Streaming audiences won’t be exploring any more of Thra any time soon. Just after winning the Outstanding Children’s Program honors at the virtual Creative Arts Emmy ceremony this weekend, The Jim Henson Company and Netflix have confirmed to Gizmodo’s i09 that there will not be another season of The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance.
Henson released the following statement:
“We can confirm that there will not be an additional season of The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. We know fans are eager to learn how this chapter of The Dark Crystal saga concludes and we’ll look for ways to tell that story in the future. Our company has a legacy of creating rich and complex worlds that require technical innovation, artistic excellence, and masterful storytelling. Our history also includes productions that are enduring, often finding and growing their audience over time and proving again and again that fantasy and science fiction genres reflect eternal messages and truths that are always relevant. We are so grateful to Netflix for trusting us to realize this ambitious series; we are deeply proud of our work on Age of Resistance, and the acclaim it has received from fans, critics and our peers, most recently receiving an Emmy for Outstanding Children’s Program.”
Netflix echoed these sentiments in its own, briefer statement:
“We are grateful to the master artists at the Jim Henson Company for bringing The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance to life for fans around the world. We’re thankful to the executive producers Lisa Henson and Halle Stanford, and Louis Leterrier, who also directed all episodes, as well as the writers, cast and crew for their outstanding work and thrilled they were recognized with the Emmy this weekend.”
The prequel series inspired by Jim Henson’s ’80s fantasy epic premiered August 30, 2019. Said to be an expensive and long-shooting project for the streamer, the ambitious 10-episode series boasted a star-studded cast including Taron Egerton, Anya Taylor-Joy, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Helena Bonham Carter, Jason Isaacs, Simon Pegg, Benedict Wong, Keegan-Michael Key, Awkwafina and Mark Hamill.
The plot follows three Gelfling heroes who uncover the horrific truth behind the power of the buzzard-like Skeksis who rule them, and set out to light the fires of rebellion among all the tribes to end this cruel reign and its damage to the Crystal of Truth, which is poisoning the world of Thra.
Co-creator Will Matthews told IndieWire just a month after the show debuted, “From a production standpoint, there were many discussions and some of them got a little grave. At one point, we thought: ‘It’s too big. It’s too much. It’ll take too long. It’ll cost too much. It’s too hard to do. Maybe can we make it smaller and not do battle … At one point everything was on the table in kind of a scary way, but we storied our way through that. It worked out fine, and we took out one or two action beats.”
“When Jeff [Addiss] and I pitched the show to Netflix way back four years ago, we had an ending that we care a great deal about. We had an ending that talks to the movie and the problem you described,” Matthews continued. “If we are lucky enough to get more seasons then the story will go on and we know where it’s going and it’s maybe more hopeful than you might think.”
Co-creator Addiss also noted at the time that they had a “concrete document” for season two.
Watch all of Age of Resistance on Netflix now. You can read more about the making of the show in Ramin Zahed’s article for Animation Magazine, featuring interviews with puppet maker Toby Froud (son of Creature Shop legends Brian Froud and Wendy Midener) and puppeteer Alice Dinnean (Brea), here.
Later this month and throughout October, a wealth of new content will continue to be made available on NFB.ca. Streaming for free and produced by NFB studios across the country, this crop includes: the latest works in The Curve, the timely collection of projects exploring the pandemic; compelling feature-length documentaries; and finely crafted doc and animated shorts.
This fall lineup of highly relevant and profoundly humanistic new works joins the extensive catalogue of more than 4,000 titles already available at NFB.ca — as well as some one hundred interactive works, almost all of which can be viewed online at no charge.
The Curve — NFB creators, with their talent and insight, are bringing to life the voices of Canadians touched by COVID-19, both near and far. This collection is delivering thematically linked works in documentary, animation and digital storytelling formats, being released at various times over the next few months, closely following ongoing developments of this COVID-19 era. Coming September 21:
The Big Reset | These animated bedtime stories for budding rebels in the post-COVID world present perspectives from four leading thinkers (Armine Yalnizyan, Munira Abukar, David Suzuki and Bruce Mau). The films, running about three minutes each, are produced by the English Program Animation Studio.
Economics by Philip Eddolls
Governance by Ho Che Anderson
Worldviews by Malcolm Sutherland
Cities by Lillian Chan
Body and Soul | Inspiring, insightful and wildly inventive, these projects explore the physical and emotional aspects of pandemic isolation. Includes Andrea Dorman’s paint-on-book animation How to Be at Home (Quebec and Atlantic Studio) and Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow by Laura Cortes, Alexandra Hook, Mel Eshaghbeigi and Jam3 (English Program Digital Studio and Jam3). [Trailer.]
On October 10, marking World Mental Health Day, NFB.ca will debut 15-minute animated short Shannon Amen (2019, English Program Animation Studio). Based on the words, music and art of Shannon Jamieson and directed by her friend Chris Dainty, Shannon Amen unearths the frantic, passionate and pained expressions of a young woman overwhelmed by guilt and anxiety as she struggles to reconcile her sexual identity with her religious faith. The film is a memoir that reconstructs Shannon’s issues, which also torment other LGBTQIA+ youth like her who face discrimination.
Then the week of October 26 — in celebration of International Animation Day (Oct. 28) — the NFB presenting Animation Week, a special slate of programming with vibrant and daring new works by animators from all across Canada.
The online debuts are announced just as NFB is about to enjoy a strong presence during the virtual Ottawa International Animation Festival, which runs Sept. 23-Oct. 4. This includes two world premieres in the official competition: Toronto-based director Robin McKenna’s first animated documentary Thanadoula (Gaudete Films/NFB), featuring the art direction of Elise Simard; and international co-production HIDE (La Cellule Productions/NFB/CUB Animation Studio) by U.K.-born, Hungary-based creator Daniel Gray, whose 2006 short t.o.m. (with Tom Brown) was named Best Graduation Animation at OIAF.
Additional NFB animations in competition at OIAF are Quebec animator Jean-François Lévesque’s I, Barnabé (NFB with the participation of ARTE France), the latest NFB work from the creator of The Necktie (2008; 4 North A, the first collaboration between Newfoundland native Jordan Canning and Saskatoon-born Howie Shia, now both based in Toronto; and Altötting (Studio Film Bilder/NFB/Ciclope Filmes) by German animator Andreas Hykade, featuring design by Portugal’s Regina Pessoa.
