Spain’s motion picture academy announced Monday the nominees for the 34th Goya Awards (Premios Goya), the nation’s most prestigious film honors.
Topping the list with 17 nominations was Alejandro Amenábar’s historical drama While At War (Mientras dure la guerra), followed by Pedro Almodóvar’s Pain & Glory (Dolor y gloria) with 16 and The Longest Trench (La trinchera infinita) by Aitor Arregi, Jon Garaño and Jose Mari Goenaga with 15.
This year’s breakout animated feature Buñuel in the Labyrinth of the Turtles (Sygnatia SL, The Glow Animation Studio, Hampa Studio), directed by Salvador Simó, made a strong showing with four nominations: Best New Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Music and, of course, Best Animated Feature. In the latter category, the film is contending with Netflix’s buzzed-about Klaus (Atresmedia Cine, Sergio Pablos Animation Studios) and historical adventure Elcano & Magellan: The First Voyage Around the World (Elkano Dibulitoon, Dibulitoon Studio).
Nominated for Best Animated Short Film are El árbol de las almas perdidas (The Tree of Lost Souls) directed and produced by Laura Zamora Cabeza; Homomaquia, directed by David Fidalgo Omil and produced by Chelo Loureiro and Mariano Baratech; Madrid 2120, directed by José Luís Quirós & Paco Sáez, produced by Nicolás Matji; and Muedra, directed by César Díaz Meléndez, produced by Pedro Collantes de Terán Bayonas.
The winner of the Goya Award for Best Animated Short Film is eligible for the Academy Awards.
The 34th Goya Awards will be held in Malaga, Spain on January 25. More information at premiosgoya.com.
KlausElcano & Magellan: The First Voyage Around the World
ASIFA-Hollywood announced on Monday the nominations for its 47th Annual Annie Awards, recognizing the year’s best in the field of animation. A complete list of the nominees is available at annieawards.org/nominees.
This year’s Best Animated Feature nominees are: Frozen II (Walt Disney Animation Studios), How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (DreamWorks Animation), Klaus (Netflix presents a Production of the Spa Studios and Atresmedia Cine), Missing Link (Laika, LLC) and Toy Story 4 (Pixar Animation Studios).
Best Animated Feature-Independent, spotlighting features with a much smaller distribution footprint than major studio releases, include: Buñuel in the Labyrinth of the Turtles (GKIDS), I Lost My Body (Netflix), Okko’s Inn (GKIDS), Promare (GKIDS) and Weathering With You (GKIDS).
Up for Best Direction – Feature are Jennifer Lee & Chris Buck for Frozen II, Jérémy Clapin for I Lost My Body, Sergo Pablos for Klaus, Chris Butler for Missing Link, and Makoto Shinkai for Weathering With You.
Nominated for Best Short Subject are Acid Rain (Animoon), Don’t Know What by Thomas Renoldner, I’m Going Out for Cigarettes (Miyu Prod.), Purpleboy (Bando à Parte, Rainbox Productions, Ambiances… asbl, Luna Blue Film) and Uncle Thomas: Accounting for the Days (Ciclope Filmes, National Film Board of Canada, Les Armateur).
In the Best TV/Media categories, the Preschool nominees are Ask the Storybots (JibJab Bros. Studios for Netflix), Elena of Avalor (Disney Television Animation), Let’s Go Luna! (Brown Bag Films/9 Story Media Group), Norman Picklestrips (Factory) and Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum (Brown Bag Films/9 Story Media Group).
The Children’s TV category contenders are Disney Mickey Mouse (Disney Television Animation), Niko and the Sword of Light (Titmouse, Amazon Studios), Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Nickelodeon Animation Studio), Tales of Arcadia: 3Below (DreamWorks Animation) and The Tom and Jerry Show (Warner Bros. Animation).
And the General Audience TV nominees are Big Mouth (Netflix), BoJack Horseman (Tornante Prod. for Netflix), Harley Quinn (Warner Bros. Animation), Tuca & Bertie (Tornante Prod. for Netflix) and Undone (Tornante Company and Amazon Studios).
“This year saw a 20 percent increase in submissions with over 1,900 worldwide entries. That was a lot of work for our nomination committees and they have come up with a wide and varied selection for our members to vote on, including films using a vast array of techniques, designs, and storytelling points of view which will make this year’s Annie ballot both interesting and full of insight into the creative possibilities of our art form,” said ASIFA-Hollywood Executive Director, Frank Gladstone. “Voting will begin on January 1st and, considering this year’s slate of nominees, I think the results will be nothing short of sensational.”
The Annie Awards cover 36 categories and include Best Animated Feature, Best Animated Feature-Independent, Special Productions, Commercials, Short Subjects, Student Films and Outstanding Individual Achievements, as well as the honorary Juried Awards. The winners will be announced at a black tie ceremony on Saturday, January 25, 2020 at UCLA’s Royce Hall. A pre-reception and press line begins at 4:30 p.m. at the front of Royce Hall with the ceremony following at 7:00 pm. A post-show celebration immediately follows the ceremony. All events will be held at Royce Hall.
Juried Awards will also be presented honoring unparalleled achievement and exceptional contributions to animation. Three Winsor McCay Award recipients have been selected by the ASIFA-Hollywood Board of Directors for their exemplary industry careers: Satoshi Kon (posthumously), Japanese film director, animator, screenwriter and manga artist; Henry Selick, stop-motion director, producer and writer who is best known for directing the stop-motion animation films The Nightmare Before Christmas, James and the Giant Peach and Coraline; and Ron Clements & John Musker, animators, animation directors, screenwriters and producers of one of the Walt Disney Animation Studio’s leading director teams.
The June Foray Award will be presented to Jeanette Bonds, writer, independent animator, and co-founder and director of GLAS Animation; and the Ub Iwerks Award will be presented to Jim Blinn, computer scientist who first became widely known for his work as a computer graphics expert at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), particularly his work on the pre-encounter animations for the Voyager project.
ASIFA-Hollywood is the world’s first and foremost professional organization dedicated to promoting the Art of Animation and celebrating the people who create it. Today, ASIFA-Hollywood, the largest chapter of the international organization ASIFA, supports a range of animation activities and preservation efforts through its membership. Current initiatives include the Animation Archive, Animation Aid Foundation, animated film preservation, special events, classes and screenings.
Created in 1972 by veteran voice talent June Foray, the Annie Awards have grown in scope and stature for the past four decades.
Bruce W. Smith’s hit Disney Channel toon The Proud Family — one of the few animated series starring African-American characters when it debuted almost 20 years ago — will be making a comeback on new streaming platform Disney+. The news was confirmed on GMA3 ahead of the holiday weekend by actress Jo Marie Payton (Family Matters), who voiced Suga Mama.
Responding to a question from host Keke Palmer about the memorable cartoon character, Payton responded: “Suga’s large and in charge. That’s all I’ve got to say — except for Suga Mama will be doing some new episodes come February.”
Proud Family co-star Tommy Davidson (voice of Oscar Proud), had previously hinted at a revival, but Payton’s confirmation was notably made on a Disney-owned network (ABC).
The Proud Family, created by veteran animator Smith (supervising animator, The Princess and the Frog, The Emperor’s New Groove; animation director, Space Jam), originally aired on Disney Channel for three seasons from 2001-2005. The 2D toon centered on 14-year-old Penny Proud, her family (including the hip and hard-hitting grandmother Suga Mama) and her friends, as she tries to navigate the pitfalls of adolescence — and perpetual grounding by her overprotective dad.
Kyla Pratt starred as the voice of Penny, with regular and recurring characters played by Paula Jai Parker, Tara Strong, Soleil Moon Frye, Cedric the Entertainer, Aries Spears, Cree Summer, Phil LaMarr and Kevin Michael Richardson, among others.
The show earned multiple accolades over its run, including several Annie Award nominations in 2003 and 2004 and even more nods from the Image Awards (winning Cedric the Entertainer an Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series award in 2003), as well as a BET Comedy Award for Outstanding Animated Series in 2004. The Proud Family Movie debuted on TV in 2005.
DreamWorks Animation and Pearl Studio’s Abominable is ready to roar on Digital tomorrow (December 3), coming soon to 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand (Dec. 17). Ahead of the home entertainment debut of this heartwarming, high-climbing Himalayan adventure, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has offered a sneak peek at some of the compelling bonus content that awaits fans.
Check out the clip below and learn “How to Draw Everest” from DWA story artist Daniel Tal!
