A decade ago, you mightn’t have thought that one day “social media influencer” would be a legitimate, lucrative and impactful career. But now, these 21st century celebrities are prevalent across all forms of content creation, lifestyle flavors, points on the political compass and any other niche imaginable, connecting to fans in very personal ways.
While influencer hijinx generate their share of negative headlines, there are brilliant creators out there doing their part to pay it forward and give back to the community using their unique skills. One of these is Jaiden Animations, a YouTube “storytime” animator whose funny and authentic cartoon-ified musings have racked up 8.75 million subscribers. This Channel Frederator Network member has made a point of creating some good in a year of so much bad news.
Caboodle of Nonsense
Jaiden Animations partnered with #HopefromHome earlier this year. The digital fundraising event brought together entertainers, influencers, gamers, streamers and the public across a range of platforms (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Twitch, Twitter, Facebook, etc.) to help fight the impacts of COVID-19. Jaiden conducted a four hour livestream event with prizes and fan engagement opportunities, raising over $250,000 at the end of the World Health Day event on April 7.
More recently, Jaiden (and her birds) made a virtual visit to Queensland Children’s Hospital on September 16 to “meet” some of her greatest fans. She got to check out the children’s own artwork, answered their questions and shared stories through animation and video, and even conducted a live, custom drawing for a fan (and everyone else) to watch.
Jaiden
[jaiden animates fan drawing]
“My main goal in YouTube is to just make people laugh,” she tells one of the youngsters when asked her favorite thing about animated storytelling. “So … being able to just make people laugh, really!”
You can watch highlights from the virtual visit on the Juiced TV Facebook page here.
Jaiden Animations
“It has been incredible to watch Jaiden this year use her gifts and influence to give back,” said Kenny Ash, VP & General Manager at Channel Frederator Network. “This pandemic has affected a lot of lives in so many ways, and it has been very inspiring to see Jaiden brighten so many. We’re excited to work with Jaiden and her family/team, to figure out what’s next.”
Imagination
Channel Frederator Network is the #1 multi-channel network for animators, artists, gamers and ‘nerd’ pop-culture with 3,000 members. Since starting in 2015, the network has amassed over 200 million subscribers on YouTube with billions of views per month. Channel Frederator Network members include Jaiden Animations, Domics, Lindsay Elyse, ChaoticCanineCulture, CircletoonsHD, Mithzan and more within the tech, cosplay and creative space. A key component of the “Frederator Loves You” promise is a dedication to help every member achieve their dreams and express themselves creatively.
Members of the network receive 360-degree protection for video, images, sound effects and music with its libraries of royalty-free assets. The network provides affiliate opportunities and sponsorships, tools and platforms to help members succeed on YouTube, opportunities for gaming, animation platform discounts, merch account management, the option to pitch a cartoon to Frederator, and much more. Contact support@frederator.com to learn more about becoming a member.
Disney+, which gave The Simpsons a new streaming home when it launched in November, is now the ultimate entertainment hub for fans of Springfield’s most famous residents.
With the recently added 31st season and nearly 300 hours of the world’s longest-running scripted primetime sitcom, Disney+ kicked off its new “Simpsons Forever” brand campaign on Friday, celebrating the forever-place of everyone’s favorite family in the hearts and homes of fans around the world.
The service also debuted “The Simpsons Horror” collection, including 30 episodes of the iconic genre-bending “Treehouse of Horror” franchise. The new collection is the latest in Disney+’s series of themed sets including “The Simpsons Predicts,” “The Simpsons Travels,” “The Simpsons Rock” and “The Simpsons Sports” collections. As part of the “Simpsons Forever” campaign, Disney+ will curate more collections of episodes for new viewers to discover. Every month, Disney+ will also highlight its favorite episodes themed to current events and trends in Disney and pop culture.
The Simpsons Horror Collection
“Simpsons Forever” Faves for November 2020:
The Mandalorian Returns – “Co-Dependents’ Day” (Season 15, Episode 15) Disappointed by a Cosmic Wars movie, Bart and Lisa go to wine country to complain to the filmmaker.
The Right Stuff Streaming Now – “Deep Space Homer” (Season 5, Episode 15) In an attempt to send an average man into space, Homer and Barney are recruited as astronauts. Homer saves the mission from disaster, but is dismayed when credit goes to a carbon rod.
Monday Night Football on ESPN – “Bart Star” (Season 9, Episode 7) Bart joins a junior-league football team. When Homer becomes coach, he replaces quarterback Nelson with the less talented Bart.
30 Years of Home Alone – “Homer Alone” (Season 3, Episode 15) When Marge goes to a local spa, she leaves Bart and Lisa with Patty and Selma and Maggie with Homer.
Nov. 3 Election Day – “Sideshow Bob Roberts” (Season 6, Episode 5) Sideshow Bob runs for mayor as the candidate of Springfield’s Republican party. He wins and attempts to construct a freeway overpass where the Simpson home stands.
Nov. 26 Thanksgiving Day – “Thanksgiving of Horror” (Season 30, Episode 8) Three tales of Thanksgiving terror: a bloody first “turkey day,” a virtual Marge cooks for survival against real Marge, and a space mission is threatened by a murderous side dish.
Nov. 27 Black Friday – “Tis the 30th Season” (Season 30, Episode 10) After a terrible Black Friday where Marge can’t get the gift the kids desperately want, the Simpsons try to spend a relaxing Florida Christmas.
After first premiering on television nearly 31 years ago, The Simpsons is now one of the most popular franchises around the world and remains one of Disney+’s most-streamed series since the service launched last November. With its “Simpsons Forever” campaign, Disney+ is celebrating fans’ forever love of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie and the service’s comprehensive collection of “The Simpsons” entertainment. The campaign will come to life all year long with on-service content and product updates, special events, social activations, and surprise and delight moments.
Last week, Disney+ surprised guests at the Disney+ Drive-In Festival with special The Simpsons screenings during its nightly lineups. And earlier this year, the service launched a product update allowing fans to enjoy The Simpsons episodes in their original aspect ratio and also offered the short Maggie Simpson in ‘Playdate with Destiny’ across its social channels for free.
To watch all of The Simpsons content on Disney+, including 31 seasons of the series, The Simpsons Movie an animated shorts Maggie Simpson in ‘The Longest Daycare’ and Maggie Simpson in ‘Play date with Destiny,’” visit DisneyPlus.com/SimpsonsForever.
This year’s virtual edition of European animated series co-production event Cartoon Forum — which offered extended access to recorded pitches for a whole month — came to a close Thursday. Organizers have revealed the final numbers for their very different, but very successful, 2020 efforts!
Projects from 22 European countries and six co-producing countries outside the region were showcased this year. France led the line-up with 31 projects, followed by Ireland (8), Denmark (6) and Spain (6), while Belgium, Finland, Germany, Italy and the U.K. participated with 3 projects each. Led by Denmark, the Nordic countries presence amounted to 11 projects, while 7 other projects hailed from CEE countries, showing a growing trend in the number of projects from these geographic regions.
Animation aimed at kids 6-11 continued to lead the Forum’s line-up, with 31 projects (39%), closely followed by series for preschoolers, which already account for the 35% (28) and largely focused on inspiring kids’ imagination while sharing values-based messages. Meanwhile, the number of projects aimed at Family Audiences (10), Young Adults (8) and Teenagers (3) remained stable. As for preferred technologies and techniques 67% of the projects relied on 2D animation and 20% on 3D CGI.
