The get-‘er-done gals of Eisner Award-winning comic-book series Lumberjanes will make their animation debut in a new show currently in development for HBO Max. The adaptation will be written and executive produced by Noelle Stevenson, who co-created the title and is well known to animation fans as the creator and showrunner of Netflix/DreamWorks’ Emmy-nominated She-Ra and the Princesses of Power. The streamer intends to launch Lumberjanes with an animated special, to be directed by Stevenson.
Ross Richie and Stephen Christy will executive produce the series for publisher BOOM! Studios, with the label’s Mette Norkjaer as co-EP alongside Lumberjanes co-creators Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis and Brooklyn A. Allen.
The beloved comics center on five friend — April, Jo, Mal, Molly and Ripley — who are thrown into adventure when they meet at Miss Quinzella Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet’s Camp for Hardcore Lady Types. While navigating their differences and the twisty paths of summer camp friendships, they also have to face mysterious and supernatural forces lurking in the woods.
Lumberjanes has sold over 1.5 million paperback copies since its launch in 2014. The adventure has spanned over 70 issues and 13 graphic novels, picking up multiple Eisners and a GLAAD Award for its depiction of female friendship and LGBTQ+ representation. The comics also inspired a line of YA spinoff novels, written by Mariko Tamaki (Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me, Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass).
Fox snagged feature adaptation rights in 2015, but the project was cut loose when Disney bought the studio. Stevenson and BOOM! reworked the idea into a series concept, and HBO Max won out in a multi-streamer bidding war.
Stevenson is also known for her Eisner-winning fantasy/sci-fi graphic novel Nimona (HarperCollins), which began as a webcomic slash senior thesis project at MICA. Her autobiographical graphic novel The Fire Never Goes OUt: A Memoir in Pictures was released by HarperCollins in March.
Netflix has quite the holly-jolly announcement today, unwrapping a slew of holiday series specials and standalone movies — many of which will end up on animation lovers’ nice list.
Original specials:
Alien Xmas (premiering November 20) | When a race of kleptomaniac aliens attempts to steal Earth’s gravity in order to more easily take everything on the planet, only the gift-giving spirit of Christmas and a small alien named X can save the world.
Based on a 2006 picture book by the Chiodo Bros, this title is an homage to the classic Rankin-Bass holiday specials. The stop-motion special is directed by Stephen Chiodo, produced by Edward Chiodo, and executive produced by Jon Favreau, David Ellender of Sonar Entertainment, Sander Schwartz, Charles Chiodo, Jim Strain and Karen Gilchrist. Jon Favreau previously collaborated with the Chiodo Bros on his blockbuster holiday movie ELF.
Alien Xmas
Angela’s Christmas Wish (December 1) | A heart-warming tale of a determined little girl who sets out to reunite her family in time for Christmas. Based on characters from Pulitzer Prize-winning author Frank McCourt, it is a tender and funny story about the importance of family and togetherness.
Angela’s Christmas Wish is a sequel to 2018’s Angela’s Christmas from Brown Bag Films.
Angela’s Christmas Wish
New series specials:
Dragons: Rescue Riders: Huttsgalor Holiday (Nov. 24) | Huttsgalor’s favorite winter festival is finally here! But will some ice-breathing dragons put a frost on everyone’s fun.
A Go! Go! Cory Carson Christmas (Nov. 27) | When a snow plow, who has an uncanny resemblance to Santa, crashes in the Carsons’ yard, Cory must remind him who he is in order to save Christmas.
Wonderoos: Holiday Holiday! (Nov. 29) | It’s winter in the big city and everyone is excited to celebrate the holidays! When Poppy decides to throw a holiday party for Sully, the Wonderoos learn that there are lots of different holidays and ways to celebrate!
Chico Bon Bon and a Very Berry Holiday (Dec. 3) | When Barry the Berry Bear doesn’t show up to deliver the traditional Blunderberry Cakes on Blunderberry Day Eve, the Fix-It Force kicks it into high gear to save the town’s most magical holiday!
Captain Underpants: Mega Blissmas (Dec. 4) | George and Harold love Christmas, but they feel like it could use some upgrades. So they make a comic about a new version of the holiday: BLISSMAS. Instead of red bows, laser shows! Instead of ugly sweaters, cool capes! Instead of decorating trees, creating tree-bots! The boys take Melvin’s time toad back to convince Santa to incorporate some of their ideas to his new holiday. But they come back to the present to find that their plan didn’t work quite how they’d hoped. George and Harold realize they need to help Santa remember the true meaning of Christmas before it’s gone forever!
Mighty Express: A Mighty Christmas (Dec. 5) | Mandy Mail must deliver a load of late Christmas letters to the North Pole, then all the trains join in to help Santa deliver the presents during a big storm.
Super Monsters: Santa’s Super Monster Helpers (Dec. 8) | When GrrBus takes Sami, Zane, Olive and Rocky on a field trip to the North Pole, they accidentally cause a catastrophe at Santa’s workshop — and it’s up to the eight older Super Monsters to come to the rescue and save Christmas!
A Trash Truck Christmas (Dec. 11) | When Hank finds out that Trash Truck doesn’t know what Christmas is, he sets out to show him and their friends what the magical holiday is all about. And luckily for Santa, the friends are up to speed just in time to help save Christmas.
Netflix is also bringing on board old friends, with Elf Pets: A Fox Cub’s Christmas Tale, Elf Pets: Santa’s Reindeer Rescue and Elliot the Littlest Reindeer on Nov. 1, and Spookley and the Christmas Kittens popping out of the pumpkin patch Nov. 30.
In celebration of its 21st anniversary, Italy’s premiere digital media even VIEW Conference brings together no less than 160 world-class filmmakers, producers, studio executives, animators, artists, game developers, musicians, journalists and educators during a lively week delivering 125 online and onsite talks, workshops, masterclasses and panels.
This impressive lineup will be presented October 18 to 23 in Torino, Italy, with all sessions being made available online. Furthermore, for this year only, all content – both the regular program and the special Business Innovation Summit – will be absolutely free.
“There has been so much bad news in 2020,” says Conference Director Dr. Maria Elena Gutierrez, “so I’m thrilled to be able to share some great news for a change. Everyone could use some extra light and joy in their lives, so we have made the unprecedented decision to make this year’s conference completely free!” Supporting the free access, every session will be available online, allowing anyone to attend anywhere in the world. “This is a fantastic chance to grow the VIEW community, and to welcome into our family participants who are unable to travel to Torino or buy a full access pass.”
Keynoting the conference is Ed Catmull, co-founder of Pixar and former president of Pixar and Disney AnimationStudios. A true computer graphics visionary, Catmull pioneered such fundamentals as texture mapping, bicubic patches and spatial anti-aliasing. He is author of the book Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration, described as “the first-ever, all-access trip into the nerve center of Pixar.”
Ed Catmull
Also headlining are two bona fide legends from the world of visual effects: nine-time Academy Award winner Dennis Muren, creative director at Industrial Light & Magic; and Phil Tippett, director, producer, visual effects supervisor, founder of Tippett Studio and winner of two Oscars. Muren achieved breakthrough work at the dawn of the digital revolution on films such as The Abyss and Jurassic Park. Tippett and ILM originated the revolutionary Go-Motion technique, which combined stop-motion animation with motion control technology. Through their long careers, both have continued to steer the art and science of visual effects to ever greater heights.
Additionally, Paul Debevec, senior engineer at GoogleVR, will deliver a keynote to launch the VIEW 2020 Business Innovation Summit. This carefully curated series of presentations and workshops takes place within the main conference, and provides insight not only into the creative process behind the latest movies, games and experiences, but also the synergy between that creativity and the industries it serves.
“Our keynotes bring such an extraordinary depth of talent and experience to the conference,” Dr. Gutierrez says. “Yet they are only the start. This year, I’m especially proud of the diversity of topics and speakers. For example, 43 of our speakers are women, including studio heads, animated film directors, producers, visual effects artists and game developers. We have a number of highly topical talks and panels addressing the challenges of production during the COVID-19 pandemic, plus others looking at the latest production tools and techniques – including a panel on virtual production with Westworld’s Jay Worth, Sam Nicholson of Stargate Studios and Habib Zargarpour from Unity. We have panels on storytelling, lighting, women in virtual production … the list goes on!”
Mireille Soria, Niki Lopez, Peter Ramsey
The VIEW 2020 lineup includes more than 30 studio heads and chief creative officers. Mireille Soria, president of Paramount Animation, joins Disney’s Osnat Shurer, producer of Raya and the Last Dragon and Moana, and Maureen Fan, co-founder and CEO of Baobab Studios, for a panel on Women in the Animation Industry. A panel on diversity and inclusion in animation moderate by Animation Magazine’s editor Ramin Zahed features Ramsey Naito, president of Nickelodeon Animation, who will also host a special Nickelodeon session showcasing the work of Miguel Puga (The Casagrandes) and Niki Lopez (Santiago of the Seas). Meanwhile, Rob Bredow, head of ILM, contemplates nothing less than the future of entertainment itself.
