Five-hundred guests gathered this weekend for the animago AWARD ceremony in the Alte Kongresshalle in Munich, where the event celebrated its 23rd anniversary. More than 1,100 submissions from 62 countries were entered this year across categories including 3D animation, still artwork, visual effects and games.
The award is part of the animago CONFERENCE (November 2-5), attended by top-class speakers and leading experts of the industry who talk about current trends and developments, grant insights and reveal their latest tools and tricks.
The winners are:
Best Short Film: The Pig on the Hill – Jamy Wheless, John Helms (Lightstream Animation Studios, U.S.; Crater Studio, Serbia) Best In-Game-Graphics:Shadow of the Tomb Raider (Eidos Montréal, Crystal Dynamics, Square Enix; Canada/U.S./Germany) Best Advertising Production: “Christmas Doesn’t Need Much. Only Love.” (Glassworks Amsterdam, PENNY Markt) Best Young Production: The Ostrich Politic – Mohammad Houhou (Gobelins, l’école de l’image; France) Best Visual Effects: Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (VFX by Rodeo FX, Canada, for Warner Bros.) Best Character: Sous la glace – Milan Baulard, Ismaïl Berrahma, Flore Dupont, Laurie Estampes, Quentin Nory, Hugo Potin (École des Nouvelles Images; France) Best Still: “Subarctic Great Horned Owl: look into the depths” Yuriy Dulich (Ukraine) Best Game Cinematic: METRO Exodus: Artyom’s Nightmare – Tomek Suwalski (Platige Image for Deep Silver; Poland) Best Motion Design: Hurlevent – Frédéric Doazan Jury’s Prize: The Beauty – Pascal Schelbli (Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg; Germany)
Quickdraw Animation Society has unveiled the program for the 15th GIRAF Festival of Independent Animation, taking place in Calgary, Alberta, Nov. 21-24. Highlights of the 2019 event include the launch of the Society’s On LGBTQ2S+ Animation publication and a spotlight screening of contemporary queer animation, an artist talk and Mad God screening with the legendary Phil Tippett, a mind-expanding selection of feature and short films from around the world, and more!
The 2019 festival’s artwork and signal film were created by Chad VanGaalen and Quickdraw’s summer designer, Ali Simpson.
GIRAF15 will present three feature films this year — two brand new ones, and a restoration of an underappreciated Hungarian classic.
On-Gaku: Our Sound [dir. Kenji Iwaisawa] A summer day. Three outsider high school students who haven’t touched an instrument in their lives decide to form a band to express their teenage angst and impress girls. Does it matter that Kenji and his friends have never played an instrument before? Of course not — he’s got a guitar at home and his friends have a bass and drums so in the true spirit of punk, with blind confidence and absolutely minimal effort they start to make friends and influence people. Winner of the Grand Prize for Feature Animation at the Ottawa Int’l Animation Festival.
Buñuel in the Labyrinth of the Turtles [dir. Salvador Simó] Paris, 1930. The infamous surrealist filmmaker Luis Buñuel is left penniless after the scandalous release of L’Age d’Or leads to a falling out with collaborator Salvador Dalí. On a whim, Buñuel’s good friend, sculptor Ramón Acín, buys a lottery ticket and promises to devote his winnings to fund Buñuel’s next film. Incredibly, Ramón wins the jackpot, sending the two friends to the remote mountains of their native Spain to film the documentary Las Hurdes: Land Without Bread. Driven by mad artistic impulse and haunted by childhood memories, Buñuel must confront the specter of mortality looming over the lives of his subjects –and his own.
Feherlofia (Son of the White Mare) [dir. Marcell Jankovics] Few films in animation history are as striking as this 1981 classic. Created under the confines of Hungary’s Communist regime, the film manages to be stylish and subversive, while celebrating the folk tales of the steppes and the epic poetry of Hungarian writer László Arany. Epic as it is, the story plays second-fiddle to the bold visuals and remarkable animation — which has been lovingly and beautifully restored in 4K by the team at Arbelos Film Labs.
The 2019 festival will also present seven short film programs:
Indie animation Mixtape (Side A and Side B) Your best bet for an eclectic mix of short films, featuring jaw-dropping stop-motion from Greece, pitch-perfect Portuguese pixillation, stunning storytelling on sibling rivalries, and plenty of other memorable movies culled from over 1,200 submissions from around the globe.
Possible Worlds Anything is possible in an animated world, and the films in this collection are all the proof you need. From Zorg II‘s curiously collaged epic about a would-be alien movie star to the striking strangeness of Finity Calling‘s stop-motion realm, Possible Worlds is packed with sci-fi visions you’ve never seen before, and that you won’t soon forget.
Late Night Shorts is where things get weird. And messy. And mature. And occasionally silly. Some of these films deal with heavy subjects. Others are just so strange that GIRAF wouldn’t know where else to put them. But that’s part of their beauty: By embracing their rough edges and ignoring any idea of limits, these films dig into your psyche and refuse to let go.
Love Sweet Love The festival will wrap its 15th anniversary edition with a celebration of love in all its many-splendored forms. Like any good love stories, things in these films aren’t always straightforward. But they are beautiful, thoughtful, funny, and more than a little weird, too.
On LGBTQ2S+ Animation [out of competition] With help from the Canada Council for the Arts, Quickdraw recruited a cabal of queer and nonbinary artists, illustrators, critics and scholars to share their stories and their expertise for On LGBTQ2S+ Animation, a short collection of essays and comics exploring this under-acknowledged topic. GIRAF15 will release this collection at its opening screening, alongside some stellar examples of contemporary animation from queer creators.
Chris J. Melnychuk Scholarship Spotlight [out of competition] Named for a long-time Quickdraw member with a passion for inspiring others, the scholarship gives emerging Calgary artists the skills and resources to make their animated visions a reality. This year’s GIRAF will share a selection of scholarship films from recent years, plus work from the program’s namesake, the late Chris J. Melnychuk.
Stop-motion and effects animation master Phil Tippett (Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Starship Troopers, RoboCop) will be in attendance for a screening of his experimental, stop-motion trilogy Mad God (sponsored by Bleeding Art Industries). Set in a Miltonesque world of monsters, mad scientists and war pigs, the story follows The Assassin through a forbidding world of tortured souls, decrepit bunkers and wretched monstrosities forged from the most primordial horrors of the subconscious mind.
Tippett will also be giving an artist talk on his incredible career at the cSPACE King Edward School.
A local animators panel will discuss managing a career as an artist in Calgary, geographically distant as it is from the hotbeds of the mainstream animation industry. Participants are TBA, as are final details on a workshop with Sonya Reynolds and Lauren Hortie of MidKnife Films.
GIRAF15 is sponsored by Alberta Media Arts Alliance Society.
Lakeshore Records is set to release I Lost My Body—Original Motion Picture Soundtrack featuring Dan Levy’s haunting and memorable music on Nov. 8. Levy is one half of the French electro-pop duo The Dø, along with Olivia Merilhati. He also produces for S+C+A+R+R who is featured on the album.
