Animation fans looking to liven up their weekend with some new tunes can now stream the DreamWorks She-Ra and the Princesses of Power series soundtrack, available on major music platforms. The new season of Emmy, Critics Choice and GLAAD Media Award-nominated Netflix original series arrives on May 15 with 13 epic episodes.
“We must be strong. And we must be brave!” — the show’s iconic theme song “Warriors” is more powerful than ever in this dark times, and DWA/Netflix are marking the OST’s release with a special featurette which explores AJ Michalka’s (voice of Catra) experience recording her cover for the new season, and the song’s deep meaning of female empowerment from series creator Noelle Stevenson.
Michalka’s cover is available to stream on Spotify and Apple Music, along with the full soundtrack from series composer Sunna Wehrmeijer.
To celebrate the upcoming fifth (and final) season of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, DWA/Netflix has also released a clip revealing the first two minutes of the season — “She-Ra with No Powers”.
In season 5, the ruthless Horde Prime has arrived and without the Sword of Protection and She-Ra, the Rebellion are facing their toughest challenge yet. In this epic conclusion unexpected adversaries are confronted and relationships are tested, broken and changed forever. Will Adora and the Princesses of Power be able to save their planet? Or will the universe succumb to the evil might of Horde Prime before love can conquer hate?
The series features the voice talents of Aimee Carrero (Young and Hungry) as Adora/She-Ra, Karen Fukuhara (The Boys) as Glimmer, AJ Michalka (The Goldbergs) as Catra, Marcus Scribner (black-ish) as Bow, Lauren Ash (Superstore) as Scorpia, Reshma Shetty (Royal Pains) as Angella, Lorraine Toussaint (Orange Is the New Black) as Shadow Weaver, Keston John (The Good Place) as Hordak, Christine Woods (Hello Ladies) as Entrapta, Genesis Rodriguez (Time After Time) as Perfuma, Jordan Fisher (To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before 2) as Seahawk, Vella Lovell (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) as Mermista, Merit Leighton (Alexa and Katie) as Frosta, Sandra Oh (Killing Eve) as Castaspella, Krystal Joy Brown (Motown: The Musical) as Netossa, Jacob Tobia as Double Trouble and Oscar winner Geena Davis as Huntara.
The golden advice I wish someone had given me earlier…
It would be biased for me to say that animation professionals have the best career in the world. We bring joy to millions of people, regardless of age, race, gender or sexual orientation. We have the ability to recreate the past, imitate the present, imagine the future and bring to life all sorts of stories, making you cry, smile, feel fear or nostalgia. To work with animation is, in other words, to recreate life — and in the process, make the audience embark on an emotional journey.
Getting the audience on that ride and getting them emotionally invested with something that you brought to life is indeed an amazing feeling. But this job, although amazing, is still a job, and has a multi-million industry behind it that is constantly demanding content. According to IMDb, there are close to 10,289 animated shows in production to date and over 100 feature-length animated movies from big studios and indie productions just in 2019, not to mention video games, virtual reality content and more. This all translates into quotas to meet, a number of seconds per week to animate or a schedule with bizarre deadlines to hit. This industry will always push you to produce, produce, produce.
This constant pressure leads us to develop a bad habit of going too fast, pushing us to develop what is common, comfortable, the same old recipe again and again. The incredible art of recreating life gives ways to generic animations to meet a certain quota. It is hard to achieve recognition when you are starting your career, and even harder to make something outstanding in an industry that moves that fast. So here is the thing that I wish I knew when I started my own career: to stand out, you must be able to step back. Allow me to explain…
Step Back 1 – Go beyond technology. Shots that stand out the most are the ones that make us forget about the technology that brought it to life. Mastering the technology is important, but the feeling you are portraying, the message you want to deliver, the essence of your shot must speak louder than the technology you use. Animation is an art form, a way of expression, and technology is just a tool.
Learning how to master the tools is beneficial, it gives you the speed you need to become proficient and competitive in this industry. But being able to observe and interpret any emotional and/or physical actions in people, and using this knowledge to bring characters to life is the actual core of the job. To stand out, you must aim for the essence of what the shot is, and that does not live inside the screen of your computer.
Capturing the essence of a shot means knowing what feeling you want to evoke in the viewer when watching your animation. For your shot to induce a feeling, your character must be believable, must portray emotion, must have clear intentions. The essence of any shot relies on reality and believable actions, and to capture it, we must go beyond technology and start observing ourselves and others.
Step Back 2 – Find the subtext. All shots have something in common, whether it is an acting or action shot, with dialogue or just pantomimes, with bipeds, quadrupeds, a flour sack or a box, it doesn’t matter. They all have two layers: text and subtext. Text is what is explicit, the line your character says or the action that is requested for you to animate, and subtext is the essence. The true gold. And a little more complicated to get.
Successful shots reveal what is not being said, what the character really wants to say, but cannot or doesn’t want to. Successful shots animate the Subtext. If you are asked to animate a guy crying in a bar, your first thing to do should be to ask yourself, “why?” Why is that guy there? Why is he crying? Why is he alone? You have to really dig until you find the intention behind your character’s actions and reactions, to define what your shot is really about. What emotion do you want us to feel when watching it?
Whether you work for yourself or for a big studio, sometimes you will receive the subtext on a silver platter, but in case you don’t, it is crucial that you know how to dig for it. The mistake some of us make is to run to the computer without asking “why?” and we end up animating the action and not the intention. In the end, we get a nicely animated motion that doesn’t mean anything more than just a random guy sitting at a bar.
No matter what type of shot, how the character is feeling affects how he/she/it will execute those actions. Sitting on a chair when you are upset should be different than how you sit when you are happy. Your character may not have dialogue, but your animation must be able to translate the subtext into actions that speak for itself.
Step Back 3 – Make it specific. After “why” comes “how”. Every shot can be animated in many different ways. The way you pose your character and how they behave is how you make the intention of the shot come across. Generic motions will get you nowhere. You should aim for motions and poses that best describe the emotional state of your character, that matches with the subtext of the shot, and that gives your character some sort of personality, making him relatable, memorable. Successful shots are the ones that people can relate to.
To be specific, you must know what to do: there is a huge difference between how you think you behave and how you really behave. Observation is the name of the game. Walt Disney once said: “…an animator must be a student of everything that might or does exist. From the shiver of a blade of grass — affected by an invisible breeze — to the behavior of a starving hobo eating the first steak he has had in years. From a baby, tentatively trying to walk for the first time — to an elephant doing a can-can.” In fact, I dare to say that we must be Students of Life, and in life, variation is the rule.
In real life, there is never an exact duplicate motion for the same emotion. Different people portray emotion in different manners, and even the same person can express the same feeling in a variety of ways. If you only rely on your imagination to recreate such feelings, you might miss the beauty of what means to be human, different, unique. The fact is that humans are not perfect — we all have our twitches, a gesture we do when angry, a way of walking when feeling happy. Did you know that there are several types of smiles (19 according to some studies) and only six of them portray joy? As animators, we should observe, interpret and select the best motion to represent what we want to tell. The more specific the motion is, the more interesting and memorable it becomes.
Step Back 4 – Practice. The human body has 206 bones and over 650 named skeletal muscles. We have psychologists like Dr. Paul Ekman who identified six basic emotions (anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness and surprise) — or if you prefer, we have the theory from Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett, which states that emotions are concepts that are constructed by the brain and affected by personal experiences, environment, etc. We have macro expressions that often repeat and fit with what is said and with the sound of the person’s voice, and microexpressions, which are very brief, lasting between 1/15 and 1/25 of a second, which often display a concealed emotion and are the result of suppression or repression. My point is that humans are incredible machines, difficult to be copied, and even more difficult to be understood.
