Animation Magazine

Tag: featured

  • Netflix Adopts Xilam’s ‘Oggy Oggy’ as First French Animation Original

    Netflix Adopts Xilam’s ‘Oggy Oggy’ as First French Animation Original

    Netflix and French production company Xilam Animation announced that Xilam will produce an original CGI animated preschool series titled Oggy Oggy, based on the global hit franchise Oggy and the Cockroaches, which has reached 800 million households around the world over the last 20 years.

    In the new series, Oggy is freed from the ceaseless tyranny of the cockroaches and lives in a fantasy world inhabited by a vibrant community of cats. Oggy Oggy is a very special little cat, full of curiosity and enthusiasm, who likes to engage with his neighbours and set off on fun adventures.

    “We are delighted with this new collaboration with Netflix, a testimony of their commitment to offering children around the world access to high-quality programs,” said Marc du Pontavice, CEO of Xilam Animation. “With this new development of our successful series Oggy and the Cockroaches, Xilam intends to establish the Oggy universe as one of the most important franchises for the preschool target audience. By expanding its footprint, the brand is expanding its global audience.”

    “We’re thrilled to be working with Marc and his team to expand Oggy’s universe. Xilam is one of France’s most prolific producers, having developed a distinct expertise in non-dialog animated comedy for kids. We’re certain Oggy’s kindness and sweet charm will warm the hearts of preschoolers everywhere,” commented Dominique Bazay, director, kids & family international originals, Netflix.

    Oggy Oggy will join the already robust Netflix original preschool offering for kids aged 2-6, which includes series such as Ask The StoryBots, Chip and Potato, Mighty Little Bheem, Motown Magic, Super Monsters, True and the Rainbow Kingdom, Word Party, YooHoo to the Rescue and DreamWorks’ recently launched Archibald’s Next Big Thing, as well as upcoming pre-k originals Go! Go! Cory Carson and Chico Bon Bon.

    Xilam retains second window global linear television distribution, and merchandising rights. The studio, which produced Netflix’s animated feature Oscar contender I Lost My Body, is one of Europe’s leading animation companies and produces original children’s and family titles across all platforms. Founded in 1999 by du Pontavice, Xilam owns a catalogue of more than 2,000 episodes and four feature films, with successful brands such asOggy, Zig & Sharko and Paprika.

  • News Bytes: Zara Larsson Tunes Up ‘Klaus,’ New ‘SW Resistance’ Clip & More

    News Bytes: Zara Larsson Tunes Up ‘Klaus,’ New ‘SW Resistance’ Clip & More

    Manne Öhrström Named Framestore Global Head of Film Software
    The new role will involve refining current software development practises, while also more fully integrating innovative new and emerging tech such as AI, machine learning and game engine technology into Framestore’s established film pipeline. Reporting directly to Global Managing Director, Film, Fiona Walkinshaw and Executive Director Matt Fox, Manne will work closely with Global Head of CG Mark Wilson and Global Tech Director, Engine, Danny Lepage.

    Manne’s career has spanned film, games and tech. He obtained a master’s thesis in physics while working for EA. For the past few years he has worked at the intersection of art and technology, forging a successful career for the likes of Autodesk and Shotgun. He is also no stranger to Framestore, having worked for the company from 2007-08 and served as one of the key developers on 2008 animated feature The Tale of Despereaux.

    LAAF Announces Jerry Beck as 2019 Honoree
    The Los Angeles Animation Festival will honor the noted cartoon historian and current ASIFA-Hollywood President during the 2019 festival, Dec. 7-8 at the Mayflower Club in North Hollywood. Beck will be featured in a Saturday evening chat show-style retrospective interview and a presentation of some of his favorite shorts. A former studio executive and current lecturer on the faculty at CalArts, Beck has written more than 15 books on animation history. He runs the Animation Scoop and Cartoon Research websites, and has written for The Hollywood Reporter, IndieWire and Variety.

    (Film festival late entries are open through Nov. 11 via filmfreeway.com/LAAF).

    Molang X McDonald’s France
    From October 30 to December 10, the charming chubby rabbit Molang will feature in every McDonald’s Happy Meal served in 1,450 restaurants across France. Kids can choose between four themed stationery packs: Molang in the Mountains, in the Desert, in the Forest, and at the Beach. Packs include stickers, greetings cards, character cards, envelopes, note paper, pop-up cards, etc.

    WATCH: Star Wars Resistance – Hunt on Celsor 3
    In the next episode of Star Wars Resistance, the pirates volunteer to find food for the Colossus, but Kaz doesn’t trust them. He and Torra tag along on the hunt, but run into big problems. “Hunt on Celsor 3” premieres Sunday, October 27 at 6 p.m. ET/PT on Disney XD, 20 p.m. ET/PT on Disney Channel, and will be availabled on the DisneyNOW app and Disney Channel VOD.

    Sneak Peek: Zara Larsson Song “Invisible” Tunes Up ‘Klaus’
    Netflix and Sergio Pablos’ holiday comedy will feature an original song by the multi-platinum pop artist, co-written by Justin Tranter, Jussifer and Caroline Pennell. Klaus opens in theaters Nov. 8 and streaming on Netflix Nov. 15. “‘Invisible’ is such a beautiful song. Its message of kindness speaks perfectly to the message of Klaus. I think it can inspire all of us to be a little compassionate to one another,” said Larsson.

    Manne Ohrstrom
    Manne Ohrstrom
    Jerry Beck
    Jerry Beck

  • Director Leah Shore Discusses Her New Adult Swim Short

    Animation director Leah Shore recently wrote to let us know about her great new Adult Swim bumper, titled House of [AS]. which she made in collaboration with Johnny Woods and Anca Vlasan. She was kind enough to answer a few of our questions about this short homage to LGBTQ ball culture, and her interesting animation career.

    House of [AS] from Leah Shore on Vimeo.

    Animag: Can you tell us a little bit about how this short came to be?

    Leah Shore: Adult Swim’s bumper producer, Anca Vlasan, contacted me to pitch a few ideas for a few bumpers and I immediately pitched this idea, which is something I’ve been wanting to make for a while. It was first pitched as a live-action piece, but they wanted an animated piece, which is also great! I was also thrilled the concept was approved. The project started around this past June, and I produced it in my spare time while working on a few other freelance gigs. It took around four months to make because it was just myself and my talented friend, Johnny Woods.

    Can you tell us about your animation process? What was your budget?

    I edited together a compilation of Ball performances that I scoured the internet over and strung out a sequence into something that made sense to me. I then semi rotoscoped over it while altering the performers entire looks, clothing, hair, faces, bodies, etc., so it would be my own illustration in the end. I hired Johnny Woods — who’s, again, a talented 3D artist — to produce 3D rooms for the performers. I wanted to convey Ball in a fun, creative way in 30 seconds because that’s the allotted amount of time I had. My budget was $2,500.

    What were some of your visual influences?

    I was influenced by the infamous Keith Haring, fingers snapping, fans and judges who judge the crap at Ball performances. I wanted fun, bright, neon/pastel colors and I thought it would be wonderful to have the performers to match the backgrounds colorwise. They’re a hodgepodge of rainbows. It’s in the end celebratory and wonderful. I wanted the viewer to feel excitement, happiness and perhaps look up what Ballroom was if they didn’t know what it was before.

    Why do you think it’s important to have queer representation in animation?

    I think it’s important to have queer animation everywhere. I think it’s slowly happening, but I figured that I’d pitch it to this network because I’ve not really seen it blatantly there. It needed something else other than violence and overtly sexual content. (Which is something I myself normally produce. Go check out my porn holiday card [on Vimeo].) I wanted to make something that people who tune into the network regularly wouldn’t normally think about watching, and fall in love with. I think that answered your question?

