HBO Max will bring the wonder of Japan’s legendary, Oscar-winning animation house Studio Ghibli to its slate of premium content that will be available at launch in the spring of 2020. HBO Max will be the U.S. streaming home to the entire Studio Ghibli film library, one of the world’s most coveted and revered animation catalogues. The landmark deal with North American distributor GKIDS for the 21 Studio Ghibli features marks the first time these beloved films have been licensed to a streaming platform.
Titles available at launch will include the Academy Award-winning Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke, Howl’s Moving Castle, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Ponyo, Castle in the Sky and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya.
“Studio Ghibli films are visually breathtaking, completely immersive experiences,” said Kevin Reilly, Chief Content Officer, HBO Max and President, TNT, TBS, and truTV. “Exciting, enchanting, and deeply humanistic, these wonderful films have captured people’s hearts around the world, and we are proud to showcase them in an accessible way for even more fans through HBO Max.”
“We are excited to be working with HBO Max to bring the complete collection of Studio Ghibli films to streaming audiences in the U.S. As a premium content brand, HBO Max is an ideal home for our films,” said Koji Hoshino, Chairman of Studio Ghibli. “Upon launch of the service this spring, existing Ghibli fans will be able to enjoy their favorites and delve deeper into the library, while whole new audiences will be able to discover our films for the first time.”
Studio Ghibli is one of the most acclaimed and influential animation studios in the world, inspiring filmmakers and audiences alike over the last 30 years with beloved stories and breathtaking visuals. Under the brilliance of visionary animation directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, and producer Toshio Suzuki, the studio’s films have won countless international awards, including an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature for Spirited Away, as well as four additional Academy Award nominations for Howl’s Moving Castle, The Wind Rises, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya and When Marnie Was There.
Director and studio co-founder Hayao Miyazaki was separately given an Honorary Award at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Governors Awards in 2014, and the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures will pay tribute to his artwork with a special exhibit when the Museum opens in 2020.
Studio Ghibli’s feature film catalogue includes: Castle in the Sky The Cat Returns From Up On Poppy Hill Howl’s Moving Castle Kiki’s Delivery Service My Neighbor Totoro My Neighbors the Yamadas Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind Ocean Waves Only Yesterday Pom Poko Ponyo Porco Rosso Princess Mononoke The Secret World of Arrietty Spirited Away The Tale of the Princess Kaguya Tales from Earthsea When Marnie Was There Whisper of the Heart The Wind Rises (launching Fall 2020)
No need to dust off the cobwebs: Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer and United Artists Releasing have revealed that a follow-up to their animated The Addams Family will rise from the gloom on October 22, 2021. The first outing added to its No. 2 opening weekend with an extra $4.8M on Monday thanks to the school holiday (Indegenous Peoples Day/Columbus Day) for a four-day take of $35M.
Directed by Sausage Party duo Conrad Vernon and Greg Tiernan and animated at Cinesite Studios, The Addams Family marks Charles Addams’ iconic macabre characters’ first animated big screen outing. The film pits America’s favorite Halloween family against a scheming home makeover show hostess (voiced by Allison Janney), and features the voices of Charlize Theron and Oscar Isaac as Morticia and Gomez, with Chloe Grace Moretz as Wednesday, Finn Wolfhard as Pugsley, Nick Kroll as Uncle Fester, Bette Midler as Grandmama and Snoop Dogg as Cousin Itt.
The 15th Annual LA Femme International Film Festival (LAFIFF) will screen a competition block of amazing animation shorts from talented filmmakers on October 20 at 10am. Emily Nordwind, VP of Production & Development for Animation at Paramount Studios will introduce this screening block, and host a Q&A afterwards with a focus on opportunities for women in animation.
LAFIFF will be held Oct. 17-20 with panels and screenings at Regal Cinemas at LA LIVE at 1000 West Olympic Blvd. in Los Angeles. Tickets for the short animation block are $10, available at www.lafemme.org/tickets or on site.
The selected shorts are:
Doubts, Writer/Producer Julie Flanders, Producer Emil Adler, Marina Belica, Animation Phoebe Cavise. A poem by Julie Flanders with animation by Phoebe Cavise, Doubts is both a light and serious reminder to believe in something better than your uncertainties. Cast: Julie Flanders (narrator)
Dragonfly, Director/Producer Sarah Mclean, Animation Ali Barker, Jessica Gray. Based on the true story of a family trip to the Miami Aquarium that goes awry when their car is hit by a cement truck. A story of Life, Death and Friendship. Cast: Gwen Carole (Storyteller)
Dream Catcher, Director/Producer/Writer Avery Rouda, Producer Harley Rouda, Kaira Rouda, Raj Reddy, Illustrator Austina Wang, Jamie Levine, Animator Andrea Cavuoto. This animated short film takes viewers inside the magical world of a Dreamcatcher, reminding children to always follow their dreams.
Feedback, Director/Animator/Cast Michal Zadok, Advisor Atia Newman, Tom Gasek. Two musicians try to one-up each other in a studio until they unintentionally harmonize. Cast: Lizzie Soufleris, Jarell Green, Grady Toback, Gareth Peterson
Gray Body, Director Samaneh Shojaei, Producer Documentary And Experimental Film Center (Defc), Writer Amin Kafashzadeh. The doctor is calmly visiting the patient. There are some psychiatric patients sitting in the waiting room. But these patients cannot be expected to be calm.
Little Big Sky, Director/Producer/Writer Cait Davis. From the inside of a fabricated miniature honky tonk bar, each character shares a story of their rural american home-town; examining small-town lore and the importance of embracing humanity’s rich and textured history viewed through the lens of Kingsbury, Texas. Cast: Sam Drugan, Johnny Harborth, Shirley Nolen
Ludo_2, Director/Producer/Writer Lioba Von Den Driesch, Producer Medienwerkstatt Kulturwerk. The principle of the board game of the same name is applied to the struggle for survival and competition, to the luck and strategy of humans: Colorful game characters embark on a journey across unsafe islands over dark water, there is no turning back, not only the dice are falling.
Passage, Director/Writer/Producer Asvari Kumar. Finding herself in a state of limbo, an Indian woman revisits her immigration journey and voyages through a tempestuous emotional landscape of memory, identity, belonging and the illusion of the American Dream. Cast: Madame Gandhi
Sohrab & Rustum, Director Lee Whitmore. A teacher reads a poem to her class of teenage girls. Through the poem, students and teacher are transported to ancient Persia.
Solitary Confinement, Creator Raquel Salvatella De Prada. This piece attempts to visually communicate, in less than two minutes, the amount of time a prisoner spends in a very small confinement, the minuscule amount of time spent outside the cell, and the psychological impact this can have.
Soup, Director Franklin Okike, Aya Kashima. A dishwasher puts her job on the line to pursue her love for cooking.
Sui Generis, Director/Producer/Animator Erin Pollock. Animated clay sculptures battle their egos and struggle to communicate. The process can be cruel and absurd, but empathy always creeps in to allow for tender moments of connection.
Towels, Director Prawta Annez, Producer Camilla Kjaernet. Territory can be found in many different forms, from borders to fences, and in summer — even towels. When boundaries are crossed on a beach, two strangers become enemies and war breaks out.