The Conference also brings together 30 directors of animated feature films, short films, and animated television series including Kris Pearn (The Willoughbys), Sergio Pablos (Klaus), Kyle Balda (Minions), Peter Ramsey (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse), Walt Dohrn (Trolls World Tour), Joel Crawford (The Croods), Conrad Vernon (The Addams Family), Eric Darnell (Madagascar) and Jeff Rowe (Nickelodeon’s upcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). In a special panel, directors Jorge R. Gutierrez (The Book of Life), Tony Bancroft (Animal Crackers) and Cartoon Saloon co-founder Tomm Moore (co-director of Wolfwalkers with Ross Stewart) will debate the future of cinema.
Soul
Disney-Pixar’s upcoming animated feature Soul gets the all-star VIEW Conference treatment in a special presentation in which animation supervisor Bobby Podesta, lead lighting technical director Max Bickley and technical director Markus Kranzler discuss their artistic and technical approaches to creating the world of “The Great Before,” where souls acquire their personalities before coming to Earth.
Digging deeper into the packed program reveals world-class professionals at every turn. Representing visual effects are ILM’s Roger Guyett (Star Wars), Hal Hickel (The Mandalorian), Stefen Fangmeier (Game of Thrones), Weta Digital’s Anders Langlands (Mulan), Jay Worth (Westworld) and Framestore creative director Tim Webber (Gravity). Sharing their expertise on AR/VR/XR and real-time media are Unity’s Ron Martin and Sébastien Deguy, vice president of 3D and Immersive at Adobe, while from Baobab Studios, head of content Kane Lee and CTO Larry Cutler will discuss the making of their latest VR project, Baba Yaga. Conference attendees won’t want to miss legendary Cornell professor Dr. Donald Greenberg in conversation with Eloi Champagne, technical director for VR at the National Film Board of Canada. Also on hand to share their insights are creative consultant Rafi Nizam and Pixar’s Dylan Sisson.
The Last of Us Part II
Game developers and artists are equally well represented in a huge range of workshops, masterclasses and sessions. Topics include the art of storytelling with Nordeus’ Nikola Damjanov – who also joins concept artist Sébastien Hue and Respawn art director Todd Sue for a panel on game art – art direction with Guerilla Games’ Jan-Bart Van Beek, and creating a game studio with Nordeus co-founder Milan Jovovic. Naughty Dog art directors John Sweeney and Erick Pangilinan lift the lid on this year’s hit action-adventure game The Last of Us Part II.
Widening the scope yet further, Pixar co-founder Dr. Alvy Ray Smith will preview his groundbreaking book, The Biography of the Pixel, scheduled for publication Spring 2021, while Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist Ann Telnaes will showcase her work from The Washington Post.
Just before the conference launches, audiences can enjoy a special preVIEW workshop with Tony Bancroft, in which the Annie Award-winning animator and Animal Crackers co-director teaches the craft of Animating Comedy Characters.
The impact of COVID-19 has challenged the entire world. Like so many businesses around the globe, the digital media and entertainment industries have risen to these challenges, committing to daring and innovative solutions while maintaining focus and optimism. VIEW Conference is proud to celebrate the remarkable achievements of so many extraordinary people in this turbulent year.
“Earlier this year, I wondered how we could create a conference in 2020 with the same value as previous years,” says Dr. Gutierrez. “But when we reached out to our international VIEW family the response was fantastic, and I’m immensely proud to say we have gone beyond anything I could have imagined. VIEW 2020 will be interactive, innovative, inspiring – and free for everyone to enjoy. I couldn’t be more excited!”
The captivating heroes, monsters and deities of ancient Greek mythology get a thrilling contemporary reimagining in Blood of Zeus — a new adult-targeted animated epic coming to Netflix from Powerhouse Animation (Castlevania, Seis Manos). Announced as Gods & Heroesin March of 2019, the show has revealed its official trailer ahead of its October 27 premiere.
The spot promises even more of the exciting battles, supernatural power flexes and nail-biting conflicts between mortals and immortals fans have come to expect from the studio’s previous anime-influence originals.
In a brewing war between the gods of Olympus and the titans, Heron, a commoner living on the outskirts of ancient Greece, becomes mankind’s best hope of surviving an evil demon army, when he discovers the secrets of his past.
Created, written and executive produced by Charley Parlapanides and Vlas Parlapanides (writers, Death Note [2017], Immortals), the new fantasy-action series stars Derek Phillips (Friday Night Lights) as Heron, Jason O’Mara(Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) as Zeus, Mamie Gummer (True Detective) as Electra, Chris Diamantopoulos (Silicon Valley) as Evios, Jessica Henwick (Luke Cage) as Alexia, Melina Kanakaredes (The Resident) as Ariana, Claudia Christian (Babylon 5) as Hera and Elias Toufexis (The Expanse) as Seraphim.
The Visual Effects Society (VES), the industry’s global professional honorary society, announced the Society’s newest Honorary Members, VES Fellows and inductees into the VES Hall of Fame. The honorees and Hall of Fame inductees will be recognized at a virtual celebration in the coming weeks.
Don Iwerks, Greg Jein and the late Ron Cobb were named Honorary Members. This year’s venerated VES Fellows, who will be bestowed with the post-nominal letters“VES,” are: Warren Franklin, David Johnson, Janet Muswell Hamilton, Ken Ralston and Sebastian Sylwan. The 2020 class of VES Hall of Fame honorees includes Irwin Allen, Mary Blair, Claire Parker, Gene Warren, Jr. and Gene Warren, Sr.
“Our VES honorees represent a group of exceptional artists, innovators and professionals who have had a profound impact on the field of visual effects,” said Mike Chambers, VES Board Chair. “We are proud to recognize those who helped shape our shared legacy and continue to inspire future generations of VFX practitioners.”
Spaceship Nostromo concept design for Alien by Honorary Member Ron Cobb.
VES 2020 Honorees
Honorary Member: Ron Cobb. Cobb, who passed away September 21, was an acclaimed cartoonist, artist, writer, film designer and film director, who passed away earlier this month. He was the production designer on Conan the Barbarian, The Last Starfighter and Leviathan and contributed conceptual designs to Star Wars, Alien, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Abyss, Total Recall (1990) and Back to the Future. His illustrations have been published in the books RCD-25, Mah Fellow Americans, The Cobb Book, Cobb Again and Colorvision.
Honorary Member: Don Iwerks. Iwerks is a former Disney executive, Disney Legend, co-founder of Iwerks Entertainment and a renowned developer of special venues throughout the world. Iwerks is the recipient of the Gordon E. Sawyer Award, an Oscar from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which honors “an individual in the motion picture industry whose technological contributions have brought credit to the industry.”
Honorary Member: Greg Jein. Jein is a model designer and artist whose work includes studio models, props and other artwork, including landscape miniatures, that appeared throughout the Star Trek franchise. Jein was twice nominated for an Academy Award for Visual Effects for his work on Close Encounters of the Third Kind and 1941 and is also known for his work on Avatar, Oblivion and Interstellar.
VES Fellow Ken Ralson prepares to shoot an asteroid damaged T.I.E. fighter for Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) VES Fellow: Warren Franklin. Franklin is a global leader of the animation and visual effects industry. As the founder and former CEO of Rainmaker Entertainment, he helped establish Vancouver as an industry hub. Franklin was a key member of George Lucas’ creative and management team where he served as Group Vice President, managing six divisions, including Industrial Light & Magic, LucasArts and Skywalker Sound. As the VP and General Manager of ILM, the company won nine Academy Awards during his tenure.
VES Fellow: David Johnson. Johnson is the award winning founder, CEO and Creative Director of Undertone FX, Inc., a studio specializing in real time visual effects for video games and VR/AR. Johnson was the Lead Visual Effects Artist at Activision/Blizzard’s Infinity Ward Studio, creator of the Call of Duty Franchise. He is a two-time VES Awards winner, advisory board member for VFX Voice, contributing author to Introduction to Game Development and The VES Handbook of Visual Effects and co-founder of RealTimeVFX.com.
VES Fellow: Janet Muswell Hamilton. Muswell is currently the Global Director of VFX Production for Netflix and an original member of the VES Board of Directors. With a career spanning several decades, she established her reputation as a VFX Producer and/or supervisor for cutting-edge visual effects on a wide range of groundbreaking television series and theatrical features, as well as animation, IMAX, commercials and Stereoscopic Special Venue projects.
VES Fellow: Ken Ralston. Ralston is a VES Lifetime Achievement Award recipient and has earned five BAFTAs and five Academy Awards, including a Special Achievement Oscar for the visual effects in Star Wars: Episode VI – The Return of the Jedi and VFX Oscars for Forrest Gump, Death Becomes Her, Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Cocoon. Ralston served as the Creative Head at Sony Pictures Imageworks, and prior to that, played a pivotal role in advancing Industrial Light & Magic’s renown over the course of 20 years.
VES Fellow: Sebastian Sylwan. Sylwan is the Chief Technology Officer – Film & Episodic TV at Technicolor. A digital media executive with a passion for technology’s ability to arouse emotion, he develops live-action immersive experiences in addition to the cameras, tools and workflows necessary for their realization. Sylwan is the chair of the VES Technology Committee and an active member of the Academy’s Sci-Tech Awards Committee, Previsualization Committee and the Virtual Production Committee.
