Emmy Award winning creator and executive producer Tony Hale’s favorite chicken feathers his Netflix nest with 13 all-new episodes of Archibald’s Next Big Thing.
Archibald Strutter, the cheerful, curious chicken and his three siblings, Sage, Finly, and Loy, and lovable sidekick, Bea are back with exciting new adventures in season two. Ride along as Archibald embraces one misadventure after another, stumbling, falling but always springing back up and finding his way, however twisting and winding, to his egg-shaped home in Crackridge! The hilarious antics and unstoppable enthusiasm of the gangly, happy chicken will show everyone the importance of being present and celebrating life’s littlest moments.
Based on the book Archibald’s Next Big Thing by two-time Emmy Award winner Hale and Tony Biaggne, “yes, and” your way to season two of the series when it lands on Netflix on March 20.
DreamWorks Archibald’s Next Big Thing features an all-star voice cast, including Hale as “Archibald,” Adam Pally (The Mindy Project) as “Sage,” Chelsea Kane (Baby Daddy, Fish Hooks) as “Loy,” Jordan Fisher (Dancing with the Stars, Hamilton, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before 2) as “Finly,” Kari Wahlgren (DuckTales, Rick & Morty) as “Bea,” and Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl) as the playfully sarcastic “Narrator.”
Guest voices include Jane Lynch (Glee, The 40-Year-Old Virgin), Casey Wilson (Happy Endings), Chris Parnell (Archer, 30 Rock), John Heder (Napoleon Dynamite), Henry Winkler (Arrested Development, Steven Universe, The Big Bang Theory), Ana Gasteyer (SNL), Gary Cole (Veep), Taylor Trensch (Dear Evan Hansen) and more.
The series is created and executive produced by Hale, executive produced by Eric Fogel (Descendants: Wicked World, Celebrity Deathmatch), and was developed for television by Drew Champion (Game Talk Live) and Jacob Moffat (Tiny Tiny Talk Show).
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POGO and Cartoon Network, part of WarnerMedia Entertainment Networks Asia Pacific family of channels, are ramping up their original Indian productions with three new homegrown animated comedies. POGO has commissioned both Titoo and Lambuji Tinguji, produced by Cosmos Maya, and Cartoon Network has acquired Bandbudh Aur Budbak from Paperboat Studios.
“Our top priority is our fans, and they love characters and great stories. These quintessentially Indian shows will resonate strongly with them,” commented Abhishek Dutta, Senior Director & Network Head of Cartoon Network and POGO in South Asia. “We commissioned Titoo and Lambuji Tinguji and acquired Bandbudh Aur Budbak for their clever use of comedy and humor. They all feature visual richness and robust characters, embedded in unique animated worlds and stories. The creativity and talent now seen in the Indian animation industry has developed tremendously and the commitment made to three homegrown IPs is testament to our belief in the industry to create world-class entertainment.”
Siddharth Jain, Managing Director of WarnerMedia Entertainment Networks in South Asia, added, “India continues to be a priority market for WarnerMedia Entertainment Networks in Asia Pacific. Investing in three new shows for POGO and Cartoon Network in 2020 further demonstrates our commitment to scaling up and sustaining the quality of our kids’ entertainment.”
As original productions, Titoo and Lambuji Tinguji offer myriad advertising opportunities, including brand association and licensing partnerships. Ahead of the launch of these tentpole shows, brand integration and branded content production are being explored. Partners could also be a part of POGO’s nationwide promotional launch activities including mall events, digital promotions and on-air activations. These will ramp up in the months leading up to the launch and carry on during the initial airing on the channel, with additional sustaining tactics to maintain the excitement.
Titoo (POGO) is a rip-roaring comedy that follows the daily escapades of eight-year-old Titoo. He is a good-hearted, intelligent kid who loves to help everyone, but inadvertently manages to brew even more trouble. Titoo’s world includes his parents, his loving and protective brother, and his gang of friends, who get caught in his shenanigans.
A slapstick buddy comedy, Lambuji Tinguji (POGO) explores the funny escapades of the inseparable eponymous duo in Buddy Badi Valley. Whether it’s fighting crime or eating at a fancy new place or helping a citizen, they’re always together in every adventure. Of course, they have their own trysts with trouble thanks to Tinguji’s big mouth, and are always saved by the calm and composed Lambuji.
Bandbudh Aur Budbak (Cartoon Network) is an award-winning animation following the amusing capers of two 10-year-old boys, Budhdeb and Badrinath. Thick as thieves, the two pranksters are inexplicably at the center of all ruckus, usually going scot-free with luck or an irrational argument.
Leading European animated entertainment company Cyber Group Studios announced the promotion of Caroline Audebert from Head of Productions to the newly-created position of Studios Deputy Director. At a time where Cyber Group Studios sees its catalog significantly growing, with seven series in productions and over 11 series in development, strengthening its production’s department is a key step to follow up with these current and upcoming projects.