Abominable centers on teenager Yi (Chloe Bennet), who encounters a young Yeti on the roof of her apartment building in China. Yi and her mischievous friends, Jin (Tenzing Norgay Trainor) and Peng (Albert Tsai), name the foundling “Everest” and embark on an epic quest to reunite the magical creature with his family at the highest point on Earth. But the trio of friends will have to stay one-step ahead of Burnish (Eddie Izzard), a wealthy man intent on capturing a Yeti, and zoologist Dr. Zara (Sarah Paulson) to help Everest get home.
Written and directed by Jill Culton (Open Season, Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc.), co-directed by Todd Wilderman (Open Season 2) and produced by Suzanne Buirgy and Peilin Chou, Abominable also features the voices of Tsai Chin and Michelle Wong.
The home release features tons of fun bonus content including two original shorts (theatrical short Marooned and a new “Abominable” installment, Show and Tell), deleted scenes, and activities for the entire family to enjoy.
***This article originally ran in the January ’20 issue of Animation Magazine (No. 296)***
Over the last two decades, DC Comics’ super-villainess Harley Quinn has blown up the box office, kicked ass in comic books and made an indelible mark on pop culture (she was #15 in most-searched-for costumes for Halloween this year according to Google, above “vampire” and, more poignantly, “Joker”). Now DC’s resident psychologist-turned-psycho is returning to the place where it all began: television. Or, more accurately, web TV, with a new eponymous series on DC Universe in which Harley’s as likely to be seen having heart-to-hearts with Poison Ivy as slamming one of Joker’s henchman through the knee with a baseball bat — all while dropping plenty of F-bombs. Because not only is this version of Harley Quinn hilarious, touching and irreverent, it’s also R-rated.
“The studio called us and literally just said, ‘Do you have any interest in doing an R-rated, adult animated Harley Quinn show?’ To which, you know, we couldn’t say yes quickly enough,” says Patrick Schumacker, who wrote and executive produced the series alongside Justin Halpern and Dean Lorey. The cast, which includes Big Bang Theory‘s Kaley Cuoco in the title role alongside Alan Tudyk as The Joker and Lake Bell’s Ivy, were equally enthusiastic. “It was a no-brainer,” says Cuoco, of the opportunity to play Harley. “Who doesn’t want to voice one of the most iconic, badass, edgy female characters we need today?”
Having first appeared in Bruce Timm’s Batman: The Animated Series 27 years ago and quickly emerging as a fan-favorite, today there are an overwhelming number of Harley iterations to draw from. For producer Jennifer Coyle, however, the original series was the obvious starting point. “For me, there’s only one Harley Quinn, and it’s from Batman Animated,” says Coyle, although she adds that this latest incarnation of Harley shares “DNA” with Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti’s comic-book version, while Schumacker also cites DC’s New 52 and Mad Love as touchstones.
“We took a nod from [Conner’s] design style,” Coyle explains. “And we took a nod from the original series, and then we took a bit of the Suicide Squad version of Harley with the pink and the blue hair.” As for Cuoco, with Harley having been voiced by a carousel of cherished actors such as Arleen Sorkin and Tara Strong, she decided to focus on putting her own spin on the character rather than mimicking anyone else’s. “Harley’s iconic enough,” Cuoco says. “Also, my voice is extremely recognizable so I didn’t want to try a voice that sounded fake and put on.”
Harley Quinn
Building a Female Icon
Character designer Shane Glines, who trained under Timm at Warner Bros. was tasked with integrating all the different animated inspirations “and coming up with something that works as perfectly as she does,” Coyle says.
While creating a coherent version of Harley was a challenge, so was balancing the character’s sensuality. “That was a big concern, because this show is really about her evolution as a woman and over-sexualizing the characters could be the opposite of that,” Coyle acknowledges. “I mean, we wanted to be loyal to the characters — like, the woman is wearing vinyl underwear [in Conner’s comic-book version] — but having said that, we took pains to not make her overly sexualized.” Not only did that extend to Harley’s appearance — of all the characters she went through the most design iterations — but also her body language. “She slouches,” says Coyle. “And she never does this doll pose where she’s looking vacant and her toes are pointed together like you see a lot in anime shows. We were on a constant lookout to make her not too girly-girl and more just like a real, adult — psychotic — woman.”
Harley QuinnHarley Quinn
That much is evident in the narrative, which follows Harley’s emotional development as she extricates herself from an abusive relationship with Joker and regains her self-esteem. “We did want it to be emotionally grounded,” says Halpern. “That was really important for us throughout the show, [because] if it didn’t have any emotional grounding to it, if you didn’t care about what Harley cared about, then it’s just a lot of people saying ‘f***’ and a lot of blood.”
Meanwhile, her bond with Ivy acts as the linchpin of the series. “It is about a female relationship at its core but with a lot of testosterone in there as well,” says Bell. The show neatly zips between poignancy, comedy and senseless violence, with any emotional development punctuated by plenty of gore and meta quips (“Women aren’t funny,” Joker complains in one scene, before shooting a henchman through the chest).
Harley Quinn
“There’s a naughtiness and kind of an aggressiveness to some of the storylines that I feel like are often held for male characters,” says Bell. “And I think that that part of it, getting to do wildly expansive and violent and aggressive heist and action sequences, is really refreshing. The people who are driving that hard comedy but then hard action are the female characters.” As well as the female-led cast, the crew included a number of women in the writing room as well as on the production team, with Coyle once again working alongside supervising director Cecilia Aranovic.
Funny, Outrageous and Grounded
“When we pitched the show way back in 2016, we talked about it as like a female version of Ferris Bueller,” says Halpern, envisioning Harley as Ferris and Ivy as Cameron Frye. “There is that sort of classic two-hander buddy comedy.” Halpern, Schumacker and Lorey also cite Rick and Morty, Archer and Arrested Development (on which Lorey was a producer) as comedic influences. “It just runs the absolute emotional gamut, from super happy to super violent to super angry to super broken-hearted,” says Coyle of the series. Cuoco agrees: “It’s edgy, outrageous, aggressive and hilarious, but completely grounded at the same time.”
Harley Quinn
Much of that comedy is driven by the distinctly R-rated humor, which, in addition to graphic violence, includes a ton of f***s. “There was remarkably little pushback from the studio,” says Lorey. “We were kind of amazed that they were as willing to go with it as they were. There were very, very few things that they actually pushed back on, although, after a point we did hear a little bit about tonnage. We were very ‘f****’. We cut back a little bit.” In fact, after the writers managed to cram 22 F-bombs into the pilot, the studio instituted a cap of eight to nine per episode. “I’d get emails saying, ‘Did anybody do a f*** count on episode 20?’” laughs Coyle.
“We’ve pared back,” says Schumacker. “But I don’t think it really loses anything. If you’re looking for foul language, this is the show for you!”
The team also took obvious delight in being able to poke fun at DC’s flagship superheroes, including Batman and Superman. “[The studio] has been great in the sense that, really, they gave us carte blanche to use any of their characters,” says Lorey. “I mean, we’ll see as the series goes along, there’s pretty much no giant character, hero or villain, that’s untouched by the show.” There was, however, a limit to just how much ragging studio execs were prepared to see some of those characters endure. “I think Batman for certain they are very protective of,” says Coyle. “We did pitch one board where Batman — I think they taped a sign to his back that said, ‘I f*** bats,’ and DC was like — [in fact] I think it wasn’t even DC. I don’t think it even got to that. The [show] executives were like, ‘Absolutely not. You can’t do that to Batman.’ So there are lines.”
Harley Quinn
With Harley taking frequent pops at some of DC’s most beloved characters in addition to maiming and killing Gotham’s goons, another challenge was keeping the audience on-side. “That came up a lot, especially at the beginning. We were all very concerned that too much violence would make her — that people would not like her anymore,” Coyle admits. They mitigated that in part by ensuring Harley sticks to killing universally despised characters such as bankers and henchmen. And even there the writers tempered some of the more extreme violence, including one idea which involved Harley tearing off someone’s head and hitting someone else with the spinal cord. “So we didn’t we didn’t end up going with that,” Coyle deadpans. “And I think that was a wise decision at the end, because overall she is quite a sympathetic character.”
Harley QuinnHarley Quinn
The team also built in empathy by ensuring viewers see the world through Harley’s eyes, for example by toning down the traditional heroes’ color palettes. “Their clothing is a little bit more muted, their colors are a little bit darker because they are the dull ones,” Coyle explains. “Harley doesn’t think they’re cool at all. They’re not ‘sparkle people’ to her.” Elsewhere Gotham’s colors pop a little brighter than they have in previous iterations of the city. “And things are a little bit more extreme and wild than you might have seen before,” adds Lorey. “And that was sort of true of the gore. If it’s from Harley’s point of view, she revels in all that kind of stuff, so we wanted to lean into that.”