Vizdev for Alice in Wonderland (1951) by Hall of Fame Inductee Mary Blair
VES 2020 Hall of Fame Inductees
Irwin Allen (1916 – 1991). Allen was an American film and television producer and director, known for his work in science fiction, then later as the “Master of Disaster” for his work in the disaster film genre. His most successful productions were The Poseidon Adventure and The Towering Inferno. He won an Academy Award for his documentary The Sea Around Us and was creator of Lost in Space, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea and Time Tunnel.
Mary Blair (1911 – 1978). Blair was an American artist, animator and designer and Disney Legend, prominent in producing art and animation for The Walt Disney Company and drawing concept art for Alice In Wonderland, Peter Pan and Cinderella and character designs for attractions including Disneyland’s It’s a Small World.
Claire Parker (1906 – 1981). Parker was an American engineer and animator, and her best-known contribution to the history of cinema is the Pinscreen, a vertically-mounted grid of 240,000 sliding metal rods that are first manually pushed into position to create lit and shaded areas, then filmed frame by frame. It was one of the first devices ever to produce animation by reconfiguring a set of individual picture elements, later called pixels.
Gene Warren, Jr. (1941 – 2019). Warren, Jr., was lauded special effects designer at Fantasy II Film Effects. He received an Academy Award and BAFTA for his work on Terminator 2: Judgment Day and an Emmy for The Winds of War. He was also known for his work providing spectacular in-camera illusions for Francis Ford Coppola’s Dracula, and shared a VES Award nomination with his son, Gene Warren III, for miniature work on the action thriller The Expendables.
Gene Warren, Sr. (1916 – 1997). Warren Sr., was an award-winning special-effects director. He started his career as an animator and puppeteer, and his work was seen in dozens of films from the 1950s-70s including Tom Thumb, The Seven Faces of Dr. Lao, Spartacus, The Andromeda Strain and The Time Machine, which won him the Academy Award for Special Effects.
As previously announced, venerated industry executive Ray Scalice was named recipient of the 2020 VES Founders Award. The Society designated visual effects producer Debbie Denise, professor and FMX founder Thomas Haegele, visual effects supervisor Richard Hollander, VES and model shop supervisor / special effects artist Eugene “Gene” P. Rizzardi, Jr. with Lifetime VES memberships.
The 2020 VES Honors celebration is supported by Gold Sponsors Netflix and Rotomaker, and Silver Sponsor Sony Pictures Imageworks.
Sometimes, before you can solve a problem, you need to step back and get a fresh perspective on it. A view from space of our planet’s climate crisis is one of the powerful motifs of Astronaut Spaceman — an animated call to action from Patrick Tiberius Gehlen, set to the poignant song by Jared Kotler & George Vitray. The piece, which digitally recreates a richly textured stop-motion look, centers on a group of scientists struggling to create life on their space station, and a little girl on Earth who helps them plant a new seed of hope.
Gehlen is a short filmmaker and Emmy-winning VFX artist who has worked on Game of Thrones, The Mandalorian and several Marvel movies. He was kind enough to share more of his thoughts and inspirations behind Astronaut Spaceman with Animation Magazine. Watch the just-launched short and check out his Q&A below.
Animation Magazine: What prompted you to work on this project?
Patrick Gehlan: My friend, Jared Kotler, whom I’ve known since college, sent me the song, saying how he thought it would make a great animated music video. So I listened to it many, many times, and my interpretation of it grew into a story of a small band of brave scientists and a determined little girl fighting to restore a spark of life to a dying Earth.
How long did it take to make and how many people worked on the short?
I can’t speak to how long it took for the song to be completed, but I probably worked on it part time for a month last year, before shelving it for a bit while I finished my first short film. Then, when I finished my film, Requiem for a Crab, I let Jared know that I felt it was now or never to bring Astronaut Spaceman to life. COVID had slowed the industry enough that my work, The Third Floor, was willing to let me take a hiatus to get it done.
So, I started in earnest at the beginning of June and finished it at the end of August — so just shy of three months. I had an asset team of five, one layout artist and my friend, Danny Clark, who animated the run and walk cycle for all the main characters. And myself, of course … I did all the rest.
Astronaut Spaceman
What was your biggest challenge in making Astronaut Spaceman?
The biggest challenge was coming up with a cool and memorable look that could be accomplished on a VERY tight timeframe, and on an equally tight budget. I wanted to go for a faux, stop-motion kind of feel with fun, cute characters that would read as sawdust, stuffed dolls, without the need for complex cloth sims.
I also knew I didn’t have the time or money to model a sprawling cityscape, so that’s where KitBash3D came in. Randomly, one of the heads of KitBash3D, Banks Boutte, is the brother of a good friend of mine. He graciously gave me all the city model kits I needed.
So, after I had the model kits and the model of our little girl character (Maddy), I did my firsts tests with Arnold and I felt that I could indeed create something cool from the comfort of my home office.
Astronaut Spaceman
Where was the animation produced and which animation tools did you use to produce it?
The animation was humbly produced out of my home for the most part (I live in Los Angeles). As far as tools used, I used Maya, Arnold, Adobe After Effects and Adobe Premiere. And, as I mentioned, Kitbash3D came to my rescue as well.
What was the ballpark budget?
This is a loaded question! Jared and his business partner, Natalie Rounick, came up with enough cash for me to keep a roof over my head while I took a hiatus from work and called in some favors from friends to work for far less than they are worth. But, Jared and I both strongly felt that now was the time to try to tell this story, so we just found a way to make it happen.
If I was bidding this out as a real job, and factored in appropriate pay levels not based on activism, I would say the budget would have landed, ballpark, around $140k.
Astronaut Spaceman
What was toughest about producing a “passion project” in these times?
I would say the ticking clock of how much time I had free to finish the project was the biggest challenge. I knew I would be starting in on a new film/TV project with The Third Floor sometime in August, and that if the two projects overlapped, my production speed would slow to a crawl. And I knew, for certain, that we wanted to put Astronaut Spaceman out into the world in time to reach people before Nov. 3rd. Luckily, the show I was starting on got delayed, and I was able to finish this video just in the nick of time!
What do you hope audiences will take away from the short?
My wife and I have five nieces between us, and I want them to have a healthy world to grow up in. The rate at which the climate crisis has accelerated is truly frightening, so I wanted to do whatever was in my power to try to help spread a message about the importance of dealing with this threat before all hope is lost.
And while it is scary, I think it’s critical to not give in to despair. We have to keep fighting, so my hope would be that people that watch this might be reminded that we all need to do what we can. And the most immediate, important thing we can do is to VOTE for leaders that believe in science and moving us towards a sustainable future.
Astronaut Spaceman
What lessons did you learn from creating your short?
I have actually created several animated shorts. When I was working on Game of Thrones, I spent my nights and weekends (it’s hard for me to shut off) on a bizarre little web series called Fatty Littlehead – Space Ranger, about a morbidly obese Space Ranger and his enabling pal, Doc Fausto … essentially Cheech & Chong in space.
Fatty was fun (and can be found on YouTube), but I think I found that as fun as drug and fart humor can be, there was something really rewarding about merging the artforms of animation and music to try to help bring attention to something that really affects all of us.
What do you love best about working in the short-form space?
Animated shorts were my first true love when I first started working in 3D. I loved (and still love) being able to come up with an idea and take it through it’s full life cycle in a relatively short period of time.
My brain lives in a world of odd, surreal vignettes, so short-form storytelling really is my comfort zone and happy place.
CelAction announced Tuesday the first in the new Version 4 range of CelAction2D products, built on a completely new core engine that will form the basis of rapid, powerful updates to lead the state of the art of 2D animation technology into the new decade.
During the most disruptive year in living memory, and with everyone facing an uncertain future, CelAction2D Version 4 is focused on a toolset that will make the animation industry stronger and more durable. Bringing new and diverse talent up to speed and giving animators of all experience levels the ability to generate more footage than ever before has become a priority.
“With Version 4 we’ve targeted discoverability and productivity. People can learn faster and then animate faster,” said Andy Blazdell, CelAction’s CEO. “And as well as reducing the total cost of production, we want to reduce the total cost of ownership, too. Version 4 is so easy to use, it requires less support, so we’re passing that saving on to animators. We’re reducing our prices by 20% across the board for Version 4, and anyone who bought a previous version, even as far back as Version 1, will get a free upgrade. Now is the time to support the animation industry with actions, not just words.”
With more bespoke teams starting up around the world, CelAction has added new modular options to their perpetual-licence range. The first module is CelAction2D Animator Edition, which is a less expensive version of the popular CelAction2D Professional Edition, but without the rigging tools. This way, smaller studios can buy just a couple of Professional Edition licences for their riggers, and their animators can work with the Animator Edition licences, so that they can pay the absolute minimum and still get world-class product with the support they need.
For larger projects, CelAction2D Studio Edition now has a monthly per-user rental option, allowing users to expand their teams dynamically and still get cost-effective access to the most powerful 2D animation software when they need it most.
“With previous versions of CelAction2D, our clients animated international successes such as Peppa Pig, Bluey, Mr. Bean and Simon’s Cat,” Blazdell added. “We can’t wait to see what will be created with Version 4.”