Don’t get fooled into thinking that you can recreate human behavior in a few hours of sitting in front of the computer. You have to be able to demonstrate weight, thought process, emotion and more, by either moving keyframes in a graph editor, or with drawings, or moving puppets and so on. Making something come to life takes patience and practice. It doesn’t really get easier the more you do it, but constant practice makes you fluent in the art of animation and makes you go through the whole thought process a lot faster.
Step Back 5 – Check your ego at the door. Practice can also come in the form of having to redo your work, either because the director said so, or due to story changes, or because your idea is just not working. Having the skills to rethink your shot and adapt to what is needed is extremely necessary to survive in this industry. Issues start when we get so attached to an idea that we can’t realize that it just doesn’t work, and no amount of practice will turn a bad idea into a good one. This is a very common problem that happens when we spend hours in front of the computer, staring at a scene, refusing to get fresh eyes on it. We become either desensitized or blind, and our judgment about it starts to get cloudy. That is what we call “tunnel vision.”
From time to time, we all need a reality check. Animation is a collaborative art and opening your shot for candid feedback is a great way to see if you are on the right track, or if the idea is good to start with. But keep in mind that good and bad ideas are subjective in nature, and you will see egos fighting to determine what is good and what is not — based on personal preferences, most of the time. If you need a tip to know if you are on the right track, here is something that a colleague, Daniel Rosales (3D Story Artist at Lucasfilm Animation) likes to say: “You don’t have to defend a great idea. It will survive on its own.”
Understanding that our million-dollar idea is, sometimes, just good to us and nobody else is a hard thing to accept — but our work should speak to a broader audience, not just to us, the creators. Leaving the ego outside is a great start, and so is the ability to start over. You should be comfortable doing so.
In conclusion, as animators, we are tasked with the nearly impossible mission to recreate the core of being human, to portray feelings, intentions, to interpret what was not in the script, what is not being said. In my experience, the majority of shots that fall flat are the ones that were either rushed, didn’t have planning, failed in observing reality, didn’t have feedback, or failed to portray or induce the correct emotion. I didn’t cry because the girl in the movie hugged her sister while she was an ice statue. I cried because it reminded me of my sister, who I would do anything for. I cried because I saw myself in that character.
Successful animated shots are not about the motion itself, but the story behind it and the emotion connection it creates with the audience. If you want your work to stand out, it has to mean something and you can’t be afraid to make people feel. I wish I knew this sooner: step back now, and whenever you can.
Bruna Berford is the XR Animation Supervisor at Penrose Studios, where she supervised the animation for the award-winning experience Arden’s Wake (Best VR Award at the 74th Venice International Film Festival) and Allumette (premiered at 2016 Tribeca Film Festival). Before joining Penrose, she worked as an animator at Oculus Story Studio on the Emmy-winning experience Henry, as a cinematic artist at Telltale Games, and several other projects including animated Disney TV series. As a storyteller, Bruna likes to see the world as potential ideas for future narratives.
HBO Max today announced it has ordered the adult animated series Santa Inc. from global content leader Lionsgate, featuring voice performances by leads Sarah Silverman and Seth Rogen. The eight-episode, half-hour series will be written by showrunner Alexandra Rushfield (Shrill) and will be produced by Rogen’s Point Grey Pictures as part of their multiplatform partnership with Lionsgate.
Santa Inc. is the story of Candy Smalls (Silverman), the highest-ranking female elf in the North Pole. When the successor to Santa Claus (Rogen) is poached by Amazon on Christmas Eve, Candy goes for her ultimate dream — to become the first woman Santa Claus in the history of Christmas.
“I have long dreamed of a taking a beloved holiday tradition and adding a feminist agenda and some R-rated comedy, and when I read this script from Ali, with Seth and Sarah attached to voice, I knew that it was a perfect fit for us at Max.” said Suzanna Makkos, Executive Vice President Original Comedy and Animation.
“Sarah and Seth are the perfect comedy duo for this empowering and very funny animated series shepherded by the hysterical Alexandra Rushfield,” said Lionsgate Head of Scripted Development Scott Herbst. “We look forward to diving into the world of animation with our Point Grey partners, and to bring the holidays to HBO Max in a totally unexpected and fresh way.”
Rushfield, Silverman, Amy Zvi and Rosa Tran (Anomalisa) will also serve as executive producers on the series.
Silverman is represented by UTA, Thruline and Ziffren. Rogen is represented by UTA, Principal Talent and Felker Toczek law firm. Rushfield is represented by UTA and Ziffren.
HBO Max launches in the U.S. on May 27 with originals, licensed titles and fan-favorites from WarnerMedia brands including Warner Bros., TBS, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Crunchyroll, Rooster Teeth, Looney Tunes and more.
The 14th edition of Animation Production Days (APD) – which this year took place as a purely digital event – concluded Friday afternoon, successfully bringing together animation players around the world to discuss the toon hits of tomorrow.
A total of 123 participants from 21 countries registered for the Digital Edition of APD. The selected animation projects and possible co-operations were discussed in around 600 individual, pre-planned video meetings from May 5-8 via a specially set-up online tool. A joint venture of Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (ITFS) and FMX – Conference on Animation, Effects, Games and Immersive Media, APD is the most important business platform for animation in Germany.
Dieter Krauß, Commercial Managing Director of Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH (FMF), the organizers of ITFS, was delighted with the success: “It was a huge feat to reorganize APD as a digital event so quickly! Our heartfelt thanks go to our colleagues Marlene Wagener and Amelie Mack for this effort!”
Prof Ulrich Wegenast, Artistic Director of FMF, added, “I’m very pleased that Animation Production Days were so well received in their new digital form. This approach could be an opportunity for APD to develop a hybrid event format in the future.”
In early March, 50 of the submitted projects were selected to be presented at APD 2020. On March 13, when the coronavirus pandemic meant that the event in Stuttgart had to be cancelled, 160 professionals had already registered to take part.
“For us, it was actually clear immediately that we had to try and get a digital version up and running. A major part of the preparation work had already been undertaken and, for many animation producers, APD is a key event to progress the development of their projects. Because the one-to- one meetings are at the heart of APD, we focused on making them possible in digital form,” said Marlene Wagener, Head of Animation Production Days.
“With this year’s digital edition of APD, we believe we found an adequate format for a time of crisis, but we do hope that we can all meet together again in person next year. Because without personal contacts, we won’t be able to produce personal films in the long run,” said Andreas Hykade, Conference Chair of FMX.
APD participants were also surprised and delighted by the results of the quickly reconfigured event:
“I never would have imagined that a digital edition with video one-to-one meetings could work as efficient as it did. However, I very much look forward to meeting again in person during an analogue edition 2021.” — Stefan Pfäffle, Deputy Head of Fiction, Acquisitions & Co-Production, KiKA (Germany)
“The e-meetings turn out to be almost as good as the face to face meetings that is the APD trademark. We had many great talks and a lot of laughs.” Thomas Borch Nielsen, CEO & Producer, Nice Ninja (Denmark)
Cinema Management Group has announced global kids and family entertainment company Toonz Media Group will be joining an impressive ensemble of producers/animation studios — Robert Chandler’s Space Age Films, Gina Carter & Stephen Fry’s Sprout Pictures — as a co-producing partner on the first-ever animated adaptation of the Oscar Wilde classic, The Canterville Ghost.
