Animaccord, multinational media and licensing company and animation studio, announced that its smash-hit family cartoon Masha and the Bear will make its Chinese linear TV debut on China Central Television. Starting March 12, Season 1 and 2 of the charming CG comedy, will begin airing on the national public broadcaster’s children’s channel, CCTV14.
The TV premier of Masha and the Bear in China follows its launch earlier this year on one of the country’s most popular video platforms, Xigua Video, ahead of New Year’s Eve.
Masha and the Bear is the first Russian animation project to reach a YouTube audience of 10 million on foreign-language channels, and has garnered wide recognition among English, Hispanic and Portuguese-speaking users on the platform. For this feat, YouTube has recognized the series with a Diamond Creator Award. In 2019, the episode “Recipe for Disaster” was included in the Guinness World Records book as the most-watched cartoon on YouTube.
Leading international anime platform Crunchyroll will soon add comedy-adventure movie KONOSUBA -God’s blessing on this wonderful world!- Legend of Crimson to its streaming offerings. The subtitled version of the film will premiere on Crunchyroll on March 25, while the English-dubbed version of the film will premiere this April.
Crunchyroll will also be releasing the full first season of KONOSUBA -God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World- on Blu-ray in the U.S. on May 25. The complete season one collection contains all 10 TV episodes and the OVA episode from the first season in high definition. It also includes both the subtitled and English dubbed versions of episodes.
The streaming release follows the U.S. theatrical debut of Legend of Crimson presented by Crunchyroll in September, which screened at more than 600 theaters across the country.
Synopsis:
Video game-loving shut-in Satou Kazuma’s life should’ve ended when he was hit by a truck, but through a twist in fate, he ends up reincarnating in another world — and dragging the goddess, Aqua, along with him.
“I’m going to enjoy the life of an adventurer that I’ve always fantasized about from RPGs! Time to be the hero!”
But in spite of his enthusiasm, only trouble was waiting for Kazuma. Namely, the troublemaking goddess, Aqua; The wildly dorky mage, Megumin; and the unrelentingly delusional lady knight, Darkness. He ends up forming a party with these potentially powerful, but incredibly unfortunate individuals, which leads to deep debt, being tried for treason, slaying the Demon King’s generals, and occasionally dying (again).
Then, one day, the Crimson Demon girl Yun Yun says something that makes the entire group freeze up: “I want to have your babies, Kazuma!”
Upon hearing the details, it turns out that the Crimson Demon village that Megumin and Yunyun are from is facing a threat that could mean it’s ending. Kazuma and his gang follow Yunyun, who returns to the Crimson Demon village intent on saving it… when they are faced with their greatest threat yet! What will become of the unremarkable adventurer Kazuma’s life in another world?
CBS All Access, CBS’ digital subscription video on-demand and live-streaming service, today announced its animated variety news series Tooning Out the News will launch on Monday, March 16 in the U.S. and Canada, exclusively on CBS All Access.
Tooning Out the News will feature a cast of animated characters, led by anchor James Smartwood, mocking the news of the day and interviewing real-world guests, newsmakers and analysts in daily five- to seven-minute segments, followed by a weekly full episode available every Friday. The series is executive produced by Stephen Colbert and Chris Licht of CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and RJ Fried and Tim Luecke from Showtime’s Our Cartoon President.
“After a successful negotiation between my forthright representation and a frankly insulting CBS business affairs department, I’m pleased to report that I am now the lead anchor and chief senior managing director of news and miscellaneous serious stuff at America’s #1 source for news and Star Trek: CBS All Access,” says animated anchor Smartwood. “Now that I’m on the air, I have a stark warning to every power player in Washington: I will suck up to you for access – that’s a promise. Lastly, for the record, my involuntary sabbatical last year was my choice. Check out Tooning Out the News every weekday. I don’t work weekends. Weekends are for chili and roughhousing.”
Confirmed guests for the launch season include Dan Abrams, Alan Dershowitz, Thomas Friedman, Nicholas Kristof, Rep. Barbara Lee, Olivia Nuzzi, Rep. Donna Shalala and Rep. Eric Swalwell.
Regular segments will include:
“Big News” – America’s Most Trusted Source of Conventional WisdomJames Smartwood hosts this satire of ego-centric cable news anchors who only offer the most conventional takes.
“Inside the Hill” – Where America Turns to Hear Rich People Agree with Each Other Co-hosts Richard Ballard and Sarah Sabo discuss the latest political headlines with Washington’s elite.
“Hot Take” – The Biggest, Baddest, Bad Faith Arguments on TelevisionA politically diverse and wildly ill-informed panel weighs in on the news of the day.
“Virtue Signal” – There’s No Cause This White Lady Can’t Make About Herself Kylie Weaver hosts this satire of liberal cable news anchors who pat themselves on the back for taking up every social and political cause.
“Smart Talk Tonight” – Important discussions, discussed importantly. Come on in, the water’s smart. Kenneth Parsons and Chloe Kline conduct in-depth, in studio, one-on-one interviews with real-life newsmakers.
Tooning Out the News joins CBS All Access’ growing slate of original series, which currently includes The Good Fight, No Activity, Tell Me A Story, The Twilight Zone, Why Women Kill, Interrogation and the forthcoming The Stand, The Untitled Richard Linklater Project, adult animated comedy The Harper House and The Man Who Fell to Earth, with additional series soon to be announced. CBS All Access is also the exclusive domestic home to Star Trek: Discovery, adult animated comedy Star Trek: Lower Decks and Star Trek: Picard, featuring Sir Patrick Stewart reprising his iconic role as Jean-Luc Picard.
To lead its live-action and animated storytelling for kids and families into another phase of growth, Disney Channel has made several executive and staff member promotions across its business. Each promotion recognizes and invests in key talent, strong leadership and ongoing contribution to the group’s success.
In the past 18 months, Disney Channel increased its annual content development to 450-500 new live-action and animated episodes and several original movies for Disney Channel and Disney Junior, plus more series and movies exclusively for Disney+.
The promotions were announced Tuesday by Gary Marsh, president and chief creative officer, Disney Channels Worldwide.