In this new role, Audebert will coordinate and prioritize all Cyber Group Studios’ production activities worldwide, on all sites. Based in Paris, she will develop new production axes both technically and budgetarily by rationalizing the resources. She will report to Olivier Lelardoux, Senior Vice President of the Studio and Associate Producer at Cyber Group Studios.
“For the past two years, Caroline has successfully directed our productions and consolidated its processes. With this promotion, Caroline and the teams from the Paris and Roubaix’s studios are taking a further step to improve the quality of our productions and the productivity of the processes already in place,” said Lelardoux.
Prior to joining Cyber Group Studios in 2017, Audebert was Head of Production on the CGI feature film White Fang, produced by Superprod and Bidibul, overseeing the entire process from pre-production to delivery while coordinating simultaneously with 10 different studios.
As Head of Production at Gaumont Animation, Audebert led the artistic team and supported directors and broadcasters of animation programs from first writings to delivery. Audebert also served as VFX Producer at BUF Compagnie, where she worked on budgets, schedules and production for major feature films such as Arthur & the Invisibles 2 & 3, Speed Racer and Thor. Her resume also includes stints as Production Manager at Disney Channel, and Design Program Manager at Cisco System, in charge of coordinating international teams in the U.K., India and Israel, as well as teaching 3D/CGI Animation Production at ESRA Paris (University of Audiovisual Arts European Film Academy).
“I am particularly pleased with this promotion. It confirms Caroline’s talent to support us in the growth of our company through an in-depth management of productions, both in terms of content and costs,” said President & CEO Pierre Sissmann. “At a time when our activity is developing strongly in France and internationally — especially in the U.S.A., Russia and China — reinforcing our French studios under the joint direction of Caroline Audebert and Olivier Lelardoux ensures our sustainability and strength in the long term.”
Reed MIDEM announced Wednesday that MIPTV 2020, scheduled to take place March 30-April 2 in Cannes, has been cancelled due to concerns related to the coronavirus (Covid-19). MIPDoc and MIPFormats, programmed for March 28-29, have also been cancelled.
Season 3 of CANNESERIES, the Cannes International Series Festival, originally scheduled to run parallel to MIPTV, will now take place October 9-14, alongside MIPCOM.
The next edition of MIPTV will take place April 12-15, 2021, with MIPDoc and MIPFormats scheduled for April 10-11. Season 4 of CANNESERIES will be held in April 2021 during MIPTV.
“In the current context, many of our clients have expressed concerns about travelling at this time. Rescheduling MIPTV in the coming months is not feasible, so the most appropriate course of action is to cancel MIPTV for 2020,” said Paul Zilk, Reed MIDEM Chief Executive.
“The well-being of our clients, partners and staff is our priority. We are grateful to clients for their support and constructive input during this challenging period. We look forward to welcoming everyone to MIPCOM in October 12-15 and we are delighted that CANNESERIES will be at our side again this year.”
’Onward’ Set Designer Discusses Passion for Finding Life in Animation
Colombian artist Carlos Felipe León – Shading Art Director of the upcoming film – shared his story and secrets of the trade at the University of Miami School of Communication. His credits include Despicable Me, Mr. Peabody & Sherman, The Lorax and Pixar’s upcoming Soul (as key lighting designer). Onward hits theaters March 6.
Cartoon Galaxies: The 10 Best Animated Sci-Fi Films
Screenrant dives into the compelling, adult-targeted speculative worlds that animation fans know and love — from Fantastic Planet to Ghost in the Shell to A Scanner Darkly to Wizards, and all the wonderful weirdness in between.
Walt Disney Family Museum Presents “Life of an Animator”
Set for Saturday, March 28 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., the Industry Path workshop is aimed at high school students and parents interested in learning what it takes to become a working animator, and what this career looks like on a day to day basis in a variety of sectors.
Cort Lane Exits Marvel Animation
According to his LinkedIn profile, Lane has exited the post of VP of Animation & Family Entertainment for Marvel as of January. He had previously discussed the move on Facebook in December, following reports of Marvel TV’s restructuring under Marvel Studios and Chief Creative Officer Kevin Feige.
Tickets Available for First-Ever Actors Voice Over Expo
The inaugural AVOX will take place July 3 at the Pasadena Convention Center in Southern California, bringing together 100 top names in VO for a day of compelling programs and fan experiences. Notable attendees include Steve Blum (Cowboy Bebop, Call of Duty), Sungwon Cho (Red Vs Blue), Erica Lindbeck (Persona 5, Spider-Man), Matthew Mercer (Resident Evil) and Cristina Vee (Naruto, Sailor Moon).
“As the gaming industry continues to skyrocket, we wanted to create a premiere event that truly celebrates the achievements of these incredible talents in voice over. These actors have made major contributions to the biggest games and anime, and we wanted to create a collaborative atmosphere where they can connect with fans and industry leaders alike.” — Keith Arem, PCB Entertainment and AVOX founder Keith Arem.
Cartoon Network and Outright Games Announce New ‘Ben 10’ Video Game
Developed by Philadelphia-based PHL Collective, the game inspired by the wildly popular animation franchise will launch on consoles and PC later this year. Details TBA. Fans can keep tabs on the project at www.outrightgames.com.