On top of balancing the action, “hyper-real” violence, snappy dialogue, comedy and heart, the animators (some of whom were based in Korea) managed to deliver almost all 26 episodes in the space of 24 months. With each episode taking almost a year to produce, the team worked across multiple episodes simultaneously. “It was an incredibly demanding show for animators. Like really, really demanding, because it had to be funny,” says Schumacker. In many scenes characters talk over each other or during intense action sequences, which proved not only difficult to storyboard and animate but also to voice. “I do a ton of screaming and fight scenes that I basically act out in the booth, so my voice tends to get exhausted,” says Cuoco. “But it’s so worth it because I no longer have to pay my therapist. This has become my therapy!”
No doubt Dr. Harleen Quinzel would thoroughly approve.
An all-new holiday special based on DreamWorks Animation’s hugely popular film trilogy, How to Train Your Dragon: Homecoming will premiere on NBC on December 3 at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT. Welcoming back original voice stars Jay Baruchel (Hiccup), America Ferrera (Astrid), Gerard Butler (Stoick), Craig Ferguson (Gobber) and Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Fishlegs), the epic half-hour adventure features music by composer Anthony Willis which Animag is delighted to share with our readers ahead of the big debut!
Taking place just before the emotional epilogue from the last installment of the film trilogy – and 10 years after the end of How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World – How to Train Your Dragon: Homecoming opens with Hiccup and Toothless sharing stories of their special relationship with their respective families as they prepare for the Snoggletog Festival.
When it becomes clear that the new generation of Vikings doesn’t remember the bond between dragon and human, Hiccup makes a plan to celebrate dragons with a grand holiday pageant. This heartwarming idea leads to a series of hilarious and exciting events, but no matter the circumstance, everyone in New Berk – young and old alike – is reminded that dragons and humans are forever bonded.
“John Powell’s beautiful scores for the How to Train Your Dragon trilogy are some of the most respected in film music. Writing the score for How to Train Your Dragon: Homecoming has therefore been an enormous honor,” said Willis. “After the dramatic conclusion of The Hidden World, it’s no surprise that this new story has a very nostalgic aspect. John Powell and director Tim Johnson (Antz, Sinbad, Home) invited me to compose a new central theme for ‘Memory’, to help us to support our characters as they reflect on the past. It was a great challenge to compose this in such a way that it would evoke the spirit of the world that John created, and work in combination with the beloved themes he wrote for the film series.”
“I’m so excited to share these two tracks exclusively on Animation Magazine, which both feature the new memory theme. The full soundtrack will be available on iTunes and Spotify on December 3rd, the same day that the holiday special airs on NBC, and I feel so fortunate to be able to share some new music with fans of such a beloved franchise.”
How to Train Your Dragon: Homecoming will also be available on DVD Dec. 3, and on Digital Dec. 4, from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. The Digital and DVD versions come packed with special bonus features, including an inside look at the animation test featuring the breakout stars of the holiday special, the baby dragons known as Night Lights. Homecoming will make its streaming debut on Hulu beginning Dec. 5.
The score by Anthony Willis is getting released digitally by Universal’s Back Lot Music on December 3.
How to Train Your Dragon: Homecoming is directed by Tim Johnson (Home, Antz), written by Jonathan Groff and Jon Pollack and associate produced by Craig Rittenbaum.
Anthony Willis has a diverse list of composition credits, such as seasons 6-8 of video game sensation Fortnite, BAFTA-nominated Playstation game Knack II, Sundance selected comedy It Happened in L.A. and horror thriller The Hive. A protégé of Oscar-nominated composer John Powell, Willis has also contributed additional music to major Hollywood franchise films, including including: How to Train Your Dragon 2 & 3, Jumanji: The Next Level, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Ralph Breaks the Internet, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, Jason Bourne, Rio 2 and Despicable Me 2.
Upcoming projects include Amin Matalqa’s animated adventure Hump, starring Simon Pegg and Gaten Matarrazo.
Willis grew up in London, and began his musical training as a chorister of St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, England. He went on to study Composition at Marlborough College, Wilshire and the University of Bristol, before earning his graduate degree from the University of Southern California. He is based at 5 Cat Studios in Los Angeles and lives in Venice Beach.
Following a successful MIPCOM, Cyber Group Studios, the multi-award-winning company that produces and distributes animated series for kids and families, has secured a raft of international deals with leading broadcasters.
“We are thrilled that the market has so warmly welcomed our programs around the world,” said Raphaelle Mathieu, Senior Vice President Sales, Acquisitions and Digital, Cyber Group Studios. “I am particularly proud to strengthen our relationships with clients in Eastern Europe and Asia, territories that have become increasingly important in our development strategy.”
New deals include:
Western Europe:
France & Benelux – Droners (26 x 22’ HD 2D/CGI), the new hit series from Cyber Group Studios and La Chouette Compagnie, which has ranked as the #17 most-screened program at MIP Junior this year, has been presold to TF1 (France) and Disney Chanel (France and Benelux).
Netherlands – Mini-Ninjas season 1 (52 x 11’ HD 2D/CGI) based on the best-selling video game distributed by Square Enix (over a million units sold) and official nominee at Pulcinella Awards, Cartoon on the Bay (Italy) and at the Seoul International Cartoon & Animation Festival, SICAF (South Korea) has been acquired by Disney.
Italy – Ernest and Rebecca (52 x 11’ HD 2D) an animated comedy series commissioned by TF1 (France), full of tenderness, energy and based on the eponymous comic book, has been acquired by Discovery.
Eastern Europe:
Poland – TVP ABC has acquired three major series: Gigantosaurus (52 x 11’ HD 2D/CGI) – Cyber Group Studios’ hit series, commissioned by Disney Worldwide and France TV; Tom Sawyer(26 x 22’ HD 2D/CGI) – the company’s latest classic hit, coproduced with PVP and with RAI/SRC/HR/ARD, among others, as initial partners; Zorro The Chronicles(26 x 22’ HD CGI) – the iconic series that has already been sold in more than 170 territories globally. ITI Neovision has acquired Ernest and Rebecca (52 x 11’ HD 2D) and Mirette Investigates (52 x 11’ HD 2D).
Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia, Croatia – Prava i Prevodi has acquired a package of four library titles: Raju the Rickshaw (78 x 7’ HD CGI), Animalia (40 x 24’ HD CGI), Guess What? (52 x 7’ HD CGI) and Patch Pillows (78 x 7’ HD CGI).
Asia Pacific:
Australia – ABC Australia has acquiredSadie Sparks(52 x 11’ HD 2D/CGI)
China – Shanghai Senyu Culture Media has acquiredMia(39 x 11’ HD CGI)
Taiwan – PTS has acquiredGigantosaurus (52 x 11’ HD 2D/CGI)
Myanmar – Canal+ has acquired Mini Ninjas season 2 (104 x 11’ HD CGI) and Mademoizelle Zazie(78 x 7’ HD CGI)
Thailand – Cinexplex/True Visions has picked up Leo the Wildlife Ranger (60 x 11’ HD CGI) and Zak Jinks(52 x 11’ HD 2D)
Hong Kong – TVB has acquired The Pirates Next Door(52 x 11’ HD CGI) and The Long Long Holiday(26 x 22’ HD CGI)
Bangladesh – Barind has acquired a package of programs, including Ozie Boo Save the Planet (78 x 7’ HD CGI), season 1 of Mini Ninjas(104 x 11’ HD CGI) and feature film Iqbal, Tale of a Fearless Child(80’ HD CGI)
Vietnam – SCTV has acquired Mini Ninjasseason 1 (104 x 11’ HD CGI)
Global independent kids and family content distributor Jetpack Distribution announced a series of LatAmdeals for hit shows from its catalogue, including Oswaldo, Boj, Yoko and Kazoops. The company is growing its footprint across the Latin American region.
Oswaldo, is now available on Netflix in parts of Latin America as well as airing on broadcasters including Cartoon Network in Latin America, Italy, the Middle East and Africa, TV Cultura in Brazil, Gulli and Canal J in France and Disney in Southeast Asia.
Hispanic streamer Edye (which launched earlier this year in the U.S. and Latin America) has bought the rights to the first seasons of preschool animation Boj, which airs on multiple broadcasters including CBeebies and RTE, and Yoko, which airs on broadcasters across the world including TVE, Nat Geo Kids and Nickelodeon.
Mexico-based TV Azteca has acquired the rights to season one of Kazoops — another global preschool hit airing on channels worldwide including CBeebies (U.K.) and Cartoonito in Italy.