The LA Femme International Film Festival is attended by audiences across the globe, Hollywood insiders, filmmakers and the indie film crowds. The Festival screens over 100 films on two screens over four days. LAFIFF is a highly acclaimed premier film festival offering five educational panels, mixers, special screenings, networking galas, and an Awards Show. LAFIFF has launched the careers of thousands of women filmmakers over its 15-year span of breaking the glass ceiling. The go-to fest for all things created by women. The first of its kind offering and supporting women entertainment professionals, and giving a voice to diversity amongst women filmmakers worldwide.
Tubi (www.tubi.tv), the world’s largest ad-supported video on demand (AVOD) service, will launch its service in the U.K. in early 2020, with additional territories to follow — and will launch Tubi Kids on October 21, featuring a robust library of over 1,200 age-appropriate movies and television shows or over 5,000 hours of content at launch, completely free in a dedicated section built for families. Tubi Kids will initially roll out to consumers in the U,S. via Roku devices, coming to all major streaming devices in the near future. Starting in November, it will include hit movies How to Train Your Dragon, Norm of the North and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, alongside series with iconic characters including Sonic the Hedgehog, Strawberry Shortcake, Paddington Bear, The Wiggles and many more.
Red Carpet Studios (Russia) debuted its animation projects to the global market at MIP, offering up three titles: The Bugabooz — a gender-neutral pre-k show about children’s fears in development with an LA-based international team; Space Doctor Cat (32 x 10’) — a show starring hand-made toys which teaches children about health and healthcare; and Blinky and Knobby (26 x 1-2’) — a non-dialogue CG web series which was presented at the Expocontent project pitch. The latter toon follows the misadventures of two space travellers exiled to Earth for laziness and incompetence, making incredible discoveries on their new homeworld.
APC Kids has secured first sales for Russian studio Riki Group’s new animated oreschool series Dinocity (52 x 5’), produced in partnership with Animax studio. DeA Kids in Italy has picked up exclusive pay-TV rights, while YLE Finland has secured TV rights for the territory. APC Kids has co-invested in production and holds exclusive distribution rights worldwide (excluding Russia and China); the company has brought on Nigel Pickard as exec producer and Lee Waters (Floogals, Pet Squad) as script editor and voice director. Dinocity (former working title Ricky the Dinosaur) portrays funny moments from the everyday life of a family of dinosaurs. Ricky, a little dinosaur, his elder sister Tira, and their Mom and Dad can turn ordinary situations into unexpectedly exciting adventures.
“From my previous experience of collaborating with Nigel’s creative team, coupled with Lionel’s wealth of distribution expertise, I had no doubts who we should partner with on Dinocity. With production on the first season well underway, we are excited about the first sales APC Kids has already secured for the show. We feel very confident about the success of this IP because funny, vibrant content, which is underpinned by strong storytelling, is a winning combination which kids fall in love with.” — Diana Yurinova, VP Int’l Business Development & Distribution, Riki Group
Planeta Junior is celebrating the small screen success of CG action-comedy Gormiti (52 x 11’; boys 5-8), co-produced with Giochi Preziosi and Kotoc animation studio. The adventures of four kids using the power of the One Tower and legendary elementals the Gormiti to fight a dark power has been picked up by Clan (Spain), Gulli (France), Teletoon (Canada), ITV (U.K.), RAI (Italy), TVP ABC (Poland), Nickelodeon (Greece), CN (Portugal), Carousel (Russia) and Spacetoon (MENA). The show already airs in these territories and will soon be launched in Indonesia, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Slovenia, and others. A third 26-episode season is in development to launch in 2020. The show is based on Preziosi’s hit toy property, which has sold more than 500 million figures for 1.5 billion euros in over 50 countries.
Studio 100 Media has inked a volume deal with Hungarian pubcaster MTVA which grants free-to-air rights to more than 200 half-hours (390 episodes) of premium kids’ programming from the company’s library. This includes global hits Heidi (Seasons I & II, 65 x 22’ – S2 delivery in December), Wissper (Seasons I & II, 104 x 7’), The Wild Adventures of Blinky Bill (52 x 12’), Nils Holgersson (52 x 13’), Miffy Adventures (Seasons I, II & III, 78 x 7’) and the live-action adventure series Kosmoo (Seasons I, II, & III, 39 x 25’).
“We are delighted with our continuously successful collaboration with MTVA. We pride ourselves on delivering quality kids’ content which has universal appeal and with their proven track record, we are confident that they will be just as popular on MTVA as they have proved to be in other Territories.” — Dorian Bühr, Head of Global Distribution, Studio 100 Media
Jellyfish Pictures is partnering with leading distribution agency Bomanbridge Media for its brand-new CG preschool property, Ivy and the Inklings (52 x 11’). Bomanbridge has invested in the development to help kickstart the
international launch, and shall oversee the distribution rights for Asia Pacific. Jellyfish will handle the rest of the world. Both companies will spearhead the roll out of the series, with a view to securing co-production investment and broadcast interest.
Written by industry veteran Jo Clegg (Hey Duggee, Go Jetters, Lilybuds), the show focuses on Ivy and her doodles, or “Inklings”, who are an artistic expression of how she is feeling. A fast-paced, funny and heart-warming series that celebrates creative expression, promotes emotional learning and delivers “adventures with feelings!.”
“I am enjoying every step Bomanbridge is making to expand the company’s content offering and overall partnerships. Entering into collaborative deals with companies such as Jellyfish Pictures and on such exceptional shows like Ivy and the Inklings is quite gratifying. We have very high hopes for this series and look forward to taking part in that narrative success. Emotional Intelligence and the understanding of it is key to the future of our young people today who are growing up in such demanding times.” — Sonia Fleck, CEO, Bomanbridge
Blinky and KnobbyIvy and the InklingsGormitiDinocity
Los Angeles-based videogame hitmaker and esports organizer Riot has big plans to expand the universe of its popular League of Legends PC title, which launched 10 years ago. In addition to the brand’s first new playables in a decade — including a fighting game, mobile installment, digital card game and an esports management sim — the company has announced an animated series spin-off.
Building on the studio’s well-received animated LoL shorts and music videos, Riot is producing the animated series Arcanein-house, eyeing a launch next year. Set in the game world, in “utopian Piltover and the oppressed underground of Zaun, the story follows the origins of two iconic League champions — and the power that will tear them apart.”
Also on the docket:
Wild Rift: New LoL version, built from scratch, coming to both mobile devices and TBA consoles.
LoL additions: A new character named Senna is launching Nov. 10, and the Summoner’s Rift map is set to get major updates with new dynamic features.
“Project L”: A 2D fighting game featuring LoL characters, currently in early development.
Legends of Runeterra: A free-to-play, digital collectible card game in the vein of Hearthstone for PC and mobile launching next year. Players will be able to directly purchase any card with either earned or paid currency, Riot announced.
Teamfight Tactics for mobile: The auto-battler mode launched a few months ago has become very popular with LoL players, and will now spin off into a standalone title for mobile. Early next year, both the PC and mobile versions of the mode will have a new structure which cycles champions and abilities every few months.