Under the deal assisted by Paul Grindey of Viewfinder Film, Toonz will produce the animation for the much-awaited theatrical feature at its studios in India. Pre- and post-production will be undertaken by studios in the U.K. and Ireland. The Canterville Ghost is being directed by Kim Burdon (Fireman Sam).
A warm, charming, and humorous tale, The Canterville Ghost is about the spirit of Sir Simon, who has been haunting his ancestral home, Canterville Chase, for over 300 years … and loving it! But everything changes when an American family buys the estate and moves in. The family is unimpressed with Sir Simon’s ghostly antics, finding him a bit of a nuisance, and not scary at all. This clever classic by Wilde is still part of the English-language curriculum in various countries such as the U.S., Canada, France, Italy, India, Czech Republic and many others.
Edward Noeltner, President of Cinema Management Group, who with producer Kristina Dubin of DubinMedia was key to brokering the deal with Toonz, said in a joint statement: “Toonz coming on board this high-quality animated feature was the final piece in giving The Canterville Ghost the required momentum to fly into production. The film is targeted for delivery in 2021.”
Effectively, CMG has already pre-sold the film in a number of international territories including German-speaking Europe, Russia and CIS territories, Poland as well as other Eastern European territories including the Middle East and Israel.
Toonz Media Group’s CEO P. Jayakumar said, “We are delighted to be working with the existing team already in place on this wonderful film. Producer Robert Chandler has done a terrific job assembling great talent on this feature. As one of the largest animation studios in the world, Toonz brings 20+ years of experience in animation to this exciting project along with hundreds of skilled animators from India and an accomplished pre and post team in place in Ireland and the U.K.”
Chandler, Managing & Creative Director of Space Age Films, said, “I am delighted with the relationship we have forged with CMG and Toonz to bring this picture to life. Wilde speaks to people of all ages. So, too, will Canterville, with its tale of an uptight American family moving into a stately British house only to find it haunted by a grouchy old ghost. Oscar’s genius was in crafting a story where every character feels they are doing the right thing. The American family are as real and lovable, with their own concerns and worries about the world, as the eccentric English ghost. The battlefield is the house and its grounds. Sparks fly and comedy is the result.”
WarnerMedia’s highly anticipated streamer HBO Max and Crunchyroll, the world’s most popular anime destination, are teaming up to bring more dubbed and subtitled anime to fans across the U.S. When the platform launches on May 27, HBO Max subscribers will have access to 17 beloved and celebrated anime titles including Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-(Director’s Cut) and Keep Your Hands off Eizouken, alongside the Crunchyroll Original series In/Spectre.
Additionally, HBO Max subscribers can watch a collection of series from Crunchyroll’s catalog of 1,000+ titles including Rurouni Kenshin, KONOSUBA -God’s Blessing on this Wonderful World!, Bungo Stray Dogs, Berserk, Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress, Kill la Kill, Your Lie in April, ERASED, Kiznaiver, Schwarzes Marken, 91 Days, The Testament of Sister New Devil and Rokka -Braves of the Six Flowers.
Crunchyroll will curate additional top anime titles for HBO Max each quarter, cultivating fresh offerings that appeal to new and existing anime fans, including Hunter x Hunter and Death Note — coming to the new streamer within the first year of launch.
Crunchyroll is the world’s leading anime brand, connecting more than 60 million registered users and over 2 million subscribers to the content they love, and building fan-favorite series into 360-degree experiences with events, games, merchandise and more. Crunchyroll is available in more than 200 countries and territories and simultaneously translates simulcast series into eight languages around the world.
“Anime is a celebrated, diverse art form with a rich culture rooted in imaginative worlds and vibrant characters. Crunchyroll has centralized these fantastic adventures for everyone to enjoy,” said Kevin Reilly, Chief Content Officer, HBO Max, President, TNT, TBS and truTV. “This WarnerMedia family collaboration is bringing together an incredible collection of content with a passionate fandom and HBO Max is tottemo ureshii [‘awfully glad’] to expand the reach of this inventive artistry.”
“The HBO brand is known for premiere content and innovative storytelling. By bringing series from Crunchyroll to HBO Max, we hope to introduce anime to a wider audience who appreciates compelling stories told through this dynamic medium,” said Joanne Waage, General Manager, Crunchyroll. “Together with HBO Max, we are delivering the maximum reach for these incredible anime series, and we can’t wait for new fans to fall in love with anime.”
Titles available at launch (May 27):
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood – Full Series (64 episodes) Disregard for alchemy’s laws ripped half of Edward Elric’s limbs from his body and left his brother Alphonse’s soul clinging to a suit of armor. To restore what was lost, the brothers seek the Philosopher’s Stone.
Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World (Director’s Cut) – Season 1 (13 episodes and 1 OVA) Natsuki Subaru, an ordinary high school student, is transported to another world where the only person to reach out to him was a beautiful girl with silver hair. Determined to repay her, Subaru agrees to help the girl find something she’s looking for.
In/Spectre – Season 1 (12 episodes) In this Crunchyroll Original, an enthralling, fantastical mystery mixes with the supernatural and romance, as a duo sets out to solve a series of dark incidents plaguing their world.
Keep Your Hands off Eizouken – Season 1 (12 episodes) Three high school students band together to create an animation club to realize the “ultimate world” that exists in their minds.
Rurouni Kenshin – Full Series (94 episodes) Former government assassin, Kenshin Himura works to keep the peace during the Meiji Era in Japan, a time of troubled renewal after a long and bloody civil war.
KONOSUBA -God’s Blessing on this Wonderful World! – Seasons 1 and 2 (22 episodes) Kazuma Sato is transported to a fantasy world filled with adventure after a traffic accident. Now, along with the goddess Aqua, he is on a quest to solve many of this world’s problems.
Bungo Stray Dogs – Seasons 1-3 (37 episodes) Kicked out of his orphanage and on the verge of starving to death, Atsushi Nakajima meets members of the “Armed Detective Agency” said to solve incidents that even the military and police won’t touch.
Berserk – Seasons 1 & 2 (26 episodes) Spurred by the flame raging in his heart, the Black Swordsman Guts continues his seemingly endless quest for revenge.
Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress – Season 1 (12 episodes) At a time when the industrial revolution was carrying the world into the modern age, a horde of undead monsters suddenly appeared. The people of Hinomoto have built fortresses to help them survive this threat
Kill la Kill – Season 1 (24 episodes) Six years since their collaboration on the ground-breaking anime series, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, Hiroyuki Imaishi and Kazuki Nakashima are back to shock the world! Ryuko Matoi is a vagrant schoolgirl who enters Honnouji Academy to search for clues to the truth behind her father’s death.
Your Lie in April – Season 1 (22 episodes) Kousei Arima was a genius pianist until his mother’s sudden death took away his ability to play. Then he meets a violinist named Kaori Miyazono who changes his life forever.
ERASED – Season 1 (12 episodes) A young manga artist struggles to make a name for himself while living with a strange condition that transports him back in time before something life-threatening occurs. How can he erase the threats to stop this from happening?
Kiznaiver – Season 1 (12 episodes) A secret high school group is formed with students from different cities who share one another’s pain: a “Kiznaiver.”
Schwarzes Marken – Season 1 (12 episodes) In 1983, the East German Army 666th TSF Squadron, “Schwarzes Marken,” is a special-response force tasked with assaulting BETA forces.
