Animation Magazine

Tag: featured

  • MIP Bytes: New Alliances, Deals, and Award for Iginio Straffi

    MIP Bytes: New Alliances, Deals, and Award for Iginio Straffi

    Rainbow Founder & CEO Iginio Straffi was honored Saturday with the Kids Trendsetter Award, presented at MIP Junior in recognition of the Italian hitmaker’s contribution to children’s entertainment worldwide with successful properties such as animated hits Winx Club and 44 Cats. Straffi received his award at the Creators’ Superpanel session. The accolade, now in its fifth year, is presented by World Screen and TV Kids in collaboration with Reed MIDEM.

    “I am really honored to receive the Kids Trendsetter Award, which rewards my work over all these years. Our productions make Made in Italy animation famous all over the world establishing immediate and long-lasting empathy with target audiences.” — Iginio Straffi, Founder & CEO, Rainbow

    BES Animation and broadcast partner Network 7 (Australia) announced the commission of a third 52 x 11’ season of the much-loved children’s comedy toon Kitty Is Not a Cat, which shares its message of difference and acceptance to kids 6-10 and their families around the world. Season 2 is set to slated for release in November. S3 will begin production later this year, and will feature an increased focus on music as it continues the adventure of a young girl determined to live the life of a cat amid a motley crew of felines who try to dissuade her. BES continues to work with Jetpack Distribution to further build on the 90 plus territories currently broadcasting Kitty Is Not A Cat. A book series with Hachette Publishing is slated for release early in the New Year, with L&M partnerships to follow.

    ”We set out to create a gentle comedy that deconstructed the way kids are expected to behave and the conventions we consider to be normal human behavior but when viewed from another angle can appear quite absurd. As any parent knows, kids zero in on this and hopefully the bumbling innocence of our cats attempting to explain what they don’t understand continues to strike a chord for children and adults alike. I suppose our success or otherwise in explaining human behavior might be judged by the number of kids around the world masquerading as cats!” — Bruce Kane, series co-creator & Director, BES Animation

    “Kitty and her feline friends are more than delightful, they make us belly laugh and that’s why this wonderful series resonates with children and adults alike. We are so proud of how BES and the team have brought this series to life and are thrilled to be partnering with them for Season Three.” — Niki Hamilton, Executive Producer, Seven Network

    GO-N International (Paris) and RIKI Group (Saint Petersburg) have made a key sale for animated preschool series Tina & Tony (52 x 5’) to France Télévisions for its Okoo block. Last year, GO-N Prod. and RIKI inked an agreement that would see the former distribute the show in French-speaking territories across Europe and Africa. Produced by RIKI and already a hit in Russia, CIS and China (with 2 billion views on Youku, which will co-produce season 2), Tina & Tony tells the story of Tina the Elephant and Tony the Hippo who enjoy their homey life of colorful dreams and just enough mischief with their amazing animal friends. (www.go-n.fr)

    “We are very grateful RIKI trusted us to represent their adorable show, and we are thrilled French children are going to discover the fun and wonderful world of Tina & Tony, thanks to the commitment of France Télévisions. We immediately fell in love with Tina & Tony characters and the beautiful and colorful universe of the show, top CGI quality and great storytelling and emotions in the long tradition of beautiful and sensitive Russian animation.” –Eric Garnet, Producer & Co-Founder, GO-N International

    Flying Ship Studio (Tokyo) and Verité Entertainment (Los Angeles) have teamed up for the kids’ comedy animation series, Captain BAL. The agreement will see Verité taking on English dub version production of Flying Ship’s original concept, aimed at kids 5-9. Both partners will pitch the series for presales across the global market. (www.flyingship.co.jp/en, www.veriteentertainment.net)

    “Captain BAL is our first original property and Flying Ship Studio’s team is thrilled to get on this journey with Verité Entertainment. We are confident that with Verité’s expertise we are in great hands to take the series to the next level and have a place in the global market.“ — Emmy Ozawa, Producer, Flying Ship Studio

    “As soon as I watched the pilot for Captain BAL, I fell in love with it. It was like nothing I had seen in any of the markets. I knew I was watching something quirky, unique and funny with a lot of heart. We are very excited to be partnering with Flying Ship Studio and their beautiful show Captain BAL.” — Donald Roman Lopez, President, Verité Entertainment

    Master Moley, the new celeb-packed animation property produced by Nottage Productions, makes its MIP debut with a 30-minute special and 52 x 11’ TV series, distributed by Signature Entertainment and Jetpack Distribution, respectively. Created by James Reatchlous as an original bedtime story, the animated adventure for ages 4+ follows adventurous Master Moley (voiced by exec producer Warwick Davis of Harry Potter and Star Wars fame) as he sets out to use a magical book to bring peace between humans and moles. The voice cast also features Julie Walters, Gemma Arterton, Richard E. Grant, Togo Igawa and Charles Dance. The special is exec produced by Reatchlous, Davis, and Tony Nottage; directed by Leon Joosen and written by Ricky Roxburgh, with animation by Cosmo-Giantwheel.

    “We are hugely excited to welcome Master Moley to the Jetpack fold. It’s an extremely high-quality production that’s both quintessentially British and universally appealing. The premise of moles living under Windsor Castle is magical and endearing, and the show has a warm family appeal. Adults will no doubt love it as much as their kids. The moles will be burrowing their way into Cannes!” — Dominic Gardiner, CEO, Jetpack Distribution

    Quintus Media has entered a digital distribution agreement with Indian animation leader Cosmos Maya, with the intent to exploit key series in the U.S. digital market and expand on an ever growing viewer base of tens of millions. The deal covers flagship slapstick fox-and-chickens comedy series Eena Meena Deeka (39 x 30’), BFF comedy Motu Patlu (78 x 30’), and the action-packed adventures of a cute rabbit and a ferocious tiger on the run in Tik Tak Tail.

    Master Moley
    Master Moley
    Iginio Straffi
    Iginio Straffi
    Tina and Tony
    Tina and Tony
    Flying Ship Studio
    Flying Ship Studio
    BES Animation - Kitty is Not a Cat
    BES Animation – Kitty is Not a Cat
  • Global Convergence: Animation Is Film Is Back!

    Global Convergence: Animation Is Film Is Back!

    ***This article originally appeared in the November ‘19 issue of Animation Magazine (No. 294)***

    For the third year in a row, L.A. becomes the hot spot to catch some of the most acclaimed international animated movies of the year in October. Thanks to the efforts of GKIDS founder and president Eric Beckman and his hard-working team, the Animation Is Film festival audiences get a chance to take in more than 15 bold, artistically challenging movies and attend several behind-the-scenes panels at Hollywood’s historic TCL Chinese Theatre.

    Eric Beckman
    Eric Beckman

    “The sheer range of films is super exciting to me,” says Beckman. “Ne Zha is a humongous box office hit in China, as Weathering with You is in Japan, and both are very much made for domestic audiences without pandering to Hollywood or Western norms at all. Then you have a great selection of adult-leaning European titles, like I Lost My Body, Swallows of Kabul, beautiful personal stories like Marona’s Fantastic Tale and Bombay Rose. And also decidedly experimental arty fare from Asia, like SHe, Children of the Sea and No. 7 Cherry Lane.”