On Trends, Cartoon Forum organizers found that books and comic books remain an important source of inspiration for European animation: 20 projects participating were adaptations of books or comics. These included Zombillenium (Maybe Movies, France) and Belzebubs (Pyjama Films, Finland). Further, women continue to gain ground with more lead female characters and a growing number of women writers directors and producers behind projects like My Life in Versailles (Films Grand Hunt, France) and Finula Gilhooley (Wiggleywoo, Ireland)
Users of Cartoon Forum 2020’s digital platform totted up 11,604total views, with 850 registered participants — including 265 buyers — representing 43 countries. The top 10 projects which received the most interest between Sept. 15 and Oct. 15 were:
1. Goat Girl by Daily Madness Productions (Ireland) This is the story of Gigi, a 13-year-old girl who just happens to have been raised by mountain goats. But now that she’s a teenager, her Nanny and Billy think it’s time that Gigi spread her wings (er… horns?), so this year she will attend a boarding school and, for the first time in her life, spend time around actual people!
Goal Girl
2. Monster in My Pocket by Cyber Group Studios (France) Dash, Zandra and Cole are a team of 12-year olds whose lives are turned upside down when they suddenly find themselves in charge of wrangling the most ferocious — and mischievous — monsters imaginable… which happen to be so small they can fit inside their pockets!
Monster in My Pocket
3. The Upside Down River by Dandelooo (France) Hannah wants to collect a drop of water from the Qjar River to save her bird; Tomek wants to conquer Hannah’s love. As the story unfolds, these two quests follow one another, overlap and finally complement each other.
The Upside Down River
4. [TIE] Gemma & the Defenders by Xilam Animation (France) Gemma lives in the unusual world of the board game “Folks” as a spare piece from a different game. While welcomed into this charming community, she struggles to fit in and learn the rules. But when an evil conqueror joins the game, Gemma’s ability to think outside the box saves the day.
Gemma and the Defenders
4. [TIE] Tiny Island by TeamTO (France) Tiny is an island who has two best friends: Dee Dee, who encourages Tiny to see the world, and Rocco, who really did not want to leave their ocean home at all! But since Rocco lives on Tiny, he comes along, too.
Tiny Island
5. [TIE] Alex Player by Bee Prod (France) An Esports series with non-stop thrills, fun, passion and laughs on and off the gaming screen. Follow Alex and his gaming crew — team Mongoose — as they balance training, school, homework and competition as the world’s most mismatched combo.
Alex Player
5. [TIE] Wonder Waï by Ellipsanime Productions (France) Careful observers of the world around them, junior scientists Aya, Karim and Lea are always on the lookout for new discoveries. And actually, they have recently noticed strange phenomena taking place in town, which have no plausible explanation…
Wonder Wai
6. Hanna & Nana by JAM Media (Ireland) When Nana collects Hanna from school in her little orange car (Buggie) and they’re interrupted by a call from the Wild, Nana flicks a switch and Buggie sputters into action to go help an animal in need!
Hanna and Nana
7. Hey Fuzzy Yellow by Toon2Tango (Germany) A show like you haven’t seen before. It’s an unconventional curriculum-designed show to equip children with 21st century skills and an approach that mirrors the parenting values of Millennials, with lots of music and laughs.
Hey Fuzzy Yellow
8. PriZOOners by Tchack (France) Zack & Jack are monkeys who think they’re humans. They find themselves locked up in a zoo by mistake (they think) and try to escape by coming up with the most unlikely and extraordinary plans, all invariably doomed to failure.
Prizooners
9. Rowbot (a.k.a. Atla5) by Dwarf Entertainment (France) When 13-year-old robot pilot and BattleBots fanatic Alex gets his hands on an advanced AI known as Atlas, he hopes they’ll become an unbeatable team. But powerful forces seek Atlas’s power for themselves…
Atla5
10. Chaos Castle by Oddbod Creations (United Kingdom) A fun-loving, adventure-seeking girl called Gogo lives in an ever-expanding castle where strange new creations are appearing all the time. Giddy Gogo loves to involve the other castle folk in her madcap ideas, but a miserable magician called Claydini is always out to spoil their fun. With the help of her faithful blobby sidekick and castle family, Gogo solves a new peculiar problem every episode!
***This article originally appeared in the November ’20 issue of Animation Magazine (No. 304)***
I create international kids’ TV shows for a living. I’ve made puppet shows in Palestine, buddy comedies in Canada and shows about singing potatoes in London. Over the years, I’ve added so many extra pages to my U.S. passport that it now looks like a Wendy’s double cheeseburger.
I’m certainly no expert on China — and I fully agree with Pieter Bottelier from Johns Hopkins who said, “Anyone who speaks with great certainty about China needs to have their head examined” — but these days my preferred country for making co-productions of all kinds is, hands down, China.
My work first brought me to China in the ’90s when I worked on Zhima Jie, the Chinese co-production of Sesame Street. This project was a revelation for me as it was the first time that I truly understood that Western culture was simply one approach to life and art, and that Chinese culture offered a different and equally valid approach. On one of our “training trips” to Shanghai, it became clear that we American “experts” had far more to learn from our Chinese colleagues — among them one of China’s most revered poets — than our Chinese colleagues had to learn from us.
Super Wings
Eye-Opening Experiences
More recently, while working for my own New York-based studio, Little Airplane Productions (a Studio 100 company), I’ve co-produced a few animated shows with talented Chinese partners. The first was Super Wings with Alpha, which premiered on Sprout, and the second was P. King Duckling with UYoung, which premiered on Disney Junior in the U.S. and CCTV. These days, I travel to China a few times a year working with a variety of media, toy and theme park groups, and my interest in this complex country has only grown with time.
P. King Duckling
Last week, after speaking with a friend who doesn’t travel much (and who has heard mostly negative things about China), I decided to spend a few hours and write down for him five things that I love about China. Before I knew it, my list had become 10 things. Today I’d like to share this list with you, my colleagues in the animation industry and the animation fans who read this magazine.
Many of you already work with China, and have a good sense of the country. For the rest, I imagine my list may surprise you. My hope is that it might inspire some of you to visit China, because seeing China for yourself is the only way to really get a clear perspective on this unique nation. And so, here are 10 things I love about China:
1. Trust. At first, I didn’t understand why our Chinese colleagues wanted me to fly 14 hours to have a meeting that could just as easily happen over the phone or through video conference. Now I get it. You cannot look into someone’s eyes over the internet. You need to sit across from them, you need to have dinner with them and you need to drink together. Only in these ways can trust be established, and it’s trust that ensures lasting business relationships.
Josh Selig (right) with Studio 100 co-founder/CEO Hans Bourlon and colleagues from Chimelong theme park company.
2. Patience. I used to be a restless person. I wanted everything right away. China taught me that waiting is a good thing. It’s while you’re waiting that you learn about your colleagues, a new company or an opportunity. If it happens quickly, it may not last. But if it happens over time, it just might. Anything of real value takes time.
3. Humility. In my experience, most Chinese people are quite humble. I find that the Chinese listen very closely when someone is speaking and they very rarely interrupt.
It’s uncommon to hear a Chinese person bragging about his or her accomplishments. My wife is from Harbin and I asked her about this. She said, “Our personal achievements are important to us, but we always hope these will also help our family, our community, our country and the world.”