“We are thrilled to be working with Cartoon Network again to create a brand-new Ben 10 game. Returning to the world of Ben 10 is something we’ve been keen to do for a while. The response from fans has been incredibly positive and we are so glad to work with Cartoon Network and continue to develop this ongoing partnership.” — Terry Malham, CEO, Outright Games
British digital animation, cinematics and VFX (visual effects) studio Realtime has appointed a new Animation Director. Nicolas Seck, a 44-year-old industry vet from Dunkirk, France, brings the experience of senior and lead animation roles on over 30 major films since 1997 to his new post.
Most recently, Seck worked on Wonder Woman 1984, The Kid Who Would Be King, Venom and the John Lewis Edgar the Dragon Christmas advert. He was also a senior animator on Ant-Man, Guardians of the Galaxy and Robocop. A highly-skilled character animator who developed a love for character design as a young artist drawing comic strips, Seck enjoys music and likes to DJ outside of work.
At Realtime, Seck will be responsible for building and coordinating specialist creative teams to use the latest CGI tools to create visual experiences that captivate audiences, engage viewers and inspire belief.
“After over 20 years in the industry, I knew I was ready for a new challenge. I’m joining Realtime at an exciting time. It is a studio growing in reputation and size. And it’s great to be working alongside some of the most ambitious and creative animators in the country,” said the newly-appointed Animation Director. “I’ve always been interested in feature films, special effects and video games industries as well as teaching opportunities. So, this role gives me the chance to manage teams and inspire them to bring client dreams to reality through expressive animation.”
“I’m easy to speak to. I hope this can make the creative production process even more fun for everyone.”
Seck’s appointment follows the addition of Senior VFX Producer Fiona York to Realtime in December. York, who celebrates 30 years working in TV next year, has enjoyed career highlights including Stephen Hawking’s Universe for Channel Four and Battlefield Britain for BBC.
“The quality of our recent recruits has been a real boost; Nicolas is no exception. He’ll offer another exciting new dimension to our creative animation projects. I’m a huge admirer of his work. And I was delighted when he agreed to join us,” said CEO Tony Prosser. “Our recent work on War of the Worlds for BBC, plus projects we have in production for other major international broadcasters, demonstrates we can now compete with some of the best studios in the world.”
At the end of last year, Realtime confirmed plans to create 50 new jobs: 25 in Westby near Lytham in Lancashire, with a further 25 in Manchester. The ongoing recruitment campaign will see the studio become one of the largest in the North West, employing a mix of up to 100 full-time staff and freelance digital artists by the end of 2021.
Ichigo Animation in Japan is offering anime fans the first look at the new teen girl vampire comedy VladLove — the latest project from acclaimed filmmaker Mamoru Oshii (Ghost in the Shell, The Sky Crawlers, Mobile Police Patlabor). An introduction to the story and characters debuted with the official Japanese and English-language website, vladlove.com. Produced by DRIVE in cooperation with Production I.G, the 12-episode series is due to premiere in Fall 2020.
Synopsis: Mitsugu Bamba is a high school girl who finds meaning in donating her blood. She feels compelled to visit a local blood bank, despite unfriendly treatment by the nurse. One day, she encounters a beautiful girl at the blood bank who looks like she’s come from overseas. The girl is so pale that she appears ready to faint. Instead, she starts trashing the blood bank. The girl then loses consciousness and so Mitsugu takes her home…
Conceive and created by Oshii, VladLove is a light-hearted tale of vampires and teenage school girls that showcases the rich imagination of one of Japan’s most renowned anime directors. This is Oshii’s first comedy since Urusei Yatsura, and he is helped in his role as executive director & producer by a team that includes director Junji Nishimura (Ranma ½, Basilisk, Neo Yokio). Oshii also wrote the screenplay with Kei Yamamura.
VladLove features character designs by Issei Arakaki. Music director is Kazuhiro Wakabayashi, composer is Kenji Kawai, and the theme song will be performed by Love Live! Sunshine!! voice stars Kanako Takatsuki and Karin Isobe of new idol group BlooDye as their first single.
Fan can also follow @VLADLOVE_ANIME on Twitter to keep up with the show.
Sky and Disney have inked a new multi-year deal, making Disney+ available for purchase in the U.K. and Ireland on Sky Q, to be followed by NOW TV in the coming months.
The pact will give customers access to hit originals, back catalogs and highly anticipated projects from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and more — from the hit Lucasfilm series The Mandalorian to the recently announced live-action Lilo & Stitch movie and animated series revival The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.
The deal also includes the first-pay window for 20th Century titles, allowing Sky Cinema subscribers continued access to the latest blockbusters like Le Mans ‘66 and Terminator: Dark Fate.
“We’ve built a strong partnership with Disney over three decades and we’re pleased that our customers in the U.K. and Ireland can continue to enjoy their world-class content – all in one place on Sky Q,” said Jeremy Darroch, Group Chief Executive at Sky. “This is a great start to what is set to be another stellar year for Sky – in 2020 we’ll launch new channels and genres, start building Sky Studios Elstree and we’ve got brilliant new and returning originals coming too.”