“The strengths and capabilities of our team differentiate us from the competition; with these promotions, we acknowledge many of those who have contributed significantly to our success,” said Marsh. “They are driven by a passion for the optimistic Disney brand, and they prioritize what is truly important in telling great stories for preschoolers, kids, tweens and families. They also have innovative ideas and the confidence, passion and wisdom to thrive in a creative environment, particularly during this most exciting time in the television business.”
Vicki Ariyasu, senior vice president, Educational Resource Group & Inclusion – Ariyasu joined the company in 2013 and works closely across Disney Junior and Disney Channel programming development teams to inform curriculum based on national educational standards, new technologies and cultural trends. She also leads Disney Channel’s work in social responsibility, diversity and inclusion for animated and live-action programming.
Eric Bjorklund, vice president, Current Series – A 20-year veteran of Disney Channel, Bjorklund is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day current creative management on many of Disney Channel’s live-action series, an area that has significantly increased in volume for the network. He also leads current creative content for several Disney Channel-produced live-action series for Disney+. He was most recently executive director, Programming.
Morgan Di Stefano, vice president, Communications – Di Stefano oversees publicity for a growing slate of live-action series and movies for Disney Channel, and the live-action series and movies the group produces for Disney+. She also leads publicity for Radio Disney. She joined Disney in 2018 as executive director, Communications.
Sarah Finn, vice president, Production – Finn oversees the production of all Disney Junior’s original animated television series and shorts and will now expand her portfolio with the recent additions to the Disney Junior slate. She has over 20 years of animation experience, joined Disney in 2013, and was most recently an executive director of Production.
Rafael Garcia, vice president, Development – Garcia is responsible for developing live-action series, with an emphasis on finding emerging content creators, for both Disney Channels and Disney+. He joined Disney in 2012 and, most recently, was executive director, Original Series.
Emily Hart, senior vice president, Development – Hart is now responsible for oversight of the Creative & Artistic Development team at Disney Television Animation. This role is accountable for the development pipeline for all animated content developed at TVA for various platforms, including Disney Channels and Disney+. She originally joined Disney in 2003 and was most recently vice president, Original Programming.
Diane Ikemiyashiro, vice president, Current Series – an executive director for Disney Junior since 2014, Ikemiyashiro’s responsibilities have expanded to include creative supervision of current series, short-form series, and production for preschoolers and their parents/caregivers.
Khaki Jones, senior vice president, Current Series – a Disney TV Animation executive since 2010, Jones is now responsible for supervising current content for all series and short-form content produced internally at Disney TV Animation and various third-party studios. This content feeds all three linear Disney Channels and Disney+. She was elevated from her role as vice president, Current Series.
Claire McCabe, vice president, Alternative Programming – since joining Disney in 2015, McCabe has been responsible for the growing development and production of alternative series and specials, including live events and non-scripted programming.
Alyssa Sapire, senior vice president, Original Programming – Sapire is responsible for the Disney Junior development slate and has day to day creative oversight of current series for preschoolers and their parents/caregivers. She joined the company in 2016 and was most recently vice president, Original Programming.
Jermaine Turner, vice president, Development – Turner’s role has expanded to include the development of new animated content to support the increased volume demanded by the linear channels and Disney +. He has over 20 years of service at Disney and was most recently an executive director at Disney TV Animation.
Unity Technologies (https://unity.com/), creator of the world’s leading real-time 3D development platform, announced Tuesday the acquisition of Artomatix, an award-winning software company that uses AI and neural networks to streamline 3D artistic workflows in top studios worldwide. Artomatix’s flagship product, ArtEngine, leverages AI to help artists accelerate their creative workflows for material creation, enhancing their ability to achieve their artistic vision and produce photorealistic content. Workflow benefits apply to every industry creating 3D content, regardless of platform or engine.
Under the terms of the acquisition, Artomatix will join Unity while continuing to operate out of Dublin, Ireland, where the team is expected to grow exponentially over the next two years in the areas of research and development.
“AI-assisted content creation tools empower artists by increasing their creative velocity to produce better work and get to quality faster,” said Brett Bibby, Chief Product Officer, Unity Technologies. “ArtEngine helps game studios create realistic content for the next generation of consoles and VFX studios to achieve better visuals for films, and can enable equally impressive results for creatives working in other industries. From automotive and architecture to retail marketing and more, the demand for high fidelity design visualizations is growing at an exponential rate and will benefit from ArtEngine’s capabilities.”
Advances in technology and increasing consumer expectations are driving higher demand for more high-quality content, and businesses are struggling to scale their productions to keep up with this demand. Unity is committed to solving this problem by empowering content creators with cutting-edge, AI-assisted artistic workflows so they can spend less time focusing on the repetitive minutiae and more time on creative efforts, leading to better end-user experiences. With ArtEngine today, 3D artists can rapidly create high-quality content that scales for the platforms of today, and to the technologies of tomorrow. In time, Unity and Artomatix will bring the same depth of technology and creative flexibility to all artists worldwide.
“Unity understands the value of enabling creators to do more, and that’s something we’re deeply committed to,” said Joe Blake, Chief Executive Officer, Artomatix. “AI creation tools like ArtEngine help to put AAA quality content within reach of more creators than ever before. By joining Unity, we can greatly accelerate the delivery of our industry-leading AI for creatives. ArtEngine will continue to remain platform agnostic, enabling creators to benefit from our AI technology regardless of which engine they choose for their projects.”
Unity is the complete platform for real-time 3D (RT3D) development giving everyone — from emerging creators to global brands — the most powerful and accessible tools to create real-time 3D experiences. There were 37B installs of Made with Unity content in 2019, which equals 3.3B installs per month — or 1,185 installs per second.
Boutique Canadian animation studio Global Mechanic celebrates its 20th anniversary in March 2020, while looking towards the future. After making advertising for clients like BMW, Mattel, and Coca Cola as well as collaborating with PBS, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon and Netflix on television series over the last two decades, this week’s launch of Global Mechanic’s new website promotes the company’s enormous creative range in advertising, TV series, features, short films, interactivity and installations, all with gorgeous design at center stage.