League of Legends Esports Manager: An Inception-esque concept which takes the team management sim model and applies it to professional gaming. In the game, players manage a pro LoL team, and revenue from the title will be shared with real-world pro teams featured in it.
“Project F”: The announcement slate’s big mystery! Riot describes “a very early development project that explores the possibilities of traversing the world of Runeterra with your friends.” VR? AR? Officially licensed LARP? Who can say!
Aside from the LoL 10th anniversary updates, Riot also announced an all-new title currently dubbed “Project A” and described as a character-based tactical shooter set in a beautiful, near-future Earth.
Netflix has secured the rights to Jeff Smith’s award-winning, New York Times best-selling international comic-book series, BONE, to develop a rib-tickling new animated kids’ series. The episodic toon will follow the beloved Bone cousins — Fone Bone, Phoney Bone and Smiley Bone — on an adventure through a vast, uncharted desert and into a mysterious valley filled with wonderful and terrifying creatures.
While attempts at cracking a BONE feature have been made over the last two decades (including a planned trilogy announced by Warner Animation Group back in 2016, with Mark Osborne attached to direct), this will be the first animated series inspired by the cult indie comic.
“I’ve waited a long time for this,” said Smith. “Fans of the books know that the story develops chapter by chapter and book by book. An animated series is exactly the way to do this! The team at Netflix understands BONE and is committed to doing something special — this is good news for kids and cartoon lovers all over the world.”
BONE has been published in over 30 countries since 1991, with over 8 million copies sold in North America alone. It is among TIME Magazine’s “Ten Best Graphic Novels of All Time” and winner of more than 40 national and international publishing awards, including the Eisner Awards, Harvey Awards and the French Alph-art (now known as the Official Award of the Angoulême International Comics Festival). BONE was a pioneer in comics publishing for kids as the launch title for Scholastic’s graphic novel imprint, Graphix Books, when it debuted in 2005.
Jeff Smith is an American cartoonist whose other award-winning and acclaimed comics include SHAZAM!, The Monster Society of Evil, RASL, Little Mouse Gets Ready! and BONE: Tall Tales. Smith splits his time between Columbus and Key West with his wife and business partner, Vijaya Iyer. He is currently working on his new project TUKI: 2 Million BCE.
Beginning Monday, November 11, young adventurers will get to go back in time to meet some of the world’s most inspiring historical figures – when they were kids – and learn about the character skills that helped shape their vision and lead to their success in Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum. The new animated adventure-comedy, based on New York Times bestselling children’s book series Ordinary People Change the World, by Brad Meltzer and illustrator Christopher Eliopoulos, debuts with five back-to-back episodes on PBS stations nationwide, the PBS KIDS 24/7 channel and PBS KIDS digital platforms.
“Research shows that character skills are especially resonant with parents today,” said Linda Simensky, Head of PBS KIDS Content. “By introducing today’s kids to real people who changed the world, we hope Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum will help our viewers learn these concepts and discover that they too can achieve amazing things.”
“Our mission is clear: we’re instilling lessons of kindness, compassion and character in a new generation of kids,” said bestselling author and executive producer Brad Meltzer. “The best part is, we’re not doing it alone. We have the estates of Amelia Earhart, Neil Armstrong, Jackie Robinson and so many others with us. Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum is our attempt to put more good in the world.”
Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum follows the adventures of the intrepid Xavier Riddle, his indomitable little sister Yadina and their reluctant, yet determined, friend Brad along with their robot buddy, Berby. In each episode, the trio faces a problem and must turn to the Secret Museum to travel back in time to meet real-life historical figures when they were kids to help them solve it.
The dynamic new show takes a fresh and accessible approach to teaching kids ages 4-7 about influential historical figures and living heroes and some of the key experiences that shaped their lives, while emphasizing important social emotional concepts and positive character traits such as courage, resilience, and commitment to setting and accomplishing goals. Each 11-minute story, developed with historical and subject-matter advisors, is designed to encourage viewers to make a connection between the attributes that made each person a hero and those same qualities within themselves, helping them recognize their own unlimited potential.
The five premiere event episodes are:
“I Am Helen Keller” Yadina becomes increasingly frustrated as she tries to read a book to Dr. Zoom, but has to keep stopping since it has words in it she doesn’t know. Learning to read is so hard – she feels like she’ll never be able to do it. Xavier knows just what his little sister needs…to the Secret Museum! Our heroes travel back in time to meet someone truly incredible, who had to overcome a whole lot to learn how to do just about anything: Helen Keller. Watching Helen first learn what words are, then how to read, and finally how to speak, all in her own unique way, inspires Yadina to go home and try to find her own way to learn to read. Because, as Helen shows her, there are many different ways to learn.
“I Am George Washington Carver” While playing soccer, Xavier accidentally smushes a flower in the garden. Yadina wants to help the little flower, but Xavier doesn’t get it – what’s the big deal? To the Secret Museum! Our trio travels back in time to meet an expert in plant care: George Washington Carver … accidentally smushing three more flowers in the process. Good thing George Washington Carver knows just what to do. As the kids transport the plant patients back to George’s secret garden, Xavier learns all about how amazing plant life is and why it’s so important that each one of us helps take care of the Earth.
“I Am Amelia Earhart” There’s a bike rodeo coming up, and Brad can’t wait to sign up — until he realizes that the course isn’t training-wheel friendly. Uh oh. Brad can’t possibly ride his bike without training wheels, can he? To the Secret Museum! Xavier takes his pal back in time to meet someone who never backed down from a challenge: Amelia Earhart. Watching Amelia boldly chase her dream of soaring through the clouds as the first woman to cross the Atlantic Ocean solo convinces Brad that when there’s something you really want to do, even if it seems impossible, you just have to go for it.
“I Am Zora Neale Hurston” Xavier and Yadina are eager to read a new comic Brad has written, but Brad isn’t so sure he can share this particular story – it’s very personal. What should he do? To the Secret Museum! Our heroes are sent back in time to meet an exceptional storyteller: Zora Neale Hurston. We meet Zora listening to the tall tales being told on the porch of her corner store, before launching into a few tales of her own. Listening to Zora tell her own personal stories, and watching her light up as she does, helps Brad feel more comfortable with the idea of sharing his own story with his best friends. Because stories are best when you share them with others.
“I Am Charles Dickens” Yadina is left feeling bored on a rainy day after she’s already played with all her toys – there’s nothing left to have fun with. With no new toys to play with, there’s only one thing left to do. To the Secret Museum! Our heroes are sent back in time to meet someone who was seldom bored: Charles Dickens. After a playdate with a young Charles, which involves zero toys, but oodles of fun as they jump over “shark infested waters” and swim with a funny octopus named Fanny, Yadina realizes that she doesn’t need anything new to play with, because her imagination can make everything more fun.
Further episodes will feature Susan B. Anthony, Marie Curie, Maya Angelou, Jackie Robinson, Eleanor Roosevelt, Neil Armstrong, Harriet Tubman, and many others.
Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum is produced by 9 Story Media Group’s award-winning studio Brown Bag Films in Toronto. Executive producers on the series are Brad Meltzer, Christopher Eliopoulos, Vince Commisso, Blake Tohana, Rob Weisbach and Fonda Snyder. The series is directed by Cory Bobiak (Peg + Cat), and Meghan Read (Dot., Dino Dan) is executive story editor. The show’s look is based on Christopher Eliopoulos’ illustrations in the original books.