91 Days – Season 1 (13 episodes) During prohibition, the law held no power and the mafia ruled the town. This 91-day story follows men guided by revenge as they try to escape their tragic fates.
The Testament of Sister New Devil – Seasons 1 & 2 (22 episodes) Basara Toujo is a high school student whose father has suddenly just remarried. Hijinks ensue as his father then departs overseas leaving Basara with two new beautiful step-sisters.
Rokka -Braves of the Six Flowers – Season 1 (12 episodes) Legend says, when the evil god awakens from the deepest of darkness, the god of fate will summon six braves and grant them with the power to save the world. However, it turns out that there are seven braves who gathered at the promised land.
Post-launch title additions:
Hunter x Hunter Gon, a young boy who lives on Whale Island, dreams of becoming a Hunter like his father, who left when Gon was still young.
Death Note Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects and he’s bored out of his mind. But all that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami death god.
Alt rockers Weezer are booked for Springfield this weekend, set to provide voices (and debut a brand-new single!) for an all-new episode of FOX TV favorite The Simpsons on Sunday, May 10 at 8/7C. The episode, “The Hateful Eight-Year Olds,” also welcomes guest stars Joey King (The Act, Fargo), Riverdale‘s Camila Mendes, Madelaine Petsch and Lili Reinhart, and YouTube star Lilly “Superwoman” Singh.
You can catch Weezer’s cover of the iconic Simpsons theme song below. Scroll down for more deets.
Episode Info: Lisa makes a new friend who loves horses, but then becomes part of a circle of snooty young rich girls. Meanwhile, Homer takes Marge on a romantic cruise in the all-new “The Hateful Eight-Year-Olds” episode of The Simpsons airing Sunday, May 10 (8-8:30 p.m. ET/PT) on FOX.
Guest Voice Cast: Lili Reinhart as Bella-Ella; Joey King as Addy; Madelaine Petsch as Sloan; Lilly Singh as Kensey; Camila Mendes as Tessa Rose; Weezer as Sailor’s Delight and Themselves
In the episode, Weezer performs as a cover band named Sailor’s Delight, who are the house band on the romantic cruise taken by Homer and Marge. Some of Sailor’s Delight’s songs in the episode are classic hits from Weezer (“The Black Album”) or Pacific Daydream, but one song is completely new: debuting worldwide on The Simpsons, the track is called “Blue Dream,” and will be featured on the band’s forthcoming album, “Van Weezer.”
Following a special meeting, the Animation Guild’s Executive Board voted to donate $210,000 to support all International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) members through the Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF) and the Los Angeles Federation of Labor’s Labor Community Services division.
While most sectors of the entertainment industry are suffering significant job loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of Animation Guild members’ work has not been impacted, and guild membership has increased since the last quarter. As a result, the Executive Board determined that the Animation Guild IATSE Local 839, as part of the larger IATSE community, should pay it forward by supporting those who are in need now or will need assistance in the future.
“It’s very difficult to meet with other union representatives and hear about the struggles our IATSE brothers and sisters are facing. So many people are in need. Yet, our Guild members have been very fortunate; animation employers quickly understood our work could continue effectively from home,” said Steve Kaplan, Business Representative of The Animation Guild. “Times are hard for all of us, but 839 members are in a unique position to help the rest of our IATSE family. Donating these funds was the quickest way for us to do that.”
“We have a unique blessing in that we’re still able to work, so I think it’s our duty to lend a hand to others in IATSE who are having a harder time right now,” said Executive Board member Jack Cusumano.
The MPTF will receive $200,000 from the Animation Guild to support all IATSE members, while Labor Community Services will receive $10,000 to support their ongoing efforts to bring food to union members.
The Animation Guild, also known as Local 839 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), was founded in 1952. As a labor union, we represent more than 5,000 artists, technicians and writers in the animation industry, advocating for workers to improve wages and conditions.
The deeply emotional, mystical anime feature Ride Your Wave will be released on digital download, On Demand, Blu-ray+ DVD combo pack and as a standalone DVD on August 4 from GKIDS and Shout! Factory. Winner of the 2019 Best Animated Feature award at Fantasia, Sitges and Shanghai International Film Festivals, the film makes its way to home entertainment following a nationwide theatrical release earlier this year.
Blu-ray and DVD copies are available for pre-order at ShoutFactory.com.
In this 2D tale, visionary director Masaaki Yuasa (Devilman Crybaby, Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!) brings his trademark visual ingenuity to a tale of romance, grief and self-discovery.
Synopsis: Hinako is a surf-loving college student who has just moved to a small seaside town. When a fire breaks out at her apartment building, she is rescued by Minato, a handsome firefighter, and the two soon fall in love. Just as they become inseparable, Minato loses his life in an accident at sea. Hinako is so distraught that she can no longer even look at the ocean, but one day she sings a song that reminds her of their time together, and Minato appears in the water. From then on, she can summon him in any watery surface as soon as she sings their song. But can the two really remain together forever?
Featuring an all-star Japanese voice cast made up of J-Pop royalty including Ryôta Katayose (GENERATIONS from EXILE TRIBE) and Rina Kawaei (AKB48), Ride Your Wave also has a hit theme song in “Brand New Story,” performed by GENERATIONS from EXILE TRIBE.
The home entertainment release also includes an all new English-language version of the film, featuring the voices of Joey Richter (A Very Potter Musical) as Minato, Merit Leighton (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power) as Hinako, Sarah Williams (Kill la Kill, Puella Magi Madoka Magica) as Yoko, and Michael Johnston (Teen Wolf) as Wasabi.
Ride Your Wave is the latest offering in a collection of visual masterpieces directed by Yuasa available for home entertainment from GKIDS and Shout! Factory. All of Yuasa’s other feature films — Lu Over the Wall, Mind Game and The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl, as well as the anthology Genius Party — are also available for purchase.
Bonus Features:
Interview with producer Eunyoung Choi
Animated Storyboards
Character Still Gallery
Trailers and TV Spots
Exclusive 12-page booklet with director’s statement and art
Family movie night is getting a little more magical on ABC, with the return of “The Wonderful World of Disney” programming event. For four consecutive Wednesday evenings, beloved titles (currently available on Disney+) will be shown in prime time on ABC, beginning with the broadcast world debut of Disney’s Academy Award-nominated Moana on Wednesday, May 10 (8-10 p.m. EDT). Additional titles include Marvel Studios’ Thor: The Dark World, and Academy Award-winning films Up (Disney-Pixar) and Big Hero 6 (Disney).
Presenting these beloved films (scroll down for full listings) on ABC is just one of the ways The Walt Disney Company is bringing the magic of Disney into homes right now. At DisneyMagicMoments.com, fans and families can find more entertaining stories, videos and activities from Disney, Pixar, Star Wars, Marvel and National Geographic that inspire imagination and discovery.
Meanwhile, Disney’s Freeform network is planning to celebrate this year’s stuck-at-home graduating classes with a special weekend-long programming event: the first-ever “Funday: Class of 2020” on May 16 & 17. Freeform is celebrating the Class of 2020 with graduation-themed programming and interstitial content, sharing graduation-themed content across social accounts using #FreeformClassof2020, and a live ticker giving students nationwide a moment to shine by running the names of 2020 graduates throughout the special weekend.
Additionally, the network will air the telecast of “Graduate Together: America Honors the High School Class of 2020,” hosted by LeBron James and featuring grown-ish producer and star Yara Shahidi on Saturday, May 16 at 8 p.m. EDT/PDT.