The electronic score, which beautifully augments the poignant animated film by Jérémy Clapin, is garnering rave reviews for evocatively taking us into the inner feelings of the characters and uplifting the film. The music was overseen by the music supervisor Pierre-Marie Dru whose credits include The Wolf’s Call by Antonin Baudry, and Annette by Leos Carax.
Lakeshore Records will release the album digitally on November 8. I Lost My Body, which won the Grand Prix of the International Critics’ Week at the Cannes Film Festival 2019, will open in theaters beginning November 15 in the U.S., and will stream on Netflix in 184 countries (excluding France, Benelux, Turkey and China) beginning November 29. In addition, two tracks, “J’ai perdu mon corps” and “Intuition” will be available together as instant grat tracks on all preorders beginning November 1.
“Music is a powerful thing; it can be an emotional experience that surfaces new ideas about reality and truth,” says Levi. “Working on I Lost My Body was the first time I scored an animated film, and I was seduced by the magic that emanated from the intense and painstaking work that goes into creating a film like this. I can say that this has been one of the most beautiful artistic relationships of my life, and I loved working with Jérémy. I think he is a rare talent – an extraordinary man and artist, humble and hardworking. He led the film in an extraordinary way, conveying his vision effortlessly to everyone on the team. For my part, when I was sometimes faced with a gray screen, he described the scene with such strength of conviction that I could see exactly what it was going to be. It was a long experience for me – nine months of work to create fifty minutes of music – and it was magical.”
Says Clapin, “Dan is a true artist. He exalted the romantic dimension of the story and amplified the emotions of the film. His work on the score brings a cosmic and mystical atmosphere to everyday suburban situations. If the film is a small planet, music is its universe.”
With Olivia Merilahti, Dan Levy founded The Dø in 2006. After three albums, (A Mouthful / Both Ways Open Jaws / Shake Shook Shaken), three worldwide tours and a Victoire de la Musique (French Grammy), Dan Levy continues his career as a music producer with artists like Jeanne Added, Thomas Azier, Yorina, Las Aves, Clou or more recently S + C + A + R + R. He composes for The Carolyn Carlson Company (contemporary dance) and regularly for the cinema. His most recent work in this field is the soundtrack of the animated film I Lost My Body, which won the Grand Prix of the International Critics’ Week at the Cannes Film Festival 2019 and the prestigious Cristal and Audience Awards at the 43rd Annecy Animation Festival. The movie will premiere in U.S. theaters on Nov. 15 and on Netflix on Nov. 29.
Here is the exclusive code to pre-order the digital album:
We at Animation Magazine are excited about our 7th World Animation and VFX Summit, which takes place November. 3-5 at its new venue, The Garland in North Hollywood, California. This beautiful, warm and intimate property consists of seven acres of park-like land in the heart of the “Toon Town” that surrounds the hotel. The proximity to so many of the country’s top animation and VFX studios makes it easy to start your week on Sunday night at our Gala Awards Ceremony and continue to meet and network over the next two days with people from these creative demesnes, and around the world. Perhaps you will find value in extending your stay at The Garland while you visit with some of the people you meet at the summit, who may become your future partners.
We hope to see you at the summit this year!
2017 Game Changer honorees (L-R) Fred Seibert (Frederator!), Philippe Soutter (PGS), Lori Forte (producer, Ferdinand), Nancy Cartwright (voice of Bart Simpson), Glen Keane (Dear Basketball) and Mark Taylor (DreamWorks Animation Television)
2019 Summit Honorees and Agenda
The seventh annual gala event will kick off on Sunday, Nov. 3 with a special cocktail reception (sponsored by Nickelodeon) at 5 p.m., followed by a gala at 7 p.m. held at The Garland. The gala will honor this year’s Hall of Fame Game-Changer award winners:
Jill Culton, writer and director of DreamWorks/Pearl’s Abominable
Award presented by producer Suzanne Buirgy (Abominable)
Sergio Pablos, writer and director of SPA and Netflix feature Klaus
Award presented by Melissa Cobb, VP of Original Animation, Netflix
Adina Pitt, Cartoon Network’s VP of acquisitions and co-productions
Award presented by Rob Sorcher, global chief content officer, Cartoon Network
SpongeBob SquarePants, Nickelodeon’s blockbuster animated hit
Award presented to Bill Faggerback (Patrick) by Kelley Gardner, exec of current series, Nickelodeon
Marlon West,head of effects animation, Frozen II
Award presented by veteran director, producer and animator Bruce W. Smith (The Proud Family)
Mike Young, veteran animation producer and Splash Entertainment and Kabillion co-founder/partner
Award presented by Susan Young; exec director, production, Disney TV Animation
Please note: Sunday night’s awards gala is completely sold-out, but we still have tickets for Monday and Tuesday events.
The World Animation and VFX Summit 2017 Oscar Panel
Monday, Nov. 4
8:30 — 9:45 AM Registration & Networking Breakfast (Sponsored by Netflix)
10:00— 10:50 A Conversation with Kristine Belson, President, Sony Pictures Animation and Series
11:00—11:50 Independent Toon Boom in the City of Angels
12:00—12:50 The Business of Show Business
1:00—2:25 Lunch (Sponsored by DeZerlin)
2:30—3:20 Asian Power Players: A Global Co-Production Primer
3:30—4:20 The Big VFX Picture: Intersection of Art, Commerce and Tech
4:30—4:55 Afternoon Break
5:00—5:50 Your Guide to the 2019 Animation Oscar Contenders
7:00—9:00 Cocktail Party (Sponsored by Mattel, Studio Aragon, Verite, Nickelodeon, DreamWorks Animation, Sony Pictures Animation, Illumination, Splash Entertainment and Netflix)
Tuesday, Nov. 5
9:00—9:50 AM Networking Breakfast (Co-sponsored by Animation Scotland and Screen Scotland)
10:00—10:50 Primer on Today’s Canadian Animation Landscape
11:00—11:50 Brave, New Alternatives in Animation Production Pipelines
12:00—12:50 Riding the Animated Shorts Wave
1:00—2:20 Lunch (Co-sponsored by Sony Pictures Animation & Animation Magazine)
2:30—3:20 The View from Europe: Co-Pro Models, Pipelines and Funding
3:30—4:20 Blending VR Technology and Animation: The Next Chapter
4:30—5:35 How to Stand Out in a Small Screen Content World
5:45—6:35 Producing Animation with a Cause
6:45—7:45 Cocktail Hour (Sponsored by Minor Accident of War)
8:00—9:15 Animated Shorts Screening (Acid Rain, Hair Love, Marooned, Minor Accident of War, Substance, ZOG)
9:15 — 10:00 Behind-the-Scenes Shorts Panel
This year’s panelists and speakers include:
Ken Anderson, Founder, CEO & Creative Director, Red Kite Animation
Frank Antonelli, President, DeZerlin U.S.
