Gaumont, the world’s first film company and producer of the forthcoming animated series Do, Re & Mi, starring Kristen Bell (Frozen) and Jackie Tohn (GLOW) for Amazon Prime Video, and High in the Clouds, an animated feature developed with Paul McCartney for Netflix, is continuing to grow its Animation and Family efforts in the U.S. with the addition of industry veteran Michelle Sullivan. The announcement was made Thursday by Nicolas Atlan, President, Animation and Family, Gaumont.
Sullivan most recently served as a Development Executive for Amazon Studios where she was instrumental in developing and overseeing the production of Amazon Kids Originals scripted animated children’s series including Do, Re & Mi, Jessy and Nessy, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Wishenpoof, Click Clack Moo, Creative Galaxy and Emmy-nominated Bookaboo. Prior to that, she led National Geographic’s kids and family digital initiatives including NG Kids TV, its multi-platform video channel, in addition to having held positions with a focus on kids and teens at both AOL and MXG.
Sullivan will officially join the team in August as VP, Creative Executive based in Gaumont’s Los Angeles offices, reporting to Terry Kalagian, SVP, Creative Development, Animation and Family. She will be working alongside Kimberly Dennison, VP Creative Development, sourcing projects to be developed into animated and live-action series in the Animation and Family space.
“I am so excited to have Michelle Sullivan joining our team. Her creative vision is aligned with Gaumont’s and the energy and expertise she brings to the group will further inspire us in our ongoing quest to develop meaningful stories and compelling characters,” said Kalagian.
WildBrain Spark (the digital media division of WildBrain, one of the world’s largest independent kids’ and family entertainment companies) has been appointed by Benesse Corporation to manage the English-language channel and content for its hit edu-tainment preschool brand Shimajiro on YouTube. Shimajiro is an educational character and learning buddy who is hugely popular in Asia, and WildBrain Spark will look to grow the presence of the brand’s English-language content with a focus on the U.K., U.S. and the wider English global market.
Benesse Corporation has been creating educational and publishing content for the past 30 years, with the aim of making early childhood learning fun for kids and easier for their parents and guardians. This brand’s content explores Shimajiro’s life as a preschooler and the lessons he needs to learn on a daily basis. As with any toddler, he needs to acquire social skills such as empathy for others, playing in groups and helping around the house. However, the series also focuses heavily on teaching physical skills such as brushing your teeth and washing your hands. There is a mixture of both live action and animation in the show, creating a healthy balance between learning with Shimajiro and also learning real life issues.
Rachel Taylor, Commercial Director at WildBrain Spark, said, “As we continue growing our connections with brand owners all around the world, we’re very much looking forward to working closely with the Japan-based Benesse Corporation to grow their Shimajiro brand in key international markets. Shimajiro’s success in educating young viewers in a fun and accessible way makes it a perfect fit for the WildBrain Spark network and we look forward to bringing the English-language content to new preschool audiences.”
Daisuke Tebayashi, Director of Global Business Development Division at Benesse Corporation, said, “Shimajiro has delighted kids and parents in Asia for years. We are excited to be launching him to the global English market. The last few months have shown all parents around the world the importance of learning at home, and this is something we are experts at. With its history of brand building, WildBrain Spark is the ideal match for our digital-first strategy, and we are excited to be making this move into new markets.”
The out-of-this-world animated movie Phineas and Ferb The Movie: Candace Against the Universe, from Disney Television Animation, will premiere exclusively on Disney+ Friday, August 28. The soundtrack, from Walt Disney Records, will be available the same day.
Executive produced by the creators/exec producers of the Emmy Award-winning Phineas and Ferb series, Dan Povenmire and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh, Phineas and Ferb The Movie: Candace Against the Universeis an adventure story that tracks stepbrothers Phineas and Ferb as they set out across the galaxy to rescue their older sister Candace, who after being abducted by aliens, finds utopia in a far-off planet, free of pesky little brothers.
Voice talent reprising their roles from the original series and movie include: Ashley Tisdale as Candace Flynn; Vincent Martella as Phineas Flynn; Caroline Rhea as their mom, Linda; Dee Bradley Baker as Perry the Platypus; Alyson Stoner as Isabella; Maulik Pancholy as Baljeet; Bobby Gaylor as Buford; Olivia Olson as Vanessa Doofenshmirtz; Tyler Mann as Carl; and Povenmire and Marsh as Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz and Major Monogram, respectively. David Errigo Jr. joins the cast as Ferb Fletcher.
The movie also stars Ali Wong (American Housewife) as Super Super Big Doctor, Wayne Brady (Whose Line Is It Anyway?) as Stapler Fist, Diedrich Bader (American Housewife) as Borthos and Thomas Middleditch (Silicon Valley) as Garnoz.
In addition to Povenmire and Marsh, the talented crew includes director Bob Bowen (Family Guy), composer Danny Jacob (Phineas and Ferb) and songwriters Karey Kirkpatrick (Something Rotten!), Emanuel Kiriakou (Whitney Houston’s “I Look to You”) and Kate Micucci (Garfunkel and Oates).
All four seasons of the original animated series Phineas and Ferb, along with the Disney Channel Original Movie Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Across the 2nd Dimension, are also available to stream on Disney+. Beginning Tuesday, August 25, all episodes will be presented on Disney XD leading up to the movie’s premiere.