In the VR competition, NFB is represented by three innovative and buzzworthy projects: The Book of Distance by Calgary-born creator Randall Okita, now based in Toronto and Japan; The Hangman at Home (Late Love Production/Floréal Films/NFB) by Israeli-born, Danish-based animators Michelle and Uri Kranot; and The Orchid and the Bee by Montreal interdisciplinary artist Frances Adair Mckenzie.
Outside the competition, OIAF attendees can catch The Fake Calendar by emerging Atikamekw creator Meky Ottawa (produced through the Hothouse program) and NFB Animation: 80th Anniversary by Montreal animator Alex Boya in the Canadian Panorama. Plus, veteran NFB filmmaker and OIAF honorary president Donald McWilliams is serving as a jury member this year.
In spite of the challenges of COVID-19 lockdown in the U.K., award-winning studio Ragdoll Productions is putting the finishing touches on its new animated preschool series B.O.T. and the Beasties, which will launch on CBeebies (U.K.) in early 2021. Developed and in production during lockdown with a team of young animators given their first professional opportunities, the show celebrates silliness, playfulness and invention during these difficult times.
The 50 x 5′, 2D animated series introduces pre-schoolers to the trials and tribulations of a loveable robot called B.O.T. (Beastie Observation Transmitter) as he discovers new worlds and all manner of new Beasties that inhabit them. B.O.T. must collect data on the comically unpredictable Beasties — the mission is never easy, but always very funny!
The animated adventure launches with a host of bizarre Beasties from five different worlds and each episode offers wonderful storytelling as B.O.T. goes on a hilarious Beastie journey of discovery.
“B.O.T. and the Beasties has been developed with a commitment to watching how children interact and develop, and as B.O.T. journeys to the different worlds, children will develop counting, sorting and categorizing skills as well as first steps in storytelling,” said Anne Wood, Founder & Creative Director of Ragdoll.
With this project, Ragdoll’s creative team have also been able to develop some young animators who have been given their first professional opportunity creating this innovative new series.
DreamWorks Animation and Universal Pictures have dropped the official trailer to the long-awaited next evolution of its cavepeople comedy-adventure: The Croods: A New Age. The spot introduces the ingenious agricultural clan, the Bettermans (voiced by Peter Dinklage, Leslie Mann and Kelly Marie Train) and their elaborate — seemingly idyllic — fenced compound. The sequel is set for release November 25.
The Croods have survived their fair share of dangers and disasters, from fanged prehistoric beasts to surviving the end of the world, but now they will face their biggest challenge of all: another family.
The Croods need a new place to live. So, the first prehistoric family sets off into the world in search of a safer place to call home. When they discover an idyllic walled-in paradise that meets all their needs, they think their problems are solved … except for one thing. Another family already lives there: the Bettermans.
The Bettermans (emphasis on the “better”) — with their elaborate tree house, amazing inventions and irrigated acres of fresh produce — are a couple of steps above the Croods on the evolutionary ladder. When they take the Croods in as the world’s first houseguests, it isn’t long before tensions escalate between the cave family and the modern family.
Just when all seems lost, a new threat will propel both families on an epic adventure outside the safety of the wall, one that will force them to embrace their differences, draw strength from each other and forge a future together.
The Croods: A New Age features the voice talent of returning stars Nicolas Cage as Grug Crood, Catherine Keener as Ugga Crood, Emma Stone as their daughter, Eep; Ryan Reynolds as Eep’s boyfriend, Guy; Clark Duke (Hot Tub Time Machine) as Thunk and Cloris Leachman as Gran. They’re joined by new stars Peter Dinklage (HBO’s Game of Thrones) as Phil Betterman, Leslie Mann (Blockers) as Hope Betterman, and Kelly Marie Tran (Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi) as their daughter, Dawn.
The film is directed by Joel Crawford, who has worked on multiple DreamWorks Animation films, including Trolls and the Kung Fu Panda franchise, and is produced by Mark Swift (Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie, Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted).
The Ottawa International Animation Festival, OIAF 2020, is kicking off this week with a novel virtual edition that will make inspiring on-demand screenings, exciting live events and enlightening talks available to animation enthusiasts and professionals all over the world. Plus, opportunities to connect with studio recruiters and top schools and take advantage of an array of resources through Animation Exposé Fair — “visitors” can even reconnect with friends and meet new ones at OIAF Hangouts and join the digital dance party at NightOwl.
Just ahead of the event, which runs Sept. 23 to Oct. 4, even more stellar talks have been announced.
Join the Illumination and the Illumination MacGuff recruitment teams to say “Bello” to OIAF 2020 at the Making Joy & Discovery talk. Illumination, founded by Academy Award nominee Chris Meledandri in 2007, is one of the entertainment industry’s leading producers of event-animated films, including Despicable Me, The Secret Life of Pets and Sing. The company’s iconic and beloved properties, which are infused with memorable and distinct characters, global appeal and cultural relevance, include two of the top 10 animated films of all time.
Need to get your portfolio in order? Check out Portfolios with Walt Disney Animation Studios. Join artistic recruiter Matt Roberts and core recruiter Erika Beccera to hear about tips and tricks for creating your portfolio. The presentation is followed by a Q&A.
OIAF favorite Pixar is back — and they have a secret. They will launch their not-yet-released short film exclusively at OIAF 2020. Join the filmmaker (who could it be?!) for a behind-the-scenes talk and a screening of the film.
Cartoon Network is giving a behind-the-scenes look at their first TV movie We Bare Bears The Movie with creator Daniel Chong. Animation Magazine’s Ramin Zahed will moderate.
Netflix Animation is inviting you to Ask Them Anything! This is a four-part series providing an opportunity for attendees to connect and have a fun and open conversation with the Netflix Animation Recruiting Team in the areas of Story, Art, CG and Production Management. Participants are encouraged to ask questions specific to their areas of interest.
And Mercury Filmworks is presenting a Pitch THIS! inspired talk series sharing insights into animation development, getting projects off the ground and why creating Canadian originals is critical.