London-based CelAction has been providing animation software solutions to the 2D industry for over 20 years, helping to create massively successful and award-winning shows for clients such as Aardman, Karrot Entertainment, Folimage and Tiger Aspect. Their flagship product, CelAction2D, allows small teams of animators to work on very complicated shows using advanced skeletal-based rigs, creating high-quality animation in short time-frames, in a variety of visual styles.
Netflix announces an all-new original anime series: Godzilla Singular Point, featuring a brand new cast and original story set to premiere globally on Netflix in 2021.
Following the success of the anime feature films Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters, Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle and Godzilla: The Planet Eater comes an all new original anime series from director Atsushi Takahashi (Doraemon the Movie 2017: Great Adventure in the Antarctic Kachi Kochi). Anime studio bones (My Hero Academia) in partnership with studio Orange (Beastars, Land of the Lustrous) will produce the series, combining hand-drawn and CG animation styles.
In addition to director Takahashi, the creative team includes Kan Sawada, composer for countless Doraemon films and series such as Yowamushi Pedal; Japanese science-fiction novelist Toh Enjoe, making his TV debut as editor and writer for the series; Kazue Kato, creator of Blue Exorcist and the hit comic currently serialized in Jump Square,will serve as the character designer; and animator Eiji Yamamori from Studio Ghibli films including Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away and The Wind Rises will do the Kaiju design.
Buckle up and put on your capes! Warner Bros. Animation (WBA) is beginning production on Batwheels, a preschool animated action-adventure comedy series starring the most heroic and iconic vehicles from the DC universe. The upcoming series will air on Cartoon Network and HBO Max, as well as globally across all Cartoon Network platforms.
“Batwheels is the perfect show to headline our new foray into preschool,” said Tom Ascheim, President, Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics (GKYAC). “I can’t wait for all the aspiring super heroes out there to meet this whole new batch of crime-fighters.”
They are a team of incredible crime fighters who have banded together to oppose evil, combat crime and clean up the streets of Gotham City. They are … okay, they’re NOT Batman and Robin. They’re the Batwheels: an awesome group of sentient super-powered crime-fighting vehicles defending Gotham City alongside Batman, Robin, Batgirl and a host of DC Super Heroes.
Having just been created by the Batcomputer, our heroes are essentially kids with little to no life experience. Led by Bam (The Batmobile), the Batwheels – Bibi (The Batgirl Cycle), Red (The Redbird), Jett (The Batwing) and Buff (The Bat Truck) – must navigate the growing pains of being a newly formed super team as well as the growing pains that come with just being a kid. This relatable and aspirational series will follow the journey of this dynamic team as they thrill and entertain with their heroic adventures as well as demonstrate to kids the value of self-confidence, friendship and teamwork.
“From Batman: The Animated Series to Teen Titans Go!, superhero storytelling has definitely been one of our superpowers here at Warner Bros. Animation,” said Sam Register, President, Warners Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios. “We are so excited to bring that expertise over to the preschool space and take something that all kids love, cool vehicles, and give it a turbo boost with Batman!”
Batwheels is produced by Warner Bros. Animation. Sam Register (Looney Tunes Cartoons) serves as executive producer. Michael G. Stern (Doc McStuffins) serves as co-executive producer, Simon J. Smith (Baymax Dreams) is supervising producer and Steven Fink of Bang Zoom Ltd. is producer.
Segovia, Spain’s Weird Market and 3D Wire Fest closed their 12th edition with a list of winners, with nine projects and six short films in competition receiving various recognitions out of 2020’s selection of 43 productions from 24 different countries. This year, the short film competition awards were joined by a new distinction: the RTVE Video Game Weird Plus Award.
Flesh
The 3D Wire Fest jury made up of the French producer Edwina Liard (founder, IKKI Films), Franco-Colombian Melissa Vega (director of int’l sales, Dandelooo), Brazilian Paula Taborda dos Guaranys (director of original content, co-pros & acquisitions, Planeta Junior) and Spaniard Jorge Sanz (director, Aguilar de Campoo Int’l Short Film Festival) award Best National Short Film to Camila Kater’s Flesh, adding to its recognitions from the Locarno, Annecy, Málaga and Huesca festivals. A special mention was also given to Mad in Xpain by Coke Riobóo. The South Korean short Mascot by Leeha Kim and Icelandic film Yes-People by Gísli Darri Halldórsson received distinctions for the best international and European short film, respectively.
Yes-People
Audiences attending the screenings at La Cárcel Segovia Centro de Creación crowned two Audience Award winners: the Portuguese stop-motion short The Peculiar Crime of Oddball Mr Jay by Bruno Caetano (International) and Roberto by Carmen Córdoba (National).
The second of the fundamental axes of Weird Market is the call for projects. In 2020, a total of 203 were selected for the catalogue, of which nine make up its list of winners focused, in this section, on short film, series, web series and video game projects.
The first of them is the Movistar + Short Film Project Award for He Ran Towards His Comrade by Genís Rigol. The recognition is endowed with the acquisition of the broadcast rights by Movistar+ for 9,000 euros for a period of two years (unlimited number of passes), with first year exclusivity. In addition, the short will be officially released at the 2021 or 2022 edition of Weird Market.
Relicta
For its part, RTVE awarded three distinctions. The one aimed at the most innovative video game proposal went to Gylt from Tequila Works; while the most innovative VR video game project is Mighty Polygon’s Relicta. Finally, a new award has been created called the RTVE Video Game Weird Plus Award, for the videogame that breaks the mold, which was bestowed on Alt254 by Rename Studio. These projects now have the possibility of being presented to the Directorate of Interactives of RTVE.
In the new talent section, the best young series project creator went to Welcome to Fucking Rainbowland by Nuño Benito and Nacho Subirats (Spain), earning them free professional accreditation for the next edition of Annecy-MIFA. Another recognized project is the Villa Fábula series, giving creator Víctor Marín a free place in the executive production course for animation short films, series and feature films from Media Training Consulting.
Welcome to Fucking Rainbowland
Regarding the call for online animation series projects in partnership with Átomo Network the Átomo Grand Prix for the best web series presented to Toque de quena (gente rota), by Gabriel Lucero (Argentina).
Last but not least, the Robot Atómico Award was given to F#%@ My Family by Ricardo Abraham (Ríe Animation, Mexico), and the Átomo Network Award went to Fail in Love by Cécile Rousset, Romain Blanc-Tailleur and Adrienne Nowak (Darjeeling Productions, France).
The award ceremony closed out an edition that has combined in-person activities with virtual elements in a hybrid format; managing to maintain Weird Market’s commitment to the sector and the audience, both physically and online.
“It has been a sign of strength and commitment by and for the content creation and IP sector. The response from the audience has been very good both in theaters and in the presentations and talks through the internet, the event has been followed from all corners of the planet,” said event director José Luis Farias. “In the coming days we will analyze the data in depth, but we can affirm that this edition has kept the spirit intact, while expanding its international audience.”
Netflix is bringing a lost toy’s heartwarming search for home to life in Lost Ollie — a new 4 x 45′ live-action series boosted by a little CGI magic. The project was announced in a blog post Tuesday morning from Teddy Biaselli, Director, YA/Family Series for Netflix.
“It was one of the first projects I bought when I came to Netflix because I saw in it the universal story of loss that all of us, no matter how old, could relate to,” Biaselli wrote, noting that the project has been in the works for four years. “Lost Ollie is truly an odyssey about two friends trying to reunite in the face of all the dangers that childhood can throw at them. I love this show because it taps into that well of emotion we all feel when we lose something or someone important to us, and the courage we have to find in ourselves to get it back, or to move on.”
Based on the book Ollie’s Odyssey written and illustrated by William Joyce and developed with Brandon Oldenburg — the Oscar-winning duo behind animated short The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore — the series is being adapted by creator Shannon Tindle (story/character design, Kubo and the Two Strings) and directed by Oscar winner Peter Ramsey(Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse). Ramsey previously brought Joyce’s The Guardians of Childhood to the big screen in animated fantasy Rise of the Guardians.
Tindle and Ramsey are executive producing alongside Shawn Levy and John Barry for 21 Laps Entertainment (Stranger Things), with Emily Morris as co-executive producer. Oldenburg, CCO of light School Studio, and Lampton Enochs will also serve as executive producers.
Lost Ollie is the story of a lost toy, searching across the countryside for the boy who lost him, and the story of the boy who lost more than a best friend. An epic adventure to reunite in the face of all the dangers that childhood can throw at them.
Industrial Light & Magic is creating CG characters for the series, including Ollie and his friends.
Cartoon Network’s beloved Baby Bears assemble for their next adventure, We Baby Bears, an original comedy coming spring 2021. Overloaded with the cuteness and humor that fans around the globe adore them for, the series tracks baby Grizz, Panda and Ice Bear through a multitude of imaginative worlds, but this time via their magical box.
Currently in production, We Bare Bears director Manny Hernandez returns as executive producer to bring his own creative vision to life in the newest iteration of the sibling cubs arrival.
We Baby Bears features the Baby Bears on their search for a place they can settle down and fit into. Each episode transports them into vibrant and colorful worlds, where they befriend legions of familiar fairytale faces. During their nonstop crusade, they are faced with the decision to stay or to continue on their journey for a permanent abode they can call home. Produced by Cartoon Network Studios, We Bare Bears creator Daniel Chong also joins Hernandez as executive producer.
