • Dan Scanlon, Where Ideas Come From – Inspiration can be hard to come by. Sometimes it takes years to find, while other times it’s been right under your nose. Director Dan Scanlon takes us on a personal journey of inspiration that led to his film, Onward.
    Inside Pixar
    Inside Pixar
  • Trailer: ‘Lazor Wulf’ S2 Reunites the Pack on Adult Swim Dec. 6

    Trailer: ‘Lazor Wulf’ S2 Reunites the Pack on Adult Swim Dec. 6

    Strongburg’s finest returns with season 2 of Lazor Wulf on Sunday, December 6 at midnight ET/PT on Adult Swim. This season, Lazor Wulf is about coming back from the DEAD$ and embracing the Scam of Life. The quarter-hour animated series is created by Henry Bonsu, executive produced by Bonsu and Vince Staples, with animation by Six Point Harness (Hair Love, Apollo Gauntlet, black-ish).

    It’s definitely a quarter-hour series that definitely has a wolf with a laser on his back and situations that can be deemed to be most bizarre. An all-star voice cast returns with Vince Staples, Quinta Brunson, WWE Superstar Big E, J.D. Witherspoon, Andre Pascoe, Judnick Mayard, Reginald VelJohnson and Shelley (formerly known as DRAM).

    Featured guest voice stars this season include Cree Summer, Tunde Adebimpe, Dawnie Marie, Kittie Kaboom, Carl Jones, Ellington Wells, Amber Bickham, Giana Lawrence, and WWE Superstars Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods.

    Fans won’t want to miss the free, live, virtual Lazor Wulf panel during the 2020 Adult Swim Festival. Scheduled for Saturday, November 14 at 7:40 p.m. EST, the streamed discussion will feature series creator Henry Bonsu and voice actors Quinta Brunson, Big E and Judnick Maynard. Trill Withers moderates the panel, which also features a special performance by J.I.D.

    Catch up with season 1 of Lazor Wulf on HBO MAX or at www.adultswim.com/videos/lazor-wulf.

  • Fox Order Workplace Comedy ‘Greater Good’ from Mike Barker & Stoney Sharp

    Fox has confirmed yet another animated series in development, announcing Greater Good on the heels of its greenlight for Demi-God. The new project hails from American Dad! co-creator Mike Barker and Comedy Bang! Bang! director Stoney Sharp, who will serve as writers and executive producers on the Fox Entertainment production.

    Greater Good is a workplace comedy that “asks whether the world is worth saving.” The action circles an international team of highly qualified but socially remedial misfits at a high-tech laboratory in the middle of nowhere, Oklahoma. These unlikely heroes must overcome petty office politics and interpersonal challenges and band together to save the world … for the Greater Good.

    Barker is a three-time Emmy nominee for his work on American Dad! (co-created with Seth MacFarlane and Matt Weitzman) and Family Guy, and a Writers Guild of America award winner for Father of the Pride. His animation credits also include writer/supervising producer on The PJs.

    Sharp has a long list of comedy directing credits, including Cinematic Titanic, UCB Comedy Originals, Funny or Die, Billy on the Street and Hood Adjacent with James Davis in addition to dozens of episodes of Comedy Bang Bang!

    [Source: Deadline]

  • Disney+ Trailers ‘Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse’ Ahead of Mickey’s Birthday Premiere

    Disney+ Trailers ‘Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse’ Ahead of Mickey’s Birthday Premiere

    Disney+ is giving fans a new look at its animated short series The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse before it premieres on Mickey Mouse’s birthday, November 18.

    In The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse, it’s nothing but fun and excitement for Mickey and his best pals – Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy and Pluto – as they embark on their greatest adventures yet, navigating the curveballs of a wild and zany world where the magic of Disney makes the impossible possible.

    Each seven-minute short is filled with laugh-out-loud comedy, modern settings, timeless stories, new music and the unmistakable classic art style of the Mickey Mouse shorts. The series will include stories inspired by various lands at Disney parks and cameos by classic Disney heritage characters.

    The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse is produced by Disney Television Animation with Emmy Award-winning artist and director Paul Rudish serving as executive producer and supervising director. Christopher Willis, the Emmy Award-winning composer of the Mickey Mouse shorts, also provides the music for this series.

    Read more about the new shorts in our interview with Rudish in the upcoming January issue of Animation Magazine, available soon!