4. Discipline. There is a focus and a determination in China that I’ve not experienced anywhere else. You can see this in the work ethic of the Chinese people who have, in just 50 years, built China into the world’s second largest economy. And you can see it in how quickly and effectively the Chinese halted the spread of the coronavirus. When the Chinese set their mind to something, they work very hard, they work very smart and, most of the time, they succeed.
Healthy competition: China has the most successful Olympic table tennis record with 53 medals (28 gold)!
5. Progress. Everything in China is improving quite rapidly, from their education system, to the rule of law, to, yes, respect for intellectual property rights. There is no doubt in my mind that China is steadily moving towards a more open society, and international business standards are already a fact of daily life. If this weren’t the case, would companies like Little Airplane — as well as Disney, LEGO and Universal — even be in China?
6. Getting around. The infrastructure in China is second to none. The bullet trains run fast and on time. The bridges are modern, architectural marvels. And the subways are squeaky clean. Most of you have probably seen images of the new Beijing Daxing Airport which uses 5G technology to expedite check-in and baggage claim. Designed by the late Zaha Hadid, this airport is a stunning work of art.
Beijing Daxing Airport, designed by British-Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid
7. Caring for the poor. The quality of life in China has been improving for decades. In the past 70 years, 850 million Chinese have been lifted out of poverty. Think about it, that’s over twice the population of the United States. As one Chinese journalist in New York told me recently, “Some people think we Chinese want to take over the world. We don’t. We actually just want to be sure we can feed and take good care of our 1.4 billion people.”
8. Respect for the elderly. Any morning in China, in any city or town, you can go to the park and see elderly people flying kites, playing mahjong, singing opera and talking proudly about their children and their grandchildren. In many countries, older people are largely hidden away in nursing homes and have little contact with their extended families. In China, one’s grandparents are revered, and this has a powerful and positive impact on their society.
9. Safety. This may surprise some of you, but I feel much safer in China than I do in any other country in the world. There is almost no street crime, gun violence nor illegal drug use in China. I’m a jogger, and I like to wake up early and go for a long run. In New York, I’m always watching my back. In China, I just enjoy the sunrise.
Graffiti art in Beijing’s 798 Art Zone
10. Creativity. One of my favorite places to visit in Beijing is 798, a thriving artists’ community. There are scores of galleries, cafes and graffiti murals that are as good as anything you’ll see on Miami’s Wynwood Walls. This neighborhood reflects the vibrancy of the contemporary art scene in China in 2020. There is great talent here, real innovation, and, yes, there is open political expression. The teams we work with in China — the writers, directors, designers and animators — are as gifted and as up-to-speed on popular culture as anyone I know in Europe or the U.S.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I also love the United States. I am grateful for the many freedoms and opportunities we have here. I also love Brazil, Egypt, Belgium and South Africa. (I love many countries, who doesn’t?) But this article is about China. In this era of internet noise, distortion and misinformation, the only thing I trust is my own direct personal experience. And my experiences over the past 30 years in China have impressed me. I’m not saying China is perfect — no country is — but I am saying China is a great country that deserves our deep respect.
Josh Selig founded Little Airplane Productions (a Studio 100 company) in 1999. He is the creator and exec producer of preschool series Wonder Pets!, 3rd & Bird, Small Potatoes and P. King Duckling. He has received 12 Emmy Awards for his writing and his musical compositions.
Sanrio, the global lifestyle brand best known for pop icon Hello Kitty, has launched a new short-form YouTube animated series titled Hello Kitty and Friends Supercute Adventures, produced by Brazil-based Split Studio (Tito and the Birds, Monica and Friends). In each episode, audiences will be catapulted into the fun-loving, supercute world of Hello Kitty and Friends, and see some of its most popular characters as never before.
Viewers will follow Hello Kitty and her five closest friends — My Melody, Keroppi, Badtz-Maru, Pompompurin and Kuromi — as they go on new and exciting adventures in the vast, wonderful world of Sanrio. With friendship, kindness and inclusivity as their guiding principles, Hello Kitty and Friends will share and showcase their unique personalities, going outside of their comfort zones to experience and learn new things, tackle challenges and make new friends.
Hello Kitty will lead her friends in helping each other overcome everyday obstacles and learn that through the power of great friendship, humor and fun, they can accomplish anything.
“Sanrio has always taken immense pride in its commitment to friendship, kindness and inclusivity, making the debut of the Hello Kitty and Friends Supercute Adventures animation series remarkably special during our 60th anniversary year,” said Jill Koch, Sr. Vice President of Sales and Business Development at Sanrio, Inc. “Now, our fans and viewers will be able to engage and relate with our characters more closely than ever. We can’t wait to share their sweet stories and see them come to life as never seen before.”
“As a longtime fan of the brand, it’s an honor to give Hello Kitty a voice,” said Shaene Siders, Story Editor and Head Writer of Hello Kitty and Friends Supercute Adventures. “Each episode will take viewers through fun and magical adventures that are relevant to today’s audience while highlighting Sanrio’s lovable characters and their unique personalities. It’s a series my daughter and I will enjoy watching together.”
Hello Kitty and Friends Supercute Adventures is the first YouTube animated series developed for the U.S. audience that chronicles the adventures of Hello Kitty and her friends living and interacting in a shared universe.
The first episode of the series is set to go live on the Hello Kitty and Friends YouTube channel on Monday, October 26 at 1 p.m. PST. Subscribe to the channel to be notified when a new Supercute Adventure arrives!
ASIFA-Hollywood announced that its 48th Annie Awards ceremony will be a virtual event, to be held on Friday, April 16, 2021. Details are currently in the planning stages. As ceremony information becomes available, the Annie Awards official website will be updated.
“One particular advantage of this year’s virtual event is the participation of our international members — artists, animators and filmmakers — who will be on hand for the first time to celebrate this year’s honorees, nominees and winners,” said Jerry Beck, President, ASIFA-Hollywood.
“The decision to go virtual was difficult, but we feel it is the best way to share this year’s animation talent across broadcast and feature productions without the fear of endangering the hundreds of guests who gather each spring to celebrate animation’s best,” said Sue Shakespeare, Vice President, ASIFA-Hollywood.
Nominations Announced – 8 a.m. (PST) on Wednesday, March 3, 2021
Deadline to Become an Annies Sponsor & Advertiser, Monday, March 22, 2021
Online balloting begins Monday, March 29, 2021 and ends Friday, April 9, 2021
All other important dates, details and the 48th Annie Awards rules are located at www.annieawards.org.
Entries submitted for consideration will be from animated productions that were released in the United States between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020. Exceptions are commercials, short subjects, special projects and student films, which can qualify with or without United States releases. Submissions close on Monday, February 1, 2021 at 5 p.m. (PST).
Created in 1972 by veteran voice talent June Foray, and in whose name the philanthropic June Foray Award was established, the Annie Awards have grown in scope and stature for the past four decades. ASIFA-Hollywood is the world’s first and foremost professional organization dedicated to promoting the Art of Animation and celebrating the people who create it.
Today, ASIFA-Hollywood, the largest chapter of the international organization ASIFA, supports a range of animation activities and preservation efforts through its membership. Current initiatives include the Animation Archive, Animation Aid Foundation, Animation Educators Forum, animated film preservation, special events, scholarships and screenings.