Saturday, May 16
1:15 p.m. – Disney/Pixar’s Inside Out
3:25 p.m. – Disney/Pixar’s Monsters, Inc.
5:30 p.m. – Disney/Pixar’s Monsters University
8 p.m. – “Graduate Together: America Honors the High School Class of 2020”
9 p.m. – Disney’s Zootopia
Sunday, May 17
12:15 p.m. – Disney/Pixar’s Inside Out
2:20 p.m. – Disney/Pixar’s Monsters, Inc.
4:25 p.m. – Disney/Pixar’s Monsters University
6:55 p.m. – Disney’s Zootopia
To learn more about the special event and to submit your name to run in the on-air graduation ticker, please visit www.freeform.com/FreeformClassof2020.
Monsters University
“The Wonderful World of Disney: Moana” – Wednesday, May 20 (8-10 p.m. EDT) Moana is Disney’s epic adventure about a spirited teen who sets sail on a daring mission to prove herself a master wayfinder and fulfill her ancestors’ unfinished quest. During her journey, Moana (Auliʻi Cravalho) meets the mighty demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson), and together they cross the ocean on a fun-filled, action-packed voyage, encountering enormous sea creatures, breathtaking underworlds and impossible odds. Along the way, Moana discovers the one thing she’s always sought: her own identity.
“The Wonderful World of Disney: Thor: The Dark World” – Wednesday, May 27 (8-10 p.m. EDT) Marvel Studios’ Thor: The Dark World continues the adventures of Thor, the Mighty Avenger, as he battles to save Earth and all the Nine Realms from a shadowy enemy that predates the universe itself. In the aftermath of Thor and The Avengers, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) fights to restore order across the cosmos … but an ancient race led by the vengeful Malekith returns to plunge the universe back into darkness. To defeat an enemy that even Odin (Anthony Hopkins) and Asgard cannot withstand, Thor sets upon his most dangerous and personal journey yet, forced into an alliance with the treacherous Loki (Tom Hiddleston) to save not only his people and those he loves … but our universe itself.
“The Wonderful World of Disney: Up” – Wednesday, June 3 (8-10 p.m. EDT) Winner of two Academy Awards including Best Animated Feature, Disney and Pixar’s Up centers on 78-year-old Carl Fredrickson (Ed Asner), a retired balloon salesman who is part rascal, part dreamer and ready for his last chance at high-flying excitement. Tying thousands of balloons to his house, Carl sets off to the lost world of his childhood dreams. Unbeknownst to Carl, Russell (Jordan Nagai), an overeager 8-year-old Wilderness Explorer who has never ventured beyond his backyard, is in the wrong place at the wrong time – Carl’s front porch! The world’s most unlikely duo reaches new heights and meets fantastic friends like Dug (Bob Peterson), a dog with a special collar that allows him to speak, and Kevin, the rare 13-foot-tall flightless bird. Stuck together in the wilds of the jungle, Carl realizes that sometimes life’s unexpected adventures are the most rewarding ones.
“The Wonderful World of Disney: Big Hero 6” – Wednesday, June 10 (8-10 p.m. EDT) Meet Baymax (Scott Adsit), a lovable personal companion robot who forms a special bond with robotics prodigy Hiro Hamada (Ryan Potter) in Disney’s Big Hero 6. When a devastating turn of events catapults them into the midst of a dangerous plot unfolding in the streets of San Fransokyo, Hiro turns to Baymax and his group of friends – who transform into a band of unlikely heroes.
Disney+ has ordered the eight-episode series Just Beyond from writer Seth Grahame-Smith and produced by 20th Century Fox Television. The horror/comedy anthology, based on the best-selling BOOM! Studios graphic novel series from iconic children’s writer R.L. Stine (Goosebumps), was created by Grahame-Smith, who has a history of moving between horror and comedy as author of the bestselling novels Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, and screenwriter of Tim Burton’s Dark Shadows, The LEGO Batman Movie and The Saint for director Dexter Fletcher and star Chris Pine.
A writers room is being assembled and the series is expected to come to Disney+ in the fall of 2021.
“I grew up watching Twilight Zone reruns and the original Amazing Stories with my parents,” said Grahame-Smith. “I’ve always wanted to make a genre anthology series that families could enjoy together, and do it in a way that delivered for kids and adults alike. R.L. Stine has been a part of millions of childhoods, and Disney+ has already proven itself as a place that knows how to make high-quality shows for the whole family. I couldn’t be more excited to be working with both of them.”
“Back in the day, we had a Goosebumps HorrorLand attraction at Walt Disney World,” said author R.L. Stine. “It was one of the thrills of my life. Now I’m thrilled to be back with Disney for the TV series based on my graphic novels. Writing “Just Beyond” for BOOM! Studios has been a joy from the beginning, and I’m so happy to have the wonderful screenwriter Seth Grahame-Smith bring the series to life on Disney+. How lucky can I be?”
Goosebumps HorrorLand Funhouse, Walt Disney World, 1998. [@RL_Stine / Twitter]
Grahame-Smith and David Katzenberg will produce through their KatzSmith Productions banner. KatzSmith is represented by WME and Ziffren Brittenham.
The four-volume Just Beyond graphic novel series, aimed at middle schoolers, are written by Stine with artwork by Kelly & Nichole Matthew (Pandora’s Legacy).
Middle school feels like the worst place imaginable, but for Jess, Josh, and Marco, their school may actually be the worst place in this world…or any other!
After a chance encounter with a deadly creature stalking the school halls, these three unsuspecting students are whisked away to a horrifying realm beyond the school boiler room where they must unravel a terrifying mystery. Can they save the kids they find there and escape themselves, or will they be forever trapped Just Beyond?
BOOM! Studios is represented by UTA and Matt Saver.
Just Beyond is produced by 20th Century Fox Television, a part of Disney Television Studios. Grahame-Smith will serve as writer and executive producer alongside Katzenberg, Stephen Christy and Ross Richie. Stine is attached as co-executive producer.
Buckle up for some throwback adult entertainment with a sharp modern makeover: The Fabulous Furry Freak brothers are back! The world premiere mature minisode of The Freak Brothers, “Kentucky Fried Freaks,” debuted on YouTube Wednesday, featuring the voices of Woody Harrelson, John Goodman, Pete Davidson and Tiffany Haddish, as well as Adam DeVine, Blake Anderson, and John Di Domenico guest starring as Donald Trump.
In addition to four planned misodes, the voice stars and series creators/executive producers Mark Canton and Courtney Solomon are working on an 8 x 22′ episode package for a fall premiere. The adaptation of Gilbert Shelton’s 50-year-old underground comic sensation was announced at Comic-Con last year.;
Synopsis: In 1969, life in San Francisco consists of free love, communal living and political protest. Freewheelin’ Franklin Freek (Harrelson), Fat Freddy Freekowtski (Goodman), Phineas T. Phreakers (Davidson) and their mischievous, foul-mouthed cat, Kitty (Haddish), spend their days dodging many things — the draft, the narcs and steady employment – all while searching for an altered state of bliss.
But after partaking of a genetically mutated strain of marijuana, the Freaks wake up 50 years later to discover a much different society. Quickly feeling like fish out of water in a high-tech world of fourth-wave feminism, extreme gentrification and intense political correctness, the Freaks learn how to navigate life in 2020 — where, surprisingly, their precious cannabis is now legal.