    He adds, “What’s also exciting to me is that along with the established masters like Makoto Shinkai (Your Name., Weathering with You), you have a number of self-taught and first-time animators, who are not coming out of the school or studio system and therefore come at things differently.”

    Bombay Rose
    Bombay Rose

    Catching the Eastern Wave

    Since launching the New York International Children’s Film Festival in 1997, Beckman say has been keenly aware of wonderful films being made internationally. “I think this year we are seeing the focus shift further towards the East somewhat as the capabilities and sensibilities in those markets mature and come into their own, as places like France and Ireland did previously. We have four films from China in the lineup, which would not have happened five or 10 years ago.”

    White Snake
    White Snake

    Asked to compare the indie animation scene with what American studios are producing these days, he says, “There are simply not that many U.S. animated features targeting adult audiences, which seems surprising given the success of animated adult fare on television. But I suspect the trend is moving forward in that direction. We are seeing more artistically adventurous studio fare as well, as evidenced by Sony’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse last year. But with the budgets involved in studio production, it’s just hard to take risks like the Spidey team was afforded. Hopefully we will see more of that! I do think that audiences are more open to seeing all kinds of animated movies today.”

    He also sees a lot more room for inclusion and representation of women and minorities in the animation business. “We need a lot more,” he says. “There is a shameful lack of diversity in animation.”

    Swallows of Kabul
    Swallows of Kabul

    Beckman sees the rise of streaming companies like Netflix, Amazon and Apple TV+ as a net positive. “They are acquiring cool international animation and producing a ton of original projects,” he notes. “They are also not constrained by the major theatrical box office imperative or family brand sensitivities, so they can take all kinds of risks that studios can’t (or think they can’t).”

    Beckman won’t tell us which titles he is personally more excited about. (“We love all our babies equally, you know that!”) But, he does leave us with some great advice about the best way to enjoy his festival: “Come and see everything — really,” he says. “See eight or 10 films. We have food, a full bar and bathrooms so all your needs will be taken care of!”

    Marona's Fantastic Tale
    Marona’s Fantastic Tale

    In Competition Screenings:
    Weathering with You 
    (dir. Makoto Shinkai, Japan)
    Friday, Oct. 18, at 7:30 p.m.

    Marona’s Fantastic Tale
    (dir. Anca Damian, France/Romania/Belgium)
    Saturday, Oct. 19 at 1:30 p.m

    Children of the Sea
    (dir. Ayumi Watanabe, Japan)
    Saturday, Oct. 19 at 4:15 p.m.

    Bombay Rose
    (dir. Gitanjali Rao, India/U.K./France/Qatar)
    Saturday, Oct. 19, at 4:30 p.m.

    SHe 
    (dir. Shengwei Zhou, China)
    Saturday, Oct. 19 at 1:30 p.m.

    Ride Your Wave
    (dir. Masaaki Yuasa, Japan)
    Saturday, Oct. 19, at 7:30 p.m.

    The Swallows of Kabul
    (dir. Zabou Breitman & Elea Gobbe-Mellevec, France)
    Saturday, Oct. 19 at 7:30 p.m.

    7 Cherry Lane 
    (dir. Yonfan, Hong Kong SAR China)
    Sunday, Oct. 20, at 1:15 p.m.

    White Snake
    (dir. Amp Wong & Ji Zhao, China)
    Sunday, Oct. 20 at 7:30 p.m.

    I Lost My Body
    (dir. Jeremy Clapin, France)
    Sunday, Oct. 20, at 7:30 p.m.

    Special Screenings and Panels:

    Steven Universe: The Movie
    (dir. Rebecca Sugar, U.S.)
    Saturday, Oct. 19 at 1:15 p.m.

    Cencoroll Connect
    (dir. Atsuya Uki, Japan)
    Saturday, Oct. 19 at 1:30 p.m.

    Son of the White Mare
    (dir. Marcell Jancovics, Hungary)
    Saturday, Oct. 19 at 4:30 p.m.

    Best of Annecy
    Saturday, Oct. 20 at 11 a.m.

    Ne Zha
    (dir. Jiao Zi, China)
    Sunday, Oct. 20 at 4:30 p.m.

    Zog 
    (panel with director Max Lang)
    Saturday, Oct. 19 at 10:30 a.m.

    Frozen 2  
    (behind-the-scenes panel)
    Saturday, Oct. 19 at 11 a.m.

    Klaus 
    (behind-the-scenes panel)
    Sunday, Oct. 20 at 11 a.m.

    Hair Love
    (screening and panel)
    Saturday, Oct. 19 at 11:30 a.m.

    For more information, visit animationisfilm.com.

    She
    She
    Ride Your Wave
    Ride Your Wave
    No. 7 Cherry Lane
    No. 7 Cherry Lane
    I Lost My Body
    I Lost My Body
    Children of the Sea
    Children of the Sea

  • Abishek Dutta Named Network Head of Cartoon Network & Pogo South Asia

    WarnerMedia announces Abhishek Dutta has been appointed Senior Director and Network Head – Kids, overseeing Cartoon Network and POGO in South Asia. Based in Mumbai, his responsibilities include programming, channel operations, acquisitions and promotions, as well as the content direction for the two brands.

    “Abhishek brings with him a strong kids industry experience and I am confident that he will raise the bar of the kids’ portfolio and capitalise on the opportunities that lie ahead of us,” said Siddharth Jain, Managing Director, WarnerMedia Entertainment Networks South Asia. “I welcome Abhishek to the WarnerMedia family.”

    Dutta will also be working closely with and under the direction of Leslie Lee, VP of Kids Content, WarnerMedia Entertainment Networks APAC.

    The new network head brings more than two decades of experience and expertise in the media and entertainment industry to the post. He has been a part of four successful TV channel launches as well as a digital platform focusing on kids in India. Besides his creative and programming skills, his technical skills include sound recording, voicing, music mixing and editing.

    “The kids’ TV category has become more exciting than ever before. With my new role at the helm of Cartoon Network and POGO in South Asia, I am looking forward to driving the current business through its next phase of growth. This set of brands are not only first movers, but also the most established kids brands in the country,” Dutta commented.

    Dutta’s career includes stints at ALT Balaji, Discovery Networks India and, most recently, he was Senior Kids Programming Director at Viacom18, a company he joined in 2016. His various roles have included programming, channel operations and management, content development and acquisitions, and animation development.

    The exec is a sports enthusiast and has won multiple honors for volleyball and handball. He has also been involved in the National Cadets Corps and has represented his platoon as the commander in India’s Republic Day parade.

    POGO
    POGO
    Cartoon Network
    Cartoon Network
  • Trailer: Wonderful Pics, Six Point Harness Put A-Peel in ‘Camp Halohead’

    Trailer: Wonderful Pics, Six Point Harness Put A-Peel in ‘Camp Halohead’

    Wonderful Pictures, an original content studio and division of The Wonderful Company, announced in collaboration with Six Point Harness Animation the debut of Camp Halohead — a clever, new family-friendly animated series set to debut on YouTube on November 18. Camp Halohead brings the company’s Wonderful Halos mandarins brand to life in a fun and fruitful animated world.