    What are you working on next?

    I’m currently finishing up my first music video, which is a song by a Dutch metal band. It is AMAZE-ing. I am very excited about that. Besides that, I’m writing a few shows and other fun things. I’m trying very hard to make content I care about these days and am very careful with what I produce.

    Can you tell us about your background a little bit?

    I studied film, animation and video at the Rhode Island School of Design. I thought I was going to major in industrial design, but after taking a few of the classes there and constantly making funny products with hilarious backgrounds, I figured out that film was my subject. Story is my favorite thing to pursue, and animation is fabulous because I can combine any medium and make a unique product. I love sculpture, painting, fabricating, audio, music, writing — and you can combine all of it in film.

    Any advice to LGBTQ animation hopefuls and professionals?

    Keep making things, always be you and make your own content with any subject.

    Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Don’t be afraid to make LGBTQ+ content. Don’t be afraid to speak up! Also, I wanted to take this opportunity to thank Anca and Johnny for being amazing, talented and incredibly supportive. It’s a strange world that we live in!

    You can learn more about Leah and some of her other awesome projects at vimeo.com/leahshore.

    House of [AS]
    House of [AS]
    House of [AS]
    House of [AS]
    House of [AS]
    House of [AS]
    Leah Shore
    Leah Shore
  • HBO Max Orders 4 ‘Adventure Time: Distant Lands’ Specials

    HBO Max Orders 4 ‘Adventure Time: Distant Lands’ Specials

    Come along with me! HBO Max is re-crystallizing the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning journeys of Finn the human and Jake the dog through the Land of Ooo, greenlighting four new one-hour specials titled Adventure Time: Distant Lands. These HBO Max exclusive premieres will begin with the first two set to debut on the streamer in 2020.

    “The enchanted world of Adventure Time has mesmerized viewers and critics alike as Finn and Jake right wrongs and battle evil,” said Sarah Aubrey, head of original content, HBO Max. “The addition of these specials to the HBO Max kids and family programming lineup is sure to make kids everywhere say ‘Slam-bam-in-a-can!’”

    The 2020 releases BMO and Obsidian will be followed by Wizard City and Together Again at a later date.

    BMO follows the lovable little robot from Adventure Time. When there’s a deadly space emergency in the farthest reaches of the galaxy, there’s only one hero to call, and it’s probably not BMO. Except that this time it is!

    Obsidian features Marceline & Princess Bubblegum as they journey to the imposing, beautiful Glass Kingdom — and deep into their tumultuous past — to prevent an earthshaking catastrophe.

    Wizard City follows Peppermint Butler, starting over at the beginning, as just another inexperienced Wizard School student. When mysterious events at the campus cast suspicion on Pep, and his checkered past, can he master the mystic arts in time to prove his innocence?

    Together Again brings Finn and Jake together again, to rediscover their brotherly bond and embark on the most important adventure of their lives.

    “Adventure Time was a groundbreaking series and a creative playground for so many talented creative artists,” said Rob Sorcher, Chief Content Officer, Cartoon Network Studios. “Producing Adventure Time: Distant Lands for HBO Max will allow our studio to explore this beloved world in an all-new format.”

    Created by Pendleton Ward and executive produced by Adam Muto, Adventure Time is a critically acclaimed show that garnered numerous entertainment awards and cultivated a generation of talent who have helmed such hits as Steven Universe, Over the Garden Wall and Clarence. Adventure Time: Distant Lands is produced by Cartoon Network Studios.

    Learn more about WarnerMedia’s HBO Max, debuting in spring 2020, at HBOMax.com.

    Adventure Time: Distant Lands
    Adventure Time: Distant Lands
  • WildBrain Picks Up Wise Blue’s ‘Hero Dad’ for Worldwide Distribution

    WildBrain Picks Up Wise Blue’s ‘Hero Dad’ for Worldwide Distribution

    Wise Blue Studios (Spain) announces that season one (26 x 5’) of its new non-dialogue preschool series, Hero Dad, has been acquired for worldwide distribution by the global children’s content company, WildBrain. A comedic series about a single father and his curious little daughter, Hero Dad never loses sight of fun as it conveys positive messages for kids within the shifting paradigms of the modern family. Hero Dad is also one of the first animated series produced using Unity’s innovative game engine, allowing real-time 4K rendering in a highly streamlined production process.

    Recently featured by Unity at Siggraph 2019, Los Angeles, CA, and by WildBrain at MIPCOM, Cannes, Hero Dad is produced by Spain-based Wise Blue Studios in co-production with À Punt Mèdia and with the collaboration of the Institut Valencià de Cultura IVC.

    “We’re delighted that WildBrain has picked up Hero Dad for worldwide distribution,” said Maxi Valero, Creative Director and Executive Producer, Wise Blue Studios. “Hero Dad is not only innovative from a technological point of view, but also in the very conception of its theme. We never lose sight of the fact that children, especially at preschool ages, learn best by having fun. We have based the series’ educational philosophy on Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences, which is reflected in the daily trials and tribulations of this modern family and their comedic adventures.”

    “We see technology as a tool in the service of storytelling,” said Nathalie Martinez, co-director of the show and Producer at Wise Blue Studios. “For Hero Dad, technology helped us focus on our story about the life of a single-parent family, where the father takes care of the daughter as they work together to solve the daily challenges and learn the daily lessons that every little kid faces. By having the father be the primary caregiver, the series conveys a message of integration to children, reflecting from the very heart of the series both the family diversity of our current society and the evolution and equalization of male and female roles in contemporary families.”

    “We’re pleased to add this wonderful new series from the talented team at Wise Blue Studios into our distribution roster,” said Richard Rowe, Director of International Acquisitions and Co-Productions, WildBrain. “Hero Dad conveys a positive message to kids about modern family role models while also taking a meaningful step forward with innovating the animation process. We look forward to sharing Hero Dad with broadcasters and streaming platforms around the world, and also through our own WildBrain Spark network on YouTube.”

    Hero Dad, directed by Maxi Valero and Nathalie Martinez, is centered on a father who arrives home from work each day, changes into his superhero costume – rain boots, kitchen gloves, a tablecloth cape and a swimsuit over his trousers – and takes care of, teaches and plays with his curious 3-year-old daughter, Miao. The non-dialogue animated comedy, aimed at preschoolers 2 to 6, features the misadventures of this homemade superhero, who is kind of clumsy and ultimately always ends up being rescued by his clever little daughter, who learns the lesson of the day as the student becomes the teacher.

    In the production of Hero Dad, Wise Blue Studios employed groundbreaking technology by utilizing Unity’s game engine. It is one of the first television series to ever employ this cutting-edge technology, which allows 4K rendering in real time, and as a result has created an innovative, stream-lined workflow for CGI animation. The technical and artistic team at Wise Blue Studios achieved one of the very first successful combinations of the technologies of television animation and video game production, providing a case study for streamlining workflow and advancing animation production toward a new standard.

    Hero Dad
    Hero Dad
  • USC John C. Hench Division of Animation & Digital Arts Turns 25

    USC John C. Hench Division of Animation & Digital Arts Turns 25

    USC’s School of Cinematic Arts’ John C. Hench Division of Animation & Digital Arts (Hench DADA) celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, it was announced by Teresa Cheng, Chair of Hench-DADA. Sponsored by Digital Domain, the official celebration is to take place during SCA’s annual “First Frame” showcase on October 24 at the Directors Guild of America in Hollywood.

    Animation has always been a strong component of the USC cinematic arts education going all the way back to 1933, when Cinema Chair Dr. Boris Morkovin lectured on Walt Disney cartoons and had Walt Disney himself to the campus to meet with students. Throughout the decades as new technologies began to change how the craft was practiced, USC continued to adapt their curriculum and respond to the growing needs of their students.