Matthew A. Cherry, director of the widely acclaimed, Oscar-winning short Hair Love, will be making his feature animation debut with a new Sony Pictures Animation project. The project, dubbed Tut for now, will be an afro-futurist coming-of-age story centered on the Egyptian boy-king Tutankhamun. The original story, created by Cherry and Hair Love producer Monica A. Young, will take audiences on an adventure through ancient Egypt and celebrate the culture that introduced countless innovations to the world.
“[I am] beyond excited to explore the magical world of ancient Egypt through the eyes of its youngest ruler, King Tut,” Cherry told Variety. “I’ve always wanted to dive deeper into the legend of the boy king and we can’t think of better partners to embark upon this journey with than Kristine Belson, Karen Toliver and the great people at Sony Pictures Animation.”
Belson, President of Sony Pictures Animation, added, “[Matthew is] one of today’s most exceptional creative voices. We had the privilege of collaborating with him on his first animated short, which has since evolved into his first animated series — and we’re so proud to team up again on his first animated feature, Tut. Matthew has a bold and modern take on this story rarely told, filled with magic, music and powerful themes — and we’re thrilled that we get to go on this adventure together.”
Toliver is EVP of Creative for Sony Pictures Animation, and also earned an Oscar for her work as a producer on Hair Love. She will be working alongside Cherry once again on Young Love — a new HBO Max animated series based on the short, for which Cherry serves as showrunner.
Cherry recently directed the first-ever animated episode of Black-ish as the second part of the show’s hour-long “Election Special.”
Sony Pictures Animation’s upcoming feature slate includes Connected, produced by Phil Lord & Chris Miller and awaiting a new release date due to COVID-19; Chinese co-pro Wish Dragon (2020), starring Jackie Chan; SPA’s first-ever musical, Vivo (2021), featuring songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda; Hotel Transylvania 4 (2021) and the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse sequel (2021), also with Lord/Miller.
Disney+ is bringing together some of the brightest stars in the Star Wars galaxy for the ultimate holiday family reunion, the LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special. The streaming service also gave fans a first look at key art for the special, set to premiere on Tuesday, November 17 — also known as the fan-favorite holiday Life Day first introduced in the 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special.
Franchise stars reprising their roles in the LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special include Kelly Marie Tran (Rose Tico), Billy Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian), Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), as well as Star Wars: The Clone Wars vets Matt Lanter (Anakin Skywalker), Tom Kane (Yoda, Qui-Gon Jinn), James Arnold Taylor (Obi-Wan Kenobi), and Dee Bradley Baker (clone troopers).
The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special reunites Rey, Finn, Poe, Chewie, Rose and the droids for a joyous feast on Life Day. Rey sets off on a new adventure with BB-8 to gain a deeper knowledge of the Force. At a mysterious Jedi Temple, she is hurled into a cross-timeline adventure through beloved moments in Star Wars cinematic history, coming into contact with Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Yoda, Obi-Wan and other iconic heroes and villains from all nine Skywalker saga films. But will she make it back in time for the Life Day feast and learn the true meaning of holiday spirit?
The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special is a production of Atomic Cartoons, the LEGO Group, and Lucasfilm. It is directed by Ken Cunningham (LEGO Jurassic World: Legend of Isla Nublar, Glenn Martin DDS) and written by David Shayne (LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures, Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja), who is also co-executive producer. James Waugh, Josh Rimes, Jason Cosler, Jacqui Lopez, Jill Wilfert and Keith Malone are executive producers.
Nickelodeon is ending National Hispanic Heritage Month on a high note, as the debut of its newest animated series Santiago of the Seas garnered the biggest L+3 lift the network has ever had for a preschool launch.
The premiere (Friday, Oct. 9, at 12:30 p.m. ET/PT) posted a 96% increase with Kids 2-5, up from 2.6 (L+SD) to 5.1 (L+3). Ratings with Latinx viewers grew triple digits and accounted for over a third of the overall Kids 2-5 viewership. Additionally, 40% of the premiere’s audience were brand-new preschool viewers to Nickelodeon.
Infused with a Spanish-language and Latino-Caribbean culture curriculum, Santiago of the Seas is an action-adventure series (20 episodes) that follows 8-year-old Santiago “Santi” Montes, a brave and kind-hearted pirate, as he embarks on daring rescues, searches for treasures and keeps the high seas safe in a fantastical Caribbean world. Santiago of the Seas airs regularly Fridays at 12:30 p.m. (ET/PT).
In the series, Santiago’s (Kevin Chacon) steadfast and loyal crew consists of: Tomás (Justice Quiroz), his clumsy energetic cousin whose magical guitar can be used to harness the wind; and Lorelai (Alyssa Cheatham), a knowledgeable mermaid who can speak to sea creatures and transform into a young human girl. Together, Santi and his best mates sail the seas on the majestic ship El Bravo, using their smarts, pirate skills and moral compasses to guard their home of Isla Encanto from villains like the nefarious pirate Bonnie Bones (Kyndra Sanchez) and her Palm Crow sidekick Sir Butterscotch (John Leguizamo).
Santiago of the Seas is created by Niki López, Leslie Valdes and Valerie Walsh Valdes. Valdes and Walsh Valdes (Dora the Explorer) serve as executive producers with López co-executive producing. The series is produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio in Burbank, Calif., with production overseen by Eryk Casemiro, Senior Vice President, Nickelodeon Preschool.
Read more about this pre-k pirate adventure in Ramin Zahed’s story for Animation Magazinehere.
Following the recent announcement of new Netflix series Ada Twist, Scientist, Peabody, Emmy, NAACP and Humanitas Prize-winning children’s television screenwriter & producer Chris Nee (Doc McStuffins, Vampirina) has announced three more projects in her first slate of animated series for the streamer. The shows fall under Nee’s overall deal with Netflix and are being produced through her prodco Laughing Wild.
“I am so excited to finally get to talk about the work I’m doing at Netflix. As a writer and creator, I have so many stories I want to tell. I could easily fill my slate with my own voice. But one of the reasons I chose Netflix is that they afford me the opportunity to not only tell my stories but shine a spotlight on other talented creators and help them tell theirs,” said Nee. “I know what it’s like to grow up not seeing myself represented in the shows I loved. I know that it matters not only who is on screen, but who is behind it. The mix of shows announced today perfectly represents what matters to me. I want to reach the next generation of kids, yes, but I also want to embolden and teach the next generation of diverse and underrepresented creators. At Laughing Wild, I’m able to build a company that reflects my values, and work at every turn to change the ‘who and how’ of making content for kids.”
“In the realm of children’s television, Chris and her team are pioneers,” said Melissa Cobb, VP of Original Animation for Netflix. “Their upcoming projects certainly reflect that — they’re designing worlds that kids and families can escape to, creating characters that reflect diverse cultures and backgrounds and redefining the possibilities of what children can be inspired by on screen.”
The slate includes…
Ridley Jones
Ridley Jones: An action-adventure preschool series following six-year-old Ridley Jones who, alongside her mother and grandmother, is a protector of the museum she calls home. Keeping the exhibits safe takes a real hero, especially since every night when the lights go out and the doors lock shut, the exhibits — stampeding elephants, astronaut chimps, Egyptian mummies — come to life! Throughout her many adventures, Ridley will find that being a good protector — and leader — is about finding common ground and respecting others, no matter what our differences might be.