Global Mechanic is well known for its daring approach of hybridization and flirting with experimental techniques. It’s a studio culture of invention and collaboration, where change is expected and even welcome. It is also one of the few creative studios in North America working in a multi-disciplinary environment (commercials, TV series, feature film, app development, theater and installation projects).
“In order to survive in any business, let alone for 20 years, you have to stay nimble. The studio has always been known for its experimental animation but over the last 10 years we’ve expanded our focus to reflect the changing landscape of entertainment,” noted Buce Alcock, Co-owner and Creative Director. “Adding coding, UX design and pipeline innovation to our core skill-set has allowed Global Mechanic to maintain its reputation as a progressive design studio.”
CEO Tina Ouellette added, “It’s now time we apply our decades of experience and make our own original content the priority. It’s crucial that we build on recent successes like the PBS interactive digital series Scribbles & Ink.”
Having attended the recent Kidscreen Summit in Miami, Ouellette is confident the Vancouver-based studio is on the right track: “We’ve been making innovative content that beautifully transcends the web and TV for many years. As the lines blur between traditional storytelling and interactive content Global Mechanic’s deep understanding of both worlds allows us to bring an unprecedented level of expertise to any project.”
AMC — the drama destination behind award-winning series Mad Men, Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead — is taking a confident step into the competitive TV animation landscape with an unprecedented two-season order for Pantheon. Based on short stories by Ken Liu, the hour-long series will come in two sets of eight-episode runs, from creator, executive producer and showrunner Craig Silverstein (TURИ: Washington’s Spies, Terra Nova) and AMC Studios.
Pantheon is a primetime sci-fi drama set in a world where “Uploaded Intelligence” technology allows humans to put their consciousness in the cloud. Season 1 of the 2D-animated series will focus on Maddie, a bullied teen who receives mysterious help from someone online. The stranger is soon revealed to be her recently deceased father, David, whose consciousness has been uploaded to the Cloud following an experimental destructive brain scan. David is the first of a new kind of being: an “Uploaded Intelligence” or “UI”, but he will not be the last, as a global conspiracy unfolds that threatens to trigger a new kind of world war.
“Pantheon is an entertaining and provocative series about personal relationships and what happens to them when the boundary of life is removed from the human condition. And we’re looking to push other boundaries here too, in making an animated drama that aims to be every bit as moving, immersive and visceral as any premium, live-action scripted series,” said Sarah Barnett, President of AMC Networks Entertainment Group and AMC Studios. “We are fortunate to have incredible source material from Ken Liu, one of the most celebrated science fiction writers at work today, and we are delighted to once again be working with Craig Silverstein. Both of these writers know how to weave the intimate and the epic into a powerful tale.”
Liu — whose stories have won Hugo, Nebula and World Fantasy awards — will serve as a consulting producer. His short story “Good Hunting” (The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories) was used in Netflix’s acclaimed adult animation anthology Love, Death + Robots.
Emmy-winning studio Titmouse (Big Mouth, Ballmastrz: 9009, Mao Mao: Heroes of Pure Heart) is attached to produce the animation. The toon shop previously collaborated with AMC Studios on live-action series Halt and Catch Fire, working on the in-show RPG Pilgrim.
[Source: AMC Networks]
Ken Liu, 2016 [Photo: John Tlumacki / Boston Globe]Craig Silverstein, 2014 Winter TCA tour [Photo: Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images]
After reviewing a record 860-plus submitted films from 85 countries around the world, World Festival of Animated Film – Animafest Zagreb has revealed the official selections for the Grand Competition – Short Film (41 films), Student Film Competition (41 films) and Croatian Film Competition (19 films).
The international shorts lineup includes festival-favorite films and the latest works by globally recognized artists, including Joanna Quinn, Theodore Ushev, Chintis Lundgren, Erick Oh, Ross Hogg, Stephen Iriwn, Thomas Hykade, Xi Chen and Xu An.
The Grand Competition selection committee comprised Daniel Šuljić, artistic director of the Festival, Iva Kraljević and Božidar Trkulja. Katrin Novaković and Milivoj Popović sorted selections for the Student Film Competition.
The 30th Animafest Zagreb will take place in Zagreb, Croatia from June 8-13, 2020. (www.animafest.hr)
Wood Child and the Hidden Forest Mother
GRAND COMPETITION – SHORT FILM
4:3, Ross Hogg (Ross Hogg / United Kingdom / 2019)
AFFAIRS OF THE ART, Joanna Quinn (Beryl Productions International / National Film Board of Canada / United Kingdom, Canada / 2020) ALTÖTTING, Andreas Hykade (Studio FILM BILDER GmbH, National Film Board of Canada, Ciclope Filmes / Germany, Canada, Portugal / 2020)
BETTY, Will Anderson (Will Anderson / United Kingdom / 2019)
BRIGHT LIGHTS, Charby Ibrahim (Marhaba Films Pty Ltd / Australia / 2019)
COSMONAUT, Kaspar Jancis (Eesti Joonisfilm / Estonia / 2019)
DRIVE, Pedro Casavecchia (Atlas V / Argentina, France / 2019)
EL INTRONAUTA, Jose Arboleda (Natalia Polo López / Colombia / 2019)
THE PHYSICS OF SORROW, Theodore Ushev (National Film Board of Canada / Canada / 2019)
THE SIX, Xi Chen, Xu An (Congrong Film / China / 2019)
TIE, Alexandra Ramires (Bando à Parte, Providences / Portugal, France / 2020)
TIES, Dina Velikovskaya (smpl / Germany, Russia / 2019)
TOOMAS BENEATH THE VALLEY OF THE WILD WOLVES, Chintis Lundgren (Chintis Lundgreni Animatsioonistuudio / Adriatic Animation / Miyu Productions / Estonia, Croatia, France / 2019)
THE CLOSING DOOR, Lucija Mrzljak (Lucija Mrzljak / Estonia / 2019)
THE FINAL NAIL IN THE COFFIN / KAP KOJA JE PRELILA ČAŠU, Stella Hartman (Academy of Fine Arts Zagreb / Croatia / 2019)
THE ROOM, Hrvoje Wächter (GHP / Hrvatska / 2019)
TOOMAS BENEATH THE VALLEY OF THE WILD WOLVES / TOOMAS ISPOD DOLINE DIVLJIH VUKOVA, Chintis Lundgren (Chintis Lundgreni Animatsioonistuudio / Adriatic Animation / Miyu Productions / Estonia, Croatia, France / 2019)
UPON HIS IMAGE / NA SLIKU SVOJU, Jakov Piplica (Academy of Fine Arts Zagreb / Croatia / 2019)
Selection results for the Grand Competition – Feature Film, Films for Children Competition, VR Animation Competition and World Panorama, as well as the full details of the festival program will be announced soon.