LatAm-based children’s TV channel Nat Geo Kids has also acquired the rights to season two of Yoko.
“We are thrilled to find homes in LatAm for these gems! They are top performing shows from our catalogue, with a proven track record of success across the globe. This is a very important market for Jetpack,” said Sophie Prigent, Jetpack Distribution Sales Director.
Just after Thanksgiving, Disney Junior will be getting in the winter holiday spirit with new, special episodes of international preschool favorites Bluey and Gigantosaurus.
Premiering Saturday, November 30, Bluey “Verandah Santa” takes place during Christmas, and Bluey is very focused on being extra good to get more presents. But when a game of Verandah Santa leaves cousin Socks upset, Bluey must learn the virtue of kindness.
Bluey follows the adventures of a lovable and inexhaustible 6-year-old Blue Heeler puppy who lives with her Dad (Bandit), her Mum (Chilli) and 4-year-old little sis, Bingo. In each episode, Bluey takes the everyday events of family life and uses her limitless Blue Heeler energy to invent elaborate games that unfold in unpredictable and hilarious ways, bringing her family and the whole neighborhood into her world of fun.
On Saturday, December 7, young fans will celebrate “The Shortest Day” with the Gigantosaurus gang! On the shortest day of the year, Tiny throws a huge party to lift everyone’s spirits. She promises to decorate a big tree in the Frozen Land, have lots of food, and give gifts to everyone. But what happens when all the decorations, food and presents fall into a crevasse? Can the dinosaurs still have fun without it all? On this day when night comes the earliest, Tiny and the others learn they already have everything they need – each other.
Gigantosaurus invites the youngest of viewers along on the prehistoric adventures of four curious young dinosaur friends, Rocky, Bill, Tiny and Mazu, as they explore the mystery of “Gigantosaurus” – the biggest, fiercest dinosaur of all. Every imagination-inspiring episode follows the group on a quest, as they face their individual fears and work together to solve a problem. As the inquisitive Mazu, playful Tiny, timid Bill, and courageous Rocky aim to learn more about Gigantosaurus, they discover they each have something to learn from him, too!
This holiday weekend, children and their families can get cozy and click on to PBS KIDS to check out a new animated holiday special inspired by a Christmas classic.
Premiering and live streaming Friday, November 29 as a Family Night event on PBS KIDS 24/7, Nature Cat: A Nature Carol is a fresh update on the evergreen Charles Dickens tale. In the one-hour special, Nature Cat is visited by the spirits of Nature Past (Daisy), Present (Squeeks) and Future (Hall) on Christmas Eve.
The popular PBS KIDS animated series centers on house cat Fred, a dreamer of the great outdoors. Once his family leaves for the day, Fred becomes Nature Cat and with the help of his animal friends, he embarks on action-packed adventures that allow him to explore the natural world.
The series and new special features the voices of comic actors, including Saturday Night Live alums Taran Killam (Nature Cat), Kate McKinnon (Squeeks), Bobby Moynihan (Hal) and Kenan Thompson (Ronald). Kate Micucci rounds out the cast as Daisy.
Christina Miller, President of Warner Media’s Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Boomerang and TCM, announced today that she would be leaving at the end of the year after nearly 15 years with the company in various leadership roles.
“This is not a decision I came to lightly,” said Miller. “It’s one of the hardest I’ve had to make in my career. Ultimately, it feels like the right time for me to leave and take a little time to think about what comes next, but I do so feeling immensely proud of the work we’ve done together and so grateful for the experience.”
“Christina has been a respected and impactful leader since she joined the company,” said Ann Sarnoff, Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Warner Bros. “We wish her the best of luck in the next chapter of her career, where I know she’ll continue to enjoy great success.”
Michael Ouweleen, Executive Vice President/Chief Marketing Officer, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and Boomerang, will serve as the interim President, and Miller will help with the transition.
Miller has led the Kids and Young Adults division for the last five years, responsible for all aspects of the business including global oversight of content development and production and franchise management. Her leadership also extended to oversight of the premium video subscription service, Boomerang. She most recently was given responsibility of TCM.
Under her leadership, Adult Swim continues to be the #1 network with young adults. Along with the success of award winning shows like Adventure Time, Rick and Morty, Steven Universe, and global franchises The Powerpuff Girls and Ben 10, Miller has also gained a reputation as a thought leader on the topic of how to inspire kids to be the next generation of creators and innovators; and for the inspirational campaign Stop Bullying Speak Up and partnerships with Dove, which have given kids the tools and resources needed for confidence and self-expression in their daily lives.
Miller wrote in her statement to employees:
More than 14 years ago, what brought me to this company was the prospect of working on some of the world’s most iconic brands – but what has kept me here all these years are the amazing, talented and all-around great people with whom I’ve had the pleasure of working. The laughing, grinding and executing of big ideas across all of our businesses has been what has set us apart, and the talent contained within the organization is truly awe-inspiring. Every single day, I have been motivated, challenged, educated, entertained and fulfilled by each of you, and my path has been made better and the successes richer because they were achieved together.
What stands out to me most about this experience is the countless opportunities I’ve been afforded, the support of what, at the time, seemed like crazy ideas that ultimately transformed our business, and the trust that was given to me every step of the way. I am grateful beyond measure to the entire executive leadership team past and present for investing in me and allowing me to manage my career path in ways I could have never expected. It has been the experience of a lifetime, and one I will never forget. I leave here considering myself incredibly lucky to have called this “work” for so long.
Prior to her current position, Miller was General Manager of NBA Digital and SVP of Turner Sports Strategy/Marketing/Programming, where she led the day-to-day operations for the NBA Digital portfolio, managing relationships with league partners, as well as the strategic planning and scheduling of on-air sports programming and developing marketing programs for the division’s linear and digital properties. She joined Turner (WarnerMedia) in 2005 as Vice president, Cartoon Network Enterprises, where she was responsible for building the division’s first global consumer products business, and after serving as SVP of brand management and licensing for HIT Entertainment.
Miller currently serves on the Boards of The Shed, Scratch and Hello Sunshine.
***This article originally ran in the January ‘20 issue of Animation Magazine (No. 296)***
When animation writer and director Peter Browngardt was in junior high, his brother took him to see a screening of classic Chuck Jones Looney Tunes shorts at the Museum of Moving Image. Jones also appeared in person to promote his book Chuck Amuck. “That experience changed my life forever,” he recalls. “It was the first time I was seeing so many watch these shorts together and laugh at all these great shorts. It was such an amazing communal experience.”
Years later, Browngardt — who is best known for creating acclaimed Cartoon Network series Uncle Grandpa (2010-2017) and Secret Mountain Fort Awesome (2011-2012) and working on shows such as Chowder, Adventure Time and Steven Universe — is now overseeing Warner Bros’ upcoming Looney Tunes Cartoons series, which will stream on the new service HBO Max in 2020. One of the series’ shorts, The Curse of the Monkey Bird, is one of the year’s big Oscar and Annie Award contenders in the Best Animated Short race.
The beautifully designed and animated short finds Porky Pig (Bob Bergen) and Daffy Duck (Eric Bauza) venturing into the lair of a mysterious “Monkey Bird” to get their hands on some hidden treasure. Classic animation fans are already raving about the short’s on-target homage to ‘40s-era Looney Tunes shorts.
“Monkey Bird was the first short we produced, and we spent more time on the animation, the design, the music — we had the full orchestra — specifically to be able to screen it theatrically,” says Browngardt, who names classics such as Falling Hare, Hare Ribbin’, Buccaneer Bunny and Hair-Raising Hare as some of his favorites. “I am a huge fan of those early Chuck Jones, Bob Clampett and Friz Freleng shorts.”
The Curse of the Monkey Bird
A Valentine to the Past
Browngardt and his team began to develop the idea to reboot the Looney Tunes characters with a deep reverence for their origins in the fall of 2017, and the series began production in 2018. The shorts, which were first introduced at Annecy in June, go back to the roots of the characters.
“The characters’ personalities were wacky, zany and high-energy,” notes the director. “We wanted the shorts to be more surreal and cartoony. Our challenge was how to recreate the old style of animation and characters while bringing that energy and aesthetic to 2019 and 2020. That language and feel of cartoony animation is not so much around anymore. But that’s how I fell in love with the medium. I used to watch those shorts on TNT and on my older brother’s videotapes.”
