Peter Lepeniotis, writer and director of The Nut Job (2014), is reuniting with producer Jay Ahn to write and direct the feature animation adaptation of Nullaboo Hullabaloo.
The U.S./Canada/Australia co-pro is being produced by Ahn (Astro-Nomical Entertainment), Tristan Barr and David Gim (Continuance Pictures). Visual development is being led by Jang Lee (Big Hero 6; matte painter, Frozen, Wreck-It Ralph).
Written by Fleur Ferris, Nullaboo Hullabaloo is set in the tiny country community of Nullaboo, where a young girl named Gemma accidentally captures a fairy when hunting bugs for a school project. It turns out, the fairies need the human’s help to rescue their colony from the silver spiders. But once the secret of the fairies’ existence gets out, they face an even greater threat — luckily, Gemma and her small town are always ready to help a neighbor.
“When I was presented with Fleur’s book, I was instantly inspired by the portrayal of a modern girl discovering the secrets of a magical world hidden from humans,” Lepeniotis told Deadline. “Nullaboo will be a fun, magical look at myth through the eye of our ironic times. I am really excited about the team, and the unique touch we’re going to bring to this charming story.”
After the record-setting success of Red Rover/ToonBox’s The Nut Job –– which had the biggest ever opening weekend for an indie animated feature and spawned a 2017 sequel — Lepeniotis directed another CG indie, Gnome Alone, produced by Vanguard Animation, 3QU Media and Cinesite and released in 2018. The Canada native’s credits list as an animator includes Toy Story 2, Fantasia 2000 and Dinosaur. The Nut Job was based on his 2005 short film, Surly Squirrel.
The first-ever Adult Swim Con will debut in July, offering twisted toon lovers a global, virtual fan gathering full of premieres and exclusives. Running July 23-25 from 4 p.m.–10 p.m. PST, lineup highlights include special behind the scenes looks at Rick and Morty presented by Pringles and Robot Chicken, featuring a Q&A with the cast and crew from both shows, a special Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time game play session, Toonami Edition with new show announcements, sneak previews of Blade Runner and Uzumaki, and an exclusive DJ set from Flying Lotus to celebrate the premiere of YOLO: Crystal Fantasy.
In its 10th season and with the 200th episode approaching, Look Who’s Bawkin’: Robot Chicken LIVE is a must-see. Show creators Seth Green and Matt Senreich join stars Breckin Meyer and Donald Faison to be bewildered with an hour of favorite Robot Chicken clips. Fans will find out what they really think about the new season and can send them questions LIVE online.
A time-honored favorite competition, the Adult Swim Cosplay Cup presented by Pringles also debuts online on Adult Swim IGTV where contestants from around the world will compete. Fans can sign up to compete here — the “Best In Show” winner will be announced on Adult Swim’s Instagram with special prizing for the best Rick and Morty cosplay courtesy of Pringles.
Don’t miss the results from weeks of voting in the Adult Swim Summer Showdown happening on AdultSwim.com and the Adult Swim App. Find out what show was voted “best show in Adult Swim history” by fans.
“Adult Swim has always focused on innovative, one-of-a-kind experiences that bring our fans together,” said Jill King, SVP of marketing and partnerships for Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and Boomerang. “Now more than ever we all need that community connection, and this new virtual experience will take everything fans have always loved about Adult Swim and bring it right onto their couch.”
Sign up here to receive further Adult Swim Con details + full schedule of events, which will be posted next month.
View
VIEW Conference is kicking off its 2020 plans with a special, free online session this Saturday, June 27. In this PreVIEW virtual event, VFX journalist Ian Failes will chat with Oscar-winning animation director Hal Hickel about Disney+’s breakthrough series The Mandalorian and the new virtual production technologies developed by ILM that made feature-film quality animation and VFX possible within the constraints of TV. The session begins at 2 p.m. PDT, here. Submit questions for Hickel via info@viewconference.it or #viewconference.
VIEW Conference 2020 will be held October 18-23 in Torino, Italy’s state-of-the-art OGR venue and online.
Human Lost
FunimationCon, taking place virtually July 3-4, has added more panels to its exciting lineup for anime fans. In addition to BTS dives into My Hero Academia and Human Lost, organizers have also lined up an interview with legendary Dragon Ball Super voice actress Masako Nozawa. Author, historian and Animag contributor Charles Solomon will host a panel on voice acting. Additional co-hosts and moderators include Matt Ceved, Michelle Nguyen Bradley, Cheyenne Ewulu, Emma Fyffe, Karama Horne, Jacki Jing, Chris Lam, Winston A. Marshall, Lauren Moore and Josellie Rios.
My Hero Academia Voice Actor Q&A Panel Hosted by Jacki Jing, hear from your favorites including David Matranga (Todoroki), Luci Christian (Ochaco), Justin Cook (Kirishima), Josh Grelle (Tokoyami), Patrick Seitz (Endeavor), Zeno Robinson (Hawks), Anairis Quinones (Mirko), Christopher Wehkamp (Aizawa) and Emily Neves (Eri).
Human Lost: Revisit Film with the Japanese Voices and Producers Have you ever wanted to provide feedback to Japanese creators? This is your chance! The producers of Human Lost want your opinions while the Japanese voice actors talk about their experiences. You will have the chance to see Mamoru Miyano and Kana Hanazawa, only at this event!
Toei Animation Presents Dragon Ball Super Interview Featuring Voice Actress Masako Nozawa An exclusive English-language interview with Nozawa-san, the Japanese voice actress for Dragon Ball’s protagonist Goku. Don’t miss this special opportunity to hear from her as she answers questions about her career and what it’s like to voice many of the most iconic roles in the world. The discussion is recorded from Japan with English subtitles.
So You Want To Be a Voice Actor? With Charles Solomon Journalist and anime lover Charles Solomon hosts a lively discussion with distinguished voice actors, exploring their career journeys — with no shortage of surprises. Panelists include Kara Edwards, Monica Rial, Chris Wehkamp and Sonny Strait
FunimationCon 2020 is completely free to attend. Sign up to register at FunimationCon.com.
Cartoon Forum
Cartoon Forum is holding out for a physical edition in Toulouse, France from Sept. 14-17 — with strict restrictions in place, with less than 5,000 people. Taking a “Business First” philosophy which will prioritize safe networking and allowing Buyers first access to pitch sessions. (Check out the selected projects here.) The registration fee has also been reduced to just 850 euro in this exceptional year.
Upcoming CARTOON events also include:
Cartoon Springboard – Oct. 27-29 | Valencia, Spain. Pitching event and project-based seminar aimed at helping New Talents to improve and accelerate their access to the audiovisual and digital markets.
Cartoon 360 – Nov. 17-19 | Lille, France. Top animation pitching event for transmedia projects and IPs: develop your animation project or IP into a transmedia brand.
Cartoon Business – Dec. 9-11 | Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Spain. A top-level seminar focusing on the business challenges that European animation will face in the next decade.
Free Comic Book Day, normally the first Saturday in May, has been reworked to accommodate social distancing and story capacity regulations and has been extended to July 15 through September 9. (www.freecomicbookday.com)
The Hong Kong Int’l Film & TV Market will move to a virtual platform as FILMART Online, taking place August 26-29 (event.hktdc.com/fair/hkfilmart-en)
SIGGRAPH 2020 virtual conference content will include both on-demand and scheduled sessions. On-demand content will be live Aug. 17-Oct. 27; interactive contributor sessions and other scheduled content will take place Aug. 24-28. (s2020.siggraph.org/conference)
Star Wars Celebration 2020 has been cancelled. The next con will be held Aug. 18-21, 2022 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA. Ticket transfer and refund info available at starwarscelebration.com.
Mondo TV Iberoamérica (part of Mondo TV Group) and MB Producciones, the production company founded by Myriam Ballesteros, have formed a pact to develop and co-produce two new animated series: Annie & Carola and Masked Cinderella. The agreement was made through subsidiary Mondo TV Producciones Canarias.