    The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse
    The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse

  • Sutikki Ushers in New Era of Leadership

    Today, Sutikki, the children’s entertainment company behind the popular U.K. show Moon & Me, announced the appointment of Hannah Mungo as CEO and Simon Philips as its newest board member. The industry veterans join Sutikki with a vision to build engaging global brands based on powerful stories that drive commercial success through the production and distribution of 360 content and consumer products.

    Mungo steps into the top executive role at Sutikki, a role previously held by Scott Greenberg, with a history of significant leadership experience in brand licensing and kids entertainment. As Head of U.K. Licensing at Entertainment One, Mungo was a key member of the team that built Peppa Pig into a globally recognized brand that became the key asset in Hasbro’s eventual $4 billion acquisition of the company. Most recently, Mungo served as the Country Director, U.K. & Ireland for NBCUniversal’s Brand Development division where she transitioned the business from agent to direct model. At NBCUniversal, Mungo built and led a team across consumer products, marketing, retail and product development that leveraged entertainment brands like Minions, Trolls and Jurassic World to build profitable growth.

    “I’m delighted to take the lead at Sutikki and drive the company forward for what is set to be a very bright future,” stated Mungo. “Our vision is to create amazing content, maximise exposure of that content across the globe, and engage consumers with a 360 approach. Moon & Me is a great example of the quality, internationally scalable content created at Sutikki and I’m excited for the future opportunities that come with our existing and new IP.”

    Philips joins Sutikki’s robust board of directors to provide guidance on the company’s vision and the execution of its global brands. He brings a wealth of experience from his history as EMEA Executive Vice-President & General Manager at Disney, President of Marvel Entertainment International, and Managing Director at 4Kids Entertainment International. His creativity and leadership have resulted in billions of dollars in revenue and unparalleled global brand recognition.

    “Building creative ideas into cultural touch points has been my lifelong passion and I see the opportunity to continue this legacy with Sutikki and its team,” said Philips. “I’m thrilled to be joining Frank Patterson, Brett Coker, Jim Garrett and Scott Greenberg on the board. Together, we couldn’t think of a better qualified person to step into Scott’s shoes and lead Sutikki into the future than Hannah.”

    Trilith Studios, where films like Avengers: Endgame and Sony’s Passengers were produced, recently made a significant investment in Sutikki as part of its expansion plans into content. Other investors include JSB Toons.

    Sutikki has offices in Atlanta and Los Angeles.

    www.sutikki.com

  • An Eco-Warrior Like No Other: ‘Ainbo: Spirit of the Amazon’ Soars to AFM

    An Eco-Warrior Like No Other: ‘Ainbo: Spirit of the Amazon’ Soars to AFM

    ***This article originally appeared in the December ’20 issue of Animation Magazine (No. 305)***

    José Zelada, the Peruvian writer, producer and co-director of the upcoming animated feature Ainbo: Spirit of the Amazon grew up in the Amazonian region. He always wanted to make a film that reflected the stories his mother had told him when he was a boy, as well as the current reality of the region’s endangered rainforest.

    “Ainbo has an important connection to the Amazon through our roots,” says the Peruvian filmmaker “The beliefs, the way of seeing life, the point of view of people who live in the Amazon are so unique and different. Our universe is created through the coexistence with nature. The talking animals, magical landscapes are from stories told in the Amazon over thousands of years. All these elements help set this film apart from other animated features.”

    The movie, which will be presented at this month’s virtual American Film Market, follows the adventures of the titular young girl, who must battle a spirit that embodies the evil of man and threatens her Amazon paradise. Zelada and his co-director Richard Claus decided to make Ainbo an animated feature because they wanted not only to tell a great cinematic story but also send a message about the environment to future generations.

    Ainbo
    Ainbo

    The project was a multi-continental collaboration. Zelada led a team of Peruvian artists to develop the visuals of the film, including characters, landscapes and the look and feel of this special world. Later on, the film was animated in the Netherlands, led by Claus, whose credits include The Little Vampire 2D (2017) and An American Werewolf in Paris (1997).

    “I heard about the project from the film’s executive producer, Cinema Management Group’s Edward Noeltner, during a meeting in Paris in 2018,” recalls Claus. “He had seen a presentation of the film at the Ventana Sur market and was so impressed that he agreed to distribute the film internationally and to co-finance it. On the way back from Paris I thought that this would be a film I would also like to be involved with. I asked Edward if I could read the script, he sent it to me, and this is how it all started.”