Kristine Belson, President, Features & Series, Sony Pictures Animation
Raquel Benitez Rojas, CEO, Comet Entertainment
Matthew Berkowitz, CCO, Thunderbird Entertainment & Atomic Cartoons
Matt Bishop, Founder Partner, Sinking Ship Ent.
Daniel Bort, Head of International, Fantawild
Ettore Botta, Founder & President, SpaceWow
Jamaal Bradley, Director, Substance
Lenny Brown, Business Development/Creative Management, Bardel Entertainment
Chris Butler, Director, The Missing Link, ParaNorman
Brendan Burch, CEO, Six Point Harness
Corey Campodonico, Co-Founder, ShadowMachine
Ben Cawood, Senior VP of Development, DreamWorks Animation Television
Eryk Casemiro, Senior VP Preschool, Nickelodeon
Matthew A. Cherry, Writer/Director, Hair Love
Jérémy Clapin, Director, I Lost My Body
Jon Clark, Animation Studio Manager, Exceptional Minds
Rosemary Colliver, Head of Legal & Business Affairs, ShadowMachine
Jill Culton, Writer/Director, Abominable
Eric Darnell, Co-Founder/Director, Baobab Studios
Mo Davoudian, Creative Director & CEO, Brain Zoo Studios
Dean DeBlois, Director, How to Train Your Dragon trilogy
John Derevlany, Writer, Creator & Showrunner
Andy Erekson, Director, Marooned
Federico Fiecconi, Founder & CEO, GraFFiti
Josh Fisher, Producer
Mike Ford, VP of Software Development at Sony Imageworks
If your spidey sense was tingling, now you know why! Sony Pictures Animation has officially announced that the sequel to its fan-favorite, Oscar-winning feature Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse will be spinning its web in theaters on April 8, 2022. Columbia Pictures is releasing the pic.
Released last December, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse marked the big-screen debut of Miles Morales (voiced by Shameik Moore) — an Afro-Latino teen juggling his everyday life in New York with school, friends, and the added responsibility of being Spider-Man. Lauded for its innovative animation which brought comic-book pop to the big-screen in an all-new way, the movie sees Miles cross paths with erstwhile defender of the Big Apple, Peter Parker, and different iterations of Spidey across the multiverse.
Among its many accolades, Spider-Verse won best animated feature honors from the Academy Awards, Golden Globes and BAFTAs, as well as multiple Annie Awards and VES Awards. It grossed $375.5 million at the worldwide box office ($190.2M domestic).
The film was directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey and Rodney Rothman, written by Phil Lord and Rothman, and produced by Phil Lord, Chris Miller, Avi Arad, Amy Pascal and Christina Steinberg.
On the verge of the 2019 American Film Market, taking place November 6-13 in Santa Monica, California, Russian animation hitmaker Wizart has revealed a new poster and main character art for Hansel and Gretel. The upcoming CGI feature will be the first installment of a franchise based on Brothers Grimm fairytales.
Building on the studio’s globally successful Snow Queen franchise, Hansel and Gretel will expand on the well-known story with new challenges, enchanting locations and charming characters. Though audiences will already know who will be the winner in this fairytale-based story, a lot of incredibly funny moments and surprises will be waiting for viewers, and the scale of the fairytale universe will impress even the most sophisticated viewer.
Apart from Hansel, Gretel and Gingerbread House Witch – who we are all so familiar with – plenty of other interesting characters will contribute to the story. The siblings will take on great adventures and meet different fairytale characters, immersing the audience in the world of the magic forest and its inhabitants. Even the Evil Witch’s Gingerbread House has turned into a palace, and the Witch herself is now after much more sinister goals.
Hansel and Gretel is Wizart’s first project created in cooperation with QED International — the U.S.-based film production studio, financier and international distributor (portfolio company of Media Content Capital) that is best known for financing and producing District 9, Sabotage, Fury and Dirty Grandpa.
Wizart has started developing the first Russian software for the animation industry, and it is already being used on Hansel and Gretel. Thanks to the new software all the technological aspects of the film will be enhanced: From facial and skeleton setup right to fur and hair, the project reaches the final rendering stage fully based on the studio’s own pipeline. The same technologies allow Wizart to create absolutely unique fabulous locations and colorful, rich special effects in the new movie.
Hansel and Gretel is expected to debut at the end of 2020. Wizart will be presenting the project at AFM at the Loews Hotel, room 633.
Hansel and GretelHansel and GretelHansel and Gretel
Global box office phenomenon Avatar will be available on Disney+ when the highly-anticipated streaming service launches in the U.S., Canada and The Netherlands on November 12, followed by Australia and New Zealand on November 19. Disney+ will be the exclusive subscription streaming home of the award-winning, cutting-edge film, which will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its theatrical release on December 18.
From visionary director and writer James Cameron, Avatar was the first motion picture of its kind to utilize a new generation of special effects to deliver a fully immersive cinematic experience. The Oscar- and Golden Globe-winning epic is the second highest-grossing film of all time.
Produced by Cameron and Jon Landau, Avatar takes viewers to the amazing world of Pandora, where reluctant hero Jake Sully sets out on a journey of redemption and discovery as he leads a courageous battle to save a civilization. The film stars Sam Worthington, Zoë Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Wes Studi and Laz Alonso.
After acquiring Fox, Disney announced release dates for four upcoming Avatar sequels in its feature film slate. The first follow-up is currently set to release in December 2021.
Avatar will join the previously announced slate of original series and films from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, Lucasfilm, and more, in addition to the vast library of nearly 500 films and 7,500 television episodes. Disney+ is now available for pre-order in the U.S. for $6.99/month or $69.99/year.
The official trailer for the colorful, comical road trip adventure take on Dr. Seuss’s Green Eggs and Ham has arrived! The crazy wildlife rescue mission arrives with 13 half-hours exclusively on Netflix on November 8.
Synopsis: The story of Green Eggs and Ham is like a postmodern Planes, Trains and Automobiles through the whimsical world of Dr. Seuss.
Sam rescues the rare Chickeraffe from the Glurfsburg Zoo, hides it in a briefcase, and attempts to make his way to Meepville where he can charter a cold air balloon to take the Chickeraffe to his island home. Guy just flopped his last big chance at being a world famous inventor for the industrial Snerz Co. He packs up his invention in a briefcase and resigns to give up on his dreams and become a paint watcher. A chance meeting at a diner with Sam, and a switch up with the briefcases results in these two unlikely souls getting mixed up on an adventure that takes them on a journey of self discovery.
Our two mismatched heroes cross paths with overprotective Michellee, whose daughter, EB, desperately wants a pet, and falls madly in love with the Chickeraffe… despite her mother’s fears that it will eat off her face (it won’t). Michellee’s walled up heart also connects with the heart-hardened Guy. And a laborious love story begins. Our fakakta foursome are also unknowingly pursued by a bounty hunter goat, two bad guys, and a villain who’s out to get the Chickeraffee as his ultimate trophy.