The series is created and exec produced by Nee and animated by Brown Bag Films, and features music from Emmy nominated team Chris Dimond and Michael Kooman (Vampirina).
“This is the first show I brought to Netflix. I really wanted to do a series where a girl was the action-adventure star I always wanted to see (or be) when I was growing up,” Nee explained. “Like so many of my shows, this world is a perfect canvas upon which to create a community of oddball characters and model what it means to take care of each other, even if you aren’t from the same era of time or wing of the museum. With music, comedy, heart and a true heroine’s story, Ridley Jones is a worthy successor to Doc McStuffins and Vampirina. Can’t wait for you to meet her!”
Spirit Rangers
Spirit Rangers: Created by Chumash tribal member, Karissa Valencia (writer, Vampirina), Spirit Rangers is a fantasy-adventure preschool series following Native American sibling trio Kodiak, Summer and Eddy Skycedar, who have a shared secret — they’re “Spirit Rangers!” Spirit Rangers can transform into their own animal spirit to help protect the National Park they call home. With the blessing of the Chumash and Cowlitz tribes, we’ll join the Skycedar kids on their magical adventures with spirits inspired by indigenous stories.
Animation is being produced by Superprod Animation. Valencia and Nee are executive producers.
“I am so proud that Spirit Rangers has found its home at Laughing Wild. I’ve had the opportunity to learn from Chris Nee since I was a coordinator on Vampirina. Looking back, I now realize I was in an unofficial showrunner bootcamp the whole time,” said Valencia. “From coordinator, to staff writer, to showrunner, she’s been my mentor from day one. I was able to witness firsthand the groundbreaking preschool shows she would lead and now I strive to do the same. Spirit Rangers is native led with a team of native writers, native artists, native actors and native composers. As a Native Storyteller, I’ve rarely come across the opportunity to tell my own story. I am forever grateful to be given the chance at Laughing Wild and can’t wait for everyone to meet our funny modern native family in Spirit Rangers.”
Dino Daycare
Dino Daycare: In a world where the dinosaurs never went extinct — and now live alongside humans — we follow a six-year-old human boy named Cole as he helps out at Dino Daycare, a nursery for baby Dinos of all shapes and sizes. Though Cole might not be as big and strong as his dad, Teddy, or his T-Rex “aunt” Dinah who runs the daycare, he shows us that he’s got what it takes to care for Earth’s mightiest creatures. Proving that kindness and caring are powerful forms of strength, and that the toughest muscle in our body… is our heart.
The series is created by Vampirina writer Jeff King, who is also executive producer along with Nee.
“As with most of the defining moments of my life, as soon as I came up with Dino Daycare, I spilled hot coffee all over my desk,” said King. “I knew this idea could be something special, and I knew the only person to pitch it to was my friend and mentor, Chris Nee. Chris immediately embraced my vision for a show that was about both dinosaurs and emotions, in equal measure. It’s a show that celebrates that there are different ways to be the boy who becomes the man. We want to show that boys can be vulnerable, and show feelings, and that strength isn’t just a physical marker… all while giving everyone what they want, mainly dinosaurs. Really, really cute dinosaurs. I’m thrilled to be a part of the Laughing Wild lineup, and can’t wait to introduce the world to a non-traditional boy lead and a daycare full of adorable baby dinos.”
Ada Twist
Ada Twist, Scientist: A series following the adventures of eight-year-old Ada Twist, a pint-sized scientist with a giant-sized curiosity, who aspires to discover the truth about absolutely everything. With the help of her two best friends, Rosie Revere and Iggy Peck, Ada unravels and solves mysteries for her friends and family. But solving the mystery is only the beginning, because science isn’t just about learning how and why and what… it’s about putting that knowledge into action to make the world a better place.
The series is developed for TV and exec produced by Nee. Peabody and Humanitas winner and Emmy nominee Kerri Grant (Doc McStuffins, Nella the Princess Knight) is showrunner, co-EP and story editor. Exec producers are Mark Burton, Tonia Davis and Priya Swaminathan, and the original book’s author Andrea Beaty and illustrator David Roberts. Series consultants are Dr. Knatokie Ford and Alie Ward. Animation by Brown Bag Films.
Chris Nee has received multiple Emmy Award nominations for writing and won an Emmy in 2002 for her work on the Peabody Award-winning series Little Bill. Additional writing credits include series such as American Dragon: Jake Long, Johnny and the Sprites, Higglytown Heroes, The Backyardigans and Olivia. Nee began her career as an associate producer at Sesame Street International and wrote for the Sesame Workshop.
She is a graduate of New York University and sits on the board of the Hollywood Health Society at USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and the MLK Community Health Foundation which is dedicated to raising and stewarding financial support for Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital and its work in South Los Angeles. Her production company, Laughing Wild, is built on her belief in the power of film and television to inspire future generations, foster conscious advocates, showrunners and creatives, and push the boundaries of conventional storytelling.
Spin Master Corp., a leading global children’s entertainment company, in association with Nickelodeon Movies and Paramount Pictures, announced today an all-star voice cast ensemble for the upcoming animated feature film, PAW Patrol.
Kim Kardashian West, Dax Shepard (Chips, Idiocracy), Jimmy Kimmel, Tyler Perry (The Star), Yara Shahidi (Black-ish), Randall Park (Fresh Off the Boat, The Interview), Iain Armitage (Young Sheldon), Marsai Martin (Black-ish) and Will Brisbin (Forbidden Playground) have joined the voice cast of the film, which is currently in production with creators, artists and producers collaborating remotely.
In their big feature adventure, Ryder and the pups are called to Adventure City to stop Mayor Humdinger from turning the bustling metropolis into a state of chaos. Get ready for exciting missions, high-stake rescues, new pups and amazing new vehicles making this the biggest PAW Patrol story ever! “No city is too big; no pup is too small!”
Scheduled to be released by Paramount Pictures into theatres on August 20, 2021, the major motion picture is based on the award-winning preschool series produced by Spin Master Entertainment and broadcast by Nickelodeon.
Representing a new chapter for this continually growing entertainment franchise, the PAW Patrol feature film will be directed by animation veteran Cal Brunker (Nut Job 2: Nutty By Nature; Escape from Planet Earth). Spin Master Entertainment’s Executive Vice President, Jennifer Dodge, will produce the film and Ronnen Harary, Spin Master’s Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Adam Beder, Spin Master’s Executive Vice President Strategic Partnership & Franchise Development and Peter Schlessel will executive produce.
The PAW Patrol movie is the first of several feature films in the works by Spin Master’s Entertainment division.
Sometimes a salty attitude requires a sweet solution — and that’s what Hollywood tough guy Danny Trejo is here to provide in a new episode of Victor and Valentino premiering on Cartoon Network Thursday, October 15 at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT.
Trejo returns to the hit supernatural series in… “The Cupcake Man”!
Victor and Valentino
When Victor’s (voiced by series creator Diego Molano) bad behavior gets out of control, Chata (Laura Patalano) sends him to the one man in town who can set him straight — The Cupcake Man (Trejo). The Cupcake Man is the hardest, toughest, meanest cupcake maker to ever walk the streets of Monte Macabre. He teaches kids the hard life lessons they need to be good niños, baking the most delicious cupcake in the process.
Trejo previously guest starred on the show as Paco, an outlaw that lives by his own rules as the leader of the Lords of Ghost Town motorcycle crew in the episode “Lords of Ghost Town.”