The Emmy-nominated director and his team of 50 work on the cartoons at the Warner Bros. Animation studio in Burbank, but they are also aided by four international studios (Tonic DNA in Montreal, Yowza! in Toronto, Yearim in Korea and Snipple in the Philippines. “It was a really global effort to create these classic cartoons,” says Browngardt. “We had people from all parts of the world working with these characters that are so timeless and well known. They all used a variety of methods — from old-fashioned pencil and paper, all the way to Toon Boom Harmony and Adobe software — to produce the animation.”
The Curse of the Monkey Bird
The artists studied all of the classic designs of the characters as inspiration for each one of the shorts. “Every director had their own take on Bugs, Daffy and Porky,” says Browngardt. “We did a lot of drawing and decided to cherry pick from all the characters in time to land on our versions of the characters. We wanted the fluidity and energy. Our characters are more rounded, more squat. We gave Bugs yellow gloves, and Daffy has the longer, thinner bill. Porky is Clampett’s version, with the bigger eyes and head. We definitely did a lot of homework!”
Browngardt says he and his team have been thrilled by the positive response of fans at screenings. “As much as I want to take credit, it all comes down not screwing up these beloved, universal characters. I like to say that we are standing on the shoulders of giants, hoping that we don’t lose our balance and fall flat on our faces. The people who made the original shorts invented this art form. They took the baton and ran with it. They learned on the job and had decades to perfect it. They are the Michelangelos of this art for. I just hope that our shorts will make people laugh. If I can get audiences to have that same communal experience that I had when I saw the Looney Tunes in the theater for the first time, that would be amazing.”
The Curse of the Monkey Bird is directed by Peter Browngardt; exec produced by Browngardt and Sam Register. Supervising producer: Alex Kirwan. Story: Browngardt, Johnny Ryan, Eddie Tigueros. Music: Joshua Moshier. Art director: Aaron Spurgeon. Character designers: Kali Fontecchio, Carey Yost. Animation director: Joey Capps. Story editor: Johnny Ryan.
***This article originally ran in the January ‘20 issue of Animation Magazine (No. 296)***
It’s no secret that the booming animated short format has allowed numerous artists to explore exciting, bold and risky subject matter in a variety of styles. Two of the year’s most thought-provoking shorts — Lisa LaBracio and Anna Samo’s The Opposites Game and Floor Adams’ Mind My Mind—take different approaches in tackling two timely and relevant topics in our lives today. The first examines the way we look at gun violence, while the latter offers an interesting way of illustrating the many daily challenges faced by someone with autism.
The Opposites Game is part of the TED-Ed series “There’s a Poem for That,” a youth and education initiative which features animated interpretations of poems that give language to some of life’s biggest feelings. With the help of poet and TED speaker, Sarah Kay, TED-Ed curated a series comprised of eight poems from contemporary spoken-word poets, and four poems by poets of the past. As a TED-Ed animation director, Lisa LaBracio took a peek at all the available poems and was specifically drawn to Brendan Constantine’s poem.
“This was my first time ‘meeting’ Brendan’s work,” says LaBracio. “When I first read The Opposites Game, Brendan’s exchange with his students made me laugh. I am also a teacher. I’ve taught art and animation to young people in New York City classrooms, homeless shelters and community spaces for more than a decade. Brendan’s poem reminded me of lessons I’ve done with my own students, how their ideas shape the entire lesson, and how often times they teach me something unexpected by the end of a class!”
Opposites Game
Unanswered Questions
LaBracio says Constantine’s words also hit her in the pit of her stomach. “Gun violence touches the lives of most of my students, in and out of the classroom,” she explains. “I love that Brendan’s poem asks questions, not just of the students in his classroom, but also of the audience. And I love that he never answers those questions for us, or seeks to tell us how to feel.”
Samo, who grew up in Russia and lived in Germany for a long time, recalls being surprised when she saw “no guns” signs all around her neighborhood when she first moved to Chicago. “At first, I thought it was a joke, but soon enough the reality of the city and this land started to dawn on me,” she recalls. “The way I grew up, for me there is only one answer: There should be no guns in a civil world. And though after six years spent in this country I am able to better understand the complexity of this issue, my reaction is still the same.”
LaBracio and Samo began working on the short in the summer of 2018, and the two spent some time throwing ideas around before Samo did her first tests in August. The production wrapped at the end of last year and was first published in January of 2019. The directors knew that they wanted the animation to be tactile, to balance the innocence vs. profundity in the poem and to use the materials from the classroom. “We began by looking at chalkboard animations, and also William Kentridge’s animations and illustrations on book pages, and we were also looking at some blackout poetry,” says LaBracio.
The Opposites Game was animated directly under the camera and shot using Dragonframe. It was drawn frame-by-frame with charcoal pencils inside of a book — or to be precise, inside of nine books. “We began by painting out Emily Dickinson’s poems, whiting them out,” says LaBracio. “Then, working with charcoal pencils and dry pastel for splashes of color, we drew each frame, turned the page, and began a new drawing on the next one. We looked for ways to integrate some stop-motion elements — we folded the pages, crumpled them up, and cut into the book to bring more visual diversity into the film. We collected the remnants (the torn pages, the pencil shavings, the charcoal dust) and we cast these into our scenes along the way.”
Opposites Game
All the animation was produced and created in Samo’s Brooklyn home studio and LaBracio’s lower Manhattan studio at TED’s headquarters. The duo were the only animation artists to work on the visuals and concepts for the show, but they were also assisted by TED-Ed’s editorial and production teams who produced the entire series, as well as Weston Fonger of Yessian for sound design and, of course, the poet Brendan Constantine, who supported them on the entire journey.
The artists are quick to mention that one of the wonderful things about working with TED-Ed is that animators are given complete creative freedom with developing the concept and style of their shorts. “We also had a lot of freedom in how we presented our progress along the way. Instead of storyboarding, we started off with some simple animation tests that were done very quickly, but already contained ideas we would use in the film.”
They also point out that it’s been quite an experience to follow how audiences react to the short online. “You know, after months of looking at a film frame-by-frame, you forget that it’s funny and surprising and moving, and hearing all of those reactions in an audience has been so rewarding,” says LaBracio. “Since TED-Ed’s core online audience is made up of teachers and students, we’re also delighted to hear feedback from our educator community that the film is being used in the classroom to start challenging conversations, and we have also received a lot of requests to screen the film at various gun violence awareness events.”
Lisa LoBracio and Anna Samo
Inside a Special Mind
Floor Adams’ Mind My Mind is another example of an animator using a deceptively simple animation style to tackle a complex issue. Adams, who teaches animation to young people with autism, wanted to depict the daily difficulties of social interactions for autistic individuals. She remembers how one of her students knew everything about the Tokyo metro system, so she asked him how he stored all the information, and why? “He said he just finds it interesting and therefore then remembers it, even though he is not able to organize his day or do his homework,” Adams notes. “That made me think: What does that look like from the inside? How does such a brain work?”
Around the same time, Adams had a short-lived relationship with someone with autism. “Until that diagnosis came, I never suspected it,” she recalls. “That was a strange sensation: working with people with autism but not recognizing it outside that context. That there is such a hidden world in someone. For many, autism is very elusive and cryptic. And in many cases also invisible, or masked. But the daily struggle is great and therefore important to be aware of. Animation is a wonderful medium to visualize this.”
Mind My Mind
Adams first thought about the idea for her short about 10 years ago. She prepared by doing many months of research, during which she sent former students questionnaires, read many books and scientific articles, and had conversations with autism experts. She received her first grant in 2013 and worked on the project on her own for about a year and a half. But because of the short’s length, she needed more financial support, and that’s when producer Willem Thijssen (Father and Daughter) from CinéTé came on board. Eventually, the short grew to almost 30 minutes and it became a Dutch-Belgian co-production when producer Tom Van Gestel (Fabrique Fantastique) joined the team.
The short, which was made with a budget of around 290,000 euros ($310,000) took about six years to complete. “We were able to produce it thanks to the help of many volunteers in the paint department and friendly professionals who assisted for a minimal fee,” says Adams. “A total of 59 people were involved in the production — not full time, though; some of them for a couple of years, others for a small part of the production.”
For the filmmaker, creating the look for the film was one of the biggest challenges, because it required building a complete, new logic. “I first mapped out in words and on notes what the most important characteristics of autism are, how this process works internally and what the obstacles are,” she notes. “This went hand in hand with writing the screenplay, because the dramaturgy also had to feel right.
Mind My Mind
Adams is very pleased that the short has generated positive reactions from autistic people, who feel represented by the film and see it as an opportunity to finally be able to show their loved ones what the world looks like for them. “Conversely, almost everyone knows an autistic person, and the film offers insight into their internal world,” she adds. “But even though it is inspired by the experiences of autistic people, it has become a very universal story about social discomfort, daily struggle and being or feeling different. It appears to be very recognizable for many people, and I notice that it makes conversations about these fears and difficulties easier and connects people to each other.”