The series will be bolstered by clips and full episodes across PBS KIDS video platforms, themed games on pbskids.org and games app, parent resources at PBS KIDS for Parents and classroom materials through PBS LearningMedia.
The nominees for the 13th Asia Pacific Screen Awards have been announced, revealing the 37 films from 22 countries and territories across the region in competition. Once again, five visually intriguing and thematically diverse pictures are in the running for the Best Animated Feature Film prize.
Mosley [New Zealand/China]
Dir. Kirby Atkins; Prod. Daniel Story, Bill Boyce
Mosley is the patriarch of a family of thoriphants – elephant-like creatures with facial features of a sheep – whose son discovers a collection of hidden, magical cave drawings. The pictures suggest that their breed once stood upright, had hands and were not just the servants to humans that they exist as now, performing back-breaking yard work and traded as cattle. Mosley decides to make the perilous journey to the land of Kinesareath to find the mysterious uprights and ask for their help to free his family, but his adventure only leads to disappointment while also being trailed by a brutal masked hunter toting a bow and arrow. Only then does Mosley realise his own strength, forcing himself to stand up to his family’s enemies and, in doing, so potentially unlock the secret of his race.
Penguin Highway [Japan]
Dir. Hioryasu Ishida; Prod. Yoko Matsuzaki, Koji Yamamoto
The mystery of the sudden appearance of penguins in a Japanese village will make fourth-grader Aoyama’s summer completely unforgettable. Aoyama is smart and studies diligently, writing down everything he learns, with dreams of winning his first Nobel Prize in just under 4,000 days. His intelligence and grown-up attitude allow him to make friends with “The Lady”, a young woman who works at his dentist’s office. But she has a special power involving the penguins and she gives the young man the opportunity to solve her strange and magical abilities. What is her relationship with the penguins, why do they appear and disappear as if by will, and what will Aoyama learn about himself in the process? Penguin Highway is an adaptation of a 2010 Japanese science-fiction novel, written by Tomihiko Morimi.
Underdog [S. Korea]
Dir. Oh Sung-yoon, Lee Choon-Baek; Prod. Oh Sung-yoon
Moong-Chi has lived a happy life with his owners ever since he was brought home as a puppy. However, when he is taken on what he thinks is just another car ride, Moong-Chi is abandoned in the middle of a forest. Unable to believe it at first, Moong-Chi soon meets a group of dogs that have also been abandoned by their owners and he must accept his new reality. As their story of survival begins, the dogs become accustomed to the street life. But soon they hear about a potential paradise where every dog can live happily away from the demolition and brutal dog hunters and they all head north to find their new home. Oh Sung-yoon previously directed 2011 APSA-winning animated feature Leafie.
The Unseen (Kaghaz-Pareh Ha) [Iran]
Dir./Prod. Behzad Nalbandi
When Tehran hosts visiting foreign dignitaries, the local authorities clean up the city’s image through the controversial process of “urban beautification.” Those who are deemed unsavory are rounded up – drug users, prostitutes and the homeless who sleep in cardboard boxes on sidewalks and who they would rather remain unseen on the arrival of international politicians and VIPs. But what happens when these very important people have left? The men are released after a few days, but the women are kept as wards of the state in perpetuity. An animated documentary made using hand-crafted cardboard miniatures and the voices of women to tell their story, one that has been five years in the making. A story that shows how the face of a city can change, but what is underneath often does not.
It is the first year of high school for Hodaka and he runs away from his home on an outlying island of Japan and goes to Tokyo. He falls into poverty quickly, but after some days of solitude he finds work as a freelance writer for a suspicious occult magazine. As if taking a cue from his own life, it rains day after day. And then one day, Hodaka meets Hina, a girl that catches his attention among the hustle and bustle of the big city. She is cheerful and strong-willed, but an orphan who lives with her little brother. She also has a strange power: the ability to change the weather around her so the rain can stop, the clouds part and the sun shines through. Makota Shinkai directed Your Name., which is the highest-grossing anime movie of all time in Japan.
The 2019 APSA Youth, Animation and Documentary International Jury is comprised of award-winning Berlin-based Syrian filmmaker Diana El Jeiroudi (Silvered Water), Animal Logic (Australia) founder and MD Zareh Nalbandian (exec producer Happy Feet, The LEGO Movie, Peter Rabbit) and Asia Pacific Screen Awards Chair Garin Nugroho (Indonesia).
Winners will be announced live from the APSA ceremony on November 21 in Brisbane, Australia. See asiapacificscreenawards.com for more information.
Thirty-two films from around the world have been submitted for consideration in the Animated Feature Film category for the 92nd Academy Awards. The submitted features, listed in alphabetical order, are:
Several of the films have not yet had their required Los Angeles seven-day qualifying run. Submitted features must fulfill the theatrical release requirements and comply with all of the category’s other qualifying rules before they can advance in the nominations voting process. To determine the five nominees, members of the Short Films and Feature Animation Branch are automatically eligible to vote in the category. Academy members outside of the Short Films and Feature Animation Branch are invited to opt-in to participate and must meet a minimum viewing requirement to be eligible to vote in the category.
Films submitted in the Animated Feature Film category also qualify for Academy Awards in other categories, including Best Picture.
Nominations for the 92nd Academy Awards will be announced on Monday, January 13, 2020.
The 92nd Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 9, 2020, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscars also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.
Organizers of the GLAS Animation Festival, which returns to Berkeley, California for a fifth edition from March 19-22, 2020, have revealed the official poster design and named the 2019 recipients of the GLAS Animation Grant.
The recipients of the second cycle of the GLAS Animation Grant have been announced as Amanda Bonaiuto and David Delafuente. The funds will help these independent American artists complete their next projects.
Amanda Bonaiuto is a freelance animation director, artist, and educator currently splitting her time between Los Angeles and New York. She is best known for her short films and commissioned pieces which have screened at film festivals and galleries worldwide. She received a BFA from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston in 2012 and an MFA in Experimental Animation from the California Institute of the Arts in 2018. Bonaiuto is currently a visiting professor at Pratt Institute and makes films and commissions in her studio. Project title: Confetti
David Delafuente is an interdisciplinary animation artist with interests in the moving image, aesthetic theory, semiotics and graphic design. His work has explored themes of loss, queerness, and romanticism. His films have been shown at festivals and screenings around the world. Currently, David is based in New York, where he continues to play with the relationship between the digital image and its consumer. Project title: Understanding Relationships
Four-day festival passes, weekend passes and day passes are now available for purchase at early registration rates (until December 25). Discounts are available for ASIFA members, students and groups. Register online.
GLAS is still accepting submissions for its film competition. Works completed from January 2018 are invited to enter for consideration in the Narrative Shorts, Non-Narrative/Experimental Shorts, Undergraduate Shorts, Graduate Shorts, Commissioned Shorts and Features categories until November 1. Submit via FilmFreeway.