This is an important deal involving one of Europe’s best-known animated content producers and one of the animation industry’s most successful and highly regarded creative minds. Ballesteros, who originated and created both projects, is an admired producer and director with a strong reputation in the audiovisual industry. Her portfolio of successful animated series, acclaimed and sold in territories throughout the world, includes Lucky Fred, Lola & Virginia and Sandra: The Fairytale Detective.
Under the terms of this strategic cooperation agreement, MB Producciones will transfer to Mondo TV almost all of the IP of the two series. Mondo TV will then negotiate and conclude commercial agreements with third parties in order to obtain financing for the production of both projects. Mondo TV will also be in charge of the international distribution of both shows.
Annie & Carola is at an advanced state of development and negotiations are underway with a number of European TV channels. Masked Cinderella is still at an early stage of development. In fact, Masked Cinderella has been selected for the pitching sessions at the next Cartoon Forum 2020, taking place September 14-17 in Toulouse, France.
Both projects, produced in high definition 2D, will bring together a rich cast of characters, funny and engaging storylines and thrilling adventures with highly original concepts that reflect the aspirations and concerns of today’s children and teens.
Having confirmed its role as co-producer of the two projects, Mondo TV will entrust the entire pre-production phase of the series to Mondo TV Producciones Canarias. Already enjoying a key role in pre-production and complete visual development for many Mondo TV productions and co-productions, Mondo TV Producciones Canarias – launched in 2016 and part of Mondo TV Iberoamerica Group – is expanding the range of its offer and will play a major part in the development of both properties.
“This is a very important alliance for Mondo TV Iberoamérica Group. It is a true honor for us to have reached a strategic agreement with Myriam Ballesteros, a professional with an extraordinary track record and a strong reputation throughout the industry,” said Maria Bonaria Fois, CEO of Mondo TV Iberoamérica group. “Both Annie & Carola and Masked Cinderella have enormous 360º development potential; we believe they offer an excellent opportunity to create successful high-quality cross-media brands.”
“I am delighted to be announcing this partnership,” Ballesteros added. “These are two series in which I deeply believe and Mondo TV Iberoamérica, with its extensive experience in international production and distribution, is the ideal partner. Together we aim to give these two animation projects strong visibility in the market and ensure their success with both audiences and broadcasters.”
This week, white American actresses Jenny Slate (Muppet Babies, upcoming The Great North) and Kristen Bell (Frozen, upcoming Do, Re & Mi) both announced that they would no longer voice their biracial animated characters on Netflix’s Big Mouth (Missy) and Apple TV+’s Central Park (Molly), respectively.
Slate will still voice Missy in Big Mouth S4, which has already wrapped production; the show is renewed through S6. Bell will remain on the cast of Central Park, which recently launched the first of two seasons ordered by Apple TV+, playing a different role. Both “Missy” and “Molly” will be recast with Black voice actors.
Jenny Slate and Kristen Bell
Slate wrote in an Instagram post Wednesday: “At the start of the show, I reasoned with myself that it was permissible for me to play ‘Missy’ because her mom is Jewish and White — as am I. But ‘Missy’ is also Black, and Black characters on an animated show should be played by Black people … I can’t change the past, but I can take accountability for my choices.”
Big Mouth series creators Nick Kroll, Andrew Goldberg, Mark Levin and Jennifer Flackett issued a statement in support of Slate’s decision:
“We sincerely apologize for and regret our original decision to cast a white actor to voice a biracial character. We made a mistake, took our privilege for granted, and we’re working hard to do better moving forward. We are proud of the representation that Missy has offered cerebral, sensitive women of color, and we plan to continue that representation and further grow Missy’s character as we recast a new Black actor to play her.”
Shortly after Slate’s announcement, the Central Park team announced Bell’s step down from the role of Molly — also a young character who has a White mother and Black father.
“This is a time to acknowledge our acts of complicity. Here is one of mine,” Bell wrote on her Instagram post sharing the production team’s statement. “Playing the character of Molly on Central Park shows a lack of awareness of my pervasive privilege. Casting a mixed race character with a white actress undermines the specificity of the mixed race and Black American experience.”
The announcement praised Bell’s approach to the role before addressing the show’s decision:
“… But after reflection, Kristen, along with the entire creative team, recognizes that the casting of the character of Molly is an opportunity to get representation right — to cast a Black or mixed race actress and give Molly a voice that resonates with all of the nuance and experience of the character as we’ve drawn her … We profoundly regret that we might have contributed to anyone’s feeling of exclusion or erasure. Black people and people of color have worked and will continue to work on Central Park, but we can do better.”
GKIDS, Japanese production company Science SARU INC. and its partner Asmik Ace, Inc. announced that GKIDS has acquired the North American distribution rights for the animated feature Inu-Oh, the latest feature from acclaimed director Masaaki Yuasa (Ride Your Wave, Keep Your Hands Off Of Eizokuen!). David Jesteadt of GKIDS and Mai Kato of Asmik Ace negotiated the deal for North American rights.
Presented as a work in progress at the 2020 Annecy Film Festival, the musical animated feature tells the story of the friendship between the legendary 14th century Noh performer Inu-Oh, and the blind Biwa player Tomona. As the two rise from hardship to stardom through their creative partnership, they may break each other’s curse. The film features character creation from manga artist Taiyo Matsumoto (Tekkonkinkreet), who previously collaborated with Yuasa on the anime adaptation of Matsumoto’s series Ping Pong the Animation. Inu-Oh marks GKIDS’ fifth title from visionary director Yuasa, following local releases of Lu Over the Wall, The Night is Short, Walk On Girl, Mind Game and most recently, Ride Your Wave.
GKIDS will theatrically release the film in 2021.
“With each new project, Masaaki Yuasa continues to push in new and exciting directions across genres and styles,” said Jesteadt, President of GKIDS. “Inu-Oh is already one of our most anticipated films of 2021, and we can’t wait to share more of Yuasa’s remarkable work with his fellow fans.”
Eunyoung Choi of Science SARU, producer, said, “GKIDS is no doubt one of the most acclaimed animation distributors with an impressive catalogue of films, and we are so happy that they are releasing Inu-Oh in North America. The way people see Japanese culture is getting much deeper, more diversified and sophisticated these days. This is the best timing ever to bring real, fascinating Japanese traditional culture to the fellow fans in North America, and to the world! Masaaki Yuasa and Science SARU are teaming up again, taking on the challenge to show a unique view of Noh with a fresh new look. We are looking forward to sharing with you.”
“I have been excited to deliver audiences this new film next year, being created with director Masaaki Yuasa, producer Eunyoung Choi and their production team, [with] whom I worked for The Tatami Galaxy,” added Fumie Takeuchi of Asmik Ace, producer. “GKIDS is the distributor who has been bringing wonderful animations of the world to the North American audiences with passion and affection for more than 10 years. I am so happy and reassured having GKIDS to this brand-new voyage with director Masaaki Yuasa.”
Synopsis: Inu-Oh is born with unique physical characteristics, and the horrified adults cover every inch of his body with garments, including a mask on his face. One day, he meets a boy named Tomona, a blind biwa player, and as Tomona plays a delicate song of tangled fate, Inu-Oh discovers an incredible ability to dance.
Inu-Oh and Tomona become business partners and inseparable friends, using their creative gifts to survive on the margins of society, as song after song gain them notoriety and propel them to stardom. Through the songs, Inu-Oh mesmerizes his audiences on stage, and gradually begins to transform into someone of unequaled beauty. But why is Tomona blind? Why was Inu-Oh born with unique characteristics? It is a story about the friendship of Inu-Oh and Tomona, who dance and sing to get to the truth and break each other’s curse.
Scholastic Entertainment is joining forces with Brownstone Productions (Pitch Perfect franchise, Charlie’s Angels), Marc Platt Productions (La La Land, Legally Blonde) and Universal Pictures to develop a feature-length, live-action hybrid film that will bring Scholastic’s The Magic School Bus to the big screen for the first time in the 26-year history of the brand.