Kevin Mayer, Chairman of Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer & International, added, “We are delighted that Sky is selling the Disney+ service on their platform and, along with our other distribution partners, will deliver exceptional reach at launch.”
Sky, part of the Comcast group, is Europe’s leading media and entertainment company with 24 million customers across seven countries.
Sony Pictures Animation has dropped the official trailer for Connected (formerly known as The Mitchells vs The Machines) — a family road trip comedy gone haywire from director Mike Rianda (Gravity Falls) and Oscar-winning producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, The LEGO Movie).
The spot introduces the Mitchell family, a typical modern clan drifting apart in an age of perpetual screen time. When the nature-loving dad foists one last road trip on his college-bound daughter, the squabbling family finds themselves fighting a greater threat: a global tech doomsday. In the trailer, we see that this latest Lord/Miller project continues the duo’s tradition of playing with punchy animated flourishes, with the cartoony-yet-slick CG sometimes filtered over by AR-app-inspired doodles and exaggerated caricatures.
…And who doesn’t love a bug-eyed, overweight pug?!
Connected arrives in U.S. theaters on September 18.
Synopsis: When Katie Mitchell (voiced by Abbi Jacobson), a creative outsider, is accepted into the film school of her dreams, her plans to meet “her people” at college are upended when her nature-loving dad Rick (Danny McBride) determines the whole family should drive Katie to school together and bond as a family one last time. Katie and Rick are joined by the rest of the family – Katie’s wildly positive mom Linda (Maya Rudolph), her quirky little brother Aaron (Mike Rianda), and the family’s delightfully chubby pug Monchi – for the ultimate family road trip. Suddenly, the Mitchells’ plans are interrupted by a tech uprising: all around the world, the electronic devices people love – from phones, to appliances, to an innovative new line of personal robots – decide it’s time to take over. With the help of two friendly malfunctioning robots, the Mitchells will have to get past their problems and work together to save each other … and the world!
Director Rianda and co-director / fellow Gravity Falls alum Jeff Rowe penned the script. Lord and Miller produce with Kurt Albrecht; exec producers are Will Allegra and Louis Koo.
As part of its strategic plan to expand its activities into content development and creation for all distribution platforms, Bento Box Entertainment has announced two key hires: Brooke Keesling has been named Head of Animation Talent Development, and Caitlin Winiarski has been appointed Creative Executive at the animation production house. The announcement was made Tuesday by Bento Box Co-Founder and CEO Scott Greenberg.
“With the business continuing to evolve and platforms’ demand for quality animated content expands with it, now more than ever it is important to have a deep bench of and direct line to the best talent in the space,” said Greenberg. “And as we strategically grow our output to broadcast, cable and streaming platforms, Brooke and Caitlin’s unique backgrounds, longstanding relationships and creative vision will play an important role in keeping Bento Box the premier destination for established and up-and-coming talent to do their best work.”
In her newly created position, Keesling, reporting to Greenberg and Bento Box COO Brett Coker, will be responsible for the development and growth of artistic talent acquisition and internal artist relations. A Student Academy Award winner, Keesling will scout diverse talent at art and animation conventions, festivals, comic-cons and other industry events. Additionally, she will foster relationships with top art and animation colleges and universities.
Winiarski, who will report to Bento Box Creative Director Ben Jones, will seek out and assess pilot proposals, scripts and pitches; and identify relevant source material for development from established and emerging talent. Both executives are based in Bento Box’s Los Angeles headquarters.
Brooke Keesling has worked in the animation and VFX industries for decades as an artist, in production, education and in talent development. Over the years, she has recruited animation talent for Cartoon Network, Disney Television Animation and Warner Bros., among others. Keesling earned her M.F.A. in Animation at CalArts, where she produced several films, including the Student Academy Award-winning animated short Boobie Girl. Upon graduation from CalArts, she worked in practical and miniature visual effects on films such as Inception, Hugo, The Dark Knight and The Aviator.
Passionate about education and outreach, Keesling is also an instructor in the Character Animation department at CalArts, the Vice President of ASIFA-Hollywood, an active member of Women in Animation and serves on the Advisory Board of the GLAS Animation Festival.
Prior to joining Bento Box, Caitlin Winiarski worked as the Creative Executive in Television at Will Ferrell and Adam McKay’s Gary Sanchez Productions, where she focused on developing projects from up-and-coming and diverse comedic voices. She is also a student of improv comedy and regularly performs with her all-female team at various theaters in the Los Angeles area. Winiarski began her career in entertainment in the mailroom at William Morris Endeavor and is a graduate of Wesleyan University.
The six nominees for the EE Mobile Game of The Year Award were announced Monday, with games fans invited to vote for their favorite online. The winner will be revealed at the British Academy Games Awards on Thursday, April 2 by YouTube Gaming stars Ali-A and Clare Siobhan. The ceremony will take place at Queen Elizabeth Hall, London.