Just like LaBracio and Samo, Adams is a firm believer of the myriad possibilities of the format. “Short films give room for alternative storytelling, more possibilities for experimentation and technology, and visual non-narrative feasts,” she says. “It can be narrative, abstract, poetic, fragmentary, trippy, a snapshot or a summary … there are thousands of possibilities. In the case of short animation, I think visual art and film can really meet, more than in a feature. By playing with style, image, rhythm, music, you can push the boundaries a bit more. The short film is a genre in itself and, in my view, not a stepping stone to a feature, but a completely different form of filmmaking.”
Animation Magazine will be observing the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday Thursday, November 28 and Friday, November 29. This means no email newsletter in your inbox on these mornings — but you can always take a break from the family table to digest your feast and check in with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!
In the spirit of the holiday, we extend our deepest gratitude for our readers — whether you click on every day to catch the latest announcements or eagerly crack open our print issue every month to learn more about headline-making movies, shorts, shows and VFX feats! And of course, we are ever thankful for the dedicated artists and visionary studios who keep us excited, awed — and busy! — all year long.
In September, GKIDS and Fathom Events continued their collaboration to bring exciting, all-new animated features to U.S. cinemas with Promare premiere events. Due to overwhelming fan demand, the companies announce the action-packed anime will return for a special two-night encore showing in December with Promare (Redux).
The English-subtitled version will screen December 8, and both the English dub version and special 4DX immersive cinema experience will screen December 10. Promare will screen once more in 4DX on December 11. This marks the first 4DX release from GKIDS and is the first ever event cinema 4DX screening from Fathom Events.
Promare is the first feature-length film from the acclaimed Studio Trigger, creators of the hit series Kill la Kill and Little Witch Academia. Directed by Hiroyuki Imaishi (Gurren Lagann, Kill la Kill), it is the spiritual successor to many of his former works, and uses a bold cel-shaded visual style to tell a blistering action-adventure story.
In addition to the film, event attendees will view, for the first time in U.S. theaters, the 10 minute Promare prequel short, Side: Galo.
Screenings will be held Sunday, December 8 at 12:55 p.m. local time in Japanese with English-language subtitles; Tuesday, December 10 at 7:00 p.m. local time with English dub; and Wednesday, December 11 (show times will vary depending on location) in 4DX English dub only.
Tickets for Promare (Redux) can be purchased online beginning the week of December 2 by visiting www.fathomevents.com/events/promare, www.PromareMovie.com, or at participating theater box offices. A complete list of theater locations is available on the Fathom Events website (subject to change).
Created by CJ 4DPLEX, 4DX enhances the big-screen experience with immersive motion seat action and a wide range of effects, from air shots and temperature changes to fog, bubbles and scents.
In Primal — the second collaboration between stunt master-turned-director Nick Powell and actor Nicolas Cage — death lurks around every corner. An assassin is on the loose and vicious animals are, too, putting an entire ship on the defensive as an apex predator stalks its halls. To help create this CG killing machine, VFX studio Tau Films turned to Ziva VFX, bringing the power of physics-based simulations to an ambitious indie project.
The film begins in the jungle, where a trapper played by Cage is on the hunt for a rare white jaguar. After a near-fatal battle with the cat, his plans for a peaceful trip home are shattered when a political assassin (Kevin Durand) escapes and releases the dozens of animals Cage has brought on board. Chaos ensues, leaving Cage on the open sea fighting his fellow man and the deadly animals now closing in.
“We needed the audience to feel as threatened by the animals as they were by the political assassin, so the CG work had to be on point; if they didn’t feel the realism of the jaguar’s presence in that opening scene, everything else in the film would fall apart,” said Walt Jones, VFX supervisor for Tau Films.
Primal
The first step was to determine the physical stature of the cat – too small and it wouldn’t present enough of a threat, too big and it risked looking too outlandish for audiences to accept. Tau Films already knew what Ziva VFX could do after its work on Crazy Alien. But unlike an alien, this asset had to be completely grounded in reality, which meant aligning the structure of the cat to secondary dynamics.
Tau Films began by using the Ziva Anatomy Transfer tool to create its base model, kickstarting the process before the team started on look development. Tau Films then designed two separate versions of the jaguar – one regular, another blood-stained – to give them more flexibility during the fight scenes. As art direction evolved, the jaguars could be adjusted quickly, bringing subtle variations to the shots as the quadruped moved from treetop to cargo ship.
The next step was getting the jaguar to move realistically. Naturally primed for dense rain forests, jaguars are both muscular and graceful, able to run, jump and climb with ease. Since Ziva VFX is physically based, Tau Films could naturally simulate the way muscles, skin and fat interact with each other as the animal moves, often automating the process for artists. As they worked, automated muscle excitation was applied directly into the model, providing each scene with the powerful deformations and dynamics that sell the performance.
Ziva automation ultimately proved important, as the team was tasked with more than just the jaguar, including spider monkeys and tapirs. A multi-character pipeline was developed and spread over the studio’s five locations, with automated stages built in to reduce manual labor. With increased compute requirements, Tau wanted to enable automation wherever possible, since it would not only buy more time for creative iterations, but allow a small team to turn out more shots.
“There was no way any other commercial solution was going to achieve anything close to what was required for this film,” said Jones. “We were able to simulate across locations, fully synced. All while crafting animals that could blend seamlessly into the world of the film. It was pretty exciting.”
Primal
The Ziva method helped Tau Films break away from their previous tactic, which saw the studio utilizing conventional cloth-based skin simulation methods that required a lot of manual labor and multiple iterations per shot.
“With Ziva, we were not only able to save a lot of production time and effort, but we were able to see more lifelike dynamics throughout character motion,” said rigging supervisor Bharat Sabharwal. “We are quite happy with the skin movement, volume preservation and secondary jiggle deformations Ziva provides.”
Tau Films’ work on Primal represents a growing trend of CG animals coming to smaller productions. As technology develops, the process of creating realistic assets for film and episodic is becoming more accessible, opening the door for storytellers to include animals in ways that used to require exorbitant budgets and massive VFX teams.
“We knew from the start that this would be a tall order,” said Jones. “It had to look like we’d somehow managed to wrangle a real white jaguar in front of the camera, and we had to do it at high quality, on an incredibly tight indie budget. Thanks to Ziva,we hit our marks, creating some of our most compelling designs yet.”
Primal
Images courtesy Tau Films.
Primal screens in select U.S. theaters and on VOD via Lionsgate; available on Digital Dec. 31 and Blu-ray/DVD on Jan. 7. Additional European theatrical releases are planned for early 2020.
Founded by John Hughes, Mandeep Singh and Walt Jones in 2014, Tau Films is an international creative content and visual effects group, serving high-end feature film, theme park, commercial, television, special venue and museum clients in the global marketplace. Tau Films has a core creative and supervisory team in Los Angeles, with a global team and facilities in Kuala Lumpur, Hyderabad and Vancouver, as well as artistic talent across Europe, Asia and Australia.
Ziva Dynamics is the world’s leading virtual character software company. Ziva’s physics computation and simulation platform, coupled with standardized character assets, offer groundbreaking solutions for creating high-quality virtual humans and creatures, and designing lifelike digital experiences.
All is merry and bright on Cartoon Network this December with the premiere of four new episodes of Steven Universe Future on Saturday, Dec. 7 (8 p.m., ET/PT), with more episodes continuing to air Saturdays through the month.
In the epilogue limited series, after saving the universe, Steven is still at it, tying up every loose end. But as he runs out of other people’s problems to solve, he’ll finally have to face his own. Haunted by the past and lost in the present, Steven begins manifesting new, uncontrollable powers that the Crystal Gems have never seen from him before. What does it all mean, and what does Steven want for his future?
Unwrap more animated gifts all month long with new episodes of Apple & Onion, Teen Titans Go! and other hit CN series.
Apple & Onion
Cartoon Network December highlights:
Sunday, Dec. 1
7:00 a.m. Bakugan: Battle Planet “Girl Power/Return to the Fold” When Lia battles with China Riot, they eventually come to an understanding as China finally realizes she’s been set up by Benton/Tiko. | On the run and with options dwindling, the AO turn to Shun’s father, Ichiro Kazami, for help.
Saturday, Dec. 7
6:30 a.m. Transformers Cyberverse “Party Down” An Autobot party turns into an uncontrollable brawl that could destroy them all!