Independent kids and family entertainment distributor Jetpack Distribution and award-winning content company Beano Studios have announced more major deals for the global hit TV show Dennis & Gnasher: Unleashed!, now airing in more than 90 countries, reaching more than 200 million people.
NBCUniversal International Network’s 24-hour DreamWorks channel, dedicated to kids and family entertainment, has acquired the rights to seasons one and two of the show (both 52 x 11’), which targets 6- to 11-year olds. The deal covers territories across Asia-Pacific: Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, Philippines, Myanmar and the Maldives.
South African free-to-air channel e.tv has acquired for the rights to air season one, meaning countries across the entire African continent will now see the show.
Following the success of the first season, Germany’s free-to-air TV network, SUPER RTL has acquired the rights to season two, which is currently in production. The deal covers Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Ireland’s RTE has also bought the rights to air the second season.
And Lagardere’s Canal J (M6 Group) has acquired the rights to air season one in France.
Dennis & Gnasher: Unleashed! follows the unpredictably funny and exciting adventures of Dennis and his canine side-kick Gnasher around Beanotown. They’re joined by his great mates Rubi, JJ, Pieface (and his pet potato Paul), as mischief and everyday rebellion rule the streets, where literally anything can happen – and usually does!
The International Emmy-nominated show has been sold globally, and season one already airs on free-to-air networks including Super RTL (Germany), Rai (Italy) and France Télévisions. It is also available on Netflix in the U.S., U.K., Australia and New Zealand. The show launched in 2017 on CBBC in the U.K., promptly taking the number one spot across all kids TV. Season two launches on CBBC this summer.
“Dennis and his pals continue to grow their cheeky footprint across the globe! It’s no surprise to see more top networks join in the fun,” said Dominic Gardiner, CEO of Jetpack Distribution. “The show has so many qualities, superb CGI animation, brilliant gags and humor for all. It’s a real shining star in our catalogue and evidently loved by kids and families worldwide.”
Beano Studios CEO Emma Scott said, “To see Dennis & Gnasher: Unleashed! launching in so many new territories across the world is testament to the global appeal of the show. We’re really excited about the launch of season two later this year as we continue to expand our partnership and licensing strategies internationally.”
Maxon is now a Unity Technologies Verified Solutions Partner and is distributing a plug-in for Unity, called Cineware by Maxon. The new plug-in provides developers and creatives with seamless integration of Cinema 4D assets into Unity. Artists can easily create models and animations in Cinema 4D for use in real-time 3D (RT3D), interactive 2D, 3D, VR and AR experiences.
The Cineware by Maxon plug-in is available free-of-charge on the Unity Asset Store.
The plug-in is compatible with Cinema 4D Release 21, the latest version of the software, and Unity’s latest release, 2019.3. The Cineware by Maxon plug-in does not require a license of Cinema 4D as long as Cinema 4D scenes have been “Saved for Cineware.” By default, imported assets will appear relative to the asset folder or imported asset. The plug-in also supports user-defined folder hierarchies.
“Real-time workflows have become increasingly important,” said David McGavran, CEO of Maxon. “Our new Cineware by Maxon plug-in ensures an efficient, production-friendly method of importing Cinema 4D assets into Unity for developing immersive content.”
Feature Highlights
Cineware by Maxon currently supports:
Geometry including:
Vertex Position, Normals, UV, Skinning Weight, Color
Skin and Binding Rig
Pose Morphs as Blend Shapes
Lightmap UV2 Generation on Import
Materials including:
PBR Reflectance Channel Materials conversion
Albedo/Metal/Rough
Normal Map
Bump Map
Emission
Animated Materials:
Color including Transparency
Metalness
Roughness
Emission Intensity, Color
Alpha Cutout Threshold
Cineware by Maxon supports the option of not reimporting materials, as imported materials are automatically reassigned to updated geometry.
Apple released the official trailer from Central Park, the new animated musical comedy series from Emmy Award winner Loren Bouchard (Bob’s Burgers, Home Movies), Grammy Award winner Josh Gad (Frozen, The Angry Birds Movie) and Emmy Award winner Nora Smith (Bob’s Burgers).
The series is set to premiere with three episodes on Apple TV+ on Friday, May 29. Following the premiere, new episodes will debut weekly on the streaming service.
Central Park follows the Tillermans, a family that lives in Central Park. Owen, the park manager, and Paige, his journalist wife, raise their kids Molly and Cole in the world’s most famous park, while fending off hotel heiress Bitsy Brandenham (and her long-suffering assistant, Helen), who would love nothing more than to turn the park into condos. The series voice cast includes Josh Gad, Leslie Odom, Jr., Kristen Bell, Kathryn Hahn, Tituss Burgess, Daveed Diggs and Stanley Tucci.
In the trailer, the familiar voice of Gad welcomes us to an animated New York and its iconic greenspace with a song, and we are soon introduced to the show’s scheming, super-wealthy antagonist, our hapless park manager hero and his loving, offbeat family.
Central Park is created, written and executive produced by Bouchard, Gad and Smith. Sanjay Shah and Halsted Sullivan also serve as executive producers. The series hails from 20th Century Fox Television.
As the Italian Government works to gain control the spread of coronavirus by implementing stiff measures, the nation’s public broadcaster RAI is increasing its kids’ content offerings to keep young Italians entertained and educated. The most heavily hit country in Europe, Italy will be closing all schools — from kindergartens to universities.
The order had initially covered most of Northern Italy, but was extended to the entire country on Monday night.