Now in its second year, the award celebrates the mobile game that offers the best experience on a smartphone and over a mobile network, as voted for by the public. This includes online competitive titles and those that use online functionality in an innovative way. The 2020 nominees consist of six games that have each created a standout impression upon the public and games industry alike.
“The popularity of the award last year has shown the huge appetite the U.K. has for mobile games,” said Pete Jeavons, Director of Brand Marketing at EE. “As the U.K.’s biggest and fastest network, and with our launch of 5G since the last awards offering even faster speeds and lower latency, we play a crucial role in providing players with the best possible mobile gaming experience. This year, we will once again be celebrating innovation and outstanding quality with the EE Mobile Game of The Year Award, giving our customers and the public the chance to have their say and vote for their favourite game.”
Earlier this year, the EE Mobile Game of The Year jury panel met at BAFTA’s headquarters to select the six nominees from a longlist of mobile games. This jury was chaired by Dr. Jo Twist OBE, chair of BAFTA Games Committee, and included Claire Sharkey (Founder of Sharkbit PR), Dann Sullivan (CEO of Steel Media and Founder of Pocket Gamer), Chris James (Editor of girlgamersuk.com), Diane Hutchinson (Playstation Access Presenter), Ellie Osili-Wood (Head of Games at Games London), Michael French (Glass HouseGames Journalist and Producer), Shay Thompson (Founder of Level Up Link Up) and Will Luton (Mobile Games Consultant).
The EE Mobile Game of The Year 2020 nominees:
ASSEMBLE WITH CARE A unique narrative puzzle game from British developer ustwo games, Assemble With Care is a story about taking things apart and putting ourselves back together. Players can enter the game as Maria, a globe-trotting antique restorer who arrives in the town of Bellariva determined to help the town’s inhabitants save their most cherished possessions. Assemble With Care tells its evocative story through meaningful, tactile gameplay, vibrant handcrafted visuals and powerful writing.
CALL OF DUTY: MOBILE A multiplayer game from Activision that allows you to fight across iconic maps and play fan-favourite modes as you strive to be the best in the world. The basis of the game is heart-pumping head-to-head multiplayer modes, which allows you to play several classic maps and modes from across Call of Duty franchises, including Call of Duty: Black Ops and the original Modern Warfare series.
DEAD MAN’S PHONE A mobile-first crime drama game, where single players act as a New Scotland Yard detective who investigates and solves murders through the smartphone of victims. To help uncover the truth, players can search through a victim’s phone to see their personal messages, photos and apps. They also use the device to help find clues and interrogate suspects – putting them in the driver’s seat on how the narrative unfolds.
POKÉMON GO A free-to-play mobile game developed by Niantic and available on iPhone and Android devices. Using AR and GPS, Pokémon GO allows players to travel between the real world and the virtual world of Pokémon seamlessly through their phones. So, players can team up with other trainers, capture Pokémon and compete in epic gym battles as they explore everyday life.
TANGLE TOWER is a single player murder mystery game developed by SFB Games. Featuring an atmospheric original orchestral soundtrack and beautiful digitally painted environments to explore, players are challenged to unravel the thrilling mystery of Tangle Tower by exploring the strange and twisted mansion, discovering curious clues, interrogating peculiar suspects and solving unique puzzles. Initially launched on Apple Arcade, it has also since been released on Steam and Nintendo Switch.
WHAT THE GOLF? is a single player physics-based golf parody game designed for people who hate golf. Players experience a variety of different courses which feature a new, surprising type of golf ranging from brilliant and hilarious to downright absurd. These include using football or bowling techniques on a course, first-person shooter mode, snowboarding or even driving to get the hallowed hole-in-one.
The other category nominations for the BAFTA Games Awards, now in its 16th year, will be announced at 7.30 a.m. Tuesday, March 3 and will be available on BAFTA Twitter (@BAFTAGames).
The EE Mobile Game of The Year Award is the only award at the BAFTA Games Awards voted for by the British public. Those that vote will be entered into a draw to win a pair of tickets to attend the awards ceremony.
Call of DutyDead Man’s PhonePokemon GoTangle TowerWhat the Golf
The boss is back, baby! After a long sabbatical, everyone’s favorite modern career baby makes a comeback in the newly launched Season 3 trailer for DreamWorks The Boss Baby Back in Business.
However, all is not well when Boss Baby is summoned to the Board of Directors for what could only be the culmination of his corporate journey – to finally be named CEO – he’s instead fired and dragged back down to earth when he’s blamed for every bad thing that’s ever happened to Baby Corp. Now surrounded by regular babies (gross!), Boss Baby must get his mojo back and assemble a new field team in order to return to the top of the corporate ladder.