Multi-hyphenate Elizabeth Banks (Pitch Perfect, The Hunger Games) is set to portray teacher extraordinaire Ms. Frizzle. Producers are Banks and Max Handelman for Brownstone, President and Chief Strategy Officer Iole Lucchese and SVP & General Manager Caitlin Friedman for Scholastic Entertainment, and Marc Platt and Adam Siegel for Marc Platt Productions. Alison Small serves as executive producer for Brownstone.
“We are delighted to bring to life the iconic Ms. Frizzle and her zest for knowledge and adventure in a fresh new way that inspires the next generation of kids to explore science and supports the dedicated teachers who help make science real and accessible for young learners every day,” said Lucchese. “We’re also extremely excited to be working with such top-tier partners as Elizabeth Banks, Marc Platt Productions, Brownstone Productions, Universal Pictures, and all of the amazing talent assembled for this noteworthy feature film.”
Ryan Christians from Marc Platt Productions will oversee production with Sara Scott and Lexi Barta from Universal Pictures.
The upcoming The Magic School Bus film is based on the best-selling Scholastic book series by author Joanna Cole and illustrator Bruce Degen, now with over 80 million books in print worldwide. The science-centered series features the intrepid Ms. Frizzle and her class, who set out on field trips in their familiar-looking yellow school bus that magically transforms into a plane, submarine, spaceship, or surfboard, depending on the science concept being explored.
The popular books were first adapted into a critically-acclaimed animated TV series, featuring Lily Tomlin in the starring role as Ms. Frizzle, on PBS in 1994. The show aired for 18 consecutive years in the U.S. and has been broadcast in more than 100 countries around the world, making it the longest-running kids science series in history. The standout program has earned more than 100 prestigious awards, including an Emmy Award, Annenberg Award and National Education Association Award. The Magic School Bus has also garnered high praise from parents and educators for making science education fun and appealing to all audiences.
An animated sequel to the original series, The Magic School Bus Rides Again, featuring Kate McKinnon (SNL) as Ms. Frizzle’s sister, Fiona, debuted on Netflix in 2017. Multi-award-winning composer/lyricist/playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton, In the Heights) sang the theme song
Leading global anime brand Crunchyroll premiered today the first trailer and new key art for Onyx Equinox — a mythology-fueled epic adventure joining the Crunchyroll Original series lineup. Produced by Crunchyroll Studios, the show is created by Sofia Alexander.
Onyx Equinox follows a young Aztec boy named Izel who is saved from death by the gods and is chosen to act as “humanity’s champion,” forced to discard his apathy toward his fellow man and prove humanity’s potential. The trailer gives fans a first look at Izel’s epic journey, which will take him across ancient Mesoamerica to save humanity from a war between the gods.
Check it out this first taste of the lushly animated battle between monstrous forces and mankind (and one very cute axolotl) below:
Nickelodeon is expanding the fin-tastic underwater world of Baby Shark with the greenlight of a brand-new animated preschool series, Baby Shark’s Big Show! (working title), based on the world-famous pop culture phenomenon.
Co-produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio and SmartStudy, the global entertainment company behind the beloved children’s brand Pinkfong, the 2D-animated series (26 half-hour episodes) will follow Baby Shark and his best friend William as they journey on fun-filled comedic adventures in their community of Carnivore Cove, meet new friends and sing original catchy tunes along the way.
“Having the opportunity to dive deeper into this incredible world and create all-new storylines has been extremely exciting, and our head of preschool Eryk Casemiro and his team can’t wait to help grow the Baby Shark universe and fanbase with an amazing new series that captures the heart and spirit of this beloved property,” said Ramsey Naito, Executive Vice President, Nickelodeon Animation Production and Development.
Nickelodeon will debut Baby Shark’s Big Show! with an all-new original holiday special this December, with premieres rolling out across its preschool platforms in spring 2021. Following the U.S. launch, the series will roll out on Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. channels internationally. In addition to Nickelodeon and SmartStudy’s partnership to produce Baby Shark’s Big Show!, ViacomCBS Consumer Products (VCP) is managing consumer products licensing worldwide, excluding China, Korea and Southeast Asia, for the Baby Shark property.
Baby Shark’s Big Show! is executive produced by Gary “Doodles” DiRaffaele (Breadwinners) and Tommy Sica (Breadwinners), with Whitney Ralls (My Little Pony: Equestria Girls) serving as co-executive producer. The series is produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio in Burbank, Calif., with production overseen by Eryk Casemiro, Senior Vice President, Nickelodeon Preschool.
Baby Shark launched on YouTube in November 2015 and took the world by storm, amassing 5.7 billion views and becoming the second most-watched video in the platform’s history. With music, characters, story and dance all combined together, the song recorded a 20-week-streak on the Billboard Hot 100 and spawned a viral phenomenon #BabySharkChallenge, generating over one million cover videos around the globe.
Baby Shark’s Big Show! is the latest series to join Nickelodeon’s powerhouse preschool lineup which includes Ryan’s Mystery Playdate, Bubble Guppies and Blaze and the Monster Machines. The series is part of Nick’s strategy to be the home for the biggest franchises kids and families love, and it expands the net’s growing portfolio of influential properties that already includes SpongeBob SquarePants, PAW Patrol, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Blue’s Clues & You!, the first-ever SpongeBob spinoff, Kamp Koral, The Smurfs and an all-new animated Star Trek series.
By all accounts, Mary Blair was Walt Disney’s favorite artist. She was a definite favorite, too, of the more than 4,100 worldwide bidders who pushed Heritage Auctions’ June 19-21 Animation Art event past the $3.7 million mark, making it what’s believed to be the single largest Animation Art sale ever.
It’s certainly a record for a Heritage animation event, the third consecutive record-breaking Animation Art Auction for Heritage Auctions — and realized almost twice the pre-auction estimate.
Fourteen of the sale’s top 20 lots were painted by the expressionistic Blair, whose works have filled books and traveled in Disney-compiled exhibitions. From 1943 to 1953, she worked for Disney and defined some of the studio’s finest works; she gave them their style, breathed into them their life. Blair “saw the world in a fresh, new way,” wrote her biographer John Canemaker, “and brought a special childlike beauty and gaiety to the works of print, theme parks and movies.”
That includes her conceptual painting for 1953’s Peter Pan in which Peter and Tinker Bell lead Wendy, John and the Lost Boys through the jungles of neverland. That piece – as fine as any art hanging in any museum, an epic narrative told in a single gouache the color of a verdant forest at shimmering sunset – sold for $63,000.
Blair’s mischievous conceptual painting of Alice and the Cheshire Cat, done for the 1951 film Alice in Wonderland, sold for only slightly less: $60,000.
But not all of Blair’s offerings in the weekend event were cinematic: Her concept painting for the “It’s a Small World!” exhibit at the 1964’s World’s Fair in New York City, in the UNICEF Pavilion, was another of the sale’s decided highlights. Its renown – reproductions of this kaleidoscope of gold, green and purple decorate the lobby of the Disneyland resort in Anaheim – helped elevate the work’s sale price to $45,600.
Another centerpiece of the sale was David Hall’s painting of Peter, Wendy, Nana and Michael aboard Captain Hook’s Jolly Roger, a conceptual rendering done for Peter Pan way back in 1940. Only four years ago, Disney scholar Didier Ghez wrote in his book They Drew as They Pleased: The Hidden Art of Disney’s Musical Years (The 1940s – Part One) that this freshly uncovered piece is “without a doubt one of David Hall’s masterpieces.” Its price tag only underscores its artistic and historic value: $36,000.
“I believe Heritage Auctions has brought front and center Animation Art as a true American art form in its own right. It mixes pop culture with some of the greatest artists and visionaries this country has ever produced – Disney and Blair, yes, but also Eyvind Earle, Charles Schulz, Matt Groening and so many more included in this auction,” said Jim Lentz, Heritage Auctions’ Director of Animation Art. “Disney led the way in this sale, but impressive results were seen from all studios with magnificent results from such iconic shows as A Charlie Brown Christmas, [How the Grinch Stole Christmas] and The Simpsons – not to mention the opening animation sequences from Bewitched and I Dream of Jeannie.”