Following its U.S. Digital and On Demand debut on Friday, South Korean fairytale update Red Shoes and the Seven Dwarfs is launching on Blu-ray (SRP $21.99) and DVD (SRP $19.98) on Tuesday, September 22 from Lionsgate.
Get to know a little bit more about the project in this exclusive clip from the home video release bonus features, in which voice star Chloë Grace Moretz (Snow White/Red Shoes) discusses what attracted her to the project.
Special features on the home release include “The Making of Red Shoes and the Seven Dwarfs” Featurette, “From Storyboard to Animation: Creating Red Shoes and the Seven Dwarfs” Featurette, “Start of Something Right” Music Video and “Something So Beautiful” Music Video.
Red Shoes and the Seven Dwarfs is an outrageous fairy tale spoof which begins as Snow White steals a pair of red shoes that transform her into a princess. Meanwhile, a witch’s curse turns seven brave princes into dwarfs, forcing them to seek out the princess, hoping for a kiss to break their spell. Together, they must face Snow White’s wicked stepmother – who will stop at nothing to get her precious shoes back – and, along the way, learn that true beauty lies within!
Moretz (The Addams Family, Bolt, Inside Out) stars alongside Sam Claflin (The Hunger Games series) as Merlin, Gina Gershon (Riverdale) as the Witch Queen, Patrick Warburton (Family Guy, The Emperor’s New Groove) as the Mirror, and Jim Rash (Community) as Prince Average.
The movie was directed by Sung-ho Hong, and features character design and animation direction from Jin Kim, who worked on Disney’s animated classics Fantasia 2000, Frozen II and Tangled. Music is by Primetime Emmy Award-winning composer Geoff Zanelli (Into the West, The Pacific), whose feature film work includes Maleficent: Mistress of Evil and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. Voice direction is by Tony Bancroft, the director of Disney’s Mulan. Red Shoes and the Seven Dwards was produced by Locus Animation Studio
Fox is serving up more piping hot familial dysfunction in the eleventh season of Bob’s Burgers, premiering Sunday, September 27! To unlock the animated enjoyment a little early, there’s a new exclusive clip on the menu from S11’s debut episode, which finds Bob (H. Jon Benjamin) journeying into his filthy, filthy subconscious when he falls asleep in the middle of his hunt for a missing key.
Season Premiere Episode “Dream A Little Bob of Bob”: Bob goes on an epic quest to find a misplaced lock box key. Tina attempts to learn a hand-slapping song that everyone can do – but her – in the all-new season premiere episode of Bob’s Burgers airing Sunday, Sept. 27 (9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT) on FOX. Guest Voice Cast: Andy Kindler as Mort; Kevin Kline as Mr. Fischoeder; Jack McBrayer as Squeezy Ball; Jon Glaser as Tape; Brooke Dillman as Josiea.
Created by Loren Bouchard, who exec produces S11 with Nora Smith, Bob’s Burgers follows Bob Belcher and his ever-quirky family, who “help” run his restaurant. In addition to Benjamin (Archer, Home Movies, Dr. Katz: Professional Therapist), the key voice cast also features John Roberts as Bob’s wife, Linda; Kristen Schaal as scheming younger daughter, Louise; Eugene Mirman as music-loving son, Gene; Dan Mintz as awkward tween Tina; and Larry Murphy as Uncle Teddy.
S11 will feature the show’s historic 200th episode, as well as its annual holiday-themed misadventures and all-new and returning guest voices, including Megan Mullally, Jenny Slate, Sarah and Laura Silverman, Zach Galifianakis and more.
In addition to its 2020 Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Animated Program, the series has been nominated in the same category every year since 2012, and won the award twice, in 2014 and 2017. Additionally, Benjamin won the Annie Award in 2020 for Outstanding Achievement for Voice Acting in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production.
Performer Selena Gomez is checking back in to Sony Pictures Animation and Genndy Tartakovsky’s popular Hotel Transylvania, and will be signing the registry “Executive Producer” for the fourth installment in the franchise. Gomez will also be back in the recording booth to co-star again as Dracula’s daughter, Mavis.
Hotel Transylvania 4 is slated to debut on August 6, 2021, marking the feature directorial debuts of Jennifer Kluska (DC Super Hero Girls, Wild Kratts; storyboard artist, Hotel Transylvania 3 & 2, Smurfs: The Lost Village) and three-time Emmy nominated animation writer Derek Drymon (SpongeBob SquarePants, Adventure Time; director, CatDog, Hey Arnold!). Tartakovsky serves as screenwriter and executive producer, alongside Michelle Murdocca. Alice Dewey Goldstone is also a producer.
The Hotel Transylvania movies center on the titular relaxation destination for monsters run by Dracula (voiced by Adam Sandler). The three pictures to date have made over $1.3 billion in worldwide box office and spawned an animated TV series. The key voice cast also features Andy Samberg as Mavis’ human husband, Johnny.
On Saturday, Television Academy hosted the finale for its 2020 Creative Arts Emmy Awards ceremonies honoring outstanding artistic and technical achievement in television on FXX. The ceremony awarded many talented artists and craftspeople in an eclectic mix of categories across all genres. Hosted by Nicole Byer, the final gala featured presenters from some of the season’s most popular shows, including Giancarlo Esposito (The Mandalorian), Lamorne Morris (Woke), Leslie Odom Jr. (Central Park) and Wanda Sykes (Crank Yankers).
Joining the illustrious animation and VFX talents announced on Friday, Adult Swim’s Rick and Morty scored the Outstanding Animated Program honors in an exemplary batch of primetime toons nominated — Netflix’s Big Mouth and BoJack Horseman, and FOX faves Bob’s Burgers and The Simpsons, which won last year. This is the second category win for Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland’s interdimensional comedy adventure, following the triumph of “Pickle Rick” in 2018.
In the Outstanding Children’s Program category, Netflix’s puppet prequel Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance celebrated a win alongside HBO original documentary We Are the Dream: The Kids of Oakland MLK Oratorical Fest. The limited series set in the stunning fantasy world of Hensons’ iconic 1980s movie has also been honored by the Visual Effects Society and received nominations from the PGA and WGA Awards, among others.