9:30 a.m. Apple & Onion “Positive Attitude Theory” Apple and Onion spend a day in Falafel’s shoes and use their positive attitude to prove he shouldn’t be so grumpy. “Follow Your Dreams” Apple and Onion need to find a dream to follow, so that their lives don’t head nowhere.
8:00 p.m. Steven Universe Future “Little Homeschool” Welcome to Little Homeschool, a place on earth where Gems from all over the universe can come learn how to live together peacefully! But there’s one Gem who refuses to attend. “Guidance” Amethyst has been helping Little Homeschool Gems find jobs on the boardwalk, but Steven isn’t sure about her approach. “Rose Buds” Steven gets a surprise visit from some old friends, and an even more surprising introduction to some new ones. “Volleyball” Steven is determined to help Pink Diamond’s original Pearl heal the scar on her face.
Sunday, Dec. 8
7:00 a.m. Bakugan: Battle Planet “Kazami Family Feud/Greatest of the Kazami” Masato attacks, but the AO soon realize that Ichiro is keeping a Golden Bakugan captive, forcing them to choose between the lesser of two evils! | Shun makes an impassioned plea to Ichiro, but it is too late as the Kazami compound is overrun by Bakuzon and the Visvus Cell is lost.
The Amazing World of Gumball
Saturday, Dec. 14
6:30 a.m. Transformers Cyberverse “Wiped Out” Hotrod takes Bumblebee and Cheetor spaceboarding through an asteroid field where they encounter Sharkticons.
10:00 a.m. The Amazing World of Gumball “Darwin’s Yearbook – Banana Joe” When Principal Brown sets Darwin the task of making the school yearbook, Darwin starts by asking class clown Banana Joe for a simple selfie to put on the cover. But with Banana Joe, things are never that simple. Featuring hilarious clips from the first six seasons of The Amazing World of Gumball. “Darwin’s Yearbook – Clayton” Darwin needs to find a photo of Clayton to put on the cover of the school yearbook – but he makes the mistake of seeking help from Tobias, who has his eye on the cover spot himself! Featuring hilarious clips from the first six seasons of The Amazing World of Gumball.
12:30 p.m. Ninjago “The Never-Realm” The ninja arrive in the Never-Realm where they quickly find themselves overwhelmed. Luckily, they are taken in by a tribe of Ice Fishers who tell them Zane has been imprisoned by the evil Ice Emperor. “Fire Maker” The Ice Emperor learns of the ninja’s arrival and sends his Blizzard Samurai warriors to destroy them and the villagers who sheltered them.
8:00 p.m. Steven Universe Future “Bluebird” Steven questions the motives of a mysterious fusion that suddenly shows up at his house. “A Very Special Episode” Rainbow Quartz 2.0 promised to hang out with Onion the same day Sunstone scheduled a home safety Geminar! How can Steven be in two places, and two fusions, at once?
Sunday, Dec. 15
7:00 a.m. Bakugan: Battle Planet “Our Ugly Selves/Trhyno Lives” Abandoned in the Vestroia Labyrinth, the AO must deal with their personal losses and, worse, the Bakuzoned Awful Ones! | When the AO and Magnus form an alliance to free the Golden Bakugan, their differences lead to a horrible sacrifice for Dan and Lia.
DC Super Hero Girls
Monday, Dec. 16
12:00 p.m. DC Super Hero Girls “#TheGoodTheBadAndTheBizarre” Everything is going well for Kara Danvers, both as a teen and a superhero, until she starts taking the blame for things she didn’t do, and the emergence of a new supervillain threatens to destroy Supergirl’s hard-earned reputation
Tuesday, Dec. 17
12:00 p.m. DC Super Hero Girls “#BackInAFlash” After an embarrassing incident ruins Barbara Gordon’s reputation, rather than owning it and moving on, she decides it’s easier to harness The Flash’s newly discovered ability to travel back in time and alter the space-time continuum.
Wednesday, Dec. 18
12:00 p.m. DC Super Hero Girls “#PowerSurge” When Supergirl is presumed dead after a battle with Livewire, Kara Danvers decides to reinvent herself with a new look, a new personality, and a new name, Power Girl.
Thursday, Dec. 19
12:00 p.m. DC Super Hero Girls “#ScrambledEggs” Thanks to a home economics assignment, the students are paired up and given an egg to “care for” over a weekend. But when tragedy befalls egg after egg, what should be an easy assignment escalates into a madcap romp with super-high stakes!
Friday, Dec. 20
12:00 p.m. DC Super Hero Girls “#DramaQueen” Oliver Queen must face off against his greatest rival yet, Mortimer Drake, while Green Arrow also finds himself up against a new foe, The Cavalier.
Teen Titans Go!
Saturday, Dec. 21
6:30 a.m. Transformers Cyberverse “Ghost Town” The mission to save Cybertron is threatened when Windblade steals the Allspark and flees to a mysterious planet.
10:00 a.m. The Amazing World of Gumball “Darwin’s Yearbook – Carrie” Darwin sets out to find a photo of Carrie for the cover of the school yearbook – but they end up reminiscing about all their past spooky shenanigans. Featuring hilarious clips from the first six seasons of The Amazing World of Gumball. “Darwin’s Yearbook – Alan” Darwin wants to put Alan on the cover of the school yearbook – but Alan’s apparent modesty gets in the way. Featuring hilarious clips from the first six seasons of The Amazing World of Gumball.
10:30 a.m. Teen Titans Go! “Beast Boy on a Shelf” Santa Claus forces Beast Boy to become a spy and report on the Titans’ naughty behavior. “Christmas Crusaders” Santa Claus and Robin must stop the nefarious Coal Miner.
12:30 p.m. Ninjago “An Unlikely Ally” Lloyd runs afoul of the Ice Emperor’s Blizzard Samurai but is rescued by a strange wolf with whom an unlikely friendship develops. “The Absolute Worst!” Back in Ninjago City, three criminals learn of the ninja’s absence and stage a breakout of Kryptarium Prison, telling tall tales of how they were captured as they go.
8:00 p.m. Steven Universe Future “Snow Day” Steven and the Crystal Gems get a chance to catch up when they’re all snowed in together. “Why So Blue?” Steven has heard rumors of a pair of Gems that are still destroying worlds. If he can’t stop them, maybe Lapis can.
Ninjago
Sunday, Dec. 22
7:00 a.m. Bakugan: Battle Planet “The Healing Challenge/The Golden Drome” As the AO struggle to hold together, a discovery is made involving the Golden Bakugan, a Golden Drome, and curing of a Bakuzoned Gorthion. | While Dan and Drago enter the Golden Drome to heal Trhyno, the rest of the AO defend the Golden Drome from a militia of human hunters.
Saturday, Dec. 28
6:30 a.m. Transformers Cyberverse “Perfect Storm” Grimlock and Arcee look for adventure and find more than they expected.
10:00 a.m. The Amazing World of Gumball “Darwin’s Yearbook – Sarah” Darwin asks Sarah for a photo to put on the cover of the school yearbook. But when Sarah tries to help, things get a little sticky. Featuring hilarious clips from the first six seasons of The Amazing World of Gumball. “Darwin’s Yearbook – Teachers” When Darwin asks his friends which teacher deserves to be on the yearbook cover, they struggle to find a single worthy candidate! Featuring hilarious clips from the first six seasons of The Amazing World of Gumball.
12:30 p.m. Ninjago “The Message” Lloyd and his wolf-companion find a cave with the mech inside and a message from Zane that provides a clue to his fate. “The Traveler’s Tree” Guilt-ridden over having lost the Traveler’s Tea, Cole embarks on a dangerous quest to the top of a nearby mountain in hopes of finding the legendary Traveler’s Tree – a tree which is supposedly guarded by a fearsome beast.
8:00 p.m. Steven Universe Future “Little Graduation” Steven and the Gems celebrate Little Homeschool’s first graduating class. “Prickly Pair” After leaving Little Homeschool, Steven has found a new hobby, plants.