The Freak Brothers is written and produced by Highly Gifted‘s Daniel Lehrer and Jeremy Lehrer, and Silicon Valley‘s Dave Krinsky and John Altschuler — their King of the Hill colleagues Alan Cohen and Alan Freedland are showrunners. Voicers DeVine and Anderson also exec produce with Canton and Solomon (WTG Enterprises), Gilbert Shelton and Manfred Mroczkowski; Jeffrey S. Edell is co-exec producer.
Animation is provided by Starburns Industries (Rick and Morty) and Pure Imagination Studios (The Simpsons).
Pucca, the beloved character brought back for a new class of fans by leading kids & family entertainment co. Planeta Junior with more than 350 hours of content, will be making a free appearance on child-safe platform Kidoodle.TV in her popular cartoons, as well as exclusive content and special clips.
Pucca’s bravery, daring, fun, maturity, lack of prejudice and important message of love based on “being yourself” will reach over 140 countries via Kidoodle.TV. The value of this streaming platform lies in its content’s safety. Everything has been selected so that parents don’t have to worry about what their children are watching.
In addition to Kidoodle.TV, Pucca’s reach will also expand when episodes are broadcast in four languages on Facebook Watch: English (Pucca World), Spanish (Pucca España), French (Pucca France) and Italian (Pucca Italia). A new episode will be released every Saturday.
Pucca’s arrival on Kidoodle.TV and Facebook Watch will be complemented by the availability of over 20 animated series for all the family on the Planeta Junior YouTube channels, in addition to the global #StayAtHome campaign. Iconic characters from Gormiti and Pucca will use this opportunity to raise children’s awareness about the coronavirus and provide entertainment during the lockdown.
Animayo has transformed its 15th edition into a 100% virtual platform in its most technological and charitable year yet, with plans to give out over €500,000 in scholarships for face-to-face and online classes. The Animayo International Summit will be taking place from May through to the third quarter of 2020 in four settings: virtual, streaming, online and in-person.
Fifty-seven international and national experts on animation, VFX and video games will be part of the program, with the virtual Gran Canaria event kicking off on May 9 and 10.
The speakers, and the jury, are stars of the industry, representing 14 countries with backgrounds in studios such as DreamWorks Animation, Cartoon Saloon, Disney, Warner Bros., Pixar, Sony Pictures Animation, Ilion, Skydance, Weta Digital and Delirium Studios, who have left their mark on titles like Games of Thrones, Klaus, Zootopia, Interstellar, Love, Deaths & Robots, Chernobyl, The Simpsons, The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Avengers,Justice League, Despicable Me/Minions, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Hunger Games, Star Wars: Resistance / The Clone Wars / Rebels, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Tangled, Brave, Moana, Frozen, Wreck-it Ralph!, or in video games like League of Legends, Commandos, Crossfire, Project Cars, Need for Speed, Alice’s Rivers and many more.
On May 16 and 17, streaming activities will be held, with several master classes given by national and international speakers, portfolio reviews and the awarding of talent scholarships for over €500,000.
On May 22 and 23, online activities will include the Official Selection of the international jury. Animayo is the only Spanish animation festival designated a Qualifying Festival by the Academy for the Oscars (Animayo 2020 Award jury’s prize). With more than 1,600 works viewed for the international competition, the organisation’s international jury will receive links to download the films, which they will then watch and vote for via the online platform.
The winners will be announced on May 29, and the films will be screened in the face-to-face phase of the festival, which will take place in the last quarter of this year. This will consist of screenings of official sections (and voting for the Audience Award), primary and secondary school screenings, video gaming and virtual reality space, premieres of short films made by children for children (Animayo educational system), official children’s section for the My First Festival contest, and U-future experiences.
The Process of Visual Arts: conversation with master of VFX Eli Jarra & Roger Kupelian Saturday, May 16, 18:15-19:15. English. With Eli Jarra, VFX supervisor Think VR, Westwind Media, Entity FX, Pixel Playground; and Roger Kupelian, matte painter, concept artist Digital Domain, MPC, Sony Imageworks, Pixomondo, Weta Digital.
Livonia: Making A Large Game World for Arma 3 and DayZSaturday, May 16, 19:30-20:30. English. With Ivan Buchta, creative director Bohemia Interactive.
The Surreal Worlds of Amanita DesignSaturday, May 16, 21:00-21:30. English. With Lukáš Kunc, PR & production Amanita Design.
Creative process in music and audio production (Demo / Concert)Saturday, May 16,21:30. English.With Tomasz Dvorak, music and audio production Floex, Amanita Design. Musician.
From Ghibli to Walt Disney Animation Studios Sunday, May 17, 18:15-19:15. English. With Aya Suzuki, animation artist, layout & concept artist, Studio Ghibli, Walt Disney Animation, Passion Pictures, Warner Bros. Entertainment, Netflix.
The making of The Remedy, Daniel Peixe’s first VR short filmSunday, May 17, 19:30-20:30. English. With Daniel Peixe, animator Walt Disney Animation Studios, Ilion Animation Studios, Keytoon Animation Studio, BFC.
The profession of VFX, a borderless journeySunday, May 17,21:00-22:00. English. With Carolina Jiménez, lead layout artist Scanline VFX, Weta Digital, MPC, OK InfografÍa, Ilion Animation Studios
Chances are, you are aware of the 45th POTUS’ April 23 press conference in which he pondered some novel ideas about treating the novel coronavirus. Carrying on the longstanding tradition of mixing politics and cartoons, director and 2D/stop-motion animator Pete List was inspired to immortalize these controversial words with a new short, COVID-45— brought to life with crunchy, cheesy snack puffs.
Now marking the first anniversary of his big move from New York City to the Italian countryside, List has more than 20 years of experience in traditional stop-motion, hand-drawn and Flash and After Effects animation for film, TV, web and apps. In addition to personal projects, he has created animation for clients including MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., PBS’s Reading Rainbow, Cartoon Network, Lavazza, Starbucks, Oreo, Walmart, Walgreens and McDonalds. He has directed music videos for Marilyn Manson and Fuzz Townshend, and animated videos for Jeru the Damaja, Razorkat (Dweezil and Ahmet Zappa) and Train. Recently, List has enjoyed collaborating with children’s book author Mo Willems on 11 film projects and two apps.
Check out the short and scroll on to learn more about List’s lockdown production experience in our Q&A.
Animag: Thanks for taking some time to answer a few questions. First off: How did you end up quarantined in Italy?
Pete List: My wife is Italian, and she lived with me in New York City for a little over four years, but she is from the Italian countryside, and she missed her land and her family very much. So, we decided to move to Italy. Last May we moved into a country house in the middle of rolling farmland hills just down the road from a small medieval village. Quite a change from New York, but I’m enjoying the slower pace and the quality of life.
What is your daily life there like?
During the quarantine here in Italy, everything is in complete lockdown. You can’t go outside your local town, and you need to wear a mask and gloves everywhere. If you are stopped by the police you can get a pretty sizable fine for not obeying quarantine rules. But we are very lucky. We have a sizable yard, and some fields around the house so we can walk the land if we like. My wife is a dance and yoga teacher, so we have been doing yoga together five times a week. And the panorama and sunsets are amazing!
What prompted you to create this short?
Trump’s reaction to this virus has been irresponsible. During a global pandemic and a national emergency, there is no clear message from the government, and he seems worried more about the state of the economy and his re-election than the health of people. On April 23, during the White House coronavirus press briefing, Trump suggested injecting disinfectant as a possible treatment for the virus, following it with, “Maybe you can, maybe you can’t. I’m not a doctor, but I’m like a person who has a good you know what.”