In addition to the soundtrack for the new movie, brand extensions for the movie will include cross-category products available at Hot Topic, BoxLunch and Amazon this August.
Phineas and Ferb The Movie: Candace Against the Universe
MTV Studios (part of the Entertainment and Youth Group), a unit of ViacomCBS, announced today that Academy Award and Golden Globe-winning creators Phil Lord and Chris Miller will reimagine the iconic Clone High television series with Emmy-nominated co-creator Bill Lawrence.
Together with MTV and Erica Rivinoja, the trio will reunite to develop and produce new episodes of the animated series, which was widely regarded as a time capsule of the early 2000s with its loving satire and wry parody of emo culture. Rivinoja, who was a writer on the original series will serve as showrunner and will co-write the pilot with Lord and Miller.
Erica Rivinoja, Bill Lawrence
Like the original, Clone High will follow prominent historical figures who have been cloned and placed back in high school, including Abraham Lincoln, Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, John F. Kennedy and more, as they face the trials and tribulations of normal teenage life.
“We are thrilled to reunite with Phil Lord, Chris Miller and Bill Lawrence to re-imagine this cult classic as we rapidly grow our portfolio of beloved and iconic adult animation series,” said Chris McCarthy, President, ViacomCBS Entertainment and Youth Group.
The original Clone High series was produced by MTV and Canadian animation studio Nelvana, and was initially developed as a concept by Miller while he was still in college. The cult-hit 2D sitcom featured the voices of Will Forte as Abe, Nicole Sullivan as Joan, Michael McDonald as Gandhi, Christa Miller as Cleo, with Miller (JFK, Mr. Butlertron) and Lord (Principal Scudworth) also providing voices (along with several notable guest stars, from Marilyn Manson to Mandy Moore). The show’s theme song was written by Tommy Walter and performed by his group, The Abandoned Pools.
Clone High
Lord and Miller began their careers with writing, directing and executive producing Clone High alongside Lawrence in 2002. The pair went on to win an Academy Award for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and have originated feature franchises such as Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, 21 Jump Street and The LEGO Movie, all of which have grossed more than $3.3 billion at the global box office and prove pair’s extraordinary range and ability to deliver on compelling ideas.
On the television side, the pair were behind the comedy series The Last Man on Earth, which was written by and starred Will Forte. The series was nominated for five Primetime Emmy Awards, including a nomination for Lord and Miller for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series. They are currently behind the animated comedy series Bless the Harts, which is getting ready to debut its second season on Fox and is from creator Emily Spivey.
Lawrence went on to create the Emmy-winning live-action comedies Scrubs and Cougar Town following the original 2002-2003 run of Clone High.
Lord and Miller are represented by UTA and Ziffren Brittenham LLP. Lawrence is represented by ICM Partners and Morris Yorn Barnes Levine Krintzman Rubenstein Kohner & Gellman.
Cooped up kiddos can turn to some of their favorite animated friends this summer on Disney Junior, which will be debuting themed programming events throughout July and August to keep preschoolers entertained during the long hours at home.
Kicking off this weekend for Independence Day, themes include “Red, White and Bluey,” “Mickey Mouse: Calling All Campers,” “Dog Days of Summer,” “Puppy Playcare,” “Mickey Mouse Farm Weel” and “T.O.T.S. Train Week.”
Details below (all times are ET/PT)!
Red, White, and Bluey
“Red, White and Bluey Weekend” (Friday, July 3 beginning at 4:30 p.m.; Saturday, July 4 beginning at 12:00 p.m.; and Sunday, June 5 beginning at 12:30 p.m. on Disney Junior) — Bluey, Puppy Dog Pals, T.O.T.S and more to be highlighted. New “Bluey”-themed interstitials will also debut.
“Mickey Mouse Calling All Campers Week” (Monday, July 13 – Friday, July 17 at 6:30 p.m. on Disney Junior) — Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Mickey and the Roadster Racers and Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures episodes spotlighting camping and the great outdoors.
T.O.T.S. – “All Aboard Babies” (Disney Junior) PIP, FREDDY, K.C.PUPPY DOG PALS – “Welcome to Puppy Playcare” (Disney Junior) LOLLIE, KEIA, BINGO, ROLLYMIXED MOUSE MIXED-UP ADVENTURES – “Old McMickey Had a Farm” (Disney Junior) DONALD, MINNIE, CHIP, DALE, GOOFY, DAISY, MICKEY, PLUTOPuppy Dog Pals
“Dog Days of Summer Weekend” (Saturday, July 18 – Sunday, July 19 beginning at 12:00 p.m. on Disney Junior) — Dog-themed episodes of favorite series including Puppy Dog Pals, Bluey, Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures and T.O.T.S.
Puppy Dog Pals
“Puppy Playcare Week” (Monday, July 27 – Wednesday, July 29 at 9:00 a.m. and Thursday, July 30 at 9:30 a.m. on Disney Channel; and 7:00 p.m. on Disney Junior) — Episodes of Puppy Dog Pals will air daily leading up to the new episode “Firefighter Pups / Hike Paw,” premiering Friday, July 31 at 9:30 a.m. on Disney Channel and in DisneyNOW.
Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures
“Mickey Mouse Farm Week” (Monday, August 10 – Friday, August 14 at 6:30 p.m. on Disney Junior) — Episodes of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Mickey and the Roadster Racers and Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures highlighting farming and teamwork lead up to a new episode of Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures titled “Goofy’s Hot Dog Harvest / Puppy Birthday to You!,” premiering Friday, August 14 at 8:30 a.m. on Disney Channel and in DisneyNOW.
T.OT.S.
“T.O.T.S. Train Week” (Monday, August 17 – Friday, August 21 at 9:00 a.m. on Disney Channel and 6:30 p.m. on Disney Junior) — T.O.T.S. episodes highlighting a new baby train and new babies, leading up the new episode “The Big Little Baby / The Super-Secret Mission” premiering August 21 at 9:00 a.m. on Disney Junior.
Netflix and BAFTA-nominated development/production studio Blink Industries announce a new 2D animated series DeadEndia, based on the graphic novels from award-winning creator Hamish Steele. The series will be produced at Blink Industries’ London studio, and will premiere globally on Netflix in 2021.
Based on Hamish’s horror-comedy graphic novels and web short Dead End, the series follows the adventures of Barney, Norma and magical talking dog Pugsley, as they balance their summer jobs at the local theme park haunted house while battling the totally real supernatural forces that dwell within it. Together with their guide to the underworld multiplane, a sardonic thousand-year-old demon named Courtney, they’ll face zombie mascots, demonic game show hosts, sleep-sucking witches and the scariest thing of all: their first crushes!
The DeadEndia graphic novels have been lauded for capturing the growing pains of early adulthood of characters with a wide variety of identities and experiences including Barney, a transgender teen, and neurodiverse Norma.
Bringing the animated adaptation to life are series stars Zach Barack (Spider-Man: Far from Home) as Barney, Kody Kavitha (Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) as Norma, Emily Osment (Almost Family, The Kominsky Method) as Courtney, Alex Brightman (Beetlejuice The Musical) as Pugsley, Clinton Leuppa.k.a. Miss Coco Peru (Will & Grace) as Pauline Phoenix, Kenny Tran (Maybe Happy Ending) as Logs and Kathreen Khavari (Marvel Rising, Insecure, Big Little Lies) as Badyah.
“DeadEndia is about terrifying demons, vengeful ghosts and mysterious magic. It is also about coming of age in a world that wasn’t made for you. It’s a drama about found family, identity and making mistakes. And of course it’s a laugh out loud comedy!” said Steele, whose art skills have contributed to animation tie-in comics like Adventure Time, Bravest Warriors, Steven Universe and Regular Show and the author-illustrator of Pantheon.
“I’ve always dreamed of making the show I needed as a lonely, horror-obsessed closeted gay kid and thanks to Netflix and our ridiculously talented, diverse and representative writers room and crew, we have shot way past my dreams and into wildest fantasy territory!”
Miss Coco Peru, Alex Brightman, Kathreen KhavariEmily Osment, Zach BarackKenny C. Tran, Kody Kavitha
Rooster Teeth revealed a first look at Recorded by Arizal with a sneak-peek clip this week, and blew up Twitter with more than 12K likes and 2.7K retweets. In case you missed it, check out the 26-second video which reveals Rooster Teeth’s newest lead character, Arizal — a hopeful Record Keeper in the making. The series debuts July 13.
Recorded by Arizal is the latest 2D animated production from Rooster Teeth. The series follows Arizal, an inquisitive could-be heroine on the brink of adulthood and in pursuit of her dream career — to become a Record Keeper. Is Arizal ready to leave her secluded city-state of Maktaba to create “records” of the outside world? Over a series of personal vlogs, Arizal ponders the adventure she’s convinced she’s ready to go on, probably!
Recorded by Arizal is a prelude to a story from Rooster Teeth creator Yssa Badiola. This four-part prelude will be released weekly on Rooster Teeth beginning on July 13. New parts of the prelude will premiere exclusively for FIRST members before moving to free-to-watch platforms a week later.
Nexus Studios welcomes Shona Collins to the Original Content team, in the role of Senior Development Producer. Working alongside Christopher O’Reilly and Charlotte Bavasso, co-founders of Nexus Studios, and Executive Producer Diego Rosner, Collins will help to find and develop the studio’s slate of original animation ideas, existing IP and talent.
Collins joins Nexus Studios from Pathé U.K., where she developed titles including Judy, starring Renee Zellweger; Lenny Abrahamson’s The Little Stranger; and Misbehaviour, starring Keira Knightly, Gugu Mbatha Raw and Jessie Buckley. She was previously a Story Editor at the British Film Institute. Prior to that, Collins was a writer and journalist, developing a sitcom and comedy drama with Eleven Films (Sex Education), and was a presenter and reporter on two seasons of the Channel 4 prime time TV show How to Look Good Naked.
Since her arrival, Collins has helped to further realise Nexus Studios’ ambition of being a home to unique voices in animation, shaping a diverse slate featuring a number of adult and family projects in development. Amongst these, is WishTales, a magical realist specials series with Oscar-winning talent soon to be announced.