    The Master of Fine Arts in film, video and computer animation was formally established in 1993. The following year, Vibeke Sorenson, an expert in the art of stereoscopic, interactive moving imagery, was brought in to guide the MFA program, and within a year she was installed as the chairperson of the renamed Division of Animation & Digital Arts. In 1997 famed Disney animator John C. Hench donated an entire animation-drawing studio to the program. In the next decade, supported by substantial endowment from the John C. Hench Foundation, the John C. Hench Division of Animation & Digital Arts was created.

    Today, the Division offers one of the most comprehensive curricula at any university, including courses in all facets of animation and digital arts, among them: classic character animation, 2D and 3D storytelling, performance capture, visual effects, motion graphics, stop-motion, experimental filmmaking, installations and multimedia, documentary animation and visualizing scientific research.

    “Animation is one of the most successful genres in the entertainment industry,” observed SCA Dean Elizabeth Daley. “The John C. Hench Division of Animation & Digital Arts offers animation programs with the goal to provide trained artists and filmmakers immediately ready to meet the needs of this critical part of the industry. Under Teresa Cheng’s stewardship, Hench has in a very short time grown in scope and stature throughout the world.”

    “Our division provides students with a professional environment for the study and production of all practical and theoretical applications, including 2D and 3D feature and television animation, character animation, visual effects, motion capture, projection mapping, motion graphics, and virtual reality. Our curricula along with our esteemed faculty of professionals truly prepares students for careers in animation,” Chang said. ““We are immensely proud of our students and their accomplishments. And take great pride in that a Hench student has won a Student Academy Award for a fourth year in a row — including Alicja Jasina, for Once Upon A Line in 2016; Devon Manney, for Cradle in 2017; Yu Yu, for Daisy in 2018; and Emre Okten, for Two in 2019.”

    “First Frame” is the John C. Hench Division of Animation & Digital Arts’ annual celebration and showcase of the latest achievements by its students and recent alumni. These animated films cover the gamut of genres and techniques, along with installations of work from Hench-DADA M.F.A. students.

    Learn more at https://cinema.usc.edu/.

    USC’s School of Cinematic Arts’ John C. Hench Division of Animation & Digital Arts
    USC’s School of Cinematic Arts’ John C. Hench Division of Animation & Digital Arts
    John C. Hench and Walt Disney
    John C. Hench and Walt Disney
  • ‘Weathering with You’ Fathom Events US Previews Shine in January

    ‘Weathering with You’ Fathom Events US Previews Shine in January

    GKIDS and Fathom Events will continue their theatrical event screening partnership into 2020, bringing Weathering With You to U.S. audiences nationwide for Special Fan Preview screenings over two nights only: January 15 and 16, ahead of the GKIDS theatrical release on Jan. 17.

    Weathering With You directed by Makoto Shinkai and produced by Genki Kawamura, whose previous film Your Name. set box office records in Japan and around the world ($360 million worldwide box office), and is currently receiving a major studio live-action remake from JJ Abrams. Weathering With You held its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, and had a sold-out U.S. Premiere at this weekend’s Animation is Film Festival in Los Angeles, where Fathom is a major sponsor. The film is Japan’s official submission for the Academy Awardâ for Best International Film at the 92nd Academy Awards. The film has grossed over $125 million USD to date in its initial Japanese release,

    Tickets for Weathering With You go on sale Friday, November 15 at www.FathomEvents.com and www.WeatheringWithYouMovie.com.

    Synopsis: The summer of his high school freshman year, Hodaka runs away from his remote island home to Tokyo, and quickly finds himself pushed to his financial and personal limits. The weather is unusually gloomy and rainy every day, as if to suggest his future. He lives his days in isolation, but finally finds work as a writer for a mysterious occult magazine. Then one day, Hodaka meets Hina on a busy street corner. This bright and strong-willed girl possesses a strange and wonderful ability: the power to stop the rain and clear the sky…

    “Fathom is thrilled to continue our strong standing partnership with GKIDS to bring another premiere title to cinemas across the U.S. from Japan,” Fathom Events VP of Programming, Business Affairs & Strategy Daren Miller said. “What makes our events unique and special is the ability to provide audiences with an exclusive first look at these highly-anticipated films, behind-the-scenes content, animated shorts and more.”

    “With breathtaking visuals and emotionally resonant story, Weathering With You has quickly become one of the most anticipated films of the year,” said David Jesteadt, GKIDS’ President. “We are pleased to partner with our friends at Fathom Events on two days of fan preview screenings, giving Makoto Shinkai’s fans the very first opportunity to see the film in theaters nationwide before its release.”

    GKIDS and Fathom Events have partnered previously on the nationwide premiere event screenings for Mary and the Witch’s Flower, from the Academy Award-nominated director Hiromasa Yonebayashi and Studio Ponoc, the release of Fireworks from Studio SHAFT, Studio Trigger’s blistering action adventure Promare, as well as the ongoing Ghibli Fest series of animated masterpieces from Japan’s famed Studio Ghibli.

    Weathering With You
    Weathering With You
    Weathering With You
    Weathering With You
    Weathering With You
    Weathering With You
    Weathering With You
    Weathering With You
  • ‘Chicken Squad’ Gets Clucky with Disney Junior Greenlight

    ‘Chicken Squad’ Gets Clucky with Disney Junior Greenlight

    Production has begun on Disney Junior’s The Chicken Squad, a new animated series for preschoolers and their families slated to debut in 2020. Inspired by Doreen Cronin’s popular book series, the show follows young chicken siblings Coop, Little Boo and Sweetie, and Captain Tully, a seasoned watchdog, who use teamwork and critical thinking skills to solve problems in the neighborhood and keep the peace in their backyard. The announcement was made today by Joe D’Ambrosia, SVP Original Programming and General Manager, Disney Junior.

    “We love the fun, silly humor found in The Chicken Squad book series and are excited to have the opportunity to use that original material as a jumping-off point for our newest Disney Junior series,” said D’Ambrosia. “Full of humor, heroism and heart, we can’t wait for our young viewers to follow along on the adventures of these adorable problem-solving chickens and their police dog mentor as they model what it’s like to be good community helpers.”

    The Chicken Squad voice cast includes Ramone Hamilton (The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants) as Coop, the enthusiastic and inventive leader; Maxwell Simkins (Bizaardvark) as Little Boo, the quick and confident younger brother; Gabriella Graves (Coop and Cami Ask the World) as Sweetie, the strong and big-hearted sister; and Yvette Nicole Brown (Community, Elena of Avalor) as Captain J.J. Tully, a caring retired police dog and mentor to the Chicken Squad.

    Emmy Award nominee Tom Rogers (Elena of Avalor) is executive producer and Humanitas Prize-winner Rachel Ruderman (Sofia the First) is story editor. Tony Trujillo (FarmVille 2) is art director, and Scott Bern (Puppy Dog Pals) is supervising director. The series is produced by Wild Canary in association with Disney Junior.

  • WIA Diversity Awards at SPARK Honor Sony, Netfix’s Melissa Cobb and Brenda Lopez’s ‘ABEO’

    WIA Diversity Awards at SPARK Honor Sony, Netfix’s Melissa Cobb and Brenda Lopez’s ‘ABEO’

    Women in Animation (WIA) is proud to announce the third annual WIA Diversity Awards recipients, presented in partnership with the Spark Computer Graphics Society (Spark CG). The recipients of this year’s awards are: Sony Pictures Animation; Melissa Cobb, Vice President, Original Animation, Netflix; and filmmaker Brenda Lopez for her short ABEO. The awards will be presented by WIA President Marge Dean on opening night of SPARK ANIMATION 2019, which runs October 24-27 in Vancouver, Canada.