OUTSTANDING ANIMATED PROGRAM Rick and Morty “The Vat of Acid Episode” [Adult Swim]
Dan Harmon, Executive Producer; Justin Roiland, Executive Producer; Mike McMahan, Executive Producer; Scott Marder, Executive Producer; Keith Crofford, Executive Producer; Rick Mischel, Executive Producer; Richard Grieve, Executive Producer; Mike Lazzo, Executive Producer; Rob Schrab, Co-Executive Producer; James Siciliano, Supervising Producer; Wes Archer, Supervising Director; Michael Waldron, Producer; Nick Rutherford, Producer; Lee Harting, Producer; Ollie Green, Producer; Sydney Ryan, Produced by; J. Michael Mendel, Produced by; Jacob Hair, Directed by; Nathan Litz, Director; Jeff Loveness, Written by/Supervising Producer; Albro Lundy, Written by.
OUTSTANDING CHILDREN’S PROGRAM Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance [Netflix]
Lisa Henson, Executive Producer; Halle Stanford, Executive Producer; Louis Leterrier, Executive Producer; Jeffrey Addiss, Co-Executive Producer; Will Matthews, Co-Executive Producer; Javier Grillo-Marxuach, Co-Executive Producer; Blanca Lista, Co-Executive Producer; Ritamarie Peruggi, Produced by.
We Are the Dream: The Kids of the Oakland MLK Oratorical Fest [HBO]
Mahershala Ali, Executive Producer; Amatus Karim Ali, Executive Producer; Mimi Valdés, Executive Producer; Julie Anderson, Executive Producer; Amy Schatz, Produced by; Diane Kolyer, Produced by.
OUTSTANDING MAIN TITLE DESIGN Godfather Of Harlem [Epix]
Mason Nicoll, Creative Director/Editor; Peter Pak, Designer/Lead Animator/Art Director; Giovana Pham, Designer; Cisco Torres, Animator.
OUTSTANDING INTERACTIVE EXTENSION OF A LINEAR PROGRAM Mr. Robot – Season_4.0 ARG [USA Network]
USA Network; Ralph Interactive; Fifth Column Games; Roxanne Paredes, Producer; Jeff McKibben, Writer.
At the end of the four-night celebration, The Mandalorian and Watchmen topped the list of multiple awardees with seven wins each; Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal was the only animated program to make the list, with three wins.
Cloudco Entertainment, home of brands such as The Care Bears, Holly Hobbie, and Madballs expands its global development, production, and distribution team with the additions of Myles Hobbs, joining the team as VP, global distribution, and Daniel Barnes as development executive. Cloudco welcomes Hobbs and Barnes as the team prepares for several new TV shows and the delivery of additional seasons of Care Bears: Unlock the Magic, Tinpo, and Boy Girl Dog Cat Mouse Cheese to new markets.
Myles Hobbs is a seasoned sales executive with more than 12 years of experience in the kids TV industry. Most recently, he served as associate publisher for Kidscreen, where he oversaw all sales efforts across the brand’s publishing and event platforms, including the Kidscreen Summit. Prior to that, he held senior managerial positions at specialty US retailers Williams-Sonoma and Eddie Bauer. Hobbs, who begins at Cloudco immediately, is responsible for expanding global distribution and will report to Ian Lambur, exec VP, content strategy & co-productions.
Cloudco also welcomes Daniel Barnes as development executive. Most recently, he worked at Moonbug Entertainment as a development executive across both branded content as well as original series such as Arpo, Blippi, Morphle and Mia’s Magic Playground. Prior to that, he honed his skills at Hasbro Studios and Amazon Studios working across multiple development projects. In his new role at Cloudco, Barnes will be focused on various animated and live-action productions at a producer level. He will also develop new projects and pitches, as well as identify, and build relationships with industry talent. Barnes starts immediately and will report to Ryan Wiesbrock, Cloudco Entertainment, head of development & production.
Jurassic Park and its digital dinosaurs first wowed audiences in 1993, establishing itself as a generational milestone — just as Star Wars had done 16 years earlier — for millions of young moviegoers. The franchise since has had its ups and downs, with the 2015 smash hit feature Jurassic World reviving interest in the series and leading to its first TV iteration in Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous, an eight-episode animated series produced by DreamWorks Television Animation and debuting today (September 18) worldwide on Netflix.
Showrunning the new series are executive producers Scott Kreamer and Aaron Hammersley, both proud members of the Jurassic generation. ”I watched it in the movie theater and then immediately snuck into another screening of it,” says Kreamer. ”It had such a big impact on me as a kid — I think I watched it six or seven times in the movie theater,” adds Hammersley.
Scott Kreamer and Aaron Hammersley
The producers had experience with both DreamWorks and Netflix, having worked together at Nickelodeon on projects such as Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness before moving over to DreamWorks — Kreamer to work on Cleopatra in Space and Hammersley reporting for Camp after a stint on Disney’s Star vs. The Forces of Evil. Coming on in mid-2018, Kreamer took over a premise and pilot script developed by X-Men: First Class and Thor screenwriter Zack Stentz, and some early design artwork.
Not a ‘Kiddie’ Version
Expectations were high and there were no guarantees since previous attempts at Jurassic TV series had failed to make it into production. And no less an authority than original feature director Steven Spielberg said the show had to avoid being a sanitized, “kiddie” version of the features, Kreamer says.
“We knew what we were trying to do and how difficult it would be to achieve,” says Kreamer. “But the first thing was to nail down these kids as far as who these characters were and to get a pilot into shape.” That’s where Hammersley came in, starting work on the pilot script around the start of 2019 with an eye toward developing the characters.
The series follows six teens who are the inaugural group attending the titular camp on Isla Nublar, home to Jurassic World: Darius Bowman, voiced by Paul-Mikél Williams, a Black teen who shared an obsessive love of dinosaurs with his recently deceased father; Brooklynn (Jenna Ortega), a social media influencer who broadcasts her life to a large following; Kenji Kon (Ryan Potter), who projects a self-centered and cool image via vast family wealth and access to park secrets; Sammy Gutierrez (Raini Rodriguez), a cowgirl at heart whose ranching family provides food for the island’s resorts; Ben Pincus (Sean Giambrone), a bookish nerd who’s afraid of his own shadow; and Yaz Fadoula (Kausar Mohammed), a stoic athlete. Overseeing the campers — and trying to keep up with them — are counselors Roxie (Jameela Jamil) and Dave (Glen Powell).
Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous
Establishing a less-cartoony, more grounded tone was a huge challenge, and Hammersley says he dove right into finding moments in which the characters could breathe and come to life. “My big focus when I started on the show was just making sure that … you knew what they were thinking, that you understood what they were feeling,” he says.
Characters Take Center Stage
Taking influence from Spielberg-influenced films such as The Goonies and E.T., the characters are at the heart of the series and required many elements to come together in the right way to work. Establishing the characters and their relationships in a way that was grounded and believable was tricky, Kreamer says. “We want all the kids to start off — ‘at odds’ is the wrong word — but it’s like the first day of school,” he says. “Are the kids presenting themselves as who they actually are? Or who they want to seem to be?”
Among the trickier characters were Darius, who is the audience’s entry into the show and needed to be an underdog without being too much of a “sad sack”; and Brooklynn, who needed to avoid the stereotype of a vapid social media star.
Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous
It sometimes took multiple tries, Kreamer says, citing the need to re-record an early scene in which a dino attacks the observation tower. “There’s a difference between cartoon screaming and fear-for-your-life screaming,” he says. “And I think there was an adjustment period. We’re really trying to ground this show and ground these characters and avoid cliche cartoon poses.”
Both showrunners praise CG animation director Daniel Godinez’s efforts to go above and beyond the call of duty. “Dan would go through our writers room notes —just the raw notes— for just any kind of clues to who these characters are and how they would move and how they would behave,” says Kreamer.
That ethos extended through the production, which was split between the team at DreamWorks Animation and CGCG in Taiwan. As Hammersley points out, “The CG team has been pushing themselves really far and they’ve found a lot of creative solutions on how to achieve a more expensive look on a TV budget.”
The production had access to the features’ digital assets of the dinos and sets, both of which were simplified for the TV animation pipeline. But to match even the simplified dinosaurs and environments, the character designs had to be closer to real life, Hammersley says. “The focus was maintaining some of those proportions, but then also exaggerating it just enough to set the characters apart from a live-action design,” he says. “So it was enlarging eyes, enlarging ears and hands and feet and things of that nature to just give it a bit of caricature and a bit of exaggeration.”
Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous
With all eight episodes of the series set to drop at once, the show’s serialized elements help it play like a four-hour movie, one with an ending open for additional seasons. But for now, the showrunners are excited to see how fans react.
“The big challenge for any franchise like this is, you just can’t please everyone,” says Hammersley. “We’re really doing our best to try to honor the franchise and retain so much of what we love about Jurassic Park and Jurassic World, and make sure kids walk away from this show feeling very similar to how we all felt when we all watched Jurassic Park. And I think it’s really exciting that we get to introduce a whole new generation to the Jurassic franchise.”
Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous premieres today (Sept. 18) on Netflix on September 18.
You can watch the series’ trailer here:
‘The big challenge for any franchise like this is, you just can’t please everyone. We’re really doing our best to try to honor the franchise and retain so much of what we love.’
Exec producer/showrunner Aaron Hammersley
‘We knew what we were trying to do and how difficult it would be to achieve. But the first thing was to nail down these kids as far as who these characters were and to get a pilot into shape.’
Exec producer/showrunner Scott Kreamer
A snapshot of the animation content in the region shows an industry that is thriving despite a challenging year.
With 60 animation studios operating as both IP creators and producing world-class service work for a global market, Malaysia boasts a strong pipeline of domestic and international projects that have helped the industry weather a tough period.
“The total digital content industry in Malaysia stands at RM 7 billion ($1.68 billion) with exports doubling since 2014 to RM 1 billion ($2.4 million),” says Hasnul Hadi Samsudin, the VP of Digital Creative Content at Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC). This stellar growth has been supported by a strong workforce, averaging over 10,000 jobs. Our homegrown animation studios that have produced more than 65 original IPs and seen their work travel to 120-plus countries, with an export value of RM 170 million ($4 million).”
According to Samsudin, most animation studios in the country have maintained their workforce throughout the earliest months of the pandemic, through distributed work and management of the pipeline. “Through 1H2020, the industry is consolidating its momentum by keeping most the operations still active while navigating the Movement Control Order (MCO) enacted by the government, initially as a pure work-from-home model and later, with the latest version of the MCO entering a recovery phase since the end of June, studios resuming normal operations and ready to scale up their pipeline once again.”
He notes that the response of Malaysian studios has stayed very positive since the MCO period, with studios contributing dozens of Public Service Announcements based on their well-known IPs, running Digital VS COVID donations to assist healthcare workers and other front-liners and mobilizing their artists, engineers and staff with machines to be home based.
The Government has allocated RM 225 million to spur the growth of the creative industry through programs and soft loans under the National Economic Recovery Plan (PENJANA). “These measures will be implemented through public-private partnership,” says Samsudin. “Specifically for MDEC, we have received RM 35 million of funding under the Digital Content Grant with focus on animation and visual effects projects. The grant can cover a broad range of activities such as development, production / co-production and IP marketing & licensing.”
MDEC is also offering multiple programs to boost the local and regional ecosystem. As Samsudin mentions, “In addition, MDEC drives IP development through the DC3 and DCG; upskilling the talent pool thus ensuring a funnel for the studios to grow via grassroot programs such as Kre8tif!@schools, DICE UP and related development programs; and building scale in the industry through structured incubation program to catalyze start-ups.”
The Government of Malaysia through MDEC has also been running a Virtual Buyer Fly-In Program where buyers get the opportunity to speak to the region’s top animation companies about a variety of solutions, including IP development and services. “The upcoming Kre8tif! Virtual Conference plays a unifying role in the Malaysian ecosystem growth, gathering the best of the industry within the region to facilitate business and networking opportunities,” says the VP. “Founded in 2009, this small gathering of industry, talent and partners has grown to be an exciting and vibrant part of the Southeast Asian animation and VFX scene.”
Among the many benefits of working with Malaysian studios:
Malaysian animation studios are committed to world-class production pipelines. Over the years the talent pool and studios have grown exponentially, which will eventually lead to many new IPs being created. They can handle multiple collaboration and co-production projects with international studios and broadcasters.