“Manny’s admiration for anime and music come to life in this fresh new expansion of a beloved franchise,” said Tom Ascheim, President, Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics (GKYAC). “The spectacular landscapes and musical inspirations transform this new series into an unforgettable journey for all We Bare Bears’ fans and beyond. And did I mention they are baby bears!”
The announcement follows the debut of We Bare Bears The Movie, the first-ever TV movie for the series which served as the finale for the long-running hit show We Bare Bears. The TV movie debuted for digital download earlier this summer and trended in the top 10 of Comedy and Kids & Family on iTunes for several weeks after its release. The TV movie is still available on the Cartoon Network app as well as for digital download on all major platforms here. Read more about it in Animation Magazine‘s feature story here.
***This feature originally ran in the November ’20 issue of Animation Magazine***
We caught up with some of the top international animation content execs ahead of MIPCOM Online+ to find out about what they’re looking for and how they’re faring in 2020.
Sebastian Debertin
Sebastian Debertin
Head of Intl. Content Acquisitions
KiKA (Children’s Channel of ARD & ZDF)
Shows that impressed me in 2020: I guess we rank it down a bit and say “great shows!” Well, what hopefully will end up in a great TV series (for HBO Max) is the Oscar-winning short Hair Love. That was one of the few animated stories that truly touched my heart. Dog Loves Books is a great series, too, which we had the pleasure to co-produce with Komixx U.K., ABC Australia and of course the BBC. Inspiring kids to read a book does not go out of fashion. We also co-produced The Lost Letter, with the talented team at Dream Logic and our friends at Lupus Films.
What I look for in an animated property: Quality, on all levels, but most of all, magic! In other words, an animated film or series should make the audience laugh, shiver, cry — make the audience feel like the hero or heroine. Ultimately, it should make the viewer happy.
Best advice: Be enthusiastic and show that you love what you are creating, producing and making. Be positive and happy. And try to really listen to the comments of the people you pitch to. And then, perhaps, they will offer you the key to make your property even a bit stronger and come to life.
Worst thing you can do during a pitch: Not being enthusiastic, not really listening, but pulling off a loveless pitch in the process. Even worse: Looking at your smartphone or answering a short message or even a phone call while pitching!
Best thing I made during the COVID shutdown: Cooking lunch and dinner for the family has been wonderful.
What I love about working from home: Seeing a bit more of my fantastic kids growing up.
What I hate about it: I miss meeting so many nice people in person.
Best way to approach me: A short mail with a five-line pitch, a few scribbles and lots of enthusiasm is the right recipe to approach me. Email Constanze.Spilling@kika.de or Anna-Michelle.Gafron@kika.de. You should prove that you know your project, its unique selling properties as well as its audience and, also, show that you know a bit about KiKA and its programming and philosophy. Plus, you should explain why you feel the project could be a good fit for KiKA!
The animated show/movie that changed my life: I really fell in love with animation when I watched Looney Tunes and The Pink Panther cartoonswhen I was a child. And later, when I produced some animated shows with some of the best people in the business. Some of these shows really made it into my heart and my own Hall of Fame: Guess How Much I Love You? — my friend Suzanne Ryan at SLR Productions, from Sydney, was the one who managed to get the rights. We created a convincing concept together and ensured that this outstanding property came to life. Chloe’s Closet is a show that we created with the fantastic Mike Young and his team, a long time ago. And the series still is among the number one shows on KiKA, linear as well as online/VOD! We also celebrated Yakari being the number one hit show for 10 years now! I must say that I feel butterflies in my tummy because of the new Smurfs show we currently co-produce with our friends at IMPS, Peyo Productions, Mediatoon and TF1. Fantastic writing, and a bunch of great new female characters will bring more fun, more diversity and more entertainment than ever! I bet the show will be a new hit on KiKA in 2022 – and worldwide!
Kimberly Dennison
Kimberly Dennison
SVP Creative Exec, Animation & Family
Gaumont Animation
Years on the job: Over 15 years as a development/current/creative executive … and quite a few years in production. So, pretty much my whole adult life!
Shows that impressed me in 2020: I found The Midnight Gospel to be fascinating. Outside of animation, there have been a few shows that caught my eye … but I can honestly say I never watched Tiger King!
What I look for in an animated property: I love projects that have a unique point of view and interesting, different approaches to storytelling.
Best advice for content creators: It’s a strange time in the world, keep using your art to explore and shed light on what matters to you and what’s personal to you. The world needs you!
Worst thing you can do during a pitch: The worst thing you can do is to be unprepared. The best pitches I’ve taken lately, and especially during this time, are the ones that have been well practiced and prepared.
What I love about working from home: I’m currently setting up my new home office – I finally figured out that working in a corner of my living room just wasn’t really going to cut it!
What I hate about it: I miss the in-person connection with my coworkers and friends. There’s an ease of communication that does come from seeing everyone in real life – I miss that a ton! Nothing beats chatting in the kitchen!
The animated show/movie that changed my life: I grew up in a family that has always supported and appreciated animation as a form of storytelling … so there wasn’t a singular animated show that changed me, instead they have all influenced me. But I suppose my first real influence was Disney’s Winnie the Pooh.
Nina Hahn
Nina Hahn SVP, Production & Development
Nickelodeon International
Years on the job: 15 years
Shows that impressed me in 2020: They all impressed me, as getting any show up and off the ground at any time is super impressive.
What I look for in an animated property: I always look for authenticity and strong characters. I care about diversity and I’m always on the lookout for something that will make me laugh — out loud. It has to be visually unique, creator driven, global and be a “must have” and one of a kind!
Best advice for content creators: Do your homework prior to your pitch and target your pitch appropriately to the network or streamer that would be the best home for your work. Then, think like a programmer, and ask yourself, “Where would I program this show so that it fits tonally with that network/streamer?”
Worst thing you can do during a pitch: I would rather focus on the best thing you can do: keep it simple and be able to address (in one line), “What’s my show about?”
Best thing I made during the COVID shutdown: Not about “I” — more about we! The best thing about COVID isn’t what we made but how we made it as a team; with creative agility, non-linear creative thinking, and the welcoming of creative risk.
What I love about working from home: Not so much about working from home, but I love that COVID has challenged creative to think, write and produce differently. Change is great fuel to creativity.
What I hate about it: Not a time to hate anything … Every cloud has a silver lining!
Best way to approach me: Not just “me” but the international team: don’t hesitate to email, call, use LinkedIn — whatever is best for you!
The animated show/movie that changed my life: Tony Collingwood’s student short film called RARG. That and everything made by the Canadian National Film Board!
Sarah Muller
Sarah Muller
Head of Independent Animation & Acquisitions
BBC Children’s
Years on the job: 10 years – in two blocks. I can’t keep away!
Shows that impressed me in 2020:Hair Love (glorious), Undone (modern and courageous) and The New Adventures of Paddington (a great reworking of a classic story).
What I look for in an animated property: Heart. Originality. Great storytelling. Humor. Contemporary resonance.
Best advice for content creators: Be really thorough with your development, make sure you’re completely happy with where you’ve got it to and never, ever think, “That’ll do!”
Worst thing you can do during a pitch: Pitching’s really hard, so I’m loath to be too prescriptive. However, not being yourself is to be avoided, we want to hear your vision and why it’s important to you!
Best thing I made during the COVID shutdown: Animation has been the success story of COVID and everything has continued more or less as usual, but I would single out Elmo’s Playdate from Sesame Workshop as an exceptional piece of reactive content and, of course, not one made by me at all! But we were delighted to share it with our audience.
What I love about working from home: I’m looking at the garden, I’m watching the birds and my dogs are at my feet, so what’s not to love?
The animated show/movie that changed my life:Bambi — it was the first animated movie I ever saw and we went to the cinema to see it! I couldn’t work out why all of the grown-ups were crying, but none of the kids.
Adina Pitt
Adina Pitt
VP of Content Acquisitions & Co-Pros
Cartoon Network & Boomerang
Shows that impressed me in 2020:Craig of the Creek, Blue’s Clues & You, Bluey, Total Dramarama and, of course, 90-Day Fiance!
What I look for in an animated property: I always say that I’m looking for that thing I didn’t know we wanted/needed. That said, I love to see creators’ imaginations come to life showcasing new characters, worlds, stories. Shows with heart, humor, authenticity that are visually stunning.
Best advice for content creators: Remember who your consumer is and have fun!
Worst thing you can do during the pitch: If it is going to take you 30 minutes to explain your show, then there is a problem.
Best thing I made during lockdown: I made a fantastic carne guisada with tostones. Seriously though, I made a decision to refocus my energy to search for great ideas and reconnect with people in our industry. It’s been wonderful to connect.
What I love about working from home: Being near my kids. Mind you, my kids are 17 and 19, so they may not be so thrilled to have me so close! But I love it.
What I hate about it: Having 24/7 access to my refrigerator.
Best way to approach me: Email is always a great first communication.