Nexus Studios is also in production on Netflix’s first original stop-frame commission out of the U.K., The House. Leading stop-frame directors Paloma Baeza, Niki Lindroth von Bahr, Marc James Roels and Emma de Swaef are now joined by Tony Award-winning playwright and screenwriter Enda Walsh (Steve McQueen’s Hunger Disco Pigs), two-time Oscar-winning composer Gustavo Santaolalla (Brokeback Mountain, Babel) and Oscar and BAFTA-nominated editor Barney Pilling (The Grand Budapest Hotel, Annihilation).
“This is a hugely exciting time to be joining such a dynamic studio — jumping straight into a Netflix series, getting to know the super accomplished roster of directors, and honing the existing slate of film, TV and interactive projects. The range of talent and genres Nexus traverses is formidable,” said Collins of her new post. “The outlook and appetite for animation is so vast and expanding, it’s a rare chance to allow writers and directors the time and space to find their ideal projects — and for some filmmakers to bridge the gap between live action and animation.”
“We are thrilled that Shona has joined us at this particular time. Her impeccable eye for story and writing talent and her story development skills are key additions to our team,” commented co-founders O’Reilly and Bavasso. “Our focus at Nexus Studios has always been to be a home for unique directorial talent, where they are able to create their best work at the highest quality, across a broad range of tones and styles. It’s very exciting to see this ethos now also firmly underpinning our original content slate.”
Nexus Studios is an independent production company with animation studios and offices in London, Los Angeles and Sydney. Its work spans advertising, entertainment and new forms of storytelling technology such as location-based AR. Nexus has earned recognition for its work from the Oscars, BAFTAs, Emmy Awards and Cannes Grand Prix.
Comedy Central announced Wednesday an expansive deal with Emmy Award-winning Mike Judge to reimagine MTV’s seminal, Gen X-defining animated comedy Beavis and Butt-Head, as well as additional spin-offs and specials.
Launched in 1993, Beavis and Butt-Head quickly became a force in pop culture and started a TV revolution with its pure, unadulterated, satirical commentary on youth and adolescence. Centered on two teenage couch potatoes, “Beavis” and “Butt-Head,” the unprecedented concept immediately became part of the vernacular in a way no other adult animated series had before. Known for tackling social issues including teen obesity, workers’ rights and media trends, the show connected with an entire generation, laying claim as one of the most innovative series in the modern-day zeitgeist.
In this 21st century iteration, Beavis and Butt-head are entering a whole new Gen Z world. Comedy Central has ordered two seasons of the new series with meta-themes relatable to both new and old fans – Gen X parents and their Gen Z kids. Judge is set to write, produce and provide voice over for both iconic characters.
“We are thrilled to be working with Mike Judge and the great team at 3 Arts again as we double down on adult animation at Comedy Central,” said Chris McCarthy, President of Entertainment & Youth Group. “Beavis and Butt-Head were a defining voice of a generation, and we can’t wait to watch as they navigate the treacherous waters of a world light-years from their own.”
“It seemed like the time was right to get stupid again,” said Judge, whose hit comedy credits span both animation (two-time Emmy winner King of the Hill, The Goode Family, Tales from the Tour Bus) and live-action TV/film (Silicon Valley, Idiocracy, Office Space).
Beavis and Butt-Head marks a return to animation for Judge as he looks to recreate a cultural dialogue for a new generation, giving familiar fans and new audiences alike the chance to experience and laugh with America’s favorite animated duo.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will host a family-friendly virtual workshop with some of the animation industry’s top artists, directors and collaborators. Participants will learn about a few styles of animation as well as the art of storyboarding, how to make a flip-book, creating characters, music, production design, voice acting and more.
Jorge Gutierrez and Brooke Keesling
The event will be hosted by animator Jorge Gutierrez (The Book of Life) and Brooke Keesling (Head of Animation Talent Development for Bento Box Entertainment and Student Academy Award winner), with special appearances by:
Hyun-min Lee, animator (Frozen II)
Kendal Cronkhite-Shaindlin, production designer (Trolls)
Michael Giacchino, composer (Up)
Miguel Jiron, writer-director (Spider-Ham: Caught in a Ham)
Pete Docter, writer-director (Inside Out)
Peter Ramsey, director (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse)
Pierre Coffin, director (Despicable Me)
Priscilla Wong, visual development artist (Trolls)
With an abundance of programs, numerous unreleased works to preview, more than 200 films, 32 meetings and 40 MIFA events, the Annecy Festival Online rose to meet this year’s unique challenges and pulled off a successful virtual event for professionals, film buffs and the general public alike. While nothing can replace that special feeling of being “on-site” at Annecy, the organizers reinvented one of the most treasured highlights of the animation events calendar in just two months.
Annecy 2020 by the numbers..
The festival dispensed 15,570 accreditations, including
4,130 MIFA accreditations
335 journalists
Participants represented 111 countries
40 events just for MIFA badgeholders
30 Festival events outside the Official Selection
Nearly 8,000 people watched over 27 hours of live Festival events
The MIFA Video Library offered 1,120 screeners
2,074 virtual stands populated the market
Professionals exchanded 37k+ messages within the Annecy Network
451 videos were available on the platform, totalling 80 hours of unique content
Thousands of new subscribers followed Annecy Online on social:
YouTube: 64,700 subscribers (3,500 new)
Facebook: 54,000 (+6,000)
Twitter: 37,650 (+400)
Instagram: 21,800 (+3,000)
250 free videos for the public were uploaded to the YouTube channel, generating 4k hours of viewing (167 days!) and 143k views.