In fact, one of the event’s most impressive offerings came from a videogame: Dragon’s Lair, the 1983 game created by pioneering animator Don Bluth. A pop-culture icon of sorts, Dragon’s Lair has lived more than a few lives, including, most recently, as a character of sorts on Netflix’s Stranger Things. Perhaps this explains why the original artwork for a Dragon’s Lair promotional poster, originally estimated to sell for around $2,500, sold for $54,000.
Simpsons
The Simpsons actually set what appears to be a world record for a production cel from that long-running series – certainly, for one featuring Barney and Linda Ronstadt. That’s right: A cel featuring the wildly unlikely twosome, from the classic fourth-season episode “Mr. Plow,” realized $24,000, which was a mere 32 times its pre-auction estimate.
And a production cel from the immortal A Charlie Brown Christmas sold for $38,400 after a round of spirited bidding. What’s notable about this result is that this work, like the cel from The Simpsons, doesn’t feature the title character. It was taken from the special’s opening sequence during which an ice-skating Snoopy leads the kids across a frozen pond.
Bidders’ hearts grew a few sizes when a production cel from Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas made an appearance – this one, especially, featuring the blue-eyed green meanie from Mount Crumpit learning the true meaning of Christmas. A relative bargain at $11,400, as Christmas doesn’t come from a store.
Bewitched
Two of TV’s most magical creations also pulled some big numbers from thin air. A group of two cels from the animated introduction to 1964’s Bewitched, featuring Elizabeth Montgomery as Samantha Stephens and Dick York as the First Darrin, sold for $13,200. And a hand-painted, hand-inked cel from the opening of 1965’s I Dream of Jeannie blinked into existence $12,600.
Additional highlights of the June 19-21 Animation Art auction included:
Mickey Mouse as The Sorcerer’s Apprentice in a Production Cel Courvoisier Setup From 1940’s Fantasia: $36,000
A display of the Seven Dwarves made for the Disney Store in the 1990s: $43,200
A drawing from the 1914 short Gertie the Dinosaur by Little Nemo creator Winsor McCay: $12,000
A Walt Disney-signed two-page letter to stockholders from 1941: $11,700
There were more than 1,600 pieces in this Animation Art auction – and in the end, every single piece but one sold during the auction. Lentz offers a good reason why:
“I believe this auction was an auction of smiles,” said Heritage’ Director of Animation Art. “And we need to smile today more than ever.”
Don’t miss the next Heritage Auctions animation event! Register for free at www.HA.com.
ShortsTV, the exclusive presenter of the Oscar Nominated Short Films theatrical releases for the last 15 years, announced Wednesday its new global initiative to support independent theaters whose businesses have been devastated by the global pandemic. The first and only 24/7 cable TV channel dedicated to short movies is creating an online cinema release series that will be made available to consumers in partnership with at least sixty independent theaters across the United States and Asia.
Each feature-length compilation of the world’s best short films will be released to audiences every two weeks on Vimeo OTT, starting June 26, where each theater will have their own page to distribute locally. The releases will be available to rent on demand for three days for the cost of $7.99.
One Small Step
“For 15 years, these independent theaters have been the biggest supporters of the Oscar Nominated Short Films and the nominees who made them. We are grateful for their dedication to our artform which has given these fabulous films a platform and a national audience,” said ShortsTV CEO and Founder Carter Pilcher. “We are thrilled to be able to bring together great shorts once again to support independent theaters and their staff during this trying time.”
Bear Story
On June 26, the initiative opens with One Small Step, a collection of acclaimed, uplifting and family-friendly animated short films brought to life by the latest in CGI and featuring the Academy Award-winning Bear Story and Academy Award® nominees One Small Step, Gopher Broke and Borrowed Time. Also including: Maestro, After The Rain, The Green Bird, Jubilee, Achoo, Outdoors, Voyagers, O28 and more. On this heart-warming ride, audiences will befriend the kookiest animals, experience the fast-paced thrills of the Wild West and a cable car chase through the streets of San Francisco and embark on a journey to the far reaches of outer space, all from the comfort of their living rooms.
Borrowed Time
Participating theaters include, but are not limited to:
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema – Winchester
All Saints Cinema
Art Theatre of Long Beach
ArtsQuest
Auburn State Theatre
The Avon Theatre
Cameo Cinema
Capitol City Cinema
The Capitol Theatre
Cedar Lee Theatre
Ciné
CinemaSavannah
Dipson Theatres
Far Away Entertainment
FilmBar
FilmScene
Fort Wayne Cinema Center
Gateway Film Center
International Film Series
Kimball’s Peak Three Theater
Laemmle Theatres
Lake Placid Center for the Arts
Michigan Theater
Munson Cinema
Music Box Theatre
Naro Expanded Cinema
Olympia Film Society
Park City Film
Peace Center
Pensacola Cinema Art
Philadelphia Film Society
Pickford Film Center
Red River Theatres
San Pedro Film Festival
SteamPlant Event Center & Theater
Tahoe Art Haus & Cinema, Tampa Theatre
The Center for Arts in Natick
Terrace Theater
The Braumart Theater
The Cabot
The Chabot
The Emmaus Theatre
The Kiggins Theatre
The Museum of Fine Arts Houston
THE NEON
The Picture House
The Senator Theatre
The State Theatre – State College
Tin Pan Theater
Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center
Vashon Theatre
Violet Crown Austin
Violet Crown Charlottesville
Violet Crown Santa Fe
Water Tower Cinema.
Stay tuned on ShortsTV social channels for updates on the releases by following www.facebook.com/ShortsTVUS. For more information on ShortsTV and how to watch, please visit Shorts.tv.
Even before her son was born, actress and producer Janet Hubert knew that she would never find the kind of toys, accessories or even story narratives that truly reflected who he was. In a world where his identity was starkly under-represented, Hubert wanted to create something to inspire him and millions of other kids like him: And so, JG & the BC Kids was born.
Toonz Media Group (TMG), Elijah Rock Productions, and Ericka Nicole Malone Entertainment announced today that they have started pre-production on a feature length animated movie inspired by this story of acceptance, which will be followed by a TV series.
The animated feature and series follow Janet Granite (a.k.a. JG), a super intelligent and athletic scientist and inventor who travels the world to find special kids. JG shows these special kids to be confident about who they are, no matter what they look like or what their interests are. A group of talking dinosaurs with their own superpowers helps her as she works with these kids and fights off the evil Dr. Zandor who wants to control Earth. JG & the BC Kids encourages kids to embrace differences, to find their own strengths, and to be confident and courageous in life.
Targeted for 5-9 year-olds, the animation will be produced in vibrant 2D with an energetic, ethnically diverse underscore.
The talented and award-winning production team includes:
Daytime Emmy nominated actress Janet Hubert (Producer and Co-Writer), who was the original Vivian Banks on the ’90s hit sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, with appearances on many hit shows including Gilmore Girls, Bernie Mac, Tales from the Crypt and many more.
Raven Goodwin (voice of JG), who was a series regular on Malcolm in the Middle, with appearances in Glee, Smilf, New Girl and Meet the Browns. She also starred in one of the highest-rated TV shows in years on Lifetime, The Clark Sisters.
Ron Myrick (Animation Director) who started his career at Filmation animation studio. Myrick has worked on The Addams Family, The Avengers, Ozzy and Drix and Skylanders Academy.
Wendell Hanes (Composer) is a multi-award-winning TV and film composer, and owner of Volition Sound in New York City. He recently scored Oscar-nominated producer/director Lisa Cortes and Farah X’s six-time award-winning documentary The Remix: Hip Hop X Fashion. Hanes is the music composer and music supervisor for Netflix sitcom Family Reunion. His accolades include Clios, Cannes Lions, Effie’s, Andy’s, Addy’s, LIA’s, One Show, Golden Award of Monteaux’s, Billboard Awards and Gold and Platinum Records.
Actor, writer, producer and director Ericka Nicole Malone (Executive Producer) and Philip Robinson are co-producing JG and the BC Kids along with Toonz. Malone was the inspiration for Hubert to bring JG back to the forefront. Ericka Nicole Malone Entertainment stands for principle and family values, and in JG and the BC Kids, that is what she saw. Malone is an African American mom who knows first-hand the need for more products for ethnic children.