To tide those affected over until April 3, RAI Ragazzi announced that a new children’s slot has been opened on generalist channel Rai2, playing in-house productions and co-produced series, while young audience TV channels Rai Yoyo (preschool) and Rai Gulp (kids) are expanding their program slates with educational content, including animated series and shows on art, music, history and science.
The free VOD services RAI Play and Rai Play Yoyo are opening dedicated sections, assembling all content by genre and subgenres, and promoting children’s interaction.
Social media outlets used by Rai channels will provide children with correct information, as well as helping them to manage anxiety and stress.
While schools all over Italy are developing e-learning and online activities, all curricula are covered by the Rai School TV channel and website and Rai Culture department, with a wide array of content offered in collaboration with the Italian Ministry of Education.
The pubcaster’s aim through this multifaceted initiative is to provide a balanced content slate offering factual information and addressing educational needs with entertainment for some 10 million minors all over Italy.
The Animation Block Party will return August 21-23, 2020 for its 17th annual film festival at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. This summer’s festival will celebrate all things Brooklyn, starting with the release of an exclusive Animation Block web poster of BAM designed by animator/illustrator Natasha Sharpe. The Brooklyn-themed summer bumper will be animated by Rob Bohn and the Amigo Unit crew.
Animation Block Party 2020 opens for short film entries on March 13, and will remain open for rolling submissions until May 22. Award categories include the Audience Award, Student Film, Animation For Kids, Original Design and Best In Show! The Animation Block website at www.animationblock.com will feature event and prize updates throughout the year.
The first Animation Block Party festival took place on September 9, 2004 in the heart of Brooklyn and has since grown to become the East Coast’s biggest animation festival, always dedicated to exhibiting the world’s best independent, professional and student animation.
Women in Animation (WIA) Vancouver is rebranding its Five in Focus accelerator program for women in the animation industry to Animation Career EXCELerator (A.C.E.) for the launch of its 2020 program.
An expanded and updated version of the program, the inaugural A.C.E. will select six women who represent key creative positions in animation — positions in which women have been traditionally underrepresented and where WIA aims to increase representation. The program was created to significantly advance candidates’ careers through extensive mentorship, exposure to a wide range of industry activities, masterclasses, pitch training and more. A.C.E. has expanded from a one-year to a one-and-a-half-year program in which candidates will be provided with financing to write, develop and produce an animated short film, web series pilot or non-broadcast television series demo.
Where last year’s program saw women selected in five categories including Director, Writer, Art Director, Animation Director and Producer, this iteration has grown to include Composer as a sixth category. A.C.E. will also incorporate new expanded masterclasses for each of the shortlisted applicants per category.
“Five in Focus worked! Our program participants, Stephanie, Amanda, Maisha, Kaitlin and Jen created and released The Butterfly Affect, a poignant short film that was featured at a number of short film festivals, with its international premiere at the New York International Children’s Film Festival in February. We are now thrilled to launch the A.C.E. program with a new category, a longer timeframe and an expanded mentorship component to include 30 shortlisted applicants who will take part in a masterclass for their category,” said Rose-Ann Tisserand, WIA Vancouver Executive Committee Member.
Upon completion of the initial masterclass, shortlisted candidates will pitch to an esteemed panel of jurors from the broadcast and production communities for final selections. This is a direct effort to expand the educational reach and talent exposure to more than the six finalists. The expanded program supports WIA’s mission for gender equity in the animation industry, with a goal of reaching 50/50 by 2025, and advancement of women in key creative roles.
Applications opened on International Women’s Day (Sunday) and will remain open until April 6, 2020. A.C.E. is open to individuals identifying as women or non-binary of diverse backgrounds, including Indigenous women, women of colour, women with disabilities, LGBTQ+2 women. All women or non-binary individuals who work professionally in the animation industry and want to further their careers are encouraged to visit the website and apply: www.wiavan-ace.org
Past and current sponsors of Five in Focus/A.C.E. are Autodesk, Boughton Law, Canadian Media Producers Association, Creative BC, Microsoft, Pender PR, Spark CG Society, The Research House, Telefilm Canada, Telus Storyhive and Toon Boom.
Award-winning independent animation studio ZAG has signed multiple deals to bring the first two seasons of its 3D CGI animated/live-action hybrid TV series Power Players (78 x 11’), co-produced with ON kids & family (Mediawan Group), to more kids around the world.
ZAG has signed a non-exclusive global SVOD deal with Netflix, which launched the series on March 5; and broadcast deals with Channel 9 in Australia, family/kids’ channel PLUSPLUS in Ukraine, Karusel in Russia and TELETOON in Canada. The new partners join an esteemed line-up of broadcast, cable and satellite TV partners including Cartoon Network U.S., EMEA and Asia Pacific, France’s France Télévisions, Germany’s WDR, Brazil’s Gloob and Discovery Latin America.
Action-comedy series Power Players follows the adventures of Axel, a boy who transforms into a living action figure, and his unlikely team of toy heroes as they embark on the biggest “small” adventures a kid could ever imagine. Together with his team of toys brought to life, the Power Players fight the destructive fun of villainous robot Madcap and his pack of toys gone bad.
Power Players was created by Jeremy Zag and developed in collaboration with ON kids & family (Mediawan Group) and Man of Action Entertainment.
“We are extremely proud of this new original creation that we developed alongside Man of Action, Cartoon Network, FTV, and Playmates Toys. It will be launching in 2020, worldwide, with the best international partners. So, now, play on!,” commented ZAG’s CEO, Jeremy Zag.
The 2020 Power Players toy collection includes an assortment of highly detailed and articulated 5-inch action figures based on the TV show, as well as 9-inch deluxe action figures that are packed with electronics and sound effects. The line also features a variety of vehicles, allowing kids to send their favorite Power Players on heroic adventures, as well as role play gear which allows kids to transform into Axel, the leader of the Power Players.
A post-apocalyptic new animated comedy is heading to Netflix. The streamer has announced a 20-episode pick-up for Mulligan, created and executive produced by Robert Carlock and Sam Means, and executive produced by Tina Fey.
After an alien attack destroys the Earth, what remains of humanity has the chance to start society over from scratch. But can we get it right this time? And does anyone know how to, like, farm?