The big 60th Anniversary edition of Annecy Festival is scheduled to take place once more by the lake in Annecy, France from June 14-16, 2021, celebrating the event’s milestone and African animation. We hope to see you there!
CBS All Access, ViacomCBS’ digital subscription video on-demand and live streaming service, has announced its new half-hour animated comedy series Star Trek: Lower Deckswill premiere on Thursday, August 6. Following the premiere, all 10 episodes of the first season will premiere weekly on Thursdays, exclusively for CBS All Access subscribers in the U.S. The series’ teaser art was also revealed.
Star Trek: Lower Decks
Developed by Emmy Award winner Mike McMahan (Rick and Morty, Solar Opposites), Star Trek: Lower Decks focuses on the support crew serving on one of Starfleet’s least important ships, the U.S.S. Cerritos, in 2380. Ensigns Mariner, Boimler, Rutherford and Tendi have to keep up with their duties and their social lives, often while the ship is being rocked by a multitude of sci-fi anomalies.
The Starfleet crew residing in the “lower decks” of the U.S.S. Cerritos include “Ensign Beckett Mariner,” voiced by Tawny Newsome; “Ensign Brad Boimler,” voiced by Jack Quaid; “Ensign Tendi,” voiced by Noël Wells; and “Ensign Rutherford,” voiced by Eugene Cordero. The Starfleet characters that comprise the ship’s bridge crew include “Captain Carol Freeman,” voiced by Dawnn Lewis; “Commander Jack Ransom,” voiced by Jerry O’Connell; “Lieutenant Shaxs,” voiced by Fred Tatasciore; and “Doctor T’Ana,” voiced by Gillian Vigman.
[red doorway pic] cap: (L-R): Eugene Cordero as Ensign Rutherford, Jack Quaid as Ensign Boimler, Fred Tatasciore as Lieutenant Shaxs, Dawnn Lewis as Captain Freeman, Ensign Barnes played by Jessica McKenna, Tawny Newsome as Ensign Mariner, Gillian Vigman as Dr. T’ana. [Image courtesy CBS 2020 CBS Interactive, Inc.]
The series is produced by CBS’ Eye Animation Productions (CBS Television Studios’ new animation arm), Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment. Secret Hideout’s Alex Kurtzman and Heather Kadin, Roddenberry Entertainment’s Rod Roddenberry and Trevor Roth, and Katie Krentz (219 Productions) serve as executive producers alongside creator and showrunner McMahan. Aaron Baiers (Secret Hideout), who brought McMahan to the project, serves as a co-executive producer.
Emmy Award-winning independent production company Titmouse (Big Mouth) serves as the animation studio for the series.
Star Trek: Lower Decks will air exclusively on CBS All Access in the United States and is distributed worldwide by ViacomCBS Global Distribution Group.
Star Trek: Lower Decks is the first animated series to join the expanding Star Trek franchise on CBS All Access, which includes hit original series Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek: Discovery (returning with season three later this year), the recently announced U.S.S. Enterprise-set series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (featuring Anson Mount, Rebecca Romijn and Ethan Peck) and the development of a Section 31-based series with Michelle Yeoh. A CG-animated Star Trek series aimed at younger audiences is also in the works for Nickelodeon.
In a new Bubble Guppies adventure premiering this Friday on Nickelodeon, the popular preschool heroes encounter a sensitive snow monster voiced by actor, director, comedian and author Henry Winkler (Barry, Arrested Development,Happy Days). In a nod to Winkler’s iconic role as “The Fonz,” this Yeti even rocks an icy-cool pompadour!
In “Snow Squad to the Rescue!”, Gil is convinced that a Yeti is stealing sleeping bags from the campers, so the Snow Squad works together to try and catch the culprit. But what they discover is that this huge, furry creature has a heart even bigger than his giant feet.
Catch the new episode Friday, July 3 at 11 a.m. (ET/PT).
Nickelodeon’s Emmy Award-winning Bubble Guppies is created and executive produced by Jonny Belt and Robert Scull and co-developed by Janice Burgess. The interactive CG-animated series is set in a vibrant underwater environment and follows a group of diverse preschoolers with colorful fish tails who go on adventures discovering their world.
Bubble Guppies is set to a soundtrack of catchy, educational pop songs and features a curriculum that infuses the core elements of kindergarten readiness, including math, literacy, the arts, science and socio-emotional development.
Now that the Emmy season is in full gear, we got a chance to chat with Duncan Trussell (The Midnight Gospel), Raphael Bob-Waksberg (BoJack Horseman) and Andrew Goldberg (Big Mouth) about the episodes of their shows that were submitted for Emmy consideration this year:
Raphael Bob-Waksberg
Raphael Bob-Waksberg, Creator
BoJack Horseman
Why was “The View From Halfway Down” submitted for consideration?
Have you seen “The View From Halfway Down”? It’s an amazing episode! If you haven’t seen it yet, please stop reading this interview and go watch it immediately.