    The WIA Diversity Awards were established to recognize and honor individuals, films and organizations that have made a significant impact in expanding the diversity of voices in the art and industry of animation, either through their own creative work, by fostering the work of others, or by leading diversity initiatives that enrich our industry and society. This year’s list of recipients are as follows, and were chosen on the following basis:

    Sony Pictures Animation – Voted on by select members of the WIA board of directors, the WIA Diversity Award is being given to Sony Pictures Animation for its support of and work in creating content featuring diverse characters in such films as the Academy Award-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which presented Miles Morales, a Black Latino Brooklyn teen, in the lead role; and director Matthew A. Cherry’s short film, Hair Love, which centers on the relationship between African-American father Stephen, his daughter Zuri, and her hair. Hair Love producer Karen Toliver, the studio’s Executive Vice President of Creative, will attend the festival and accept the award in behalf of Sony Pictures Animation.

    “In today’s world, where content is reaching people in more ways than ever before, it is vitally important to ensure that the stories we tell are representative of the global audience,” said Kristine Belson, President, Sony Pictures Animation, Features and Series. “It is our goal to foster creatives who want to tell diverse stories, and give them the support they need to do so. We are strong supporters of the mission of Women in Animation, and are grateful to be recognized by such a fantastic organization.”

    Melissa Cobb – Also voted on by select members of the WIA board of directors, Melissa Cobb has been chosen as a recipient for her work supporting female creators at Netflix in her role as Vice President, Original Animation. Cobb oversees an ambitious slate of family animated feature films and series that reach audiences of all ages around the globe. Ranging from feature films such as Nora Twomey’s My Father’s Dragon in Ireland and Gurinder Chadha’s Pashmina in India to kids series like Elizabeth Ito’s City of Ghosts and Megan Nicole Dong’s Centaurworld in Hollywood, Cobb is making great strides to empower the next generation of female animation directors and showrunners by putting them in the highest leadership positions on their Netflix series and films. In addition to overall deals with industry greats including Darla Anderson and Chris Nee, other projects at Netflix include animated international originals Mama K’s Team 4, created by Malenga Mulendema in Zambia, and Fernanda Frick’s Raise the Bar! In Chile. Cobb will be in attendance at SPARK 2019 to accept the award.

    “Melissa Cobb was selected for this award because her commitment to diversity — including hiring many first-time filmmakers and showrunners — is greater than any other studio executive in the past year,” said WIA Vice President Jinko Gotoh, “At Annecy 2018 she asked me for recommendations of female directors and I gave her a list of three first-time filmmakers. They’re all now at Netflix. How empowering and cool is that?”

    Brenda Lopez’s ABEO – A juried award given by Spark Computer Graphics Society, Lopez’s ABEO is a hard-hitting mixed media animated short that depicts the journey of Nadia and Lupe, two immigrants who risked their lives to cross the Arizona desert in search of a better life.

    “Brenda Lopez’s ABEO was noted by the SPARK ANIMATION Festival Jury for its clever and unique use of mixed media to effectively tell a powerful story of survival,” said festival director Marina Antunes.

    A Mexican-Canadian multidisciplinary artist based in Montreal, Lopez’s primary interests lie in film, the visual arts and sound design. Often drawing inspiration from past experiences, she is interested in the exploration of human emotions and the creation of socially engaged content. Lopez recently completed her graduation film at the Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema in the Film Animation Program.

    “Women in Animation is thrilled to spotlight and celebrate the organizations and artists who are making a difference in WIA’s mission of reaching 50/50 by 2025, and we continue to be grateful to SPARK CG for their ongoing support of the WIA Diversity Awards,” said WIA President Marge Dean. “Congratulations to all of this year’s honorees for their enormous contributions to this cause.”

    Abeo
    Abeo
    Abeo
    Abeo
    Abeo
    Abeo
    Abeo
    Abeo
  • New Pics: ‘Dino Girl Gauko’ Gets Roaring on Netflix Nov. 22

    New Pics: ‘Dino Girl Gauko’ Gets Roaring on Netflix Nov. 22

    Netflix has announced a November 22 launch date for Dino Girl Gauko, a new original series from Crayon Shin-chan creator Akira Shigino. New artwork from the 20 x 7’ kids’ comedy animation have also been unveiled.

    Set in Japan, Dino Girl Gauko centers on Naoko Watanabe — a typical 14-year old with the small exception of a unique gift and curse. When her anger exceeds a maximum level, she transforms into Gauko: a fire-breathing dinosaur girl!

    The series is produced by Hitoshi Mogi (Crayon Shin-chan, Hare+Guu, 21 Emon).

    Dino Girl Gauko
    Dino Girl Gauko
    Dino Girl Gauko
    Dino Girl Gauko
    Dino Girl Gauko
    Dino Girl Gauko
  • ‘I Lost My Body’ Wins Grand Prize at Animation Is Film

    ‘I Lost My Body’ Wins Grand Prize at Animation Is Film

    Animation Is Film announced the winners of its third annual film festival Tuesday, with the feature film I Lost My Body, written and directed by Jérémy Clapin, winning the Grand Prize. It is the tale of a severed hand in a Parisian laboratory, that escapes its unhappy fate and sets out to reconnect with its body.

    Marona’s Fantastic Tale took home The Special Jury Prize. This film, co-written and directed by Anca Damian, is the beautiful and deeply emotional story of life and love, told through the point of view of a mixed breed Labrador puppy. This year, Weathering with You from director Makoto Shinkai and The Swallows of Kabul from co-directors Zabou Breitman & Elea Gobbe-Mevellec were tied for the Audience Prize.

    “The jury salutes I Lost My Body for its surprising and original use of animation as a means to tell an unconventional mystery, one in which the main character is a severed hand that experiences a wide range of emotions and adventures without the use of words. French director Jérémy Clapin’s unique feature uses visual storytelling in inventive ways, presenting the world from an unexpected perspective while teaching audiences how to interpret this innovative vocabulary as it unfolds,” stated Jury Chair, Peter Debruge, on behalf of the jurors.

    “We voted to give a special jury prize to Marona’s Fantastic Tale for its visual artistry and overall emotional impact. Rather than emulating the language of live action, writer-director Anca Damian uses the native potential of animation to its fullest,” Debruge added.

    With over 7,000 guests in attendance this year, Animation Is Film hosted several sold-out events throughout the weekend. The Opening Night screenings of Weathering with You, with director Shinkai in attendance from Japan to do Q&As after each screening, sold out two screenings. In addition, AIF hosted multiple special events, including a behind-the-scenes look at the upcoming Frozen II with co-director and Academy Award winner Chris Buck taking audiences on a journey out of Arendelle in pursuit of the origin of Elsa’s powers. The sneak peek featured scenes and music from the upcoming feature.

    AIF also presented a sneak peek at one of the most anticipated animated features of the year – Netflix’s Klaus! Presented by director Sergio Pablos (live, via satellite) and animation supervisor Matt Williames (in person) – audiences learned about the production and screened never-seen footage of this groundbreaking new film.

    Additional special screenings included a presentation of Ne Zha, China’s submission for the International Film Oscar. Coloroom founder and Ne Zha writer & producer Yi Qiao led a discussion to a sold-out audience about the film. Annecy’s “The Best of Annecy: Spotlight on Women Directors,” a showcase of some of the best animated shorts directed by women in 2019, diverse and thought-provoking films from around the world – proved to be a major crowd pleaser.

    “We are happy to wrap our third Animation Is Film, with congratulations to the winners and all participating films and filmmakers, and to the city of Los Angeles for embracing our event. 2019 is a landmark year for animation. The diversity, global range, and creative inspiration on display at the festival is testament to the continued emergence of animation as a cinematic artform,” stated festival founder Eric Beckman.