Executive produced by the Emmy Award-winning Brandon Sawyer (DreamWorks The Penguins of Madagascar), the series features the voice talents of JP Karliak (Wabbit: A Looney Tunes Production) as “Boss Baby,” Pierce Gagnon (Looper, Tomorrowland) as “Tim,” and Kevin Michael Richardson (All Hail King Julien, Cleveland Show) as “Jimbo.” Guest cast includes Flula Borg (Pitch Perfect 2) as “Mega Fat CEO Baby,” Rhys Darby (Jumanji 2, Voltron Legendary Defender) as “Happy Sedengry,” and Cheri Oteri (Saturday Night Live) as “Multi-Multi-task CEO Baby.”
Following the remarkable success on YouTube and TikTok of the new Korean animated series Bread Barbershop, London-based Meta Media Entertainment has been appointed as distributor of the series for European territories. Aimed at kids 6-10, the hilarious CGI comedy is set in a world populated by anthropomorphized foodstuffs, who seek out our carb-loaded hero to get decoration makeovers.
“We love Bread Barbershop,” said Sara Cooper, Founder of Meta Media Entertainment. “It’s fresh, original and very funny, with great characters and storylines. I am sure it will have great appeal for kids everywhere.”
The hero of Bread Barbershop is a slice of bread who is a master cake decorator. All the cupcakes in town come to his barbershop to have their edible coiffures styled. Using his unrivalled skill and ingenuity, his makeovers transform the lives of his customers, who come to him with all the imaginable problems a cupcake might have — and a few unimaginable ones as well. Either way, nothing which can’t be solved by a quick makeover… or should that be cakeover?
Produced by Monster Studio, the series debuted in Korea in 2019 on KBS and Tooniverse. In the first year the show has amassed over 300,000 YouTube subscribers and 95 million views. On TikTok, Bread Barbershop has nearly 1M followers, 9.6M likes and their most-watched clip has had 8.8M views. There are already a number of licensing deals in place for toys, games, books, food and other products.
Meta Media is a London based specialist distributor of children’s and family animation, representing a growing catalogue of high-quality programming. www.meta-media.co.uk
Monster Studio was established in July of 2015 to produce flagship series Bread Barbershop. The studio was founded by Jihwan Jung, formerly with Iconix, and
Hyunah Ko, formerly with Tuba Entertainment, where they worked on hit series Larva, Pororo and Little Bus Tayo.
To celebrate the Marvel Studios’ Black Panther film coming to Disney+ on March 4, five full episodes of Marvel’s Avengers: Black Panther’s Quest will be showcased on Marvel HQ YouTube. Fan-favorite episodes “Mask of the Panther” and “The Good Son” will be available March 1-8, followed by “The Lost Temple,” “Descent of the Shadow” and “The Last Avenger” from March 9-15.
Fans can check out “Best of Venom” listicles featuring highlights from Marvel’s Spider-Man Seasons 1 and 2 and Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Seasons 2 and 3. Starting March 7, Marvel HQ YouTube will feature “Top 10 Symbiote Takeovers,” and starting March 21, viewers can tune-in for “Top 10 Venom Attacks.”
With new Marvel Super Hero Adventure episodes coming to Marvel HQ in April, a live stream of the first three seasons will run from March 16 through the end of the month. Marvel fans can tune in to watch every episode back-to-back, following Spider-Man as he teaches valuable lessons that he has learned from adventures with iconic Marvel heroes. And viewers can always watch their favorite episodes on-demand in Marvel HQ’s official Marvel Super Hero Adventure series playlist, and learn more about Spidey’s Super Hero pals with bonus content!
Also coming to Marvel HQ YouTube is the third installment of Bend & Flex, a collaborative Marvel and Hasbro animated short series featuring bendable, flexible Marvel-inspired action figures! The latest episode, “Bend of the Watch,” which premieres March 20, sees Spider-Man swinging onto the scene when Green Goblin tries stealing a prized gem from a museum. But despite how fast and flexible Spidey is, sometimes even he needs a helping hand to fight crime!
Professional 3D software solutions developer Maxon announced the release of Moves by Maxon for the Apple App Store. Following the success of Cineversity‘s facial capture app, CV-AR, Moves by Maxon capitalizes on the emerging technology of Apple’s AR-Toolkit, which enables users to capture facial motion and whole body movement; enabling artists to bring motion sequences into Cinema 4D with limited technical effort.
The facial capture app Cineversity CV-AR is still available as a separate product on the Apple App Store. However, designers who want full-body motion capture are now able to use Moves by Maxon, an application that combines both technologies. Moves by Maxon is immediately available from the Apple App Store and is compatible with iPhone XR, XS, XS Plus, iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and iPad Pro (3rd Generation).
A separate plugin is required to transfer the captured data from your Apple device to Cinema 4D and can be downloaded for free from the Cineversity website. This plugin is only compatible with the latest version of Cinema 4D — Release 21 or later. Cineversity also provides an overview video, installation instructions and basic instructions of use tutorials.
French production company Vivement Lundi! (The Horn Quartet, Memorable, Dimitri) has partnered on Eastern European animated feature project Of Unwanted Things and People, co-produced by Maur Film (Czech Republic), Artichoke (Slovakia) and ZVVIKS (Slovenia). The 70-minute stop-motion film was pitched at Cartoon Movie 2019, where it received the Eurimage Co-Production Development Award.