Produced by Warner Bros. Animation and created by writer/producer Jared Stern (Smallfoot, The LEGO Batman Movie), Green Eggs and Ham features the voices of Adam Devine, Michael Douglas, Ilana Glazer, Diane Keaton, Keegan-Michael Key, Eddie Izzard, Jeffrey Wright, Jillian Bell, John Turturro, Tracy Morgan and Daveed Diggs.
Just as “31 Nights of Halloween” hangs up its Jack-O-Lantern for the year, Freeform has announced the lineup for its next big holiday programming event: “25 Days of Christmas.” Kicking off December 1, the festive content will feature an original holiday movie, a two-hour Good Trouble special, a brand-new jingle to enjoy, and of course favorite animated classics.
The network will debut the timeless Christmas classics of Rankin-Bass with Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer on Friday, Dec. 6 at 8:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. EST/PST, respectively. One of the most popular and longest-running Christmas specials in television history, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer first aired in 1964, with Frosty the Snowman following in 1969.
Freeform original feature Ghosting: The Spirit of Christmas, starring Aisha Dee (The Bold Type) and Kimiko Glenn (The Guest Book) premieres Wednesday, Dec. at 9 p.m. EST/PST. Good Trouble will air a two-hour holiday episode on Monday, Dec. 16 at 9 p.m. EST/PST, with the full cast of The Fosters guest starring. Adding some friendly competition to your Christmas cheer, back-to-back installments of Freeform original holiday series Wrap Battle will air on Mondays at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. EST/PST, with the finale airing Monday, Dec. 9.
In addition to original holiday specials, Freeform offers nonstop Christmas cheer that will keep you reaching for the cocoa with a full slate of favorites like Home Alone, all three films in The Santa Clause trilogy, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The Holiday and much more!
Freeform also released its first-ever “25 Days of Christmas” jingle, featuring Freeform Santa and Good Trouble star Emma Hunton.
Freeform 25 Days of Christmas animation highlights:
Sunday, Dec. 1
11:10 a.m. – Arthur Christmas
1:15 p.m. – The Simpsons Holiday-thon
1:30 a.m. – The Little Drummer Boy (1968)
Monday, Dec. 2
7:00 a.m. – The Little Drummer Boy (1968)
7:30 a.m. –The Muppets Christmas Carol
Tuesday, Dec. 3
2:40 p.m. – Rise of the Guardians
12:00 a.m. –The Simpsons Holiday-thon
Wednesday, Dec. 4
11:00 a.m. – Rise of the Guardians
1:00 p.m. – Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town
2:00 p.m. – The Simpsons Holiday-thon
Thursday, Dec. 5
12:00 p.m. – Kung Fu Panda Holiday
4:35 p.m. – Arthur Christmas
6:40 p.m. – Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas
Friday, Dec. 6
11:00 a.m. – Kung Fu Panda Holiday
1:35 p.m. – Arthur Christmas
3:40 p.m. – Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas
8:00 p.m. – Frosty the Snowman – Freeform Premiere
8:30 p.m. – Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer – Freeform Premiere
1:30 a.m. – The Little Drummer Boy (1968)
Saturday, Dec. 7
7:00 a.m. – Cricket on the Hearth
6:15 p.m. – Frosty the Snowman
6:45 p.m. – Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Sunday, Dec. 8
9:20 p.m. – Despicable Me 2
11:25 p.m. –Shrek
1:30 a.m. – Kung Fu Panda Holiday
Monday, Dec. 9
4:20 p.m. – Kung Fu Panda Holiday
4:50 p.m. – Shrek
6:55 p.m. – Despicable Me 2
Tuesday, Dec. 10
6:15 p.m. – Arthur Christmas
12:00 a.m. – The Simpsons Holiday-thon
Sunday, Dec. 15
7:00 a.m. – Arthur Christmas
3:25 p.m. –Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas
Monday, Dec. 16
9:00 a.m. – Disney’s Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice
1:05 p.m. – Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas
2:45 p.m. –Rise of the Guardians
Tuesday, Dec. 17
7:00 a.m. – Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown
10:30 a.m. –Rise of the Guardians
12:00 a.m. –The Simpsons Holiday-thon
Wednesday, Dec. 18
1:10 p.m. – The Simpsons Holiday-thon
Thursday, Dec. 19
7:20 p.m. – Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas
9:00 p.m. – Disney-Pixar’s Toy Story
11:00 p.m. – Rise of the Guardians
Friday, Dec. 20
3:00 p.m. –Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas
4:40 p.m. – Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town
5:45 p.m. –Frosty the Snowman
6:15 p.m. –Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
7:20 p.m. – Disney-Pixar’s Toy Story
9:20 p.m. – Disney-Pixar’s Toy Story 2
11:25 p.m. – Disney-Pixar’s Toy Story That Time Forgot
11:55 p.m. –Arthur Christmas
Saturday, Dec. 21
7:00 a.m. –The Little Drummer Boy (1968)
9:40 a.m. – Arthur Christmas
11:50 a.m. –Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town
12:55 p.m. – Frosty the Snowman
1:25 p.m. –Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
2:30 p.m. – Disney-Pixar’s Toy Story 2
4:35 p.m. – Disney-Pixar’s Toy Story That Time Forgot
Sunday, Dec. 22
12:30 a.m. – The Little Drummer Boy(1968)
Monday, Dec. 23
2:05 p.m. – Arthur Christmas
Tuesday, Dec. 24
7:00 a.m. – The Little Drummer Boy (1968)
11:00 a.m. – Kung Fu Panda Holiday
11:30 a.m. –Arthur Christmas
8:20 p.m. – Frosty the Snowman
8:50 p.m. – Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
9:55 p.m. – Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town
12:00 a.m. – The Simpsons Holiday-thon
Wednesday, Dec. 25
9:00 a.m. – Disney’s Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice
3:10 p.m. –Frosty the Snowman
3:40 p.m. –Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
4:45 p.m. – Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town
The American Film Festival’s annual AFI Fest, presented by Audi, will spotlight five exceptional animated shorts during its weeklong program in Hollywood. Tickets are available now for the 2019 festival, taking place Thursday, November 24 to Thursday, November 21.
Carne. Five women highlight the perverse way in which society looks at them. Dir. Camila Kater. Scr. Camila Kater, Ana Julia Carvalheiro. Cast: Rachel Patricio, Larissa Rahal, Raquel Virginia, Valquiria Rosa, Helena Ignez. [Brazil, Spain]
Intermission Expedition. During a sunny holiday, a flock of tourists struggle to let go of their busy city lives, and the absence of daily tasks leaves them lost in an uncomfortable and frightening place. Once they learn to slow down, they may find some beauty in the here and now. Dir./Scr. Wiep Teeuwisse. [Netherlands]
Slug Life. A day in the life of Tanya, a curious woman who has developed a taste for homemade non-humanoid lovers. Dir. Sophie Gate. Cast: Jeanette Bonds, Sophie Koko Gate, Tom Scotcher, Vincent Oliver. [U.K.]