    The 2019 jury was chaired by Peter Debruge, Chief Film Critic, Variety, and comprised Allison Abbate, EVP, Warner Animation Group; Suzanne Buirgy, producer, Abominable; Melissa Cobb, VP, Kids & Family, Netflix; Justin Chang, film critic, Los Angeles Times; Matthew Cherry, Film & Television Executive, MonkeyPaw; Carolyn Giardina, editor, The Hollywood Reporter; Jorge R. Gutiérrez, director, Book of Life; Jennifer Yuh Nelson, filmmaker, Kung Fu Panda 2 & 3; Charles Solomon, film critic and historian; Mabel Tam, VP & Head Film Buyer, Landmark Theatres; and Anne Thompson, Editor-At-Large, IndieWire.

    The Animation Is Film festival was produced by GKIDS in partnership with Annecy International Animation Film Festival, Variety, and Fathom Events.

    Learn more and view the full 2019 schedule at AnimationIsFilm.com.

    Swallows of Kabul
    Swallows of Kabul
    Marona's Fantastic Tale
    Marona’s Fantastic Tale
    Makoto Shinkai
    Makoto Shinkai
    Weathering With You
    Weathering With You

  • Sheena Duggal to Receive VES Award for Creative Excellence

    The Visual Effects Society (VES) has named acclaimed visual effects supervisor Sheena Duggal as the forthcoming recipient of the VES Award for Creative Excellence in recognition of her valuable contributions to filmed entertainment. The award will be presented at the 18th Annual VES Awards on January 29 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

    The VES Award for Creative Excellence, bestowed by the VES Board of Directors, recognizes individuals who have made significant and lasting contributions to the art and science of the visual effects industry by uniquely and consistently creating compelling and creative imagery in service to story. The VES will honor Duggal for breaking new ground in compelling storytelling through the use of stunning visual effects. Duggal has been at the forefront of embracing emerging technology to enhance the moviegoing experience, and her creative vision and inventive techniques have paved the way for future generations of filmmakers.

    Duggal is an acclaimed visual effects supervisor and artist whose work has shaped numerous studio tentpole and Academy Award-nominated productions. She is known for her design skills, creative direction and visual effects work on blockbuster films such as Venom, The Hunger Games, Mission Impossible, Men in Black II, Spider-Man 3 and Contact. She has worked extensively with Marvel Studios as VFX Supervisor on projects including Doctor Strange, Thor: The Dark World, Iron Man 3, Marvel One-Shot: Agent Carter and for Marvel’s TV series Agent Carter.

    Her pioneering inspiration and hands-on production experience also deeply contributed to the Sci-Tech Academy Awards won for visual effects and compositing software Flame and Inferno. She continues to work with innovative industry leaders and has been consulting with Codex since 2012, and now Pix + Codex, providing guidance on various new technologies they are developing for the VFX community. Duggal is currently VFX supervisor for Venom 2 and recently completed design and prep for Ghostbusters 3.

    “Sheena Duggal’s work epitomizes an artist who has made an indelible and lasting contribution to the industry,” said Mike Chambers, VES Chair. “She capitalizes on her unique blend of conceptual, creative and technological prowess to create explosive visual effects. And that unique ability has brought us some of the most memorable films of our time. For Sheena’s outstanding mastery of her craft, we are proud to honor her with the prestigious VES Award for Creative Excellence.”

    “I am honored and delighted to receive the Creative Excellence Award from the VES,” said Duggal. “There is no doubt in my mind that I stand on the shoulders of the hundreds of talented and creative VFX men and women whom I’ve had the pleasure to work with over the last 30 years. For honoring me with this award I thank the VES for understanding that how you look shouldn’t define who you are or the opportunities you get. My differences have given me a unique perspective and have empowered me to become the creative person I am today. I look forward to receiving this inclusive and prestigious award.”

    In 2007 Duggal made her debut as a director on an award-winning short film to showcase the Chicago Spire, simultaneously designing all of the visual effects. Her career in movies began when Roland Joffe’s and Jake Ebert’s Lightmotive Fatman Inc. brought her to Los Angeles as a Flame artist on Super Mario Bros. She had previously been based in London, where she created high-resolution digital composites for Europe’s top advertising and design agencies. Her work included album covers for Elton John and Traveling Wilburys.

    Already an accomplished compositor (she began in 1985 working on early generation paint software), Duggal was a pioneer Flame artist working on the world’s first Flame feature production in 1992. Soon after, she was hired by Industrial Light & Magic as a supervising lead Flame artist on a number of high- profile projects (Mission Impossible, Congo and Indian in the Cupboard). In 1996, Duggal left ILM to join Sony Pictures Imageworks as Creative Director of High-Speed Compositing. Duggal soon began to take on the additional responsibilities of visual effects supervisor. She was production side VFX supervisor for multiple directors during this time including Jane Anderson (The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio), Peter Segal (50 First Dates, Anger Management) and Ridley Scott (Body of Lies, Matchstick Men).

    Duggal has also worked on a number of design projects. In 2013 she designed the logo and the main-on-ends for Agent Carter. She was production designer for SIGGRAPH Electronic Theatre 2001, and she created the title design for the groundbreaking Technology Entertainment and Design conference (TED) in 2004.

    Duggal is a published photographer, and traveled to Zimbabwe and Malawi on her last assignment on behalf of U.K. water charity Pump Aid, where she was photo-documenting how access to clean water has transformed the lives of thousands of people in rural areas.

    Duggal is a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences and serves on the Executive Committee for the VFX branch.

    As previously announced, Martin Scorsese, Academy, DGA and Emmy Award winning director-producer-screenwriter, is the forthcoming recipient of the VES Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his valuable contributions to filmed entertainment. Additional honorees will be announced.

    Sheena Duggal
    Sheena Duggal
  • ‘Marona’s Fantastic Tale,’ ‘Acid Rain’ Win Top Prizes at Bucheon

    ‘Marona’s Fantastic Tale,’ ‘Acid Rain’ Win Top Prizes at Bucheon

    The 21st Bucheon International Animation Festival (BIAF2019) held its award ceremony Tuesday night. The winners of South Korea’s premiere toon competition included some of the most-awarded films of the year, and reflected the stylistic and storytelling diversity of independent animation created around the world.

    The short film jury — comprised of directors Lee Minkyu (Adam and Dog), Céline Devaux (Sunday Lunch) and Anna Budanova (Among the Black Waves) — awarded the Grand Prize to festival circuit favorite Acid Rain by Tomek Popakul. The Jury Prize was awarded to Academy Award-qualified short Mr. Mare by Luca Tóth. Both the Audience Prize and AniB’s Choice Prize were bestowed on Memorable by Bruno Collet, which previously won the Annecy Cristal.

    The feature film competition was juried by directors Denis Do (Funan), Itazu Yoshimi (Pigtails) and Yoon Gaeun (The House of Us), who selected Marona’s Fantastic Tale by Anca Damian as the Grand Prize winner — the heartfelt story of a little dog’s shared experiences with a series of owners also scored the Audience Prize. Zabou Breitman and Eléa Gobbé-Mévellec’s Cannes Un Certain Regard premiere The Swallows of Kabul received the feature film Jury Prize and Music Prize for best score

    The VR 1st Prize and Jury Prize went to Oscar-nominated film Age of Sail by John Kahrs.

    And Czech filmmaker Daria Kashcheeva flew into Bucheon from accepting her Student Academy Award in Los Angeles in time to receive the student film competition 1st Prize, Jury Prize and AniB’s Prize for Daughter.

    Mr. Mare
    Mr. Mare
    Memorable
    Memorable
    Marona
    Marona
    Daughter
    Daughter
    Age of Sail
    Age of Sail
    Swallows of Kabul
    Swallows of Kabul
  • The 2019 BAFTA Kids Nominees Announced in the U.K.