Language is not a barrier, as English is widely spoken. “We are proud of our strong and diverse multicultural and multiracial heritage which also promotes good work ethic,” says Samsudin. “They can understand and blend various different cultures and languages across the region. On top of that, Malaysia offers a vast array of flora and fauna which inspire new stories that can travel the world!”
Success Stories
In 2019, three well-crafted animated features were released on the big screen: Upin & Ipin: Keris Siamang Tunggal (Les Copaque), BoBoiBoy Movie 2 (Animonsta) and Ejen Ali: The Movie (WAU Animation). Upin & Ipin won the Best Feature Film at the Montreal International Animated Film Festival 2019 and was the first Malaysian animation to be shortlisted for nomination at the Oscars in 2020. BoBoiBoy received the Best Poster/Best Teaser Trailer at the Laurus Film Festival and was a finalist at the Florence Film Awards and New York Animation Film Awards.
Comedy web series AstroLOLogy (Lemon Sky Studios) has also been receiving acclaim worldwide. Another interesting IP which is a positive reflection of Malaysian culture is Batik Girl (The R&D Studio) — this animated short has picked up a number of nominations and five awards.
Future Attractions
Among the numerous animated projects in the pipeline for 2020 and 2021 are:
Lil Critter Workshop, a 2D animation studio in Malaysia, is currently working on productions for Australia, the U.K. and the U.S. One original IP in particular, slapstick non-dialogue series Buck and Buddy, has been gaining sales momentum since its launch in February on CITV in the U.K. Buck and Buddy has secured multiple broadcaster acquisitions, including Discovery Kids MENA.
The R&D Studio is currently working with its partner Robot Playground Media (Singapore) to come out with several Asian stories through a Malaysian lens. Spectrum is an animated anthology film featuring seven shorts that celebrate family values and the shared culture and heritage. The R&D Studio is also behind the critically acclaimed short Batik Girl.
Vision Animation is working on productions for Australia, Canada and South Korea. It is an established Malaysian studio and currently working on multiple IPs, one of which is The Curious World of Linda, a co-production between Vision Animation and Tak Toon Enterprise (Korea).
Giggle Garage has multiple productions spanning six different countries. The studio behind Fridgies is expanding its production through 2020, and is busy working on titles such as Space Nova, Time Traveller Luke, Dr. Panda and Kazoops.
Animonsta Studios is working on several original IP expansions, including a Mechamato feature film.
As Samsudin puts it, the country’s thriving animation scene has come a long way in the past few decades. “Malaysia’s animation industry began its humble roots as early as 1985 with our first animated series, known as Sang Kancil & Buaya. Fast forward to today, and we can see that Malaysian companies are playing an active role in markets all over the world,” he concludes. “They are able to understand industry trends that allow them to fulfill the demands of today’s viewers. With a mixed culture and different languages, the Malaysian animation scene will always remain friendly — to both buyers and audiences everywhere.”
For more info, visit mdec.my.
A Few Words from Malaysian Studio Heads
Walid Omar, Executive Producer/Owner, Lil Critter Workshop: “The fact that we have no language barrier, enjoy a multicultural society, blessed with a strong experienced workforce and combined with accommodating and adaptive government support. Doing business in Malaysia is a very compelling proposition.”
Low Huoi Seong, CEO, Vision Animation: “Malaysia has strong government support such as the Film In Malaysia Incentive (FIMI) and similar programs to assist studios and creators. Doing business with us in Malaysia is easy with no language barrier, and we understand international pipelines and have created a name for ourselves in terms of experience and quality.”
Irwan Junaidy, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer, The R&D Studio: “The West is looking for something different, stories that tell of different cultures with universal values that can resonate around the world. Malaysia has that.”
Zeno Gabing, Executive Director, Giggle Garage: “Government support in terms of funds, tax incentives, rebates and infra has certainly helped. The Malaysian ecosystem has produced good talent and nurtured studios with world class production pipelines. We have excellent stories due to the multicultural Malaysia, vast flora and fauna that inspire new stories that can travel the world.”
The Curious World of LindaBuck and BuddyHasnul SamsudinMechamato
Billy Corgan’s popular rock band The Smashing Pumpkins will be releasing a new five-part animated series titled In the Ashes, in conjunction with their 20-track double album Cyr, which is set to arrive on Nov. 27th. The first two episodes of the animated show will premieres on Friday, September 25th.
According to Corgan, Cyr focuses on timely dystopian themes and the notion of one person fighting against a tyrannical society. “Cyr is dystopic folly,” said Corgan. “One soul against the world sort of stuff, set against a backdrop of shifting loyalties and sped-up time. To me it stands as both hopeful and dismissive of what is and isn’t possible with faith.”
Here’s a sneak peek at In Ashes, written by William Patrick Corgan.
A normal kid named Dorg finds his life turned upside down when he befriends several paranormal characters (a cool unicorn, an ancient witch and an eerie ghost) and tries to disguise them as regular teenagers. That’s the clever premise of Dorg Van Dango, the hot new animated show based on an original idea by Fabian Erlinghäuser (Song of the Sea, Moone Boy) and Nora Twomey (The Breadwinner, The Secret of Kells) of Ireland’s acclaimed studio Cartoon Saloon. Canadian children’s content studio WildBrain will be taking Dorg to the new format MIPCOM Rendezvous Cannes hybrid market this fall.
“Beyond the fantastic writing and quality animation, I love that we were able to work on a truly international series with a creative team spanning between Canada and Ireland – Matt Ferguson (series director) and James Brown (producer) in Canada, and Fabian Erlinghauser (creator) and the Cartoon Saloon team in Ireland,” says WildBrain Studios’ exec VP and general manager, Amir Nasrabadi. “I also have to mention the geat partner support from Nickelodeon, Family Channel and RTÉ spanning the globe.”
Production on the show began in early 2019, and one season (52 x 11′) has been completed to date. The animation, voice-records, character and backgrounds builds were handled by WildBrain Studios in Vancouver, with writing, design, storyboards and post-production handled by Kilkenny-based Cartoon Saloon. Dorg Van Dango is animated in Toon Boom Harmony, and backgrounds are painted in Photoshop.