Pocket.watch, the new studio that creates global franchises from the YouTube stars and characters loved by Generation Alpha, today announced an extension of their partnership with Hulu bringing season one of Hobby Kids Adventures to the platform, as well as new seasons of Ryan’s World, EvanTube Ultimate Mishmash and HobbyKids Ultimate Mishmash. The new content will be available on Hulu beginning October 18, bringing the total number of pocket.watch created episodes on Hulu to 177.
The company also announced that Vudu will be bringing Hobby Kids Adventures and pocket.watch Challenge Squad to their ad-supported service beginning on October 15th. The studio has also confirmed Ryan’s Mystery Playdate continues to rank as the number one show for preschoolers on all of television and has been viewed by over 25 million viewers in the U.S. since launching on Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. in April of this year.
Premiering in June of this year, pocket.watch’s animated series Hobby Kids Adventures, co-created by Butch Hartman (The Fairly OddParents, Danny Phantom) and in collaboration with the HobbyKids family, has generated over 30 million views on the HobbyKidsTV YouTube channel. The series has also launched on Amazon Prime Video, the Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. video apps, and on pocket.watch branded channels across leading streaming platforms, including its new 24/7 live-linear channel on Roku Kids & Family. Additionally, the series has spun off consumer products available at Walmart, with games and books on the way.
“We feel an immense sense of pride around the success of Hobby Kids Adventures and Ryan’s Mystery Playdate,” said Albie Hecht, Chief Content Officer, pocket.watch. “Staying true to our mission to bring kids and families more of what they love, we’ve partnered with some of the best names in both the traditional and digital space to secure pocket.watch’s position as the leader in digital-first IP for kids and families.”
Following pocket.watch’s model of creating global franchises from YouTube stars and characters, the company has greenlit a 12-episode animated comedy-mystery series called Onyx Monster Mysteries, based on the popular Onyx Kids YouTube channel, that follows the four teens and their practical parents on an adventure to save the most endangered species in the world: Monsters. Joining the creative team is Doreen Spicer-Dannelly (The Proud Family) as executive producer and showrunner.
Another series greenlit by pocket.watch is Zombees, a horror-comedy that follows the animated adventures of the incredibly popular Eh Bee family when they mysteriously turn into zombees along with half the world’s population. Beatriz Acevedez and Doug Greiff (co-founders of Mitu) will serve as executive producers on the series.
Pocket.watch has also greenlit production of several new original series:
EvanTube’s Dollar Toy Squad: Series follows the stop-motion exploits of plastic superheroes as they battle the evil forces of metal toys. The series is created by Matthew Schwartz and Yoram Benz, with EP’s on the series including Lance Krall (The Lance Krall Show, Fameless), Albie Hecht (pocket.watch), Emmy winning director Peter Siaggas (The Lance Krall Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!), Peter Stathopoulos, Chris M. Williams (pocket.watch) and Andy Rheingold as co-EP.
Do Crew: Animated and live-action hybrid pre-school educational series where anytime something needs to be fixed, built or repaired, brother and sister Donnie and Didi Do are always ready to help solve the problem!
Jillian’s Mystery Craft Box: A 10-episode live-action series, where special guest DIY superstar and executive producer Karina Garcia challenges Jillian, star of the hit YouTube channel JillianTubeHD, to create something special for her animated buddies from a mystery box of crafts each week.
The Claw: A seven-episode horror anthology audio show for Audible created by bestselling YA author Pat Carman. All seven episodes will be released exclusively on Audible November 21.
Ryan’s Mystery PlaydateJillian’s Mystery CraftHobby Kids AdventuresDollar Toy SquadThe Claw
Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana and Spin Master Ltd. are sending action-packed animated series Bakugan: Battle Planet (100 x 11’) whirling around the world with several major international broadcast pick-ups. Building on its successful launch on Cartoon Network (U.S.) and TELETOON (Canada), the adventures of Dan Kouzo and his friends using their special bond with the alien Bakugan creatures to save the planet will roll out on Cartoon Network (Spain, Italy, Middle East), Gulli and Canal J (France, Africa), POP (U.K.), Super RTL (Germany), RTL (Netherlands, Hungary, Croatia), Nine GO! (Australia), TVNZ (New Zealand), Star (Greece), 1+1 (Ukraine), PopTV (Slovenia), VMMa (Belgium), M6 (France, Africa) and Lithuania/SIA (Baltics). Spin Master, TMS Entertainment and Nelvana have greenlit the second season, Bakugan: Armored Alliance (104 x 11’), now in production, set to launch in 2020.
IoM Media Ventures has inked a development deal with Keith Chapman — creator of preschool mega-hits PAW Patrol and Bob the Builder — for a new CGI series for ages 3-6, tentatively titled Farmer Mars (52 x 11’). Set on the planet Mars, the show follows a young Earth boy named Rob who gets a job on a farm owned and operated by the upbeat yet absent-minded owner, Farmer Mars. Nestled in the fertile lands of Crater Valley, Martianmallow Farm grows fruits, vegetables, and flowers, but it is most famous for Martianmallows and a weird and wonderful collection of Martian animals that help keep the place running.
“We are very excited to partner with Keith to bring the lovable Farmer Mars to life. With his long legacy of creating some of the world’s most recognizable cartoons and characters, we are thrilled to help create a brand new space-themed universe for children to enjoy — one that is consistent with our vision to bring out the child in all of us.” — Dana Landry, President & CEO of IoM
“I am very much looking forward to working with IoM to create this compelling world of characters and stories. Our fascination with Mars is set to escalate over the coming years as planned missions to the Red Planet draw ever closer. The timing is perfect for the development and production of a Mars-themed show.” — Keith Chapman
Beijing Time Flying Fish Culture Media Co. Ltd. has snagged exclusive VOD rights in China for Russian kids’ animation The Homies (Season 1, 52 x 5’30”), produced by 100 Kilowatt. The deal was struck at the Made in Russia MIP pavillion, which brought together a strong cohort of content creators to represent the nation’s entertainment chops. The Homies is set in a colorful universe occupied by living structures. Each episode introduces a new building, such as the Colosseum, the Eiffel Tower and Big Ben, inspiring children’s interest in exploring the world while teaching the importance of helping and cherishing their friends.
“We see great potential in this collaboration. The Chinese market is oversaturated and entering the market is the first big step for us. This is a large and important territory with a huge audience.” — Olga Golubkova, Head of International Distribution & Business Development, 100 Kilowatt
Viacom International Media Networks is teaming up with Alibaba Group’s streaming platform Youku to develop and produce an original animated series, working titled Little Luban. The companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding for a multi-year development and distribution partnership at MIPCOM Tuesday. Aimed at younger kids and families, the series will feature characters and themes that resonate with viewers around the world, and will spotlight values of friendship and teamwork, as well as specific elements of Chinese culture and philosophy. Viacom International Studios (U.S.) will develop and produce the project. Youku and VIMN will also collaborate on a range of consumer products to support Little Luban.