    The five-episode series follows mandarin characters Clemmie, Tango and Bud as they learn what it takes to achieve Pure Goodness through the good and bad choices they face in everyday situations. They have one goal in mind: to be good enough to earn their halo! The first trailers launched on the official YouTube channel today.

    Wonderful Halos is America’s most-loved mandarin brand ranked by parents and kids, according to a 2019 Brand Love study. The animated series — a first-of-its-kind original entertainment property to debut from a produce brand — is made for family viewing and encourages kids to make good choices and do good deeds to earn their halos.

    The Wonderful Halos “Good Choice, Kid” national advertising campaign celebrates kids and adults who make good, healthy choices every day by choosing to be healthy, choosing to be active, and choosing to be kind.

    Camp Halohead
    Camp Halohead
    Camp Halohead
    Camp Halohead
  • 2019 Int’l Emmy Kids Award Nominees Announced

    2019 Int’l Emmy Kids Award Nominees Announced

    Nominations for the International Emmy Kids Awards were announced Monday by the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences at a press conference at MIPCOM in Cannes. There are 28 nominees in seven categories, spanning 15 countries: Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Denmark, France, Germany, India, The Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and the United Kingdom.

    For the first time in the Awards’ history, programs from India and Nigeria are nominated in a kids’ category.

    “The geographic spread and diversity of topics addressed in this year’s nominated programs attest to the vibrancy and quality of children’s television throughout the world,” said Bruce Paisner, President & CEO of the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. “We congratulate the Nominees for their outstanding talent and for setting the standard of excellence we expect for young viewers worldwide.”

    International Emmy Kids Awards at MIPTV presenting partners are Ernst & Young, MIPTV and TV Kids. Winners will receive their award in Cannes, France on Tuesday, March 31, 2020.

    2019 International Emmy Kids Awards Nominees:

    PRESCHOOL
    Animanimals Studio Filmbilder / KiKA – Der Kinderkanal (ARD/ZDF) / SWR (Germany)
    Bluey Ludo Studios (Australia)
    Petit Pájaro / NonStop / Pakapaka / Señal Colombia (Chile)
    SuperWings Mission Teams – Season 3 FunnyFlux / Alpha / EBS (South Korea)

    ANIMATION
    Grizzy and the Lemmings – Season 2 Hari Productions (France)
    Jorel’s Brother – Season 3 Copa Studio / Cartoon Network (Brazil)
    Lamput – Season 2 Cartoon Network / Vaibhav Studios (India)
    Zog Magic Light Pictures (United Kingdom)

    DIGITAL
    Like Me NRK Super (Norway)
    Young Hearts Live Globo (Brazil)
    MarcoPolo World School MarcoPolo Learning Ltd. (United Kingdom)
    Ultra News – Season 6 DR (Denmark)

    FACTUAL
    My Life: Hike to Happiness Nine Lives Media / The Wilderness Foundation (United Kingdom)
    Nosso Sangue, Nosso Corpo Fox Lab Brazil / Your Mama (Brazil)
    The Ultra Like Experiment STV Productions (Denmark)
    What’s New? (from BBC Africa) BBC World Service (Nigeria)

    NON-SCRIPTED
    The Baby Boss Thai Broadcasting Company Limited (Thailand)
    LEGO Masters – Season 2 Tuesday’s Child (United Kingdom)
    Nighthawks De Mensen / Ketnet (VRT) (Belgium)
    The Voice Kids – Season 3 Globo (Brazil)

    SERIES
    The Rules of Floor NL Film / VPRO Television (Netherlands)
    Guru Paarvai 4 Blue River Pictures (Singapore)
    Jamie Johnson – Season 3 Short Form Film Company (United Kingdom)
    Young Hearts: Brazilian Lives Globo Brazil

    TV MOVIE/MINI-SERIES
    Kids of Courage LOOKS / SWR / Toto Studio / BBC Alba / MG Alba / CT / EC 1 Lodz / CeTa (Germany)
    Jacqueline Wilson’s Katy BBC Children’s In-House Productions / CBBC (United Kingdom)
    Joe All Alone Zodiak Kids Studio / CBBC (United Kingdom)
    Just Dance Korean Broadcasting System (South Korea)
    Learn more about the International Emmy Awards at www.iemmys.tv.

    Lamput
    Lamput
    SuperWings Mission Teams
    SuperWings Mission Teams
    Zog
    Zog
    International Emmy Kids Awards
    International Emmy Kids Awards
  • Director Sunao Katabuchi to Receive BIAF Honorary Award

    Director Sunao Katabuchi to Receive BIAF Honorary Award

    The 21st Bucheon International Animation Festival has chosen masterful Japanese director Sunao Katabuchi as the recipient of the 2019 BIAF Honorary Award. This accolade is presented to a filmmaker who has achieved the greatest heights of animation artistry.

    Katabuchi is an alumnus of the iconic Studio Ghibli, having met founders Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata while studying film at Nihon University. He is best known for his powerful adaptation of World War II manga In This Corner of the World, which won the Grand Prize at BIAF 2017, the Japan Academy Prize for Animation of the Year, the Jury Award for Feature Film at Annecy, and was the first animation to be named Film of the Year by Kinema Junpo since Miyazaki’s My Neighbor Totoro.

    In 2018, Katabuchi was appointed as a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and in the same year served as BIAF jury president as well as creating the 2018 edition’s posters and trailers. The director has attended BIAF for three consecutive years from 2017 to 2019, having established a deep connection with the festival after receiving his first award from BIAF 2017 for In This Corner of the World. To celebrate his Honorary Award, BIAF 2019 will present special screenings and a masterclass of his films Princess Arete (2001) and Mai Mai Miracle (2009).

    From serving as assistant director on Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989), Katabuchi has recently set a new record for longest-running theatrical release with In This Corner of the World — at 1,067 days as of October 14, 2019. The director’s cut, In This (and Other Corners) of the World is slated for release on December 20.

    Katabuchi will be presented with the Honorary Award during the Opening Ceremony of BIAF 2019, on Friday, October 18 at 7 p.m.

    BIAF is an Academy Award-qualifying festival, and will run through Oct. 22. Learn more at www.biaf.or.kr.

    Princess Arete
    Princess Arete
    Mai Mai Miracle
    Mai Mai Miracle
    In This Corner of the World
    In This Corner of the World
  • ‘100% Wolf’ Is MIP Junior’s Most-Screened Series in All-Animated Top 20

    ‘100% Wolf’ Is MIP Junior’s Most-Screened Series in All-Animated Top 20

    A horror icon of a different color was the most compelling character to shoppers at this year’s MIP Junior, as Studio 100 Media’s 100% Wolf – Legend of the Moonstone scored the No. 1 spot on the list of most-screened series at the market. The comedy-adventure series tells the story of Freddy Lupin, the heir to a proud family line of werewolves. On his 13th birthday his first “warfing” takes a shocking turn, turning him into a ferocious… poodle. Now enrolled in the prestigious Howlington Academy, Freddy must prove that he still has the heart of a werewolf!