Victor and Valentino
Victor and Valentino is a supernatural adventure comedy that follows two half-brothers who spend a summer with their grandma in Monte Macabre, a small and mysterious town, where the myths and legends of Mesoamerican folklore come to life.
New episodes of Victor and Valentino premiere every Monday-Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT throughout the month of October. Check out more of CN’s spooky premieres this month here!
Animation, publishing and licensing studio Ferly (Momolu & Friends, Angry Birds Blues) along with Star Stable Entertainment, global cross-channel entertainment company and creator of the popular adventure game Star Stable Online, today unveiled their co-production and development partnership on animated short-form series Mistfall (10 x 5′).
Written by Emmy Award-winning writer and showrunner Alice Prodanou (Hotel Transylvania, Inspector Gadget, 6teen, My Babysitter’s a Vampire), the series introduces a new heroine, Skye Ansari, to the Mistfall universe.
Debuting on YouTube in December 2020 the short-form series sees the Mistfall brand extend from its origins as a popular online game into a scripted online series. Featuring all-new storylines, Mistfall’s narrative and characters run parallel to those in the original game.The partners have released the first official teaser simultaneous with the announcement:
In addition to series production and development, Star Stable Entertainment has partnered with Ferly for all licensing and branding. This first Mistfall series will lead to further scripted content in the franchise, including a long-form series which is also currently in development. Whilst focusing on engaging Star Stable Online’s millions of loyal fans, the series gives a new way to interact with the brand whilst also attracting new audiences to the iconic world of Mistfall.
“The deep lore and expansive universe of Mistfall means there is huge scope for making wonderful stories and entire new worlds for players of the game to immerse themselves in, as well as new fans,” said Laura Nevanlinna, CEO of Ferly. “Star Stable Entertainment has nurtured an incredibly engaged audience of young people, a notoriously difficult demographic to capture the attention of. The room for further brand extensions including a future long-form series to build an even wider audience and serve the loyal fan base with more of what they love makes this a brilliant enterprise to partner on.”
“Skye’s adventures in Mistfall fill a void in animated content that appeals to today’s multi-dimensional tween and teen girl,” said Taina Malén, Star Stable Entertainment’s Chief Business Development Officer. “Along with the animation and licensing expertise of the team at Ferly and the writing prowess of Prodanou – Mistfall will deliver a series that young people will want to watch again and again.”
Ferly creates extraordinary worlds and tells surprising wonder-filled stories to build brands and IP. Founded in 2017 by former Rovio Executives, its HQ is in Helsinki with teams working in Vancouver, L.A. and Stockholm. ferlyco.com
Founded in Stockholm in 2011, Star Stable Entertainment is a global entertainment company that creates the magical world of Jorvik, which is discovered by millions of girls around the world via digital games, a book series and original music. The flagship product is the online horse adventure game Star Stable, where players care for horses, face challenges and build friendships. Star Stable Online is available in 180 countries and 14 languages; and the company sees 1.4 million active players in total for all games each month. www.starstable.com/en
Splash Entertainment, the U.S.-based, multi-award-winning children’s entertainment studio, and ViacomCBS’s Ananey Studios, one of the leading, award-winning production companies and content creators in Israel, are joining forces for the first time to produce and distribute Family Rocks, a new preschool series about “the first modern family of the Stone Age.”
The 52 x 7′ digital cut-out animated series is ready to “rock” the international broadcast community at MIPCOM 2020 (Oct. 12-15).
Family Rocks follows the Stone Age adventures of the first modern family in history, the Quartzes, and includes Mom Rocksan, Dad Tuff and six-year-old twins Pebble and Gemma. After centuries of unruly Neanderthals with a crude parenting style called “pointing and grunting,” the Quartzes communicate verbally, explore together, tell stories, create art and even talk about their feelings and emotions. As the new modern family, the Quartzes have to figure out everything on their own, and they soon realize that sometimes people have to get things wrong before getting them right – which is all part of the fun. Among the adventures and life-changing discoveries the Quartzes stumble upon are the wheel, fire, music, art and the game, “I spy with my little eye.”
“We fell in love with Family Rocks as soon as we saw it,” said Peter Young, Director of Development, Splash Entertainment. “We are excited to be collaborating with Ananey and series creator Gili Dolev to bring this authentic and relatable Stone Age family to life for preschoolers and their families all across the globe.”
“We are very happy to be working with Splash Entertainment, our wonderful like-minded, fun and creative partners,” said Dolev, who in addition to creating the series is Head of Animation Development at ViacomCBS’s Ananey Studios. “With this Ananey/Splash dream team assembled behind the show, we’re looking forward to ‘rocking’ the world with Family Rocks!”
Dolev came up with the idea for Family Rocks during the pandemic’s first quarantine in Israel earlier this year. To help the family stay positive and creative, the Dolevs ventured out each day to collect rocks that they would then take home to paint, giving each its own unique look and “personality.” Ultimately, the family collected and created more than 50 stones, which became the inspiration for the new series.
“While rocks have always given humans physical foundations, first caves and later houses, family has been the emotional bedrock we’re all built upon,” said Dolev.
Dolev is an Emmy, BAFTA and Annie-nominated creator and director whose credits include Zack & Quack (Nickelodeon), based on his multiple award-winning short, The Happy Duckling; Nella the Princess Knight (Nick Jr. and 9 Story); and Powerbirds (Universal Kids). Pilot script for Family Rocks is being written by the multi-award-winning Jacqueline Moody (Gigantosaurus, Kiva Can Do, WordWorld).
Ananey’s award-winning productions are available on both linear and SVOD platforms in Israel and around the world. Among the company’s notable offerings for preschoolers are the live-action shows Rescue Team and Walla Koala. In addition to preschool programming, Ananey’s portfolio includes original productions for kids, tweens and teens such as Netflix’s Greenhouse Academy, CBBC’s Craft Party and Spell Keepers on HBO Europe, among others, along with entertainment & comedy and lifestyle & factual offerings.
Splash is a multi-award-winning studio with a wide array of kid- and family-friendly programming. Most recently, the company announced it will develop, produce and distribute new animated on-screen content based on the picture book, The Little Shop of Monsters, written by R. L. Stine and illustrated by Marc Brown (Arthur), as well as Stine’s comedy book series, Rotten School.
Black N’ Animated and Women in Animation (WIA) will be collaborating for the first time, together with several top independent animation studios – Oddbot, Powerhouse, Renegade, Six Point Harness and Titmouse – to host a free, virtual storyboarding class via Zoom on Saturday, November 7 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. The class will be open to college-level students all the way up to working professionals, specifically to benefit people of color.
The program will accept the first 250 applicants who qualify, and will be delivered in a format established and proven successful by Six Point Harness.
Oddbot’s Emmy Award-winning director Matt Danner (Muppet Babies) will headline the day, lecturing on “Storyboarding 101.” He will be joined by Noelle Rafelle (DC Super Hero Girls, Captain Marvel 2), who will be lecturing on “Storyboarding for Action,” and Bryan Newton (Rick and Morty, Teen Titans Go!, Tig N’ Seek), who will be lecturing on “Storyboarding for Adult Comedy.”
Matt Danner, Noelle Rafaelle, Bryan Newton
Women in Animation will provide support for the entire event, from application processing to technology implementation to execution of the class. Brendan Burch, CEO of Six Point Harness and WIA board member, will also be on hand to guide the day.