[This penultimate episode of the fifth season centers on BoJack’s vivid near-death experience where he attends a dinner party and talent show featuring important figures from his life who have passed away. The amazing guest voice list includes Zach Braff, Brandon T. Jackson, Wendie Malick, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Kristen Schaal and Stanley Tucci!]
BoJack Horseman
What do you love best about this episode?
I like how stylistically ambitious it is. We couldn’t get away with an episode this grandiose, dramatic and just plain weird in season one. In some ways, it feels like the whole series is building up to this moment.
What was this episode’s biggest challenge for you overall?
Finding moments of lightness, humor, connection and hope in what is otherwise a very dark story.
Give us a few words that come to mind when you look back at the final season of the show?
Wow! We did it!
What are you working on now?
Staying away from other people, washing my hands and wearing a mask! ssssSSSMOKIN’!
Why was “Mouse of Silver” submitted for consideration?
This episode is so beautiful! Clancy is having a real breakthrough while his world collapses around him. To me, this represents the idea that sometimes the greatest epiphanies come at the most catastrophic times.
[In this final episode of the first season, Clancy (voiced by Trussell) joins his mother on an emotional journey through the enigmatic cycle of birth, life and death. This poignant episode features the voice of Trussell’s own mother, Deneen Fendig, who died of cancer only three weeks after participating on his podcast in 2013.]
The Midnight Gospel
What do you love best about this episode?
I’m a new Dad and this episode creates a way for my children to meet their Grandmother.
What was this episode’s biggest challenge for you overall?
Surrendering completely to the process.
Give us a few words that come to mind when you look back at the show?
LOVE!!! PAIN!! TRUST.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on my podcast and writing a book! Also studying modular synthesis and various masonic texts.
Why was “Disclosure the Movie: The Musical” submitted for consideration?
I always love it when we take a serious topic and then filter it through our kids’ experiences as middle schoolers, in this case, sexual harassment in the context of a school play. And very early on, I remember Nick Kroll saying the play should be something really inappropriate like “Disclosure: The Musical” or something. And then we spent like two hours pitching on what else it might be, but “Disclosure” just seemed so perfect to satirize, because it was made in the wake of the Clarence Thomas-Anita Hill hearings and predicated on this tone-deaf idea that the real danger with sexual harassment is that women could weaponize it?! Which seemed so archaic and backwards, until the Brett Kavanaugh-Christine Blasey Ford hearings when they basically made the same argument all over again. Which was infuriating, but also I think made this episode even more timely and provocative.
Also… I mean, come on, the Fab Five makeover Coach Steve! And our staff is full of huge Queer Eye fans. When they recorded, like half of our writers showed up on a Saturday just to watch. Our sound engineer was like, “You guys record famous actors all the time, but I’ve never seen you all so giddy like this.”
Big Mouth
What do you love best about this episode?
I really love the music. Mark Rivers, who writes all our songs and scores the show, really outdid himself on this episode. I especially love when Missy and Nick sing to each other. It’s touching and silly at the same time.
What would you say was this episode’s biggest challenge overall?
As the second to last episode of the season, this show really juggles a lot of stories: Lola and sexual harassment, Nick and Missy — which also has elements of sexual politics and show romances, Jessi and her protest, and of course Coach Steve and his Queer Eye makeover, and the writers of the episode Emily Altman and Victor Quinaz did a great job weaving it all together. And drawing on their childhood as theater kids to make it all feel really true and authentic to our characters.
Give us a few words that come to mind when you look back at the past season of the show?
Girls are angry, too. Anything goes in Florida. Lola Ugfuglio Skumpy.
What are you working on now?
We’re actually finishing up writing and recording Season 5 of Big Mouth and getting ready to open the writers room for Season 1 of our spinoff Human Resources. So, busy times!
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is extending invitations to join the organization to 819 artists and executives who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to theatrical motion pictures. The 2020 class is45% women, 36% underrepresented ethnic/racial communities, and 49% international from 68 countries. There are 75 Oscar nominees, including 15 winners, and five recipients of Scientific and Technical Awards. Those who accept the invitations will be the only additions to the Academy’s membership in 2020.
The list includes 81 additions to the Short Films and Feature Animation branch and 48 invitees to the Visual Effects branch, which you can find below.
“The Academy is delighted to welcome these distinguished fellow travelers in the motion picture arts and sciences. We have always embraced extraordinary talent that reflects the rich variety of our global film community, and never more so than now,” said Academy President David Rubin.
In 2016, the Academy set specific inclusion goals as part of its A2020 initiative to double the number of women and underrepresented ethnic/racial communities by 2020. Through dedicated and intentional work by the Board of Governors and members on the branch executive committees, the Academy has surpassed both these goals.
The Academy recently announced the next phase of its equity and inclusion initiative, Academy Aperture 2025, which will further the organization’s ongoing efforts to advance inclusion in the entertainment industry and increase representation within its membership and the greater film community. The initial phase of Academy Aperture 2025 outlined specific goals for the Oscars and Academy governance, membership and workplace culture.
“We take great pride in the strides we have made in exceeding our initial inclusion goals set back in 2016, but acknowledge the road ahead is a long one. We are committed to staying the course. I cannot give enough thanks to all our members and staff who worked on the A2020 initiative and to our head of Member Relations and Awards, Lorenza Muñoz, for her leadership and passion in guiding us through to this point and helping to set the path going forward. We look forward to continuing to foster an Academy that reflects the world around us in our membership, our programs, our new Museum, and in our awards,” said Academy CEO Dawn Hudson.