    So what if he’s a poodle? Freddy Lupin knows he’s got what it takes to win a place in the elite Night Patrol. All he’s got to do is graduate from the prestigious Howlington Academy, prove he can do anything the other wolves can and keep his pink fluffy butt out of trouble. Freddy’s off to a rough start when he makes an enemy of schoolmate Ivan Beowolf, a boy from a powerful, rival werewolf family. If that wasn’t enough, someone has stolen the sacred moonstone and is unleashing increasingly weird and dangerous animal hybrids on the town!

    The CGI, 26 x 22’ series for kids 6-10 is produced by Studio 100 Media’s (Germany) Flying Bark Productions (Australia), with ABC Australia and SuperRTL Germany as commissioning broadcasters. Based on the book by Jayne Lyons.

    “What makes 100% Wolf – Legend of the Moonstone special is its hilarious and dramatic concept about a boy trying to find his way in a challenging world – one in which he is an outsider,” commented Martin Krieger, CEO of Studio 100 Media. “He is a pink poodle in a world of werewolves. This guarantees a lot of laugh-out-loud humor – not leaving out the difficulties our hero Freddy has. That makes 100% Wolf a unique action-adventure best friend comedy with a very distinctive main character and a strong message with high social relevance: Heroes come in many forms! We are thrilled with the response from this year’s screening and look forward to 100% Wolf being a ‘howling’ hit with kids worldwide.”

    The series pawed its way to the peak of an all-animation Top 20 list of the most eye-catching shows in the market’s screening library.

    The Top 20 Most Screened Shows at MIP Junior 2019:

    1. 100% Wolf (Studio100 Media/GMBH) Germany
    2. Pikwik Pack (Guru Studio) Canada
    3. Mystery Lane (Hari International) France
    4. Agent Jon Le Bon (Zodiak Kids) France
    5. Alice & Lewis (Blue Spirit Productions) France
    6. Splat & Seymour (Blue Spirit Productions) France
    7. Remy & Boo (Boat Rocker) Canada
    8. Lupin’s Tales (Xilam) France
    9. 44 Cats (Rainbow) Italy
    10. Lupita around the Planet (Petit Fabrik) Brazil
    11. Abraca (Planet Nemo by Ankama) France
    12. Mush-Mush & the Mushables (Cake) U.K.
    13. Abby Hatcher (Spin Master/Viacom) Canada/U.S.
    14. Babyatrice (Zodiak Kids) U.K.
    15. 16 Hudson (Big Bad Boo Studios) Canada
    16. Two Happy Farmers (Rainbow) Italy
    17. Droners (Cyber Group Studios) France
    18. Stan & Gran (Jellyfish Pictures) U.K.
    19. Book Hungry Bears (9 Story Media) Canada
    20. Boy Girl Dog Cat Mouse Cheese (Cloudco Ent.) U.S.

    The rest of MIP’s official Top 30 Most Screened Projects was also dominated by promising animated originals and fan-favorite characters, including That’s Joey from Superights (#21), The Smurfs from IMPS (#23), Dinocity from APC Kids (#24), Ivy & the Inklings from Jellyfish Pictures (#26), Super Shiro from TV Asahi (#27), Cry Babies Magic Tears from Zodiak Kids ($28) and Dorg Van Dango from DHX Media (#29).

    The Top 10 Most Viewed Projects from the MIP Junior screening library hoping to hit their financing goals was also an all-toons shut-out:

    1. Scrambled (DQ Entertainment) India
    2. Odo (Sixteen South, Letko) Ireland/Poland
    3. Otto’s Tall Tales (Creative Conspiracy N.V.) Belgium
    4. Pop Paper City (Aardman Animations, Love Love Films) U.K.
    5. Hugo & Holger (Wil Film ApS) Denmark
    6. Meddlers (JAM Media, Milkcow Media) Ireland/Canada
    7. Floki (Puppetworks Budapest) Hungary
    8. A-Squad (Reesee Ent. Co. Ltd., Baiyi) China
    9. Deep in the Bowl (Zeilt Prod.) Luxembourg
    10. [TIE] Spookies (Wolkenlenker) Germany | The Little Girl and the Dragon (Spirit Ent., Spirit Animation Studios, Cosmos-Maya) Brazil/India

    Details about these and other programs presented at MIP Junior available at www.mipjunior.com/screenings.

    100% Wolf
    100% Wolf
  • Gaumont & Submarine Partner on ‘Pol the Pirate Mouse’

    Gaumont & Submarine Partner on ‘Pol the Pirate Mouse’

    France’s Gaumont and Amsterdam-based Submarine have partnered to co-produce animated series Pol the Pirate Mouse, based on the children’s book of the same name by renowned writer Tingue Dongelman and illustrated by Denise van Leeuven. The project was presented by Bruno Felix of Submarine at the recent Cartoon Forum.

    The 52 x 11′ animated series for kids ages 2–5 tells the story of Pol, a mouse who doesn’t let her limitations get in the way. In reality, she has no right to be a pirate: She’s tiny, has a sleepy eye that she needs to keep covered up, and she’s nowhere near the ocean. But she doesn’t let any of this get in the way of her dream to be the first pirate mouse of the forest. This unusual and surprising combination makes Pol a unique series.

    Pol’s family has just moved from the city to the country — she’s never seen a forest before, and her new woodland friends have certainly never seen a pirate before. None of this stops them from banding together as crew members on Pol’s majestic vessel, traveling on wondrous woodland adventures down rivers and streams on the lookout for new discoveries. To Pol, everything in the forest is an unknown treasure, from a lily pad to a pinecone, and her pals love helping her find ways to have fun with them. And even when they don’t manage to find something new, the journey itself can be reward enough, as Pol knows that a magical memory is also something to be treasured.

    “We’re incredibly excited to work with Bruno and the talented team at Submarine to develop this heartwarming story for TV,” commented Nicolas Atlan, President, Animation and Family at Gaumont. “When Courtney Arumugam, our VP of Creative Development in our U.K. office, first brought the book to us, we instantly fell in love with it. Brilliantly written by Tingue Dongelman and illustrated by Denise van Leeuven, Pol’s story about moving to the forest and making friends will appeal to children everywhere as they fall in love with these adventure-seeking characters.”

    “We love to tell stories that inspire, surprise and delight. With Pol, we hope that our characters share the same wonder as their pre-school audience, with them both discovering the world around them for the first time,” said Bruno Felix, co-Founder and Managing Director of Submarine. “The series will be funny, action-packed and at the same time sweet and considered. This is all brought to life by Denise van Leeuwen’s rich and beautiful designs that children will want to explore and get lost in. The Submarine team of 2D and 3D artists have created an animation style that helps to tell cinematic stories while staying true to the hand-drawn style of Denise’s work. Doing this with the support of a strong and established partner like Gaumont, is a great help. With the experience in their team we can create a series that is memorable, heart-warming and full of joy.”