P. Jayakumar, CEO of Toonz Media Group, says the studio is very excited to partner with actor, producer and creator Janet Hubert and Ericka Nicole Malone Entertainment: “We feel it is high time that such stories were told, especially when the world is striving to move towards greater equality and justice. The targeted age group for this series is also important, as these are the formative years when children pick up and nurture values for life. We are thrilled to partner with Janet Hubert to bring to life this film and TV series.”
Hubert emphasized that the series will reflect diversity in the real sense and will have characters from many ethnicities: “I knew that Toonz would be the perfect partners to understand and bring to life JG, who is a strong and super smart character. You can be both. It is past time to bring street smart kids and book smart kids together to create ‘life smart’ kids and do it in a fun, exciting way.”
Hubert’s Elijah Rock Productions is named after her son, and was established with the mission to create productions for children of color who are often forgotten in entertainment.
Independent production house Kelebek Media, founded by creative entrepreneur Deborah Thorpe, has optioned the rights to the much-loved How Winston Delivered Christmas book written and illustrated by award-winning Alex T. Smith (Claude) from Macmillan Children’s Books to develop as specials and series. Rob Minkoff is on board as director and will also produce alongside Kelebek’s Thorpe.
Minkoff directed the original and much loved Disney animated classic The Lion King as well as Stuart Little, Stuart Little 2 and Mr. Peabody & Sherman.
“We are so thrilled to have the opportunity to adapt and expand on this charming, beautifully illustrated story working alongside the incredibly talented Rob Minkoff with his globally impressive track record in leading projects which have created magic for generations of families,” said Thorpe. “In How Winston Delivered Christmas, Alex has created a delightful feel-good book already loved by children around the world. We can’t wait to collaborate on this beautiful holiday tale together and are super excited that Macmillan Children’s Books announced today that Winston’s next adventure is already in the pipeline.”
Minkoff said, “Alex has conjured a delightful cast of characters for this timeless, classic tale that’s brimming with Christmas magic and heartwarming adventure. And I‘m thrilled to be working alongside Deborah Thorpe who is one of the savviest media executives I know.”
“I am so delighted to be working with Kelebek Media on bringing How Winston Delivered Christmas to the screen,” added Smith. “Winston and his kindness and bravery mean so much to me and I have been overwhelmed by the positive reaction to the book over the past few Christmases since it was published. I am thrilled by this new opportunity and can’t wait for readers to see Winston come to life in this beautifully animated adventure.”
How Winston Delivered Christmas is an irresistible story of a brave little mouse who sets out on a very important mission. On Christmas Eve, he finds a letter that has been lost on its way to Father Christmas – so, with no time to lose, he sets out to deliver it himself in time for Christmas Day! His journey is crammed with adventure, heart and Christmas spirit – and some wonderful new friends along the way.
The book has sold around 72,000 copies worldwide in only two years and has been translated into a number of different languages.
Kelebek Media is an independent production house and global children’s media business focusing on high-end TV and film production — both its own IPs and adapted literary IP. The prodco also creates characters and content for select third parties, specialising in character design, story development, 2D and 3D animation and brand building through licensing and merchandising, digital and online and publishing. Kelebek produces Wissper, a successful home-grown show which has sold in over 100 countries.
CEO Deborah Thorpe is a creative entrepreneur and highly experienced international TV executive. Her resume includes many years Channel 4’s Animation Department working on Oscar-winning and BAFTA-nominated shows. She has worked with milkshake!, Disney, Sony, Universal and many other global networks. Thorpe is also one of the original co-founders of asos.com.
Today, Disney+ shared a first look trailer at its upcoming original series Muppets Now, premiering exclusively on the streaming service on Friday, July 31. In their first-ever unscripted series, the Muppets make their streaming debut with an all-new six-episode show starring Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy and the entire gang — plus, of course, celebrity guests! RuPaul and Seth Rogen make quick cameos in the preview.
In a true first for The Muppets Studio, Muppets Now is an unscripted series filled with improv comedy, off-the-cuff gags, and the Muppets’ celebrity friends. In the six-episode season, Scooter rushes to make his delivery deadlines and upload the brand-new Muppet series for streaming. They are due now, and he’ll need to navigate whatever obstacles, distractions and complications the rest of the Muppets throw at him.
Overflowing with spontaneous lunacy, surprising guest stars and more frogs, pigs, bears (and whatevers) than legally allowed, the Muppets cut loose in Muppets Now with the kind of startling silliness and chaotic fun that made them famous. From zany experiments with Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker to lifestyle tips from the fabulous Miss Piggy, each episode is packed with hilarious segments, hosted by the Muppets showcasing what the Muppets do best.
Muppets Now is produced by The Muppets Studio and Soapbox Films.
Paris- and Los Angeles-based animation producer and distributor Cyber Group Studios has secured rights to Press Start!, Thomas Flintham’s internationally-acclaimed book series published by Scholastic, Inc. Cyber Group Studios will adapt the book phenomenon into an animated TV series of 52 x 11-minute episodes.
Since its debut in 2017, over 2 million copies of Press Start! have been sold in the United States, and the book series has been listed as a best-seller on the USA Today, Amazon, Publishers Weekly and BookScan lists. Winner of the prestigious Sheffield Children’s Book Award, Flintham’s adventurous series of 12 books has truly captured the imagination of a new generation of avid readers with its unique graphic novel-style format.
Press Start! centers on an eight-year-old boy named Sunny, who lives in the real world but has the ability to participate side-by-side in the adventures of his hero in the video game world of Super Rabbit Boy, as they save the inhabitants from King Viking and other dastardly 8-bit villains.
Cyber Group Studios will develop and collaborate on this exciting new animated series with world-class talents, such as Emmy Award-winner Scott Kraft (Rolie Polie Olie, The Fresh Beat Band, PAW Patrol). As executive producer, he will adapt the books for television and serve as head writer and story editor.
“Press Start! has inspired many young kids to love reading books with its captivating storytelling and art. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with a great team that we have hand-picked to bring this popular book series to screens around the world,” commented Richard Goldsmith, CEO of Cyber Group Studios USA.
Author-illustrator Flintham added, “Since I was a kid, I’ve been a big fan of books, video games and animation, and I’m so excited that Press Start! is going to expand to cover three of my biggest passions. To see my work being turned into an animation is a childhood dream come true, and Super Rabbit Boy couldn’t be in safer hands than the super talented folks at Cyber Group Studios.”
“Thomas Flintham’s engaging characters and clever, fantastical Press Start! game-world are the perfect launching pad for an endless series of adventures,” said Kraft. “Super-excited to work with Cyber Group’s incredible artists to build an epic immersive video-game world for Sunny and friends to play in.”
Crunchyroll is announcing a series of new summer anime titles, including the upcoming Crunchyroll Original series GIBIATE, and is recapping the summer anime slate coming to Crunchyroll next month. Newly announced Crunchyroll summer series include:
GIBIATE, the latest Crunchyroll Original, will premiere on Crunchyroll on July 15. Yoshitaka Amano (Final Fantasy) is behind the original character design for the series. The series is set in the year 2030, where zombies and monsters called Gibia roam Japan with samurai and ninja set out to defeat them. You can find the PV here.
Healin’ Good Pretty Cure – Three girls come together to form the Healin’ Good Pretty Cure team to defend The Healing Garden, a secret world inside Earth!
Mr. Love: Queen’s Choice follows a heroine who inherited a company from her late father and has become the producer of a television program. Premieres on July 16.
The Misfit of Demon King Academy: History’s Strongest Demon King Reincarnates and Goes to School with His Descendants – This series is about an old demon king who is reincarnated 2,000 years after his reign and is accepted into a school with all his descendants. This title will be streaming exclusively on Crunchyroll. Premieres on July 4 at 9 a.m. PDT.