Mulligan is produced by Universal Television (part of NBCUniversal Content Studios) in association with Fey’s Little Stranger, Inc., Bevel Gears, 3 Arts Entertainment and Bento Box Entertainment. Network EPs are David Miner, Eric Gurian, Scott Greenberg and Joel Kuwahara.
Through her long list of credits, multiple Emmy, Golden Globe, SAG, WGA and PGA winner Fey has dipped into both TV and feature animation from time to time. Notable voice roles include Megamind, the English dub of Ponyo, and guest spots on The Simpsons, The Awesomes and Phineas and Ferb. Fey is voicing a character in the upcoming Pixar original Soul (June 19), on which she is also credited as a screenwriter.
Fey and Carlock, who have previously brought hit sitcoms 30 Rock and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt to screens, are currently working on an untitled series starring Ted Danson as a wealthy businessman who runs for mayor of Los Angeles “for all the wrong reasons,” set to debut on NBC this year.
For the first time in more than 60 years, the original 1933 King Kong is returning to movie theaters across the country for one day only. Fathom Events will unleash “Kong, the Eighth Wonder of the World” on more than 600 screens as part of the year-long TCM Big Screen Classics series.
Last given a big-screen re-release in 1956 – when Dwight D. Eisenhower was president, the average movie ticket cost 59 cents, and not a single manmade item was orbiting the earth – the original theatrical version of King Kong will be accompanied by all-new insight and commentary from TCM Primetime host Ben Mankiewicz. The film stars Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong and Bruce Cabot, and features a lush score by legendary composer Max Steiner. Though it’s been remade twice and has inspired countless movies,TV shows and characters, the 1933 original still holds a power that film critic Roger Ebert called “ageless and primeval.”
Screenings will be held Sunday, March 15 at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. local time. Tickets can be purchased at FathomEvents.com and at participating box offices.
The iconic creature feature has dazzled viewers for nearly a century with its groundbreaking stop-motion animation by Willis O’Brien, effects work that continues to inspire today’s top artists. Here’s how some of these living legends reacted to the news:
“I was five in 1956 when King Kong was aired on TV – a small screen. I recall hiding behind an overstuffed chair horrified yet enthralled by the visions. That’s when it all started. This was a seminal film – pure magic. When you consider that sound had only come to the screen a scant four years earlier, the imagination of what could be done exploded. Not to mention Willis O’Brien’s team’s fantastic, cutting-edge stop-motion animation, puppets by Marcel Delgado, matte paintings by Mario Larrinaga and Byron Crabbe, the detailed miniatures, rear projection, etc., were ground-breaking. King Kong remains a monument to the creative mind. Truly a miracle. Everything just seemed to flow together. DON’T MISS IT ON THE BIG SCREEN!” — Phil Tippett, Tippett Studios (Star Wars: A New Hope, Jurassic Park, RoboCop)
“King Kong has had an immeasurable influence on the visual effects industry generally, and on my career specifically. Like many practitioners of visual effects before me, the 1933 King Kong was the movie that started me on my path. I saw the film for the first time around 1970 on TV when I was six years old and was instantly obsessed with learning about how it was made. A few years later, when I had my own Super 8 camera, the first thing I did was make my own Kong puppet, and start animating him kicking toy cars, and climbing cardboard buildings. The impossible vision of an enormous ape rampaging around NYC has forever left its imprint on my psyche, and our industry.” — Hal Hickel, Animation Director, Industrial Light & Magic (The Mandalorian, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl)
“I distinctly remember the first time I saw King Kong on TV as a young boy in the late ‘60s, and it blew my young boy’s mind! As a grown man, VFX professional & cinephile, I am still in awe of the work of some of the great pioneers of special visual effects who brought it to life. Though there have been a number of remakes released over the years, all utilizing the latest technologies of their times, it is this original King Kong that will always remain a classic of cinematic history.” — Mike Chambers, Chair, Visual Effects Society (Dunkirk, Inception)
“My Dad showed me King Kong many times as a kid, and being a New Yorker, I was captivated by him climbing the Empire State Building. I wondered, how was that real. To this day, every time I go back home, I still dream I see him up there. But without King Kong and Willis O’Brien’s work in stop-motion animation, I might not do what I do! I certainly would not be in a creative environment every single day where I subconsciously think of that scene, and everything it led to. On some level, King Kong is around me all the time – to me, that’s the definition of movie magic.” — Matthew Senreich, Co-Founder, Stoopid Buddy Stoodios (Robot Chicken Co-Creator)
“King Kong was made almost 90 years ago, and its visual effects are not just a milestone, they are a great way to see how far we’ve come. This early stop motion didn’t offer the control over the speed or fluidity of the motion that we have today, which makes stop-motion all the more convincing, but were it not for King Kong and the innovations inspired, we would never be here. The original work may seem clunky, but it’s also legendary, and if I had never seen the animation in King Kong, I would never have dreamed of applying it to comedy.” — Seth Green, Co-Founder, Stoopid Buddy Stoodios (Robot Chicken Co-Creator)
“I first saw King Kong in a revival theater at the age of 12. It was an experience that led me to a career in visual effects. Kong, the towering gorilla-like creature, was an 18-inch animation puppet, a fabrication of machined and articulated steel covered with foam skin and rabbit fur that creator and stop-motion model animator Willis O’Brien manipulated frame by frame. It’s a masterpiece that O’Brien developed new visual effect technologies for, making King Kong one of the greatest adventure-fantasies ever made.” — Craig Barron, Film Historian and Oscar-Winning Visual Effects Supervisor (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Captain America: The First Avenger)
Multi-award-winning, Bristol-based independent animation studio Aardman announced the appointment of Daniel Efergan to its Executive Board of Directors, as Executive Creative Director of Interactive, and Joshua Baldwin as Game Director. The studio is also currently interviewing for a Director of Rights and Distribution, with the successful applicant to be announced shortly.
Previously Group Creative Director of Interactive, Daniel Efergan first joined Aardman in 2007. He works across all interactive projects for the company, developing ideas and strategies and ensuring the creative excellence and high-level audience engagement that is expected from Aardman productions. He has been instrumental in the conception and delivery of BAFTA-winning interactive projects, such as the Tate Movie Project and World of Invention, and has led or supported on many others, including the twice BAFTA-nominated console game, 11-11: Memories Retold.