“We have a big pool of animation talent here in China and we’re continuously exploring opportunities to collaborate with local partners. We’re delighted to partner with Youku and now add Little Luban to our slate of projects. We’re very confident the characters and concepts will have strong appeal to Youku’s viewers and we look forward to introducing Little Luban to Nickelodeon viewers in other markets.” — Pierre Cheung, SVP and General Manager – Greater China, VIMN
Moonbug (U.K.) secured a content deal with Nordic Entertainment Group to exclusively debut the original animated series Mia’s Magic Playground (Season 1, 24 x 7’) across Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland in early 2020, exclusively on Viaplay. The adventure series for kids 4-6 follows the popular Little Baby Bum character and her best friends Oskar and Tilde as they explore their imaginary land to find creative solutions and learn real-world life lessons.
“Little Baby Bum and Mia are extremely popular with kids and families in the Nordics, as well as all over the world. Viaplay has an established library of popular children’s programs and is the ideal partner to bring Mia’s next chapter to life so fans can continue to follow Mia and her friends on their adventures.” — Nicolas Eglau, Head of EMEA, Moonbug
IP holder WarnerMedia Entertainment Networks (Asia Pacific) and Shenzhen production company Ciwen Media are teaming up to bring China’s most famous cartoon rabbit Tuzki to the long-form series world in a new, as-yet-untitled modern comedy-drama mixing live-action and CGI. The 24-episode package is expected to enter production in early 2020. Tuzki is also set to feature in 2020 drama Second Time Is a Charm (dir. Chen Ming-zhang) and his own movie, currently in pre-production. He recently appeared on the side of the world’s tallest building as part of a Dubai Tourism campaign aimed at Chinese travelers.
“We’ve been ramping up our investment in local productions over recent months and are firmly committed to nurturing our homegrown Chinese IP. Together with Ciwen Media, this project demonstrates this perfectly. Interest in Tuzki has never been higher and that’s in part because he has a unique voice that resonates with young adults in China. He’s become more than just an emoji, he’s truly an icon for all screens.” — Clement Schwebig, Managing Director, WarnerMedia Entertainment Networks, Southeast Asia, Pacific and China
“The most impressive creative projects are usually derived from real life. And with his witty charm, Tuzki is an accurate expression and reflection of modern lifestyle. In this series, we hope that this original Chinese IP will share joy and inspire the world as a symbol for the Internet generation.” — Ma Zhongjun, Founder, Ciwen Media
***This article originally appeared in the November ‘19 issue of Animation Magazine (No. 293)***
Long before the big Irish animation boom of the past decade, Brown Bag Films founders Cathal Gaffney and Darragh O’Connell were just a couple of students who got kicked out of college for making their own short films! As the story goes, the talented due borrowed 2,000 Irish pounds and spent 1,500 on a photocopier, a month’s rate and a month’s deposit, and used the remaining 500 as working capital.
Flash forward 25 years, and Brown Bag has a staff of about 1,100 spread out in studios in Manchester, Toronto, Dublin and Bali. The shop has produced two Oscar-nominated shorts (Give Up Yer Aul Sins , Granny O’Grimm) and numerous Emmy and Peabody Award-winning series, including beloved titles such as Doc McStuffins, Vampirina, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Noddy in Toyland, Olivia, The Octonauts and Peter Rabbit. In 2015, the success of the studio led to its acquisition by Toronto-based Canadian giant 9 Story.
Doc McStuffins
“Darragh and I started Brown Bag straight after we left college,” recalls managing director Gaffney. “Effectively, we’ve never had a job, never worked for anybody else. Our only job has been Brown Bag. So, straight from college, we went to running a small little studio, which grew slowly and organically over the years. The two of us were the sole owners right up to the point that we joined forces with 9 Story Media Group, and we sold to them in 2015.”
As creative director O’Connell points out, “At the risk of dating ourselves, when we first started everything was pre-digital. All our work was hand drawn, shot on rostrum cameras and edited with actual film. When you made a creative decision, you had to stick with it! Everything was so limited, and yet we had huge fun sellotaping cameras to bicycles and mixing pixelation with cel animation — whatever it took to get an idea across!”
O’Connell says when the duo first told their families they wanted to work in animation, they were in shock and thought they were throwing their lives away. “Now, I feel we have helped to put animation on the map in Ireland, where it is considered a real career and no longer gives the parents of young artists heart attacks,” he says with a smile.
Higher Expectations
“The fact that we have been in business the past 25 years is something that we are quite proud of,” adds Gaffney. “You know, we get to make great animation and all of our projects are something that I take great pride in. Getting to work in a career as exciting and fulfilling as animation is something that I’m very, very pleased to do every day.”
Gaffney says a career highlight was getting Oscar nominations for his two acclaimed shorts. “That, to me, was more being able to create an environment where creativity can thrive, rather than focusing on any individual talent,” he says. “So it’s really about creating an environment where lots of people can do great work in the studio. Not based on any one individual talent, but a complete talent collective of great animators, directors and producers.”
Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty
Both O’Connell and Gaffney believe that while technology has made making changes through various stages of animation easier, audience expectations have also increased exponentially. “If you look at Toy Story or any of the great 3D animation that’s on any TV channel around the world, the quality of the lighting, the rigs and everything is so much better,” says Gaffney. “So people take it for granted that great animation is the default. I think the tools are certainly getting better, but people’s expectations constantly need to be met and challenged. The day you accept the status quo is the day you’re not going to achieve something beautiful.”
“At the end of the day, I always say computers are expensive pencils,” he adds. “So you just need to make sure you’ve got the right pencils in the artists’ hands to allow them to do good work.”
Of course, the team at Brown Bag have had their share of challenges through the years, Gaffney notes pensively. “I always say that over the 25 years it feels like we’ve had a different company every three years. We’ve changed our business model, we’ve changed our strategy, we’ve changed everything about what we do almost on a three-year cycle. You have to have this constant reinvention and this constant evolution in your business, there’s no option to stay still.”
One of the constant challenges has been making sure the right team is working on the right projects. “It doesn’t matter what’s on somebody’s CV,” adds Gaffney. “If they don’t fit with the culture of the business, and they’re not right for the company, it won’t work out.”
For instance, the studio’s latest project is Sadie Sparks, produced with Cyber Group Studios. Aimed at the coveted Kids 6-10 demo, the 2D & CGI show follows the daily misadventures of a teenage girl trying to master her newly discovered powers, with the begrudging help of a grumpy, magical rabbit named Gilbert. The 52 x 11’ series is set to premiere on Disney Channel in EMEA, and has recently been picked up by Discovery Kids Latin America as well as Sony’s POP and Tiny POP in the U.K.
Sadie Sparks
These days, O’Connell says he is really enjoying going back to directing projects. “I’m always on the lookout for the next great project that’s coming our way.” Adds Gaffney, “We’re making great shows for some great partners, while the market is changing and there are many changes happening. People are moving around, commissioning editors are all moving around, and all of that is going on in the background. But at the end of the day as long as you’re making programs for children and not for a commissioning editor, you know you’re going to always have the edge on what children want to watch.”
The Brown Bag principals believe these are exciting times to be making animation. “There are shows being made that are breaking so many rules and catering to all sorts of tastes,” says O’Connell. Adds Gaffney, “The market has really just expanded with all the streamers coming on. It’s really interesting to look at public service broadcasters up against technology companies that are on the stock exchange and they’re both doing the same thing in that they are both commissioning animations. So it’s a really interesting dynamic to see. It’s also a wonderful time if you’re a child and you’re a consumer of content, because you’re literally getting spoiled with all the avenues to get the best animation ever made!”