    The 2019 BAFTA Kids Nominees Announced in the U.K.

    The nominees for this year’s British Academy Children’s Awards which honor the very best in children’s media were announced today. The Awards take place at The Brewery, London, on Sunday 1 December. Here are the nominees in the animation-related categories.

    Animation

    • The Amazing World of Gumball. Ben Bocquelet, Mic Graves, Sarah Fell – Great Marlborough Productions/Cartoon Network
    • Danger Mouse. Production Team – BBC Children’s In-House Productions/CBBC
    • The Demon’s Head. Production Team – CTVC/TrueTube
    • Hilda, Luke Pearson, Stephanie Simpson, Kurt Mueller – Silvergate Media/Netflix

    Channel

    • CBBC
    • CBeebies
    • Hopster
    • Truetube

    Director

    • Dirk Campbell. The Worst Witch – CBBC/Netflix
    • Steve Connelly. Horrible Histories – Cbbc
    • Mic Graves. The Amazing World Of Gumball – Cartoon Network
    • Grant Orchard & Sander Jones. Hey Duggee – Cbeebies

    Feature Film

    • Horrible Histories: The Movie – Rotten Romans. Will Clarke, Caroline Norris, Dominic Brigstocke – Altitude Film Entertainment, Citrus Films/Altitude Film Distribution
    • Mary Poppins Returns. Rob Marshall, John Deluca, Marc Platt – Walt Disney Pictures/Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
    • Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse. Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman, Phil Lord – Sony Pictures Animation/Sony Pictures Releasing Uk
    • Toy Story 4. Josh Cooley, Jonas Rivera, Mark Nielsen – Pixar Animation Studios/Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

    International Animation

    • Apple & Onion. George Gendi, Brent Tanner, Benton Connor – Cartoon Network Studios/Cartoon Network
    • Doc Mcstuffins. Dan Nosella, Michael Stern, Chris Nee – Brown Bag Films/Disney Jr
    • SpongeBob SquarePants. Stephen Hillenburg, Vincent Waller, Marc Ceccarelli – Nickelodeon Animation Studio/Nicktoons
    • Teen Titans Go! Production Team – Warner Bros./Cartoon Network

    Preschool Animation

    • Digby Dragon. Adam Shaw, Chris Drew, Jen Upton – Blue Zoo Productions/Channel 5
    • Floogals. Ruther Ducker, Lee Walters, Ceri Barnes – Nevision/Channel 5
    • Hey Duggee. Grant Orchard, Sander Jones, Janine Voong – Studio Aka/Cbeebies
    • Numberblocks. Joe Elliot, Simon Taylor, Ben Lee-Delisle – Blue Zoo For Alphablocks/Cbeebies

    Writer

    • Writing Team The Amazing World Of Gumball – Cartoon Network
    • Ciaran Murtagh, Andrew Barnett Jones Danger Mouse – CBBC
    • Writing Team Horrible Histories – CBBC
    • Mark Baker, Neville Astley, Phil Hall Peppa Pig – Channel 5

    For more info, visit http://www.bafta.org/children/awards/childrens-awards-nominations-and-winners-2019

  • Global Screen Picks Up Pratchett’s ‘The Amazing Maurice’

    Global Screen Picks Up Pratchett’s ‘The Amazing Maurice’

    Global Screen has picked up worldwide distribution rights (excluding North America, the UK and GST) to the upcoming animated adaptation of Sir Terry Pratchett’s popular The Amazing Maurice. The screenplay is by Oscar-nominated Terry Rossio (Shrek, Aladdin, Pirates of the Caribbean) and character design is by Carter Goodrich, who worked on Ratatouille, The Croods and Despicable. Also attached are director Toby Genkel and producers Ulysses Filmproduktion, Emely Christians and Cantilever Media’s Andrew Baker and Robert Chandler and exec producer Roddy MacManus. The film’s delivery date is mid 2022.

    The Amazing Maurice is based on one of Pratchett’s Discworld novels that have sold over 90 million copies worldwide. The story is inspired by the Grimm’s fairy-tale about the Pied Piper of Hamelin. Here is the official synopsis: “Maurice, a streetwise cat, has the perfect money-making scam. He’s found a dumb-looking kid who plays a pipe, and his very own horde of rats – rats who, strangely, are educated and literate, so Maurice can no longer think of them as ‘lunch.’ everyone knows the stories about rats and pied pipers… However, when Maurice and the rodents reach the stricken town of Bad Blintz, their little con goes down the drain. For someone there is playing a different tune. A dark, shadowy tune. Something very, very bad is waiting in the cellars.”

    Tobis Film picked up the distribution rights for GST and is also the German Co-production partner. German Studio Rakete and Canadian Squeeze Animation will be responsible for the 3D animation, with 2D animation sequences by Cantilever Media. The Film is supported by Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein, FFA Development and Creative Europe Media.

    Global Screen will start preselling this new family animated film at the upcoming AFM with a script and promo in place.

    “The Amazing Maurice will be the first animated feature film ever made from a Terry Pratchett novel. It will get Ulysses’ complete focus and attention to detail in order to fulfil our promise: to make a wonderful movie from this very funny, unique, strong and awesome story,” says Emely Christians.

  • Iconic ‘Robotech’ Series Powers Up with Funimation

    Iconic ‘Robotech’ Series Powers Up with Funimation

    Leading global distributor Kew Media Distribution has licensed the highly successful original anime sensation Robotech: The Series and the sequel films Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles and Robotech 2: The Sentinels to Funimation, the global leader in sub and dub anime content and a subsidiary of Sony Pictures Television. Upon expiration of existing third-party deals, this expansive agreement gives Funimation all rights (including VOD, EST, home entertainment and merchandising) worldwide, excluding Japan, to over 45 hours of the cutting-edge CGI anime.

    Produced by Harmony Gold and Tatsunoko Production, the action-adventure animated series Robotech introduced an entire generation of viewers to anime when it first premiered in 1985 and to this day, has a thriving and extensive fan base around the globe.

    Separately, the Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Pictures Group is currently developing the eagerly anticipated Robotech live-action feature film.

    Robotech: The Series starts as the human race finds itself on the brink of annihilation under attack by a fleet of gigantic alien warships capable of destroying an entire planet in a split second. The only hope for survival lies with the secrets of Robotech, an advanced alien technology which has given humans access to powerful robotic systems and interstellar spacecraft.

    Produced in high definition 5:1 with digital surround sound, Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles film sequel picks up the story many years later with vibrant anime characters voiced by Mark Hamill (Star Wars) and Chase Masterson (Star Trek: Deep Space 9).

    Based on the popular series, Robotech 2: The Sentinels is the enthralling film sequel, where two cultures, the citizens of Earth and the planet Optera, come together to determine the fate of their two worlds in a compelling story of love, courage and the pursuit of freedom.

    “Funimation is the ‘go-to’ destination for sub and dub and we are very pleased to have licensed Robotech to this global anime powerhouse where it will join the very best series in the genre,” commented Jonathan Ford, EVP Sales of Kew Media Distribution. “We know this highly-regarded and incredibly popular cult animation series will excite and delight Robotech fans around the globe.”

    Colin Decker, General Manager of Funimation, added, “Robotech is a beloved and foundational series for fans around the world. We are so proud and excited to connect this iconic series with millions more fans through Funimation.”

  • ‘Pip Ahoy!’ Returns to Turner’s Cartoonito

    ‘Pip Ahoy!’ Returns to Turner’s Cartoonito

    CHF Media Group’s hit preschool animation series Pip Ahoy! has embarked for Cartoonito, airing as of October 1 on the Turner channel.