Something to Remember (Nagot att Minnas). A lullaby before the great disaster. Dir./Scr. Niki Lindroth von Bahr. Cast: Ava Lauga, Theodor Jensen, Linnea Wikblad, Staffan Westerberg, Arja Saijonmaa, Karin Af Klintberg, Maria Af Klintberg, Daniel Rudholm. [Sweden]
Story. A reflection about modern man in an age of omnipresent technology. Dir./Scr. Jolanta Bankowska. [Poland]
AFI Fest is a world-class event, showcasing the best films from across the globe. With a diverse and innovative slate of programming, the eight-day film festival presents screenings, panels and conversations, featuring both master filmmakers and new voices. Special events at the festival take place at iconic L.A. locations, such as the historic TCL Chinese Theatre and the glamorous Hollywood Roosevelt.
Each year, AFI Fest showcases more than 125 films each year in several exciting sections which include Galas, Special Screenings, New Auteurs, Documentary, World Cinema, Cinema’s Legacy and Shorts. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recognizes AFI FEST as a qualifying festival for both Short Films categories of the annual Academy Awards.
Blizzard fans from around the world will once again take over Anaheim, CA for BlizzCon 2019, which runs November 1-2 at the Anaheim Convention Center. Attendees will have access to a multitude of exclusive event activities over the weekend, including first looks of new, upcoming consumer products; BlizzCon-featured collectibles and trading; autograph signings; and BlizzCon Store all-access gear sales, including products from Overwatch, World of Warcraft, Diablo, StarCraft, and more.
The popular Darkmoon Faire will also return with an immersive, one-of-a-kind experience allowing attendees to collect and trade exclusive BlizzCon items with fellow players. Attendees can also check out the returning Publishers Row and the BlizzCon Store for autograph opportunities and merchandise featuring their favorite games, worlds and characters. And, for the first time, players will get a sneak peek of Asmodee’s newly announced Small World – World of Warcraft board game, as well as previews of Scholastic’s upcoming novels for World of Warcraft and Overwatch.
BlizzCon 2019 Exclusives:
Darkmoon Faire (Collector’s Guide) This dedicated area located in North Hall Level 2 hosts activity-based retail experiences where fans can collect and trade unique pins, badges, vinyl figures, capsule toys, and other collectibles — including a variety of items celebrating the World of Warcraft 15th anniversary.
The Darkmoon Faire area will be open November 1-2 with activities at the Darkmoon Faire & Badge Trading Booth, Wonderworks Pop-Up Shop (featuring D.E.H.T.A. plush toys), Capsule Toy Depot, and other exciting booths.
Timewalkers’ Treasure Chests (with World of Warcraft 15th Anniversary Gold Patina Sylvanas Funko POP! exclusive figures) are also available for collectors at the show, while the March of the Murlocs starts on Saturday at 12:45 p.m. in the entrance of Hall D. Attendees can purchase the all-new 2019 murloc kigurumis at the BlizzCon Store.
The BlizzCon 2019 All-Access Gear Sale is now live and open to all Blizzard players attending the show, as well those participating from home. For those attending BlizzCon in person, Blink shopping is now available, which allows customers to shop online or through the mobile app and pick up their purchases at the convention starting Thursday, October 31 at the BlizzCon Store located in North Hall Level 1.
For Blizzard community members watching the festivities online or wanting loot shipped straight to their doorstep, BlizzCon 2019 merchandise is available now at the Blizzard Gear Store. Please note that the BlizzCon All-Access sale is only available on the U.S. version of the Gear Store.
First-Look Consumer Products:
Blizzard has teamed up with Asmodee, one of the leading international board game publishers worldwide, and continues the BlizzCon tradition of first-looks with the fan preview of assets from the upcoming Small World – World of Warcraft board game. Extend the iconic game experience onto the tabletop. where players vie for conquest and control of Azeroth and its world filled with orcs, elves and more. Available in Spring 2020. First assets from the board game will be on display BlizzCon.
Followers of the popular World of Warcraft: Traveler trilogy will be treated to a sneak peek of its final installment, The Shining Blade, from Scholastic. Penned by bestselling author Madeleine Roux and featuring stunning artwork, the epic conclusion sees Aramar Thorne and Makasa Flintwill continue their journey across Azeroth to seek out shards of the legendary Diamond Blade and reveal its truth – all while taking on dangerous mercenaries and sorcerers such as Malus and the Hidden. Out December 26, 2019, available now for preorder at retailers nationwide and online.
Attendees will also get a special first look at upcoming novel The Hero of Numbani from Scholastic. This epic adventure, from the minds of the Overwatch game team and critically acclaimed author Nicky Drayden, centers on hero Efi Oladele and the futuristic African city of Numbani, where humans live in harmony with humanoid robots known as omnics. When the terrorist Doomfist aims to shatter that unity, Efi rises to the occasion and builds Orisa, a true guardian for Numbani, in an effort to stop Doomfist’s forces before it is too late! Available now for preorder via Amazon, out May 5, 2020 at retailers nationwide.
Autograph Opportunities:
Publishers Row returns at BlizzCon 2019, featuring novel and art book autograph sessions with fan-favorite authors, writers, artists, and more. Highlighted guests will include New York Times bestselling author and member of Blizzard’s story and franchise development team Christie Golden (World of Warcraft novels); author Chelsea Monroe-Cassel (Overwatch: The Official Cookbook); fantasy artist/illustrators Gerald Brom and Blizzard’s own Samwise Didier (The Art of Diablo); Blizzard story/cinematic writers Robert Brooks, Matt Burns and Andrew Robinson; and many other Blizzard creators and talent.
Autograph sessions will be held throughout BlizzCon at Publishers Row in the Darkmoon Faire in North Hall Level 2. Daily schedules for signings will be posted on-site.
Close Enough, the long-awaited new series from Regular Show creator JG Quintel, is officially premiering on HBO Max! A poster image for Close Enough appeared on the big screen during the platform’s big upfront this week, as sharp-eyed fans spotted, and its official streaming home was confirmed by Quintel on Twitter.
The series joins an exciting lineup of animated originals and libraries announced recently, which includes new Adventure Time specials, the return of The Boondocks, new toons from Sesame Workshop and Warner Bros. Animation, and subscriber access to South Park, Rick and Morty and the Studio Ghibli film collection.
Close Enough was originally greenlit by TBS when the channel was actively building an animation slate back in 2017. Despite keen fan response, the project quietly faded into the background. But now, fans will finally get to check out this surreal adult comedy about a young married couple “juggling the everyday challenges of parenthood, friendships, ham theft, stripper clowns, and choosing the right daycare.”
Jamila Hunter Joins Freeform as SVP, Current Series & Alternative Programming
Reporting to EVP Original Programming & Development Lauren Corrao, Hunter will oversee unscripted and alternative content as well as scripted programming across the network’s current slate of shows. Hunter is expected to start at the top of the new year. She takes over from Kary McHoul, who is transitioning into an executive producer role for the YA-targeted network. Hunter brings an impressive resume to the post, having served as President of Kenya Barris’ Netflix-based prodco Khalabo Ink Society, SVP Comedy at ABC Ent. (where she was VP Comedy for five years prior), a key part of the creative team that launched Oprah Winfrey’s OWN, SVP Alternative & Digital at NBC Ent., VP Comedy at Fox TV, VP Development & Production at Bravo, and VP Alternative Programming at NBC.