The show or movie that changed my life: As a child, one of my favorite memories was sitting on my mom’s white shag carpet (it was the ‘70s!), eating cereal while watching Saturday morning cartoons. Scooby-Doo was by far my favorite. As an adult, I’d have to say that Finding Nemo was extraordinarily impactful to me. I had just had my second child and remember watching this exquisite movie and crying my eyes out. The unconditional love and friendships explored in this film are beautiful.
Vicky Schroderus
Vicky Schroderus
Executive in Charge of Intl. Co-Pros & Acquisitions
YLE Children’s Programs
Years on the job: A lifetime!
Shows that impressed me in 2020:It’s Pony and Disrupted.
What I look for in an animated property: Outstanding stories that speak to our audience as well as unique visual looks that stand out the crowd.
Best advice for content creators: Watch, learn and analyze the shows that are popular. Then try to create something different that stands out. Put most effort into the scripting and bible, but enchant with visuals.
Worst thing you can do during a pitch: Start with telling a very long story about how you got an idea for the pitch!
Best thing I made during the COVID shutdown: I started to exercise regularly.
What I love about working from home: No commuting
What I hate about it: No commuting and travelling, as well as not meeting people in person.
Best way to approach me: Send me a short email.
The animated show/movie that changed my life: Too hard to choose as there are so many, and yet there are so many in the pipeline!
Linda Simensky
Linda Simensky
Head of Content
PBS KIDS
Years on the job: 17
Shows that impressed me in 2020: Bluey, It’s Pony.
What I look for in an animated property: I love big ideas, fun and unique designs, authenticity, heart and an easy way for kids to connect to the show. I look for curriculum areas that are exactly what kids are curious about. And I like when a show doesn’t look or feel like other shows but still fits with our brand.
Best advice for content creators: Do some research on a network before pitching.
Worst thing you can do during a pitch: Tell me about another network that wants the show. I will tell you to go with them.
Best thing I made during the COVID shutdown: Space. I cleaned out my garage.
What I love about working from home: Seeing more of my family, no morning commute.
What I hate about it: Not having enough casual time to joke around with my colleagues.
Best way to approach me: Email or at a festival.
Tara Sorensen
Tara Sorensen
Head of Children’s Programming
Apple TV+ Years on the job: Two and a half years.
Shows that impressed me in 2020: Pixar’s Forky Asks a Question (Disney+) and Disney Channel’s The Owl House.
What I look for in an animated property: Emotional connection — key takeaway. I’m always thinking about the impact a show can have in that moment the audience connects with it, and hoping it stays with them far into their future.
Best advice for content creators: The strongest stories for me are always the ones that have some personal connection to the creator. There’s an intimacy they have with the characters and stories that’s hard to re-create without it.
Worst thing you can do during a pitch: Not be familiar with the shows already on our service.
Best thing I made during the COVID shutdown: There’s a lot of content I’m excited about for parents and young audiences, but a few that come to mind are the Fraggle Rock: Rock On! and Helpsters Help You — short-form content which were seemingly done overnight. The passion and dedication of The Jim Henson Company and Sesame Workshop was amazing to see in motion. Because of the underlying message of each original, it felt like the world needed some Fraggle and Helpsters magic at a time of uncertainty and darkness. We were able to introduce the Fraggles to a new generation of fans while appealing to nostalgic parents and adults alike, as they showed us we could connect with friends and loved ones regardless of where we were, physically speaking. Meanwhile, the Helpsters shared creative ideas for activities to do while at home, and what to do when life doesn’t go as expected.
What I love about working from home: Getting to spend more time with my family. Eating dinner every night with my husband, Scott, and our two children, Lucas and Laurel … and having my dog at my feet for WebEx meetings.
What I hate about it: It’s hard drawing a line between work and home when your office is your home.
Best way to approach me: Through a mutual contact.
The animated show/movie that changed my life: Really Rosie and The Point.
Amanda Vaughan
Amanda Vaughan
Production Executive
Corus Kids
Years on the job: Two years on the programming team and three years on the original content team at Corus.
Shows that impressed me in 2020: TELETOON premiered the second season of Fresh TV’s Total Dramarama this year. The show is truly stand-out and every single episode is hilarious from beginning to end.
What I look for in an animated property: We’re currently looking for animated comedies, so humor is definitely key. I also look for strong characters that feel fresh, flawed but still loveable, and well-rounded, as well as diversity in the characters and in the stories themselves so our audiences are represented in the content on our networks. Overall, I look for series that have a unique artistic style or tone that reflects the particular creator’s vision. In other words, something that just feels new and creator-driven.
Best advice for content creators: During a pitch, I always like to ask about the relationships that the characters have with each other. It’s great to have characters that can stand alone, but when creating a pitch, make sure you spend some time on what the characters think about each other, how they interact with one another, and why they like each other or butt heads.
Worst thing you can do during a pitch: Don’t hold back! I like to hear all about the world, the characters, their relationships, and how the show would look as a full season. It’s important to feel your passion and vision during the pitch.
Best thing I made during the COVID shutdown: Pickles! I learned how to make the brine and jar them.
What I love about working from home: I feel equally as productive at home! I have set up a comfortable office and I am thankful for video calls which have allowed me to stay connected to my colleagues and partners. Plus, I love the time I get back in my day now that I’m not commuting.
What I hate about it: I miss collaborating in person with colleagues and the ideas and rich conversations that come from hallway run-ins or coffee chats in a creative space at Corus Quay.
The animated show/movie that changed my life: Disney’s Recess has always been a favorite show of mine. It really stands the test of time and is still laugh-out-loud funny today.
Alison Warner
Alison Warner
Managing Director
Blue Zoo Rights
Years on the job: One year exactly!
Shows that impressed me in 2020: I was impressed to hear about the rapid response to the BBC mini-commissioning round with so many new creative ideas coming from it. Yet to see any of the shows, however.
What I look for in an animated property: A thoughtful, creator-driven idea that shows heart and integrity.
Best advice for content creators: Know exactly who you’re pitching to and why you’re pitching to that person … and state that from the onset!
Worst thing you can do during a pitch: Lose sight of the story and why the characters are meaningful.
Best thing I made during the COVID shutdown: We have a delightful preschool property developed in-house that we’re currently working on which I’m excited to show (hopefully soon!).
What I love about working from home: More time – my commute was a long one!
What I hate about it: Not seeing my work/industry friends and colleagues – Zoom is just not the same!
The animated show/movie that changed my life: Recently, seeing the success of The Deep (the series I found while at Technicolor) – which proved that an animated adventure show works globally. Watching Bugs Bunny made me want to work in animation.
Maria Nicole Miriklis
Maria-Nicole Miriklis
Acquisitions Manager, Childrens
ABC Australia
Years on the job: Less than a year in this role, and our audiences have had bushfires, the pandemic and home learning to deal with in that time.
Shows that impressed me in 2020: Rather than pick from too many favorites, I’d love to call out our industry in 2020! In the case of animation, seeing whole studios pivot to working from home and creative teams reacting so quickly to create content that reflects all the challenges we’ve experienced has been super impressive this year. I’ve been very proud to be part of an industry and an organisation that puts our audiences first.
What I look for in an animated property: The ABC looks for animated content available for both our Free TV and VOD platforms in all genre that’s going to be relevant, entertain, inform and provide a variety of stories for our audiences to see themselves and their stories on screen — surprising and inspiring our audiences with characters, stories or worlds they might not have imagined.
Best advice for content creators: We look at and track content at all stages of development and production, and we always get a better sense of a concept directly from creators. However for us to seriously consider a title for acquisition, we do need to understand that the finance plan is in place and that you have a good idea of delivery dates.
Worst thing you can do during a pitch: We have a pretty broad remit for best in class series in all genres across both childrens offerings — ABC Kids (preschool) and ABC ME (school age). However, we still get a lot of pitches that emphasize the L&M plan or from series based directly on a toy line. Unfortunately, as a public broadcaster our editorial policies don’t allow us to acquire content that is explicitly linked to products.
Best thing I made during the COVID shutdown: While all my creative and craft projects are still taunting me unfinished, my seven-year old started experimenting with sewing and I’ve tried to help her realize her ideas. We made a pretty cool headband together.
What I love about working from home: We’ve been having team check ins daily, which means that we’re working quicker. I’ve also loved the extra flexibility to schedule myself depending on when I have calls with international partners — and the ability to enjoy the outdoors more often and go on a bushwalk or to the beach!
What I hate about it: I only had six weeks in the office in my new role, before I started working from home. I would love to get to know my colleagues outside of video meetings.
Best way to approach me: You can reach us at: Acquisitions.Childrens@abc.net.au
The animated show/movie that changed my life: I discovered Hayao Miyazaki through Nausicaa and the Valley of the Wind when I was a teen. Given that the story features a strong female lead rebelling with a purpose and solving climate issues with science and empathy — it really left an impact on a teenage me and hasn’t stopped being an important story despite being one of the oldest features from Studio Ghibli.
***This article originally appeared in the November ’20 issue of Animation Magazine (No. 304)***
Randall Okita’s powerful The Book of Distance is one of the year’s key additions to the growing collection of animated VR experiences. The Canadian artist’s room-scale project, which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year and will be available free of charge from the National Film Board of Canada starting October 8, takes audiences along on an interactive virtual pilgrimage through his grandfather’s experiences, who left his home in Hiroshima in 1935 to begin a new life in Canada. He uses techniques from mechanical sculpture, film and stage to lovingly pay homage to his family’s history as immigrants.