Outside the main Animation and Visual Effects branches (the latter including Animation Magazine Tech Reviews Editor, Todd Sheridan Perry), the industry is represented on the invite list with Film Editors Catherina Apple (Onward, Hotel Transylvania), Benjamin Massoubre (I Lost My Body, The Big Bad Fox & Other Tales) and Tambet Tasuja (Finding Nemo, Toy Story 2); Music members Katie Greathouse (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) and Tom Howe (A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, Charming); Production Designer Noah Klocek (Onward, The Good Dinosaur); Writers Pamela Pettler (Monster House, Corpse Bride) and Wally Wolodarksy (Trolls World Tour, Monsters vs. Aliens). A special shout out to our wonderful animation industry publicity veterans Amy Astley, Maggie Begley, Tom Chen and Olivier Mouroux who are also on the list this year.
Hyun Min Lee, Matthew A. Cherry, and Niki Lindroth Von Bahr
Following its intriguing Work in Progress session at Annecy, Netflix has offered up a sneak peek at the animation of its upcoming videogame-based, Fleischer-inspired series The Cuphead Show! over Twitter.
The first-look video includes both final animation and production art/animatics, behind-the-scenes shots of the crew at work, and quick soundbites from key creatives and voice stars Tru Valentino (Fast & Furious: Spy Racers), who plays “Cuphead,” and Frank Todaro (“Starscream” in Transformers animations), voice of “Mugman.”
“Cuphead is a lovable scamp … and he also happens to have a cup for a head,” executive producer Dave Wasson quips in the video. The Emmy and Annie Award-winning producer/writer/director has worked on hit shows including Star vs. The Forces of Evil, Making Fiends, Disney TV’s Mickey Mouse shorts, Oh Yeah! Cartoons and is the creator of Cartoon Network’s Time Squad.
CJ Kettler, EP for King Features Syndicate, adds, “Reimagining the Fleischer style with these incredibly relatable siblings is gonna be pretty fresh and new.”
The Cuphead Show! is a co-production of Netflix Animation, King Features Syndicate and Studio MDHR, which released the original, award-winning Cuphead videogame. Wasson and Kettler executive produce alongside Cosmo Segurson (writer/director, Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling) and game creators Chad and Jared Moldenhauer. Segurson and series art director Andrea Fernández (Unikitty!) also appear in the sneak peek below.
The Cuphead Show! is coming soon, exclusively to Netflix.
Innovative Chinese online entertainment service iQIYI announced that its original CG-animated series Deer Squad Season 1 will premiere July 15 on the platform. The colorful kids’ show will also air on Nickelodeon in Asia from August 2020, with plans to air internationally as well.
“The release of Deer Squad is a major endeavour that will see us bring our world-class animation franchise to the international stage,” said Yang Xiaoxuan, Vice President of iQIYI. “With Nickelodeon’s content development expertise and large global footprint, we are confident that Deer Squad will be enjoyed not just in China but also internationally.”
“We are thrilled that this much-awaited project Deer Squad is completed, and we can’t wait to bring it to our fans on Nickelodeon’s platforms. Its endearing characters and humorous storylines will appeal to audiences in any part of the world,” said Pierre Cheung, Senior Vice President & General Manager of ViacomCBS Networks Asia.
Deer Squad is an animated rescue-adventure series about four lovable, enthusiastic and heroic young deer friends – Kai, Lola, Rammy and Bobbi – who protect the animals of Central Forest and the humans who inhabit Platinum City, a futuristic metropolis surrounding their woodland home. When there’s trouble, the Deer summon their Planet Powers and transform into a team that is capable of solving problems using their Planet Powers of Water (Kai), Wood (Lola), Earth (Bobbi) and Sun (Rammy).
Nickelodeon will air Deer Squad in Asia this August, with plans to air in Japan, South Korea and other countries in the region and internationally by later this year.
Produced by iQIYI under the creative guidance and supervision of Nickelodeon, Deer Squad was developed with global audiences in mind. From the storyline to the characters and production, all elements have been created to meet the highest international standards. The story cleverly combines adventure, education, and humour to convey universal values such as love, courage and responsibility. The series has also been meticulously curated to feature inspiring role models and tips on staying safe.
This series marks the first time Nickelodeon Asia is taking a Chinese original IP on its network from conception phase. A second season has been confirmed.
iQIYI has been expanding its global resources and partnerships in the children’s animation space in recent years, working with renowned animation houses such as Nickelodeon, BBC and Disney to provide diversified and premium content. The international release of Deer Squad demonstrates that the global industry has recognized the high-quality original content produced by iQIYI as well as the influence of its platform.
The company will continue to deliver on its commitment of creating high-quality and original IPs and look to further expand its IP industry chain by hosting events and developing spin-offs and merchandise. These initiatives will allow iQIYI to realize the full commercial value of its IPs while simultaneously enhancing the children’s content industry and boosting the international competitiveness of Chinese-made original animation.
Jeffrey Katzenberg’s short-form, mobile-first SVOD platform Quibi is welcoming the first of its original animated comedies to its roster of top creator-conceived series this month — the astrology themed lifestyle toon Your Daily Horoscope, and slice-of-life docuseries The Andy Cohen Diaries.