Various storyboard tests from Oddbot, Powerhouse, Renegade, Six Point Harness and Titmouse will be provided to attendees. Finished tests can then be submitted for review to each studio, and some attendees will have the opportunity to receive one-on-one feedback from studio professionals.
“We are excited to have this opportunity to team up with WIA and these great indie studios to bring such an intensive webinar to the Black animation community,” said Waymond Singleton and Breana Williams of Black N’ Animated. “There are a lot of young people out there who don’t know that a career in animation is within reach and this will be one of many ways we hope to begin offering insight and training to increase the number of people of color in the animation industry.”
“WIA aims to affect positive change within our industry and in the larger world through the creation of art that expresses a wider range of authentic storytelling. Animation can serve as the bridge to connect broader human understanding and as the channel to inspire that the fabric of all colors to be seen, the voices of all cultures to be heard; we are proud to align with Black N’ Animated in this effort,” added Marge Dean, President of Women in Animation.
Application submissions can be made here, and will be reviewed by Women in Animation and Black N’ Animated’s combined teams.
A great story can come in any size, shape or length. Having launched several successful animated series and features, Netflix will be introducing three new animated short films in the coming months: If Anything Happens I Love You, Canvas and Cops and Robbers, each bringing a unique story and diverse animation technique.
“Our goal is to bring our members best-in-class animation in all types of formats – features, series, adult animation, anime, and short form,” said Gregg Taylor, Netflix’s Director of Animated Features. “Animated storytelling is most compelling when it can transport, entertain, and start conversations; and all three of these short films are beautiful examples of that. While each film is deeply personal and uses very different animation styles, all of them are equally powerful.”
If Anything Happens I Love You is an elegy on grief. Writers/directors Will McCormack and Michael Govier bring a beautifully illustrated animated short film which takes us on an emotional journey of two parents struggling to overcome the hurt left by a tragic event that leaves their family changed forever.
The film is a tale that juxtaposes the pain that one can feel with the bounding resilience of the human spirit.
Laura Dern executive produced the short film, which is produced by Maryann Garger, Gary Gilbert, Gerald Chamales and Govier. More than half of the team behind If Anything Happens I Love You is female, including the animation director, composer, producer and an all-female animation team. Gilbert Films financed the short, and also produced along with Oh Good Productions.
According to McCormack and Govier, “If Anything Happens I Love You was created for the ones lost, and the ones left behind.”
Will McCormack and Michael Govier
Will McCormack & Michael Govier are producers, writers, actors and directors, making their animation directorial debut with If Anything Happens I Love You. McCormack wrote Toy Story 4 and Celeste and Jesse Forever. Govier has written multiple short films, plays and performed on TV and in commercials.
Canvas
Directed by Frank E. Abney III and produced by Paige Johnstone, Canvas tells the story of a Grandfather who, after suffering a devastating loss, is sent into a downward spiral and loses his inspiration to create. Years later, he decides to revisit the easel, and pick up the paint brush… but he can’t do it alone.
An original creation from an accomplished animator whose credits include Toy Story 4, Coco and The Boss Baby, this story is something we can all relate to. Sometimes in life, things happen that make it hard for you to keep fighting for what you love. It’s not so much a matter of ability, but rather a testament to the will of the human spirit. We can all find strength and creativity in the most surprising places, and this story exemplifies that.
Canvas was produced over the course of five years by a passionate team of artists working after hours on it across three continents. The show’s Black leadership focused on creating a multicultural production team, who embraced the challenge of simultaneously producing both 2D and CG animation sequences.
“We owe it to ourselves and our ancestors to use our gifts to lift and inspire those around us,” said Abney. “Canvas is my message to those that have suffered loss and are searching for a way through. In a world where my community must often ignore processing its own tragedies, this film shows that we don’t have to do it alone.”
Frank E. Abney III
Frank E. Abney III is a California native who grew up with a passion for storytelling, drawing and movies. After graduating from The Art Institute of California – San Francisco, he began working as an animator on game, film and TV projects like Tomb Raider, Disney’s Oscar-winning Frozen and Big Hero 6, and DreamWorks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda 3 and The Boss Baby. He then joined the team at Pixar, where he has collaborated on Coco, Incredibles 2, Toy Story 4 and its upcoming film, Soul. Abney recently executive produced Sony Picture Animation’s Academy Award-winning short Hair Love with Issa Rae, and is currently directing an animated feature film at Netflix.
Cops and Robbers
Cops and Robbers is directed by Arnon Manor and Timothy Ware-Hill, and written and performed by Ware-Hill in response to the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, a video of which first surfaced on May 5, 2020. Manor was inspired to create an animated version of Ware-Hill’s poem, which resulted in their collaboration.
Cops and Robbers is produced by Lawrence Bender, Manor and Ware-Hill, and executive produced by Jada Pinkett Smith, Neishaw Ali and Janet Jeffries. More than 30 individual artists, students and VFX companies from around the world collaborated, to each create a short segment of the poem with their own visual interpretation of the subject matter and individual animation technique. Over half of the animators on Cops and Robbers are Black artists.
The short features a portion of the Negro Spiritual “Soon I Will Be Done,” performed by Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes.
The result is a powerful message aimed at bringing awareness to the systemic violence, racially motivated killings, and the ongoing police brutality against Black Americans.
Ware-Hill and Manor said they made this film “for all the Black men, women and children who have been victims of racial profiling, police violence, loss of life and other injustices just for being themselves.”
Arnon Manor
Arnon Manor is an independent filmmaker, writer, producer and director. His recent credits include producing and directing the indie webseries Mondays. Manor grew up in Europe, where he started his career as a CG animator and VFX artist, then moved to the U.S. where he has continued to create and oversee the visual effects on countless features as an artist, supervisor, producer and studio executive. His range of VFX credits include comedies such as This is the End, The Interview and 21 Jump Street, action films Captain Phillips, Fury, The Equalizer, and CG hybrid-animated movies such as Stuart Little 2, Garfield and Peter Rabbit.
Timothy Ware-Hill
Timothy Ware-Hill is a native of Montgomery, AL, where he received a BA in Theater Arts from Alabama State University. From there, he was accepted into the UCLA MFA Acting Program. Most of his career has been as an actor in film, TV and Broadway. He recently received an MFA in Screenwriting from National University. Ware-Hill is a Second Place Winner in the 2020 CineStory Foundation Feature Fellowship, and a Semifinalist in the 2020 Academy Nicholl’s Fellowship, for his feature screenplay Tyrone and The Looking Glass.
The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced the winners of the 9th International Emmy Kids Awards Wednesday, during an online presentation simultaneously available on the Academy’s website and the MIPCOM Online+ platform.
Lupus Films and HarperCollins are celebrating a roaring success as their festive picture book-inspired special The Tiger Who Came to Tea gobbled up the Animation award. The charming U.K. project pounced ahead of fellow nominees Moominvalley (Gutsy Animation, Finland), Oddbods (One Animation, Singapore) and Ico Bit Zip (NatGeo/Copa Studio, Brazil). The Factual & Entertainment award went to Finding My Family: Holocaust (CBBC, U.K.) and Australian schoolyard comedy Hardball (Northern Pictures, ABC, Aus. Children’s Television Fund / Screen Australia / Create NSW) scored in the Live-Action category.