  • MIP Bytes: New Sales, Seasons & Series

    MIP Bytes: New Sales, Seasons & Series

    France TV Distribution introduced the markets to a few additions to its catalog:

    • Currently being produced by La Station Animation, Grosha & Mr. B (52 x 11′) is a very different approach is a children’s take on the detective genre and cult comedy-action films. Grosha & Mr. B are two cat detectives who work as a team at the Special Bureau of Investigation (SBI). They have diametrically opposed methods and characters, and their job is to solve the wackiest of criminal cases. Grosha, the cat from a modest background, and the aristocratic Mr. B are backed by the SBI’s brilliant team of experts led by Miss Tigri: Turbo, the forensic tortoise, and Paquo and Paco, the two flying-squad pigeons.
    • Based on the book Jean-Michel Le Caribou by Magali Le Huche (Éditions Actes Sud). Super Caribou (48 x 11′ + 2 specials: 2 x 22′ / 44′) is produced by Autour de Minuit. Welcome to the lovely town of Brisiae with its charming town hall, post office, café and bus stop. Don’t hesitate to come and visit. This is a town where nothing happens! … Well, that would be true if it weren’t for the improbable inhabitants of Brisiae and their crazy antics. Luckily Jeremy the Superhero caribou watches over the town like Superman over Metropolis!
    • The famous Boris returns for a third season (26 x 7′), once again produced by Les Films de l’Arlequin. Boris is a 4-year-old boy like all others who believes in his adventures with his toys, giving them speech with the sole strength of his imagination. They’re the perfect accomplices for his joys, fears and little problems. This way, Boris transfers to them his own reactions and anguishes: he’s afraid of the dark but makes them look scared instead, having them all join him in bed so that he can “protect” them.

    Monster is keen to introduce buyers to Farmer Mo (26 x 7′, Ages 3-6) from Irish studio Wiggleywoo, which has already pre-sold to YLE and SVT, and the premiere of The Day Henry Met… season 4 from Wiggleywoo, recently sold in full season sets to Ceska Televize. Monster already concluded a raft of sales for new acquisitions ahead of the market:

    • Urban Tails (52 x 2′, Ages 4-6) has been sold to Azoomee, Fauna and HMH’s Curious World. Produced by Ireland’s Pink Kong, in each episode a different urban animal introduces itself in a hip-hop video. The series was commissioned by RTE and financed by Screen Ireland and S. 481, the Irish tax incentive.
    • Cocoland (26 x 5′, Ages 3-6) has been sold to HMH’s Curious World and Kidoodle. From Costa Rica’s Rocket Cartoons, the series is set in a beautiful town in the Caribbean where our group of friends learn soft skills such as empathy.
    • Wow! Wow! Rolling Friends (26 x 11′, Ages 3-6) is from Korea’s Flying Pig. The series is set in a magical world where everything is made out of bricks. Everyday problems are solved by creativity and constructing something which helps solve the problem. The first two sales agreements for this series are currently being concluded.
    • Wackyland Monsterland (26 x 11′, Ages 6-11) was commissioned by Nickelodeon Latin America. Produced by Brazil’s 44 Toons, the series’ main character, Otto, must try to find a way of living a normal-ish life in Wackyland, which can change randomly into Monsterland, and vice versa.

    One Animation continues to extend its Oddbods footprint around the world! Following the successful toy launch in Mexico and marathons on Cartoon Network and Boomerang, Turner Latin America has picked up S3 (60 x 7′) plus 22-min. Halloween special Oddbods: Party Monsters. TV3 Catalunya (Spain) has also picked up S3 and the special, while Netflix has inked a new deal for S2 (60 x 7′) for a global launch in January. And train operator TranItalia (Italy) are showing 10 x 5′ Oddbods packages via their on-board monitors and mobile app. Meanwhile, SVP Content Distribution Michele Schofield points out that the property’s one-minute shorts continue to success across OTT, with more than 12 billion views on YouTube alone.

    Silvergate Media headed to France with its strongest-ever production slate, with four brand-new properties currently in production for top-tier partners, such as Monkey with a Tool Belt, coming to Netflix in 2020. The company is also shopping three debut series, presented at MIP for the first time.

    • Multi award-winning series Hilda (13 x 22′) will return for a second season earmarked for Netflix in 2020, after its exceptional debut on Netflix in autumn 2018. Silvergate is inviting expressions of interest from global linear broadcast partners for the first season of Hilda for delivery in 2020. The stunningly animated series is aimed at kids aged 6-11 years and scooped an impressive three Annie Awards including Best Animated Television Production for Children and a Daytime Emmy Award in 2019.
    • Octonauts, Silvergate’s well-travelled international breakthrough success, is a top priority for the company at MIP Junior. The franchise currently has two new 70-minute movies set to hit Chinese market in 2020, before the IP will undergo a much-anticipated refresh in 2021. The brand-new Octonauts will be fully realized in an innovative new spin-off series Octonauts: Above and Beyond that combines the high-octane action and stunning creative that has come to define the brand. 156 x 11′ episodes are currently in production and set for delivery from 2021 through 2024.
    • Silvergate’s Made by Maddie (40 x 11′ and 4 x 22′ specials), previously working titled “Fashion Ally,” has been commissioned by Nickelodeon and will premiere in fall 2020. The fashion-first series, set in the heart of NYC, features the titular character as a breath-of-fresh air heroine who inspires imaginative thinking, resourcefulness and positivity.
    • SuperKitties (52 x 11′, Kids 3-6 ) follows the uplifting and exciting adventures of a totally pawsome crack team of fabulous felines trying to make the world a more purr-fect place. Brilliant individually, unbeatable as a team, the group of rescued kitties are at the ready when the Kitty Cat Call is sounded. That’s when they hightail it to their secret cavern, chow down on tuna and power up to become invincible guardians of good.
    • Super Duper Molly Cooper (40 x 11′, Kids 2-6) is currently in development. Set in the South Pacific, the series follows the amazing adventures of Molly Cooper as she discovers the legendary Wonder Island thanks to her homemade flying machine. Along with her little brother and robot friend Zap, it’s the beginning of a wondrous adventure building structures and engineering tools to provide shelter and safety for her new-found friends.
    • Innards is biology for preschoolers in a short-form series that teaches preschoolers all about the inner-workings of the human body through light-hearted and educational comedy. Three vital organs (Heart, Brain and Stomach) work together with a rotating cast of fellow organs to find biologically accurate solutions to the body’s internal conflicts. Real science plays out as goofy situational comedy: when mucus floods, chicken pox invade, or hiccups quake, kids will learn how their innards band together to keep them healthy.

    Superights used the Cannes stage to announce Season 2 of hit animated series Pat the Dog. Produced by Superprod and Animoka, the addition of 63 x 7′ episodes, plus four 26 min. Specials (Christmas, Halloween, summer holidays, and Pat & Lola’s first meeting) and 10 x 1’30” Hoodie the cat shorts bring the series catalogue to more than 150 episodes. S2 has already sold to Warner Media Group (Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia)l, Disney TV (Spain, France, Netherlands, Russia, Germany), France Televisions, RAI (Italy), Radio Canada, RTS (Switzerland), TV3 (Spain), VRT (Belgium), Discover Kids (LatAm) and Mango TV (China VOD). Pat the Dog S1 also sold to YLE (Finland), MTVA (Hungary), Disney Channel (U.S.) and TV Jamaica. The company also brought three new animated/hybrid gems to market this year:

    • ClayTime Season 2 (30 episodes + 30 tutorials) is produced by Reaz for France Télévisions and will be delivered in spring 2020. In this new season, young viewers will discover new characters such as Cesar the Crab, Gudule the Octopus, Gaston the Pig and many others. As in the first season, the series includes 30 episodes of 3’30” and 30 tutorials of 1’30”, teaching kids how to model the characters of the series in clay.
    • Koumi’s Animated Picture Book (52 x 5′) is produced by Le Regard Sonore and will be delivered late 2020. Koumi is a charming series which takes the audience to the discovery of wild animals and combines both animation and documentary. The young heroine, Koumi, will introduce children to 52 animals, from the always popular koala, kangaroo, etc., to more unusual and exotic ones such as the pangolin or Japanese macaque.
    • The hen, the cat and other bugs… (1 x 26′) is produced by Les Films du Nord. This entry nicely complements Superights’ rich catalogue specials. The story follows the crazy adventures of a hen and the many encounters she has along her way. Will she manage to escape her fate…? This non-dialogue program is already produced and available for broadcast.