    Claus says he was struck by the project’s important ecological message. “The Amazon is threatened not only by illegal mining but also by ‘legal’ deforestation,” he says. “Together with rising levels of pollution around the world, mainly caused by the wealthiest 10%, it all contributes to climate change and its dangerous effects. Another aspect is the life of the indigenous people in the Amazon, who are fighting against the devastation of their culture and the environment driven by economic interests.”

    Director José Zelada and production designer Pierre Salazar
    Director José Zelada and production designer Pierre Salazar

    Tales of the Ancestors

    Zelada says his mother was one of the main sources of inspiration for the film’s main character. “The characters that surround Ainbo are based in Amazonian mythology,” he explains. “They are spirit guides. Motelo Mama, for example, is an ancient spirit based on a classic legend of the giant mother turtle that carries a big part of the jungle on her shell to hide it from its predators. The Yacuruna is a demon that controls the minds of the natives to take advantage of them and steal the gold. Vaca and Dillo are a tapir and an armadillo that bring comic relief to the film and are also Ainbo’s spirit guides who help her along her journey. They all have an important role in Amazonian mythology. All of these characters, as well as the Amazonian forest, help us create the visual world in the film.”

    The film’s animation is being produced at Amsterdam’s Katuni studio, using Autodesk Maya. “Our pipeline technical director Bram Vermaas wrote the software to import all the assets an animator needed for a specific shot, and with another tool the animation was exported to Shotgun, so that the supervisor and director could review the animation,” explains Claus. “In Maya, the animators worked with tools like animBot and the whisKEY animator toolkit. These additional tools helped to speed up the process a lot — for example, it made it easier to pose the characters and to prevent intersections.”

    Ainbo
    Ainbo

    Claus says the film was quite an ambitious project as the visuals, including characters, creatures and backgrounds, were meticulously developed by his Peruvian co-producers. “The storyboard with thousands of panels demonstrated the detailed attention which was given to every single scene by our Peruvian colleagues,” he says. “It was challenging to find a way to stay true to the ambitious intentions given our financial resources and the production constraints. This was a permanent struggle, but the result, the final film, shows that we succeeded.”

    The film also proved to be quite an interesting challenge for first-time director Zelada. “It was such a challenge at the beginning because of the different cultures and languages … but as time went by, we started to flow and connect in one main narration,” he notes. “Richard had experience in other films and brought relevant input that accommodated Ainbo well for the main story. Working with him ended up being a great experience.”

    Ainbo
    Ainbo

    As they put the finishing touches on the $10 million-budgeted movie, the directors have high hopes for their labor of love. Says Claus, “With a strong-willed girl from the Amazon as the lead character, its environmental message and its setting in the Amazon, the film stands out from most of the other family entertainment movies. I hope the audiences will be entertained by this very special story.”

    Zelada chimes in, “Ainbo gives us the opportunity to show the Amazon in a more honest, authentic and faithful way— from an indigenous viewpoint. I think that because it’s imagined and designed by the ‘sons of the Amazon,’ Ainbo has that unique touch that will make an impact on audiences. Hopefully, it will open a window for the world to see the Amazon in new ways.”

    CMG is representing Ainbo: Spirit of the Amazon at the American Film Market. For more info, visit ainbomovie.com.

  • ‘Momolu and Friends’ Greenlit for International Co-Pro

    ‘Momolu and Friends’ Greenlit for International Co-Pro

    Finnish animation, publishing and licensing studio Ferly, together with Canada-based Yellow Animation and Belgium’s Digital Graphics / Germany’s Atmosphere Media, announced the commission of their new preschool show Momolu and Friends (78 x 7′) by TVOKids (Canada), Knowledge (Canada), YLE (Finland) and SRC (Société Radio Canada).

    “The Momolu brand is one where we can let our imaginations take us to delightful places full of wonder. Obviously we love arts and crafts and we firmly believe encouraging children and families to get creative helps produce more well-rounded, self-confident people,” said Laura Nevanlinna, CEO of Ferly. “For this series, we’ve brought together some of the brightest people in the industry from Canada, Finland and Belgium. These influences can be seen in essence of the series, but there is certainly a charming element of Nordic visual inspiration with Japanese and Asian vibes. We’re looking forward to expanding the universe of Momolu and all of the stories that will come from it.”

    The extension of the successful Momolu brand into a series is a co-production between Ferly, Yellow Animation and Digital Graphics, an Atmosphere Media company. The series goes straight into production in Finland, Canada and Belgium. Distribution in Germany, Austria and Switzerland will be handled by Atmosphere Media and the partners will jointly release the series on global channels from 2022.