The duo also emphasize that doing great work has always been their mantra at Brown Bag. “Over 25 years, is to make the best animation we could possibly do,” says Gaffney. “That’s something I don’t see changing in the short term or long term.”
O’Connell: Jimmy Murakami was someone we looked up to so much when we were starting out. Jimmy was a real gentleman and was so kind in introducing us to people at Annecy and other places. He was a great mentor in our early years and we miss him a lot.
Gaffney: Brad Bird’s Iron Giant recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. I remember watching when it was released, and when I look at that film I always learn something new. It’s beautiful. I suppose you’re always a student of animation. It’s very hard to pick a person, going to events Annecy, where you see hundreds of producers and animators, it’s nourishment that you need. If you really care about animation, going to events like those and just meeting hundreds of enthusiastic animators, that to me is better than any one individual.
Good Advice
O’Connell: “Be prepared for it to take time for you to become known. Keep showing up at festivals and markets and keep on working. Don’t expect immediate success and don’t give up: Persistence will get you there eventually.”
Gaffney: “If you want to do it, do it. When you work for yourself that creative entrepreneurship is something that needs to be encouraged at every level. I think it’s extremely fulfilling, it’s also extremely difficult, but if you feel that it’s something you want to do, I strongly encourage it. I would say just do it because there’s no nugget of advice you can give, because there’s a million challenges that are going to face you. Jump in, close your eyes and give it a whirl.”
WEBTOON, the world’s leading digital publisher of sequential storytelling, and Crunchyroll, the world’s most popular anime brand, are announcing today a strategic partnership that will see the development and co-production of new animated content. Crunchyroll and WEBTOON will also collaborate on the distribution, licensing and retail of each new series.
Known as the global leader in original webcomics, WEBTOON’s animated content will offer fans a new way to experience their favorite titles while helping creators to expand their comic creations to new platforms and reach a broader audience.
With over two million subscribers and 50 million registered users, Crunchyroll delivers the best of Japanese animation to over 200 countries and territories around the globe. Crunchyroll also offers fans a robust 360-experience around their favorite anime series, including events, such as the recently-wrapped Crunchyroll Expo, Crunchyroll Games, merchandise, licensing and more.
“There is tremendous crossover appeal with our audiences and exceptional creative synergy on the types of stories we want to tell,” said Taylor Grant, SVP of IP Development at WEBTOON. “We’re excited to partner with Crunchyroll to bring our globally appealing characters to audiences and consumers in new ways, as well as create new opportunities for our talented creators.”
“We are extremely excited to be partnering with WEBTOON,” said Joanne Waage, General Manager of Crunchyroll. “WEBTOON has a tremendous catalogue of content and creators that resonate deeply with our audience and we can’t think of a better way to delight fans than by bringing these stories to life through animation.”
One of the many,many highly-anticipated originals set to launch with the new Disney+ streaming service on November 12, the live-action movie Lady and the Tramp debuted new trailer during Monday night’s episode of Dancing with the Stars on ABC. The movie is a re-telling of the 1955 animated classic about a pampered house dog and a tough-but-lovable stray caught up in an unexpected adventure and, despite their differences, grow closer and come to understand the value of home.
Synopsis: Life is good for Lady, an overachieving American Cocker Spaniel who resides in an upscale suburban neighborhood. Her owners, Jim Dear and Darling, spoil her daily and her neighbors, Jock, an outspoken Scottish Terrier and Trusty, a world-weary Bloodhound, are always within barking distance. But when a baby enters the picture, Lady is no longer the center of attention, and the arrival of cat-loving Aunt Sarah only complicates matters. Lady soon finds herself alone on the streets in an unwelcoming part of town. Fortunately, Tramp steps in, and the streetwise mongrel is quick to teach her the ways of the world. Before long, the prim and proper pure bred and the fast-talking mutt are partaking in moonlight strolls in the park and romantic spaghetti dinners by candlelight. Tramp savors the independence of a world without leashes or fences alongside his roguish friends Peg and Bull, but Lady misses the comfort and safety of a family, and soon both must decide where – and with whom – they belong.
Lady and the Tramp stars Tessa Thompson as the voice of Lady and Justin Theroux as the voice of Tramp; Kiersey Clemons as Darling; Thomas Mann as Jim Dear; Janelle Monáe as the voice of Peg; Yvette Nicole Brown as Aunt Sarah; and Sam Elliott as the voice of Trusty. The film is directed by Charlie Bean from a screenplay by Andrew Bujalski and Kari Granlund, and is produced by Brigham Taylor, p.g.a., with Diane L. Sabatini serving as executive producer.
ASIFA-Hollywood has launched sales of VIP tickets for the 47th Annual Annie Awards, at annieawards.org/tickets. The ceremony will be held on Saturday, January 25, 2020. A VIP ticket includes admission to the pre- and post-ceremony receptions beginning at 4:30 p.m., and to the Awards at 7 p.m. All events will be held at UCLA’s Royce Hall.
Pricing for VIP tickets is: (Through Dec. 31, 2019) ASIFA-Hollywood Members – $200; Non-Members, $250 / (Beginning Jan. 1, 2020) ASIFA- Hollywood Members – $250; Non-Members, $300. General Admission tickets will not be sold this year.
The Annie Awards honor overall excellence as well as individual achievement in 36 categories, and include Best Animated Feature, Best Animated Feature – Independent, Special Productions, Commercials, Short Subjects, Student Films and Outstanding Individual Achievements, as well as the honorary Juried Awards.
Entries submitted for consideration will be from animated productions that were released in the United States between January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2019. Exceptions are commercials, short subjects, special projects and student films, which can qualify with or without United States releases. Submissions close on Friday, November 1 at 5 p.m. PST.
The deadline to become an Annie Awards Corporate Sponsor is December 15, 2019. Final deadline to join ASIFA-Hollywood or to renew membership and register to participate in the 47th Annie Award voting is midnight December 15, however, receipt of screeners is not guaranteed unless memberships are current as of November 1.
The 2020 Annecy Festival (June 15-20) and MIFA market (June 16-19) are calling for film and project submissions for the exceptional 60th anniversary edition next summer! Spotlighting animation and creative talents from Africa, the event promises to be a worthy follow-up to the 2019 edition, which was attended by 12,300 participants.
Film festival submissions are open until February 15, 2020 for the Short Films, TV Films, Commissioned Films and Graduation Films categories. The Feature Films deadline is March 15, 2020, and VR Works entries are due by April 6, 2020. Submit your film online.
Projects seeking production partners and financial investors can apply for a spot in the MIFA Pitches by February 5, 2020. The categories under consideration are Short Films, Feature Films, TV Series & Specials (also open to web series), Digital Experiences and Animation du Monde (open to all formats, but limited to entries from territories with an emerging animation industry — eligible countries listed in the regulations). Register your project online.
Aardman has announced the return of the classic character Morph to Sky Kids with a new series of 15 x 5-minute episodes of slapstick comedy, The Epic Adventures of Morph, set to premiere in spring 2020.