    Winsing, a leader in Chinese animation for over 15 years, debuted Gogo Bus & Team Steam at the MIP Junior Project Pitch — a dedicated platform for creators and producers seeking financing for projects in development. The 104 x 15′ concept introduces the daring rescues and exciting adventures of Team Steam. Living on an island filled with innovative new technologies, natural phenomena, and all manner of wildlife, our intrepid team is ready to respond to any emergency. How do they do it? By combining knowledge, ingenuity, teamwork – and a little help from their fabulous friend: GOGO BUS! The show is a spinoff of popular, educational kids’ property Gogo Bus, which will soon get third and fourth seasons on air in China.

    Oddbods
    Oddbods
    Hilda
    Hilda
    Pat the Dog
    Pat the Dog
    ClayTime
    ClayTime
    Gogo Bus & Team Steam
    Gogo Bus & Team Steam
  • ‘Addams Family’ Snaps to $30.3M No. 2 Opening

    ‘Addams Family’ Snaps to $30.3M No. 2 Opening

    MGM’s mysterious and spooky animated outing The Addams Family (UAR) edged just over its predicted opening weekend take, debuting in the U.S. at No. 2 with an estimated $30.29 million over three days. Early response has lead to a B+ Cinemascore audience rating — but with potential fans of the Chaz Addams update ready to get into the Halloween spirit, the macabre clan may have more altogether ooky surprises in store for box-office watchers.

    The animated new arrival was beaten out for reigning champ Joker (WB), which added $55M in its second week of release, dropping 43% and bringing its domestic cumulative take to $192.7M after 10 days. Taking the No. 3 spot for its opening weekend was the Will Smith action-thriller Gemini Man (Paramount), directed by Ang Lee, with $20.5M.

    DreamWorks Animation/Pearl Studio’s Abominable (Universal) stayed near the top with a No. 4 result in its third week — the original tale added $6.17M to its domestic snowball, bringing the cume to $47.9M; its overseas tally went up $15M to $60.1M (worldwide: $108.1M).

    Focus Features’ Downton Abbey rounded out the top five with an additional $4.9M domestic (cume: $82.68M) an $4.1M internationally (cume: $70M).

    Addams Family and Abominable will both get some family audience competition next weekend, when Disney’s Maleficent: Mistress of Evil arrives.

    [Source: BoxOfficeMojo]

  • Ram Mohan, Father of Indian Animation, Dies at 88

    Ram Mohan, who was known as the father of Indian animation, died on Thursday, according to a report by Animation Xpress. He was 88.

    A longtime veteran of the Indian animation industry, Mohan was well-known as the chairman and chief creative officer at Graphiti Multimedia, a Mumbai-based animation company launched in 1995. He also established the Graphiti School of Animation in 2006.

    Mohan started his career in 1956 with the Government of India’s Cartoon Films Unit, where he worked under the umbrella of the larger Films Division. In 1968, he left Films Division and joined Prasad Productions as head of its animation division. In 1972, he established his own production company, Ram Mohan Biographics, which worked on commercials and the animated feature Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama (1992), which he co-directed in collaboration with Japanese filmmaker Yugo Sako.

    Mohan’s film credits also include several animated sequences created for mainstream feature films, including an animated song for B.R. Chopra’s Pati Patni Aur Woh (1978), the title sequence for Satyajit Ray’s Shatranj Ke Khilari, and a sequence for Mrinal Sen’s Hindi film, Bhuvan Shome. Other film credits include Biwi O Biwi, Do aur Do Paanch and Kaamchor.

    A mainstay of India’s burgeoning animation industry, Mohan had personally trained many of the leading professionals working in the industry today. Watch a clip from Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama below, and head over to Animation Xpress to learn more about his career.

    Ramayana
    Ramayana
    Ramayana
    Ramayana
  • Disney Unveils New Trailer & Poster for ‘Jungle Cruise’

    Disney Unveils New Trailer & Poster for ‘Jungle Cruise’

    Disney is inviting audiences to join the adventure of a lifetime with a new teaser trailer and poster for Jungle Cruise, which sails into theaters on July 24, 2020.

    Inspired by the famous Disneyland theme park ride, Jungle Cruise is an adventure-filled, Amazon jungle expedition starring Dwayne Johnson as the charismatic riverboat captain and Emily Blunt as a determined explorer on a research mission. Also starring in the film are Edgar Ramirez, Jack Whitehall, with Jesse Plemons, and Paul Giamatti.

    The action-packed teaser trailer was launched via a fun-filled Instagram Live featuring Johnson interacting with a boat full of skippers from the Jungle Cruise attraction at the Disneyland Resort. Watch the video, and check out the new poster, below:

    Jungle Cruise is directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and produced by John Davis, John Fox, Dwayne Johnson, Hiram Garcia, Dany Garcia and Beau Flynn, with Doug Merrifield serving as executive producer.

    Jungle Cruise
    Jungle Cruise

  • ‘Garden Party’ Filmmakers Ilogic Developing Feature with Bob Weinstein

    Former film mogul Harvey Weinstein may be persona non grata in Hollywood these days, but his brother, Bob Weinstein, is back in business.

    Deadline reports that Bob Weinstein, the former co-chairman of The Weinstein Co., has launched a new boutique production company called Watch This Entertainment. The new prodco will reportedly develop to produce two to three films per year, focusing primarily on family films, comedies and “upscale adult thrillers”:

    “The first project is Endangered, an animated family adventure film that Weinstein will produce with Tea Leoni. She will lend her voice to one of the lead characters. The film will be directed by the French animation collective known as Illogic, a team nominated for an Academy Award in 2018 for their animated short Garden Party. The collective, which will write the script, is made up of Florian Babikian, Victor Caire, Théophile Dufresne, Gabriel Grapperon and Lucas Navarro.”

    Watch This Entertainment will be headed by President of Creative Development Pantea Ghaderi, Formerly executive vice president of publicity at Dimension Films, Ghaderi was reportedly instrumental to bringing the Illogic team on board.

    Endangered is inspired by the book of the same name by leading wildlife photographer Tim Flach. The Ilogic team will develop a narrative for the project around the theme of endangered animals.