The previously announced Crunchyroll summer anime slate includes new simulcast series:
Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Season 2 finally returns as Subaru aims to solve the mysteries behind the death loop and the Fog of Elimination! Premieres on July 8.
Rent-A-Girlfriend is about the aftermath of a big breakup where Kazuya Kinoshita meets Chizuru Mizuhara, a young woman who works as a “Rental Girlfriend.” Premieres on July 9.
Fire Force Season 2 seeks out the next Pillar and protects humanity from another Great Cataclysm from occurring! Premieres on July 3.
Series returning to Crunchyroll during the summer season include:
Extra Olympia Kyklos – Demetrios, a young man in Ancient Greece, is struck by lightning and transported to 1964 Tokyo! Premieres on June 22.
Digimon Adventure – A brand new Digimon adventure begins with the classic DigiDestined cast! Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. PDT; Regional air times may vary.
Food Wars! The Fifth Plate – In the heated final season of Food Wars!Shokugeki no Soma, Yukihira Soma and the Totsuki Academy compete in The Blue! Premieres on July 3.
Sword Art Online Alicization War of Underworld – Our heroes to push forward to save Alice. The final arc of Sword Art Online: Alicization premieres on Saturday, July 11 at 9:30 a.m. PST. Subsequent episodes will be released on Saturdays at 8:30 a.m. PDT.
Major SecondSeason 2 – One young boy aims to become the best baseball catcher on his middle school team! Returns on July 11.
A Certain Scientific Railgun T – Misaka’s electro-manipulation abilities make her popular in Academy City in the third season of A Certain Scientific Railgun! Returns on July 24
Ongoing simulcast series include:
Ahiru no Sora – Sora vows to dominate his first high school basketball tournament, but he must take on the whole school to get there. Wednesdays at 2:25 a.m. PDT.
Black Clover – Asta and the Black Bulls begin to uncover the secrets behind the devils and curse magic across the kingdoms! Tuesdays at 3:25 a.m. PDT.
One Piece – Luffy and the Straw Hats continue their adventures in the vast and secluded land of Wano! Saturdays at 7 p.m. PDT.
Shadowverse – A young boy fights in intense card battles based on the digital smartphone game Shadowverse! Tuesdays at 3 a.m. PDT.
Wacky TV Nanana Chase the Kracken Monster! The TV Nanana crew slip into the third season of network high jinks that will split your sides. Thursdays at 6:30 a.m. PDT.
Welcome to JAPARI PARK – All your favorite animal pals from Kemono Friends return for the second season of mini-series, Welcome to JAPARI PARK! Tuesdays at 9 a.m. PDT.
GIBIATEThe Misfit of Demon King Academy: History’s Strongest Demon King Reincarnates and Goes to School with His Descendants
France-based digital media company Technicolor SA — the parent company of Technicolor Animation Productions (The Deep, T.O.T.S.), Mikros Image (The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run), The Mill, Mr. X, Moving Picture Company and Trace VFX — has filed for Chapter 15 in a U.S. bankruptcy court, citing the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on revenue as well as a global shift away from traditional media in the last decade, which has impacted its DVD manufacturing business.
“Compounding matters, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused theatrical releases to be put on hold and production timelines to be pushed back, significantly depressing Technicolor’s revenue from production services,” Technicolor said in the filing to the U.S. bankruptcy court in the Southern District of Texas.
The company had already announced on Monday that it reached an agreement with its creditors on a restructuring plan. The Ch. 15 filing will allow Technicolor to protect its assets in the U.S. while it reorganizes in France. Proceedings to restructure its obligations were begun in Technicolor’s home country on June 18.
At the end of May, Technicolor announced that it was folding Mill Film operations into the Mr. X visual effects studio, which now boasts facilities across four time zones. This move was also cited as a necessity under the changing industry conditions wrought by the global pandemic. The expanded Mr. X, established in Toronto, offers VFX services for both episodic and feature theatrical projects.
Details of the agreement in principle for financial restructuring are available here.
A representative of Technicolor provided the following statement to Animation Magazine on Wednesday afternoon:
Like many companies in the Media and Entertainment industry, we have been severely impacted by the COVID-19 global pandemic. On Monday, June 22nd, we announced that we had reached an agreement in principle with our lenders on a new financial framework for our long-term sustainability. It is the financial framework from which we will build a stronger future as a company — and in turn become an even stronger partner to our clients. That plan includes the infusion of €420 million of new money into the company and deleveraging.
In order to be able to implement our new financing structure with only 2/3 majority of our lenders, rather than 100% as is required under the original financing papers, we entered into an SFA in France. However, an SFA is purely a French procedure. As a French company operating in the United States you have to enter into Chapter 15 in the United States. Chapter 15 is not bankruptcy. It’s a proceeding that accompanies the SFA process for companies having assets in the United States.
Our new financial framework, and the approval processes necessary to implement it, will not affect our operations. Delivering superior service and innovative solutions to our clients is our priority – as is maintaining the strong relationships we have with them.
This article previously represented Chapter 15 as a bankruptcy in error.
Corus Entertainment announced its powerful 2020-2021 programming slate, featuring riveting new series and long-standing hits, including 43 new and returning Canadian Original series and movies.
As Canada’s leader in specialty entertainment programming, Corus held four of the Top 10 specialty networks this fall, where W Network remained the #1 entertainment specialty network for the third year in a row. A strong testament to Corus’ continued standout schedules, Corus also nabbed 16 of the Top 20 entertainment specialty programs in the fall, including Adult Swim’s Rick and Morty, HISTORY’s The Curse of Oak Island, Showcase’s Batwoman, and many more.
This spring, Corus boasts 10 of the Top 20 specialty networks, including Food Network Canada and HGTV Canada, more than any other broadcaster. As a pioneer in the kids’ space, the company continues to lead, consistently owning four of the Top 5 kids channels: YTV, TELETOON, Treehouse and Disney Junior.
Corus Entertainment reinforces its commitment to premium Canadian programming, while resonating on a global scale through Corus Studios and its industry-leading kids content company, Nelvana. Distributed globally in over 150 territories, Corus Studios content continues to capture audiences with sales of its broad library of formats and series delivering dynamic, informative and entertaining content. This year, Corus Studios greenlights seven new series and boasts 13 returning hits across Food Network Canada, HGTV Canada and HISTORY.
As a world-leading producer and distributor of children’s content, Nelvana’s content is distributed in more than 160 countries worldwide and airs across Corus’ suite of leading kids’ networks. This broadcast season, Nelvana showcases three new series and four returning seasons of fan favourites on YTV and Treehouse.
“Corus is proud to be the leader in exceptional entertainment content across our powerful specialty portfolios, offering compelling unscripted series, charismatic dramas, perennial hits and brilliant family-friendly shows,” said Troy Reeb, EVP Broadcast Networks, Corus Ent. “While the broader television industry has been hit with unprecedented challenges this year, Corus is in the enviable position of having fall schedules jam-packed with fresh, new content – rich with remarkable storytelling and characters that are set to entertain and inspire viewers across the country.”
“As a trailblazer in first-rate, home-grown entertainment, Corus Studios and industry-leading kids content producer, Nelvana, continues to grow and foster Corus’ collection of original programming, while supporting and collaborating with our accomplished production partners and talent,” said Colin Bohm, EVP Content and Corporate Strategy, Corus En. “Our standout slate, highlighting original formats, charming personalities, and solid favourites, matched by Nelvana’s superb offering of premier children’s content, continue to garner international success year after year, bringing in massive audiences and global appeal.”
New & Returning Animation for Many Ages
Celebrating the first anniversary of its launch in Canada this past April, Adult Swim has quickly grown into a powerhouse network, securing itself as a Top 20 specialty station and having more than doubled its audience. This fall includes new seasons of Tigtone, Gemusetto Machu Picchu, Lazor Wulf and the second half of Season 1 of prehistoric series, Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal. Topping off the fall schedule are new seasons of fan favorites Bob’s Burgers and Family Guy. Fans can look forward to a brand new season of Archer this year.
YTV features a fun-filled family-friendly fall schedule with three new Nelvana-produced series, including toons The Dog & Pony Show (26 x 30′) and Ollie’s Pack (26 x 30′).