Prior to joining Aardman, Efergan was MD of Subsub Skills and Production, a collective of creative and technical freelancers. His experience includes being the technical lead on light and moving image show Light Up Bristol, lecturing part-time at Plymouth University, and founding and running the Submerge New Media Festival.
“Daniel’s appreciation and understanding of the power of combining storytelling with interactivity has been invaluable as we’ve expanded into new formats and platforms. His playfulness and creativity are unrivalled – and these are qualities that we admire greatly at Aardman,” commented Managing Director Sean Clarke. “We’re delighted to recognize his contribution to the business with this appointment to the Executive Board, in a role that will see him responsible for embracing new and emerging technologies that will enhance our ability to tell stories and engage with our audience now and in the future.”
After studying archaeology, newly appointed Game Director Joshua Baldwin worked as a freelance writer before learning systems design at Creative Assembly on the Total War franchise. He has acted as a game consultant in four different countries, and spent a year directing a VR prototype for a major publisher. Most recently he led the design on Unravel Two, Coldwood Interactive’s award-winning family cooperative gameplay game.
The studio continues to be committed to commercials and short form work, with recent stand-out productions including the music video for Coldplay’s “Daddy” and Greenpeace’s “Turtle Journey”, while looking to embrace the thriving animation market with a company structure optimised for movies, series, specials and interactive content. In light of this restructure, Executive Director of Partner Content, Heather Wright, will be leaving the company in order to set up her own creative and content consultancy.
“In Heather’s over 20 years at Aardman, she has contributed strategically, financially and creatively in equal measure,” said Clarke. “We would like to thank her for her hard work and dedication to the studio over these years and wish her all the best for the future.”
Upcoming Aardman projects include the recently announced Robin Robin, a half-hour musical tale coming to Netflix in 2020, the sixth series of Shaun the Sheep, which is launching in most markets from March 17, and a Shaun the Sheepfestive half-hour special for Christmas 2021. In autumn of this year, the studio will launch a brand new Wallace & Gromit immersive story to be told using cutting-edge technologies and culminating in a live event in Bristol in October 2020. Titled The Big Fix Up, the project is a collaboration with Fictioneers to find innovative but accessible new ways of telling stories.
It was a relatively quiet weekend at cinemas around the country, with the latest Disney-Pixar original Onwardunsurprisingly claiming the top spot — surprisingly, at the lower end of its estimated opening take.
Dan Scanlon’s fantasy-meets-Los Feliz tale of two elf brothers (Tom Holland and Chris Pratt)setting out to find the magic they need to conjure their departed father launched at No. 1 with $40 million domestically (plus $28M internationally), just squeaking ahead of Disney’s 2015 low performer The Good Dinosaur ($39M). Onward received largely positive reviews from critics and an “A” CinemaScore from audiences, so its magical charms bode well for a long theatrical life.
Receipts were all around down this weekend, but media experts seem to believe that the titles on offer are more to blame than the fears of coronavirus which have lead to so many canceled events and travel plans. The overall numbers are down 50% from the same release frame last year — however, the 2019 weekend carries the $153M impact of Captain Marvel.
Universal/Blumhouse’s horror revival The Invisible Man starring Elizabeth Moss came in second with $15.5M ($17.3M international), bringing its two week total to ($98.3M). Warner Bros.’ The Way Back starring Ben Affleck opened with $8.5M for third place.
Paramount’s hybrid video game hit Sonic the Hedgehog sped to No. 4 with another $8M after four weeks, bringings its domestic total to $140M. With an overseas take of $154M, the speedy blue hero is on track to hit the $300M mark.
And rounding out the top-five was another CG furball, in the way of Jack London’s canine hero Buck who stars opposite Harrison Ford in the weekend’s No. 5 earner, Call of the Wild. The Disney adaptation lapped up $7M in its third week, bringings its B.O. totals to $57.5M in NorAm and $99.6M worldwide. The hybrid adventure reportedly cost $125M to make.
If you were to judge the health of the European animation feature industry by the quality of the projects presented at the latest edition of Cartoon Movie in Bordeaux (March 3-5), the industry is faring quite well: There are many interesting, innovative and thought-provoking projects made for both family and adult audiences in the pipeline. We were fortunate to catch some of these presentations at the event. Sadly, it’s humanly impossible to attend every session, since the pitches take place in two different rooms simultaneously throughout the day.Here are some of the highlights from the 2020 edition:
They Shot the Piano Player presentation at Cartoon Movie
They Shot the Piano Player
Oscar-winning Spanish helmer Fernando Trueba (Chico and Rita, Belle Epoque) offered an intriguing trailer for his latest project, which is co-directed by his collaborator Javier Mariscal. The story centers on a fictitious New York music journalist (voiced by actor/musician Jeff Goldblum) who decides to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a young Brazilian piano virtuoso. “I have been a fan of Brazilian jazz music for a long time and wanted to make a movie that would do justice to the fascinating and true story of one of the great Bossa Nova musicians, Francisco Tenorio,” said Trueba.
The director and his team interviewed many people who knew the musician or had knowledge of what had happened to him when he went out to buy a pack of cigarettes in Buenos Aires and was never seen again. Trueba said the film will be set in different eras, from the ’60s, ’70s, ’80s and the 2000s and travel to New York City, Rio and Buenos Aires, using the same style of animation seen in Mariscal’s previous work, accompanied by the infectious music of Brazil. It will also examine some of the daily horrors of the dictatorships in Latin America over the past half a century, while also exploring the popular sounds and music of the region.
Fleak
Fleak
Antti Haikala, co-founder and head of animation at Helsinki-based studio Anima Vitae (Moomin Valley, Niko and the Way to the Stars), presented an engrossing pitch for his studio’s upcoming movie, which centers on a young boy who discovers a mysterious alternate reality after a leg injury leaves him unable to walk. “I came up with this magical character Fleak to entertain my sons when they were younger,” said Haikala. “On the surface, our movie is about a 12-year-old boy’s adventure with this friendly creature from another dimension, but it also explores the character’s relationship with his older siblings, their daily conflicts and the notion of courage.”