    Garden Party
    Garden Party
  • Box Office: ‘The Addams Family’ Ready to Scare Up a $30M Debut

    Box Office: ‘The Addams Family’ Ready to Scare Up a $30M Debut

    Early box office numbers are coming in for this weekend’s offerings and things are looking good for Warner Bros. with Joker on track to earn $45.8 million, according to industry predictions. Topping last weekend’s box office, Joaquin Phoenix’s turn as the titular Joker debuted as the fifth-largest domestic opening of 2019 with a whopping $96.2 million, and is expected to dominate this weekend as well. If current estimates for Joker hold, the film will pass $185 million on Sunday night to become the eighth-biggest title of 2019 in North America.

    Meanwhile, MGM and United Artists Releasing’s animated feature The Addams Family has already made $9 million, including $1.25 million in previews, and is projected to earn up to $30 million for its debut weekend. With an all-star voice cast including Oscar Isaac, Charlize Theron, Chloe Grace Moretz, Finn Wolfhard, Nick Kroll, Bette Midler, Allison Janney, Elsie Fisher and Snoop Dogg, the PG-rated film is aimed at family audiences, and follows Morticia, Gomez, Wednesday and Pugsley as the Addams family brings its special brand of ghoulish delight to 21st century life in New Jersey. Reviews of The Addams Family have been critical, however, earning the CG-animated feature a 32% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

    Also opening this weekend is Paramount and Skydance Media’s Gemini Man, which is directed by Ang Lee and stars Will Smith. The sci-fi thriller made $7.3 million on Friday, including $1.6 million in previews, and is projected to earn somewhere between $19-20 million from 3,642 theaters for a third place debut.

    Now in its third week in theaters, DreamWorks Animation and Pearl Studio’s Yeti adventure Abominable is in fourth place, bringing in $1.8 million from 3,496 theaters. Directed by Jill Culton, and set in modern-day China, the CG-animated feature is expected to earn $7.7 million from the weekend for parent company Universal for a total of $49.5 million.

    Box office numbers were originally reported by Deadline.

  • Nelvana’s ‘Most Magnificent Thing’ Promotes Positive Values

    Nelvana’s ‘Most Magnificent Thing’ Promotes Positive Values

    A few years ago, former president of Canadian animation studio Nelvana Scott Dyer and creative producer Pamela Slavin contacted Arna Selznick (The Care Bears Movie, The Nut Job) to direct the studio’s first CG-animated short project, The Most Magnificent Thing.

    The 22-minute project is based on a charming book by Ashley Spires which centers on a young girl who sets out to make a fantastic gift for her best friend, but soon discovers that the creative journey is always riddled with setbacks.

    According to Slavin, the team wanted a strong story that would be a good candidate for a short film and the book had a very relatable universal story about the struggle to create something. “Our objective was always to create a short that would give our creative team a chance to show what they can do,” she says.” If it becomes something else’s in the future like a series, then that would be lovely, but it wasn’t the objective.”

    Selznick, who teamed up with writing partner John van Bruggen on the project, says she loves the beautiful look of the film, its lovely designs by Jaewoo Kim and Lillian Chan and locations that evoke an idealized downtown Toronto neighborhood, as sketched by designer Scott Caple. “To create the warm golden hour atmosphere of our film, art director Yaleh Paxton-Harding worked closely with our texture artists and lighters,” says Selznick. “We were inspired by hand-made stop motion, and by such films as Room on a Broom, The Gruffalo and Revolting Rhymes, all from Magic Light Pictures. We made sure our models, both sets and characters, were ‘wonkified’. That’s a term we coined for our process of adding slight distortions and uneven planes, so shapes looked as though they were made by hand.”

    The director says the animation, which was all produced at Nelvana’s Toronto facilities, was done all on 2s (each drawing is held for two frames) for a charming stop-motion feeling. “That’s not something that you usually see in CG animation,” she notes. “Some of my favorite moments in the film include the Girl and her architect Mom in a split-screen setup, both humming, while they work on their separate projects. I also love the magical ‘Create-O-Vision’ moments. Screenwriter John van Bruggen came up with something called Create-O- Vision to visualize our Girl finding her inspiration. I also love the moments when the Girl’s doubts are visualized as she struggles to make something that just does not work.”

    She adds, “Of course, I’m delighted with the performances of our wonderful voice cast, including Whoopi Goldberg as our Narrator, Lilly Bartlam as the Girl, Alison Pill as Mom, and Tony Daniels as Girl’s hilarious pal Dog.”

    A Special Achievement

    Overall, about 150 people worked on the film at various stages. The production began with a small team of five and expanded as needed. The teams used a variety of animation and vfx tools used on the show including Photoshop, Toon Boom Storyboard Pro, Premier Pro (editing), Zbrush, Mudbox, Maya’s Xgen (for fur and hair), Maya (for previs), Maya (CG animation), Nuke (compositing), Arnold (lighting and rendering) and Toon Boom Harmony (general effects).

    Looking back at the experience, Selznick says adapting a book to film is a specific type of challenge unlike creating an original story. “Our goal was to stay true to Ashley’s book and give it new life as a 22-minute short,” she explains. “I think a director is only as good as the team you work with. When the process is working, we all elevate each other to make the best film we can.”

    As the film begins its run on the festival circuit this fall, Selznick hopes audiences of all ages will recognize that the creative process is not a straight-ahead thing. “It involves a lot of trial and error and the willingness to fail, and then to persist, and above all, to trust yourself,” she points out. “I also hope that our audiences will understand the essence of magnificence. Something truly magnificent is not always the biggest or the grandest thing. Something magnificent can be a simple thing that you make for a friend who needs it.”

    To learn more, visit www.themostmagnificentthing.com

    “The creative process involves a lot of trial and error and the willingness to fail, and then to persist, and above all, to trust yourself.”
    – Director Arna Selznick

    Arna Selznick
    Arna Selznick
    The Most Magnificent Thing
    The Most Magnificent Thing
  • Toonstar’s Virtual Influencer Shines Spotlight on Catalyst Content Festival

    Toonstar’s Virtual Influencer Shines Spotlight on Catalyst Content Festival

    Celebrated actor and voice-over artist Nancy Cartwright — best known for voicing Bart Simpson on The Simpsons — has been selected to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at this weekend’s Catalyst Content Festival, and the festival organizers have enlisted a “virtual influencer” named Lance to help get the word out about the event.

    The cartoon TV correspondent Lance is a member of the Toonstar Network, a collective of virtual influencers which are animated digital identities for the creators behind them. All of the content is based on and created by real people, just like the world of traditional influencers, in a new category Toonstar calls “reality animation.”

    Lance is an aspiring writer living in LA, and boasts almost 30,000 followers on Instagram. He is attending the Catalyst Content Festival to cover all the festivities from red carpet interviews to behind-the-scenes footage at the exclusive industry parties that are being produced by Los Angeles event planner Jeffrey Best.

    Sponsored by Abrams Artists Agency, the Catalyst Content Festival runs Oct. 9-13, bringing together content creators from around the world with Hollywood executives and agents to the Midwestern arts hub of Duluth, Minnesota. The event marks the first time that a virtual influencer has been invited to cover a major content festival.