Adapted from short stories by Czech author Arnost Goldflam, Of Unwanted Things and People is built on the premise of an aging writer who decides to leave a legacy of stories for his grandchildren. In his tales, the old man tackles themes that are often considered taboo in children’s stories, but which can prove essential in their social development: the death of parents, the loneliness of elderly people whose lives are driven by routines, the fugue of a little boy who feels misunderstood by his parents and who finds refuge in a strange and wonderful universe.
Patricia Ortiz Martinez (Fimfarum: The Third Time Lucky) serves as art director on the project. Production will be shared between the four co-pro countries, overseen by four co-directors. Three directors — Ivana Laucikova (The Last Bus), Leon Vidmar (Farewell) and David Sukup (Fimfarum: The Third Time Lucky) — have already been confirmed.
After meeting with the producers during last year’s CEE Animation Workshop (www.ceeanimation.eu/workshop), Vivement Lundi! got to know the project and signed a co-development agreement in January with the Czech, Slovak and Slovenian partners. The co-producers are currently working on the development of the script and hope to be able to start production next September. The budget is €2.5 million (~$2.8 million USD).
Based in Rennes, Vivement Lundi! has produced animated films and series for over 20 years. The company received the Cartoon Tribute for European Producer of the Year at Cartoon Movie 2015. Memorable, the studio’s latest stop-motion animated short, is an international success with three Annecy Festival 2019 awards and a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Animated Short this year.
Besides Of Unwanted Things and People, Vivement Lundi! is currently co-producing three other feature films: Flee by Jonas Poher Rasmussen, a Danish film produced by Final Cut For Real and the studio Sun Creature, wrapping post-production; Dogs and Italians Not Allowed by Alain Ughetto, a stop-motion animated feature produced by Les Films du Tambour de Soie currently being filmed in Valence, France at Folioscope Studio; Yuku by Arnaud Demuynck and Rémi Durin, a Belgian animated musical for young audiences produced by Artemis, in the funding stage.
At Cartoon Forum 2020, Vivement Lundi! will present its 2D feature film for kids and families, The Horn Quartet, adapted from the books by Yves Cotten and directed by Benjamin Botella. The movie project follows successful Horn Quartet TV specials produced by Vivement Lundi! and distributed by Superights.
Xilam Animation’s multi-award winning feature I Lost My Body, directed by Jérémy Clapin, celebrated an impressive triumph for animation with a double win at the 45th César Awards, securing both Best Animated Film and Best Original Score (Dan Levy). The picture was also nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay. Gabriel Harel’s The Night of the Plastic Bags was awarded Best Animated Short by the Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma.
The 45th César Awards, honoring the best of French cinema in 2019, took place Friday, February 28, at the Salle Pleyel in Paris. The ceremony was emceed by comedian Florence Foresti, with actress Sandrine Kiberlain presiding.
The César triumph follows I Lost My Body’s outstanding awards and festivals success, which has seen the critically acclaimed feature take home 30 awards to date including three Annie Awards, a double win at Annecy International Animated Film Festival and the prestigious Critics’ Week prize at Cannes Film Festival, in addition to a further 37 nominations including at the Academy Awards for Best Animated Film. Producer Marc du Pontavice (CEO of Xilam) was also honored at Annecy 2019 with the MIFA Animation Industry Award.
“We are thrilled and deeply humbled by these wins, which is the perfect way to finish what has been an amazing ride over the awards season. To see a small, independent film win at France’s most prestigious awards ceremony against such brilliant contenders, is not only an immense privilege but also demonstrates an extraordinary inclination from the César Academy for innovation in animation,” said du Pontavice. “These awards are also testament to Xilam’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of animation and nurturing game-changing talent who we know will forge new and ground-breaking paths in the genre.”
I Lost My Body, based on the book Happy Hand by Guillaume Laurant (co-screenwriter with Clapin), follows a young man named Naoufel as he falls in love with Gabrielle. In another part of Paris, a severed hand escapes from a dissection lab, determined to find its body again. During a dangerous expedition across the city, it remembers its life together with Naoufel up until the accident. After an eventful journey, they reconnect in the most unexpected and poetic way. (Streaming on Netflix)
The Night of the Plastic Bags (La Nuit des sacs plastiques) is produced by Kazak Productions. With a mostly monochrome, graphic novel-inspired style, the 18-minute short centers on a 39-year-old woman named Agathe who has but one obsession: to have a child. She finds her ex, Marc-Antoine, DJing techno in Marseilles. As she tries to talk him into getting back together, plastic bags come to life and attack the city. (Trailer)
Harel’s follow-up to Yul and the Serpent, The Night of the Plastic Bags previously won the Oscar-qualifying Børge Ring Award for Animation at the Odense Film Festival (Denmark). The film was an official selection at prestigious festivals around the world, including Anima, Animafest Zagreb, Animatou, BIAF, Clermont-Ferrand, Neuchatel, Cannes Directors’ Fortnight and the Sao Paulo Int’l Short Film Festival Critics’ Week.