The Dog & Pony Show (September 2020) A hilarious new series about two very different best friends who leave their magical world of Rainbow Fjord and move to the not-so-magical big city of UniCity. Between Pony’s outrageous ideas and Dog’s fascination with the mundane, things never quite go as planned, igniting chaotic adventures for them and their friends! Created by Josh Selig, Founder & CEO of Little Airplane Productions (a Studio 100 Company). (Produced by redknot, a joint venture between Nelvana and Discovery Inc.)
Ollie’s Pack(September 2020) follows Ollie and his backpack, which doubles as a powerful portal allowing an array of monsters to travel from the Monsterverse into Ollie’s world on Earth. Throughout the series, Ollie and his two best friends must protect the earth from the horrifying monsters that have escaped, while often utilizing the helpful monsters who assist with their everyday tween problems, like sneaking into a movie or winning their school’s Battle of the Bands contest. No matter the circumstances, Ollie’s thirst for adventure undoubtedly gets him into trouble that only he and his friends can resolve. (Produced by Nelvana) [Read more.]
Additional buzzworthy series premiering this fall include Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years, a brand-new animated spinoff of the beloved hit series. The non-stop fall action also includes new episodes of fan favourites including SpongeBob SquarePants and The Loud House, as well as new seasons of The Casagrandes.
Yabba Dabba Dinosaurs
Cartoon lovers rejoice! This fall, best-in-class animation station TELETOON is the hub for two new series that feature familiar characters from iconic shows The Flintstones and Looney Toons, Yabba Dabba Dinosaurs and Looney Tunes Cartoons. The network’s fall lineup is chock-full with new seasons including Total Dramarama (26 x 30′), DC Super Hero Girls and The Tom and Jerry Show, and new episodes of Bakugan: Armored Alliance, ThunderCats Roar, Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? and Teen Titans GO!
Looney Tunes Cartoons (10 x 15′) (October 2020) echoes the high production value and process of the original Looney Tunes theatrical shorts, with a cartoonist-driven approach to storytelling. Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig and other marquee Looney Tunes characters will be featured in their classic pairings in simple, gag-driven and visually vibrant stories. Each cartoon will vary from one to six minutes in length and, from the premise on through to the jokes, will be “written” and drawn by the cartoonists, allowing their own personality and style to come through in each cartoon. [Read more.]
Yabba Dabba Dinosaurs(26 x 15′) (September 2020) Pebbles Flintstone and Bamm-Bamm Rubble are best friends growing up in prehistoric times when dinosaurs still walked the earth. They live in the town of Bedrock, a modern stone-age civilization, but whenever they get the chance, Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm head to the open wilderness outside of town known as: The Crags, where the environments are as wild and amazing as the countless different dinosaurs that live there. Together, with the help of their crazy but faithful dinosaur, Dino, and their clinical but endlessly accommodating “smart stone” app, Wicky (a bird), Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm travel around The Crags helping new friends, fighting new enemies and learning about life and friendship through their endless crazy adventures.
Pikwik Pack
Treehouse is the place to be for preschoolers and parents with an array of enriching series rooted in teaching important lessons and skills – all while having fun! Nelvana-produced series Esme & Roy (26 x 30′) and Ranger Rob (26 x 30′) return for new seasons. Plus, following its massive success on YouTube, Nelvana’s Toon Bops will boogie its way onto the network, with Season 1 (21 x 1:50) joining the schedule this summer and Season 2 (20 x 2′) airing in the fall. New bedtime routines will include tuning into the must-see spin-off series, The Not-Too-Late-Show with Elmo. Then, later this year Treehouse delivers a new series, Pikwik Pack (26 x 30′), following four adorable animals as they deliver magical packages filled with love to the kind citizens of Pikwik. In addition, new seasons of preschooler-approved favourites including Sesame Street, Blue’s Clues & You!, Blaze and the Monster Machines, Bubble Guppies, Thomas & Friends and new episodes of Ricky Zoom and Peppa Pig continue this fall.
Toon Bops(Summer/Fall 2020) Endearing musical shorts encouraging little ones to explore and have fun, Toon Bops will have preschoolers bopping to new beats inspired by pop, country, and R&B! Each music video features original music, a rotating cast of fun-loving animated characters and heartfelt themes such as fun, friendship and family. (Produced by Nelvana)
The Not-Too-Late-Show with Elmo (September 2020) A spin-off of Sesame Street, the series stars Elmo as the host of his own late-night talk show. It’s main curricular goals are centered around bedtime routines, with each episode helping preschoolers understand a different aspect of getting ready for bedtime. Celebrity guests include: Jimmy Fallon, Kasey Musgraves, Jonas Brothers, Lil Nas X, Blake Lively.
Pikwik Pack (Winter 2021) follows four adorable animals, Suki the hedgehog, Axel the raccoon, Tibor the hippo and Hazel the cat as they deliver magical packages filled with love to the kind citizens of Pikwik. Every day, a new surprise package arrives. The team might face rough rapids, stormy skies or a foggy forest, but when they work together, they always deliver! The series is packed with big adventures, silly hijinks and heartfelt charm that will entertain preschoolers while underscoring the value of community, responsibility and teamwork. (Produced by Guru Studio)
This 2020-2021 broadcast season, Disney Channel pumps up the fun with returning popular series The Owl House and Amphibia. Disney Junior returning preschooler favourites for 2020-2021 include Puppy Dog Pals, PJ Masks, Mira, Royal Detective, Vampirina, Fancy Nancy, Gigantosaurus and Muppet Babies. On Disney XD, a new season of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Maximum Venom swings onto the schedule for 2020-2021.
Doomsday Brothers
This spring, TÉLÉTOON La Nuit, the #1 destination for A18-34 & A18-4 in Quebec, will see the premiere of new series Les Frères Apocalypse / Doomsday Brothers (18 x 30′), which is also set to debut in English on Adult Swim in September. Then, join Professor Zarbi and his loyal assistant, Benjamin for more absurd and wacky adventures in a second season of Les histoires bizarres du professeur Zarbi / The Bizarre Stories of Professor Zarbi (10×30) returning this spring.
Doomsday Brothers(September 2020) follows the post-apocalyptic misadventures of Rafe and Gabe Burns, two survivalist brothers who are hired to become protectors of their rural hometown. Unbeknownst to them, their long-lost mother Judith is locked in a secret military super bunker. As Judith tries to outwit the super bunker’s sentient computer system and get back to her sons, Rafe and Gabe discover the wonders, horrors, and temptations of the wasteland. (Produced by N1 2 Productions & Portfolio Entertainment)
The latest 2D animated production from Rooster Teeth, Recorded by Arizal will premiere July 13. The series follows Arizal, an inquisitive 17-year-old 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!
The voice cast is led by Christine Marie Cabanos as Arizal, Christina Stuckart as Lia, and Monica Rial as Tita Cherry.
Recorded by Arizal is a prelude to a story from Rooster Teeth Animation creator Yssa Badiola. This four-part prelude will be released weekly on Rooster Teeth beginning on July 13, with new installments premiering exclusively for Rooster Teeth’s FIRST members before moving to free-to-watch platforms a week later.
Series creator Badiola graduated from California College of the Arts and began her animation career at Bento Box Entertainment. When she’s not directing animated series, Badiola appears on-camera in several Rooster Teeth productions, and co-hosts the animation podcast I Have Notes. Outside of work, she enjoys playing games, imagining dance sequences in her head, and has been told she embodies the main character Retsuko from Aggretsuko.
Emmy-nominated animation writer, producer, director and artist Mark Glamack died last month at the age of 73. The news of his passing on May 29 was shared with Animag by Glamack’s attorney, Richard Sigler, who provided an obituary.
Glamack started his career at Walt Disney Studios, working on The Jungle Book, Bed-Knobs and Broomsticks, The Wonderful World of Disney and EPCOT, among other projects. He later worked at Hanna-Barbera, Filmation, Film Roman, HBO and MGM.