Nasrabadi says the animation style is a really interesting blend of the hand-drawn style that Cartoon Saloon is famous for (Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea), and WildBrain Studios’ influence of snappy, pose-to-pose, ‘cartoon-y’ animation. “Our characters really pop in Dorg Van Dango because they’re treated dimensionally, but they live in a flat, graphic environment,” he explains. “We also incorporated a very subtle ‘cell shadow’ layer to the characters to separate them from the background which contributes to the traditional hand-drawn feel we were striving for. Overall, this is one of the most visually unique shows we’ve done.”
Dorg Van Dango premiered in March on RTÉ 2 Ireland and in August on Family Channel Canada. It’s rolling out worldwide beginning this fall on Nickelodeon in the U.K., Australia, Scandinavia, France, Italy, Spain, Central Eastern Europe, Poland, Israel, Latin America, Asia (excluding China), India, the Middle East and North Africa. According to Nasrabadi, the reaction to the show has been great. “Viewers are drawn in by the colorful and unique style of the show and sticking around for the funny, unpredictable storylines and characters. In Canada, Chance Hurstfield, voice of the main character Dorg, won the Leo award for Best Voice Performance in Animation. This really is a unique 2D animated comedy for kids.”
In addition to Dorg, the WildBrain team is showcasing a great slate of content at MIP, including the just-announced Green Hornet, reimagined by renowned filmmaker, screenwriter and actor Kevin Smith. “We’re also excited about brand-new Johnny Test for Netflix, from creator Scott Fellows,” adds Nasrabadi. “Both series will be produced out of our Vancouver studio. We’re also working on some new seasons of much-loved Chip and Potato for Netflix, and classics like Fireman Sam and Polly Pocket with Mattel, and lots more new content soon-to-be announced!”
To find out more visit wildbrain.com and cartoonsaloon.ie.
Vancouver-based studio Arcana has announced the new cast for its 2021 animated feature Heroes of the Golden Mask. Patton Oswalt (Young Adult, Ratatouille), Byron Mann (Little Fires Everywhere, Arrow) and Osric Chau (2012, Supernatural) have joined the voice cast, which also includes Christopher Plummer and Ron Perlman. Oswalt will voice Aesop (a burly but sweet Atlantean hero), while Mann will voice Jiahao (a noble warrior) and Chau will voice Zhu (a brave fighter and wushu martial artist).
The CG-animated family film Heroes of the Golden Mask is billed as an epic fantasy adventure inspired by the ancient masks of Sanxingdui, and tells the story of a contemporary teenager who is magically transported back in time to a mysterious, lost city. Arcana Studio CEO Sean Patrick O’Reilly is directing, and CG Bros’ Gordon McGhie and Troy Taylor are producing the project.
Since its launch in 2004, Arcana has been an innovative leader in the development of intellectual properties across all platforms. Arcana owns one of the world’s largest libraries of graphic novels. In 2012, Arcana opened an animation division to develop and produce its content for all platforms including film, television, direct-to-home and digital media. Among the studio’s current productions are the feature Ultraduck and the TV shows Miksatonic and Go Fish. Arcana also plans to release the movies Clockwork Girl and Panda vs. Aliens in 2021. For more info, visit arcana.com.
L.A.-based children’s media consultant Kevin Clark is Netflix’s new director of preschool animation. Clark has consulted on diversity, content development and strategy for companies such as Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, YouTube Kids, Facebook, Mattel, Hasbro, Disney and Netflix. He will report to preschool content director Heather Tilert, beginning this month.
Clark is founding director of the center for digital media innovation and diversity at George Mason University in Virginia. Most recently, he served as creative producer on Netflix’s live-action preschool series, Bookmark: Celebrating Black Voices. He has also written about issues surrounding integrating diverse characters into children’s shows and the importance of moving beyond tokenism in the kids entertainment landscape.
The fourth night of the Creative Emmy Awards saw big wins for Genndy Tartakovsky and Cartoon Network’s Primal, Pixar’s Forky Asks a Question (Disney+), FX’s Archer and Netflix’s Big Mouth. Here is a rundown of the animation/vfx-related Emmy winners:
Outstanding Short Form Animated Program
Forky Asks a Question “What Is Love?” (Disney+)
Bob Peterson, Director/Writer
Mark Nielsen, Producer
Outstanding Derivative Interactive Program
Big Mouth Guide To Life (Netflix)
Social Life | Part Of Jellyfish Group
Outstanding Individual Achievement In Animation
Jill Dykxhoorn, Lead Background Artist
Archer “Road Trip” (FX Networks)
Dan Mackenzie, Character Animator
Cosmos “Possible Worlds” (National Geographic)
Genndy Tartakovsky, Storyboard Artist
Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal “Spear and Fang” (Adult Swim)
Scott Wills, Art Director,
Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal “Spear and Fang” (Adult Swim)
Inside Bill’s Brain “Decoding Bill Gates” (Netflix)
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance
Maya Rudolph As Connie The Hormone Monstress
Big Mouth “How To Have An Orgasm” (Netflix)
The following VFX winners were announced on Day Three of the Creative Emmys:
Outstanding Special Visual Effects
The Mandalorian “Chapter 2: The Child” (Disney+)
Lucasfilm Ltd.
Richard Bluff, VFX Supervisor
Jason Porter, VFX Supervisor
Abbigail Keller, VFX Producer
Hayden Jones, VFX Supervisor
Hal Hickel, Animation Supervisor
Roy Cancino, Special Effects Supervisor
John Rosengrant, Supervisor
Enrico Damm, Environment Supervisor
Landis Fields, Virtual Production Visualization Supervisor
Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Supporting Role
Vikings “The Best Laid Plans” (History)
Dominic Remane, Visual Effects Supervisor
Bill Halliday, Visual Effects Producer
Becca Donohue, Visual Effects Producer
Leann Harvey, On-Set Visual Effects Supervisor
Tom Morrison, CG Supervisor
Ovidiu Cinazan, Lead Compositor
Jim Maxwell, Lead Matte Painter
Ezra Waddell, Lead Massive Crowd Artist
Warren Lawtey, FX Lead
Chinese animated feature Jiang Ziya: Legend Of Deification will arrive in theaters in N. America as well as China on October 1, which marks the beginning of the country’s National Day Golden Week holidays. The much-anticipated movie, which is was originally scheduled to be released on Jan. 25, the first day of Chinese New Year, but it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Well Go Use is distributing the movie Stateside.