“Creating rich characters that resonate with an audience is a true passion of mine, so I’m thrilled to be joining a network that values bold, distinctive and inclusive storytelling. I have tremendous respect for Lauren’s track record as an executive and producer, so the fact that I’m returning to the Disney family and joining her team as they continue to establish Freeform as the cultural leader in young adult programming is truly icing on the cake.” — Jamily Hunter, Senior Vice President, Current Series & Alternative Programming, Freeform
WATCH: Cake | LOL (Living Out Loud) Preview
Airing Wednesdays on FXX, Cake is a handcrafted assortment of bite-sized content served up to viewers as a tasty treat for the mind. Featuring a diverse array of narratives from storytellers both new and established, this half-hour weekly showcase features live-action and animated comedy programs of varied length that are equal parts thought-provoking, laugh-inducing and authentic
WATCH: Star Wars Resistance “The Engineer” Preview
In “The Engineer,” Kaz and Neeku discover Nena, a Nikto engineer in need of assistance, who barely escaped a First Order attack. Premieres Sunday, November 4 at 6 p.m. ET/PT on Disney XD and 10 p.m. ET/PT on Disney Channel, as well as being available the same day on DisneyNOW and Disney Channel VOD.
CALL FOR ENTRIES: 3rd Ibero-American Animation Quirino Awards
Animated works form the 23 countries recognized by these regional awards are invited to submit for consideration in nine categories: feature film, series, short film, school short film, commissioned work, original sound and music design, visual development, animation design and — for the first time — video game animation. Deadline: December 12, 2019. The event will once again feature a co-production & business forum and congress on Ibero-American animation in addition to the awards ceremony. Additionally, the Quirino White Paper is available for download in Spanish or English.
‘One Piece’ Fans Get Interactive with 3D Printed Life-Size Characters
Fans celebrating the 20th anniversary of Eiichiro Oda’s bestselling manga in Taipei, Taiwan got to get up close with their favorite characters in an exhibit featuring 24 huge, 3D-printed figures. SID Installation Art was commissioned by event organizer Remake Works Co., Ltd and One Piece Mugiwara Store Taiwan, to bring these immensely popular characters to life using their Massivit 3D 1800 Pro 3D Printer. Visitors could interact with the 5’9”-16’4” models and share AR clips over social media via the event app.
“3D printing has proven to be a real game changer for us in terms of our overall turnaround time, the accuracy we’re able to achieve, the production size, and new possibilities for creative vision. Although our team is nationally recognized for its expertise in hand sculpting, the benefits of digital, large-format 3D printing are clear. We’ve dramatically reduced our lead time on projects due to the ability to share the initial digital 3D model and iterations with clients in order to finalize design specifications quickly and with the confidence that the 3D model accurately represents the final output. Moreover, the Massivit 3D printer enables us to produce models in half the time it would have taken with our traditional manufacturing processes, largely because we no longer need to create a preliminary mold which is the bottleneck. This means we can accept a greater volume of jobs — our Massivit 3D printer is in use 18 hours per day.” — Hung Jui Chia, COO, SID Installation Art
Happy Birthday, Pip!
The charming animated short celebrates one year since its debut and more than 200 million views — nearly 130M on YouTube alone, making it one of the most-watched animated shorts on the platform. Produced by up-and-coming Studio Kimchi (Spain) and created in partnership with global creative network Tongal, Pip tells the story of a small dog on a big, heroic journey and raises awareness for Southeastern Guide Dogs (www.guidedogs.org).
Epic Games has announced a year-long extension of featured free content via the Unreal Engine Marketplace, providing assets, tools and plugins to accelerate the production of high-quality 3D games and experiences, at no cost to creators. New featured content will be released on the first Tuesday of every month beginning on November 5.
Epic has also released new content from the award-winning Infinity Blade franchise to the Unreal Engine Marketplace for free, with a total of more than 1,000 AAA-quality assets provided across five packs, valued at $4 million in development investment. These new packs, along with the seven previously released Infinity Blade packs, are now available on the Marketplace.
More than 400,000 developers have downloaded featured free content from the Unreal Engine Marketplace since the initiative’s launch a year ago, with total downloads exceeding more than 8 million to date.
Epic previously released more than $3 million worth of Infinity Blade assets and $17 million worth of Paragon assets free for use in the development of Unreal Engine projects. This latest release brings the total value of assets from Epic’s internal games released for free to $24 million.
Visit the Unreal Engine Marketplace at unrealengine.com/marketplace and learn more about Epic Games at epicgames.com.
The Pokémon Company International is releasing a new collection of holiday-themed merchandise on Nov. 1 to help Trainers get into the holiday spirit in Pokémon style. The collection includes themed Pokémon plush, home decor such as stockings and string lights, apparel and more.
Trainers in the U.S. can pick up the following products that are only available at PokemonCenter.com, the premier destination for official, premium-quality Pokémon merchandise:
Pokémon Holiday Lights Poké Plush — Snuggle up on the couch with these festive Pokémon plush featuring Pikachu, Sylveon and Charmander.
Poké Ball String Lights — Decorate your home or tree with this set of 10 Poké Ball string lights.
Pokémon Holiday Poké Ball Tree Topper — Complete your tree decor with this Poké Ball Tree Topper, a perfect accent for a home full of Trainers.
Pikachu & Eevee Pokémon Holiday Tree Skirt — This red tree skirt comes complete with white trim and an image of an iconic Pokémon duo: Pikachu and Eevee.
Eevee Pokémon Holiday Ornament — This adorable 3D ornament features a winking Eevee holding a silver bell adorned with holly.
Eevee Pokémon Holiday Plush Hat — This soft plush hat comes in classic green with Eevee ears, an Eevee silhouette pattern, and an embroidered Eevee on the faux fur trim.
Eevee Pokémon Holiday Plush Stocking — With an Eevee silhouette pattern, embroidered detailing, and faux fur trim, this stocking is perfect for holding small gifts.
Eevee Pokémon Holiday Fleece Throw — Cuddle up by the fire with this soft fleece blanket showing Eevee surrounded by holly and peppermint candies.
Pokémon Holiday Socks — These festive red and green socks are adorned with images of either Pikachu or Eevee.
Holiday Crew Neck Sweatshirts — Stay warm in stylish sweatshirts featuring Pikachu, Vulpix, and Delibird.
Pikachu & Eevee Pokémon Holiday 2019 Pins & Greeting Card — Send season’s greetings to family and friends with a festive card that comes paired with Pikachu and Eevee pins.