    Momolu and Friends
    Momolu and Friends

    Targeted at 2- to 4-year olds, Momolu and Friends is a 2D animated series with a diverse cast of characters. The series promotes a love of arts and crafts in young audiences, applying humor while also introducing them to important socio-emotional lessons. The IP was created by design specialist and arts educator Leena Fredriksson.

    The series follows Momolu – a gentle, unassuming panda with a knack for stumbling into funny situations requiring his help. Each episode helps teach children how to problem-solve, manage challenges, and to work together to find solutions.

    “Momolu is a delightful, sensitive series that young kids immediately fall in love with and it is a great brand franchise in the making,” commented Peter Voelkle, CEO of Atmosphere Media and Director of Digital Graphics. “The number of commissioning partners already on board and the fact that we go to production right away speaks for the momentum Momolu has already developed. We are delighted to work with our friends at Ferly and Yellow and look forward to a great time full of fun, humor and learning with our favorite panda Momolu and all his amazing friends.”

    “TVOkids is proud to present programming that helps set children up for success in school and life,” said TVO’s Director of Kids TV, Marney Malabar. “By modelling problem solving and teamwork, Momolu and Friends will teach kids the skills they need to make a smooth transition from home to kindergarten. We’re so excited to introduce our viewers to Momolu!”

    As the latest brand extension, Momolu and Friends joins Momolu Minis, 41 episodes of short form animation visible on YouTube, Kidoodle.TV and Playkids. Also in the Momolu universe is the Momolu Learning Game, available globally on the App Store and Google Play and coming to Nintendo Switch in 2021, as well as Momolu Minis Music on U.S. radio network Pinna.FM, a series of Audiobook Originals with audiobook platform Storytel, and Momolu ebooks on multiple reading platforms including U.S.-based Epic!.

  • Clip: DreamWorks Charges Up ‘Doug Unplugs’ on Apple TV+ Friday

    Clip: DreamWorks Charges Up ‘Doug Unplugs’ on Apple TV+ Friday

    A new high-tech and high-fun preschool series from DreamWorks Animation is ready to blast off on Apple TV+ this week, when Doug Unplugs debuts with the first seven episodes available globally on Friday, November 13. In a newly revealed sneak peek, meet our titular robot hero, his human pal Emma and her slightly dramatic thespian dad!

    Doug Unplugs tells the story of a young robot named Doug who senses there’s more to life than just the facts. While other robots plug in for their daily download, Doug unplugs and journeys into the human world with his best friend Emma to experience its wonders firsthand. The show is based on Dan Yaccarino’s popular Doug Unplugged book series.

    The voice cast includes Brandon James Cienfuegos (Beautiful Boy, Grey’s Anatomy) as ‘Doug,’ Kyrie McAlpin (Birdie, Star Trek: Short Treks) as ‘Emma,’ Eric Bauza (The Adventures of Puss in Boots, Looney Tunes Cartoons, The Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) as ‘Bob Bot,’ Mae Whitman (The Perks of Being a Wallflower) as ‘Becky Bot’ and Burl Moseley (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Zoe and the Prince) as Emma’s dad, ‘Mr. Pine.’

    Doug Unplugs is executive produced by Jim Nolan (Esme & Roy), Aliki Theofilopoulos (Phineas and Ferb, Hercules) and author Dan Yaccarino.

    Premiere episodes are:

    • Episode 1 / “A Whole Bot of Fun” / “Volunteer Bot” Doug and Emma search all over Mega City to find a lost tennis ball. As the city library prepares to open, Doug and Emma think of ways to help.
    • Episode 2 / “Bot on the Beach” / “Bot of the Party” Emma takes Doug on a beach day to show him why people love it. Doug and Emma try to track down missing supplies for a big party.
    • Episode 3 / “Vacation Bots” / “Bots of the Forest” When Emma’s family vacation is canceled, she and Doug make a new plan. Doug and his dad get lost on a hike and try to find their way home.
    • Episode 4 / “A Bot’s Best Friend” / “A Bot in His Natural Habitat” Doug takes care of Emma’s dog to find out why people like pets. Emma and Doug make a new home for a stray duckling.
    • Episode 5 / “Shop ‘Til Ya Bot” / “Adventure Bots” Emma’s dad finds a way to show Emma and Doug how errands can be fun. Emma shows Doug how to use his imagination while looking for a lost item.
    • Episode 6 / “Bot on the Farm” / “Bot-Cycle Built for Two” Doug and Emma learn about farming while visiting Doug’s grandbots. When Doug sees Emma’s bike, he tries learning how to ride.
    • Episode 7 / “Bots for Dinner” / “It’s the Bot that Counts” Doug goes out with Emma’s family and learns about eating at restaurants. Doug’s nana has a case of the glitches, so he and Emma make her a card.
  • ‘Croods 2’ Drive-In Experience at Universal CityWalk to Benefit Feeding America