“What we know about our grandparents and family history often comes in bits and pieces,” Okita tells Animation Magazine. “The Book of Distance is my attempt to recover all those things my grandfather didn’t say — including certain moments that may have been too painful for him to remember. I wanted to reimagine what he lived through, to recreate an experience that allows others to participate and to bear witness.”
Randall Okita
The VR artist worked on the project with his producer David Oppenheim at the NFB’s of Canada’s Ontario Studio in Toronto. A core team of 10 people helped Okita on his interactive experience, which was built in Unity. “We employed a huge number of tools along the way,” he notes. “Everything from pen and paper and endless sticky notes, to roleplaying and creating VR storyboards in Quill.”
Family History Revisited
Okita says the biggest challenge was trying to find a way to balance the subjective nature of the story — the balance between what he knew and what he had to imagine. “That and trying to pay tribute to the story of my family,” he notes. “When we were almost finished with the project, I was able to show it to my father. This was one of the most surreal moments of my life. For me to be with him while he stood in front of a virtual version of his younger self, and for him to see and spend time virtually with his father, was something very special.”
The Book of Distance
The artist says he sees VR as becoming part of the language of our everyday lives in the years to come. “What I love most about the medium is that it presents new ways for us to share our stories and explore what it means to be ourselves,” he adds.
Looking back, Okita says he always knew he wanted to make images, and counts Koji Yamamura, Hokusai and the artists on the project — particularly Sam Javanrouh and Emma Burkeitt — as some of his biggest animation influences. And what was the biggest lesson he learned from The Book of Distance experience? “It was the healing in the sharing of this story,” he admits. “This story is connected to feelings of shame and experiences that have deeply changed people in my family. The way these things work is largely unconscious, and as this story begins to be shared, this time from our perspective, in our voices, it starts to change things in ways that I couldn’t have previously understood.”
The Book of Distance will be available Oct. 8 for free via the Steam, Oculus and Viveport stores. Watch the trailer here.
You can find out more about the artist at randallokita.com.
GKIDS, the acclaimed producer and distributor of animation for adult and family audiences, announced it has acquired North American theatrical, home video and EST rights to the critically-acclaimed Neon Genesis Evangelion. Included in the landmark deal are the original 26-episode television series, as well as the films Evangelion: Death (True)2 and The End of Evangelion. All three properties will be released on Blu-ray and on digital download-to-own in 2021.
This is the first time Neon Genesis Evangelion will be available on Blu-ray in North America. The deal, finalized on the eve of the storied saga’s 25th anniversary, was negotiated by GKIDS’ President David Jesteadt and King Records.
Created by Hideaki Anno, the Neon Genesis Evangelion television series is considered one of the most influential animated series of all time. Since its 1995 premiere in Japan, the story of teenager Shinji Ikari has remained one of the most iconic titles in animation history, and a global pop culture phenomenon.
“Neon Genesis Evangelion was one of the first titles that transformed my idea of what animation is truly capable of,” said Jesteadt. “GKIDS was created with the intent to distribute the best animation in the world, and it’s an honor to help share such a groundbreaking work with North American audiences in new formats.”
The heavy increase in the use of CGI across TV and cinema, along with the rapid expansion of the games industry (now considerably larger than Hollywood) has led to a convergence. Both sides are dipping into similar markets; for example, the game studio Rebellion has set up a film & TV studio and bought the film rights to Judge Dredd, while Netflix is investing heavily in animation – its 2017 adaptation of the game franchise Castlevania has been a proven success.
But television has yet to utilize the full potential of real-time engines, with its use extending beyond simple CG and backdrop effects. This article explores rising trends in cinema, technology, and games, spelling out the benefits real-time game engines can bring to TV production.
Ninja Theory’s Bleeding Edge runs on UE4
An intersection of industries
Historically, popular game titles haven’t always translated well to cinema. Likewise, popular film franchises haven’t guaranteed success on game platforms. However, a merging of sorts between both industries has begun; a sharing of knowledge, experience and technology.
VFX has become the driving force behind the majority of cinema’s releases. Even short films, such as Star Wars: Origins, demonstrate CG that matches up to major productions. In fact, real-time engines are already in use across cinematic production. Disney has led the way in recent years with scenes from both Finding Dory and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story utilizing the Unreal Engine 4, for example. And the hugely popular, The Mandalorian, utilized real-time game engines and virtual LED production sets for the majority of its episodes.
In parallel, the gaming industry has become increasingly cinematic – the line separating the two fields has begun to blur. Games such as God of War rely heavily upon cinematic experiences intertwined seamlessly with playable sequences. The Last of Us is likewise lauded for its engaging storyline. The cinematics from both games can now be found sewn together on YouTube for fans to enjoy as individual features.
Based on a series of books by Andrzej Sapkowski, CD Projekt Red brought global popularity to the Witcher franchise, leading to a successful TV adaptation from Netflix. Real-time engines offer TV studios a myriad of options for set design, lighting, filming and completion speeds. The technology powering cinematic game experiences can transform the production of television series, offering speed and versatility without compromise.
Star Wars: Origins was shot in the Sahara Desert.
Immediate benefits
As we approach post-COVID normality, there’s no doubt that standard practices will be adjusted to armor against any future disruptions. Live-action shooting will always exist, but studios can only benefit from adapting their framework around supportive tech solutions.
By building a virtual set using LED screens, it’s possible to create multiple environments pre-shoot and build that into your production pipeline. To change the lighting conditions, environments can be accomplished fast and with a high level of customizability – all rendered in real-time on the day of the shoot. The simulation of environments can be achieved without building a physical set, negating the need to travel to an overseas or exotic location. The ability to light the set using the LED screens improves composition and also removes the need for color correction in post, usually required when using green screens.
Creating previs ideas in real-time engines can save time and money, allowing production teams to see accurate, scaled set designs in 3D and establish the framing and passage of shots before expensive sets are built. This bridges the gap between pre and post-production. Real-time can also gauge an earlier approximation of the final shot, drastically reducing the number of required iterations. Digital assets can also be reused – this is particularly cost-effective for studios working on a franchise strategy.
Star Wars: Origins
What’s the holdup?
With all the benefits listed above, and countless examples of real-time engines used across gaming and cinema (such as His Dark Materials), why hasn’t widespread adoption occurred? The reality is, the technology is relatively new and it can take time to permeate throughout the industry.
Preconceived notions about cost and expertise, alongside allegiance to traditional workflows, means studios are reluctant to gamble on something previously reserved to a separate industry. In truth, budgets could be considerably reduced if utilized properly. The reduction in multiple location costs alone would make a significant difference. And the speed real-time offers could substantially reduce the hours required for a typical production.
Technology advocates need to present a cost-benefit analysis between on-set shoots and rendered environments. Exemplifying the benefits in real terms will have a greater impact.
Likewise, gaming studios now have the capital to invest in television and streaming services, whether through adaptations of games themselves or through original cinematic IPs. Individuals that are already experts in the technology could drastically speed up adoption.
With on-set production for television still dwindling, now is the time to invest time and money into real-time engines as an improved replacement for traditional setups. The quality achievable with real-time engines – including the new levels of photo-realism possible with Unreal Engine 5 – will transform the industry, expanding the production of series and films. For real-time technology, TV is the final frontier.
Andrew Lord is the Co-founder and Managing Director of Flipbook Studio a multidisciplinary production company based in Manchester city center.
Zodiak Kids Studio France, part of Banijay, and Gigglebug Entertainment, the leading creator and producer of original kids content in the Nordics, today announced that they are co-producing The Unstoppable Yellow Yeti. This original animated comedy series for kids aged 6+ and their families has been co-commissioned by Disney Channel Europe, Middle East & Africa and Nordic broadcasters YLE, DR, NRK and SVT.
The original concept was created by Gigglebug Entertainment’s Joonas Utti (Creative Director) and Anttu Harlin (CEO), and co-developed by Zodiak Kids, Gigglebug Entertainment and Disney EMEA. Utti and Harlin will direct and produce, respectively, alongside Zodiak Kids Studios Head of Content Development Gary Milne as Creative Producer. The executive producers for the series are Benoit di Sabatino (Zodiak Kids) and Harlin (Gigglebug).
The Unstoppable Yellow Yeti is an off-beat comedy series set in a quirky little town above the Arctic Circle, where it is winter all-year-round, and monsters are strictly forbidden. The series follows the unexpected adventures of an unlikely trio of friends: surfer-boy-newbie Osmo, his no-nonsense cousin Rita, and the enormous, outrageous and unstoppable Yellow Yeti!
Production began Summer 2020 and the series is set to launch in 2022. This is the first time Disney and YLE have co-commissioned a series.
“The Unstoppable Yellow Yeti is a top comedy IP we have been successfully developing with Gigglebug and Disney EMEA for a couple of years,” said di Sabatino. “We are so proud to greenlight the production and give birth to this series with such quality partners all over the world.”
“At Gigglebug we aim to positively impact the lives of children around the world by spreading joy through our work, and no character is more outrageously delightful than the Yellow Yeti himself!” said Harlin. “The coming together of Zodiak, Disney, YLE and our creative team at Gigglebug has been great fun and together we look forward to sharing with kids everywhere our exuberant fish-out-of-water comedy about the power of friendship and belonging.”