Your Daily Horoscope (July 6, daily)
Created by ATTN: and executive produced by Will Arnett, Your Daily Horoscope tracks the daily mishaps of 12 millennial zodiac characters who work at a technology start-up, Estrella. The hand-drawn, colorful animal characters have big personalities entirely driven by the characteristics of their individual zodiac sign.
The series features the voices of Cosmopolitan astrologist Aliza Kelly, Sabra May, Stephanie Kerbis, Janet Varney, Griffin Burns and Josh Thompson.
The Andy Cohen Diaries (July 20)
From the mind of Andy Cohen, comes an animated series chronicling the iconic and untold moments from the pop culture kingpin’s daily life. In this dishy, inside peek into his world, inspired by The Andy Warhol Diaries, Cohen details his most recent adventures, including irreverent celebrity encounters, behind the scenes of his shows, nights out on the town, and the trials and tribulations of first-time fatherhood.
The series is the next installment of the New York Times best-sellers, The Andy Cohen Diaries and Superficial: More Adventures from the Andy Cohen Diaries, which documented three years in the whirlwind life of the producer, TV host and best-selling author in his own cheeky, candid words.
Cohen voice stars and executive produced the series through his company, Most Talkative Productions, along with ShadowMachine co-founders Corey Campodonico and Alex Bulkley.
The World Festival of Animated Film – Animafest Zagreb 2020 Student Film Competition Selection Committee has decided to bestow its Best Animation School Award to The Polish National Film, Television and Theatre School in Łódź (Łódź Film School).
After taking into account all submitted student films, the Selection Committee — Daniel Šuljić, Katrin Novaković and Milivoj Popović — concluded:
“Selection is never an easy task, because it is hard to evaluate a work of art, to quantify expressions, emotions and the amount of effort invested in every submitted title. Still, watching the films, some works and some schools really stood out. This time, in terms of quality, fearless leaps through media and techniques, as well as the choice of themes, we were particularly thrilled by one institution – the Polish National Film School in Łódź. Three titles produced by this school found their place in the official competition.
“All three selected films push the boundaries of their medium and all three strongly impressed the selection committee. The same spirit imbues the films produced by this school that were not selected for the official festival competition. All this proves that the Polish National Film School in Łódź and its curriculum and work encourages experimentation and freedom of expression, at the same time keeping the quality of production and animation skill. For all these reasons we chose this particular school as the winner of the 30th Animafest Zagreb Best Animation School Award.”
The Łódź Film School was established in 1948 and is one of the oldest film schools in the world. As part of its special program, Animafest Zagreb 2020 will feature a presentation of the school and the retrospective of the schools’ best works. Three films from this school were selected for this year’s Student Films Competition: Marbles (Natalia Spychala), Portrait of a Woman (Natalia Durszewicz) and The Little Soul (Barbara Rupik).
The nonprofit Center for Cyber Safety and Education launches new “Garfield at Home” program to teach children ages 6-11 how to be safe and secure online from the comfort of their homes.
“COVID-19 has shown us that internet safety education needs to be a priority, especially when it comes to younger kids. The Center is here to help parents eliminate the guessing game of how to teach their children cyber safety and what resources to use,” said Patrick Craven, director of the Center.
“Garfield at Home” will feature award-winning Garfield’s Cyber Safety Adventures in a new digital platform where children will be able to learn internet safety lessons on privacy, gaming, cyberbullying, and illegal downloading through animated cartoons, game-based learning, and find and click storybooks. Children will earn digital badges as they test their knowledge through the different levels. Children will also have access to physical internet safety materials such as Garfield’s Cyber Safety Adventures Coloring Book and the newly released Movie Adventure Comic Book.
“This is a comprehensive program that all children, no matter their preferred learning method, can enjoy. We are excited to bring parents peace of mind, knowing their kids are safer online thanks to Garfield and friends,” said Craven.
In addition, “Garfield at Home” will feature a new Parents Internet Safety Guide to help families continue the conversation of internet safety beyond “Garfield at Home” activities.
“At the Center we believe that internet safety is not a one-time conversation, rather a series of conversations to keep reminding children of best cyber safety practices,” the director continued. “We want to equip parents with the knowledge to teach their loved ones how to be safe online.”
With the uncertainty of how schools will operate in the fall of 2020, “Garfield at Home” is the perfect summer tool to educate children of the dangers online with fun and relatable content as a preventive measure. The new program is available for purchase here.
Garfield’s Cyber Safety Adventures was originally introduced in the fall of 2016 by the Center and legendary cartoonist Jim Davis in the form of an Educator Kit to help teachers worldwide teach internet safety. The Kit includes cartoons, comic books, posters, trading cards and stickers that show Garfield and friends tackling cyber safety issues such as privacy, the dangers of posting online, online etiquette, cyberbullying, and more.
Garfield’s Cyber Safety Adventures has already delivered over 170,000 safety lessons worldwide and the series received the national Learning Magazine 2019 Teachers’ Choice Award, 2019 Academics’ Choice Smart Media Award and the 2020 Modern Library Award.
Visit www.IAmCyberSafe.org to learn more about the Center’s programs and resources.