It makes me so angry that as the president of the United States, Trump cannot suppress his need for attention and defer to more informed people to take the lead in a health crisis. I felt I had to make something in protest. Something to put another context to those words so that in the barrage of crazy that comes out of his face, these specific words are not forgotten. So I chose to associate his presidency with a virus on the country: COVID-45. Given the situation with the lockdown and the constant turnover of the news cycle, it had to be something created quickly with available materials, and cheese puffs seemed perfect.
COVID-45
How have people responded to it? Any crazy reactions?
I shared the animation on Facebook and Instagram where most of my connections are animators, artists, musicians and dancers, so most reactions have been very supportive. There was one reaction saying I took his words out of context and he didn’t say to inject anything, and what did I do with my Trump check? Burn it? But I just used his words as they were said. And the Trump check [is] another example of Trump’s ego, trying to get personal credit for my tax money being used for COVID relief (…and BTW, I have yet to receive a check for COVID relief from the government).
Another post suggested I shouldn’t touch on politics with my animation, but if I don’t use my animation skills to express my feelings and beliefs, what is the point?
Which animation tools did you use?
I did some reference drawings and a quick animatic using Adobe Animate, and then shot the piece with a Sony a7 III using Dragonframe, and did some real quick rough composite in After Effects before publishing the film. I didn’t want to clean it up too much because a timely turnaround was important.
In Italy during a quarantine, I had to improvise a little. No camera stand? Tie your tripod to a ladder. No diffusion for the lights? Baking paper. Camera cable too short? I stacked my computer on my guitar amplifier. I wanted to make the animation of Trump with Cheetos, but the closest I was able to get was one bag of generic cheese puffs and one bag of Fonzies (think crunchy Cheetos), but that was enough to get the job done.
COVID-45
You were previously based in N.Y.C. … have you been keeping in touch with everyone back home?
Of course. I miss New York and all of my friends and colleagues there. I’ve been back a couple times for stop-motion shoots and to visit my family and friends, but mostly we keep in touch through WhatsApp, Zoom and Skype.
Do you have delicious pasta and wine every night?
Haha! Of course, but you should know — in Italy, pasta is for lunch! This is everyday Italian life. The wine is cheap and good and comes in five-liter bottles, and the food is amazing. It’s an Italian obsession. If nothing else, you always have good food and wine. And I must say, my wife is a pretty amazing vegetarian cook. And I’ve learned a thing or two about making a good pasta dish myself.
What is your take on the state of animation in 2020?
I think the animation industry is in an interesting place. I think some networks are supporting more interesting and strange stories, like The Shivering Truth and Midnight Gospel and Love, Death + Robots. And for me, living in the Italian countryside, as long as I have internet, I am able to collaborate with people on the other side of the world. End of last year I directed animation for a show with children’s author Mo Willems for HBO Max. I was able to work with Mo in Massachusetts; my friend, animator Mike Foran, in NY; and producer Jay Judah at Stampede Ventures in L.A. at the same time. I also recently collaborated with Visual Creatures in L.A. to do a fast turnaround animated spot of “Middle-Aged Mutant Ninja Turtles” for SNL. Now you can work with anyone anywhere at any time.
COVID-45
Any advice for shut-in creatives who want to make an animated gem like you did?
Honestly, for the first part of the quarantine I was not very productive with animation. I spent a good amount of time cutting bushes and trees around the yard, stacking firewood, doing yoga with my wife, writing some music, playing guitar. I did do some research watching lots of short animation, and sketching ideas in prep for a music video project I’m doing with the band SeepeopleS, but I did no real concentrated work. But that press conference really affected me and gave me some focus. I conceived the idea and cranked through the animation in five days, feeling the pressure of the current news cycle. During this shoot, I was really trying to work fast and not focus too much on perfection but to create an interesting piece that hopefully makes people think a little about Trump’s words. We’ll see from here.
I feel that this can be a very productive time for work, but it’s also a good time for reflection and stillness. This is a worldwide slow down. There seems to be a lot of social media pressure to be productive in quarantine, but you have to do what feels right for you. This is a time when artists have an opportunity and responsibility to stand up and have a voice, and with social media we can reach people all over the world instantly. But also. everyone can easily critique and react to your work — you need to trust your gut, and do what you want.
Following the recent dramatic increase of viewership on Kid Genius Cartoon Channel and Baby Genius TV digital platforms, Genius Brands International, Inc. announced that it will merge the two channels under one new network brand, Kartoon Channel, which will launch on June 15.
The newly rebranded channel will significantly expand the distribution, which currently reaches over 100 million U.S. television households and 200+ million users via OTT and mobile devices.
Kartoon Channel is a digital channel for kids 2-11 to access over 4,000 episodes of premium entertaining, enriching and educational content anytime, anywhere in a safe environment. The rebranded channel will now feature content from Genius Brands’ programming catalog and from creators around the world, including Warren Buffett’s Secret Millionaires Club, Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab, Baby Genius, Martha Stewart & Friends, Stan Lee’s Mighty 7, Gisele Bündchen’s Gisele & The Green Team, Gummi Bears, Shark Academy, DaJammies, Amber the Ambulance, Dino the Dinosaur, Ethan the Dump Truck, IncrediTales, OneZeez, Super Geek Heroes, and many more.
“The hallmark of Kartoon Channel is ‘Smart and Safe.’ All programs are carefully curated to not only be entertaining and enriching, but also to ensure there is no violence, no negative stereotypes, no inappropriate language, and no excessive commercialization,” said Genius Brands International Chairman & CEO, Andy Heyward. “We are extremely focused on providing positive purposeful content that parents can always know will provide safe viewing for their children.”
Genius Brands has also newly-acquired over 3,000 episodes of programming to feature on Kartoon Channel, including hit programs from key content suppliers around the world.
Kartoon Channel is now working with Dooya TV, a leader in ad monetization and content optimization technology, to rapidly grow ad sales among major cable providers. The channel will be distributed across Genius Brands-owned and operated apps, multiple TV providers and OTT platforms as both AVOD and SVOD services. Genius Brands’ current platforms include DISH, Amazon Prime, Sling TV, Comcast’s Xfinity on Demand, Roku, Apple TV and Apple iOS, Android, Cox, Tubi and Xumo, with all transitioning into carrying Kartoon Channel. New platforms launching Kartoon Channel content include SelectTV, RedBox, Plex and Canela Media.
“Through our new strategic partnership with Dooya, the network’s footprint, revenue, and discoverability will dramatically increase,” Heyward added. “With so many kids now having the learning-at-home experience, children’s programs that can teach about money, about science, about cooking and DIY, all offer something special that will be embraced by parents as well as kids. The Secret Millionaire’s Club, which stars Warren Buffett, teaches kids fun lessons in financial literacy, and Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab, which focuses on STEM learning, are a couple of examples of what we are offering on Kartoon Channel.”
Toon Boom Animation has launched a range of training courses enabling artists of all levels to learn or up-skill their abilities in our award-winning 2D animation solutions, Toon Boom Storyboard Pro and Toon Boom Harmony. Enrollees can develop Fundamental, Specialized and Advanced skills in a matter of days, with unique courses available as both remote online live sessions or onsite at studios and educational institutions (once this becomes safe again).
Registration is open now, with courses kicking off May 23 — combining advanced tools and best practices to empower artists to work on their animation abilities while they work from home.
“As the animation industry reinvents itself to reflect the needs of the market and the global situation, it is essential for artists to future-proof their skills today to protect their careers tomorrow,” said Marie-Ève Chartrand, Director of Customer Success at Toon Boom Animation. “Whether you are a teacher wanting to bring animation into your classroom or a studio professional ready to take a step up the ladder, our courses will help you achieve your goals in days.”