Zodiak Kids holds international distribution right to the series.
Grab your popcorn and get ready to sing your hearts out as Warner Bros. Home Entertainment brings Cartoon Network’s award-winning series into your homes with the release of Steven Universe: The Complete Collection on DVD December 8.
This ultimate 15-disc Collector’s Edition Storybook features custom-made pieces of art on every page by Chromosphere. Inside, it is filled with every episode of Steven Universe, Steven Universe Future, as well as the smash hit Steven Universe The Movie. Enhance the magic with hours of all-new bonus content including: Animatics, Minisodes, Commentary, Steven Universe The Movie: Sing-A-Long, and more.
Steven Universe: The Complete Collection carries a suggested retail price of $89.99 for the DVD ($119.99 in Canada) and is rated TV-PG. This Crystal Gem compendium is also available to currently download on Digital via purchase from digital retailers.
Cartoon Network’s six-time Emmy-nominated Steven Universe revolves around Steven, the “little brother” to a team of magical aliens — the Crystal Gems — who defend the planet Earth. Steven is the son of the Crystal Gems’ late leader Rose Quartz and aging aspiring rockstar Mr. Universe. Steven belongs everywhere and nowhere: he has inherited his mother’s Gem and her magical powers, but also his father’s humanity and charm. The show is a slice-of-life action comedy that follows Steven as he attempts to bridge the gap between the sci-fi fantasy world of Gems and the cozy, funny, simple-yet-extraordinarily-complicated world of human beings.
The series is created by Emmy- and Annie Award-nominated writer and New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Sugar, and produced by Cartoon Network Studios.
“Steven Universe has brought the world together in so many ways,” said Mary Ellen Thomas, WBHE Senior Vice President, Originals, Animation & Family Marketing. “From its epic storylines, to the incredible music, and the characters who will forever live in our hearts — we will always ‘Believe in Steven’ — and we believe this collection is a must-own set for our global fanbase, as well as the whole family to enjoy.”
Steven Universe has received numerous awards including Outstanding Kids & Family Programming at the 30th annual GLAAD Media Awards in March 2019 as well as the 78th Annual Peabody Award in the Children’s & Youth category in April 2019, which highlighted the series’ themes of inclusion, love and acceptance.
Jermaine Fowler, no stranger to the voiceover booth, is jumping into animation with both feet, as Fox Entertainment is reportedly developing a semi-autobiographical comedy toon with the busy comic actor. Fowler is creator, writer and executive producer on the series, which will be loosely based on his experiences growing up in a working class town in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
“The Untitled Jermaine Fowler Project” joins an ever-growing Fox animation lineup. The network has recently announced another semi-autobiographical comedy, Ocean Village from Daniel Cardenas Katz and sci-fi spin-off The X-Files: Albuquerque.
Fowler starred in CBS’s Superior Donuts, and has also appeared in Tribeca premiere Buffaloed, the critically acclaimed Sorry to Bother You and HBO comedy Crashing. He has provided guest voices for animated faves BoJack Horseman, Tuca & Bertie, Family Guy, Robot Chicken and Lucas Bros. Moving Co. Fowler has also been cast in the upcoming animated feature Riverdance. Other upcoming projects include Fred Hampton biopic Judas and the Black Messiah, Coming 2 America and Matthew A. Cherry’s The Come Up.
The 30th World Festival of Animated Film – Animafest Zagreb 2020 closed Saturday night with an award ceremony at SC cinema. After over 300 screened films and many side events in six festival days, the most festive moment came – the best authors and films were announced.
The Grand Competition – Short Film jury consisting of Clémence Bragard, Réka Bucsi, Nancy Denney-Phelps, Vladislav Knežević and Martina Scarpelli decided to give the Grand Prix to the German film Just a Guy by Shoko Hara, produced by Studio Seufz. The statement said that “the Grand Prix goes to a film that treats the subject with a sensitivity that leaves no judgement of right or wrong. This left the jury mystified about why women would be fascinated with having a relationship with a serial killer on a death row. Is there someone who can, or should, or must not be loved?”
Shoko Hara
The same jury presented the Golden Zagreb Award for creativity and innovative artistic achievement to Soetkin Verstegen for Freeze Frame (Belgium and Germany, produced by Akademie Schloss Solitude), pointing out that in this film the darkest black and the brightest white reveal the illusion of life in a melting unique setting. “It is a beautiful tribute to the origins of filmmaking. The film liquefies light, gives it a unique texture and preserves movement into frozen frames,” said the jury.
Freeze Frame
The Zlatko Grgić Award for best first film made outside of an education institution went to the French-Hungarian short Symbiosis (Miyu Productions, SALTO Films) by Nadja Andrasev — “a film that, without saying too much and just showing what’s needed, depicts with subtlety and elegance an intriguing situation which some of us could relate to. The clever use of framing and the colour palette provide a balance between the aesthetic, the suspense and the empathy.”
Symbiosis
The jury members also decided to present special mentions. Clémence Bragard’s went to the Austrian film How to Disappear by Robin Klengel, Leonhard Müllner and Michael Stumpf, produced by Total Refusal, because, “through game design and a very accurate metaphor, it deals with the options that a fictional character as well as a human being could or couldn’t have. Exploring the size and limits of entertainment, the directors use a unique point of view and cold cynicism to bring a different view on a crucial subject. I appreciated this tribute to disobedience and desertion,” said Bragard.
Réka Bucsi was particularly impressed by the Japanese film My Exercise by Atsushi Wada from New Deer Production, made by, in her words, “a unique artist who uses the visual image for its own sake. It is a purely charming film that feels like a gentle hug during this time of isolation. These characters don’t need 20 minutes of screen time to leave a lasting impression. Winding down after a marathon is just as important as running it. Pushing your face into the soft fur of a dog might as well be just what you need to have a great day.”
My Exercise
Nancy Denney-Phelps gave her special mention to the Canadian film The Physics of Sorrow by Theodore Ushev (NFB), which “touched her heart and soul to the core. This story about growing up in Bulgaria and emigrating to Canada uses a unique animation method derived from an ancient Etruscan wax and pigment technique,” she noted.
Vladislav Knežević chose Argentinian-French film Pulsión by Pedro Casavecchia (Atlas V production), saying, “Intriguingly and consistently experimenting with a specific visual and a clear narrative line, the author points to the problem of perpetuating aggression which tragically manifests itself in different social situations. Skillfully hermeticising the horror genre and isolating the set situations from a bird’s eye view, in the surrounding darkness, the film powerfully visualizes an atmosphere with an eerie epilogue. The film induces a very intense film-watching experience, establishing a specific atmosphere of terror, using 3D animation in a particular and creative way.”
And finally, Martina Scarpelli gave her special mention to the British film Betty by Will Anderson, saying that it is “clever, sharp, unexpected, honest, original, compassionate and fun. With its modern aesthetic, elegant storytelling and sophisticated humor this film brings the intimacy of human connection to the screen to reflect about the creative process through a love story gone wrong. It is an ode to the highest high and the lowest low of creativity but also an ode to the highest high and the lowest low of love.”
Physics of Sorrow
The joint jury of the Student and Croatian Film Competition consisting of Laurent Crouzeix, Hefang Wei and Mladen Đukić decided to give the Dušan Vukotić Award for best student film to the Russian film Naked by Kirill Khachaturov, made at Moscow School of New Cinema due to its very original design and a strong author vision, taking the viewer through urban, natural, and intimate landscapes. The €1,000 cash prize is sponsored by Zagrebačka banka.
The same jury’s special mentions went to Pearl Diver (Norway, Volda University College) by Margrethe Danielsen, Airhead! (Belgium, La Cambre) by Gaspar Chabaud and Survival HK (Hong Kong and U.S.A., CalArts) by Louise Pau. “Pearl Diver is a subtle, bittersweet portrait of separation and miscommunication with a great sense of timing, Airhead! perfectly mixes mathematics and daydreaming, while Survival HK displays a great sense of space and balance between the inside and the outside world, between a boring English test and a fascinating Typhoon,” wrote the jury.
Naked
The best film in the Croatian Film Competition is Arka by Natko Stipaničev, produced by Kreativni sindikat — “[a] film that displays carefully made choices to offer a highly creative vision of a slowly but surely sinking world,” according to the jury — also winning a €1,000 cash prize sponsored by the Croatian Directors’ Association. The special mention went to Marko Dješka for All Those Sensations in My Belly, a Croatian-Portuguese co-production by Adriatic Animation and BAP Animation Studio. The jury dubbed this film a “cleverly animated documentary tackling a strong subject.”
Arka
The winners in the Children’s Film Competition were chosen by Una Patafta, Maris Popović, Din Hodžović, Simon Varošanec and Ruta Pašalić. Their award went to a Czech film Daughter by Daria Kashcheeva and the special mention to the Spanish film Mare Monstrum by a group of directors.
Finally, the Mr. M. Audience Award for best film in the Grand Competition Short Film went to Theodore Ushev for The Physics of Sorrow.
The 31st World Festival of Animated Film takes place June 7-12, 2021.