Outside Disney, his range of animating, directing and producing credits include Courage the Cowardly Dog, All Dogs Go to Heaven: The Series, Sonic the Hedgehog, He-Man and She-Ra: Princess of Power, Oliver Twist, Bobby’s World, Zazoo U, Spawn, Yogi Bear, The Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt Hour, Tom & Jerry, G.I. Joe, A Flintstone Christmas, Last of the Curlews and the animated inserts for That’s Entertainment II. In 1999 he was nominated for an Emmy in the Outstanding Special Class – Animated Program category for Life with Louie.
In 2002, Glamack completed his sixth term as Governor for The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. During those years, he created the Over One Hour Program Category for animation and the first annual individual achievement Emmy Awards for animation talent. In 1996, he successfully conformed the daytime Emmy Awards structure with the primetime structure. He was appointed by the Academy President as Vice-Chair for the ATAS Activities Committee 1991–1992, and later served on the Budget, Awards and Membership Committees.
In his later years, Glamack wrote, illustrated and published his children’s novel The Littluns and the Book of Darkness, winner of the Mom’s Choice Gold Awards for 2009 and the Dove Award winner for 2010. More information available at www.littlunsblog.com.
Born and raised in Rochester, New York, Glamack attended Art Center College of Design, UCLA, PCC and Sherwood Oaks Experimental College. He was drafted into the Vietnam War, where he served as a medic in the Army and was exposed to Agent Orange — which, ultimately, claimed his health.
Courage the Cowardly DogA Flinstone ChristmasThe Jungle Book
For its 2020 edition, the Marché du Film – Festival de Cannes’ XR program dedicated to virtual and augmented reality becomes “Cannes XR Virtual” from June 24 to 26. This three-day event will be entirely dedicated to players from the creative industries who use virtual and augmented reality technologies.
This unique edition is taking place within the framework of the Marché du Film Online virtual film market (June 22-26).
For this occasion, the Marché du Film – Festival de Cannes has teamed up with key players from the immersive industry:
The MOR (Museum of Other Realities) will provide its entire virtual art gallery for the whole Cannes XR Virtual program.
Tribeca Film Festival will present a selection of interactive works including six world, international, European or online premieres.
VeeR VR and Positron will present a selection of XR and 360° pieces with two prizes for the winner.
Kaleidoscope teams up with Cannes XR to promote works in development.
Cannes XR Virtual’s objective is to allow artists and producers in the XR industry to continue to develop their projects, and present their works despite the sanitary crisis. In total more than 55 XR pieces will be presented between projects in development and world previews.
“During this very peculiar time, the Marché du Film is more than determined to highlight the XR industry and to foster links between artists and potential investors to support creation in all its richness and diversity. We are very proud to partner with these leading partners in the XR sector,” said Jérôme Paillard, Executive director of the Marché du Film.
Works in the MOR
55 pieces (including 23 Cannes XR Development Showcase) will be visible in the MOR. They have been selected by the Tribeca Film Festival, VeeR VR and Positron. Two prizes will be awarded by a jury of professionals on June 26 at 9 p.m. (France time): the VeeR Future Award and the Positron Visionary Award.
Mary and the Monster
Tribeca Virtual ArcadeSponsored by AT&T
Tribeca Virtual Arcade @ Cannes XR is an innovative virtual exhibition as part of Cannes’ venerable Marché du Film. Attendees will encounter a lineup of 12 VR and MR experiences and exhibits (among them five world, international or European premières) from new and established artists using unique technology and perspective to tell stories. In addition, Tribeca will also host two creative panel discussions and a virtual dance party as part of their contribution to this groundbreaking event.
“At the heart of Tribeca Immersive is our commitment to showcase new technology and social experiences as a dynamic vehicle for storytelling,” said Loren Hammonds, Senior Programmer, Film & Immersive for Tribeca Film Festival. “This year’s program was set to feature some of the most innovative experiences to date. Now, as we forge a path towards a still uncertain future, we are excited to present a selection of those projects virtually, tackling adaptation and innovation in another context.”
Among the exciting animated offerings in the Tribeca Virtual Arcade are Mary and the Monster (U.S.), A Linha (Brazil), The Book of Distance (Canada) and Gravity VR (Brazil/Peru). See the full program here.
Kaiju Confidential
VeeR Future Award
Veer 360 Cinema at Cannes XR will gather 14 finalists from eight countries (among them one world premiere) selected for their ability to take advantage of virtual reality as a medium, offering the physical and emotional presence to viewers. The genres vary from live action and documentaries to animation and digital art.
The jury is composed of festival programmers, producers, industry leaders, distributors and academic researchers: Elie Levasseur – XR program Leader at Marché du Film; René Pinnell – CEO & Founder at Kaleidoscope; Jingshu Chen – Co-Founder at VeeR; Liz Rosenthal – Programmer at Venice VR, Venice International Film Festival, Executive Producer at CreativeXR, CEO & Founder at Power to the Pixel; Michel Reilhac – Programmer at Venice VR; Loren Hammonds – Senior Programmer, Film & Immersive at Tribeca Film Festival; Astrid Kahmke – Festival Director at Virtual Worlds; Jay Kim – Producer; CoFounder at GiiÖii, XR curator at BIFAN; Xun Li – Senior Researcher, China Film Art Research Centre (China Film Archive).
From the Official Selection, one project shall be selected and awarded with $1,000 USD cash and a Premium Distribution Package worth $10,000 USD which includes global marketing campaigns, online & LBE distribution, and Chinese localization.
Animated contenders include the buzzworthy anti-bullying piece Upstander by Van Phan, Doctor Who: The Runaway, Battlescar Ep. 1, featuring the voice of Rosario Dawson, and Ethan Shaftel’s Annie nominated monster comedy Kaiju Confidential. Full program available here.
Lutaw
Positron Visionary Award
The Positron Showcase will gather six XR pieces representing a diverse spectrum of excellence in storytelling: from futuristic sci-fi, to whimsical free-falling branching narratives, to documentaries that take us to dangerous places few have ventured, to tales of sacrifice and love. Animation, live action, 360 films and interactive experiences — each representing some of the best cinematic content in VR today.
Viola Davis, Co-Founder & CEO of JuVee Productions, serves as president of an esteemed jury comprising Christina Lee-Storm (VR Producer, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World Virtual / Dragons Flight Academy), Jake Sally (Head of Development, RYOT – a Verizon Company), John Canning (Executive Producer – New Media & Experiential, Digital Domain), Josh Nelson (Head of Immersive & Interactive Media, JuVee Productions) and Jeffrey Travis (CEO / Producer at Positron).
The top prize is a Positron Voyager motion chair, delivered to the studio of the winning creator, along with a distribution deal ($60,000 value).
The exacting selection includes the Yellow Boat of Hope project Lutaw (U.S./Philippines) and sci-fi thriller The Great C, based on a short story by Philip K. Dick (Canada/U.S.). See more here.
Convict Story
Cannes XR Development Showcase
Cannes XR Development Showcase in association with Kaleidoscope presents some of the most exciting international works in development today seeking production and distribution support.
Curated by Kaleidoscope, Cannes XR and XR experts, this showcase aims to bring in-development projects into a global spotlight and to facilitate the post-prototype work on projects. The selection presents 23 projects from 14 countries representing different formats (6DoF, 360 video, augmented reality, real time installations) and different genres (Documentary, Game, Animation, Art installation), but all relying on the power of storytelling.
The stories selected for this year’s edition revolve around major global issues: climate emergency, human relationship with nature, technological acceleration and social issues that demand immediate attention. Selected projects will pitch to international decision makers over a period of three days and present their work-in-progress materials inside the Museum of Other Realities.
The selections include envelope-pushing animation works such as Convict Story (Studio ANRK), Find Willy (Giiöii) and Remembrance (StudioBento) as well as lovely new worlds to discover in Ahoy! (Åker Workshop) and Le Bal de Paris by Blanca Li. See all 23 projects here.
Among the decision makers who have confirmed their participation, many market-leading technological players will take part, such as: Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Intel, HP, HTC, Ryot/Verizon Media, Huawei, Epic games, Unity.