    Set in and around the sunny seaside town of Salty Cove, Pip Ahoy! follows the adventures and life-boat rescue escapades of Pip the Pup and his friends Alba, Hopper and Pasty. Featuring the voice talent of Sir David Jason as Pip’s lovable uncle Captain Skipper, there are 78 x 11’ episodes across three animated series which promote themes of friendship, problem solving and looking out for others.

    “Our renewed partnership with Cartoonito enables us to bring Pip Ahoy!’s adventures and laughter into even more homes. Along with itvBe, this greater exposure will also help support our master toy partner, John Adams, at a key time of year as we build awareness of their range of Pip Ahoy! collectable figures, plush and playsets,” commented Adrian Wilkins, CEO, CHF Media Group. “With Cartoonito’s fantastic promotional activity and a sponsorship campaign planned for Q4 on Boomerang, we are looking forward to seeing Pip’s popularity rise even further.”

    Sean Gorman, Turner’s programming director of kids’ channels, Northern Europe, added, “We are excited to welcome back Pip and his friends to our channel this Autumn. We are looking forward to introducing new viewers to the series and to promoting Pip’s fun adventures in the run-up to Christmas.”

    Pip Ahoy! now has solid multi-platform distribution across itvBe, Cartoonito, Sky, Virgin, BT and YouTube as the series continues to entertain young children throughout the U.K.

  • ‘Heidi’ Echoes Round the World with S2 Pre-Sales

    ‘Heidi’ Echoes Round the World with S2 Pre-Sales

    Studio 100 Media has announced a slate of pre-sales for Season 2 of the revived CGI animated series Heidi (26 x 22’). Based on the popular children’s book Heidi’s Years of Wandering and Learning by Swiss author Johanna Spyri, the vibrant and charming series is set to once again enthrall children with its gentle storyline, timeless values and rich visuals.

    In addition to TF1 (France), who is also a co-production partner, the latest broadcasters to befriend Heidi include Canal Panda (Portugal), TVPabc (Poland), MTVA (Hungary), RTVS (Slovakia), ProPlus (Slovenia) and LRT (Lithuania).

    Produced by Studio 100 Animation SAS and targeted at 5- to 8-year olds, the series follows the adventures of Heidi, a happy, charismatic and communicative orphan girl living with her grandfather in the scenic idyll of the Swiss Alps. Heidi makes friends quickly, and people know that they can call on her for help. She loves the freedom of life on the Alp, but she also learns how to take on responsibility. Her blithe nature means that she can show others how to grow with the challenges that everyday life presents and still be happy. Heidi’s honest demeanor and natural charm means that she can instill in others both courage and a joy of life.

    “Heidi is a truly wonderful family brand with a great track record. We are delighted with the pre-sales and our deals with these broadcast partners will ensure that Heidi will continue to be popular and win a new generation of fans,” said Dorian Buhr, Head of Distribution at Studio 100 Media.

    Heidi Season 2 will be completed by December this year, just in time for the launch of the toy range from Playmobil. Playmobil will deliver Heidi figures, various play sets and more product innovations inspired by the CGI series from January 2020 onwards. Additionally, Studio 100 produces Heidi CGI specials in close cooperation with Playmobil, featuring the Heidi characters in the typical Playmobil toy look.

    Heidi
    Heidi
  • News Bytes: D23 Makes Searchable Disney+ DB, ‘Bloodlines’ Births Silver Swan & More

    News Bytes: D23 Makes Searchable Disney+ DB, ‘Bloodlines’ Births Silver Swan & More

    Over 80% of Kyoto Animation Employees Injured in Arson Attack Have Returned to Work
    Of the 33 survivors hurt in the horrific July 18 fire, four remain hospitalized while 27 have returned to work and another three had returned on a temporary basis.

    “Things are still very far from normal. The everyday atmosphere we had until July 18 doesn’t exist right now. When you go to work, so many people who used to be there have disappeared … There is no shortcut to nurturing employees’ development. The most important thing is the emotional recovery of our creators.” — Hideaki Hatta, President, Kyoto Animation

    On the day of the attack, Kyo-Ani had about 176 employees, 70 of whom were in the office, and 36 tragically died as a result. The suspected arsonist remains hospitalized and has not been formally arrested. Generous donations from around the world will be used to support victims’ families and not business recovery, the studio has asserted.

    How ‘90s Kids Are Redrawing the Boundaries of Chinese Animation
    How the grown-up tastes of millennials who maintain a love for animation into their adulthood has reshaped the local industry and lead to ingenious, home-grown hits like Monkey King, Ne Zha and Legend of Hei.

    Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige Adds Marvel Chief Creative Officer Title
    The move gives the Marvel Cinematic Universe master oversight of all creative direction of storytelling and content creation platforms for the company, with all key creative executives reporting to Feige.

    35th Int’l Short Film Festival Berlin
    The 2019 edition is set to run more than 400 films across 60+ programs and events from Nov. 5-10. The full program is now online, as is that of the concurrent Kuki Int’l Short Film Festival for Children & Youth. Film fans are also invited to view and vote on the EYES WIDE OPEN Online Award until Nov. 7 — this year’s nine films contending for a 1,000-euro prize are inspired by social justice and environmental issues.

    Here’s Basically Everything You Can Watch on Disney+
    In case you have been dizzied by the various announcements surrounding the launch titles for the new platform, the dedicated Official Disney Fan Club crew at D23 have created an easy to use guide. The list is sortable by several criteria, including brand, year and title, so you can best plan your binge for November 12.

    Watch: Silver Swan’s Creation in ‘Wonder Woman: Bloodlines’
    Sneak peek at the birth of a powerful villain as Silver Swan (voiced by Marie Avgeropoulos of The 100) begins her tranformation in this clip from Bloodlines. The latest DC Universe Movies entry from Warner Bros. Animation is available on Digital and on 4K Ultra HD / Blu-ray combo packs on Tuesday.

  • Disney TV’s November Blasts Off with ‘Rocketeer,’ ‘Big City Greens’ S2 & More

    Disney TV’s November Blasts Off with ‘Rocketeer,’ ‘Big City Greens’ S2 & More

    There’s plenty for young viewers to be thankful for on Disney TV channels next month. Highlights of November’s toon schedule across Disney Channel, Disney Junior and Disney XD include the series premiere of The Rocketeer on November 8, and the season two premiere of Big City Greens on Nov. 16, guest-starring Jonathan Van Ness, Thomas Middleditch and Anna Akana.

    The schedule also packs in new episodes of Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures, T.O.T.S., Muppet Babies and Vampirina for the little ‘uns, as well as the continued adventures of Star Wars Resistance, Elana of Avalor and a new Goblin story arc in Marvel’s Spider-Man, with lots of fun guest stars lined up from Danny Trejo to Auli’i Cravalho!

    Friday, Nov. 1
    9:00-9:30 A.M. EDT (Disney Channel) Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures “Mickey’s Thanksgiving Fun Race!/Happy Thanksgiving Helpers!” To celebrate Thanksgiving, Mickey and the gang race Thanksgiving-themed racers. | Minnie, Daisy and Cuckoo Loca host Thanksgiving dinner.

    Sunday, Nov. 3
    6:00-6:30 P.M. EST (Disney XD)/10:00-10:30 P.M. EST (Disney Channel) Star Wars Resistance “The Engineer” Kaz and Neeku discover Nena, a Nikto engineer in need of assistance, who barely escaped a First Order attack.

    9:30-10:00 P.M. EST (Disney XD) Marvel’s Spider-Man “The Road to Goblin War” Spider-Man must take down the slick new villain, Slyde, as he steals various chemicals from around the city in an effort to create a deadly virus that could wipe out New York.