Designed by Toon Boom experts and delivered by senior solutions specialists, the training courses are built to support endless creativity with best practices, tips and tricks to save time, and knowledge sharing of the latest features to get concrete results. We also offer training made simple for teachers in order to provide everything needed for the school year — getting classrooms up and running in Toon Boom animation software within three to five days.
For those just getting started with Harmony or Storyboard Pro, Toon Boom’s Fundamental Courses are designed to give new users everything they need to start animating in our software within a few days. These courses are also available at the K-12 educational level, giving teachers all of the tools and resources needed to guide their classes effectively.
Harmony Fundamentals
Train the Teacher: Harmony (K-12)
Train the Teacher: Storyboard Pro (K-12)
As an animation studio continues to grow, more specialized positions and training are often needed. Toon Boom has developed unique resources to support employees in transitioning to new roles. These Specialized Introductory Courses help bring fresh studio hires or employees undergoing cross-training up to speed in a new aspect of our software within five days.
Cut-out Animation
Paperless Animation
Rigging
Compositing
Storyboard Artist
Toon Boom’s Advanced Courses are designed for artists with strong technical knowledge in at least one aspect of Harmony Premium and are looking to level up their skills — offering individuals or teams the ability to deep dive into the advanced features of our animation software and learn how to master more specialized concepts. Additionally, those working at studios can continue growing by acquiring new professional knowledge.
Crunchyroll has announced a full slate of English dubbed premieres as a part of the spring anime season, including the new Crunchyroll Original series Tower of God and the fresh additions My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! and The 8th Son? Are you kidding me?
The streaming service also revealed the main cast for the Tower of God English dub, which includes Johnny Yong Bosch, Cherami Leigh, Kira Buckland, Cristina Vee and Chris Hackney among many others.
“I am incredibly proud of the Crunchyroll production team for safely delivering dubs to our community,” said Joshua Lopez, Director of Production, Crunchyroll. “For the series that experienced delays, we restarted production with a remote cast and crew. We produced about half of Tower of God in studio, before shifting to a fully-remote workflow. We also recorded the entirety of the current episodes of The 8th son? Are you kidding me? and My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! with a remote cast.”
Crunchyroll will be announcing the dub casts for The 8th son? Are you kidding me? and My Next Life as a Villainess via Crunchyroll News and social media this week, so fans are invited to keep an eye out for more.
The 8th SonMy Next Life as a Villainess
Dub premieres lineup:
Somali and the Forest Spirit – Following a delay due to the current situation, Crunchyroll is going to release episodes 9 through 12 on Crunchyroll on May 7.
Tower of God – The hit new Crunchyroll Original series will begin airing weekly dubbed episodes starting May 13, with new episodes airing every Wednesday.
The 8th son? Are you kidding me? – Crunchyroll will launch the dub for this new spring anime series starting May 14, with new episodes airing every Thursday.
Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun – Following a delay, Crunchyroll will launch episode 16 on May 16. New episodes will air weekly thereafter.
In/Spectre – Following a delay, Crunchyroll will air episode 8 of the Crunchyroll Original series starting on May 23. New episodes will air thereafter.
Tower of GodTower of God
The Tower of God dub cast:
Bam – Johnny Yong Bosch (Giyu Tomioka in Demon Slayer, Makoto Tachibana in Free!, Zora in Black Clover and Ichigo Kurosaki in Bleach among many others)
Rachel – Valerie Rose Lohman (Jess Blazkowicz in Wolfenstein: Youngblood, Edith Finch in What Remains of Edith Finch)
Headon – Christopher Swindle (Jack Hanma in Baki, various voices in Boruto: Naruto Next Generations and Arthur Rimbaud in Bungo Stray Dogs)
Khun Aguero Agnis – Chris Hackney (Dimitri in Fire Emblem: Three Houses)
Rak Wraithraiser – Matthew David Rudd (Baal in Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-Kun and Leaky Eye Lica in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind)
Yuri Jahad – Kira Buckland (Reimi Sugimoto in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable and 2B in NieR: Automata among many others)
Evan Edroch – Kyle McCarley (Narancia Ghirga in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Golden Wind and 9S in NieR: Automata)
Anaak Jahad – Cherami Leigh (Sailor Venus in Sailor Moon and Asuna Yuuki in Sword Art Online among many others)
Hatz – Nicolas Roye (Octane in Apex Legends)
Shibisu – Scott Whyte (known for his work in various video games including Death Stranding, Star Wars: The Old Republic – Onslaught and Transformers: War for Cybertron)
Endorsi Jahad – Jeannie Tirado (Norman in The Promised Neverland and Fana from Black Clover)
Hansung Yu – Lucien Dodge (Waver Velvet in Fate/Zero)
Serena – Cristina Vee (Darkness in Konosuba, Killua Zoldyck in Hunter x Hunter, Homura Akemi in Puella Magi Madoka Magica and Sailor Mars in Sailor Moon to name a few)
The rapid growth of the Irish animation sector continued in 2019 and it now accounts for almost 50% of all production spending in Ireland. New figures released by Screen Ireland on projects that received Section 481 tax relief in 2019 show that there were 39 animation project recipients, with a total value of €372 million.
“The figures on spending in 2019 once again highlight the amazing growth of the animation industry in Ireland over the past five years,” commented Ronan McCabe, Animation Ireland’s recently appointed Chief Executive. “To put these figures into context, in 2014 animation projects that received Section 481 support were valued at €85 million, which was 20% of the total. In just five years this has grown by 438%.”
He continued, “The Screen Ireland figures show that Ireland is now a major global player when it comes to animation production, and this is something we should all be extremely proud of. The creativity, talent and expertise we have on this island is extraordinary. We have been saying for years that the Irish animation sector has enormous potential and these figures back that up.”
Animation Ireland is the trade association for Ireland’s animation studios. The animation sector directly employs more than 2,000 people, a number that is rapidly growing year on year. Animation Ireland now has 33 member studios, up from 25 in 2018 and just 14 in 2015.
Studio Ghibli fans are being offered a rare look inside the iconic animation house’s eponymous museum in Mitaka, Tokyo. Despite having to shut down ticket sales and locked its doors in February with plans to reopen at the end of March (the temporary closure has been extended and refunds offered for tickets dated through July 31), the Ghibli Museum may reach more “visitors” than ever before with a new series of virtual tours being posted to its recently launched YouTube channel.
The Ghibli Museum is known for being quite secretive about its set up, not allowing photography inside, as well as selective when it comes to admitting guests — tickets must be bought for specific time slots, often months in advance, with limited booking availabilities, and the attraction is only open for part of the year.
So, those who could hardly dream of jetting to Japan to see the remarkable Museum, the staff’s virtual tour videos are a real treat. The first clip pans through the entrance and explores the lush vine mural in the lobby (speckled with familiar characters).
In the second, we get to check out the “Room Where a Film Is Born” — imagining the creative space of a young artist who dreams of making his own film, filled with inspirational items and sketches as well as subtly placed prop replicas from Ghibli movies.
The third video catches the Museum after dark, highlighting its beautiful stained glass windows (inspired by My Neighbor Totoro) and light fixtures.
![Goosebumps HorrorLand Funhouse, Walt Disney World, 1998. [@RL_Stine / Twitter]](https://www.dev.animationmagazine.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/goosbumps-horrorland.jpg)