Marc du PontaviceThe Night of the Plastic BagCesar Dan Levy
Hushabye Lullabye (10 x 3’) — a new super-soft, comforting preschool animation series full of calming music, launches on BBC CBeebies at Wednesday, March 4 at 18:48 (6:48 p.m.), just before the Bedtime Story in the Bedtime Hour. All episodes are also available on BBC iPlayer and as a box set.
The series channels the ancient tradition of listening to and singing lullabies together into a contemporary tool for new millennial parents, encouraging calm, relaxation, singing and together-time between little ones and their family. This emotive atmosphere is peaceful, soothing and comforting for parent-child bonding, as singing together creates a stronger bond especially when settling little ones to sleep.
The original music and lullabies from the series will be published by Red Rocca in the coming weeks on Spotify, Amazon and iTunes. There will be an accompanying booklet with lyrics so parents and carers can sing along with their little ones at bedtime.
In each episode of Hushabye Lullabye, the loveable and ever-curious little alien Dillie Dally climbs aboard the Hushabye Rocket on an interactive and relaxing musical journey of exploration and discovery to Planet Dream, a wonderfully soft and cosy place that reflects the haven of a snuggly bed and blankets and a feeling of being kept warm and safe.
The short-form animation is a Scottish collaboration created, written and directed by Glasgow-based Sacha Kyle, an established television and theater director; together with animators Once Were Farmers of Stirling and MaraKids of Glasgow delivering the series with executive producer Simon Parsons. Composer is award-winning Giles Lamb, the Scottish vocalist is Emma Gillespie and 3D animation is by Will Adams. Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Julia Bond.
“Hushabye Lullabye has been created to incorporate the powerful benefits of lullabies in a way which is both loving and playful, and I am passionate about bringing the tradition of lullabies to contemporary early years’ audiences,” said Kyle.
The epic, music-filled adventure Steven Universe The Movie is coming to theaters for the first time this spring. Fans nationwide can join Steven — and his friends, Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl — for a musical night of fun with the Steven Universe The Movie Sing-A-Long Event!, presented by Fathom Events and Cartoon Network.
Attendees will want to stick around after the amazing experience for an exclusive sneak preview of the Steven Universe Future series finale.
The special Sing-A-Long screening will be held Monday, March 23 at 7 p.m. (local time). Tickets are available at FathomEvents.com and through participating theater box offices.
Steven Universe The Movie finds Steven thinking his time defending the Earth is over — but when a new threat comes to Beach City, he faces his biggest challenge yet.
Disney has dropped the official trailer and poster art for upcoming live-action feature Artemis Fowl, which brings author Eoin Colfer’s beloved 12-year-old criminal mastermind to the big screen in a fantastical adventure punched up with high-stakes VFX action and otherworldly CG creatures. Directed by Kenneth Branagh, the film hits U.S. theaters on May 29.
“Disney and Kenneth Branagh have magically found a way to extract my imagination, mixed in a dollop of Disney magic and projected the enchanted concoction onto the silver screen,” said Colfer. “I am very excited for audiences to see the film.”
“Eoin Colfer created a landmark series of books and a totally original world of characters. We hope that fans familiar with this charismatic anti-hero, will also join a first-time cinema audience in enjoying a sea of surprises – cunning twists and turns in a typical Artemis Fowl style,” said Branagh. “His Irish adventures are breathless, exhilarating, energized escapades on a truly global scale. Inspired by his legendary cheekiness and wit, we’ve been privileged to introduce the myth from the page and hopefully create a new hero for the big screen. It’s been a real joy to be on that ride.”
Descended from a long line of criminal masterminds, 12-year-old genius Artemis Fowl finds himself in a battle of strength and cunning against a powerful, hidden race of fairies who may be behind his father’s disappearance.
Synopsis: Disney’s Artemis Fowl, based on the beloved book by Eoin Colfer, is a fantastical, spellbinding adventure that follows the journey of 12-year-old genius Artemis Fowl, a descendant of a long line of criminal masterminds, as he seeks to find his father who has mysteriously disappeared. With the help of his loyal protector Butler, Artemis sets out to find him, and in doing so uncovers an ancient, underground civilization — the amazingly advanced world of fairies. Deducing that his father’s disappearance is somehow connected to the secretive, reclusive fairy world, cunning Artemis concocts a dangerous plan — so dangerous that he ultimately finds himself in a perilous war of wits with the all-powerful fairies.
Artemis Fowl is directed by Kenneth Branagh and stars Ferdia Shaw, Lara McDonnell, Josh Gad, Tamara Smart, Nonso Anozie, Josh McGuire, Nikesh Patel and Adrian Scarborough, with Colin Farrell and Judi Dench.
Kenneth Branagh, p.g.a. and Judy Hofflund, p.g.a. are producing with Angus More Gordon and Matthew Jenkins serving as executive producers. Conor McPherson and Hamish McColl wrote the screenplay.