    Friday, Nov. 8
    9:00-9:30 A.M. EST (Disney Channel) Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures “Caution: Kids At Work!/The Snoozy Doozy Pet and Breakfast!” It’s Mini-Mechanics Day and Mickey’s #1 fan, Buddy, can’t wait to get to work. | When The Happy Helpers become busy with pet-sitting requests, they turn the Snoozy Doozy into a pet hotel.

    9:30-10:00 A.M. EST (Disney Channel) T.O.T.S. “Bringing Baby Back/A Penguin in the Desert” Pip and Freddy show Peggy the Polar Bear the benefits of having a baby brother. | Pip and Freddy brave the desert heat to deliver a camel.

    11:00-11:25 A.M. EST (Disney Channel)/5:00-5:30 P.M. EST (Disney Junior) SERIES PREMIERE The Rocketeer “First Flight/Pilot Error” Kit Secord receives a surprise package on her birthday, revealing she’s next in line to become the Rocketeer. | While Kit learns the ropes of becoming a flying superhero, she must stop the thieving sister team of Laura and Harley from stealing jewels from the town’s jewelry store. Maria Bamford (Arrested Development) and Kari Wahlgren (DC Superhero Girls) guest star as Laura and Harley, respectively.

    11:25-11:45 A.M. EST (Disney Channel)/5:30-6:00 P.M. EST (Disney Junior) The Rocketeer “Skyway Robbery/A Doggone Adventure” When Kit stops a thief from robbing the Bulldog Café, he ends up stealing her rocket-pack and helmet. | Butch must rescue his new friend, Honey, the golden doodle.

    Sunday, Nov. 10
    6:00-6:30 P.M. EST (Disney XD)/10:00-10:30 P.M. EST (Disney Channel) Star Wars Resistance “From Beneath” Flix takes Kaz and crew to his homeworld to acquire fuel from his family’s refinery, only to discover the family’s drilling has awoken something monstrous. Jim Rash (Community) and Bobby Moynihan (Saturday Night Live) return as Flix and Orka, respectively.

    9:30-10:00 P.M. EST (Disney XD) Marvel’s Spider-Man “Goblin War – Part One” Spider-Man teams up with Spider-Girl, Ghost-Spider and Doc Ock to track down a new threat — the mysterious Goblin Nation.

    Friday, Nov. 15
    8:30-9:00 A.M. EST (Disney Channel) Muppet Babies “Mystery on the Muppet Express/Mister Manny” When Buddy the Bunny goes missing on the Muppet Babies Express, Summer Penguin sets out to find him. | Mr. Manny steps in for Miss Nanny when she runs an errand. Dulé Hill (Suits) guest stars as Mr. Manny.

    9:30-10:00 A.M. EST (Disney Channel) Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures “Where’s Mickey?/Cuckoo in Hot Dog Hills!” Mickey helps Mayor McBeagle install a Flammer Jammer into his car. | Cuckoo Loca’s cousins visit from Paris.

    12:30-1:00 P.M. EST (Disney Channel) Elena of Avalor “Team Isa” When Elena falls under the spell of a magical bandit named Tito, it’s up to Isabel and her friends to save Elena and the kingdom. Anthony Ramos (Broadway’s Hamilton) guest stars as Tito.

    Saturday, Nov. 16
    9:30-10:00 A.M. EST (Disney Channel) SEASON 2 PREMIERE Big City Greens “Cricket’s Kapowie!/Car Trouble” Cricket earns a role in Big Coffee’s new TV commercial but loses his confidence. Jonathan Van Ness (Queer Eye) guest stars as Confident Stylist, Thomas Middleditch (Silicon Valley) guest stars as director Donny Tinselton and Anna Akana (Youth & Consequences) returns as café barista Gloria. | When Bill trades his pickup truck in for a cutting-edge electric car, he gets more than he bargained for. Cheri Oteri (Saturday Night Live) guest stars as Gwendolyn Zapp.

    Sunday, Nov. 17
    6:00-6:30 P.M. EST on Disney XD/10:00-10:30 P.M. EST on Disney Channel) Star Wars Resistance “The Relic Raiders” When Kaz and the team arrive on a mysterious planet to buy supplies, they find the outpost has been abandoned and a secret Sith Temple has been raised.

    9:30-10:00 P.M. EST (Disney XD) Marvel’s Spider-Man “Goblin War – Part Two” Spider-Man and Harry Osborn seek the Goblin King to determine who is behind the Goblin Mask.

    Friday, Nov. 22
    9:00-9:30 A.M. EST (Disney Channel) Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures “Campy Camper Day!/Founder’s Day Flounder!” While on a camping trip, Mickey, Donald and Daisy can’t unplug from their electronic devices. Mickey and the gang celebrate the 100 th birthday of Hot Dog Hills.

    9:30-10:00 A.M. EST (Disney Channel) T.O.T.S. “Out Foxed/Elephant in the Room” Freddy’s status as the best hide-and-seeker is challenged after he and Pip lose a baby fox. | Pip and Freddy help K.C. earn her first Golden Feather on Cleaning Day.

    11:00-11:25 A.M. EST (Disney Channel) The Rocketeer “Carnival Caper/Songbird Soars Again” The Great Orsino and his traveling carnival arrive in Hughesville to steal Kit’s rocket-pack. | Kit befriends a former pilot, May Songbird, and helps her find the courage to fly her plane again. Phylicia Rashad (This Is Us) guest stars as May Songbird.

    12:30-1:00 P.M. EST (Disney Channel) Elena of Avalor “The Last Laugh” Naomi has second thoughts about her role on the Grand Council after her childhood friend, Veronica, visits. Auli’i Cravalho (Moana) and Gina Torres (Suits) guest star as Veronica and Chatana, respectively.

    Saturday, Nov. 23
    9:30-10:00 A.M. EST (Disney Channel) Big City Greens “Urban Legend/Wishing Well” When Bill learns that Gramma has been purposely creating a frightening reputation around town, he throws a barbeque to befriend the neighbors. | Cricket makes a wishing well to cash in on people making wishes, but when Tilly dumps all her savings into it, he is faced with a dilemma. Zeno Robinson (Young Justice) and Andy Daly (Review) return as Cricket’s best friend Remy and Officer Keys, respectively.

    Sunday, Nov. 24
    6:00-6:30 P.M. EST (Disney XD)/10:00-10:30 P.M. EST (Disney Channel) Star Wars Resistance “Rendezvous Point” Doza attempts to meet a Resistance pilot from his past. Meanwhile, the pilot has been captured by the First Order. Elijah Wood (The Lord of the Rings trilogy) and Donald Faison (Scrubs) return as Jace Rucklin and Hype Fazon, respectively.

    9:30-10:00 P.M. EST (Disney XD) Marvel’s Spider-Man “Goblin War – Part Three” In order for Spider-Man to defeat the Goblin King, he must first bring together Doc Ock, Spider-Girl, Ghost-Spider, Miles Morales and Harry Osborn.

    Saturday, Nov. 30
    11:00-11:30 A.M. EST (Disney Junior) Vampirina “A Gargoyle Carol/Deliver-eeek!” When Gregoria is reluctant to embrace the human traditions of Christmas, she receives a visit from the Christmas Ghost who takes her on a journey to the past, present and future to help her get into the holiday spirit. | Vampirina and her family are excited to discover a new service that delivers specialty items from Transylvania. Nicole Sullivan (The King of Queens) guest stars as Cleo, a delivery witch.

    9:30-10:00 A.M. EST (Disney Channel) Big City Greens “Elevator Action/Bad Influencer” Gloria gets stuck on an elevator with the Greens. Anna Akana (Youth & Consequences) returns as café barista Gloria. | Remy falls under the sway of an internet influencer. Danny Trejo (Machete) and Zeno Robinson (Young Justice) return as bodyguard Vasquez and Cricket’s best friend Remy, respectively.