These longer-running episodes will see Morph and his sidekick Chas reunited with their old friends Delilah and Grandmorph for the first time in almost 40 years. The Very Small creatures will also join the gang as they embark on some truly epic adventures that will take them beyond their desktop home and – for the first time – we’ll see Morph and Chas let loose in the wider world.
Staying true to the original format, The Epic Adventures of Morph will be shot using clay and traditional stop-frame animation without dialogue, at Morph’s original home: the multi award-winning Aardman studios in Bristol.
“Morph is as fresh as ever, and in these Epic Adventures we will be pushing the boundaries of Morph’s world further than ever before,” commented series director Merlin Crossingham.
Aardman continues its collaboration with Sky after the huge success of two previous series of Morph, which premiered on Sky Kids in 2016 and 2018.
“We commissioned new Morph shorts in 2016 knowing our audience would adore them, and they certainly have!” said Lucy Murphy, Head of Kids Content at Sky. “When the talented team at Aardman planned to make longer episodes, and expand Morph’s world, it was an opportunity too good to miss. Everyone loves Morph, and we know when they meet Grandmorph and Delilah, and join Morph’s adventures beyond the desk, the love will grow even stronger.”
Aardman has a number of new projects about to launch, including its latest film, A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, which is distributed by StudioCanal and opening in U.K. cinemas on Friday, October 18 — followed by a U.S. release in December. The studio’s first major piece of original content for the theme park market, a 4D immersive experience with brand new characters, will open at Efteling: World of Wonders in the Netherlands at the end of November.
The ANIMARKT Stop Motion Forum, held Oct. 8-12 in Łódź for the fourth time, announced the winners of its Pitching competition. A key component of the world’s only dedicated stop-motion & puppet animation event, ANIMARKT Pitching is a great opportunity for short film creators to present their project to an international jury and attract partners for its production.
Fifteen finalists took part in the competition for puppet short animations in development. The jury — composed of Luce Grosjean (Distributor, Miyu Distribution), Kerdi Oengo (Producer, Nukufilm), Jacek Spychalski (Set design and stop-motion animation specialist, CeTA) — awarded 11 prizes. Glass Elephants won four awards, including a special accolade from CeTA Film Studio (the Audiovisual Technology Centre in Wroclaw): a voucher for using the studio and its facilities for film production.
The 2019 ANIMARKT Pitching winners are:
Special accolade from CeTA Film Studio (the Audiovisual Technology Centre in Wrocław), voucher worth PLN 60,000 (~€14,000): Glass Elephants, dir. Vykintas Labanauskas & Dominyka Adomaitytė (Lithuania)
Special accolade from CeTA Film Studio, voucher worth PLN 40,000 (~€9,300): Money and Happiness, dir. Ana Nedeljković & Nikola Majdak Jr. (Czech Republic, Serbia)
Co-production Award sponsored by Folimage: Glass Elephants, dir. Vykintas Labanauskas & Dominyka Adomaitytė (Lithuania)
Distribution Award by Radiator IP Sales: Glass Elephants, dir. Vykintas Labanauskas & Dominyka Adomaitytė (Lithuania)
Dragonframe 4 licence with a Bluetooth keypad: Rest in Piece, dir. Antoine Antabi (Germany, Syria, Qatar)
Ale kino+ Award — the TV channel will buy the license rights for one pitched project when it’s finished: Albert, dir. Szandra Pataki (Hungary); Au, dir. Katarzyna Majsner (Poland); and Luthier, dir. Carlos González Penagos (Colombia)
Accreditation for MIFA 2020 at Annecy Festival: Luthier, dir. Carlos González Penagos (Colombia)
Expert consultations with puppet maker Marcin Zalewski, available at the production stage of the awarded project: Hain, dir. Alejandra Jaramillo (Chile)
APALAB award, consisting of a two-week writing and development residence in the Animation Production Center Quirino Cristiani in Cordoba (including accommodation in the castle, or in a house nearby) and mentoring/development consultancy in scriptwriting, production and art for development stage, and meetings with producers, considering international co-production fund for animation in Cordoba (Argentina): No Happily Ever After, dir. Gabriela Plačková & Alžběta Göbelová (Czech Republic)
CEE Animation Forum Award – one accreditation to the CEE Animation Forum, local transport (Prague-Trebon-Prague) and three nights’ accommodation for one person sponsored by CEE Animation: Glass Elephants, dir. Vykintas Labanauskas & Dominyka Adomaitytė (Lithuania)
The ANIMART Stop Motion Forum is organized by MOMAKIN – an organisation devoted to promoting animation, as well as supporting its creators in Poland and internationally through comprehensive activities in the field of production, distribution, promotion and education.
ANIMARKT is organized thanks to co-financing from the International Visegrad Fund, the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage from the Culture Promotion Fund and the Polish Film Institute. More info is available at www.animarkt.pl.
The main partner of the event is EC1 Łódź – City of Culture and Łódź Film Commission. All the events of the fourth edition of ANIMARKT took place in the EC1 complex, which is located in the redeveloped buildings of the first commercial power plant in Łódź, which was established in 1907 and operated until 2000. Currently it is an open space for various cultural and scientific activities, which is the seat of the EC1 Science and Technology Centre, the National Centre for Film Culture, the Łódź Film Commission and the Centre for Comics and Interactive Narration.
Ahead of MIPCOM in France, Chinese animation leader Fantawild Animation announced a slate of six new animation projects at its Fantawild Animation Expo in Zhengzhou, China. Approximately 500 Chinese and international professionals from various industries attended the three-day event from October 9-11.
The updated Fantawild portfolio offers two Boonie Bears series for preschoolers as well as schoolchildren: Boonie Squad, a magic-themed show, and Boonie Bears: Monster Plan, which follows the bear brothers and Vick on their missions to save the forest from an invincible machine monster. The company will also release the seventh film in the franchise: Boonie Bears: The Wild Life, a film with a sleek science-fiction aesthetic.
Apart from the popular Boonie Bears brand, Fantawild also disclosed details of Realm of Terracotta, a new property and the world’s first animated film inspired by China’s incredible “Terracotta Army”. Having been in development and production for four years, the highly anticipated film relates the inspirational journey of Magnus, a lowly terracotta orderly striving to be an elite warrior, and his touching love story with the heroine, Jade. Set in a fantastical parallel world, Realm of Terracotta will present a visual feast of Chinese historical culture to international audiences.
Fantawild further announced the acquisition of two international animation brands for its catalog: Miraculous Ladybug and Clangers.
“Our mission has always been to create and share happiness. We care about the healthy growth of children and want to craft the best Chinese stories,” said Daisy Shang, Executive President of Fantawild Group & President of Fantawild Animation. “At the same time, we have been and will continue to be proactive in exploring the international arena as well as licensing and merchandising to further enrich the ‘IP ecology’ of Fantawild.”
Fantawild Animation is one of the most prominent Chinese animation studios. For years, its tentpole brand Boonie Bears has ranked top in ratings on major platforms in China, acclaimed for its high production quality and family friendliness. With its works distributed to over 100 countries and territories, the company has gained a solid and growing presence on the global market. It has cooperated with Disney, Nickelodeon, Sony, Discovery Kids, Netflix, and other major international players in the animation industry.