    ‘Croods 2’ Drive-In Experience at Universal CityWalk to Benefit Feeding America

    Fans of DreamWorks Animation’s endearing prehistoric family in the L.A. area have a chance to enjoy the long-awaited sequel The Croods: A New Age and benefit a deserving cause.

    Running Thursday, November 19 through Tuesday, November 24, Universal Pictures is presenting a drive-in screening of the new film with an immersive drive-through experience beforehand all at Universal CityWalk Hollywood. Guests will discover multiple interactive opportunities for fantastic photo ops, all without leaving the security of their car.

    Tickets, priced at $10 per single car reservation, are required. Universal Pictures will donate $10 for each ticket reserved to Feeding America with a maximum donation of $9,000. Feeding America is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to feeding America’s hungry through a nationwide network of member food banks.

    Find more info and reserve tickets here. Look out for our feature story on the next evolution of the Croods in the January issue of Animation Magazine, coming soon!

  • King Features & Jim Henson Co. Ally to Tackle ‘Hagar the Horrible’

    King Features & Jim Henson Co. Ally to Tackle ‘Hagar the Horrible’

    King Features, a unit of Hearst and home to some of the world’s most beloved entertainment characters and comic strips including Popeye, Olive Oyl, Cuphead, Zits, Mutts and Blondie, and The Jim Henson Company, a world renowned leader in family entertainment known as the creators of the Muppets and producers of series like Earth to Ned, Fraggle Rock and Sid the Science Kid, today announced they are partnering to produce a new animated family sitcom series inspired by the popular comic strip Hägar the Horrible.

    The new series will follow the hardworking Viking family led by a larger than life hero, Hägar, who can’t quite understand how the society he once understood is changing around him. Eric Ziobrowski, producer and writer for the ABC sitcom Fresh Off the Boat and writer for comedy series including American Dad! and Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23, is on board to write the new Hägar series. Lisa Henson, CEO and President of The Jim Henson Company, and Halle Stanford, President of Television for The Jim Henson Company, will executive produce, along with C.J. Kettler, President of King Features.

    The series will be brought to life using the Emmy Award-winning Henson Digital Puppetry Studio, a proprietary animation technology that allows Henson’s exceptional puppeteers to manipulate animated characters in real time, allowing for an organic, spontaneous performance.

    “As a burly Viking with a tough exterior, Hägar is an enormously sympathetic character who is out of step with the evolving world around him. His village’s cultural zeitgeist is changing, and he is trying to keep up,” said Kettler. “The Jim Henson Company is known for their amazing storytelling and incredible digital puppetry, and we can’t wait to reimagine Hägar with them and introduce him to next generation audiences together.”

    “Hägar is long overdue for his own series, and this new animated family sitcom, set in the rich and hilarious world of Vikings, will continue the tradition of what we do best at The Jim Henson Company,” said Henson. “Hägar is such a well-established, evergreen character and audiences immediately know and love him. Dik Browne’s comic will be a delightful and irreverent playground for our digital puppetry studio.”

    Hägar was created in 1973 by Dik Browne and quickly became a mainstay on the funny pages, breaking records as the fastest growing comic strip ever. Today, the strip features daily original content created by Browne’s sons Chris and Chance Browne, which is distributed by King Features to content publishers around the world, reaching more than 80 million people in over 50 countries.

    Hägar the Horrible is one of several properties King Features is currently developing for television and film as it looks to both adapt its iconic comic strip properties for today’s culture and build out its portfolio of properties it represents outside of the core comic strip arena. Up next for King Features is the highly anticipated adaptation of global video game phenomenon Cuphead, which will make its streaming debut next year on Netflix as The Cuphead Show!

  • ‘Scooby-Doo’ Co-Creator Ken Spears Dies Age 82

    Ken Spears, best known for bringing the globally beloved scaredy-dog Scooby-Doo to screens, has died at age 82 just months after the passing of co-creator and Ruby-Spears Productions co-founder Joe Ruby. The animation producer died Friday, Nov. 6 from complications of Lewy body dementia, his son Kevin Spears told Variety.