    The collaboration leverages Toonstar’s production technology to create near-time and real-time animated content so that Lance’s festival coverage can be shared via social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat as it happens. From a tech perspective, the amount of time it takes to create the content ranges from a couple minutes to less than two hours depending on format and length. Toonstar also has livestream capabilities that enables real-time animated broadcasting.

    Lance’s latest post about getting to Duluth has received more than 18,000 views:

  • Henson, Webtoon Team on YA Series, ‘Lore Olympus’

    Henson, Webtoon Team on YA Series, ‘Lore Olympus’

    The Jim Henson Company is teaming up with webcomic publisher Webtoon to develop a new animated series aimed at young adults based on Rachel Smythe’s Lore Olympus, according to a report by Deadline.

    As the top title on the Webtoon platform, boasting a weekly release schedule and more than a million hits per episode, Lore Olympus is a stylized, contemporary reworking of Greek mythology.

    Here’s the official synopsis:

    Witness what the gods do…after dark. The friendships and the lies, the gossip and the wild parties, and of course, forbidden love. Because it turns out, the gods aren’t so different from us after all, especially when it comes to their problems. Stylish and immersive, this is one of mythology’s greatest stories — The Taking of Persephone — as it’s never been told before.

    The new partnership marks Webtoon’s first adaptation deal since the platform launched in 2014. Ashley Griffis, executive director of television for The Henson Company, will oversee the development process for the new series.

    “At Henson, we love stories that inspire, both artistically and intellectually, and Webtoon’s Lore Olympus does both,” Griffis reportedly said. “Rachel Smythe’s new take on mythology and innovative design, with a unique female perspective, makes this project perfect for today’s young adults. The world of Lore Olympus is a welcome part of the Henson tradition of exceptional fantasy storytelling.”

  • Atlantyca Buzzes with ‘Berry Bees’ at MIP Junior

    Atlantyca Buzzes with ‘Berry Bees’ at MIP Junior

    Italian children’s animation and content company Atlantyca is bringing a fully completed episode of its inventive new animated series Berry Bees to the MipJunior and MIPCOM market this week. The 52 x 11-minute spy action-comedy show, which is a co-pro with Australia’s SLR Productions, Ireland’s Telegael as well as Singapore and India’s Cosmos-Maya, is set to premiere in Australia on Oct. 5 on NINE Network’s 9GO, with Rai planning a Christmas launch in Italy.

    Produced in participation of Rai Ragazzi and Nine, Berry Bees follows the adventures of three ordinary 10-year-old girls who are chosen by the B.I.A. (Bee Intelligence Agency) to fight international villains with their special skills and fantastic berry-themed gadgets to save the day.

    Distribution is being shared with worldwide rights being handled by Atlantyca Entertainment with Cosmos-Maya handling distribution across Asia, SLR Productions handling distribution for Australia as well as New Zealand and Telegael distributing in Ireland and UK.

    Among Atlantyca’s other animation hits are Geronimo Stilton (78×23’), and Bat Pat (104×12’), a co-production with Mondo TV Producciones Canarias. For more info, visit Atlantyca.com. At MIPCOM, you can find the team at the Palais Riviera R7.A20.

    Berry Bees
    Berry Bees
  • Copyright Lawsuit Claims ‘X-Men’ Theme Song Was Copied

    Copyright Lawsuit Claims ‘X-Men’ Theme Song Was Copied

    We’ve all heard the old adage about music soothing the savage, erm, beast, but apparently not everyone agrees. More than 25 years after the X-Men: The Animated Series burst onto television sets, a copyright-infringement lawsuit alleges that the opening theme song for the popular cartoon was stolen, Deadline reports:

    “A Florida man is suing Marvel, Disney’s Buena Vista Television, Amazon, Apple, Haim Saban and others, claiming that the X-Men toon’s theme song was ripped off from a 1980s Hungarian TV series. Zoltan Krisko says he represents Gyorgy Vukan, the late composer of the theme song from Linda, a ‘comedy thriller’ that aired from 1984-91 in the former Soviet Union satellite.”

    The lawsuit, which was reportedly filed on Wednesday in the Southern District of New York and can be seen in full here, claims Linda is “a household name in Hungary and an entire country could identify the series through its iconic soundtrack.” Noting that “the soundtrack of X-Men is widely regarded as the most iconic soundtrack of any animation series in the 1990s,” the suit contends the X-Men theme song “is substantially similar to the theme song of Linda,” and was the result of unauthorized copying of Vukan’s work with minor alterations.

    X-Men: The Animated Series first aired on the Fox Kids Network in 1992, and currently streams on Amazon Prime Video and is also available via Apple’s iTunes Store. In addition to Amazon and Apple, Warner Chappell Music, UMG Recordings and former Saban Entertainment executives Shuki Levy and Ron Wasserman also are named as defendants in the lawsuit. Krisko, who is representing himself, is requesting a jury trial and is seeking unspecified damages and an injunction against further distribution.

    Listen to the two theme songs below, and head over to Deadline to read the full story:

    X-Men Opening Theme Song:

    Linda Theme Song:

    Source: https://deadline.com/2019/10/x-men-theme-song-lawsuit-marvel-disney-amazon-apple-linda-1202756336/

    Lawsuit: https://pmcdeadline2.files.wordpress.com/2019/10/zoltan-krisko-x-men-lawsuit-wm_redacted.pdf

  • DreamWorks’ ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ Holiday Special to Air on NBC

    DreamWorks’ ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ Holiday Special to Air on NBC

    Hiccup, Toothless, Astrid and the rest of the DreamWorks’ How to Train Your Dragon movies are getting their own half-hour animated holiday special. How to Train Your Dragon Homecoming, which features the voices of Jay Baruchel as Hiccup, America Ferrera as Astrid, Gerard Butler as Stoick, Craig Ferguson as Gobber, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Fishlegs, will premiere on NBC on Dec. 3rd at 8:30 p.m.

    The holiday special is directed by Tim Johnson (Home, Antz), written by Jonathan Groff (black-ish) and Jon Pollack (Modern Family), and associate produced by Craig Rittenbaum (DreamWorks Dragons).

    The special takes place just before the emotional epilogue from the last installment of the film trilogy – and 10 years after the end of How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World. According to the official synopsis, the special “opens with Hiccup and Toothless sharing stories of their special relationship with their respective families as they prepare for the Snoggletog Festival. When it becomes clear that the new generation of Vikings doesn’t remember the bond between dragon and human, Hiccup makes a plan to celebrate dragons with a grand holiday pageant. This heartwarming idea leads to a series of hilarious and exciting events, but no matter the circumstance, everyone in New Berk – young and old alike – is reminded that dragons and humans are forever bonded.”

    How to Train Your Dragon Homecoming also will be available on DVD Dec. 3, 2019, and on Digital Dec. 4, 2019, from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. The Digital and DVD versions come packed with special bonus features, including an inside look at the animation test featuring the breakout stars of the holiday special, the baby dragons known as Night Lights. The special will also be available on Hulu beginning Dec. 5.

    DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon film trilogy has earned more than $500 million domestically, including a $55 million opening weekend for the third film when it was released in February.

    How to Train Your Dragon Homecoming
    How to Train Your Dragon Homecoming
    How to Train Your Dragon Homecoming
    How to Train Your Dragon Homecoming