Unikitty
Tuesday, Dec. 24
6:00 a.m. Unikitty “Late Night Talky Time” The moon is bored of taking the nightshift, since everyone’s always asleep. So Unikitty leads the gang in putting on an over-the-top late night talk show to keep the moon occupied. “Welcome to the Unikingdom” After Unikitty finds out that tourism is down, she recruits the gang to make a tourism video to inspire people to visit the kingdom. But after calamities come one after another, Unikitty begins to think the video is going to be a disaster. “Time Capsule” The gang puts their favorite items in a Time Capsule to send 100 years in the future, but they get stuck inside right before the door seals. “Music Videos” Unikitty hosts a live music video countdown show for the kingdom, presenting the ecstatic audience with the top 4 music videos in the Unikingdom, featuring our favorite characters. “Brock Most Wanted” When Master Frown starts ruining parties to earn a promotion from his bosses, the Doom Lords, Brock accidentally gets blamed for the calamity. “Bedtime Stories” When Puppycorn can’t fall asleep, Dr. Fox uses an invention to bring classic bedtime stories to life. But the gang’s presence leads to some surprising twists in these popular tales. “Grown Up Stuff” Puppycorn doesn’t want to grow up. To ease his woes, Unikitty spends the day teaching him all the fun things about being an adult. “Stop the Presses” Richard’s newspapers aren’t selling, so his friends pull out all the stops to put the printed word back on top. “Castles and Kitties” Score Creeper traps the gang in a fantasy role playing game where they must follow a complex set of rules to win their freedom. “Brain Trust” Dr. Fox accidentally transports the gang inside her brain, where they must control her movements to complete a dangerous experiment. “P.L.O.T. Device 2: Beyond the Bored Dome” Dr. Fox reprograms the P.L.O.T. Device to only generate boring events, but the gang can’t help but add drama and excitement to every scenario. “Sick Day” Dr. Fox catches a “common cold” and does everything in her power to cure herself, ignoring the gang’s pleas that she takes the day off and rest. “Borrowed” Richard discovers his library books have been borrowed by Master Frown and sets off on a crazed mission to return the books before they’re overdue. “Best Best Friends” Master Frown and Brock attend a friendship-themed competition intending to ruin it for everyone else, but soon discover their own friendship in need of repair. “The Escape Room of Doom” The gang infiltrate an escape room game center to thwart Score Creeper, but their former foe claims he only works there to pay the bills. “The Unikingdom Awards” Unikitty throws an elaborate award show for everyone in the Unikingdom, including Master Frown and Brock, but tensions rise when Frown fails to win an award.
Sunday, Dec. 29
7:00 a.m. Bakugan: Battle Planet “The Golden Forge/A Deep Hibernation” As Dan and Drago battle to free Trhyno from Tiko’s infection, they learn the history of Vestroia and the nature of Golden Bakugan. | Trhyno must give Dan and Drago the power they need if they are to have any chance in stopping Tiko from destroying both Vestroia and Earth
In 2020, D23: The Official Disney Fan Club (d23.com) is bringing back many of its most popular events, adding incredible new experiences, and putting new twists on fan favorites.
Returning to Walt Disney World Resort next November 20-22, Destination D: Fantastic Worlds will honor Disney’s many magical places, from the extraordinary to the fantastical. In addition, the Walt Disney Archives, which turns 50 next year, is creating an all-new exhibit that will include 50 iconic treasures, representing the 50 years of the Archives. And Walt Disney Imagineering’s store, Mickey’s of Glendale, will once again open a pop-up shop featuring exclusive items, just for the weekend. Additional details, including special hotel rates and ticketing information, will be announced in late spring.
In addition to the new exhibit coming to Destination D, D23 Members will be invited to a special Grand Opening Preview of Inside the Walt Disney Archives: 50 Years of Preserving the Magic at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, Calif., on Saturday, March 7. Plus, on June 22, the actual anniversary of the founding of the Archives, D23 will hold a special “birthday party” at the Bowers Museum. And next year, D23 will offer two exclusive D23 Behind-the-Scenes Experiences: A Day at the Studio Lot, for an exciting look behind the incredible work that goes on every day at the Walt Disney Archives.
Walt Disney frequently cited the charming Missouri town of Marceline, where he spent his early childhood, was one of his greatest influences. In fact, its lovely main thoroughfare was an inspiration for Disneyland’s Main Street, U.S.A. To celebrate Walt’s Marceline, D23 Members will have a chance to explore the Walt Disney Hometown Museum, enjoy local treats, and mingle with special guests during this full-day event.
For years, D23 Members have enjoyed private screenings of beloved classics on The Walt Disney Studios lot and at Disney Springs with special guests and exclusive gifts. This year, for the first time ever, D23 is taking the show — and the movies — on the road, bringing the joy of Disney films to members in select cities around the country. Next year, D23 will more than double the number of its Magical Screenings, celebrating the milestone anniversaries of such films as The Three Caballeros, A Goofy Movie, Pocahontas, The Emperor’s New Groove and The Aristocats.
In 2019, for the first time ever, D23 hosted monthly Gold Member-exclusive tours of the historic Studio lot. In 2020, due to overwhelming demand, additional tours are being added so more guests can take a look inside the Walt Disney Archives and see Walt Disney’s office suite. These Official Walt Disney Studios Tours offer fans a unique perspective on historic moments from Disney films, television shows, and theme parks.
D23 Members will once again enjoy exclusive, advance screenings across the country in partnership with The Walt Disney Studios. This year, D23 brought movie magic — including Toy Story 4 and Maleficent: Mistress of Evil — to more than 35 cities across the country, including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, New York City, Phoenix, Seattle and Salt Lake City, as well as Toronto, Canada. D23 Members also attended the red-carpet premiere of Disney’s Aladdin.
As part of its Signature Events series, D23 will invite guests to enjoy Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival this spring, as well as foodie favorite Sip & Stroll during the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival next fall. Walt Disney Imagineering’s exclusive merchandise store, Mickey’s of Glendale, will once again open its doors to members for shopping days. And seasonal favorites will return, including a new Halloween event and the holiday favorite Light Up the Season with D23 at The Walt Disney Studios, as well as a special event next December at Walt Disney World Resort. Members will also be able to attend special events at The Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco and D23 will continue to offer unique experiences across the country, giving members the opportunity to meet our Disney Legends and luminaries.
Member Mixers and meet-ups presented by D23 will take place throughout 2020 across the U.S. in cities including Anaheim, New York City, San Diego and Seattle, as well as to Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa.
Dates, ticketing information and more events will be announced throughout the year, and can be found on the Fan Club’s website (www.d23.com/events). Many events are exclusive to D23 Gold and Gold Family Members.
Big Bad Boo Studios will be expanding the world of its hit animated preschool series 16 Hudson with a new spinoff, ABC with Kenny G. The 30-part, short-form alphabet-based series will be produced in partnership with Canada’s TVOKids and Knowledge Kids.
When night falls and the humans at 16 Hudson go to bed, grumpy Kensington — Lili’s cat — slinks down to the basement boiler room in to the “milk & cookies” jazz club in his tuxedo and swoons to some late night ABC songs. Kensington, or Kenny G, is joined by a cast of dapper street cats, dogs, rats and raccoons, who all want to learn how to read.
“Kensington has been a runaway star from the start of 16 Hudson and now he finally gets his own stage. Get ready for some funny, upbeat songs which will have not just early preschoolers but the whole family in mind,” says Big Bad Boo Co-Founder and series creator, Shabnam Rezaei.
Each episode focuses on one letter of the alphabet in a fun and fresh new way. ABC with Kenny G will feature music by Toronto-based musician, Matt Davis, who also worked on the music for 16 Hudson. The original Big Bad Boo series is set to launch in 2020 in Canada with partners TVOKids, Knowledge Kids and in the United States on Big Bad Boo’s SVOD Channel Oznoz.
Swiss master of animation Georges Schwizgebel, the most awarded director in the history of Animafest Zagreb with seven awards and three special mentions, has been named the recipient of the 30th World Festival of Animated Film – Animafest Zagreb’s Lifetime Achievement Award. The next edition will be held June 8-13, 2020.
The Animafest Council, which decides the honoree, commented that the Award is being given to “one of the most important contemporary masters of animation. The founder of the GDS production studio (where he also pursues design) and a winner of many international awards, this great artist has often collaborated with Canadian producers (NFB) and is particularly esteemed for his painting on glass technique work.
“Next to classical and modern painting, he is very much inspired by music, literature and mythology and he imbues his narrative and lyrical elements with an inclination towards the poetics of experimentalism. Georges Schwizgebel’s most famous works clearly illustrate why he is called a master of ‘animated painting’, as they are often based on the elegance of line and movement, and films like L’année du daim / The Year of the Deer, 1995; Fugue, 1998; La jeune fille et les nuages / The Young Girl and the Clouds, 2001; L’Homme sans ombre/ The Man with No Shadow, 2004; Jeu, 2006; Romance, 2011 or Le Roi des Aulnes – Erlkönig / The King of Fairies, despite mutual differences, point to the idiosyncratic power of Schwizgebel’s unforgettable poetic visions.”