    Born Charles Kenneth Spears on March 12, 1938, the Los Angeles native got his start as a friend of animation producer William Hanna’s son. Spears was hired on to Hanna-Barbera as a sound editor in 1959, where he met Ruby and the two formed a writing partnership. The longtime collaborators wrote for both animated and live-action programs as freelancers and as staff writers for Hanna-Barber, Sid and Marty Kroft and DePatie-Freleng.

    Spears and Ruby’s iconic series Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, produced by Hanna-Barbera, premiered on CBS in 1969. They also created Dynomutt and Jabberjaw for the studio, and The Barkleys and The Houndcats for DePate-Freleng in the early 1970s. CBS kids’ programming head Fred Silverman hired the duo on to supervise the network’s Saturday morning block, and brought Spears and Ruby with him when he moved to ABC.

    The lifelong collaborators established Ruby-Spears Productions in 1977 as a subsidiary of Filmways, producing a number of classic Saturday morning cartoons, including Fangface, The Plastic Man Comedy-Adventure Hour, Thundarr the Barbarian, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Mister T and Superman. The company was acquired by Hanna-Barbera parent co. Taft Entertainment in 1981, and the Ruby-Spears library was later sold alongside its one-time competitor studio to Turner Broadcasting (WarnerMedia) in 1991.

    Spears and Ruby continued to collaborate on producing and developing animated series until the latter’s death in August.

    Sam Register, President, Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios, gave the following statement: “Warner Bros. Animation is saddened to learn of the passing of Ken Spears and we send our warmest thoughts to his loved ones. He was a true innovator in the industry whose gifts of humor and storytelling continue to delight audiences. You cannot find a screen in the world that has not played a version of Scooby-Doo. We continue to be inspired by his work at Warner Bros. Animation and are honored to carry on the legacy of his beloved characters.”

    Dynomutt
    Dynomutt
    Jabberjaw
    Jabberjaw
    Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!
    Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!
  • Digital Comics Co. Webtoon Launches Production Division

    Digital Comics Co. Webtoon Launches Production Division

    Webtoon, the world’s largest digital comics publisher, announces a newly launched production division. Dubbed Webtoon Studios, the venture will open up the company’s library of thousands of titles and stable of storytellers to development in the feature film, television, interactive and licensing & merchandising spheres.

    “Webtoon IP has had a tremendously successful track record in other mediums. Recent global hits, Tower of God, Noblesse and The God of High School, all released in 2020, showcase how beloved our series are around the world,” said Taylor Grant, SVP of IP Development. “Webtoon Studios represents an important next phase in our evolution as a true multi-platform company. This is a bold investment by Webtoon in both our incredible community of webcomic creators as well as our partners. With multiple deals currently in the works with major studios, producers and production companies, we’ll have much more exciting news to share in the coming months.”

    The move follows the roll out of international hit series Tower of God, Noblesse and The God of High School this year on Crunchyroll. Webtoon has also partnered with The Jim Henson Company to develop Rachel Smythe’s Lore Olympus, and has now announced expanded partnerships with Vertigo Entertainment (The LEGO Movie) and with Bound Entertainment (Okja) for live-action sci-fi series, and with Texas-based indie Rooster Teeth Studios (RWBY, gen:LOCK), which will serve as animation studio and co-producer on a supernatural action series.

    “Today marks a huge step for Webtoon,” said CEO Ken Kim. “Webcomics have grown into a cultural phenomenon over the past fifteen years – especially for younger generations. This is another important step in building a greater bridge from our creator’s works on Webtoon to film, TV and beyond.”

    The new division will also launch WebtoonStudios.com as an online portal providing updates on Webtoon properties in development, upcoming projects, readership stats and a browsable portfolio of available and in-development titles, updated monthly.

    Webtoon launched in South Korea in 2004, expanding into the U.S. in 2014. The platform boasts over 67 million monthly users around the world (10+ million in the U.S. alone), of which about 16.5 million read daily. Globally, Webtoons boasts upwards of 2,000 originals creators (over 260 in the U.S.), combined with the company’s open-self publishing platform, Canvas (12,000 creators). These storytellers have been nominated for Eisner Awards and won a multitude of Ringo Awards. Creator revenue to-date exceeds $5 million. (This includes ad revenue; Webtoon temporarily increased creators’ net ad revenue share to 100% through the end of 2020.)

    Webtoon Studios recently signed with Verve Talent and Literary Agency and Lit Entertainment Group for representation.