“I would like to thank the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for honouring The Tiger Who Came to Tea with this prestigious international award,” said the film’s director, Robin Shaw. “This is a huge testament to the team who worked on the film, and Lupus Films and Channel 4, who made it possible. But most of all it’s a testament to much-missed writer Judith Kerr who created this timeless story which was an absolute pleasure to adapt for the screen.”
“We are thrilled and honoured that The Tiger Who Came to Tea has been recognized with this prestigious international award, especially considering the quality of the competition in our category,” said Ruth Fielding, Joint Managing Director of Lupus Films. “It’s all down to the exceptional work of Robin Shaw and the immensely talented team who worked tirelessly to bring Judith Kerr’s feline hero vividly to life.”
Premiering on Channel 4 on Christmas Eve, The Tiger Who Came to Tea attracted millions of viewers over the holiday period and became the network’s best-performing show of 2019 (aside from The Great British Bake Off final). The delightful story of what happens when a monstrously hungry tiger turns up unannounced as Sophie and her Mummy are having tea in the kitchen features an illustrious cast, including Benedict Cumberbatch, David Oyelowo, David Walliams, Tamsin Greig and Paul Whitehouse, and the original song “Hey Tiger!,” written by David Arnold and Don Black and performed by Robbie Williams.
The Tiger Who Came to Tea was produced by Lupus Films and HarperCollins and directed by Robin Shaw with a screenplay written by Joanna Harrison for Channel 4. The special ws produced by Lupus Films founders Camilla Deakin and Ruth Fielding; executive producers were Ann-Janine Murtagh, Katie Fulford and Mia Jupp at HarperCollins Children’s Books.
“We are so proud that The Tiger Who Came to Tea has been honored with such a prestigious award. The book has delighted generations of children for over 50 years, and I know that Judith would have been thrilled to see this wonderful adaptation achieve such great success,” said Murtagh, Executive Publisher at HarperCollins Children’s Book.
Caroline Hollick, Head of Drama for Channel 4, said, “I am bursting with pride for the cast, the director, and the incredible production team behind this glorious animation, which made such a splash on Channel 4 last Christmas. It’s a wonderful reflection of the enduring delight of Judith’s book, and a well-deserved honor.”
Universal Pictures Content Group is managing the international TV distribution, home entertainment and theatrical rights to The Tiger Who Came to Tea.
The International Emmy Kids Awards recognize excellence in international children’s programming produced initially outside the United States. The International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences have presented them annually since 2013.
‘Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror’ Teaser Debuts, Panel Set for Paley Front Row
A sneak peek at the 2020 installment of The Simpsons Halloween tradition Treehouse of Horror has been revealed via the show’s official Twitter ahead of its Sunday premiere. Offering more perspective on these beloved spooky specials, cast members and creatives will gather for a special presentation from The Paley Center for Media and partners on Saturday (select early access Friday).
The minute teaser plays on the existential terror of the election, as Homer enters the voting booth and muses aloud about his indecision on the presidential race. Lisa steps in to ask, “Dad, by all that’s decent, how could you forget all that’s happened in the last four years?” which (after a brief jab at Oscars Envelopegate) triggers a rolling credits list of a Trump Presidency highlight reel — from “Gutted the EPA” and “Put Children in Cages” to “Described Meryl Streep as ‘Over-Rated.’”
The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror XXXI premieres Sunday, October 18 at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.
Before tuning into this timely new special, fans will want to catch the new Paley Front Row Presented by Citi program on The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror, presented in association with The New York Post and Decider.com. This program will be available for view on Verizon Media’s Yahoo Entertainment on Saturday, October 17 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, while Paley Members and Citi customers will have early access starting on Friday, October 16.
Yeardley Smith, the voice of Lisa Simpson, will moderate a conversation with the series’ creative team, including Mike B. Anderson, Al Jean, Steve Moore and Matt Selman, giving fans an insider’s look at the creative process behind the wildly popular Halloween special.
The event will also include questions submitted from Decider.com readers, and a select number of those readers will have the chance to win a limited-edition Treehouse of Horror poster.
“The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror has taken its place among television’s most beloved Halloween specials, and we’re thrilled to host this conversation with the talent behind the special,” said Maureen J. Reidy, the Paley Center’s President & CEO. “We’re honored to work with The New York Post and Decider.com on this program, and are grateful for the continued support from our friends at Citi and Verizon.
Paley Front Row Presented by Citi is a new way to enjoy behind-the-scenes stories of today’s top TV shows. Visit paleycenter.org to learn more.
Netflix today announced an expanded partnership with Emmy Award-winning and Golden Globe nominated animator, painter, writer, director Jorge Gutierrez and his production company Mexopolis for original content. Gutierrez will write, direct and produce new animated films, series and interactive projects across preschool, kids & family and adult animation.
Gutierrez is the creator, writer and director of the upcoming animated limited series Maya and the Three, a Mesoamerican fantasy epic set to premiere globally in 2021.
“Dang! I could not be more thankful to extend my creative love affair with my beloved Netflix!” Gutierrez enthused. “Melissa Cobb and the entire Netflix Animation team match my endless passion for diversity and inclusion in front and behind the camera. After all the kindness that has been shown to me, I look forward to mentoring and empowering diverse storytellers from not only North America, but also Central and South America. My mustached heart has a six pack and I can’t wait to create new stories and bold new worlds. What a time to be alive!”
“Jorge was one of the first creators to join Netflix Animation and has been an incredible partner ever since,” noted Melissa Cobb, VP of Original Animation for Netflix. “He is committed to authenticity in his work, creating fantastical stories and characters inspired by his culture that are universally resonant and a tireless champion and mentor to the next generation of storytellers. We are honored that he’s chosen Netflix as his home and we can’t wait to share his work with kids and families around the world.”
Jorge Gutierrez is a Mexican animator, painter, writer and director. He is the director & co-writer of the Guillermo Del Toro-produced animated feature The Book of Life for Fox, which earned him a 2014 Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Animated Feature Film. He is also writer & director of the Emmy nominated Son of Jaguar VR short for Google. Along with his wife and muse, Sandra Equihua, they created the multiple Annie and Emmy Award–winning animated television series El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera for Nickelodeon. Born in Mexico City and raised in Tijuana, Gutierrez has completed various films, cartoons, illustrations and paintings exploring his love with Mexican pop and folk culture.
Netflix has revealed a first look at Trash Truck, a charming new CG-animated preschool series from first-times showrunner Max Keane, and confirmed to Animag that the 12 x 11′ series will premiere globally on November 10. The streamer has also unloaded the show’s key art and stills showcasing the squeezably sweet main characters (and their trash-loving animal pals) stepping into an adventurous world.
Trash Truck
Synopsis: Hank is a free-range, dirt-covered six-year-old boy with a big imagination and an even bigger best pal… a giant honking, snorting trash truck. From learning to fly to going to the dentist, there is no adventure too big or too small for these two best friends.
Trash TruckTrash Truck
Trash Truck is executive produced by Max Keane alongside Oscar-winning animation duo Glen Keane and Gennie Rim (Dear Basketball, Over the Moon).
The voice cast features Brian Baumgartner (The Office) as Walter, Glen Keane as Grandpa / Trash Truck, Max Keane as Dad, Henry Keane as Hank, Megan Keane as Mom, Olive Keane as Olive, Lucas Neff as Donny, and Jackie Loeb as Miss Mona.