Additional items from the holiday collection are coming soon to PokemonCenter.com, including:
Delibird Holiday Express Figures — A special line of collectible train cars provides quintessential decor for the winter season. Trainers can look forward to collecting each of the four train cars: the Pikachu Engine Figure, Dragonite Flatcar Figure, Alolan Vulpix Boxcar Figure and Slowpoke Caboose Figure.
Pokémon TCG: Pokémon Holiday Lights Playmat — Grookey, Scorbunny and Sobble gather around a snow-covered tree with Pikachu and friends on this must-have playmat for any Pokémon TCG fan!
Pokémon Holiday Lights Postcards (10-Pack) — Send a warm greeting with these colorful postcards.
Pokémon Holiday Lights 15 oz. Mug — Enjoy a cup of hot cocoa or other favorite holiday treats with this ceramic mug.
Trainers can also receive a reusable shopping bag as a gift with purchase while supplies last (certain products excluded from offer).
Warner Bros Pictures has landed a multi-film pact with U.K. CG feature studio Locksmith Animation to co-develop and distribute its slate of pictures. The agreement was announced Thursday by Warner Bros. Pictures’ Group Chairman Toby Emmerich and Courtenay Valenti, President Production & Development, and Sarah Smith and Julie Lockhart, Co-CEOs of Locksmith.
The deal covers the development and production of family animated features for worldwide theatrical distribution by Warner Bros. Pictures. Locksmith will collaborate closely with Allison Abbate, Executive Vice President, Warner Animation Group, to add a fresh voice to complement the Studio’s current animation activities.
“In recent years, animation has become a tremendously important part of our slate, and this deal with Locksmith dovetails perfectly with our forward-going plans,” said Emmerich and Valenti. “We love Sarah and Julie’s sensibilities and work, and look forward to working with them to create titles that will enchant today’s audiences and become classics for future generations of animation lovers.”
“We’re absolutely delighted to become part of the Warner Bros. family with this partnership,” said Smith and Lockhart in a joint statement. “The studio has not only a revered legacy in animation, but an outstanding record in bringing contemporary family classics to global audiences. We look forward to working with its visionary leadership team to bring our unique voice and brand to worldwide audiences.”
Locksmith’s first feature, Ron’s Gone Wrong, is currently in production in London and will be released by Walt Disney Studios.
Locksmith Animation was founded in 2014 by BAFTA Award-winning director, writer and producer Sarah Smith (Arthur Christmas) and acclaimed producer Julie Lockhart (Academy Award-nominated Shaun the Sheep Movie, Pirates! Band of Misfits) together with Elisabeth Murdoch.
Warner Animation Group/Warner Bros. Pictures’ upcoming animated titles include SCOOB in May 2020, Tom & Jerry in December 2020 and Space Jam 2 in July 2021.
Netflix debuted the brand-new main trailer for upcoming epic fantasy The Witcher to fans at Italy’s Lucca Comics and Games convention on Thursday, peeling back the curtain on the story’s complex world, powerful magic, and the monsters lurking in its shadows. The spot was revealed during a panel discussion with showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich (The Umbrella Academy, Daredevil) and cast members cast members Anya Chalotra (Yennefer) and Freya Allan (Ciri).
The trailer launch also confirms for fans that all eight episodes of The Witcher will drop on Netflix globally on December 20.
Based on Andrzej Sapkowski’s best-selling fantasy book series, which also inspired the hit videogame franchise, The Witcher is an epic tale of fate and family. The story of the intertwined destinies of three individuals in the vast world of The Continent, where humans, elves, witchers, gnomes and monsters battle to survive and thrive, and where good and evil is not easily identified.
Henry Cavill (Mission Impossible – Fallout, Man of Steel) leads the cast as Geralt of Rivia, The Witcher, alongside Anya Chalotra (The ABC Murders, Wanderlust) as Yennefer and Freya Allan (The War of the Worlds, Into The Badlands) as Ciri.
Other previously announced cast include Jodhi May (Game of Thrones, Genius) as Calanthe, Björn Hlynur Haraldsson (Fortitude) as Eist, Adam Levy (Knightfall, Snatch) as Mousesack, MyAnna Buring (Ripper Street, Kill List) as Tissaia), Mimi Ndiweni (Black Earth Rising) as Fringilla, Therica Wilson-Read (Profile) as Sabrina, Emma Appleton (The End of The F**king World) as Renfri, Eamon Farren (The ABC Murders, Twin Peaks) as Cahir, Joey Batey (Knightfall, Strike) as Jaskier, Lars Mikkelsen (House of Cards, Sherlock) as Stregobor, Royce Pierreson (Wanderlust, Judy) as Istredd, Maciej Musiał (1983) as Sir Lazlo, Wilson Radjou-Pujalte (Jamillah & Aladdin, Dickensian) as Dara, and Anna Shaffer (Harry Potter) as Triss.
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***This article originally appeared in the December ‘19 issue of Animation Magazine (No. 295)***
Last January, Chinese audiences were able to enjoy Light Chaser Animation’s beautifully crafted CG-animated feature White Snake right in time for the Chinese New Year. Now, thanks to GKIDS, American audiences will also be able to experience the movie in November, and find out why this fantasy feature, which was made for about 80 million yuans ($11.2 million), was able to gross over 447 million yuans ($65.5 million) in China alone.
White Snake is GKIDS’ first Chinese-made release, and it represents a breakthrough on more than one level. “Because the vast majority of our films are traditional animation, we’ve been pegged as ‘the home of 2D’,” says Dave Jesteadt, GKIDS president for over 12 years. “I think White Snake shows what you can do with beautiful computer animation. When we were thinking about comparison titles for marketing this film, the titles that were coming up were not animated films for kids. They were films like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Hero and House of Flying Daggers – live-action martial arts films that were popular in art houses during the last 10 to 20 years.”
White Snake
In bringing to animated life an ancient Chinese legend about a woman who transforms into a huge white snake, the film mixes wuxia martial arts movie traditions with magical demons and star-crossed love scenes. As Jesteadt observes, “There’s a level of epic mythology and romance which transcends a lot of the boxes that animated storytelling often gets put into. I did not know the mythology behind the film. But, I found myself caught up in the world and the relationship between the romantic leads and the complicated love that transcends cultures. One of my favorite characters is actually an opium-smoking fox demon!”
White Snake
A Lasting Legend
For the animators at Beijing-based Light Chaser Animation, the challenge was to depict a timeless tale using the latest in 3D computer animation techniques.
“The traditional Legend of the White Snake has had a great impact on me since childhood,” says producer Di Cui, who made her producing debut on this film. “As a female filmmaker, I’ve always wanted to work on projects related to female perspectives and themes. Animation films on such topics are still rare in China. The directors and I were all very fond of the idea of transforming the legendary story of the white snake into this form of animation from the very beginning.”