Directed by Teng Cheng and Wei Li, the 110-minute feature is the follow-up to international blockbuster Ne Zha and the second chapter in the Fengshen Cinematic Universe. It is described as a “fate-defying, action-packed legendary tale retold through vibrant Chinese animation.”
Here is the official synopsis: To earn his place amongst the gods, celestial army commander Jiang Ziya must vanquish a terrifying fox demon threatening the very existence of the mortal realm. But after learning that the creature’s fate is tied to that of a young girl, Jiang Ziya faces an impossible choice: can he sacrifice one in order to save many?
Beijing Enlight Pictures’s previous movie Ne Zha, topped China’s box-office chart last year and made over $726 million worldwide.
Women in Animation (WIA) announced the Class of 2020 Best Short Film winners from the WIA Class of 2020 Showcase today at a Live Zoom Awards Ceremony, where WIA board members together with several jury members met with the award recipients to talk about why they chose to honor these films. A total of 409 graduate and undergraduate student films representing 121 schools from all over the world were reviewed by the WIA Class of 2020 Showcase jury to determine the winners.
The Class of 2020 Best Short Film winners are:
Ciervo, directed by Pilar Garcia-Fernandezsesma, a recent graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design. An emotionally haunting and visually beautiful experience, ‘Ciervo’ tells the story of a young girl who holds violence, submission, and independence in an uneasy balance as one morphs into the other.
La Vida de una Piñata, directed by Elena Heller, Marina Kunz, Raphael Pfyffer and Kai Müri, graduates of the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts in Switzerland. A piñata experiences the same fateful day over and over again, on which it is bought by a girl and finds death at her garden party. Shocked, the piñata tries to break out of this eternal cycle.
Meow or Never, directed by Neeraja Raj, a graduate of the National Film and Television School in the UK. In a madcap musical, a catstronaut travels the galaxy looking for the meaning of life – only to encounter an overeager space pup who causes trouble at every turn! The duo go on an unexpected journey together and she discovers a lot more than she expected to find.
Millennium Hour, by Adam Bohorquez (School of Visual Arts)
The jury for the WIA Class of 2020 Showcase included:
Craig Bartlett, Animator, Writer, and Director
Erika Dapkzewicz, Film Director at Sony Pictures Animation
Magdiela Hermida Duhamel, Founder of Latinx In Animation & Production Manager of The Casagrandes at Nickelodeon Animation
Lauren Faust, Creator, Director and Producer
Jay Francis, VP of Current Series, Diversity & Inclusion at Disney TV
Trisha Gum, Director/Writer
John Kambites, Producer at Cinesite
Sarah Landy, SVP of Production and Development at Nickelodeon Preschool
Ramsey Naito, President, Nickelodeon Animation
Mark Osborne, Filmmaker at Netflix
Joanna Quinn, Director and Animator
Wendy Rogers, Filmmaker at Netflix
Karen Toliver, Executive Vice President, Creative at Sony Pictures Animation
Becki Tower, Animation Department Head, Pixar Animation Studios
James Tucker, Executive Producer of the DC Animated Series and DTV Movies
Ronald Wimberly, Designer, Author and Writer
With the WIA Class of 2020 Showcase, WIA virtually recreated the opportunities that had been missing for the talent and for the industry during the pandemic. The showcase provided a unique platform for graduate films to be seen by animation powerhouses and recruiters, hiring managers, agents and studio executives, making important connections for promising new talent. For more info on the winning films and their filmmakers, visit the WIA website.
THIRTEEN productions and WNET will debut Prisoner in My Homeland, the sixth role-playing game in the award-winning Mission US series online on Sept. 14. This latest installment in the free interactive educational series gives middle and high school students the chance to see life through the eyes of a Japanese American teenager during World War II as they encounter diverse perspectives, witness key events and make difficult choices in a scenario from this pivotal, difficult moment in history.
Students are asked to step into the role of Henry Tanaka, a 16-year-old Japanese American boy whose family is forced to leave their home on Bainbridge Island, Washington, for a prison camp in Manzanar, California. Players must make decisions that reflect broader strategies of survival and resistance: will they help their community, focus on family, support the war effort, resist injustice?
The Mission US team collaborated closely with humanities advisors and members of the Japanese American community to develop the online game. Densho, a digital archive that preserves oral histories and other primary source materials on the incarceration, consulted on content development for the game and its supporting educator curriculum guide. An advisory board of leading scholars and researchers of the history of the incarceration guided development of the game’s historical content.
“My hope is that this new Mission US game gives players a more nuanced understanding of the past, while offering educators a valuable, easily accessible tool for deepening history learning both in the classroom and at home,” said Sandra Sheppard, Executive-in-Charge of Mission US and WNET Director of Kids’ Media and Education.
As of June 1st of this year, Mission US games have been played by 3 million registered users, including 98,000 teachers, in all 50 states. The Mission US website includes six games and comprehensive companion classroom guides that include document-based history activities, primary sources, vocabulary builders, standards alignments, writing prompts, visual aids and professional development videos. The website also includes tips for parents and educators seeking to use Mission US as a resource for at-home history learning.
Other Mission US games include For Crown or Colony?, which puts players in the role of a 14-year-old printer’s apprentice in 1770 Boston; Flight to Freedom, which follows the journey of a 14-year-old enslaved young woman who escapes to the North in 1848; A Cheyenne Odyssey, in which players get a window into the life of Little Fox, a fictional member of the Northern Cheyenne tribe during the westward expansion in 1866; City of Immigrants, in which players, as 14-year-old Russian Jewish immigrant Lena Brodsky, find their way in 1907 New York City; and Up from the Dust, where players step into the shoes of Ginny and Frank, 14-year-old twins struggling to help save their family farm in Texas during the Great Depression.
Mission US is produced by THIRTEEN Productions LLC in association with WNET. Sandra Sheppard, is executive-in charge. Jill Peters is executive producer. Michelle Chen is senior producer.