Haikala added that he and the film’s director Jens Moller wanted to create a world that looked unique and something that audiences hadn’t seen before. They also interviewed many children with disabilities to offer a positive message about persevering, bravery and the power of imagination in the story. A co-pro between Anima Vitae (Finland), Anima Vitae Point (Malaysia), Animoon (Poland) and Godo Films (France), the CG-animated pic is looking at a summer 2023 premiere date.
Girl and Wolf presentation (C) Galia ProdGirl and Wolf team (C) Galia Prod
Girl and Wolf
Spanish graphic novel creator and animation veteran Roc Espinet put on a fantastic show as he pitched the animated adaptation of his best-selling 350-page work Girl and Wolf to the Cartoon Movie audience. Sharing animatics and stunning art from the project, Espinet (who has worked on movies such Birdboy: The Forgotten Children and the short Decorado), highlighted the great visuals and the original story of a young girl named Paula who discovers her true self and learns that there’s a world beyond her small-minded medieval village after she is taken in by a pack of ancient wolves. “Paula feels that she belongs to this magical world of the wolves,” explained Espinet. “There are also ancient magical spirits at work, and along the way they all help her discover her special powers, face her dark past and become empowered in a meaningful way. The movie has an estimated 2.8 million euro budget and we hope to have final delivery in 2023.”
The film’s producer and sales agent Antonio Saura of Latido Film added, “This is a very well-told and timely story about a girl who suffers from bullying and being mistreated, but then realizes her own potentials and becomes truly empowered after she discovers the world beyond her village and inn-keeping.” The film is a co-pro between Hampa Studio (Bunuel and the Labyrinth of the Turtles) & Sygnatia in Spain. We predict big things for the ebullient Mr. Espinet and his talented team.
You can check out one of the earliest teasers for the movie here: vimeo.com/173603974
The Inventor presentation (C) Galia Prod
The Inventor
On Wednesday, Pixar and Disney veteran Jim Capobianco delivered a beautifully mounted introduction to his passion project — a mixed-media feature based on a particular chapter in the life of Renaissance master Leonardo Da Vinci. Capobianco, who has worked on many beloved movies including The Lion King, Ratatouille, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, Inside Out, Finding Dory and Mary Poppins Returns), discussed his love for 2D animation and stop-motion animation and what drew him to the world of the celebrated Italian artist.
“I was always drawn to the European sensibility of filmmakers like Jacque Tati and Besson, and I was fascinated by the life and achievements of Da Vinci, so I felt the movie should be made in Europe,” said Capobianco. “The Leonardo of this movie is not the wacky inventor nor the superhuman genius we have seen depicted in other projects before. He is a gentle soul who cares about people and is a truly human artist with these amazing ideas who longed for change and amazingly enough, thought of himself as a failure. He searches for the meaning of life and is concerned about his legacy and wants to leave the world a better place.”
Capobianco, who also directed Philharmonia Fantastique, an innovate animated project premiering in conjunction with the Chicago Symphony in March, noted that he hoped to combine what he had learned from all his years at Pixar with the work of indie European craftspeople. The film’s estimated budget is 8 million euros. Robert Rippberger is producing the movie, with Oscar-winning Disney veteran Don Hahn exec producing. French Studio Folioscope (The Tower) is the producing partner with Leo & King (U.S.).
What do you do after dazzling global audiences with your highly artistic movie about a dog’s complicated life and owners? If you are Romanian director Anca Damian (Marona’s Fantastic Tale), you dive into something entirely different—like a post-modern, widely imaginative and outrageous take on Robinson Crusoe. This new venture promises to be a fever dream packed with potent images commenting on a wide range of contemporary subjects.
“In this re-interpretation of a post-colonial story, our Robinson is a doctor and Friday is the only survivor of a lost boat in the Mediterranean,” explained Damian. “It’s a surreal augmented reality world as we see Robinson trying to adjust the world with his digital tablet.”
Along the way, the story’s protagonist encounters some very modern mermaids, mutant animals, Burning Man-style pirates, a solar eclipse and a character called Grandmother Nature. Did we mention that The Island is a musical, with songs by Alexander Balanescu and Ada Milea. The script is by Damian and Augusto Zanovello. Art direction is by Gina Thorstensen who also worked on Marona. The film is a co-pro between Aparte Film (Romania) and Take Five (Belgium). With a 1.6 million euro budget, The Island is looking at a January 2021 release. This is definitely not your father’s animated movie!
Molesworth
Molesworth
The late British illustrator Ronald Searle is considered a deity by most animators. He is best known for creating the series of books about St. Trinian and his collaboration with Geoffrey Willans on the Molesworth series. Now thanks to the acclaimed British studio Lupus Films, Melusine Productions in Luxembourg and Uli Meyer Studio (U.K.), one of his best-loved characters Molesworth is coming to big screen. The film, which is being directed by animation veteran Uli Meyer promises to be quite a wonderful sendup of British boys’ boarding schools and does a wonderful job of bringing Searle’s loose and expressive style to 2D animation.
During the pitch, Lupus founders Camilla Deakin and Ruth Fielding and Melusine’s Stephan Roelants talked about the origins of the project and shared a filmed interview with Meyer who discussed his love for Searle’s artistry. “I showed a 20-second St. Trinian animation I had made to Ronald, and he was excited about it. Unfortunately, the St. Trinian rights were sold to Ealing Studios for live-action movies, so I decided to adapt the Molesworth series because they were very popular at the time. His art has this easy and loose style, but it can be very difficult to do, and we had to come up with an inking style that would mimic his style for 2D animation.”
Fielding added, “The movie is a charming comedy caper, reminiscent of the Ealing comedies and Monsieur Hulot films. Although it is set in a British school during the ’50s, we think it’s quite universal because we have all been to school, and he does a wonderful send-up of them.” The film’s main character is Nigel Molesworth, a mischievous, self-confident schoolboy who has a penchant for power, will be voiced by popular British comic Matt Lucas (Little Britain, Alice in Wonderland) The script is written by Keiron Self and Giles New.
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