White Snake
The co-directors of White Snake, Amp Wong and Ji Zhao, also got their directing breakthrough opportunities on this film. Amp Wong had joined Light Chaser Animation six years ago after working on the Cartoon Network series Green Lantern and brought expertise as an animation supervisor. “I’ve always longed to work on animation projects that are related to traditional Chinese storytelling,” he says. “The Legend of the White Snake has been a household name in China for centuries, and I was excited to bring audiences this story in a new light.”
Co-director Ji Zhao contributed a distinctly different perspective to the project, having previously worked in live-action film editing — notably on director Kar-Wai Wong’s extraordinary martial arts epic, The Grandmaster. “I joined Light Chaser Animation in 2013, and transitioning from live-action films to feature animation was a unique experience. Animation provides more room to realize wilder creativity,” Zhao notes.
Pioneering Spirit
It’s a testament to the long-term vision of Light Chaser founder Gary Wang that this trio of young filmmakers got their breakthrough opportunities on White Snake. Wang, who started the studio 2013 and directed its early films like Cats and The Guardian Brothers, had previously founded the Chinese video-sharing company Tudou.
Jesteadt recalls that GKIDS has been friendly with Light Chaser for two years, and he finds it significant that the studio is willing to train and promote in-house talent. “The industry in China has been growing so rapidly, and the creative leaps and bounds that are being taken mean it’s only a matter of time before they create an explosive new industry,” he notes. “It’s different from studios that are creating what are effectively knockoffs of Hollywood films. White Snake shows a high level of technical artistry.”
White Snake
Producer Di Cui says that the 170-person team on White Snake had the latest CG software tools at its disposal. “We used Katana and Nuke in lighting, and the final images were rendered in Arnold. Mari was commonly used for look development, while Maya was used for character and environment special effects. We also used Qualoth and Yeti (plug-ins for Maya) to simulate clothes and hair. A number of tools were developed and applied to enhance the CG, particularly for the movement of snakes in the film.”
White Snake performed well with audiences in China when it was released by Warner Bros., and now the challenge for GKIDS is to ensure it finds a North American audience after it opens in New York and Los Angeles this month. Jesteadt says GKIDS worked closely with Light Chaser Animation on the English language dub, which was voiced entirely by Asian-American actors. He also notes, “We’ll be showing the Mandarin version with subtitles as well as the dubbed version. There’s a large film audience in the Chinese American community, and we want to make sure they have the opportunity to see the film as the Chinese filmmakers intended.”
White Snake
One notable indicator of GKIDS’ evolution as an animated film distributor is that White Snake will not be G-rated. In fact, the company isn’t rating the film at all, notes Jesteadt. He views White Snake as an example of GKIDS’ foray into new creative terrain. “This is one of the films that has heralded a new age for Chinese animation. It has started to display the promise that has been apparent for so many years. For us, it’s a ‘down payment’ on years of conversations about taking part in the creative renaissance that’s going on the Chinese animation world. I think it will surprise people, and push them to challenge preconceptions about what animated storytelling can do.”
Anima, the Brussels International Animation Film Festival, will take place from February 21 to March 1, 2020, at Flagey and at the Palace. Part of the program will also be presented simultaneously in several towns across Flanders and Wallonia. Festival programmers are reviewing over 1,500 film submissions from around the world (selections to be announced December 6) to craft a compelling international competition line-up of feature films and shorts, while planning engaging retrospectives, special programs and events.
Futuranima, the not-to-be-missed appointment for industry professionals, is fixed for Monday, Feb. 23 to Saturday, Feb. 28, with conferences, masterclasses, meetings, work in progress presentations and a co-production forum for animated series linking together countries from the North and South of Europe. More information on the summit available online.
The poster for 2020 is the work of Pierre Bailly, creator of the crazy little character Petit Poilu, for whom he has drawn 22 comic books and co-directed a 78-episode TV series… with more animated adventures in the works. Bailly’s early books, created with writer Denis Lapière, include La Saison des anguilles, children’s series Ludo and Agadamgorodok. He also published the graphic novel Le Muret, this time working with his partner Céline Fraipont. And more recently, he published the popular science comic book Homo Sapiens, for La Petite Bédéthèque des Savoirs (The Little Comics-Library of Knowledge) collection.
The organizers have also confirmed four new partners for Anima 2020. The festival will now be working with the brand-new Qbic Hotel, the Théâtre de Poche (Bois de La Cambre), the European animation portal Zippy Frames and the weekly comics magazine Le Journal de Spirou.
Genius Brands International, Inc. continues to build an industry leading executive team to service its growing worldwide business with the appointment of Jamie Buono-Sikorski to Vice President of Marketing. Buono-Sikorski will be responsible for driving brand awareness across all the Company’s properties.
Genius Brands’ IP catalog includes the preschool brands Rainbow Rangers, season 2 currently airing on Nick Jr. with a consumer products retail launch this fall and holiday; and Llama Llama, starring Jennifer Garner, with season 2 debuting on Netflix in November and upcoming product line debut at retail. She will also spearhead marketing efforts for Genius Brands’ latest children’s property, Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten, featuring an all-new animated series starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, which will be supported by a comprehensive consumer products program, currently in development.
Additional brands in the Company portfolio for which Buono-Sikorski will develop marketing strategies include Baby Genius, Warren Buffett’s Secret Millionaires Club and Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab, as well as the Genius Brands Network, which is available in over 80 million U.S. television households.
“Jamie brings an impressive track record across a number of highly successful consumer product and entertainment properties. In particular, she played an important role in the PAW Patrol launch at Spin Master where she helped grow the brand to become a commercial hit in the children’s retail marketplace,” stated Andy Heyward, Chairman & CEO of Genius Brands. “While at Bandai, Jamie also managed the brand marketing for the billion-dollar revenue generating Power Rangers… one of the most successful children’s brands of all time. We are thrilled to add Jamie to our accomplished team of executives leading the growth of our business and look forward to her contributions in the coming years as we continue to roll out our brands into the global marketplace.”
“What drew me to my new role at Genius Brands was the opportunity to play an integral part in building brand awareness for the company’s IP portfolio, including, Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten, Rainbow Rangers and Llama Llama, as well as work with Andy and the Genius Brands team to bring these brands to market,” said Buono-Sikorski. “I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work with some of the biggest brands out there, like PAW Patrol and Power Rangers, and I see similar commercial potential in Genius Brands’ IP.”
Prior to joining Genius Brands, Buono-Sikorski served as Vice President of Brand Marketing at Brandable, Inc., where she led the brand strategy and product development activities within the toy, home and personal care categories, during which time the company experienced triple digit year-over-year growth. She also served as Director of Brand Marketing and Global Development at Bandai America, overseeing product marketing and development for Power Rangers toys, which exceeded $100 million in annual sales. Previously, Buono-Sikorski served as Senior Brand Manager at MGA Entertainment where she developed the brand identity for Little Tikes Baby from inception. She also served as a Global Brand Manager at Spin Master contributing to the growth of PAW Patrol, with Spin Master becoming a top ranked growth company in the preschool category. Earlier in her career, Buono-Sikorski held various roles at Toys ’R’ Us and Jones Apparel Group.
